The Irish national coordinator has just retired after 25 years

Richard (Dick) Coombes, who has coordinated the Republic of Ireland’s ‘Countryside Bird Survey’ (CBS) since it commenced in 1998, has just retired after 25 years. Based on data collected along transects within randomly selected survey squares, the CBS is the Republic of Ireland’s monitoring scheme for common and widespread breeding birds of the countryside. D

ick started in his role as National Coordinator in 1998, just a few months before the survey started for the first time. This was a huge challenge, and in such a short period, he led in finding enough survey participants (mainly volunteers) to survey the required 300 squares and to make sure they all had adequate training. Back then, of course, there was no email or smartphones, so all communication was by letter or phone call.

Despite these challenges, the survey was a success from the start and continues to this day to deliver data to inform on the trends of our countryside birds. To date, close to a thousand individuals have taken part in the CBS, and Dick has trained and inspired them all, making over 730 survey visits himself. He has worked tirelessly, both in the office and field, to make sure our annual targets are met and that CBS is the success that it is.

We wish him a very happy well-earned retirement!

Lesley Lewis

The Countryside Bird Survey (CBS) is funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage) and is coordinated by BirdWatch Ireland.