My condolences to his family! The last time I saw Bob was at High Island,
Texas in 2019 I believe. He was leading a group and I first saw him at the
pond at Boy Scout Woods and later at Rollover Pass! His passing is a great
loss to the birding community!
RIP Bob!
Hans
On Mon, May 17, 2021 at 2:28 PM Constance Sidles <
constancesidles at gmail.com>
wrote:
>
I am so very sorry to hear about Bob. It is a heavy blow and a great loss
>
to all the birding community. Through his classes, Bob brought countless
>
people to love birds and nature as much as he did. Those of us who were
>
privileged to be in his classes hope to carry on his work to foster a love
>
of nature wherever we go. It is only through such love that we will be able
>
to preserve the natural world, a world that we are a part of, though
>
sometimes we forget that.
>
>
I still smile when I remember Bob playing bird songs in class. I think I
>
must have been one of his worst students, though he never said so! There
>
was one time when he was playing songs from two different species that
>
sounded quite similar. Bob noted the differences in the songs and asked,
>
"Can you hear that?" Everyone in the class nodded. I did too, though I
>
couldn't tell the songs apart at all. Bob must have seen my baffled look
>
because he said, "Let me play those songs for you again." I think he would
>
have been happy to play them 50 times in a row for me, except the other
>
students would have objected, no doubt.
>
>
Even after the class was over, I kept trying to get better at birding by
>
ear because Bob made me feel like I could.
>
>
I can tell the songs apart now, Bob. Thank you. - Connie
>
>
On May 17, 2021, at 11:03 AM, Ellen Blackstone <ellenblackstone at gmail.com>
>
wrote:
>
>
Hello, Tweeters,
>
>
Sad news here about Bob Sundstrom from his wife, Sally Alhadeff.
>
>
Take care, Everyone,
>
Ellen Blackstone
>
Seattle
>
=================
>
>
>
Bob Sundstrom passed away on May 16, 2021, after a recurrence of leukemia.
>
He died comfortably and in good spirits at his home in the country along
>
Scatter Creek in south Thurston County, in the company of his wife, Sally
>
Alhadeff and their three cats. He was 69.
>
>
Birds were a great love for Bob, as well as his career. He earned a living
>
as a full-time professional birder: leading tours to many parts of the
>
world for Victor Emanuel Nature Tours, conducting van trips from Mercer
>
Island, teaching, and writing for radio. For thirty years Bob taught Birding
>
by Ear for Seattle Audubon Society, helping many to know and appreciate
>
the voices of birds.
>
>
His writer's voice will continue to be heard through nearly 900 BirdNote radio
>
stories he authored as Lead Writer. He continued writing into his final
>
days, including a final story on May 14. He thanks founder Chris Peterson
>
and Executive Director Sallie Bodie for the opportunity to be part of the
>
BirdNote team. He was overwhelmed by the gratitude expressed for his career
>
work in his last months.
>
(https://www.birdnote.org/messages-bob-sundstrom)
>
>
Bob liked to say that birds were his day job, but not his obsession. When
>
not birding or writing, Bob loved books, music, bicycling, and single malt
>
Scotch. He and Sally took great pleasure in gardening and tending the
>
natural habitats on their rural acres. He became a great admirer of
>
classic literature and poetry. He earned his Ph.D. in cultural anthropology
>
at the University of Washington.
>
>
Bob is survived by his wife, Sally Alhadeff, brother Bill Sundstrom, and
>
nephews Ethan and Erin Sundstrom. His loving parents, Mary and Bill, are
>
deceased. He thanks many friends and colleagues, the Olympia Unitarian
>
Universalist congregation, and Sally's family for their loving support.
>
>
Sally and Bob had 28 wonderful years together. They loved watching the
>
swallows glide and the ravens soar above their camas-covered meadow along
>
Scatter Creek.
>
>
If you'd like to leave a remembrance in Bob's name, please consider a
>
donation to BirdNote (birdnote.org).
>
_______________________________________________
>
Tweeters mailing list
>
Tweeters at u.washington.edu
>
http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
>
>
>
_______________________________________________
>
Tweeters mailing list
>
Tweeters at u.washington.edu
>
http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
>
--
*Hans Feddern*
Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA
thefedderns at gmail.com
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