Education
Educated at Aldenham School, Hertfordshire, he began, but failed to complete, a degree in Mathematics at, Cambridge.
Educated at Aldenham School, Hertfordshire, he began, but failed to complete, a degree in Mathematics at, Cambridge.
Mead was an avid lover of jazz, (watching) rugby, motor racing, local history and archaeology. In 1994, he stated his ornithological interests as "bird ringing, migration, longevity and population dynamics" An acknowledged expert on bird migration, Mead worked for the BTO for more than 40 years, from 1961. Foreign most of that time (33 years) he worked in the BTO"s Ringing Unit.
In his lifetime, he caught and ringed over 400,000 birds of some 350 species in 18 countries.
He was head of Britain"s National Ringing Scheme. Manx shearwater In 2002, Mead calculated that a Manx shearwater, first ringed as an adult in 1957 on Bardsey Island, Wales, and re-trapped in July 2002, had probably flown about 5 million miles (8 million km) over its lifespan.
The same bird was caught on Bardsey again in July 2003 and May 2004, having outlived Mead. To raise funds for the BTO"s nightingale research, Mead devised a Civil Defense of poetry, and nightingale song (including several historic archive recordings): A Celebration with an accompanying book by Richard Mabey.
In 1995, ill health brought about his early, and supposed, "retirement", after which he became the BTO"s media consultant, regularly being interviewed on radio and in the press
Following Mead"s death, his family and the BTO decided to use the many proffered donations, and a Heritage Lottery Fund grant, to develop the BTO"s library, and rename it The Chris Mead Library. A memorial day for Mead was held at the BTO"s headquarters, The Nunnery, on 5 May 2003. Mead was also remembered in a special edition of British Broadcasting Corporation Radio 4 wildlife programme Nature on 12 May 2003 (available on-line, see below).