Friends of Osprey Commitee
The Friends of Osprey Committee is a group of volunteers passionate about advancing the conservation of Ospreys in South Australia. It is comprised of people from all walks of life and who live across South Australia.
Patron, Janet Forster
Janet is a long term Port Lincoln resident, businesswoman and conservationist. She has run the Port Lincoln Osprey webcam, YouTube Channel and Facebook page for several years and this has driven an interest in broader Osprey recovery across the Eyre Peninsula and the state. As Patron of Friends of Osprey she is keen to spread the word far and wide about this wonderful species and inspire others to join this conservation movement.
Chair, Honourable David Speirs MP
David Speirs is the inaugural Chair of Friends of Osprey. He grew to love Osprey (and all things natural environment) while growing up in rural Galloway, Scotland, bringing this passion to Australia with him when he migrated to Adelaide as a teenager in 2002. After studying Law and Environmental Studies at the University of Adelaide and working in policy development roles within the South Australian Government, David was elected to the South Australian Parliament in 2014, representing a seat in Adelaide’s southern suburbs. David served as South Australia’s Minister for Environment and Water between 2018 and 2022.
David served as South Australia’s Minister for Environment and Water between 2018 and 2022 and is was the Leader of the Opposition from April 2022 until August 2024. He is now a backbench MP concentrating on his passions of representing his local electorate and advancing conservation policies and initiatives in Australia.
Ian is currently Chairperson of the Birdlife Australia’s Gluepot Reserve Management Committee and State Representative of Birdlife Australia’s Raptor Group.
Prior to Ian’s retirement in 2019 from Department for Environment and Water, he spent 5 years as Operations Manager of the Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary National Park establishment to protect Migratory Shorebirds.
Ian’s has a strong interest in raptors which extends over 40 years, including field studies involving banding raptors, field research in population ecology of raptors, study of the impact of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease on raptor reproductive success in the Strzelecki Desert and investigation of Organochlorine Pesticide contamination in Peregrine Falcon, White-bellied Sea-eagle and Osprey populations and their prey in South Australia. Ian was also involved in the Birdlife Australia’s Raptor Group Christmas Island Goshawk project.
Fran first discovered birds in the early 1980’s and they quickly became an obsession especially once she moved from observing and keeping lists to photographing birds.
She retired from her role as an Executive in the South Australian Government in 2013 and this gave her the opportunity to focus more on her photography and birds. She completed a Bird Identification course with Dr Greg Kerr that saw her registered as a Citizen Scientist with the ability to participate in surveys and monitor and record bird activities.
Fran became involved with Osprey through Port Lincoln Osprey in 2017 and has monitored them on Eyre Peninsula every year since. It quickly became clear to Fran that not enough was known about these birds particularly once they leave the nest. She was motived to know more especially since Osprey are endangered in South Australia, and their numbers are in decline. Through Friends of Osprey, she feels that she is able to contribute in a positive way to the recovery plan for these amazing birds.
Treasurer
This position is currently vacant.
Friends of Osprey Committee Members
- Kylie Correll
- Pia George
- Bazz Hockaday
- Kirsten Rough