We had the great privilege of having Martin Allen as our guide on a private birding trip in Tasmania this past October, 2025. Prior to our meeting, it was shared with Bellbird Tours that we wanted a birding trip that was more well-rounded than a hard core “chase and list” birding trip, as my husband is not as dedicated a birder as I and this was also our first visit to Australia. By the end of our nine days in Tasmania with Martin, not only did we have that well rounded Tasmanian visit, but we still got all of the birds we’d hoped for!
First, let it be said that Martin is an excellent birder, both ear and eye. He got us on the vast majority of all of the Tasmanian endemics, despite unseasonably cold weather including snow, rain and wind! As requested, he also enthusiastically introduced us to all of the wonderful mammals we could have hoped for, as well as showing us not-to-be-missed scenic spots. He even found a platypus in the wild. We couldn’t have asked for more.
Martin is not only a superb birder, but a fine host. There were a few days when the weather simply didn’t cooperate, yet we still had fun when he introduced us to a wonderful local history museum and charming restaurants. Even more important, we had a minor emergency when I tripped, breaking a finger on remote Buru Island. Martin handled this little emergency marvelously, making sure I got proper medical care in Hobart as well as follow-up.
In summary, Bellbird Tours put together a great itinerary and having Martin as our guide in Tasmania resulted in a fantastic experience there.