About Natural Selections Tours - Natural Selections Tours

James’ love for nature began almost at once, and his earliest memories are of immersing himself in the forests and streams of the northeastern US. In 1999, a love for tropical rain forests, coral reefs, and Mayan ruins, led him to Honduras where he served as guide, head naturalist, and manager at a leading birding and nature lodge for 18 years.

James is the organizer of the Honduras Birding for Conservation Tour, and a leader in the conservation community in Honduras. James also uses his photography to promote conservation of the natural world. His wildlife photography and stories have appeared in numerous books and magazines, and have enlightened and educated people across the globe. He has led expeditions and tours to some of the most remote parts of Central America, as well as to South America, North America and Asia. James’ direction of Natural Selections is in keeping with his mission of teaching and sharing his deep reverence for nature, with everyone.

Kim grew up in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert in awe of the unique natural world around her. She gravitated toward nature from an early age, and while pursuing her degree in Ecology at The University of Arizona she trained as an interpretive naturalist at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson. She has worked on avian research projects in Kenya, and in the US has honed her ear birding skills doing point count surveys for Neotropical migrants in nearly every ecoregion of the Southwest. She has also worked in the backcountry of Colorado as a lead backpacking guide where she honed her wildlife tracking, bird language, ethnobotany, and primitive survival skills.

Kim is a biologist and naturalist for various environmental consulting firms, with over 50 different projects under her belt. Since 2016, she’s served as board member and field trip coordinator for the Central New Mexico Audubon Society. Her love of birding and guiding has taken her around the world, from Africa to Europe and India, and throughout parts of Central and South America. When she’s not out avidly eBirding or sharing her expertise as a tour leader or Birding Pal, she’s either mountain biking, kayaking, or otherwise being wild.

Born in 1993, Olbin Bejarano is a native of Puerto Cortes, along Honduras Caribbean north coast. At the age of 12 he began to carry out his first conservation projects while studying at the local school, and by the age of 15 was immersed into the world of birds by monitoring migratory species with the English organization Operation Wallacea in The Cerro Merendon mountains of Honduras. This experience and his strong community ties led to his desire to train children and young people in the conservation of natural resources. He currently lives in the municipality of El Porvenir where, together with other young people, he founded the school of art, conservation, and guides (Aretesanos y Guias de El Pino) which employs artistic activities to promote conservation.

His organization has led to the formation of many of Honduras’ finest birding and nature guides, and hosts the yearly birding and conservation festival on Honduras’ north coast. Olbin studies at the Autonomous University of Honduras and in his spare time continues to develop a network of birding destinations that are integrated with local communities throughout the country in a successful effort to teach locals of the importance of birds, bird watching and conservation. Olbin is currently a member of the Honduran Ornithology Association, and is one of Honduras’ top birding and nature guides, having led groups from all over the world through both Honduras and Guatemala.

A native of Guatemala City, Ana’s enthusiasm for nature and outdoors has been obvious since her early years. Encouraged by her parents, she would set off on many road trips to different parts of her country, and these trips opened her eyes on the enormous richness of Guatemala’s nature and culture.

Her fascination for birds started when she took an ornithology course while pursuing her degree in Sustainable Tourism and Management at Universidad del Valle de Guatemala. From there, she specialized in bird related projects in Guatemala and South America. After completing her studies, she started working as a bird guide and now works in nature and avi-tourism helping in the development and planning of birdwatching tours around the world.

Ana spends her time searching for new sites to go birding in Guatemala and also recording and photographing birds in many countries in Africa, Asia, North and Central America, learning, enjoying and sharing as much as she can.

Wes Homoya was born and raised in Indiana, and as such is a firm believer in practicing Hoosier hospitality- living graciously with each other on this planet we all call home. This ethic was instilled in him by his parents: Barb, a nature-loving nurse who taught him compassion for little things like salamanders, and Michael, a botanist and author who exemplified not only why it’s important to know the names of the flora and fauna around you, but why we must share this knowledge with others. Eventually this desire to learn led to studying ecology and ornithology at Purdue under Dr. Barny Dunning. Various employments since have allowed him to live, work, and bird in places as varied as Australia, Maui, Brazil, the Galapagos, Hungary, Hong Kong, Cuba, Trinidad & Tobago, and Ecuador. Currently, Wes resides in Indy and spends his days conducting avian surveys in Colorado, foraging wild ingredients for his brother’s libations at Ash & Elm Cider, and being an ambassador for birds and conservation in any way he can, whether via the Lights Out Indy project for the local Audubon chapter or getting folks pumped up about birds n booze at his popular event series Feathers & Fermentation.

Roy Toft has been pursuing his career as a wildlife photographer for three decades. In addition to being a biologist, natural-history educator, and a Senior Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP), Roy shares his knowledge while leading and teaching photo workshops around the world. He has received top honors in the most prestigious professional competitions in his genre including the London Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and Nature’s Best. In 2007, Roy won first place and the Gerald Durrel Award for endangered species in the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.

Nature, conservation and education have always been Roy’s passions and after turning to photography full time in 1991…Roy’s work has focused on wild animals and their fragile environments. His publications include National Geographic, Smithsonian, Audubon, Discover, Wildlife Conservation, Ranger Rick, and other natural history magazines and publications worldwide. His work is primarily represented by National Geographic Image collection and Getty.

Roy’s current passion project is documenting the natural history of the magnificent Harpy Eagle of the new world tropics. Roy’s work can be seen on Instagram @Toftphotosafaris. Roy makes his home with his wife Stella Toft in the boulder covered backcountry of Ramona, California….. 30 miles north east of San Diego.

Matthew Sullivan is an accomplished underwater and wildlife photographer based in South Florida. His main passions are marine life and reptiles and amphibians. He was scuba certified at 10 years old and is closing in on 20 years of adventures that have seen him mucking around in creeks, ponds, rivers, oceans, swamps, forests, deserts and more. His aim is to capture the world in a compelling and interesting way through photographic imagery, to help spread awareness about the amazing, and often overlooked animals we share our planet with.

Matthew has traveled and led diving and herping tours to 20 countries including Iceland, Mexico, Indonesia, The Philippines and beyond.

Roni was born in Belize and worked as a natural history guide at Blancaneaux Lodge in Belize from 2004 until 2009. It was there that he developed a passion for birds and conservation. In 2009, Roni became Blancaneaux’s first Conservation Officer and the first for Belize. As a result of this position, he worked along with many different researchers and conservation NGOs who shared the same vision. Currently, his work involves research and collaboration on several projects related to birds with numerous organizations including Belize Audubon Society and Belize Bird Conservancy.

Roni’s focus during the last decade has been on bird tourism and how this can fund conservation. This has led him to guiding many birding groups throughout the country. A lot of his time also goes into training as many Belizeans as possible in bird tourism and to strengthen NGOs in their bird monitoring programs. His work with other conservation organizations has been crucial in maintaining a proactive effort in conserving birds in Belize. Roni leads our Natural Selections birding tours.

John Yerger’s birdwatching obsession began over 30 years ago and led to a degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Science at Penn State. Research projects have seen him chasing Painted Redstarts through the Chiricahua Mountains, scaling rocky outcrops for Golden Eagle nests, and perching atop a 40-foot tower to follow individual Tree Swallow flights through hundreds of fluttering wings.

Birds became John’s gateway to the rest of the natural world. You’ll often find him contorted into odd positions, fascinated by some plant or insect or burrow. His diversified career portfolio includes wildland firefighting, emergency medicine, and environmental consulting with a focus on the Mojave Desert Tortoise. He has served as a Board Member for the Arizona Field Ornithologists and the Friends of Cave Creek Canyon, as EMS Chief for Portal Rescue, as a member of the Arizona Bird Committee, and volunteers with the Tucson Audubon Society. John’s general interests range widely but include global conservation, sustainable building and design, music, history & culture, craft brewing and unified field theory. John’s heart and home are in southeastern Arizona, though he has led -and leads- trips from the tundra to the tropics.

Amy is passionate about sharing her love of birds and the natural world with others. As a girl growing up in southeastern Wisconsin, she immersed herself in nature, catching toads, snakes, and crayfish from the dunes of Lake Michigan to the streams and glaciated rolling hills of the Kettle Moraine. Later, during her studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she developed an obsession with birds that continues to this day.

In her ornithological career, Amy focuses her efforts on endangered bird species and the conservation measures that may improve their plight. She is equally at home studying the birds in forests, grasslands, mountains, or marshes. Besides Wisconsin, Amy has lived in other beautiful places including the canyons of Utah, the mountains of western Maryland, and a small island in Alaska. She currently lives with her husband and two daughters in the forested hills of southern Indiana.

Sandra was born and raised in the enchanting Eastern Cloud Forest of Ecuador in the Quijos Valley. Surrounded by majestic mountains, crystal clear rivers, and a remarkable diversity of birds, she developed a deep love and fascination for avian species.

As a national guide specialized in birdwatching, Sandra is driven by an avid curiosity to explore new locations and discover the wonders of bird life. She finds joy in observing all types of birds, from the familiar everyday species to the elusive and rare ones that pose a challenge to find. With her camera in hand, Sandra’s passion for bird photography allows her to share the awe-inspiring moments she encounters during her birdwatching expeditions. Through her lens, she not only preserves memories but also raises awareness about the stunning avian diversity that graces Ecuador.

A graduate of Tourism and Hotel Management in Ecuador, Sandra is passionate about contributing to the sustainability of her homeland. Recognizing the immense value of birdwatching as an eco-friendly activity, she founded a local Birdwatching Association, assuming a leadership role in promoting sustainable alternatives. Her efforts also extend to the Reforestation project of the Quijos Valley, furthering her commitment to preserving the natural habitat of Ecuador’s diverse bird species.

Currently, Sandra is on the verge of completing her Master’s degree in Rural Development from the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences in Ecuador and the Friedrich Alexander University in Germany. This academic pursuit allows her to deepen her knowledge and understanding of sustainable practices that can positively impact rural communities.

Sandra’s expertise, enthusiasm, and commitment make her an invaluable resource for anyone seeking an unforgettable birdwatching experience in Ecuador.

Ken has been birding across the southern half of the United States for nearly two decades. Like many North American birders, for years Ken was fascinated by the unique birds and habitats of Arizona. In 2015, he pursued a dream of living full-time among the Sky Island Mountains of Southeast Arizona where he spent countless hours in the field learning about the migrants, breeding birds, and wintering species of its surprisingly diverse habitats. Ken is a lifelong learner and self-admitted ear-birding addict, constantly absorbing bird vocalizations both in the field and through the study of recordings. Ken currently leads some of our Arizona and Texas birding tours, with more destinations in the works!

Tiffany Kersten is a Wisconsin native. She holds a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology from Northland College, and has spent over a decade as an environmental educator, teaching about bird migration with the Cape May Bird Observatory, monitoring shorebirds on Cape Cod, banding Honeycreepers in Hawaii, and finally landing in South Texas where she worked at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge and then managed the McAllen Nature Center. After completing her Lower 48 States Big Year in 2021, she founded her own company, Nature Ninja Birding Tours. She guides primarily in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, and offers international tours as well. Tiffany leads birding tours for Natural Selections to Trinidad and Tobago and will soon be leading tours further afield.

Why travel with us?

Natural Selections Tours knows that it is not merely enough to go to interesting places and see beautiful things. Of course, we do enjoy doing this! However we believe strongly in our mission of promoting conservation by improving the lives of wildlife and people as well, and we are proud that our friends and clients join us in this philosophy. Every dime spent, and every minute devoted during our tours is done so with the desire to leave our world a better place, and we thank you for making this possible!

Safety First

Committed to your safety in and around each location we go.

Region's Best Guides

Highly experienced and knowledgeable in each region's flora, fauna, and natural history.

Experience of a Lifetime

Immersion in Nature, with a purpose.

Natural Selections Tours thanks Zeiss Optics in partnering with us to advance birding, ecotourism, and conservation. Zeiss Optics is a world leader in quality optics products and service, and we are proud to work together making our world a better place by seeing beyond, together!

Our Mission

James Adams

Kim Score

Olbin Bejarano

Ana Paula Oxom

Wes Homoya

Roy Toft

Matt Sullivan

Roni Martinez

John Yerger

Amy Kearns

Sandra Morocho

Ken Blankenship

Tiffany Kersten

Why travel with us?

Safety First

Region's Best Guides

Experience of a Lifetime