Obituaries Janet Kear (1933-2004) Following the devastating diagnosis in Sep- was hard not to fall under her spell. And as if all tember 2004 that she had a brain tumour, Janet this was not enough, she made the most won- Kear, in her typical matter-of-fact fashion, went derful gravy and mixed a mean gin and tonic home to order her affairs in her beloved Devon for her guests! country cottage by the River Mole on the King’s Whilst Janet will, of course, be remembered Nympton estate. That done, she accepted for her sharp intellect, vast breadth of knowl- devoted care in South Molton Community edge and her incredible achievements, it was her Hospital from early November, until she passed passion, warmth and humility that moved and away peacefully on 24th. With her passing, we inspired so many from various different walks lost a warm friend, an outstanding scientist, a of life. Janet was truly for birds and for people. conservationist of enormous standing and an It was no coincidence that she was just as able unrivalled authority on global wildfowl. to melt hard-nosed businessmen into con- For a waterfowl fanatic, it was impossible to tributing funds to develop her beloved Martin sit in Janet Kear’s picture window at Martin Mere Centre as she was to lend a hand ‘scribing’ Mere and gaze out over the multitude of water- and mucking in with a team of muddy ringers birds without feeling close to heaven. Spectac- cannon-netting Pink-footed Geese Anser ular view or not, it was equally impossible to be brachyrhynchus on the Mere. Her warm and in Janet’s house and not to feel completely and generous spirit was selfless in encouraging and utterly at home. Enthusiastic and kind, a great supporting others, especially the underdog. It is listener, with a keen wit and a dancing, capti- no surprise to find that many leading characters vating conversation punctuated with girlish in nature conservation enjoyed a formative laughter, Janet was warm and welcoming with association with Janet at some stage in their her hospitality. She was also great fun, and it career. Janet started her distinguished academic career with a PhD on finch feeding behaviour, under R. A. Hinde at Cambridge. When Peter Scott offered her a position at the then Wildfowl Trust at Slimbridge in 1959, he launched a glorious associ- ation with the Trust that was to last the remainder of her days. Initially, she distinguished herself in many fields of waterfowl research, being amongst the first to study behav- iour, cognition, development and disease, and even undertook pio- neering work on agricultural con- flict, working with her first husband, Geoffrey Matthews. She became deeply interested in captive-animal health issues and was a pioneer in the improvement of avicultural techniques and tackling problems of disease, typically putting the welfare of the birds first. When offered the position of Curator of the Martin Mere Centre in Lancashire, Janet Photographer unknown Photographer 111. Janet Kear, with her husband John Turner, outside made the remarkable transition Buckingham Palace, after receiving her OBE in 1993 . from Principal Scientific Officer to 218 © British Birds 98 • April 2005 • 218-221 Obituaries successful manager of one of northwest her down-to-earth good advice and her shared England’s foremost wetland spectacles and pride in their achievements. And proud she too tourist attractions. Here, she was to meet her deserved to be, especially during the three diffi- much-loved second husband, John Turner, and cult terms with the Council of the fledgling forged a lifelong and deeply happy partnership, English Nature, spanning almost a decade until which was to inspire many with their hard 1999, a time upon which she always looked work, friendship and kindness. Later, Janet was back with great fondness. Janet was always to become Assistant Director of the Wildfowl & deeply concerned that the nature of these Isles Wetlands Trust, and its Director of Centres should be entrusted to good hands. Recognition before formally retiring from the Trust in 1993. of her substantial talents and contributions Latterly, she had served as Trustee and Council came in the form of an honorary doctorate member of the WWT. She would, undoubtedly, (and title of ‘Professor’, which characteristically have made the best CEO the organisation never she never used) from John Moores University in had. 1990, an OBE in 1993, and the BOU medal in Such a glowing career ought to be enough 1998. for any person, let alone for a woman, since Formal awards are a pleasant recognition, prominent and successful women remained but the true rewards Janet Kear brought to us rare in the ornithological world at that time. Yet were through her skill as a communicator, her if she had been hard done by prejudice and her ability to reach and touch people, especially career path encumbered by the intervention of those with no common interest. She had a fear- masculine egos, you would not have heard somely impressive intellect and a capacity to about it from the lips of Janet Kear. What she store apparently unbounded knowledge, which achieved in her life she did so on merit, by she could convey onwards to us less-endowed being good, by just being Janet. She stood as a folk with a bewitching ease. She was an out- great but quiet inspiration to the many women standing lecturer, and was an excellent speaker who worked with her through the years. Nor at conferences, but her written production was was she content just with the ‘day job’; despite a also prodigious and impressive. Her beguiling consuming professional life and increasing Poyser book Man and Wildfowl, with its rattling management responsibilities, Janet was deter- pace and abundance of riches, was perhaps one mined to contribute to ornithological research, of her most fondly remembered. In her busy both by encouraging others and by editing the life, she somehow managed to find time to write British Ornithologists’ Union’s world-ranking seven books (including two classic mono- journal Ibis, which she did from 1980 to 1988. graphs, Hawaiian Goose and Flamingos), to edit She developed the journal and its global profile the WWT journal Wildfowl for many years and before ultimately becoming vice-president of to publish no fewer than 90 scientific journal the BOU and subsequently its first female presi- articles! Among the latter was, of course, her dent, a post she held from 1990-94 with well- Bernard Tucker Memorial Lecture to the justified personal satisfaction. Janet devoted Oxford Ornithological Society published herself to causes many and varied, reflecting recently in this journal (Brit. Birds 96: 217-233). both her energy, wide interests and great com- Her final and undoubtedly most important mitment. At various times, she served the Asso- book was at the printers when she died: the ciation for the Study of Animal Behaviour, the Oxford University Press series Bird Families of Avicultural Society, the Zoo Federation, the the World describing the Ducks, Geese and International Union for the Conservation of Swans, conceived and edited by Janet, was pub- Nature (through its Endangered Waterfowl and lished in March 2005. It has been an incredible Captive Breeding Specialist Groups), the British labour of love based on contributions from over Trust for Ornithology, the Royal Society for the 73 different authors around the globe and, Protection of Birds, the Jersey Wildlife Preserva- despite a difficult gestation period, is set to tion Trust, Devon Birdwatching and Preserva- become Janet Kear’s fitting and enduring tion Society, National Museums Liverpool and memorial. English Nature, amongst others. This was, Lists of achievement are as nothing when we however, never a mere list of duties, each of the remember how much poorer we are for the loss organisations and their respective staff of a timeless polymath and such a good friend remember Janet for her personal commitment, to those of all ages. Despite experiencing diffi- British Birds 98 • April 2005 • 218-221 219 Obituaries cult years, Janet was always a potent force for from plundering the cornfields of Weedon, in the positive. We shall fondly remember her for present-day Northamptonshire. Werburgh was the vigour with which she tackled all of her life, one of the best-loved of the Saxon saints, not least for her courage in the last weeks as she despite a difficult life. She was renowned for her fought with the knowledge and reality of her wisdom and humility, knowledge and devotion, illness. She leaves a great gap in all who knew charm and charisma and because it was said her, especially her soul mate John Turner, and that despite her eminence, ‘…to all in her care an army of friends and admirers. Janet Kear she seemed rather the servant than the mistress’. leaves but one single unfinished task: that of the What a clever trick. No wonder Janet Kear biography of St Werburgh, the seventh-century found such deep affinity in her story! princess of Mercia, perhaps best known for banishing wild geese (by power of persuasion) Tony Fox Colin Joseph Bibby (1948-2004) Colin Bibby died at home in Cambridgeshire on tries, and again this way of working is now 7th August 2004, after an illness which he faced widespread in UK conservation – and not just with the same good humour and clear objective for birds. analysis that characterised his professional As a scientist, Colin carried out important work. Knowing that his illness was terminal, work on a range of subjects. His PhD study of Colin spread the news to colleagues and friends, the Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata helped to and set about making the most of his last guide conservation action for the species.