Hello,
It is with sadness that the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) would like
to acknowledge the death of George Peck, recipient of the OFO's
Distinguished Ornithologist award in 2001.
George Peck has been a prominent ornithologist in Ontario for over 50
years. He is recognized for his work at the Royal Ontario Museum with the
Ontario Nest Records Scheme, which he built into a major monitoring system
of the breeding biology of Ontario birds.
George has contributed much to the scientific knowledge of Ontario birds
through papers in North America’s leading ornithological journals. He
authored eight species accounts in the first Atlas of the Breeding Birds of
Ontario. George co-authored with Jim Richards a chapter on early Oologists
in Ornithology in Ontario in 1987. He co-authored with Ross James volume 1
in 1983 of the Breeding Birds of Ontario, Nidiology and Distribution:
Nonpasserines. The Passerines in volume 2 was published in 1987. Both
volumes were updated in seven installments in Ontario Birds.
George was appointed a Research Associate in Ornithology at the Royal
Ontario Museum in 1976. He is an active member of many international,
national, provincial and local organizations, some since 1939.
George is a well known wildlife photographer with a penchant for birds. His
images have been published in 88 books, magazines and journals. George’s
quest is to photograph every North American bird species.
George will be honoured with an article celebrating his life and
accomplishments in the August issue of Ontario Birds.
His obituary can be found here:
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theglobeandmail/obituary.aspx?n=george-kelday-peck&pid=196377848
Sincere condolences to George's family at this very sad time,
Lynne Freeman
lynnef.to@gmail.com