Peter Steyn (Ogilvie House - 1950-55) generously donated his collection of award-winning photographs as well as the photographic equipment with which he took these photographs, to the Bishops Museum.  Peter is regarded as one of the leading ornithologists of the world with 350 publications and a string of books that he has written, to his name (some of these are already in the OD Library on the first floor of The Mitre together with the published articles).  More recently, Peter published an account of his life-long experiences (his autobiography in fact) in 'Memories  of a Birdwatcher'.  Peter has been a member of the Cape Bird Club for 69 years, and was made Honorary Life President in 1998.  In 2011 he was awarded the Gill Memorial Medal (BirdLife SA’s highest recognition for advancing the knowledge of birds), and in 2012 the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Steven Piper Lifetime Achievement Award for his raptor conservation and research. 

Peter’s interest in birds and natural history began with the collection of butterflies and snakes whilst he was at Prep School, and his interest in Owls comes from his time as a schoolboy in Founders. The Owls nested in the Founders clock tower (as they still do!) and sometimes the owlets moved across to Piley’s study where one evening Piley was attacked by one of them.  Once Piley found out that there was a boy as school interested in Natutal History, he put put him (Peter Steyn) onto the job of making sure the owls weren't around to attack him again.  Peter reports that: as soon as he arrived at school each morning, he had to check whether the owl was anywhere there and, like Polonius' body, took it to a ‘more remov’d ground’.  But Peter's interest eventually switched to Birds of prey.  One of the great moments of his career was when one misty day, ‘ ... suddenly the clouds cleared momentarily, and in that gap flew a Black Eagle – a Verreaux’s Eagle – and it just rocked from side to side for a moment, and I was hooked.’

His first book 'Eagle Days' (1973), was the culmination of 20 years of observation and photography of African eagles.  Today it is a classic.  Birding took Peter to many remote parts of the globe, from the sub-Antarctic islands of Marion and Tristan da Cunha, to the Arctic and Antarctic, searching for Emperor Penguins.  

After 'Eagle Days' came 'A Guide to the Common Birds of Wankie (later Hwange) National Park' (1974); 'Birds of Prey of Southern Africa' (1982); 'A Delight of Owls' (1984); 'Hunters of the African Sky' (1990); 'Birds of Southern Africa' (1991); 'Nesting Birds' (1996); and 'Antarctic Impressions – Seasons in the Southern Ocean' ( 2007).

The Museum is very grateful that Peter has donated his collection which will inspire students in the field.  For a visit to the collection please contact Paul Murray at 0835159525.