It has taken me some time to put this into words, but last week I received the terrible news that my friend Pete “POD” had passed away in his sleep. Pete was one of my oldest birding mates and one of the first people I met at Marbury Country Park when I moved to Northwich in 2002.
Pete could almost always be found birding at Marbury over the years. He had an uncanny eye for the rare and remarkable, and he discovered countless birds that became local highlights—most notably the Black-winged Stilts that bred at Neumann’s Flash, a sight that thrilled everyone lucky enough to see them. But Pete’s passion didn’t stop at local rarities. He was twitching mad, always chasing new birds appearing in Britain, and he had stories for every bird he had seen. If he hadn’t seen it himself, it didn’t really count!
Among his many achievements, Pete was the finder of Britain’s first Little Whimbrel, a record he was immensely proud of. His dedication to listing was legendary—he had lists for everything, and it was awe-inspiring to see just how many species he had documented over the years. Pete was a regular visitor to the Isles of Scilly and made numerous trips to Shetland, often accompanying me for week-long birding holidays.
Beyond his skills and achievements, Pete was simply great fun to be around. He was the life and soul of any gathering, a brilliant companion in the field, and an incredible friend. I have countless memories of our adventures, and I could sit for hours writing about them. Pete’s loss is deeply felt, both by the birding community at large and by all who were lucky enough to call him a close friend.
My thoughts are with Debbie and his family at this incredibly sad time. Rest in peace, my friend.
