Andy Jones

Known to many as 'The Iceland Naturalist', Andy has led wildlife trips to Iceland for more than thirty years and to the Azores for almost as long. Vegetation cover on the Azores is extensive and there are several endemic plants. Iceland’s harsher conditions mean wildlife needs to be tough to survive. We asked him what he finds so special about these seemingly very different destinations.

‘The geology is very similar,’ said Andy. ‘Basalt rocks, formed by volcanoes in the recent geological past, underpins the ecology. The landscapes are agonisingly beautiful and provide a wonderful backdrop for a wildlife trip.’

Andy continued, ‘My favourites? Well, we see lots of cetaceans but for me it’s always the birds that steal the show. The endemic Azores Bullfinch is a speciality but my favourite is Cory’s Shearwater. In Iceland I’ve so many — Great Northern Divers, Harlequins and Barrow’s Goldeneyes but my heart invariably misses a beat when a Gyrfalcon appears!’

Andy was a warden on Skomer Island, a ranger with the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, the RSPB's senior investigations officer and a Wildlife Trust director. He studied geology and is an enthusiastic field naturalist.

 

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