Happy returns
THE emerging years of twitching had a nasty streak, but no one ever said a word against Roy Dennis, Fair Isle warden and ace rarity identifier beyond my comprehension. But that was just a small part of Roy.
He has since made a career of wildlife conservation, consultation and involvement in the reintroduction of rare species in many countries. He writes well, too.
Roy must get a vast number of Christmas cards. Page after page of this book – put together from his diaries and notes to give a lively, uniquely firsthand account – is crammed with names. There are friends, colleagues, RAF pilots, lords and ladies, conservationists, politicians, farmers, gamekeepers and fishermen, opponents and supporters.
His work involves dealing with people in all kinds of roles, with endless meetings; people who, Roy candidly reveals, may oppose him until his schemes succeed, when they then take the credit.
In those early Fair Isle years, Red Kites were still secretly wardened in Wales, where they slowly increased from near-extirpation; even individual Peregrine nests were guarded. Loch Garten ospreys attracted tourists to their only public nest site, following natural recolonisation.
People became heated about reintroducing kites elsewhere, as it spoiled the integrity of the Welsh birds and ruined the romance of their continuing story. But opposition ignored Roy’s simple aim: to make rare species more common and more secure.
Since then, he has been involved with Common Goldeneye,
Golden and White-tailed Eagles, Western Osprey, Red Squirrel, beavers and much more besides.
Two things strike me forcibly. First, Roy has been unbelievably busy for decades. Second, while people like me think lofty thoughts but do nothing, it needs special people like Roy to get down to it and do the job. He is disappointed with results, thinking more could have been done before opposition became so organised and so political, yet he has undoubtedly achieved a huge amount for the benefit of wildlife and all of us. Thank you, Roy. A special person indeed. Rob Hume