Tom Collier

A renegade polymath with binoculars and a beard , Bill was invariably funny and occasionally furious . He loved birds and loathed those who harmed them . He was delightfully unpredictable , sparky , smart and at times a bit spiky . Critically he really knew his stuff , and his passion was true - he didn’t just pick up his binoculars on telly , he went birding whenever he could . So he was genuine and that’s why we loved him , he never needed a script , and took scant interest in any he was given . He didn’t like rules and often neglected to play by them . This may have frustrated the serious and the worthy but it always amused his audience - he was an utter joy to be with . I recall finding a Black Woodpecker in a damp Dutch park with him once , he gazed at it intently , sighed , put down his bins , turned to me and just smiled . A massive grin . No words , just a beautiful childlike bliss . That says all you need to know about Bill Oddie . Sadly we’ve not only lost a goodie , we’ve lost one of the besties .