Mark Etheridge (legend)

 A Tribute 

Mark Etheridge 

Photographer: Birder: Friend:

I recently had some upsetting and sad news my Birding Mate, Mark Etheridge had lost his battle with Cancer.

To say how gutted I feel is an understatement.

Mark was a very keen Birder, but also a fantastic Photographer and Writer, producing many monthly articles for our local Spanish GA Magazine. (What's in the Clot) Mark was up there with the Greats, he's gonna be such a big loss to our birding community.

I hope his wife Joyce will in time find time to heal.

Mark Etheridge

Remembering.

I will always remember this time and only recently when a Male Golden Oriole was right in front of us.

Golden Oriole has to be one the most difficult birds to see, let alone photograph, to say the least.

(the last year 2022 spring at Benejúzar )

 Our Golden Oriole was only a few meters away, perched, on an open branch, and Mark was squirming with delight in the back seat,  I had to tell him to calm down and stop jumping around, stop pointing, and to be quiet, he was so excited, to say the least. 

Hundreds of photographs later and the Male Golden Oriole was done, and this was our moment, and now with hindsight, and looking back, it's not the bird I remember, but how Mark was in ecstasy and getting his dream photos. Now it just puts a smile on my face, when I think of him jumping around, in the back seat. If you add up all of those very special moments in time, it doesn't add up to much, maybe only seconds but how lucky and privileged I was to be part of it and share some of those crazy moments we shared.

Golden Oriole

I'm gonna miss this guy. 

There were other funny times, we turn up to photograph Red-necked Nightjars (Night time Photography) and we both forgot our SD memory cards for the camera's doh! And that night the Red-necked Nightjars were all around us.

 Unbelievable.

Red-necked Nightjar from another session

Another time Mark forgot his Binoculars and this is the reason why our fictitious bird club (NBBC) No Bin's Bird Club. was formed.

Mark was nominated as the Grand Poobah (president) of our small but elite members of the NBBC. And it wasn't the first time he'd forgotten his bins and to be honest his camera was his most important item for him.

Nice guy, a decent birder and a Top Photographer.

R.I.P

Mark in the field looking for Rollers 2017
{legend}

We're all gonna miss him and knowing Mark

 he's probably up there taking photos of angel's 

Lots of love and peace 

to Joyce