Current List of Slideshows

1) The Lesvos Experience

This talk covers not just the wealth of special breeding and migratory birds attracted by the island's varied habitats and strategic location close to the Turkish mainland, but also a good selection of its mammals, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, insects and the spectacular spring show of wildflowers. As a veteran of 22 visits and author of Birding In Lesbos and its sequel Birding on the Greek Island of Lesvos my favourite slideshow topic should succeed in whetting the appetite for an early spring visit!

2) Kerkini Midsummer Magic

This is based on July and October visits to Northern Greece away from the main tourist destinations. Lake Kerkini (a huge flooded area formed by the damming of the River Strymon which nestles just below the mountains that define the border with Hungary) is the main site covered - providing as it does some spectacular scenery, a wealth of breeding herons, egrets and raptors, and ranking as one of the most important sites in Greece for birds like the scarce Pygmy Cormorant and Dalmatian Pelican. Some of the sights here really have to be witnessed to be believed, and the talk also covers a brief autumn visit to the Axios Delta and various salt pans and coastal locations at a time when water is at a premium.

3) Evros Whichway You Can

This describes both an early and late winter visit to the Evros Delta in North-Eastern Greece on the border with Turkey. Although also important for wintering Dalmatian Pelican, Pygmy Cormorant and Great White Egret, this huge area really comes into its own as a wintering site for raptors attracted by large gatherings of Starlings, waders, ducks and geese displaced by colder weather further north. Spotted Eagles join a small number of resident White-tailed Eagle and numerous Buzzards, Black Kite, Marsh and Hen Harriers to provide plenty of winter action. By February Red-Breasted Goose numbers are often well into four figures and Bittern may be showing surprisingly well.

4) Mid-Eastern Promise - a Winter Visit to Oman

Not far from Muscat the local tip ranks as one of the most reliable sites for eagles and vultures, Sun Farm futher north has a stunning variety of waders and desert species, whilst Salalah 1000 kms due south is alsmost African in its climate and some of its birds - all in all a truly remarkable country with some spectaular scenery amongst its varied habitats and wealth of bird species.

5) Eilat - Migration Hotspot (including some of Northern Israel)

This talk is based on 2 spring visits to Eilat and parts of northern and central Israel (primarily Ma'gan Mikhael fishponds and En Gedi). It features a good selection of spring migrants, plus a number of special local residents, coupled with the spectacular scenery of the Arava Valley and Moon Mountains.

6) Fuerteventura - Island of Surprises

An excellent winter destination for sun, several sought-after desert species and one or two endemics, Fuerteventura also boasts some spectacular terrain and unusual plants. Some of nearby Tenerife's endemics are also covered, but don't expect a wealth of species - quality rather than quantity is the order of the day.

7) East Anglia through the Seasons

Centred mainly on Norfolk (though Essex and Suffolk also feature), this talk shows how birds and other wildlife are affected by the changing seasons, and just what you might expect to see at particular times of the year (including some of our rarer avian visitors). Both resident and migrant birds are covered, and because I'm based in Norfolk I find this is a subject that's constantly evolving. It also provided me with two out of the three images that helped win me the Bird Watching sponsored Wild Bird Photographer of the Year professional category in 2000.

8) An East Anglian Winter

Autumn and winter to my mind offer some of the best photographic opportunities in this part of the country. Once the holidaymakers have departed the variety of coastal and scattered inland habitats in Norfolk especially potentially make for a great wildfowl, wader and raptor spectacle - with the possibility of some irruptive and sought after Scandinavian species turning up (especially during hard weather). The days may be short, but the low winter sun can make for great photography, and the opportunities for getting to grips with certain birds (owls especially) after the leaf cover has largely disappeared and vegetation has died down are clearly at their optimum.

9) My Love Affair with Owls

Owls (especially the Barn Owl) rank among my favourite birds, and I am well placed in North Norfolk to capture some of their activities on film. They are birds I never tire of watching and photographing whenever the opportunity arises, and are, I feel, amongst the most photogenic wildlife subjects and I'm currently working on ideas for a lavishly illustrated book provisionally entitled Owls of Delight.

10) Birds and Their Feeding Habits

The feeding habits of different species vary markedly. Some birds are easily observed during their feeding bouts, whilst others are far more secretive. Either way this gives me an opportunity to present a collection of my favourite images of their activities in natural and often attractive settings.

11) A Scottish Summer

Based on several June and July visits to the Hebrides (Islay and Mull in particular) in search of species such as Hen Harrier, Short-eared Owl, Chough, Sea Eagle and Otter this also includes some of the nearby seabird colonies and a trip to Speyside and the Cairngorm summit (still partly blanketed in snow in midsummer) where some of its special upland birds can be encountered with a little patience and hard slog! Please don't expect all the highland specialities - don't forget that Laurie Campbell lives there!

12) Mid-Wales - Red Kite Spectacular

This incorporates both summer and winter visits to capture this magnificent raptor and its stunning mastery of the air. Other associated upland species and some typical local breeding birds are also covered, along with the scarce Chough in its coastal strongholds.

13) Conservation - A local success story

This briefly outlines my ongoing efforts to build up my garden Tree Sparrow population (which at its peak reached a level of 30+ breeding pairs before mysteriously disappearing) and also my local Barn Owl nest-box scheme, not to mention the benefits of a large garden pond, habitat management and all-year-round feeding in attracting wildlife to the area.

Distance is no object so long as my travelling expenses are met (and overnight accommodation provided in the case of longer journeys). My standard fee is £90 + 70p per mile expenses (though there may be some flexibility for smaller groups or if I can arrange other talks in the same general area).

Whilst the above are all ‘old-fashioned’ slide presentations where I can provide my own projector, a number may no longer now be viable; but I do have a number of digital offerings such as:

‘Lemnos - Lesvos's Enchanting Neighbour’, ‘A Passion for Owls’, ‘Poles Apart - a Spring Visit to Poland’ and ‘Window Stills - Rooms with a View’ which chronicles some of the photographic highlights I’ve captured over the years from the comparative comfort of my upstairs windows!

Since I can’t justify the expense of a digital projector these are stored on memory sticks and are only available to groups who have their own digital projector and laptop set up ‘in tandem’ (as many now do) and all I need to do is insert the memory stick and give the presentation. I’m afraid that at my time of life this is as much as I can cope with nowadays!

Please contact me if you are interested.