Tour Leaders

Svetlana was born in Russia but has lived in Kazakhstan for many years where she is a lecturer in environmental studies at the university in Almaty and manager of tourism at Asia Safari Service. Svetlana speaks excellent English and has an extensive knowledge of many of the countries of the former Soviet Union, their people and all aspects of their wildlife.

Vaughan founded Birdfinders in 1991 after being an assistant bank manager for 24 years. He became interested in birds in the early 1960s and started birding seriously in the mid 1970s, and has since travelled extensively around the world. He is treasurer of Portland Bird Observatory and former Dorset Bird Report editor.

Pete started birdwatching at the age of 13 and has travelled extensively around the world including Europe, Africa, Australia, North America and Asia. A founder member of the Bath RSPB group (where we first met) and leader for the first 10 years, Peter is a keen and accomplished photographer who is pleased to pass on his skills and help to tour participants.

Bill was born in London where he trained as an industrial chemist, but now lives in Somerset. Bill has travelled extensively in Europe, Middle East, North America, Africa and Asia. Although interested in many aspects of natural history, Bill's first love has always been birds and particularly bird migration.

Bob is originally from the Midlands but has lived in Dorset for nearly 20 years. He has led many tours in the UK and travelled widely in the Western Palearctic. Bob's easy-going nature and enthusiasm for passing on knowledge makes him a very popular leader.

Steven was born and raised in Arkansas but now lives in Costa Rica. He lived in Kenya for 5 years and has led many birding tours to the country where he has seen nearly 1000 species. He was head guide at Rancho Naturalista, the famous birding lodge in Costa Rica, for several years and now leads a number of Birdfinders’ tours.

Neil is the Senior Warden of the RSPB's Arne-based Reserves in Dorset and is Dorset County Bird Recorder. Since 1983 his work in nature conservation has taken him to many places both in the UK and overseas before arriving at Arne in 1991. Neil has travelled extensively in Europe, Africa, North America, Australia and the Far East and since marrying his Japanese wife, Japan is now a regular destination.

Gerard is the author of several books including Where to watch birds in Eastern Europe and The Birds of Hungary and is one of the foremost experts on birds in Eastern Europe. English by birth, he now lives in Hungary.

Solomon is a Gambian national who has an extensive knowledge of the birds, sites and people of his country. Solomon's enthusiasm for birds and his easy-going nature cannot fail to make an impression on you.

Martyn was an active birder in Sussex for 30 years before marrying and moving to Trinidad, where he now works as a freelance ornithologist and is Honorary Secretary to the Trinidad & Tobago Rare Birds Committee. He has extensive experience of South-east Asia, East Africa, North America and the Western Palearctic.

Arturo is a freelance ornithologist living in Havana and Cuba's foremost birder. He has an extensive knowledge of the island's birds (especially the endemics) and is co-author of the definitive book Birds of Cuba published by Helm. Arturo also willingly shares his considerable knowledge of other aspects of Cuban wildlife.

Guy is a freelance ornithological editor based in the UK. He is author and co-author of numerous contributions on the status and distribution of the Turkish avifauna and Middle Eastern birds, is production manager of three journals, and has collaborated notably on two volumes of the acclaimed Handbook of the Birds of the World series, the electronic version of Sibley's Distribution and Taxonomy of Birds of the World and the award-winning Sylvia Warblers. He spends long periods in Cuba, investigating vocalisation and distribution of Greater Antillean birds, and in Brazil, studying avian distribution patterns and ecology of threatened birds in the Atlantic Forests.

Kamol lives in Thailand and, as well as being an expert on its birds, is a superb artist. With his wife Patcharee organising all of the ground arrangements for our tour, we are in very safe hands.

Przemysław works in the Polish Forestry Department and has been involved in many conservation schemes including those for Ural Owls and Wolves. Przemek's knowledge of the sites and the birds of Poland is excellent. He has led Birdfinders tours to Poland for the past six years during which time his English has improved!

Peter is from Cardiff, is past bird recorder and report editor for Glamorgan, is a member of the British Ornithologists Union Records Committee and, for seven years, chairman of the British Birds Rarities Committee. His main interests are bird identification, migration and recording. He has written many published papers and is co-author of Birds of Glamorgan. Peter has led a number of birdwatching tours for Birdfinders in the Western Palearctic and North America.

Jeff is Director of Bird Conservation for Montana Audubon and is on the Wildlife Biology faculty at the University of Montana. He also serves as Secretary of the Montana Bird Records Committee and is a former editor of The Auk.

David is an ex-pat who has lived and worked in Canada for many years. Over the past few years he has also visited many other countries throughout the world. He has a great deal of knowledge, not only about the birds of North America but also many other forms of wildlife, and his expertise is greatly welcomed on our Canadian Point Pelee and Michigan tour.

Loven operates Backwoods Camp jointly with his partners Leio De Souza and Pramod Madaikar in the Western Ghats of Goa. He is an excellent field birder who also has an in-depth knowledge of his country, its habitats and people.

Willy has been birding since he was 20 years old. He is a biologist and has been working for Neblina Forest for three years having previously worked at the famous Kapawi Lodge. As well as tour leading, Willy also works on various conservation and research projects.

Formerly an architect, Colin has lived in the Middle East for over 25 years and has travelled widely in the region. Author of The Birds of the UAE, member of the Emirates & Cyprus bird records committees and compiler of the Emirates Bird Report since 1987, he has been organising and leading birdwatching tours to Oman, the Emirates, Bahrain and Yemen since 1992.

Amila been birding since he was a schoolboy. He is an associate member of Ceylon Bird Club and regularly contributes to its monthly publication. Before becoming a tour teader, Amila was manager of one of the leading wildlife tour companies in Sri Lanka where he gained a sound knowledge of birding and wildlife tour operations.

James is a native of Yorkshire but now lives in the north-eastern US. He is one of Israel's leading birders and also has extensive knowledge of Europe and North America.

Roy has been studying Australian birds for over 30 years, particularly in south-east Queensland. He is past-president of the Queensland Ornithological Society, writes articles on Australian birds and is an experienced ringer. Importantly, he is also licensed to drive off-road vehicles into the outback.

Nigel works for In Focus and is a well known figure in the south-west birding scene. His extensive birding experience in the Western Palearctic, North America and Asia combined with his sense of humour make him a popular leader.

Renzo has been birding in South America for 17 years. He has worked and birdwatched in much of northern and western South America including Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia and, of course, Peru, where he now lives. He speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese fluently and has an excellent knowledge of the calls and songs of many of South America’s birds.