Inspiration

Tribute to Rik Davis

June 5, 2012 by Dale Forbes 3 Comments

Rik Davis was a legend. And he touched and inspired more people than many of us will ever meet.

I did not know Rik and I am poorly equiped to write very much about him. But he did touch my life. For what seems like decades, I have been hearing about Pale Male and the people that have studied, loved and fought for him and his family over the years. And one of the names that was invariably brought up at the same name, was that of Rik Davis.

I said that I did not know him, but I did get to meet him just two weeks ago. He was on his park bench with a couple of spotting scopes pointing up to the sky. And I wanted to savour the moment, so I took a minute to just watch him, and the passers-by as their faces lit up every time they dived in to the world of the Red-tailed Hawks.

Approaching slowly, I too dived in to that world to experience three little chicks on the nest. And to hear Rik bubble with the other people meeting Pale Male, Zena and their little babies.

Rik Davis passed away last week. Many will miss him. Many more will never know they missed him.

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A big thanks to the photographer Paul Quitoriano for sending me the photos of Rik for this post. Very kind of you.

They remain Paul’s copyrighted work.

Central Park Pale Male

Written by Dale Forbes

Dale grew up in the forests and savannas of South Africa, developing a love for nature from a young age. After studying Zoology and Wildlife Science, he moved to Central America to continue his work in conservation biology. He is a member of BirdLife International’s Advisory Board and is Swarovski Optik’s Head of Strategic Business Development.

3 Comments

marilyn davis blacksmith July 10, 2012 at 6:51 pm
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS ON. HE WAS AND ALWAYS WILL BE A WONDERFUL BROTHER. HE ALWAYS SHOULD ME LOVE AND CARE. WE HAD HOPED TO GET TO NEW YORK, THIS SUMMER OR NEXT, AND ARE SO SAD THAT WE CANNOT SEE HIM. ALL OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT PEOPLE WROTE MAKE ME FEEL BETTER HE WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY THANKFUL. THANK YOU, LOVE,MARILYN
David February 16, 2014 at 8:07 pm
I shared a studio with Rik for 5 years and just now found this. He showed me many wonders through a telescope. Rik was a unique and interesting person, someone I’m very glad to have known. Whenever I look up I think of Rik.
Bruce Kamiat May 11, 2023 at 5:01 pm
He and I partnered for quite a few years running the Amateur Astronomers Association’s monthly public observing sessions at Carl Schurz Park. I miss him deeply.
Aside from being a great photographer of urban wildlife, and an accomplished professional photographer for commercial clients, he was also a wonderful astrophotographer. He and I spent whole nights at Fahnestock State Park in Putnam County observing comets Hyakutake and Hale-Bopp, as well as many other celestial spectacles. His beautiful photos grace my walls.
It’s an honor to have known you, Rik!