My post entails the management and development of two national monitoring schemes, the Nest Record Scheme (NRS) and the Barn Owl Monitoring Programme (BOMP), both of which focus on the collection of productivity data to feed into the BTO’s Integrated Population Monitoring programme alongside data from the Ringing Scheme and the Breeding Bird Survey. I am also involved in the development of new initiatives such as the Nest Box Challenge.

My role includes management of the day to day running of the NRS and BOMP, performed by the Nest Records Officer, development of the survey methodology, data collation and storage systems, analysis of the data collected for the production of research reports and scientific papers and promotion of the schemes through popular articles and presentations.

Active nest recorder, responsible for Nunnery RG submissions
Active bird ringer (C permit)
Council member of Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists’ Society
Assistant County Mammal Recorder for Norfolk

• Austin, G.E., Armitage, M.J.S., Atkinson, P.W., Burton,N.H.K., Leech, D.I., Marshall, A.R., Mellan, H., Musgrove, A.J. & Rehfisch, M.M. (2003) WeBs Alerts 1999/2000: Changes in numbers of wintering waterbirds in the UK, its constituent countries, Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). BTO Research Report 306.
• Baillie, S.R., Crick, H.Q.P., Balmer, D.E., Beaven, L.P., Downie, I.S., Freeman, S.N., Leech, D.I., Marchant, J.H., Noble, D.G., Raven, M.J., Simpkin, A.P., Thewlis, R.M. & Wernham, C.V. (2002) Breeding Birds in the Wider Countryside – their conservation status 2001. BTO Research Report 278. Available on the website http://www.bto.org/birdtrends2001
• Baillie, S.R., Marchant, J.H., Crick, H.Q.P., Noble, D.G., Balmer, D.E., Beaven, L.P., Coombes, R.H., Downie, I.S., Freeman, S.N., Joys, A.C., Leech, D.I., Raven, M.J., Robinson, R.A. & Thewlis, R.M. (2005) Breeding Birds in the Wider Countryside: their conservation status 2004. BTO Research Report 385. http://www.bto.org/birdtrends2004
• Baillie, S.R., Marchant, J.H., Crick, H.Q.P., Noble, D.G., Balmer, D.E., Coombes, R.H., Downie, I.S., Freeman, S.N., Joys, A.C., Leech, D.I., Raven, M.J., Robinson, R.A. & Thewlis, R.M. (2006) Breeding Birds in the Wider Countryside: their conservation status 2005. BTO Research Report 435. http://www.bto.org/birdtrends2005
• Baillie, S.R., Marchant, J.H., Crick, H.Q.P., Noble, D.G., Balmer, D.E., Barimore, C., Coombes, R.H., Downie, I.S., Freeman, S.N., Joys, A.C., Leech, D.I., Raven, M.J., Robinson, R.A. & Thewlis, R.M. (2007) Breeding Birds in the wide countryside; their Conservation Status 2007. Available on the website www.bto.org/birdtrends/index.htm. BTO Research Report 487.
• Beaven, L.P., Leech, D.I., Shawyer, C.R., Balmer, D.E. & Crick, H.Q.P. (2002) The BTO Barn Owl Monitoring Programme – 2nd Report Second Year 2001. BTO Research Report 294.
• Crick, H.Q.P., Baillie, S.R. & Leech, D. I. (2003) The UK Nest Record Scheme: It’s value for science and conservation. Bird Study 50: 254-270.
• Crick, H.Q.P., Marchant, J.H., Baillie, S.R., Balmer, D.E., Beaven, L.P., Coombes, R.H., Downie, I.S., Freeman, S.N., Joys, A.C., Leech, D.I., Noble, D.G., Raven, M.J., Robinson, R.A. & Thewlis, R.M. (2004) Breeding Birds in the Wider Countryside. BTO Research Report 353. http://www.bto.org/birdtrends2003
• Evans, K.L., Leech, D.I., Crick, H.Q.P., Greenwood, J.J.D. & Gaston, K.J. (in press). Latitudinal and seasonal patterns in clutch size of some single-brooded British birds. Bird Study.
• Leech, D.I. (2007) The BTO's Nest Record Scheme - the value of counting your eggs before they hatch. British Wildlife 18(4): 229-234.
• Leech, D.I., Banks, A.N. & Crick, H.Q.P. (2005) The influence of the 2001 Foot and Mouth disease outbreak on Barn Owl productivity in the UK. BTO Research Report 408.
• Leech, D.I., Barimore, C.J., Crick, H.Q.P. & Shawyer, C.R. (2006) The BTO Barn Owl Monitoring Programme: 6th Year 2005. BTO Research Report 454.
• Leech, D.I. & Crick, H.Q.P. (in press) Influence of climate change on the abundance, distribution and phenology of woodland bird species in temperate regions. Ibis.
• Leech, D.I. & Crick, H.Q.P. (2007) Influence of climate change on the abundance, distribution and phenology of woodland bird species in temperate regions. Ibis 149 (s2): 128-145.
• Leech, D.I., Crick, H.Q.P. & Rehfisch, M.M. (2004) The effect of climate change on bird species in the UK. BTO Research Report 369.
• Leech, D.I., Crick, H.Q.P. & Shawyer, C.R. (2005) The BTO Barn Owl Monitoring Programme: fourth year 2003. BTO Research Report 411.
• Leech, D.I., Crick, H.Q.P. & Shawyer, C.R. (2005) The BTO Barn Owl Monitoring Programme: 5th year 2004. BTO Research Report 424.
• Leech, D.I., Hartley, I.R., Stewart, I.R.K., Griffith, S.G. & Burke, T. (2001). No effect of parental quality or extra-pair paternity on brood sex ratio in the blue tit (Parus caeruleus). Behavioural Ecology 12 (6): 674-680.
• Leech, D.I., Miyar, T., Wright, K., Downie, I., Barimore, C.J. Stancliffe, P., Appleton, G.A. & Crick, H.Q.P. (2007) Nestbox Challenge 2007. BTO Research Report 491.
• Leech, D.I., Newson, S., Duffield, M., Banks, A. & Noble, D. (2003) Results from the 2nd Year of the Winter Mammal Monitoring Project – 2nd interim report. BTO Research Report 341.
• Leech, D. I., Rehfisch, M.M. & Atkinson, P.W. (2002) A Guide to Waterbird Alerts. BTO Research Report 281.
• Leech, D.I., Rowe, L.V. & Hartley, I.R. (2006) Experimental evidence for adjustment of parental investment in relation to brood sex ratio in the blue tit. Animal Behaviour 72: 1301-1307.
• Marchant, J.H., Beaven, L.P.B., Leech, D.I. & Crick, H.Q.P. (2003) Barn Owl Monitoring Programme third year 2002. BTO Research Report 341.
• Marchant, J.H., Noble, D.G., Leech, D.I & Freeman, S.N. (2002) River Habitat Survey & Waterways Breeding Bird Survey 98-2000 – Final Report. BTO Research Report 291.
• Noble, D., Carter, P., Harris, S., Leech, D., Poulton S. & Shearer. G. (2005) Winter mammal monitoring – A pilot study. BTO Research Report 410.
• Noble D, Leech D, Newson S, Harris S, Duffield M, Poulton S & Shearer G (2002) Design & Pilot a Multi species Terrestrial Mammal Monitoring Project. BTO Research Report 315.
• Robinson, R.A., Learmonth, J.A., Hutson, A.M., Macleod, C.D., Sparks, T.H., Leech, D.I., Pierce, G.J., Rehfisch, M.M. & Crick, H.Q.P. (2005) Climate Change and Migratory Species. BTO Research Report 414. http://www.bto.org/research/reports/researchrpt_complete/RR414_Climate%20change_&_migratory_species.pdf
• Sharpe, F., Clark, J. & Leech, D.I. (in press) Does variation in demographic parameters account for regional variation in Northern Lapwing population declines across Great Britain? Bird Study.