It’s been a bad several days!
Two giants in the world of Nature Conservation, especially for their huge input to the management of the Pembrokeshire Islands (Skomer and Skokholm in particular) have left us: Mike Alexander last week, and now Steve Sutcliffe.
I had known them both for many years. I first became aware of Mike who, at a very young age, had been warden at the Calf
of Man Bird Observatory back in 1967 (where I was to work several years
later). Mike did an excellent job, getting the work of the Observatory back on
track after a difficult period. Some time later of course, Mike (like Steve a bit later
on) made a considerable mark on Skomer. Much later, when working for the
Countryside Council for Wales, Mike was instrumental in the development of the Countryside Management System (CMS). This
computerized planning and recording system (aimed at nature reserve managers like
myself back then) was way ahead of the game, not only at a UK level but also at an international level!
I first met Steve at a BTO Ringers Conference at Swanwick in
Derbyshire probably in about 1970. At that time I was a keen trainee ringer, living in
the West Midlands. It was some years later, that I got to know Steve and Mike
much better when I moved to Pembs. in 1984.
Steve, a very keen ringer, a passionate and excellent golfer,
had a considerable interest in the islands of course. His contributions to the
development and work of the “Friends”, and his passion for seabirds (notably his very long-established ringing
studies of cormorants and large gulls on Caldey and St Margarets Islands) are all
legendary!
More recently Steve, with Anna and others, had started a new and exciting project aimed at encouraging
Manx Shearwaters and Storm Petrels to breed on a now "rat-free" Caldey Island
- a place Steve had been involved with since
his teenage days (possibly earlier). It is such a great pity that he will not see how
the efforts of his labours come to fruition in the years to come.