Michael Lane, who has died of blood cancer at the age of 81 in Colchester, began his birdwatching in autumn 1952, the year that the KOS published its first Bird Report. Michael started his secondary education at Gillingham Grammar School in September 1952 and soon joined the group of young birdwatchers that was encouraged by Mr G.B.Rimes,¹ a classics master at the school. Michael would speak with gratitude and admiration of Mr Rimes who, as well as providing ornithological mentoring, sometimes recited Latin poetry as he walked.

Chance and 11-plus results placed Michael in the same form at Gillingham GS as Llew Davenport and they became firm friends in a friendship that would last until Llew's death. Michael moved to Colchester in 1968, to work first as a lecturer at the University of Essex and then, after being called to the Bar, as a barrister in East Anglian Chambers. Even as his illness limited his mobility, Michael continued to enjoy birdwatching and was fortunate to have several excellent places for doing so on his doorstep.

 1   GB Rimes was a significant influence on many schoolboy birdwatchers among them several stalwarts of the KOS. A short obituary of Mr Rimes can be found in the KBR for 1983