I have been birdwatching for 23 years. Apart from an organised trip to Hungary with a “Birding” tour in Spring 2000 lead by Gerard Gorman, where we saw 149 species, Amanda and I have always planned & organised our birding trips ourselves, finding our own birds at a leisurely pace.
Our trips have included:-
- USA - Hilton Head Island - a family holiday with 74 species in 1991.
- Cyprus - three trips between 1994 & 1997 with 165 species in all.
- New Zealand - 106 species in 1998.
- Bangladesh - mainly business but 36 species during a three day trip in November 2000.
- Gambia - 214 species in 7 days in February 2000 with the assistance of a local guide.
- Lesvos - 169 species in Spring 2001.
- Portugal - several trips to The Algarve with 155 species in Autumn 2001 and 151 species in Spring 2002.
- Texel - 2 day trip in Autumn 2002 with 84 species.
- Spain – 155 species in 2 weeks in March 2003 to The Pyrenees, Picos de Europa and Extremadura.
- Bay of Biscay - Minicruise on The Pride of Bilbao from Portsmouth in August 2003 with 28 species.
- Goa – 248 species in 14 days in February 2004.
- Madeira - 28 species on pre Christmas break December 2004.
- Texas - 221 species in 21 days in January 2005 along the Texas Gulf Coast and Lower Rio Grande Valley.
- Lesvos - 128 species in 7 days in May 2005.
- Trinidad & Tobago - 208 species in 12 days in January 2006.
- Spain - 179 species in 11 days in May 2006 to Extremadura and Coto Donana (plus few sites in Portugal).
- Namibia & the Okavango Panhandle - 379 species in 17 days in December 2006
- Mallorca - 88 species in 4 days in April 2007
- Ecuador - 625 species in 23 days in January 2008
We are currently planning trips to Finland & Norway, Australia and Costa Rica during the next 2/3 years.
I have a general interest in butterflies, dragonflies and wildlife. We are both keen gardeners and have a developing interest in wild flowers.
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