Testimonials

Testimonials

Testimonials

I've just returned from a butterfly, dragonfly and birding holiday in the New Forest, with Howard Vaughan as the guide. I'd not joined an organised holiday since 2017, and after a very unfortunate experience with another guide in May this year, I will admit to feeling a lot of trepidation as I drove in to the hotel carpark. Talk about my fears being groundless - Howard gave me the best holiday I can remember, and certainly removed the nasty taste my previous experience had left.

Howard has to be one of the best all round naturalists I've met, and his passion for wildlife is infectious.

Whilst guiding his ability to see and hear species, avian and invertebrate, was awe inspiring. In my mid 60s I have no qualms about no longer being able to hear a Treecreeper or Goldcrest, but as a life long entomologist, I would have expected to be able to spot at least some of the insects he was pointing out !! It was a pleasure spending the days with such a genuine enthusiast - and as a result of Howard's passion for the less obvious groups, as well as the mainstream, I am now adding leaf-miners and Orthoptera to my passions.

As a guide, I don't think I met better - nothing was too much trouble, but more importantly, as the perfect companion with whom to spend days in the field, he has no equal.

And the facts and snippets he drops into conversation are gems!! I've been involved with British beetles, professionally and as a lifetime's obsession, for over 50 years, and yet on the first evening, whilst walking back from the restaurant, Howard just happened to mention the activity of a species of weevil ( Curculionidae) which I'd never come across, and which saw me going on line as soon as I returned to my hotel room, to dig deeper. Naturally he was right, but it was wonderful meeting a kindred spirit like this.

This holiday was my first with Howard as the guide, and I will ensure it's not my last

Tim Newton
Consultant Entomologist

I recently spent a glorious week in Scotland with Howard and a small group of eager birders. This was my first visit to the islands of Mull and Iona and I was excited about seeing this part of the country. Howard made everything so easy and special! His knowledge as a birder and all round naturalist was outstanding, certainly more than I expected. He had a great personality and was fun to be around. I appreciated his attention to our needs especially when I struggled to see some of the birds we were spotting. I highly recommend Howard as a guide and look forward to taking another trip with him in the future.
Rhona R June 2026

Howard is an all round naturalist with a special passion for birds. His open and friendly personality and willingness to pull out all the stops for his clients make him and ideal wildlife guide.

On a recent birding holiday to Northern Greece, thanks to his brilliant ability to recognise bird calls, and identify birds in the field, I finished the week having seen all my key target birds with time to spare, including six species of Woodpecker in a single morning, as well as a huge variety of wild flowers, insects, butterflies and dragonflies.

If you're looking for a bird guide with immense knowledge, experience and patience I would have no hesitation in recommending Howard.
Sally Prescott - May 2026

Howard’s passion for flora, fauna and conservation in all its guises shines out from his heart and soul; within five minutes of meeting him you can tell that sharing his great depth of knowledge and enjoyment of nature is not just a job but a true love and gift. His enthusiasm is infectious, his knowledge astonishing, his ability to hear the most minute chirp, twitter or rustle is amazing, his identification skills are superb and all in all he is someone that helps everyone, whatever their ability, see, hear, learn, grow in skills and overall, greatly enjoy whatever experience they are on! His friendliness and inclusivity, as well as being a gentleman makes being in his company a pleasure. I am greatly looking forward to my next trip with Howard, I know there will be more than one in the future! Jenny Spencer-Jones March 2026

I have known Howard as a work colleague and friend for 18 years and his knowledge of nature is phenomenal. Birds, flowers, trees, insects, clouds, fungi, everything is in his amazing head! He is very patient with people and always answers questions without making you feel stupid, even if he has answered the same question countless times. He is eternally cheerful and enthusiastic and his passion for wildlife is truly infectious. You can learn new things like a different birdsong or identifying a colourful flower. I used to say when we worked for the RSPB that if I could make a Pocket Howard ™ it would be a top seller! – Annie Jackson

Howard is an exceptional wildlife guide, being able to pick out the slightest of sounds or movement to spot that elusive species. His knowledge over a wide range of flora and fauna is extraordinary. His easy-going nature and sense of humour make him good company throughout the day. He is also very patient and ensures that even the least experienced client gets to see everything. I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone. - Nick Baelz

We have been fortunate enough to join Howard to Hungary, Costa Rica and Lesvos and have learned so much through his incredible knowledge, enthusiasm and patience and have seen some amazing flora and fauna. Howard can hear a bird a mile away but his knowledge extends way beyond birds to include insects, reptiles, amphibians, plants and so on, ensuring an immersive experience wherever he travels. We have seen so many new bird species that we would never have seen without him and now actively look for trips that Howard is leading. We can highly recommend Howard should you be considering a wildlife trip in the future. Neil and Mandy Colgate

Howard's knowledge of both flora and fauna in the UK is phenomenal. When abroad, within days, in a country new to him, he is already identifying birds by both sight and song. How he does it I would love to know! – Angie Merrick

I first met Howard about 20 years ago whilst volunteering at RSPB Rainham Marshes and thought of him as “Mr Birds”. I soon realised that his expertise on nature is much more than that and includes insects and plants. Last summer we went with Howard on a Bird’s Wildlife & Nature Tour week in the Cairngorms and thoroughly enjoyed it. No question to Howard is too simple or “stupid” for him to answer as he is very knowledgeable and approachable. I’m still trying to work out how he spots and identifies birds that I can’t even see or hear - Bob Fraser

Howard is hugely inspiring in help others to learn about birds and the natural world around them. His passion is infectious and over the years joining him on day trips or overseas birdwatching tours, he always ensure the group get to see the subject. He is dedicated, supportive and patient. His leadership as a tour guide is spot on to ensure the best experience for all. I look forward to further trip under Howard’s guidance - Priscille Edington-Durnerin

We have had the pleasure of attending several birding trips both home and abroad led by Howard, and we cannot speak highly enough of his expertise and passion for ornithology, wildlife and the great outdoors. From the moment you meet him, it is clear that Howard possesses an extraordinary knowledge of birds, their habitats and behaviour. His enthusiasm for birding is truly infectious. Each trip we have been on has been well planned, ensuring we visited the best locations at optimal times to observe a wide variety of birds. Howard's ability to identify birds by both sight and sound is remarkable, and he always took the time to share interesting facts and insights about the species we encountered. His keen eye and sharp ear meant we maximised sightings.

Howard's patience and approachability made the trips enjoyable for birders of all skill levels. He is always willing to answer questions, offer tips for improving your birding skills, and ensure everyone feels included and engaged. His passion for bird conservation also shines through, as he emphasised the importance of protecting and preserving the natural habitats of the birds we so admire.

In addition to his birding knowledge, Howard's warm personality and sense of humour made each outing a delightful adventure. The camaraderie he fostered among the group added to the overall enjoyment, and we always looked forward to our next trip together. We have learned so much from Howard and have become more skilled and passionate birders thanks to his guidance. We highly recommend Howard to anyone interested in birding. His expertise, enthusiasm, and dedication to the craft make him an exceptional guide, and we are grateful for the experiences and memories created on his trips. Thank you, Howard, for sharing your love of birds with us and for being an outstanding guide. We look forward to sharing many more adventures with you. - Jim and Jacqui

I have just returned from Japan where I joined my first bird watching tour and Howard was one of the leaders. I am a complete beginner to bird watching and Howard was the perfect tour guide to share his vast (seemingly never ending) knowledge of what we were seeing. He would go into great detail about the movement of the bird, the colour differences between the sexes as well as the differences (if any) between what we would see at home and the Japanese version.

His ability to hear, spot and recognise birds was quite astounding to me - a tiny bird at the top of a tree a quarter of a mile away (a Ryukyu Minivet on this occasion) and he would excitedly call it out to the group and expertly explain where it was for us all to spot it. Howard would always say - "anyone that's not seen it come and stand in front of me now" and he would ensure you saw it. Of course whenever possible he would get it in his scope.

Since returning home I have been excited to read Howard's informative blog detailing every bird seen in every location - it's been so much fun to relive it because it has all blurred somewhat having got home.

Howard's infectious enthusiasm for what he does, his love of all nature (not just birds), the joy he finds in sharing his extensive knowledge has truly made my first experience of going with a group to watch birds a memorable one; I think it will be hard to beat this experience. I am very grateful of Howard's patience with me as a new watcher who hasn't done much more than visit an RSPB site with a pair of binoculars and a bird recognition app previously. I am very pleased that I will be doing a further trip to the Arctic in June with Howard as one of the leaders.

Alexis Bodycomb