Caucasus Georgia: Birds, Ancient Chants & Wine

Rafael Galvez has been birding and illustrating birds since childhood, a dual passion that developed when his family moved from Peru to South Florida. Always with a sketchpad in hand, he has traveled throughout the U.S., Latin America, and Eurasia in pursuit of birds. He served several years as a board member of the BirdLife International affiliate in the Republic of Georgia, developing educational and conservation programs. He gained knowledge of the Caucasus region while directing a series of records and documentary shorts on the ancient chants of the Georgian nation. During that period he also produced retrospective books and catalogs on the works of Russian realist painters. He has combined his love of art, education, and birds while collaborating in several publications, including a field guide to Raptors and Owls of Georgia (Caucasus), which he illustrated and coauthored. After working with raptor research along the Black Sea, he returned to South Florida to spearhead a new phase for the Florida Keys Hawkwatch migration monitoring project, where he has participated as director.

As chair of citizen science and IBA monitoring at Tropical Audubon Society in Miami, he has reached out to underserved communities by providing opportunities for the greater appreciation of birds and Florida habitats. Currently, he lives in Homestead, spends much time in the Everglades, serves on the Florida Ornithological Society’s Records Committee, and is on the Leica Sport Optics Pro Staff. He loves sharing his passion for birds with audiences of all ages, and has been a guide and teacher for over 15 years. You can find some of his latest sketches and articles about painting in the field at his blog, GalvezBirds.com.

Attila Steiner is a keen birdwatcher and naturalist. He worked for WWF on species conservation and wildlife trade before joining Ecotours Wildlife Holidays, for whom he leads tours to most countries in Eastern Europe, plus Ghana and Ethiopia. Attila has traveled extensively throughout most of Europe, Africa, Asia, and the American continent. He speaks English, German, and Spanish. His thorough knowledge of not only birds, but butterflies and dragonflies as well, is complemented by a special sense of humor.

John Graham is is founder and director of John Graham Tours. He is an avid traveler, and enjoys designing and curating his high end academic-minded cultural and hiking tours. He is always looking for unique and meaningful experiences for his guests, and trains his guides to help guests discover new experiences for themselves, while providing the intellectual background information that can bring otherwise obscure ruins to life.

In childhood, John was always a member of sports teams and choral ensembles, so in these milieus, he became a social organizer. He has been designing and leading commercial tours since 2006, starting with the "Monastery Tour" in Georgia, where John speaks and reads the local language. Currently the business has expanded to include many private tour itineraries that specialize in trekking, bird-watching, choral performance, medieval Christianity and frescoes, wine industry and viticulture, and general culture tours.