Mal

I met Mal for the first time around 2010, perhaps a year either side, I cannot remember the exact date. It just feels like we were always friends. We were bird watching at Livermere and found a Black Tern, an increasingly scarce bird locally. We swapped phone numbers to share local bird news. Over time, we went on twitches and general bird watching trips together and became firm friends.

As well as bird watching we had a shared love of walking, dogs, beer and general mischief! Despite a 30-year age gap, no one else in my friendship group had the same appetite for early starts, overnight drives and sometimes ill-conceived adventures! On one trip we repeatedly marched into Caledonian pine forest pre-dawn, clocking up thousands of steps before breakfast in pursuit of Capercaillie. It was 01^st April, but still bitter, by the time we located our quarry my beard was covered in ice crystals! Mal was absolutely delighted when we finally set eyes on a Capercaillie, a much wanted ‘lifer’ for him at the time. This remains one of my favourite ever birding trips and memories with Mal.

There are plenty of others; driving overnight two years in a row, Spring 2018 and 2019 in pursuit of American Black Duck which had taken up residence in north west Scotland. Mal entertaining my idea of creating a ‘fish mountain’ on the Suffolk Coast, to attract Ivory Gulls from the high Arctic! Doing 24 hour ‘bird races’ both locally in Breckland and in East Anglia at large. Plus, many, many days birding at favoured reserves like Minsmere, Cley Marshes and Lakenheath Fen.

When I started to undertake endurance challenges, raising funds for Operation Turtle Dove, Mal was one of my biggest supporters, becoming an integral part of the team. In 2019 during a 700 walk across Spain, Mal was there for the last two weeks of the 28 days it took to complete. He would bird watch in the day and be there to meet me at a pre-agreed finish point in the evening. Without a friend at the end of the day, someone to decompress with, after the hours of walking and navigating, the trip would have been a lot harder. Perhaps even a failure.

On a particularly arduous day Mal walked out to meet me a couple of miles from the finish line, taking my rucksack to ensure I got the daily miles in.

For years, when out birding we would always keep Jan updated. Mal would text her our best sightings and on overnight trips Mal would always make a call home in the evening. Jan was always on Mal’s mind; I take a lot of comfort from the thought they are now reunited again.

Before he passed Mal gifted me his camera, which I now use routinely. Whilst incredibly generous, it was very upsetting as it meant Mal would not be using it himself or out birding. I have struggled with this a lot this last year, visiting reserves we used to go to together. When I see a good bird my first thought is still to text Mal and to share my best photos.

I am sure this sadness will continue, but it is always associated with the great times, laughs and birds we shared. Bird watching is synonymous with Mal. I will seek to do him proud through my birding, photography and other endeavours.

Till we meet again, good birding Mal.