About John
Who am I?
Wildlife Guide & Field Naturalist
I am an independent wildlife guide, field naturalist and translator specialising in birdwatching and natural history across Spain and abroad. Based near Madrid, I work with private clients, nature enthusiasts and leading international tour operators, offering expert guiding, tailor-made trips and small-group tours.
With a bilingual background (English–Spanish) and over three decades of field experience, I focus on sharing the ecological richness of each region responsibly and ethically.
My Story
Birds have fascinated me since childhood. After completing a degree in Biology at the University of Exeter, I worked in nature reserve management and conservation planning for the Devon Wildlife Trust. I later spent several years conducting postgraduate research on avian ecology at the University of Oxford.
My international experience began early, with long-term fieldwork in Armenia (including contributions to the Field Guide to the Birds of Armenia) and the United States. I settled in Spain in 1997, where I shifted from teaching English to guiding full-time, especially after publishing A Birdwatching Guide to Extremadura in the early 2000s.
Since then, I have guided hundreds of trips in over 30 countries on 6 continents, working with well-known travel companies such as The Travelling Naturalist, Heatherlea Birdwatching & Wildlife Holidays, WINGS Birding Tours Worldwide and Spainbirds Nature Tours.
Guiding Approach & Values
- Ethical field behaviour
- Respect for habitats, species and local communities
- Sustainable ecotourism
- Sharing ecological knowledge with enthusiasm and clarity
- Supporting conservation through education
Credentials & Contributions
- Honorary member of GUIDEX
- Former reviewer for Fotografía y Biodiversidad
- Several years as a licensed bird ringer with SEO/BirdLife
- Speaker in nature-tourism events and training courses
- Translator and reviewer of scientific works and technical conservation documents
What Travellers Say
John, your trip summary was spectacular. Because of the amount of detail you included, you must have written it on a daily basis. Thank you for the effort. We have reported about the trip in glowing terms to all who are interested. Thanks again!
Tom & Karen C.
(CA, USA)
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