Bob Bradley

[David Waltman]

Bob Bradley died in Grand Junction on 16 July after a brief illness.  He was 89.  Most of his adult life was spent in Phoenix, but he and his wife Ann moved to Grand Junction several years ago where Bob was active in birding.  He was an important contributor to birding for many years and in many ways.  One of those ways was as compiler or co-compiler of the Greater Phoenix CBC for twenty years.  In February and September of 1996 Bob took me to the great birding places in SE Arizona.  I'll never forget the sight of four Aztec Thrush flying in to feed on Virginia Creeper berries in Miller Canyon.  And a Banded Rock Rattlesnake at the same spot!  That was the great gift to me that kindled my passion for birding.  Bob's birding contributions and accomplishments  are impressive and too numerous to mention here.  I always admired his huge ABA-area and Arizona lists because so much of that was accomplished long ago before modern field guides, the internet and cell phones have made it somewhat easier.  Bob said, "If birding were easy, it wouldn't be any fun."  Maricopa Audubon honored Bob at a banquet in 2000 and presented him with a Roger Tory Peterson painting of Peregrine Falcons.  Bob and Ann traveled the world extensively, and he reached his seventh continent, Antarctica, two years ago with son Jon.  Daughter Jennifer's notification of Bob's death was headlined "gone birding."  What a nice thought.

Bob was my cousin.

David Waltman

Boulder

[van]

David thanks for informing us.  I met Bob in Dec.1970 in a park in Phoenix.  We were both fairly new at birding then.  We keep in touch and birded together every time I made it down to Phoenix.  In 1977, Bob & I drove from Phoenix to Florida birding,  We had such a great time.  If you see the family give them my regards. 

Van Truan
Pueblo