[texbirds] George Hrmon

From: Richard <rdkrsh@xxxxxxx>
To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2014 16:40:39 -0400 (EDT)
I have sadly totally lost total track of one of my original birding 
pals--George Harmon.  But George has always been more than that he has been a 
mentor and like a 2nd father.  We took so many trips birding in Texas chasing 
everything from the infamous Blue-footed Booby to the Galveston's Wandering 
Tattler.  We were pleased to find on of the earliest fall records of Glaucous 
Gull at San Luis Pass. With the help of George and Julius Nussbaum,  we started 
the Lake Tawakoni Christmas Bird Count over 30 years ago.  None of us thought 
that it would last this long.  I wish I hadn't lost track of him I wonder what 
he would think of a count that struggled to get into the 90's at the start and 
now breaks 130 every year.  But George has always been more than a birder.  He 
served in the Pacific in World War II and survived some of the most terrifying 
fighting of the War as engineer.  He went into brick business and did very well 
for himself.
He did a lot of birding banding after retiring.  I remember if there was in 
place that would have Pine Siskins in Texas it would be his place south of 
Quinlan in Hunt Co.  I remember that he banded lots of birds for the Heard 
Museum in McKinney. He discovered that what he thought was 300 American 
Goldfinches coming to his feeders turned into 3000.  He led field trips to his 
place and in the winter of 1986-1987 was delighted to show off a small flock of 
Evening Grosbeaks  that visited his feeders.  He also took wonderful photos and 
presented his slide shows on his many trips to everywhere from Australia to 
Alaska.  He fell in love with Costa Rica and always dreamed of moving there.  
He also was used in ad for birding in Alaska that appeared in Birding magazine 
in the 1980's. He presented a wonderful program many years ago at the TOS 
meeting in Greenville on the wonderful birds found and eh photographed around 
Lake Tawakoni. We led trip for all of local Audubons  and many people mainly to 
see Smith's Longpurs but many other local rarities like Red-necked Grebe, Black 
Scoter and Long-tailed Duck.  But to say that George was just a birder sells 
the man short.  He was a history buff and share many of his books with me.  I 
love history too. He was very concerned about the planet and was active in the 
enviornmental movement.  It would be nothing for one of our birding trips to be 
halted so he could move a turtle out the road before so moron ran over it.  He 
rescude many dogs and gave over 30 a forever home for many years.  He gave me 
the two best dogs I ever had. Last I heard he was in a Nursing Home in 
Greenville but a friend of mine went by to check on him and he wasn't there.  I 
wish I knew what has happened to him as he was in ill health.  I fear the worse 
but I truly miss our weekly trips to Lake Tawakoni.  I remember we did the King 
Ranch for all hard to found south Texas birds.  I remember half kidding me, 
"Richard you have got to stop hearing all the rarities and let the tour leading 
find some of them." George Harmon you have been a wonderful friend at mentor I 
wish I knew where you are or what has happened to you all my searches have been 
futile.
Please forgive any grammar mistakes


Richard Kinney
Edgewood, Tx



Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at 
//www.freelists.org/list/texbirds

Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission 
from the List Owner
[texbirds] George Hrmon

Other related posts:
