'A funny, passionate conservationist': Brummies pay tribute to Bill Oddie

The tribute to Bill Oddie on the street he spent much of his childhood was in place hours after his death was announced.

"He grew up in Oak Tree Crescent," it begins, before listing key achievements in BBC comedy and wildlife programming from the Goodies' Funky Gibbon to Springwatch.

But Oddie remained active in the area, long after leaving the street in Halesowen, West Midlands, in his mid-teens.

Dudley Zoo recalled the visit to a new baboon enclosure in 2014, weeks after the birth of a new arrival - named Billie in his honour. And Quinton councillor Sam Forsyth remembered "a funny, passionate, conservationist" who helped save Woodgate Valley Urban Farm from development.

West Midland Bird Club said Oddie had started the group, of which he became president, while at King Edward's School in Birmingham.

Vice-president Graham Harrison told BBC Midlands Today: "He used to come to our meetings regularly, and he was just well-known and really well-liked."

Recalling an occasion when a man half-recognised the club president in the street and then remembered he had helped him identify a bird, Harrison said Oddie preferred to be known for his love of birds more than his comedy.

"He'd much rather be a birdwatcher than an entertainer."

In its tribute, the Friends of Bartley Reservoir said his first report for the bird club was about those he had seen at the reservoir in 1962, and Oddie had returned there later for a Naturewatch TV special.

Oddie's former school issued its own tribute, saying he had been involved in many parts of school life, including sport and drama.

He captained the rugby team, was a prefect and, in a sign of his future comedy success, wrote a revue show in 1959 called Let's Face It!

"We are grateful for the support Bill showed to the school over the years," it said in a Facebook post, including an evening in 2015 when he "entertained more than 300 pupils, parents, alumni and staff with stories from his time at school, reflecting on the lasting impact his school days had on his life."

Oddie inspired a love of nature in countless people through his shows, including Wild West Midlands Youtubers Ryan Eddowes and Adam O'Hare.

Eddowes, from Wolverhampton, told BBC Radio WM: "It's an incredibly sad day, but it's also a day where we can remember Bill for the person he was."

He said Oddie had brought his comedic talents into wildlife programming and "was able to showcase nature in a completely different way".

"He was able to make birdwatching a really interesting, engaging and interactive activity which spanned generations," he added.

Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.