Mike was born in 1941 and had a younger sister and brother; myself, Sue Fogden, and Simon Fogden, and we shared a wonderful childhood. Our father served in the RAF so we tended to live in places for two to three years and then move somewhere new, a situation in which we all thrived. Mike shone at school without a great deal of effort and, as the eldest at home, was often the arbitrator of sibling squabbles between myself and Simon. From a very young age he was enthralled by the natural world with a particular passion for birds. He became a patient instructor when passing on his extensive knowledge to me.  Our father was a keen amateur photographer and when he upgraded to the new 35mm equipment he passed on his old camera, as well as his photographic enthusiasm, to Michael.  Mike started taking photographs and experimenting with different techniques while still at school.

Because of the family travels Mike attended Ripon Grammar School as a boarder.  He played cricket and rugby for the school and eventually became head boy.  He was an all-rounder and was encouraged to apply for a place at the Slade School of Fine Arts but chose zoology instead and attended St. John’s College, Oxford.  His undergraduate thesis was on gulls and he gained his doctorate studying the seasonality and population dynamics of rain forest birds in Borneo.  It was here that he first began mastering the difficult skill of photography in rain forests and it was while working in Borneo that he met Patricia, also a zoologist.  In 1968 they embarked on a life-long partnership and marriage together.  Initially they continued working as research biologists, first in the Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda where Mike held a Ford Foundation Research Fellowship.  From 1973 they were employed by the Centre for Overseas Pest Research and they worked on range management problems in the Chihuahuan and Sonoran Deserts in Mexico.

In 1978 they resigned from their research posts to become freelance writers and photographers, specialising in natural history subjects.  They settled in the cloud forest of Monteverde in Costa Rica where they were based for over 30 years.  This allowed long-term observations on reptiles, amphibians and birds which have been used to document the drastic decline of these animals in the Monteverde area and they often collaborated with research workers.

After Costa Rica they moved to Tandayapa in the cloud forests of Ecuador where they were able to continue documenting the rich assemblage of fauna and flora to be found in rain forests.  But Mike also loved to work in the desert and was particularly impressed with the adaptations to the severe environment of the Namib Desert.  After having to have a leg amputated in 2013 Mike had to give up working in difficult terrains but appeared impressively sanguine about spending more time writing books. He did this based at their home in north Norfolk, submitting the manuscript for his most recent book just four weeks before the stroke that precipitated his last illness.

Michael will be remembered by most people for the wonderful photographs he took despite feeling that being behind the camera could get in the way of fully enjoying a wildlife experience. In spite of preferring to go for a walk without camera equipment Michael & Patricia managed to build up an enviable collection of photographs that continue to appear in books and magazines throughout the world. Personally, however, I will remember him always as a supportive, knowledgeable, generous, witty and loyal brother.

Sue Fogden