Nikki Williamson
Nikki is a birder, conservationist and migration junkie. From her home in Tarifa, southern Spain, she runs Inglorious Bustards Birding and Wildlife Tours. Alongside her partner Simon, she founded the company with the vision of putting conservation action, sustainability and inclusivity at the heart of what they offer.
“I started out wardening on RSPB reserves across the UK. Moving into farm advisory work, I developed a keen interest in sustainable land use, helping wildlife coexist with food production, and the part consumer choice could play. I then migrated to southern Spain to run birding trips, and I was excited to bring what I’d learnt to the ecotourism sector. Habitat value and food choice links everything, as in the end so much of our current biodiversity and climate crises come down to farming and land use.
“With our guests, we share the spectacle of 350,000 soaring birds and millions of passerines making the dash between Europe and Africa. We tell their conservation stories and follow them on their migrations, exploring the fascinating and varied terrains they traverse each year.
“Within a couple of years of setting up the company, Inglorious Bustards won numerous sustainability awards and founded the Flyway Birding Association, our own not-for-profit organisation. Through it we support conservation projects along the East Atlantic Flyway, from the long-running migration-monitoring programme of Fundación Migres, through naturefriendly salt and sherry production in the Bay of Cádiz, to mangrove restoration in The Gambia. I love to get hands-on. Monitoring seabirds and raptors, ringing and tagging Black Kites and vultures, working alongside local organisations to set up projects, and of course sampling sustainably produced local food.
“During 20 years of conservation work, I’ve found strong female representation in every sector from habitat management to eco-business ownership. Sometimes it feels like birding has some catching up to do – when out and about I still come across a frustrating culture of belittlement.
Our company creates an atmosphere of inclusivity and encouragement so birding feels accessible to all. If any group feels excluded from the appreciation of nature, then ultimately it’s conservation that loses.” ■