Founder, President and Operator of Solipaso Tours and Winging it Birdwatching adventures. David has been leading tours for a good portion of his life. Starting out leading bicycle trips for Backroads based in Berkeley California in the late 80s where he eventually became operations manager. He started Solipaso in 1996 and initially focused on operating tour throughout Mexico. Now solipaso is also present in Central and South America and is moving into Europe and beyond. David moved to Mexico in 1994 and has lived and worked in Mexico ever since. He is also part owner of El Pedregal, a hotel and retreat center in the town of Alamos Sonora.

Carlos Gonzalez is our main guide and can be found leading trips almost anywhere in Mexico. Carlos’s enthusiasm for the outside world and everything in it is hard to beat. He started out from university with a. huge interest it entomology but that soon was overshadowed by the avian world. He has worked numerous field jobs in the United States with various non profits and government organizations related to bird populations, distributions and movements. Carlos is the EBird moderator for the state of Sonora in Mexico and started and continues to compiles the annual Audubon Christmas bird count for Hermosillo Sonora. Carlos loves leading tours and it shows! No birder is too serious or too casual for Carlos and he loves sharing his knowledge and experiences of Mexico and its natural offerings.

Rafa is our driver and partner on almost all of our trips, with the exception of a few in northern Mexico. He helps with many trip logistics, does the pre-trip shopping, puts out some great field breakfasts and lunches all with his great sense of humor and kindness. Rafa has become a proficient birder and helps our guides find the birds. If you are in Oaxaca City, you must be sure to go to their family restaurant, La Casa de Mami. It's located in a neighborhood of the city and you will be treated like family!

Costa Rica
Kip Miller has been sharing his enthusiasm for birds and birding for over 30 years as a tour leader and birding event coordinator. He has organized and guided tours to locations throughout the U.S. and Canada, Central and South America and Africa. He has also taken groups to Belize, Ecuador and Kenya and has assisted David with multiple trips in Mexico. Kip is known for his extraordinary organizational skills and dry sense of humor.

Vernon Campos is a highly respected birdwatching guide and avian expert in Costa Rica and beyond. Vernon maintains a very active guiding schedule and is frequently leading specialized tours for various organizations there isn’t a portion of Costa Rica that Vernon has not birded extensively and is considered one of the most knowledgeable guides in the country. Vernon has lead Costa Rica trips for us since 2014 and recently has expanded into leading our Pantanal and Southern Amazon trips in Brazil.  Next Vernon will be leading our Ecuador and one of our Colombia tours.  Vernon is known for his easy going style, super organizational skills and an ability to get everyone on the bird, even in challenging conditions. 

Basilio is one of our driver fantastic drivers and tour assistants that can be found on a number of our trips in southern Mexico. Basilio has worked for Donaji tours our main transportation operator for 10 years. Basilio is a gourmet and gets great pleasure from hosting our groups with fantastic field breakfasts and lunches to keep us out birding happily all day!

San Blas boat guide

Colin has vast experience leading field trips for big organizations such as Illinois Ornithological Society and Illinois Audubon Society which really helped him build on his guiding abilities for larger groups, but also leading dozens of birds walks and field trips for members in Champaign County Audubon Society and trips and pelagic trips for his own small guiding company, Scissortail Adventures. His past experiences guiding, extensive bird knowledge, and the desire to learn so much more about birds would makes his enthusiasm contagious! His desire to share past and future knowledge with participants on tours is boundless. His education, field work experience, communication skills from presentations, Although he is our youngest team member, his ability to use various forms of technology and social media and his ability to teach make Colin an excellent addition to our team!

Trusty vessel

Christine started out with us as a tour participant that attracted our attention with her boundless enthusiasm for nature and birds and her ability to express her love for the natural world. Recently Christine has been working with us on the marketing end of things helping us get the word out about Solipaso and Winging to the world! Pictured here at the Morro Bay birding festival in January. Christine is a keen interest and knowledge in Monarch butterflies and assists us on our Monarch butterfly tours to central Mexico. We look forward to working more with Christine, and look for her at a birding festival near you!