Tommy Saunders

Tommy works in the Operations team at Naturetrek and has been fascinated by wildlife since childhood, with a particular passion for raptors. This keen interest led him to read Wildlife Conservation where he gained practical skills and in-depth knowledge on habitat management and conservation methods. He achieved a C Permit in bird ringing from the British Trust for Ornithology when he was just 14-years old and has since ringed over 200 bird species, contributing to the scientific knowledge of many species. He has also been on multiple research trips to study birds and in turn has developed methods of retrieving birds and bats for scientific data collection using suspended nets over water or high up in the canopy.

Tommy cites two weeks in South Africa catching and ringing some of Africa’s most impressive raptors – including Martial Eagles, Forest Buzzard and African Hawk-eagle – as one of his favourite projects. Back home, Tommy is one of only a handful of people in the UK to acquire a tree-climbing and bird-ringing license and with this he is an integral part of multiple raptor ringing schemes. Part of this work includes monitoring and ringing Goshawks, Red Kite and Buzzard chicks along with some scarce breeders. In Spring 2023, Tommy was made the youngest ever Trustee for the Hampshire Ornithological Society.