Jan Pasternak

[nomad]

Many of you that are interested in birdwing butterflies will have bought the lovely book Fluttering Encounters in the Amazing Archipelago together with the CD ROM A Naturalist in Birdwing Paradise by the outstanding field Lepidopterist that was Jan Pasternak. I corresponded with Jan in his last years, as apparently many did and he sent me some interesting notes and images. I believe Jan was born in 1948 in Moravia in a town on the border with Poland but I am not sure where. I do not even known if there was an obituary published when he sadly passed away in 2013, it would seem strange if there was not. If you have a copy of such an obituary or can give details of Jan's early years or have any interesting antidotes of his New Guinea and Far East years which were not in his book/CD, then please pass them on to me, just send me a message or ask for my email. The information will be presented in a written commemorative piece for the ICF forum. Thank you in advance. Peter.

[jmg]

All I can say is that Jan Pasternak came to Paris in April 2004 to give a lecture to our Association of Lepidopterists. On this occasion, he had dedicated to me his book Fluttering Encounters. The book and his advice helped me organize our trip to Arfak in 2007.

[wollastoni]

Sept 21, 2018 13:27:35 GMT jmg said:

All I can say is that Jan Pasternak came to Paris in April 2004 to give a lecture to our Association of Lepidopterists. On this occasion, he had dedicated to me his book Fluttering Encounters. The book and his advice helped me organize our trip to Arkak in 2007.

I did not know that. Too bad I wasn't a member of the ALF in those years !

I too have a dedicated copy of Jan's great book. It is a pleasure to reread it from time to time. I love the meridionalis story when the beauty of this Ornitho make him lost his way in the jungle.

[nomad]

Fluttering Encounters in the Amazing Archipelago is one of my favourite books. Jan was great photographer, especially as many of the images were taken in the 1970s.