| Chris Mead |
Article Index for Chris |
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Information AboutChris Mead |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT CHRIS MEAD | |
| 1940 births | |
| mead, chris | |
| 2003 deaths | |
| alumni of peterhouse, cambridge | |
| english nature writers | |
| english ornithologists | |
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Chris Mead, it has been said, was a big man, both in stature and personality. He was enthusiastic about the natural world, and about communicating this world to those around him. He was an avid lover of Jazz , (watching) rugby, motor racing, local history and archaeology. FAMILY He married Verity (known as "V") in 1965; they had three daughters called Vanella, Harriet and Miranda. EDUCATION Educated at Aldenham School , Hertfordshire, he read Mathematics at Peterhouse , Cambridge , but never finished his degree. MIGRATION AND RINGING An acknowledged expert on Bird Migration , he worked for the BTO for more than 40 years, from 1961 . For most of that time (33 years) he worked in the BTO's Ringing Unit. In his lifetime, he caught and ringed over 400,000 birds of some 350 species in 18 countries. He was head of Britain's National Ringing Scheme. Manx Shearwater In 2002, Chris Mead calculated that a Manx Shearwater , first ringed as an adult in 1957 on Bardsey Island , Wales , and re-trapped in July 2002, had probably flown about 5 million miles (8 million km) over its lifespan. The same bird was caught on Bardsey again in July 2003 and May 2004, having outlived Mead. NIGHTINGALES To raise funds for the BTO's . RETIREMENT In 1995 , ill health brought about his early, and supposed, "retirement", after which he became the Trust's media consultant, regularly being intervewed on radio and in the press. AWARDS Mead is probably unique, in being given each of the UK's three prestigious awards for ornithology:
MEMORIAL Amazed by the spontaneous out-pouring of warmth following Mead's death, his family and the BTO decided to use the many proffered donations to develop the BTO's library, and rename it ''The Chris Mead Library''. A memorial day was held at the BTO's headquarters, ''The Nunnery'', on 5 May 2003, at which his family and colleagues spoke warmly of his knowledge, and generosity in sharing it. Mead was also remembered in a special edition of BBC Radio 4 wildlife programme '' Nature '' on 12 May 2003 (available on-line, see below). BOOKS (incomplete list)
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SOURCE BTO Press release |
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