Guiding in Antarctica brings countless moments that make me smile, but one stands out above the rest. Early one morning on South Georgia, at St Andrews Bay, I was helping mark the path for guests. As I crested the hill, the scene that unfolded was beyond anything I’d imagined, 500,000 King Penguins filling the valley, their calls echoing against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains and sea mist.

The sound, the smell, the sheer life of it all was overwhelming. I stayed there for hours, hanging out next to King Penguins, watching as each guest arrived and their faces lit up in awe. Sharing that moment of wonder, pure, unfiltered joy, is something I’ll never forget.

I’ve been fortunate to guide guest in the Arctic tundra and even cross the Northwest Passage, but I still dream of returning at the right time, when the migratory shorebirds arrive to defend their territories and perform their incredible mating displays. In Broome, we get to see glimpses of their breeding plumage before they depart, and their vivid colours are spectacular.

But to witness that transformation in full, beneath the endless Arctic light, would be something else entirely. Especially seeing a Ruff in all its finery, with its wild head tufts and its bold courtship dance, would be a dream come true. To stand on their breeding grounds and complete that migratory circle would feel like seeing old friends in a new world.

Birding shapes how I see and connect with the world. As Warden of the Broome Bird Observatory, every day revolves around birds, but it’s about more than identifying species or ticking lists. Birds are the thread that connects everything: tides, seasons, weather, and the health of entire ecosystems.

Watching their movements tells us how our planet is changing and reminds us how deeply everything is linked. Through guiding and education, I get to share that connection, helping others see that caring for birds is really caring for our environment as a whole. Birding grounds me in wonder, but it also drives me to protect the places that sustain life, both for them and for us.