John Horton is the warden of the British Isles' newest bird observatory on Alderney. It is the only observatory in the Channel Islands and the 20th and most southern in the British Isles, offering vital insight into migratory patterns which would otherwise go unrecorded.

Whilst birdwatching is John's forte, since moving to Alderney he has become a proficient all rounder with regards to the fauna and flora and has discovered species of birds, insects, flowers and mammals never before recorded on the island. He is ​the Alderney Bird Recorder, a member of the Bailiwick Islands rare birds panel and ​in 2021 became the chairman of the Channel Islands bird ringing scheme.