Meet Our guides
Our birding guides are experts in spotting and identifying our local birds and happy to share their passion and experience with you either during one of our monthly birdwalks or by taking you into the field on a private birdwalk.
Norman Besman
Norman Besman has been a birder since spending the summer of 1972 in the Vermont countryside, and spent his last dozen years in Seattle watching birds out his law office window.
After moving to San Miguel in 2009, he quickly became active both in Audubon and El Charco, guiding birdwalks and tours for two of San Miguel’s most important environmental organizations. Norman is also a frequent guide with Audubon’s eco-travel partner Travelian Tours which depart from San Miguel to intriguing places throughout Mexico. Viva las Aves!
Luke Rich
Luke Rich has been birding for 40 years in various parts of the world; Australia, South Asia, Eastern Europe and North America. While residing on the Niagara River near Niagara Falls he kept a 10-year record of first and last sightings of species all of which is recorded on ebird. Luke has always participated in the various bird counting events, Christmas, Great Backyard Bird Count, Feeder Watch, etc.
Since moving to San Miguel Luke been an active part of Audubon de México helping to lead bird walks in El Charco del Ingenio, the botanical garden, and the monthly Audubon bird walks.
Rodrigo Lopez
Rodrigo Lopez is an enthusiastic birdwatcher and photographer. His love of Mexico is shared daily on Audubon’s birdwalks and in the outstanding in-depth tours he develops and shares with travelers through his company, Travelian Tours.
In 2010, after 10 years of experience in Corporate Sales and Corporate/Client Problem-solving with Telmex, he left Mexico City behind and moved to San Miguel de Allende to start Travelian Tours offering travelers an extraordinary way to discover Mexico’s remarkable ancient history, biodiversity, and cultural richness and diversity of its people.
Rodrigo currently serves as Audubon’s board secretary.
Paul Bentinck is originally from Cambridge, England, and has had a lifelong interest in birds. He has been living in Mexico since 2013 and based mainly in San Miguel for the past 3 years.
Paul is constantly learning about the wealth of birdlife this side of the Atlantic, and spends a good portion of his time pursuing birds in the field, and regularly reports his sightings on eBird.
His primary aims are making birding fun and encouraging people to enjoy being outside appreciating the simple beauty of the
natural world, especially under San Miguel’s blue skies. He invites you to come join us!
Luciano (Luca) Siviter is originally from Belize, where his passion for birds and the natural world began on a permaculture farm surrounded by incredible biodiversity. Licensed nature guide in Mexico, he works as a tour guide and photographer in Mexico & Colombia.
Luciano spends his days seeking out new bird species, and guiding others in experiencing the magic of birdwatching.
His goal is to make birding approachable and fun, inviting people to connect with the beauty of nature. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned birder, Luciano welcomes you to join him on a unique adventure in the heart of Mexico.
EMERITUS
Signe Hammer led Audubon Birdwalks during the winter and springs months for over 15 years. She now spends most of the year in NYC where she got her start birding in Central Park in 1996, when she began following the famous Red-tailed Hawk Pale Male and his offspring. That led to a fascination with the resident songbirds and the many migrants that pass through the city’s parks, including Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.
She is also a published writer and has been an editor at a Hearst magazine, the Atlantic Monthly Press and Harper & Row.
Bob Graham’s interest in nature began early, having summers canoeing through the Algonquin and Temagami regions of Ontario. He also has a keen interest in photography, which began when his father gave him his first SLR camera, which he learned to use while touring Europe. The slides from this trip led to the development of the first of many slide presentations.
After obtaining a degree in Biology, Bob combined his interest in nature and nature photography, when he joined the staff of Point Pelee National Park (one of Canada’s premier birding hotspots) first as the Audio Visual Specialist and later the Senior Park Interpreter.
On retirement, Bob and wife Cathy came to San Miguel de Allende, where Bob soon joined Audubon de México using his some 40 years birding experience to assist in leading birdwalks and trips to the Monarch Butterflies overwintering sites as well as giving illustrated lectures on the fascinating life and migration of these beautiful, fragile creatures.
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