Bob Ringler - sad news

[Joe Hanfman]

I am heartbroken to report that Bob Ringler passed away this morning at Easton Hospital. His cousin and her daughters were with him.
A while back, Bob had a stroke and never fully recovered.
He has done a tremendous amount of great work for the MD birding community.

Joe Hanfman
Columbia, MD

[Rick Borchelt]

And for the lep community as well.  He'll be sorely missed...

--
-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Group 'Maryland & DC Birding'.
To view group guidelines or change email preferences, visit this group on the web at http://www.mdbirding.com
Unfamiliar with a hotspot mentioned on this list? Quickly locate it here - http://www.mdbirding.com/hotspot.html
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maryland & DC Birding" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mdbirding+...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/3F315191-2E03-4E90-9735-7EF3DF885048%40gmail.com.

--

Rick Borchelt
College Park, MD
preferred personal email:  rborchelt |AT| gmail |DOT| com

http://leplog.wordpress.com

[Thomas Stock]

Bob's passing is such a loss for both the birding and butterflying communities. Very sad news indeed. 

Bob, and his dog of course, got me on my life Long-eared Owls back in 2007 at Morgan Run, and my life Cackling Geese in 2004 at Centennial Lake. He was a truly great birder and butterflyer. He will be sorely missed.

May you rest in peace Bob. 

Tom Stock

Rehoboth Beach DE

[David Sandler]

Horrible news, a friend to all. He will be missed!

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 15, 2022, at 11:41 AM, Rick Borchelt <rbor...@gmail.com> wrote:



To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/CAN0Du2u95CHabhnt7Vo9HePxcrfummqMnbXAZQhfmXCwa6NFaQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[jcdlm...@aol.com]

A sad day indeed. Bob was an imposing man of few words, and he didn't suffer fools, but he had a heart of gold and was a mentor to many birders. The last time I saw him was at the memorial service for his mother, where he lovingly described her many keepsakes. He will be missed.

Sent from the all new AOL app for Android

--

-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Group 'Maryland & DC Birding'.

To view group guidelines or change email preferences, visit this group on the web at http://www.mdbirding.com

Unfamiliar with a hotspot mentioned on this list? Quickly locate it here - http://www.mdbirding.com/hotspot.html

---

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maryland & DC Birding" group.

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mdbirding+unsub...@googlegroups.com.

[JAMES SPEICHER]

Most of us only knew him through his encyclopedic knowledge of MD birding.   Seemingly, he could never be stumped when asked about birding history in MD on either the current platform, or MDOsprey, its predecessor.

Jim Speicher

[diane Ford]

Joe & all, Very sad to hear this; I had the privilege to bird with Bob on HMI several times and other locales over the years. He could hear and spot birds with his telescope along with and insects, and I got an education in plants as well. So enjoyed his company on these forays.  I got my Lifer Long-eared Owl on one of his birding trips. Many rare bird chases, you would find Bob amongst the crowd. Certainly, a Maryland Birding Legend with his work on Maryland Birdlife.  Rest In Peace.

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

On Tue, Feb 15, 2022 at 11:20 AM, Joe Hanfman

<auk...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Tim Houghton]

Running into Bob while birding was always an event, including most recently for me when he showed up to look at the Kirtland's Warbler. Sometimes he brought his dog along, whom he cared for deeply. I'll miss him.
Tim Houghton

> --
> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Group 'Maryland & DC Birding'.
> To view group guidelines or change email preferences, visit this group on the web at http://www.mdbirding.com
> Unfamiliar with a hotspot mentioned on this list? Quickly locate it here - http://www.mdbirding.com/hotspot.html
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maryland & DC Birding" group.

> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mdbirding+...@googlegroups.com.

[Marcia Watson]

For those newer to this group:  Before we had eBird, we had Bob Ringler. Bob had a deep and broad knowledge of the distribution and occurrence of the birds of Maryland, from his own ample observations as well as from a private database that he maintained and that included notable observations by other people. His database was the basis for the MOS Yellowbook (Field List of the Birds of Maryland) as well as for the Seasons reports that he authored for Maryland Birdlife over many years. You could ask him anything – for example, about the winter distribution of Purple vs. Bronzed Grackles on the Eastern Shore – and Bob would consult his memory or his database and then tell you all about it. He really liked digging into the finer points of distribution and timing.

 

Also for many years, he led the traditional tally rally at the end of the MOS Annual Convention, and when someone would report an oddball bird, Bob would get a speculative look on his face and there would be a little pause, then he would say “Did you see that at such-and-such?” He was almost always correct in these educated guesses on the specific locations of scarce birds.

 

Perhaps not many birders know this, but Bob was also a very knowledgeable fan of jazz. Gene and I once told Bob we wouldn’t be going to Hart-Miller because we were going to the Rosslyn Jazz Festival, and Bob came with us to the jazz festival. We had a very pleasant day sitting under the trees listening to the best of straight-up jazz.

 

As others have said, it was always a privilege to bird or butterfly with Bob. He’s gone way too soon.

 

Marcia

_____________

Marcia Watson

Bowie, MD

--

[timm...@gmail.com]

"Encyclopedic" is a great way to describe Bob's knowledge of Maryland's birds, particularly in Baltimore. He was always quick to respond to me with a very detailed answer when I had a nuanced question about something Baltimore-bird-related. I'm still amazed that he entered what appears to be ALL of his personal records into eBird. Talk about setting the baseline for Baltimore records pre-eBird! Birding with him at Hart-Miller was always a good time, and he should be credited with helping to maintain good relations between that site and the birding community. A huge loss!

Tim Carney

Parkville, MD

[James Meyers]

So sad to hear of Bob’s passing. He will be missed by many.

Bob would visit with us at the Cromwell Valley hawk watch when we were just getting started, and two occasions stand out of his presence .  One day when two large accipiters were seen, I was at a loss to ID them…..they were clearly accipiters but they were flying like buteos. Both Bob and Larry Craig stated calmly that they were a pair of Northern Goshawks! 

On another occasion Bob said he couldn’t stay much longer and jokingly stated he would stay until the proverbial “ two o’clock Golden Eagle” shows up. Sure enough, within a minute of 2 o’clock, here comes a GE along the ridge!!  Unforgettble moments with Bob.

Jim Meyers

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/20DE0970-7D09-4D1C-A465-6F995A7926EE%40gmail.com.

[Jan Braumuller]

I did not know Bob Ringler, and I am not aware if I was in his presence in the field. That said, I  really do appreciate reading the accolades and memories have been shared by those who knew him well. Thank you. 

Jan Braumuller

Sent from my iPad

On Feb 15, 2022, at 8:06 PM, 'James Meyers' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbi...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

So sad to hear of Bob’s passing. He will be missed by many.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/586E9211-C07F-4F1F-A938-AFEFBF7D2BEE%40mac.com.

[Janet Millenson]

Bob was an incredible birder and always generous with his amazing store of knowledge. Anyone lucky enough to go on an outing with him always returned having learned something new about a place or its birds!

And if I may gently correct Phil Davis, Bob provided all "The Season" reports in Maryland Birdlife through at least the 2005 issues, which were actually published in 2010. (I did the Birdlife layouts for many years.) Bob's reports were impressively detailed yet concise.

What a sad loss for the Maryland birding community.

--
Janet Millenson
Potomac, MD (Montgomery County)
ja...@twocrows.com

[bird...@gmail.com]

I was very saddened to learn of Bob's passing when I read of it today. I think I first met Bob at one of the State MOS BOD meetings, as he was a fixture, especially when held in Carroll County.  But it wasn't until I moved from Montgomery to Carroll County that I came to know him and see him more regularly. He was the first one I would call when something " good" turned up either locally or in my yard, to ask his thoughts on status for the county (White-winged Crossbill at Piney Run, Olive-sided Flycatcher and Connecticutt Warbler in my yard), and more often than not he would come over for a look himself. He even joined me for two of my Big Sits in my yard, bringing Skippy along, something I looked forward to. And when I told him that I was planting native trees in our yard he offered me one of his tulip poplar seedlings, which mysteriously showed up in a pot in our front yard shortly afterwards.  He had just driven over and dropped it off. I planted it at the back of our property, and it grew quickly into a beautiful specimen, thereafter known as the Ringler tree. I can only hope the new owners cherish it as much as I did!

Maryland birding and the MOS lost a giant of a man, literally and figuratively. I think the MOS should consider naming a commemorative walk at the conference, or perhaps renaming a sanctuary in his honor. 

 Rick Sussman 

Somewhere on the road, in Florida

[Kurt Schwarz]

Fond memories of Bob. One mid-winter count in Howard, he shows up at tally rally with video of Lapland Longspur on road surrounded with snow, northwest HowCo, and I am dead sure it was VHS tape.

Last encounter, Southwest Area Park to see Roseate Spoonbill.

Kurt Schwarz

Now in Columbia, Howard County

--

-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Group 'Maryland & DC Birding'.
To view group guidelines or change email preferences, visit this group on the web at http://www.mdbirding.com
Unfamiliar with a hotspot mentioned on this list? Quickly locate it here - http://www.mdbirding.com/hotspot.html
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maryland & DC Birding" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mdbirding+...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/1deed652-3e75-83fe-4d2b-df9a018865e3%40twocrows.com.

--

Kurt Schwarz
Ellicott City, Howard County
kurtschwarz4 at gmail dot com

[Phil Davis]

Thanks to Janet for keeping me honest ...

Actually, Bob relinquished the editorship of that report ("The Season") during the interval from 1991 through 1999, although he did remain the associate editor of the Maryland Birdlife. But, he once again took on the mantle of The Season reports in 1999 until he finally retired the column in 2005. I was so upset to see that important summary of regional arrivals, departures, large numbers, rarities, unusual plumages, etc. end it's run. Most ornithological societies still publish these seasonal reports, even today. They provide an editorial summary that you don't get from eBird.

Haven Kolb began The Season report in 1947 and then Chan took it over about a year later. So, The Season had a continuous run from Maryland Birdlife Volume 1, Issue 1, from 1946 until 2005. There were also predecessor regional MD/DC reports in the Audubon Naturalist journal series (The Wood Thrush and The Atlantic Naturalist) that date back to 1946 and also in the National Audubon Society's Audubon Field Notes (the predecessor to American Birds) also going back to 1946. (Not to mention the journal Bird-Lore, before that.)

I was actually quite upset to learn that no one volunteered to take over The Season compiler/editor role from Bob after those many (25+) years of service to the MOS.

Sigh ...

Phil


At 17:39 02/16/2022, Janet Millenson wrote:

(snip)

And if I may gently correct Phil Davis, Bob provided all "The Season" reports in Maryland Birdlife through at least the 2005 issues, which were actually published in 2010. (I did the Birdlife layouts for many years.) Bob's reports were impressively detailed yet concise.

(snip)

Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2022 03:28:23 -0500
To: MDbirding <mdbi...@googlegroups.com>
From: Phil Davis <pda...@ix.netcom.com>
Subject: Bob Ringler

(snip)
Bob compiled and edited the quarterly "The Season" report in Maryland Birdlife from April 1977 through March 1991.
(snip)

===================================================
Phil Davis, Secretary
MD/DC Records Committee
2549 Vale Court
Davidsonville, Maryland  21035     USA
web: https://mdbirds.org/records-committee/
email: pda...@ix.netcom.com
phone: 301-261-0184
===================================================

[Fred Fallon]

Bob was such a giant presence in MD birding that we almost took him for granted. A role not yet mentioned here was on the committee of the 1st & 2nd BBA's, and until recently, the current 3rd. I always found him helpful and generous at unexpected times, as when he personally took me to the LEOW spot in Morgan Run. I'm saddened at the loss.

[steve sapperstein]

I am saddened to hear that Bob has Passed away.  He was a great birder, a wealth of information and knowledge, and a good birding friend.  Rick and I would get together with many in that group of incredible birders. Bob was always there too. 

I guess I didn't know Bob closely, he was just part of that group of birders that were full of life and adventure and birding enthusiasm.  Thanks Bob for all those great hours out in the wild birding. Stop by and say hi once in awhile. my feeders are always full, or perhaps I will be ok to walk a trail with you again.