| Chris Mead | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 May 1940 |
| Died | 16 January 2003 (aged 62) |
| Citizenship | United Kingdom |
| Fields | Ornithology |
| Institutions | British Trust for Ornithology |
| Known for |
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| Notable awards | British Ornithologists' Union Union Medal (1996) BTO Bernard Tucker Medal (1997) RSPB Medal (1999) |
Christopher John (Chris) Mead (1 May 1940 – 16 January 2003) was a popular British ornithologist, author and broadcaster, and an influential member of the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).
Chris Mead 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. In 1994, he stated his ornithological interests as "bird ringing, migration, longevity and population dynamics"[1]
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He married Verity (known as "V") in 1965; they had three daughters called Vanella, Harriet and Miranda. Harriet is a renowned wildlife artist.
Educated at Aldenham School, Hertfordshire, he read Mathematics at Peterhouse, Cambridge, but never finished his degree.
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.
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.
To raise funds for the BTO's Nightingale research, he devised a CD of poetry, and Nightingale song (including several historic archive recordings) Nightingales: A Celebration with an accompanying book by Richard Mabey.
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.
Mead is probably unique, in being given each of the UK's three prestigious awards for ornithology:
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).
BTO Press release