I knew Simon as did all my family as Simon's parents Bette and Roger were very close personal friends to my parents.Dad their family solicitor,holidays on Motuora Island and that established a very personal quality friendship with Simon .a calm kind hearted soul who loved birds.RIP

I too first met Simon in the early 1980s, when I joined OSNZ and started taking part in the society’s field activities. I remember us finding fairy terns at Tapora, going on trips to survey his beloved Motuora, and sharing countless beach patrols and wader counts. But it was the dotterel study, started in 1985/86, and later the oystercatcher study, that really brought us together. For close to 20 years, we roamed the coastline and offshore islands of North Auckland, banding birds of those two species and collecting data on them. Simon’s contribution to these projects was enormous, and it was entirely voluntary. He was also one of the most careful and accurate observers I have known. The birds are in debt to him, and I will always be grateful for the huge and prolonged effort he put in. And as well as working together, we became good and lasting friends. I valued that friendship a great deal and I will miss Simon. Rest in peace, my friend.

I remember Simon as one of the super-dedicated bird-watchers I encountered when I came to Auckland in 1982. All so keen and friendly and doing great field work. Rest in Peace, Simon.

Thank you Simon, for years and years of ornithological companionship and adventure. I’m remembering the day we found the Shore Plover/NZ Dotterel hybrid at Omaha and the day we sighted two UNBANDED NZ Fairy Tern juveniles at Papakanui, their parents having escaped the radar of the Dept. of Conservation. It was you who first identified Black-billed Gulls as breeding in the Kaipara Harbour, in the early 1990's. So many memories to treasure Si, so many… Bless you, Gwenda Pulham

Simon spent many summers with our family at Parihaki Head south of Kawhia Harbour and we learnt a lot from Simon`s gentle instruction about the bird life in the area. He was a cheerful,positive companion in many adventures along the rugged coast,and adopted the Thomsons as an extended family. Simon trod lightly upon the earth(especially as he never wore shoes!),and his manner of living and gentleness of soul have left a deep impression on us all.

Simon was a committed observer of birds and their behaviour. His commitment to the birds around the Rodney District was lifelong. Simon was the joint author of: "Annual movement patterns and breeding-site fidelity of the New Zealand Dotterel ( Charadrius obscurus )" which was published in the Society Journal Notornis. A life well lived.

Birds are the messengers of the spirit. Simon quietly shared his vast knowledge of the natural world with his friends, whether it be a beach patrolled, waders counted or surveyed birds. I fee l blessed to have known Simon as my friend and mentor. His gentle soul and happy demeanour when talking about birds captured the spirit and thirst for knowledge of Birds New Zealand. Soar high my friend, you will be missed.

Birds are the messengers of the spirit. Simon quietly shared his vast knowledge of the natural world with his friends, whether it be a beach patrolled, waders counted or surveyed birds. I feel blessed to have known Simon as a friend and mentor. His gentle soul and happy demeanour when talking about birds captured the spirit and thirst for knowledge of Birds New Zealand. Soar high my friend, you will be missed.

Omaha Shorebird Protection Trust would like to acknowledge the importance of work carried out by Simon and others, beginning in the late 1970s, that provided detailed studies of the Northern NZ dotterel in and around the Whangateau harbour. Their long term monitoring of breeding and flocking showed Omaha Spit to be a site of international importance for Northern New Zealand dotterels. Their studies provided the necessary information that enabled the establishment of the NZ dotterel recovery plan written by John Dowding and accepted by the Dept of Conservation. Marie Ward OSPT Trustee & former Chair.

A good observant birdwatcher