[TN-Bird] Re: sad news
- From: kde@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- To: tonyheadrk@xxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 30 Jul 2013 17:24:10 -0400 (EDT)
Truly another great loss for birding and birders in TN. Though his health
kept him out of the field in recent years, Boyd was always a mainstay of
birding around Knoxville in his yellow field jacket (which he had read made
you visible to people but didn't scare the birds) with binoculars-on-a-stick
and spotting scope on a gunstock. He took great pleasure in sharing his
knowledge of birds and local birding areas with others.
Like most Knoxville-area birders, I've spent many hours in the field with
Boyd (though not as much as others have). I'm sure lots of stories will
be told. Here are a few that come to mind...
No matter how careful I was, he always complained that I slammed his car
door too hard.
He taught me how to cook Dinty Moore microwaveable meals on your engine
block.
He always answered the phone with "Boooyyyyyd" somehow making that 3
sylables.
While birding with the late Holly Overton many years ago, they found a
Monk Parakeet in Knox Co. Boyd went back to his car for his shotgun to,
umm, collect the specimen, yeah, that's it. Holly stopped him.
Boyd had the 'Urban Commando' route on the Knoxville CBC and Knox Co
Spring and Fall counts. It included such areas as Cedar Bluff and Walker
Springs which, once upon a time, were very birdy, but now.... He knew
every little wet spot and hidey hole that ever was in that area from the
time it was all horse farms and which ones were still left, and he always
came up with some good birds. Did you know Barn Owls used to nest in the
Cedar Bluff area? Boyd did and could tell you when he last saw one in his
back yard (late 70s or early 80s if my memory serves).
While on a Knoxville CBC, as we were driving down Kingston Pike in west
Knoxville, Boyd said, 'You know that pond in the entrance ramp to
Pellissippi?'
I said, 'Yeeaaahhh. Why?'
'Well, I'm going to pull over, you jump out, run up the entrance ramp, see
how many Woodies and Ring-necks are there, then meet me back in the
Calhoun's parking lot.'
Before I could protest on fear of my life, the car stopped.
'And don't slam the car door when you get out.'
Somehow I survived the traffic but still got yelled at for slamming the
door. Don't ask me how many ducks were there... I'm pretty sure I just
made up a number.
On a trip to Rankin Bottoms, Boyd and I were sitting under one of the
trees scoping shorebirds when a Cicada Killer came in, grabbed a cicada,
struggled and failed to fly off with it, then dragged it off into the
grass to her burrow. Boyd was amazed, and that was the highlight of the
trip. He kept talking about it on the long drive back to Knoxville. A
few days later he showed up at my house with a copy of an old naturalist
book which contained a chapter describing Cicada Killer behavior. I still
have that book. Maybe I'll read that chapter to Daniel tonight at
bedtime.
God Bless ya, Boyd.
Dean Edwards
Knoxville, TN
On Tue, 30 Jul 2013, tonyheadrk@xxxxxxx wrote:
> i am very sad to report the passing of long time KTOS member Boyd
> Sharp..Boyd was a great friend to many birders around our area and will
> be greatly missed in the birding community..he died yesterday the 29th
> after a long illness..on a personal note,Boyd and I spent a lot of time
> birding and doing Christmas counts,he always wanted to get it right when
> identifying birds.He was a great mentor to myself and many
> others..services are pending..check the Knoxville newspaper for
> details..we now have lost two great birders and personalities with
> passing recently of Nancy Tanner and now Boyd..Boyd would want those who
> knew him to"always remember to look up".. as he told me many,many
> times..goodbye my dear friend
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