Thanks for the memories Ray

I have just heard the sad news that Ray Turley, avid Dungeness birder, has died whilst on holiday in Goa. If you didn't know him you might well have seen him - flowing grey hair, scrubby beard, dressed in camouflage during the winter and baggy shorts when it was summer. He recently spent a lot of time on the RSPB reserve, helping out with the visitors, last summer to be found taking out hopeful punters to observe the breeding Purple Herons.

I first met Ray at Dungeness in 1976. I was on my first visit to the shingle and was sea-watching when an exotic looking man turned up on a motorbike. He lay out on the beach alongside and sea watched with a passion and dedication that was at that time unknown to me. Another thing that singled him out from the rest was that he spoke into a small tape recorder, to keep note of his observations (although I don't think that I ever saw him use one again). Here was a birder that I wanted to be like - a free spirit and not conforming to the stereotypical birdwatcher.

I got to know him (and his lovely wife Janet) very well over the next few years and stayed with them in their Greatstone bungalow on quite a few occasions. They moved down from London to their beloved part of Kent in the late 1980s where he developed his artistic skills to become a highly proficient sculptor.

But Ray's habitat was the open shingle. To me, he will always be striding away in the distance, scope and tripod dangling from a strap by his side, looking up into the sky and sniffing for birds. Thanks for the memories Ray - there are plenty of us that have them.

Comments

GeoffB said…
an absolutely top bloke ...time for every one & a little quirky without being eccentric ..he'll be missed !
15 February 2011 at 22:10
Barry said…
Ray certainly was a living legend, and alike you Steve I first met him yonks ago at Dunge helping with the net rounds, chuckling at seawatches or stomping across the Scillies. Alike Pete Grant he was very much a feature of Dunge and another sad loss from this ageing birding community.
Kent has lost another great bloke indeed
Barry
15 February 2011 at 22:32
Andy Wraithmell said…
I had the pleasure of spending many a day birding with Ray when I worked at Dungeness Bird Observatory. I am so sad and shocked that Ray has left us, he was a friend, a mentor and a truly unique person, who always had the ability to make me laugh. Ray and his lovely wife Janet were so kind to me whilst I worked at the obs. This is a very sad day.
16 February 2011 at 01:19
Steve Gale said…
Geoff: you're spot on with your comment.

Barry: It's a sad fact that as each generation starts to leave us it makes us realise what we have lost.

Andy: DBO will have lost another piece of its history and character. Happy memories of happy days remain though.
16 February 2011 at 18:15
Mark Thomas said…
Ray was simply a birding legend, you always hoped he was at the seawatching patch as you approached because even if the birds were slow you knew you were going to be entertained, it was a pleasure to be in his company. His spirit will always live on, on that bit of beach, for years to come when birders go there collective thoughts will be of Ray.
16 February 2011 at 20:16
Bullofthe Bog said…
I'm shocked and saddened, it only seems like yesterday I attended Ray's 40th Birthday party [in 1989] the summer I worked for the RSPB at Dungeness. Ray was a great guy, top birder and fun to be with. He'll be missed.
25 February 2011 at 20:15
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Goldfinches and Lavender

Image
We have three medium-sized Lavender bushes in our back garden. Throughout the summer the flowers (which last for several months) are a magnet for insects and give off a most restful aroma. As tempting as it is to cut the dead stems in the autumn, we always leave them, as we know that during the late winter we will get visitors to feed on the seed heads... This video was taken from the kitchen window this morning. We will normally see one or two birds over a few days, but have had up to 14 at once. We never tire of watching them. Lavender is a wonderful plant to have in the garden, with year round natural history benefits. So what are you waiting for? They are readily available at a garden centre close to you right now! There is an historic association with Lavender in this part of northern Surrey and south London. Lavender fields have been harvested for many years, with one particular field close to Woodmansterne being very popular with day trippers. A significant proportion o
Read more

To tell it like it is, or not...

Image
I am grateful to Gavin Haig (Not Quite Scilly) who drew my attention to an opinion piece, penned by Matt Phelps, which appeared in the November issue of 'Birdwatch' magazine, entitled 'Positive Approach', which I have now read. In it, he suggests that there is too much negativity being posted on social media regarding the state of our birding world, which is then acting as a deterrent towards a younger generation in adopting conservation and wildlife study. He also suggests that a lot of this negativity is being generated by older birders, and that these old timers keep banging on about the 'good old days' which isn't helpful in encouraging the youth to pick up a pair of binoculars and get out into the field. Does he have a point? Now, I am undeniably an older birder, and I am also guilty of having posted, blogged, written and spoken about the slump in bird and invertebrate numbers. I also like nothing better than to revisit my notebooks and share in the hi
Read more

Time to reflect

I normally come up with the title for a post after I have written it. If I'm feeling creative it will be some sort of play on words, or if I'm not then an all-encompassing word or two will do. As for this particular post, and with a few things to discuss, I've written the title first, inspired by having just read a feature about musicians who have used the title of an album as the starting point for their creative exercise. Here goes... Firstly, blogs - yes, this very medium that I am writing in and you are reading from. - what content they derive, the reason that the content exists and what the writer should (or should not) expect from any reader that visits the blog. This was brought into sharp focus by a series of posts to be found here, at Jono Lethbridge's excellent 'Wansted Birder'.   His blogging output has recently included detailed and entertaining reports on his recent overseas trips which have received a bit of flak from certain quarters. None of us b
Read more