<3 Rest in Peace Big Frank <3

[Donna]

I was hoping to see this posted already:

One of our forum members and member of CPF, Big Frank has passed away on Wednesday. It's so hard for me to think he is really gone. Frank was a true outspoken guy! He has corrected me many times when I was wrong. He knew so much about raptors and founded his own Hawk Watch at Rosetta. I remember having a chat with him one New Year's eve, here on our chat. We stayed up until the wee hours just talking about life in general. Then he said to me, "Why am I telling you all this, I don't even know you!" We laughed, talked more. What a great guy he IS! Big Frank, you will be missed and never forgotten 

http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Frank-Butson&lc=3778&pid=164960889&mid=5543124  If you would like to post a memory about Frank just follow this link. 

Fly Free with the birds you love so much Frank!



An eyas from one of the nests in Canada will be named after him!

CPF has lost a great friend and his name will be on our tongues for many years.  Marion

[carly]

Thank you Donna.  Some nice photos of Frank being posted on his Facebook page this morning from his trip to Africa - he always talked about it- every fledge watch and he longed to go back there and visit.

[Donna]

Thank you Donna.  Some nice photos of Frank being posted on his Facebook page this morning from his trip to Africa - he always talked about it- every fledge watch and he longed to go back there and visit.

Fb buzzing with Frank! He was very loved.

[patsy6]

The joy we are experiencing right now with our Rochester hatches is due in no small part to Big Frank, as he rescued Dot.ca after Dot.ca fledged.  I never met Big Frank, but I'm very grateful to him. 

[Dot_Forrester]

I will really miss Big Frank. He did so much work with falcons and through his reports, many of us learned a great deal of practical information about them.  Many fledge sites are indebted to him for his expertise and caring.  The best part about his posts here was his wonderful sense of humor and his obvious joy in doing whatever he could to encourage the success of peregrines across this area. 

Dot in PA

[Carol P.]

Love ya big guy.  Will miss you always.   

[MAK]

Frank was one of the good guys! I admired his commitment to the species and his perspective on all things raptor. I have been touched by this gentle giant and will remember him always. You are free now Frank to run or fly wherever you want!  

[jeanne]

Frank may have meant the "Big" to be for his size but it was for his heart.  We will miss you, Frank.  You made the world better not just for us but for all the birds.  Fly free and your watch is not over-- just from a different place

[Carol P.]

Frank was a very funny guy.

"How very sad that the birds are forced to resort to the most toxic and undesirable flesh on earth to avoid starvation."

Big Frank's response:  "Where did it say they had to eat politicians? Jokingly..when we get huge volumes of low Turkey Vultures over our count site every fall, we remind watchers to move around a little just incase." ;-)

[Kris G.]

Prayers for his family and many friends. RIP Big Frank.

[Braveheart2665]

I can't recall how many times I went to check out a cam someone on my FB group had mentioned & there was Big Frank on the chat. From Pot Plant Owl to Eagle cams to Allesondra's GHO cam there he was chatting away & he was loved by all. His vast knowledge of raptors helped so many learn about these amazing birds. Fly Free Big Frank, you will be greatly missed.

[Donna]

Canadian Peregrine Foundation
With a heavy heart we must post notification of the passing of Big Frank. Frank began volunteering with the CPF back in 2002 at the Etobicoke Sun Life nest site at Islington and Bloor on the Fledge Watch program. He trained with Linda "Mittens" Woods who taught him everything he needed to know about rescuing and montioring baby falcons and most importantly how to not take any guff from a juvenile in need of help. There he met some amazing watchers like Kathy, Diane and Bailey who readily adopted him into the Etobicoke Watch family and continued to teach him the fine art of Fledge Watch monitoring. Eventually Frank went on to run that Fledge Watch each year and has been instrumental in supporting the nesting pair at Etobicoke Sun Life. Frank branched out from there and attended many of the Foundation's outreach events including the Toronto and Ottawa Sportsmans Shows and the Woodbridge Fair each year. There he handled many of our educational birds and shared his passion for peregrines with the thousands of people he encountered. During his time with us he continued to run the Rosetta McClain Hawk Watch each fall and connect on line with people around the world that shared his passion for wildlife. Frank, you have given us so much support over the past decade. You have shared your time freely, been our friends and our family, our ear to bend and shoulder to cry on. It is with the deepest sadness that we say goodbye to you now. Fly free good friend.

[MAK]

[valhalla]

God will call us own home in HIS time and this was Big Frank's time.  I guess God needed a watcher, so He called Frank home.  RIP, Frank and God Bless.

[Joyce]

As posted to Frank Butson's Guestbook:

Frank, You’ve earned your wings… now you can soar with all of your winged friends. You will be terribly missed.  I met Frank through his love of working with The Canadian Peregrine Foundation.  Falcon watching is a passion only some can truly understand.  Some would question - Isn’t falcon watching boring?  I would like to share “in Frank’s wordsâ€� his answer to that question, as only Frank could…

“Boring?? I just found this posting and had to add. For me a good day of fledge watch is boring…but that’s a good thing!! I want to report no one tried to fly and didn’t do well, I want to see no problems, I want to see everyone waiting till they are of proper age to make their best attempt to fly. Early on I love boring! Now, all that other stuff, yep seen it all too here in Toronto. Have persevered through early stage tornadic activity, Marion saw funnel clouds at her site and did vow if they got closer to leave. They didn’t! Big hail, but no tornado. Seen movies shot, security for G-20 meetings with snipers on rooftops! One of my first watches ever was questioned by police! Hey big ugly guy with binoculars looking at a condo?? I’d question me too! We talk to hundreds of people on the streets about the birds. I see someone suggested credentials or at the very least letting police know you are there. At CPF we have our own ID. We give lists to property managers and almost always talk to local businesses and folks where we are going to be running around watching from in alleys or on street corners. We also often fax local police stations with the same info and about what we are doing in the area and tell them all that our staff/volunteers will produce said ID to let them know who we are. It really does help. As anyone who has dealt with this knows, just be nice and patient and explain yourself. Cops are good people and understand. One of our sites the spot we watch from is right outside the police station. As lead, I took in our materials for them to read, left a video and when our first fledgling came to ground, I took her inside to meet them. They are very supportive and even very interested. They offered their help if we needed anything, including access to areas we might need. As they are there 24/7 they are keeping their eyes peeled at all times for anything out of the ordinary for us too!   Sometimes boring is good.â€�