Frank Hamilton was a very early RSPB staff member, back in the 1950s when there were only a few handfuls of staff. He retired as Director, Scotland in 1993.
Almost epitomising the early staff of the RSPB he (and most were male) was a keen birdwatcher with a huge enthusiasm for birds, nature and wildlife conservation. His strengths were his network of contacts, his delightful personality and robust and cheerful common sense. He was hugely liked by the staff who worked for him, the wider RSPB and BirdLife International network and the wide range of external contacts with whom he came in contact. He was a very acceptable face of the RSPB.
After his retirement I would look forward to seeing Frank at the Bird Fair, often with his son Rory, and having a chat. While I was Conservation Director I would sometimes get a short letter or postcard from Frank, out of the blue, saying something encouraging if he had been prompted by hearing me on the radio or had been thinking about some particular issue. I wish I’d kept some of them but Frank seemed to have the knack of saying the right thing at the right time. He would often point out that although things might seem tough, progress was always being made, and that would send me out into the world in a cheerier frame of mind.
Frank was one of a select group of RSPB staff who had added a bird species to the British List. His, with Keith S. McGregor, was on 11 September 1954 at North Queensferry and Rosyth Dockyards in Fife where they found a Wilson’s Phalarope – now a more familiar vagrant to the UK. Frank passed away just two days before the 66th anniversary of that find.
Frank was a keen birder and a dedicated conservationist. In his long life he made a positive and cheerful contribution to both his hobby and his profession.
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A sad loss. Frank was a lovely bloke. I used to talk to him on the bus from Longniddry to Edinburgh. Always enthusiastic!