Meet D. Gallegos

J. L. Speranza
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Diego Gallegos writes: "When I was 12, W. H. Hudson´s delightful “Far Away and Long Ago” fell into my hands. The birds, the nature and the people in those pristine pampas of 1850 were depicted so vividly that I was forever hooked. Time passed, and .... I got my university degree (equivalent to a BSc) in Biology in the University of Buenos Aires. I worked many years as the manager of the traditional Aves Argentinas (formerly Asociación Ornitológica del Plata) and at the same time, I was unexpectedly called to guide my first group of birdwatchers. Since then, I led many other groups from the USA, UK or Europe, and more recently also individual travellers. At present I keep guiding for local and international travel agents, but most of my clients are individuals or couples that find me in the Internet and contact me directly. Meet some of them -and have a look at their bird pictures- in the Birds & People section! Married to a biology teacher, we live with our four kids in a northern suburb of Buenos Aires. We spend much of our spare time in the countryside and we take every opportunity to travel around Argentina The birding as I see it. The experience gave me a good understanding of what makes a successful birdwatching tour, and how this can change from one person to the other. Furthermore, I understand every outing as an excellent opportunity to meet people with a shared interest in birds an nature. A common interest that usually leads to conversations in many other subjects. Despite the long time I have been guiding, I keep having the same fun I had when I guided my first group. And I love to share that joy."