Date: 10/16/25 5:29 pm
From: Tom Benson via groups.io <thomasabenson...>
Subject: Re: [inlandcountybirds] Passing of birding legend, Gene Cardiff
Like many aspiring biologists/birders/ornithologists, I met Gene when I took his Field Study of Birds course through UC Riverside Extension in fall 1998. I took those courses for several years, then continued tagging along as a guest. Gene took his students all over southern California in those classes, imparting his wisdom not only of birds, but of almost all living things, as well as the history of each of these areas that he had been visiting for half a century. I also became a member of San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society, where Gene was the field trip chair and the heart of the organization. Gene led numerous trips for SBVAS, travelling even further afield to locations such as Morro Bay and the Eastern Sierra and Owens Valley. His enthusiasm for birding these locations was infectious, and his eagerness to show others these locations was obvious. I can't recount the number of times Gene lingered at a location trying to find some rarity or specialty bird for me or someone else who desperately wanted to see it. But as Ryan W. mentioned, there was always another bird to see or place to visit, and eventually he'd exclaim "we're burning daylight", signaling it was time to move on.
In my zealous pursuit of birding, Gene and I eventually became friends (though I always considered him my mentor). He would invite me along to chase rare birds, took me on some of his local collecting trips, and even showed me the ropes of collecting birds and preparing study skins. If I got a call from Gene, there was a good chance he had found some good bird that he wanted to let me know about. He had already retired, but as Curator Emeritus at the San Bernardino County Museum, he was still always thrilled to show me (and everyone else) the collections that he had built (and continued to build) throughout his life. It seems that almost every time we would be discussing some rare or interesting bird sighting from days of yore, he would eventually respond with "I can show it to you!". And then (if we were at the museum), we would walk down to the basement and he would show us the specimen.
Brad's characterization of Gene as a legend is not an exaggeration. He has been birding and adding to the knowledge of natural history of California, especially San Bernardino County, for nearly nine decades. He discovered numerous first state and county records, and published articles on range expansions and other significant findings. He has been a board member of SBVAS for decades, serving as president and field trip chair. He participated in or coordinated multiple Christmas Bird Counts every year. He conducted a breeding bird survey at Morongo for 30+ years, the longest continuous such effort in San Bernardino County, perhaps in southern California. He taught hundreds of students through his UCR Extension courses, and hundreds or even thousands more on the field trips he led for SBVAS. His life's work, the bird and natural history collections at the San Bernardino County Museum, will be a resource for researchers far into the future. Gene's legacy is not only these collections and his contributions to our knowledge of birds in southern California, but also all those he inspired to appreciate birds, nature, natural history, and the places he shared with us.
Tom BensonRedlands, CA

On Thursday, October 16, 2025 at 11:38:22 AM PDT, Brad Singer via groups.io <bcsinger...> wrote:

It is with deep regret to announce the passing of Gene Cardiff, essentially the father of birding in the Inland Empire, last night at the age of 96.  Gene was not only San Bernardino County Museum bird curator, but teacher, mentor, conservationist, and friend to so many people throughout southern California. There are so many stories to be told about Gene, some from over 50 years ago, that I will leave this thread open to whomever may want to express their appreciation of his wonderful life.Brad Singer



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