I first met Max in the winter of 2002 atop the reregulation dam at Carters Lake. We were scanning the same raft of ducks. That was back when it was extremely unusual to run into another birder in Murray County. He was living in Ellijay at the time, and would later move to Dalton. Max birded Carters Lake and the vicinity heavily for a few decades keeping notes of everything he observed in the field. He was a student of the Natural World and a collector of knowledge. He told me that his personal library of books exceeded 3000 when he was employed by the state of Kentucky. He was an expert in many fields, but he had a PhD in botany. I'm glad he's finally receiving the attention he deserves for his research on the plants of Georgia. A google search of his name will guide one to some of his accomplishments. There's been several posts on Facebook as well that describe his discoveries as one of the most accomplished botanists in the nation.
We went on a lot of trips together over the years. He helped me with many projects and was a staple for the Carters Lake Christmas Bird Count until his health began to wane. We had a lot of great times together. He is one of the most unique individuals I've ever had the privilege of knowing. I learned a lot from Max. I could tell many stories from our adventures, of course anyone who ever met him would have something to tell. I think anyone who ever spent time with Max in the field learned something from his vast ability to retain information. He loved it so much.
Thank you Max,
Joshua Spence
Murray County
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