Leading Tours since 1987

 

. Mark Finn

Birdwatching
Breaks
Principal
Leader
Mark Finn lives on the Black Isle in Scotland and is the principal leader of Birdwatching Breaks having formed the company in May 1987. In 2005, Mark set up Black Isle Birding for tours based in Scotland. Mark originally trained in hotel management and catering before pursuing careers in the Merchant Navy, industrial catering and finally as a sales representative. He has travelled widely in search of birds both whilst leading trips and on reconnaissance trips for future tours. His travels have taken him to a wide variety of destinations around the world. Mark is also a member of the Scottish Ornithologists Club and RSPB. In between leading tours, Mark deals with the administration work of Birdwatching Breaks. He has a keen interest in sport, particularly cricket and soccer, and enjoys wine and good food.
.Chris Bradshaw
Chris Bradshaw lives in North Yorkshire. He is a vastly experienced birdwatcher having travelled to many countries in pursuit of birds. Chris has built up a loyal following among clients who appreciate his professionalism and knowledge in the field. He is particularly interested in the birds of Asia and is an authority on the region’s birds having led many tours there. Chris is also responsible for updating and compiling the Birdwatching Breaks website, a legacy from his previous employment in the information technology industry.
.David Damarani
David Damarani lives in Accra, Ghana. David works for the Wildlife Society of Ghana and is their premier ornithologist. He has a remarkable ear for species found in West African forests and knows all the songs and calls of birds occurring in Ghana, a great asset on any tour. He has a pleasant personality and the ability to communicate and get on with people. David is invaluable to our West African tour programme.
.Nikolay Dilchev
Nikolay Dilchev lives in Sofia, Bulgaria. Nikolay operates Pandion D, his own birding and natural history company. He is one of Bulgaria’s leading ornithologists having put the country literally on the birding map of Europe. Outside interests include being with his family and enjoying football.
.Steve Duffield
Steve Duffield lives on South Uist in the Western Isles of Scotland where he operates Western Isles Wildlife tours. Steve has been an active birder for many years having travelled extensively in Asia and South America. He has also held jobs with conservation bodies within the UK. Away from birding, Steve is a keen mountaineer having climbed several high peaks around the world. Steve is now settled in South Uist where he has found many rarities in recent years in addition to being the moth and butterfly recorder for the islands.
.Felix Felger
Felix Felger lives in Krakow in southern Poland from where he operates his own birdwatching company. Felix has a wealth of experience of birds in Poland and knows where to find them. He has a particular interest in Great Snipe and Aquatic Warbler, two of Europe’s most threatened species. Away from Poland Felix has travelled extensively in his quest for birds. He is a welcome member to our list of local guides.
.Santiago Imberti
Santiago Imberti was born and raised in southern Patagonia, where the wilderness was only a short step from his front door. A long lasting love for nature was a logical consequence of the years he lived there. He obtained a degree in tourism and ornithology, which allowed him to combine his love for nature and the outdoors with his work as a fly fishing, birdwatching and mountain guide. Avid naturalist, he is keen in spending as much time as possible in nature and is always looking for new places to visit and ways to transmit his love and interest in the small things to others. Santiago is a photographer and writes about the many places he visits, and his experiences as a guide. His articles and stories have been published in scientific journals and popular travel magazines.
.Cristian Jensen
Cristian Jensen lives in Catalonia and currently operates Audouin Birding Tours. He is one of Spain’s up and coming bird guides with a particular interest in the birds of Catalonia and Spain. His travels have taken him to Iceland and Mauritius where he has worked with the Mauritius Wildlife Association. His easy going nature, language and people skills, and his extensive knowledge of wildlife makes him a popular and respected bird guide.
.Neil Mcleod
 
Neil MacLeod lives in Namibia where he operates Safariwise. Neil started as a freelance guide for a large safari company in Namibia before taking the plunge on his own in 1992, offering tours to friends of friends. The business took off and little did he know that in calling it Neil MacLeod Safaris, his name would become synonymous with birdwatching in Namibia. Neil has expanded his phenomenal birding knowledge to include wildlife, plants and almost everything to do with the natural world.
.Meseret Mekuria
Meseret Mekuria lives in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Meseret formerly worked for the national park service in Ethiopia studying birds and mammals. Today, he is one of the country’s top birdwatchers with a passion for Ethiopia’s endemic birds and mammals. Meseret is a welcome addition to the Birdwatching Breaks team of guides in this relatively unknown country for birds.
.Simon Papps
 
Simon Papps lives in Waltham Abbey, Essex. Simon is a vastly experienced birder having travelled to a wide range of countries in pursuit of birds. He was formerly the sub-editor at Birdwatch Magazine, the highly respected monthly publication for birders. Currently Simon works as the Commissioning Editor for Natural History Books at New Holland Publishers based in London. Away from birding, Simon enjoys all sports, but particularly football.
.Uthai Treesucon
 
Uthai Treesucon lives in Thailand and is one of the country’s leading birdwatchers. After graduating in Biology, Uthai worked as a wildlife researcher at Mahidol University. He led his first birding tour in 1983 and is an expert on identifying birds by their calls. Uthai is a former chairman of the Bird Conservation Society of Thailand and still does voluntary work for the society.
.Lemule Valle
 
Lemule Valle is a biologist and an expert in birds and mammals of his native Guatemala. As a consultant, he has worked with environmental agencies and conservationist organisations in Guatemala. He has a special interest in regional endemic bird populations, including Pink-headed Warbler and Horned Guan in addition to globally-threatened species such as Golden-cheeked Warbler and Cerulean Warbler. Lemule is good company and has an extensive knowledge of Guatemala’s birds and where to find them.