Date: 7/27/26 7:41 am From: Chris Dean via groups.io <chrisdeanbirder...> Subject: Re: [CALBIRDS] passing of Guy McCaskie
Hi,
My heart is aching with the loss of such a generous and knowledgeable
mentor and dedicated Salton Sea birding friend. To honor Guy's legacy, I'm
working on adding his field notes and observations to ebird. If any of you
shared time in the field with Guy, please consider sharing your ebird lists
with him by using his ebird username: McCaskie.
Thank you,
Chris Dean
Silver Lake, Los Angeles
On Fri, Jul 24, 2026 at 2:30 AM <lehman.paul...> via groups.io
<lehman.paul...> wrote:
> Guy McCaskie passed away from natural causes on July 22, just 11 days
> short of his 90th birthday. Truly the end of an era. Guy was the leader in
> moving birding into the modern era. He made countless advances in field
> identification and in our knowledge of West Coast vagrancy patterns and he
> discovered a plethora of migrant and vagrant traps. First moving from
> Scotland to Lake Tahoe, he soon settled in San Diego in the early 1960s,
> where he would remain to the present. He quickly turned California birding
> on its ear. He was extremely active statewide, with a particular passion
> for the San Diego area and for the desert from the Salton Sea north to the
> Death Valley region. He found more California state firsts than anyone. He
> has the highest California bird list. But far more important were his
> myriad of contributions to Western birding and field ornithology through
> his many publications, teaching fellow birders in the field, and in setting
> high standards for careful observation and documentation. His influence
> especially during the latter 1900s extended far beyond California to all of
> North America. There are not enough superlatives that can be said.
>
>
> Many more tributes, including those with more details of Guy's life and
> contributions, will undoubtedly follow in the days and weeks ahead.
>
>
> Plans will be made to spread Guy's ashes at the Salton Sea on a date later
> in fall when temperatures have cooled, followed by an informal get-together
> that same day, probably at Cattle Call Park in Brawley. Further details
> will be posted in the future when plans are firm. Per Guy's wishes, there
> will not be a formal funeral or celebration of life.
>
>
> The family welcomes cards and letters, but please no phone calls.
>
>
> All birders in California and the West should go outside today and tip
> your binoculars to Guy. He showed us the way.
>
>
> --Paul Lehman, San Diego
>
>
>
>
