Originally from Suffolk, England, Simon has lived in North Carolina for over 10 years. He has lived in Lebanon, Kenya, Yemen, and Ghana, where his interest in birds and natural history began. In addition to traveling extensively in the United States, Simon spent six months in China studying the crane and bird of prey migration as a member of the British "China Crane Watch" expedition. As director and originator of Ventures Nature Travel program in Tryon, North Carolina, Simon has led many birding trips all over the world.
Mark Welford
Mark Welford is originally from Bedford, England and has lived in the US for the past 26 years. He is married to Terry and lives in Statesboro, GA, where he is the Associate Professor in the Department of Geology and Geography at Georgia Southern University, Mark also studied in Illinois, Idaho and England, and as well as teaching, he spends time researching Tropical Biogeography and Conservation, and Emergent Infectious Diseases. He has also coordinated several squares for the Georgia Breeding Bird Atlas, participated in Operation Raleigh, done bird-banding in the US and South America, co-led expeditions to Africa, and many other diverse projects. Mark has traveled to and birded in many countries in both eastern and western Europe including Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic. He also has extensive birding experience in South America and Africa and has spent a lot of time in Ecuador and Peru. Mark has led or co-led the following Venture tours: Coastal Georgia (co-led 2005); Ecuador (co-led 2006; led 2007; co-led 2008 Southern Ecu, led 2008 NW Ecu); Romania (co-led 2006); Colombia (co-led both 2008, 2009); South Africa (co-led 2010); Zambia reconnaissance tour (co-led 2011); and Ghana (co-led 2011-2012).
Gordon Mills
Gordon was born in Manchester, Northern England and has been a birder for over 20 years in Britain and Europe. He now lives in Cornwall in the far South West of England, where he works in his spare time with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds leading local trips and working on such projects as helping to protect the newly established Choughs. He has also been involved with the annual Migration count and survey on Raptors and Storks over the Straits of Gibraltar. Although he has been birding in Africa, Asia and North America, Gordon's real passion is for Swallows and Bee-eaters and loves birding in the Mediterranean. He enjoys leading birdtrips and meeting people with the same interest.
Marilyn Westphal
Marilyn Westphal is a native of the mid-west, but has been living in North Carolina since 1992. She is an environmental scientist studying stream, river, and lake water quality for the Environmental Quality Institute at the University of North Carolina-Asheville. She caught the birding bug about 15 years ago and has been an avid birder ever since. She is currently the president of the Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society in Asheville, North Carolina and is coordinating the mountain section site descriptions for a new bird guide for North Carolina for the Carolina Bird Club. She is also working on an information guide on the birds of the southern Appalachians for the Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society.
Steve Ritt
Originally a botanist, Steve was bitten hard by the birding bug after having the opportunity to travel for field research. He began birding in North Carolina and has worked on the Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas II, a hawk-watch in eastern Pennsylvania, the endangered Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, and is now an Avian Biologist based in San Diego, CA. He has concentrated on birding the perimeter of North America from Maine to Texas to northern California while scouring every under-birded mud puddle, kelp patty, and urban alley along the way. He is just as thrilled by finding rare vagrants as he is by noticing new behaviors of common birds.
Andy Wraithmell
Andy Wraithmell is originally from Liverpool, England and has lived in the United States for the past 8 years. He is married to Julie, and has a 3 year old daughter named Maisie Lark. Andy currently lives in Tallahassee, Florida. He has degrees in Environmental Conservation and Social Science, and has worked for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Dungeness Bird Observatory and Cape May Bird Observatory. Leading field trips is very rewarding for Andy, as he loves to share his enthusiasm and excitement for the natural world with others. He is passionate about all aspects of birding, but if given a choice he would choose to watch migrating seabirds flying by a windswept headland during fall.