John Hopkins , Norfolk, U.K.

I have birded all my life, initially focussing on my UK list but latterly on my World list. The 'Holy Grail' of listing is 8000 species and I achieved this in November  2015  in S. Brazil with a  sighting  of a  Black-capped Screech-owl.To reach this sort of number requires travel to some fairly exciting and remote places and this is an additional pleasure.I have also developed an interest in photography and try to document both the birds and other wildlife I see as well as the places that I visit. The photograph above is of a Red-billed Tropicbird...seen on a pelagic boat trip off S. Mexico in December 2011, and surely one of the world's most elegant seabirds.

Update....I reached  8500 species on 31st March 2019...maybe time to take it easy?!

Update 2....9000 came up in Peru, on 29th November, with the wonderfully  named Powerful Woodpecker!