Current Work

A Little Gull in flight

Bird Ecologist

Waardenburg Ecology · Apr 2026 – Present

Research and data analysis focused on offshore avian movement ecology, population processes, and environmental impact assessments.

Waardenburg Ecology logo
  • Analysing animal tracking data from gulls and terns to investigate offshore space use and movement behaviour, applying advanced movement modelling approaches (e.g., Hidden Markov Models and Continuous-Time Movement Models) to support collision risk modelling, internal and external reporting, and scientific publications.
  • Developing survival analyses using long-term ring-recovery datasets to quantify demographic parameters.
  • Analysing field-based bird collision monitoring data to estimate collision mortality at offshore wind farms.
  • Conducting aerial seabird surveys across the North Sea, identifying and quantifying seabirds and marine mammals from a small aircraft.
  • Preparing ecological background reports for Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Appropriate Assessments for Natura 2000 sites.
A mixed flock of Curlew Sandpipers, Little Stints, and Dunlins

Co-coordinator of the Wader Working Group

Central Asian Conservation Network · Aug 2026 – Present

More details will follow soon.

Central Asian Conservation Network logo
A Lesser Spotted Eagle in flight

Co-Chair of the Board

Batumi Raptor Count · 2018 – Present

Leading one of the world's largest volunteer-based migration monitoring projects, counting over one million raptors annually at a key corridor in the Republic of Georgia.

Batumi Raptor Count logo
  • Managing diverse research, conservation, and education projects within an international citizen-science NGO, building international partnerships and maintaining relations with local NGOs and governmental bodies.
  • Initiator and coordinator of Flyway Monitoring Traineeships (launched 2024), training young conservationists from the Caucasus, Middle East, and Central Asia in structured bird monitoring, in collaboration with OSME.
  • Initiator of the first full-season spring raptor migration counts for the Batumi bottleneck (2019, 2020 & 2022), leading the formal analysis and publication of the results.
  • Co-leading fundraising efforts that have raised over €120k since 2022 for migration monitoring and conservation work against illegal raptor killing.
  • Coordinating autumn and spring migration counts with 50+ international volunteers every season, including field training, identification presentations, and monitoring protocol development.
An Ortolan Bunting perched on a branch

Management Committee Member

EUFLYNET Cost Action · Apr 2025 – Present

A European flyway research network for the effective conservation of migrant landbirds.

EUFLYNET Cost Action logo
  • Representing the Netherlands in the management committee, contributing to and voting over working plans and budgets.
  • Member of Working Group 3, focused on establishing research priorities and Species Action Plans.
A Desert Wheatear perched on a rock

Validator

Observation.org · Dec 2021 – Present

A global citizen-science platform for collecting and sharing biodiversity data.

Observation.org logo
  • Validating bird observations within the country of Georgia based on photos, sound recordings, and descriptions.
A Spotted Eagle-Owl perched on a branch at night

Academic services

I also have reviewed papers for:

  • Movement Ecology
  • Journal for Nature Conservation
  • Journal for Raptor Research