Clare Gower
I have been obsessed with wildlife and the natural world for my entire life. As my mum found out as she picked the (by then often dead and dried) worms out of my laundry pockets, which I had “saved” from being eaten by the garden robin! Or that my sister can testify to when she discovered my live insect collection in a (not exactly sealed) shoe box under her bottom bunkbed (I was in the top bunk). I also requisitioned my dad’s binoculars as my own from as soon as I was big enough to carry them. I have a very tolerant family!
As a family, we had a membership to the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, and I spent as much time as possible birdwatching there with my dad, honing my identification skills. I’ve always loved spending as much time as possible out in nature, and can find interesting things to look at and identify wherever I go. I have the patience to sit for many, many hours on a cliff, even in inclement weather, and if even only one seabird goes past in that time, I will be happy!
I gained a degree in Countryside Management in 1999, and my first job after university was a dream job – a wildlife guide in the South of France! I spent 6.5 months living in a tent for this job, but I got to take tourists to see some of the most incredible wildlife in some of the most beautiful and dramatic landscapes in Europe. It included areas such as the Massif Central, the Grands Causse and the Camargue.
After many years working as an Ecologist in an Environmental Consultancy company, I am now a freelance Ecologist and Wildlife Guide, specialising in Ornithology and Botany, but happy and experienced to undertake any ecology or wildlife survey required, and guided walks include all the natural world has to offer. I also train and mentor other ecologists in ornithology, botany, and survey and fieldcraft skills.
I am also an artist, specialising in wildlife and landscape art. This is another passion that I have always had, though I struggle to find the time for much art these days. I have occasionally run “How to draw birds” workshops on board cruise ships, which has proved to be very popular.
My first experience assisting as a wildlife guide on a cruise ship was in 2019, on Fred Olsen’s Black Watch, on an Isles of Scotland cruise. A wonderful route, with some of the highest numbers of cetaceans I have seen on a cruise ship, including an incredibly close view of a Fin Whale, right next to the ship! After this cruise, I signed myself up on courses with different marine wildlife conservation organisations to hone my cetacean identification skills – I was hooked!
I love to travel and have now visited all but 2 continents of the world. Being a guide for the Ocean Wildlife Encounters team gives me the opportunity to share my passion, enthusiasm, knowledge and experience of the natural world with a huge variety of wonderful people. I have sometimes also run some nature themed workshops on board the cruise ships to add to guests wildlife experiences. I thoroughly enjoy the challenge of guests producing photographs of mystery species (of any type) that need identifying, and I am never happier than standing on deck pointing out seabirds, cetaceans and other marine wildlife, and chatting with lovely guests. If you see me on board, please come and say hello!