News from the Broome Bird Observatory
May 14, 2008
New Wardens join the BBO
The Committee is delighted to welcome the new Wardens, Jon and Anne King, who recently arrived from the United States and have taken over with effect from the 12 May 2008.
Let us introduce you to the Kings.....
Anne working at PRBO as project coordinator for the Landbird Program. Press image for enlargement.
Anne was born and grew up in California. She attended the University of California at Berkeley, obtaining a degree in Anthropology, while also taking many biology classes and beginning to watch birds. After finishing university, Anne spent several years as a naturalist instructor at a not-for-profit marine educational institute. She became increasingly interested in birds, and took a position with the Point Reyes Bird Observatory (PRBO), where she filled many roles during the six years she worked there. Eventually Anne sought to broaden her experience and seven years ago became a wildlife biologist at an international environmental consulting firm, EDAW Inc. She was Leader of the Wildlife Practice from 2005.
Jon measuring a Storm Petrel for seabird research in the Canary Islands. Press image for enlargement.
Jon was born in Kenya, his family moving back to the UK when he was a small boy. Jon had become a serious birder by the age of 10, and he became a licensed bird ringer at only 14. He studied Environmental Biology in Oxford, then remained there to work as a research scientist at the Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology for five years. During those years he worked on many diverse field projects, living in Spain for more than two years.
In 1996, Jon shifted from academic research to applied environmental work, and worked for a season at Long Point Bird Observatory in eastern Canada before heading to California to work for Point Reyes Bird Observatory. He worked as a field biologist for both PRBO and the Museum of Natural Science at Louisiana State University, before taking a position as the Senior Ornithologist for EDAW. Jon has also been a birding guide in a number of countries, guiding individuals and groups of varying sizes for several organisations.
After years learning a great deal in consultancy, Jon and Anne are now returning to their passion in applied bird conservation, fieldwork, and education. The BBO Committee is delighted they have decided to come and join the team and look forward to working with them both.