I only knew George Takayama through Stiles Thomas, but I always appreciated his distinctive style. Stiles suggested I use George's bird art (see next post) for my first column on the Birdy 30, and George's widow gave me permission to reprint it in The Record today.

  If that style looks familiar, it was on display on the mural in downtown Allendale. Stiles came up with the concept, and George did the design and directed the installation.

   George also did this portrait of Stiles, which until recently was on display at the Thomas, Freeman Giglio Insurance Agency in Allendale's flat-iron building (the white building that looks like a piece of cake.)

Thanks to the Fyke Nature Association's Tom Mitchell, we now have a webpage filled with so many wonderful memories of Stiles Thomas.

You can view it here:

http://fykenature.org/remembrance.php

The other night, when my wife Patty and I got word that our dear friend Stiles Thomas was in failing health, I scribbled down some thoughts …

Stiles Thomas has been, without a doubt, one of the most influential people in my life, and in the lives of so many others. Stiles had a true gift: He not only loved birds and nature, but he created a ripple effect. He taught us to love them as well.

At a Fyke Nature Assoc. meeting 10 years ago, Marsh Warden Stiles Thomas ended his captivating talk and bird-carving exhibition with a poem called "The Birder's Dirge," which he wrote in March 1986.

Who knew Stiles was a poet?

By popular request, here it is:

                 "The Birder's Dirge"
                   By Stiles Thomas

I've been down in the dumps in Brownsville,

   I've been high on hummers at Mile High,

I've flown to the Dry Tortugas,

   I guess there's nowhere else to fly.

I've heard the "kicky-poo" of the Black Rail.

   I've heard the nightjar call,

I've heard the Timberdoodle at twilight,

   I guess I've heard them all.

I've seen the ring on the Ring-necked Duck,

   I've seen the Pied-billed Grebe Fly.

I've seen the red on the woodpecker's belly,

   I guess I'm ready to die.

Last week I asked:

What is it? Who carved it? Where can you see this carving? And, a toughie -- who donated it?

The answers.

The bird is a Northern Flicker.

Stiles Thomas carved it.

You can see it at Lorrimer Sanctuary in Franklin Lakes.

It was donated by Fyke member Nancy Drabik.