Eric Barnes

Eric is a consultant ophthalmic surgeon at The Royal Victoria Infirmary and an honorary lecturer in ophthalmology at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. He has an expertise in natural history, stretching across more than four decades. Eric is passionate about ornithology and ophthalmology, but he also has a keen interest in mammals, reptiles, amphibians, photography, camping, art and wine-tasting, making every effort to live life to its full potential. He was brought up in Hong Kong where he developed his interest in ornithology at the age of eight and continued to bird there regularly until the age of 23. His natural history experience covers every continent except Antarctica. He has extensive field experience in South East Asia, Europe, North America and island wildlife. Limited time in the field has honed his skills at strategic birding, which makes him an ideal leader when trying to make the most of limited time abroad. He joined the Naturetrek team in 2006.