There are currently three birders living in the UAE available for guiding; Neil Tovey, Steve James and Tommy Pedersen. Details below.
Rates 2007
Half day guiding: AED 600,- (1-4 persons)
Full day guiding: AED 1.000,- (1-3 persons) or AED 1.200,- (4 persons)
For commercial birdwatching companies: AED 1.500,- pr. day (excluding accomodation, transport and food for the guide).
Pick-up & drop-off is normally at a central location in Dubai, for example a hotel along Sheik Zayed Road.
For further information, please write to
Tommy Pedersen
Tommy is 44 years old from Norway, married to Maya, working as a pilot for Emirates Airlines and based in Dubai since February 2002, Tommy Pedersen has been birding since 1976, worlwide since 1986.
He is a member of the Emirates Bird Records Committee as well as being the 'UAE Bird Recorder' since 2005.
He has birded most of Europe and Australia, also Siberia, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Malaysia, Java, Costa Rica, Seychelles, Ecuador and recently the Galapagos Islands, also having lived and worked in the USA and Democratic Republic of Congo in the 1990's.
This has put his Life List at 3500+ species, the UAE list well above 300 species.
Tommy is available for half day birdguiding (rarely full day) 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 after February 25th.
He can accommodate up to 4 visiting birders comfortably in his 4x4 vehicle.
Tommy filming a Brown Noddy off Ras Dibba.
Neil Tovey
Neil is 34 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 neighboring 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, Oman and Jordan. He has seen over 1200 species in total.
Based in Dubai since May 2005, Neil has covered over 80000 kms in that time and knows the sites and locations throughout the UAE very well. His UAE list stands above 300. More recently Neil has been involved in the Government backed Avian Influenza Monitoring Programme 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.
Steve James
Steve is 53 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 a lecturer in Environmental Science at Zayed University 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 mid-week guiding, as well as the regular weekend forays. Half-day trips is limited to Abu Dhabi only. His regular three day tours usually record well over 150 species and sometimes over 160, at peak migration times. He can accommodate up to four people in his 4x4 vehicle, and can at times provide bed & breakfast in his home in Abu Dhabi.
Steve after recording UAE's first Jouanin's Petrel