"BIG JAKE", John Ward Sadly Passed Away – Rest In Peace

I was very sad to hear yesterday that "Big Jake" as he was known, sadly passed away yesterday morning. My sincere condolences to his wife Ruth and all his family and friends.

I clearly remember "Big Jake" coming to Holme Bird Observatory to twitch rarities, when I was a teenager in the seventies/early eighties – he wore a very long black trench coat and with his black hair and beard, was a very tall and distinctive figure! He always stood out amongst the other birdwatchers – I don't think he had a particularly brilliant relationship with my late father as I recall, as he would more then often manage to dodge paying for a permit!!! A huge part of the happy memories I have of my early birding days.

I last saw Jake with his wife watching Dotterels at Choseley on the 1st May 2016. Prior to that I bumped in to him at Holme NWT watching a Red-breasted Flycatcher on 22nd September 2012, 11th September 2011 at Titchwell RSPB for the Little Bittern, on 16th April 2011 for the White Spotted Bluethroat at Welney WWT and on 29th March 2010 for the Lesser Kestrel at Westleton Heath in Suffolk – it was on this particular occasion, that we realised our paths had not crossed for many, many years and it was he who recognised me – an excerpt from my blog: "A face from the very distant past then turned up – a well-built, tall man, with grey beard and green wool hat came up to me and shook my hand ‘have not seen you since you were about so high’ – I stood mystified as to who this was – I had no idea........ ‘Big Jake’ he said. ‘Oh my goodness’ I almost screeched. Big Jake as he was known (and still is apparently) was a serious, hard core twitcher from years ago. I remember him very well when I worked at Holme Bird Observatory with father – he always wore a long black wool trench coat, black longish hair and a black wool hat - he would appear at Holme every time a rarity/mega turned up. Big Jake said to me ‘I recognised you instantly - you look exactly the same as you did when you were about what, 15?’ - ‘that was 30 years ago’ I said!!!!!! Lovely compliment! Jake then reminded me that he would regularly try and 'tick' a rare bird at Holme without buying a permit and how my father also regularly asked him to leave if he didn't buy a permit – I remember it well!!!"

Another great birding icon has departed this earth – his memory will live on

Rest In Peace "Big Jake"