About us

Mike Coleman (BA(Hons), MSc, MCIEEM) began leading wildlife tours and undertaking invertebrate, mammal and bird surveys as a teenager before forging a career in language and education which enabled him to broaden his travels in search of wildlife experiences. As well as living and working above the Arctic Circle and in Japan, Mike has led ornithological trips across Europe, Asia, Africa, Central America and the Caribbean, and has also edited ornithological publications, most recently ‘Birds of Estonia’, published in 2018.

Since 2001, Mike has worked as an ornithologist in The Highlands, and has coordinated and produced many bird-related Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Chapters, Habitats Regulations Appraisals (HRAs) and Environmental, Biodiversity, Habitat and Species Management Plans, particularly with regard to renewable energy projects and large-scale construction developments. As part of the Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Ltd (SHETL) Ornithology Working Group, he was instrumental in producing nationwide guidance on undertaking ornithological fieldwork, collision risk assessment methods and chapter writing for overhead power line (OHL) projects. 

As a previous Regional Manager at EnviroCentre, Mike developed his skills in project management and stakeholder engagement. He oversaw the foundation and subsequent expansion of the Inverness office through increasing a diverse range of Highland-based projects, and formed several successful client partnerships based on modernising and delivering high-quality ECoW work. 

He is a Full Member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) and a NatureScot Schedule 1 Licence holder.

When not out birding, he enjoys travelling, listening to obscure German underground rock music, brewing strange ales, following various substandard sports teams from around the world, and spending time with his family in Nethy Bridge.