Ornithopia tours
It is not easy (and ethically not correct) to testify about oneself. I feel this is tantamount to bragging or boasting really. I truly believe in what Proverbs 27: 2 refers to where it reads " Let another praise you and not your mouth, a stranger, and not your own lips". At another level reputation cannot replace character. As John Wooden said, " Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are". People could say you're a hard-working and nice person. If you don't live up to what others think you are, it is bound to show up because you have been pretending and character is unforgivingly true. My prayer and wish to "work hard silently and success to be my noise".
I have however selected a few testimonials from satisfied clients for your perusal. Thank you!
"I have known and worked with Yilma for over fifteen years. You could not ask for a more knowledgeable and companionable guide. Yilma's understanding of Ethiopia's landscapes, cultures and wildlife stems from extensive fieldwork and a deep commitment to conservation, as well as a passion for birds and birding, while his training as an ornithologist and ecologist brings an extra dimension to his work."
Dr. Leon Bennun
BirdLife International
Yilma is an outstanding individual and I am pleased to consider him as a colleague, student, advisor, and friend. I first met Yilma in 1992 at a meeting for the conservation of Black Crowned Cranes in Kano, Nigeria, and was immediately impressed with Yilma's professional and personal qualities. Yilma is a serious, hardworking individual who strives for intellectual and spiritual depth in all his life and work. At the same time, he also has a wonderful sense of humor and endless enthusiasm for the natural world. Over the years, Yilma and I have met together on many occasions. Yilma attended several training courses I was teaching related to crane and wetland monitoring in southern Africa, and also participated in the Pan-African Ornithological Congress. In 2003 and 2004, I had the pleasure to work directly with Yilma in Ethiopia. During my first trip (with two colleagues from the German Crane Working Group) Yilma lead us to discover the most important breeding ground for endangered Wattled Cranes in Ethiopia (the Boyo Wetlands). We also observed the endangered Ethiopian Wolf up in the Bale Mountains, observed many thousands of European Cranes on wetlands and agricultural fields, and visited a number of wetland and waterbird sites in the Rift Valley that included the Vulnerable Black Crowned Crane and many other species. The following year, Yilma and I lead a "VIP" tour of eight trustees and donors of the International Crane Foundation. We had a spectacular trip, traveling all over the country from the Bale Mountains to beautiful Lake Tana and up north to Axum to Lalibella. Although our group was not composed of die-hard birders we nonetheless logged more than 250 bird species including many endemics, while experiencing the remarkable people and landscapes of Ethiopia. Yilma is deeply proud of his country, and enjoys showing off the rich cultural heritage of Ethiopia as much as he does Ethiopia's rich wildlife. Yilma is an excellent birder with a good working knowledge of the birds of Ethiopia. I recommend Yilma highly and without hesitation as a guide to the birdlife, landscapes, and diverse cultures of Ethiopia.
Richard Beilfuss, Ph.D., Lic Prof Senior Advisor
International Crane Foundation
"Yilma was our leader on a 10-day trip to the Rift Valley and the foothills of the Bale mountains in December 2007. He was an absolutely exemplary bird guide, and moreover a great person to travel with. He was unfailingly friendly, enthusiastic, positive and knowledgeable. We saw a wonderful variety of wildlife in a very short time, and enjoyed ourselves immensely. He sorted out every small problem that came along and looked after us very well indeed. Without his local knowledge and experience, the trip would not have been half as good fun.
Simon and Julia
2007
We had the pleasure of being on a stunning bird tour in the highlands of Ethiopia in 2004. The Ethiopians revere birds and so they are plentiful. The towns are full of doves – five kinds of Turtle Dove to disentangle – and Yellow-billed Kites, the unlikely endemic Thick-billed Ravens and Hooded Vultures are everywhere cleaning up some of the mess. Egyptian Geese graze with impunity and Speckled Pigeons, Helmeted Guineafowl and Sacred Ibis glean.Gardens are full of Variable and Scarlet-chested Sunbirds, Flycatchers and Scrub-robins. And that is just in the urban areas!
The visit was all the more interesting and informative because of the expertise of Yilma. Always courteous, quick to spot birds and giving precise clues as to where they were. He came into his own with the raptors. There were lots of the pale looking Augur Buzzards about, many Tawny and Steppe Eagles as well as Chanting Goshawks. The prizes went to an Imperial Eagle and a Golden Eagle. They are enormous. Thank you Yilma.
David and Elizabeth Winterbottom
Gwynneville, Australia
2004