Bob Spencer

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Like everyone who knew Bob Spencer, I was sad to hear of his passing.  Anyone who has done or witnessed up close lengthy care-giving by one human for another should have deep admiration for the role of Robert, Jr. over the last many years.  The collective laughter and groans Bob was responsible for would drown out the cranes in Grand Island, NE.  It think it was the 1990s up at the observation point on Hamilton Reservoir when a bunch of us were quietly scoping the water in hopes of spotting a constantly diving, true to its alternative name, Yellow-billed Diver.  No noise except for the shuffling of feet and cold breathing.  Then up rises a squeaky sing-song ditty, "Out in the boonies, lookin' for some loonies".  Guess who?  Those sharing Bob's current existence are probably giving him distance, but I bet they're smiling.  I am glad Colorado bird groups honored Bob with various awards before we lost him.

Dave Leatherman

Fort Collins

[Bill Prather]

I spent a lot of fun days in the field with Bob. I remember one time at Cherry Creek reservoir when he was explaining how he came to see 7 White-winged Scoters.  "I was looking at something else when they flew through the scope."  Then one of his classic clarifications: "They didn't actually fly through the scope itself..."  Bill Prather, Longmont

[Tina Jones]

Thank you so much Bob Jr. for sharing about your father passing. I particularly want to thank you for all your time and energy, taking your dad out in the wheelchair, to see birds. What a lovely gift. Bob was always so giving and thinking of others. But what really amazed me were all of his different interests. I asked him how he kept them all up. He said he could not, but you have to have more interests besides just birding! Bob always made sure you saw the birds on his trips. He was known for his puns. I know he had enough PUNS for a book, and they just kept coming.

Bob, have fun with the bird  Spring migration and beyond!!!!!!!!!!!

Tina Jones

Littleton, CO

[ROBERT BIERLING]

We also remember Bob Spencer. Back in 1993 over the 4th of July he led a DFO overnight trip through Winter Park and down into Walden. I think he did that for many years. We remember having a fun time with him. We would see him all over the state driving his Green station wagon. You would always know when he was with the group. A great person.

                                       

Bob & Nancy Bierling

[Duane Nelson]

Bob Spencer was the first birder I ever met. I started birding in a vacuum first in Colorado, then in Chicago where I went to college. Returning home to Colorado, I started birding in Golden, and the nearby Wheat Ridge Greenbelt. I started finding some good birds, and wanted to share them with whomever might have been interested. I joined Denver Field Ornithologists.  I found out about Bob through the archaic rare bird telephone tree in 1979. Bob called me about a Palm Warbler in his yard east of Golden, and a friendship was born. We did countless local and more distant trips together. We carpooled together to DFO meetings, picking up Ruth Wheeler and Freda Krolik on our way once a month. We spoke of the hybrid birder he named "Jack Holt". Great times and great memories.

I can give Bob no greater tribute than saying he was like a second father to me.

Duane Nelson

Las Animas, Bent County CO

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[Ted Floyd]

Hey, all.

The last time I went birding with Bob was Mar. 30, 2014. It was a totally serendipitous thing; we just bumped into each other (Sondra & Bob Jr. were there too) at the Cottonwood Marsh boardwalk in Boulder County.

I asked Bob what was new, and he wryly remarked that that day was the last day of his 9th decade on this Earth; and that'd better go birding in case he'd missed anything his first 89 years and 364 days in this life.

We saw a Greater Yellowlegs and an early Long-billed Dowitcher that sunny and breezy Sunday afternoon, along with an Osprey, a Ferruginous Hawk, and a flock of Tree Swallows.

RIP, Bob. Bird on. You're a legend forever.

Ted Floyd

Lafayette, Boulder County