A RENOWNED York birdwatcher and angler has died aged 94.

Frank Oates took up birdwatching seriously nearly 50 years ago, logged more than 300 different species in Yorkshire and was a life member of York Ornithological Club.

Frank, a widower from Dringhouses, died in a York care home. He had been married to his late wife, Lillian, for 70 years, and was also a successful writer.

The former joiner for the Ministry of Defence in York was often seen birdwatching at Skipwith Common and the Lower Derwent Ings.

Thorne Moors, near Doncaster, was also a favourite in the summer when hobbies, dashing small falcons, were on the wing in pursuit of dragonflies, said his friend and fellow birdwatcher Alan Potter.

One of his best finds was a breeding pair of rare Montagu’s Harriers on the North York Moors, which he regularly watched as they successfully reared two young.

He was also a frequent visitor, with his brother, Stanley, to Scotland and particularly the Isle of Mull.

Before he took up birdwatching, Frank was a member of the York fishing team which came fifth and the following year third in the All England Angling Championships in the 1940s.

At about the same time, he won £500 when he correctly backed himself to win a fishing match in Lincolnshire against 1,500 other anglers.

Frank, who was for a time angling correspondent for The Press and wrote a handbook on Baits For Course Fishing, once wrote an article about sparrow hawks targeting starlings at a roost, which was published in the Guardian.

He wrote colourful accounts of many of his expeditions, which he sent out to his friends and worked over his last weeks to finish his autobiography, to be enjoyed by his friends.

His funeral will be held at Holy Trinity Church, Acaster Malbis, on Tuesday, at 11am.