Born in Sutton Coldfield (then in Warwickshire), England, the only child of the head brewer at Ansells Brewery, Birmingham, he attended King Edward's School, Birmingham.
[1] He joined the West Midland Bird Club as a Junior Member in 1946 and quickly established himself as one of the region's keenest birders.
[1] He spent his National Service in the Army Intelligence Corps.
[2] In 1981, he retired as a Detective Sergeant, from the force and a few years later moved firstly to the Isles of Scilly and then, in 1987, to Cornwall.
[2] He also founded ACRE, the Association of County Recorders and Editors, in 1993 and then took on the responsibility of being its secretary.