Rick Simpson Profile

Co-founder and Chair of Board of Trustees of Wader Quest a charity dedicated to promoting and supporting wader conservation and research together with Elis Simpson. This is a full time entirely voluntary role.

 Updated 23/01/2026

Work History

1976-80: Photographic technician and photographer - MSDS Stanmore.
1980-96: Firefighter, Leading Firefighter and Sub Officer - Hertfordshire Fire Brigade/ Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service.
1996-2001: Various employment including; security supervisor; estate agent; mortgage advisor; HGV class 1 driver.
2001-04: TEFL teacher, Brazil.
2004-07: TEFL teacher UK.
2007-12: Translator (Portuguese-English), Bird Guide, south-east Brazil.
2012- present: writer, speaker, fundraiser; Trustee (Chair) and co-founder of the charity Wader Quest.

Guiding Experience

1994-96: Capital Birding Tours. UK, Spain, Canary Islands.
2007: One off guide for BBC outside broadcast.
2007-12: Rick Simpson Birding Services, Brazil. Atlantic forest, Cerrado, Campo (Limpo, Sujo, Rupestre), Pantanal, coastal wetlands (south) and Caatinga.

Volunteer History

·         British Natural History Museum bird collection. Assisted with inventory of collection and identification of miscellaneous specimens to be moved from Tring to London.

·         Zoological Museum of the University of São Paulo. Collected specimens for collection found dead.

·         Field trips and presentations to children of the NGO Namaskar, Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil.

·         Wetlands surveys for Wetlands International in three sites in south-east Brazil 2010, 2011. 2012.

Publications

Books

Confessions of a Bird Guide: Self published ISBN 978-1-291-33819-5; April 2013

Eury the Spoon-billed Sandpiper: Wader Quest Publishing ISBN 978-0-9955146-0-7; July 2016

An Inspiration of Waders: Wader Quest Publishing ISBN 978-0-9955146-1-4; August 2018

A Quest for Waders: Wader Quest Publishing ISBN 978-0-9955146-2-1; August 2020

Articles

• Melodious Warbler (Identification in verse): Birding World 3/10 November 1990.
• The problem of escapes as potential vagrants: Birding World 3/12 January 1991.
• First record of Brown Noddy in São Paulo State: Atualidades Ornitológicas N° 154 March/April 2010. Photographs: Elis Simpson.
• Recent documented record of Scarlet Ibis in Ubatuba: Atualidades Ornitológicas N° 160 March/April 2011. Photographs: Elis Simpson.
• A Rare Visitor (Brown-backed Parrotlets in Ubatuba): PsittaScene (Magazine of the World Parrot Trust) May 2011. Photographs: Elis Simpson.
• First documented record of Willet, (Tringa semipalmata (Charadiiformes: Scolopacidae) for the state of São Paulo: Atualidades Ornitológicas 163 September/October 2011. Photographs: Rick and Elis Simpson.
• Documented record of Rufous-chested Dotterel in Paraty, Rio de Janeiro: Atualidades Ornitológicas 162 July/August 2011. Photographs: Rick and Elis Simpson.
• Record of Austral Negrito in Ubatuba, São Paulo: Atualidades Ornitológicas 163 September/October 2011. Photographs: Rick and Elis Simpson
• Wader Go: Birdwatching Magazine July 2013. Photographs: Elis Simpson.
• Around the World in more than 80 Waders: Birdwatching Magazine August 2013. Photographs Elis Simpson.
• Wading Around the World: Birdwatching Magazine August 2014. Photos by Elis Simpson.
• Wader Quest and Endangered Waders: Birds of Andalucia. Photos by Elis Simpson.
• Waders A way of Life: Birdwatching Magazine November 2015.

Papers

List of Documented Bird Species from the Municipality of Ubatuba, state of São Paulo, Brazil : Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, Museu de Zoologia de Universidade de São Paulo Volume 52(21):233-254,2012

Behavioural notes on Brown-backed Parrotlet Touit melanonotus in Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil.: Cotinga 34 2012. Photographs Elis Simpson

Translation work

Aves Chapada dos Veadeiros – Book by Edson Endrigo.

Aves do estado de São Paulo – Book by Edson Endrigo.

Aves do Estado de Rio de Janeiro – Book by Edson Endrigo.

Aves do Pampa – Book by Edson Endrigo.

Maps for reception centres at Serra do Mar State Parks nuclei.

Leaflet for distribution by Embratur at British Birdwatching Fair, UK, 2008.

Commercial/published Artwork

African Paradise Flycatcher: Wildsounds advert.

Collared Flycatcher: Wildsounds advert.

Tree Sparrow: BTO advert.

Long-tailed Tits: BTO tea towel.

Cartoon joke, 'Turdus metamorphosus': Birdwatch Magazine 1991.

Chestnut-sided White-eye escaping from cage: for article The problem of escapes and potential

vagrants: Birding World 3/12 January 1991.

Red-rumped Swallow: Birdwatch Magazine June 1994.

Golden-winged Warbler; Birdwatch Magazine January 1995.

Red-footed Falcon: Birdwatch Magazine September 1995.

Manx Shearwaters: Birdwatch Magazine September 1996.

American Avocet: Front cover - Guide to the Identification and Ageing of Holarctic

Waders.Published 1997 BTO guide 17.

European Nuthatch: BTO certificate 1998.

Birding experience         

Europe

UK

France

Netherlands

Belgium

Luxembourg

Spain

Canary Islands (Tenerife, Fuerteventura)

Portugal

Switzerland

Austria

Liechtenstein

Germany

Denmark

Sweden

Poland

Greece

Cyprus

Middle East

Israel

The United Arab Emirates

Africa

The Gambia

Egypt

Kenya

South Africa

Botswana

Namibia

Asia

India

Sri Lanka

Thailand

Singapore

Australasia

Australia

New Zealand

North America

The United States of America: New York/New Jersey/Connecticut/Rhode Island/Massachusetts/Maine/Vermont/Florida/Louisiana/Texas/California/Washington

Caribbean
                    Cuba

South America

Brazil: São Paulo/Rio de Janeiro/Espirito Santo/Minas Gerais/Goiás/Distrito Federal de Brasilia/Mato Grosso/Mato Grosso do Sul/Santa Catarina/Paraná/Rio Grande do Sul/Bahia/Sergipe/Alagoas/Pernambuco/Paraíba/Rio Grande do Norte/Ceará/Piauí/Amazonas

Argentina

Uruguay

Paraguay

Peru

Chile