Bird-guiding in the UAE

As of July 2008 birdguiding is only available during the weekend (Friday & Saturday), rarely during weekdays

Rates

Half day guiding: AED 600,- (1-4 persons)

Full day guiding: AED 1.200,- (1-4 persons)

For commercial birdwatching companies: AED 1.800,- pr. day (excluding accomodation, transport and food for the guide).

Pick-up & drop-off in Dubai is normally at a central location, for example a hotel along Sheik Zayed Road.

For further information, see Contact

Abu Dhabi-based guides:

STEVE JAMES

Steve is 55 years old and has been birding since 1962. Born and bred in Yorkshire in the United Kingdom, meant that early birding trips were around the east coast, particularly Spurn Point and Flamborough Head. He has traveled extensively throughout the world, amassing a world list of just over 4,600 species and has been resident in the UAE since 1992. Between birding trips, Steve is the Senior Environmental Protection Officer for ADCO, and full time husband to Carol and father to between two and four daughters, depending upon who is in the country at the time!

Steve has a long list of UAE firsts to his name, the most recent being the Lesser Yellowlegs found in Al Ain in November 2007. His name is almost synonymous with that of Al Wathba Camel Racetrack, this being his local patch for twelve years. Alas, his favorite site is no more, and recently his allegiance has switched to the east coast, particularly the Dibba area. His UAE bird list is above 400 species, but only increasing at the pace of an albatross's waddle!

Steve has guided tours for several of the big bird tour companies and many small groups and individuals both in the UAE and in Oman. His love for birds, birding and wild places, is infectious to those around him, and he is keen to share his knowledge with others, a fact which is readily noted and appreciated by his clients. He is a member of the Emirates Bird Records Committee.

Providing due notice is given, Steve is available for weekend guiding. Half-day trips are limited to Abu Dhabi region only. He can accommodate up to four people in his 4x4 vehicle, and can at times provide bed & breakfast in his home in Abu Dhabi.

Oscar Campbell

Oscar is 34 years young and began birding from a bicycle on the shores of Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland at the age of 10. He still does this on his irregular trips back home but nowadays his local birding involves pounding the sites close to Abu Dhabi, logging the vagaries of spring and autumn migration, for which he has developed a particular fascination. He also greatly enjoys looking at waders, birding Oman (where has had made numerous trips) and ruminating over large gulls, at any likely location from Killybegs to Mafraq. He is, however, currently receiving treatment for the last affliction. When not beguiled by birds, he takes a keen amateur interest in Lepidoptera and Odonata and has even been seen examining the odd plant. In the UAE the latter generally only occurs after rain.

Oscar has been resident in Abu Dhabi since September 2006. Being a teacher he is only available for guiding at weekends (or, locally, after 3pm during the week) and is generally hard to come by in the school holidays. He has not calculated his world list, but it ought to be less than Steve’s. Its current rate of increase, however, is more akin to a drifting harrier than a waddling albatross. Recently most of his holidays have been spent in South and East Africa, Thailand or any bits of India that are above 2000 metres.

Oscar joined the Emirates Bird Records Committee (EBRC) in January 2009 and is currently working closely with the Emirates Palace hotel, producing information on local birds for their website and carrying out weekly censuses in their grounds. He is also an erratic contributor to several ornithological publications and enjoys taking pictures that sometimes appear on this website and elsewhere.

Oscar can easily fit 3 fully kitted out birders in his vehicle, plus all the water, samosas and chocolate muffins needed to keep them going through 12 hours of shrikes and Sylvia warblers. He can sometimes arrange accommodation, providing prior notice is given.

Dubai-based guides:

NEIL TOVEY

Neil is 37 years of age and hails from south Wales. He has been birdwatching since the age of 7 when his father started taking him on RSPB/ YOC trips.

Extensive birding throughout the UK meant Neil has seen just short of 400 species there.

Neil has also visited a number of European and neighbouring countries on birdwatching trips including Ireland, France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, the Canary Islands, Greece, Turkey and Tunisia. Neil has also birded Canada, USA, the Caribbean and South Africa. More recently he has also visited India several times, Oman and Jordan. He has seen over 1,300 species in total.

Based in Dubai since May 2005, Neil has covered over 200,000+ kms in that time and knows the sites and locations throughout the UAE well. His UAE list stands above 340 and his favoured site is the Pivots Fields in Dubai, where he has seen over 170 species.

More recently Neil has been involved in the Government backed Avian Influenza Monitoring Programme, has been involved in a number of environmental impact surveys and was part of the Consultancy Team that resurrected Wasit Nature Reserve.

He can comfortably accommodate 3 birders (4 at a push) in his 4x4 vehicle. Neil is available for guiding on most Fridays and Saturdays.

Tommy Pedersen

Tommy 46 years old, lives in Dubai and at times available for half-day guiding when his flight-schedule and busy family life allows; not weekends.

Tommy is from Norway, married to Maya and has two children. Working as a pilot for Emirates Airlines and based in Dubai since February 2002. He has been birding since 1976, worlwide since 1986.

He is a member of the Emirates Bird Records Committee, EBRC as well as being the 'UAE Bird Recorder' since 2005. If you ever record a bird in the UAE, he will hound you for the details.

Tommy has birded most of Europe and Australia, all over Siberia, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Mexico, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Malaysia, Java, Seychelles, Brazil, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. He lived and worked in the USA and Democratic Republic of Congo (ex Zaire) in the 1990's.

This has put his life list at 3,800+ species, the UAE list above 350 species.

Tommy is available for half day birdguiding (rarely full days after his son Aleksander was born in June 2007) from Dubai whenever his flight-schedule allows it.

Tommy will know his schedule for any given month after the 25th of the preceding month, i.e. if you want to go birding on for example March 18th and 19th, availability will be known only after February 25th.

He can accommodate up to 4 visiting birders comfortably in his 4x4 vehicle.

Tommy during the Mega-Twitch for Wilson's Phalarope at Al Wathba Lake, January 2010

Andrew Twyman

Andrew lives in Sharjah and at times available for weekend guiding (Friday & Saturday) out of Sharjah, Ras al Khaimah and Dubai.

More details to follow.

Clive Temple

Clive lives in Dubai and at times available for weekend guiding (Friday & Saturday).

More details to follow.