Dave and I spent a week ringing together in The Lebanon, back in 2005. On the plane journey to Beirut we discussed the trip ahead and the birds we hoped to see.
Whilst we were all delighted to handle new species, there was special joy in the group whenever Dave Harris got one as, given his considerable experience, this didn't happen as frequently as it did for the rest of us.
When handling Rock Sparrows and Syrian Serins, new to Dave (and obviously to the rest of us too), his broad experience helped us figure out these novel species – and his beaming smile just reminded us all how special these birds were.
Above all, I’ll remember Dave as one of the country’s gentleman naturalists, delivering valuable insights, respectful to all and always showing enjoyment for what we do.
