About Me

Growing up in the south of England, I became interested in birds at a very early age, starting with those in my parents' garden. Since then, I have lived in Yorkshire, the south of France, Germany and The Netherlands before settling in Brussels, and have birded extensively throughout most of Europe. In 1998, I birded the whole of Europe by train, visiting 20 countries in just 45 days and seeing 215 species, from Azure-winged Magpie in the Algarve to Long-tailed Skua in Lapland. An article recounting this epic journey was subsequently published in Birdwatching Magazine. I also spent a considerable amount of time in and around San Francisco, as well as birding in Texas, South Dakota, New York, New Jersey, Mexico, Costa Rica and Australia. I have taken part in three raptor migration surveys in the northern valleys of Israel, one in central Veracruz, and have spent four summer seasons working as a naturalist guide in the Amazon rainforest of Brazil. Testimonials "Hi Stephen, Thanks! I had a good day. I have a total of 57 species that I saw well. I got a brief glimpse of a few that you mentioned, but I didn't count those. The Mechels Broek is a treasure. Thanks again for a good day." Johan Langewis, California, April 2014 "Thanks for making my trip to Belgium so wonderful. I can't believe we got 56 species in 3 hours from one location. 19 of those birds we saw were LIFE LIST birds for me, Again Many Thanks For such a great trip. I look forward to birding with you again." Mike Ackley, New York, November 2010 "Many thanks for your hospitality last week. It was a big pleasure for me to watch bird with you. I look forward to birding with you again." Mr Mayanagi, Japan, October 2010 "Hi Stephen, I am sending a sincere thank you for making my trip to Brussels very special and for saving the day when my binoculars failed. What a pro you are." Dawn Hooker, Indiana, March 2009 "Dear Stephen-san, Thank you for your birdlist. It was a great and joyful day for me. I would like to visit Belgium in future and watch birds with you again." Mr Mayanagi, Japan, March 2009 "Dear Stephen, Don't feel bad that we did not see a lot of birds. Even seeing just one new bird for the first time was exciting for me. You really knew where to find the green woodpecker, and I was happy to see one even if he was at a distance. Thanks again for showing me the "wild" side of Brussels." Harriet Bennish, California, August 2008