Dave Davenport

I learnt today, via BB, of the death of Dave Davenport at the very young age (these days) of 61. Dave was a mighty influence during my birding days at Dungeness and encouraged my interest in seawatching. I was fascinated by his expeditions to Slyne Head and the Outer Hebrides to see unimaginable (for me, in those old days) passings of Pom and Long-tailed Skua. Dave was always patient and encouraging of us whippersnappers. A lasting memory is of him lying on the shingle, head propped up by bins case seawatching on a sunny Dungeness May day. Dave was generally not an early riser, his advice, never forgotten, was that "Poms like the Sun on their back." Fly by Dave, fly by.