Born and raised in Liverpool, England, Stephen now lives and works in Malmö, Sweden. He is the Editor of British Birds, a tour leader for WINGS, a ZEISS Ambassador and a member of the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC). Between March 2020 and April 2023, he was manager at Falsterbo Bird Observatory.

A birder since a young age, Stephen holds a particular interest in moult, ageing and identification. He has travelled widely across the Western Palearctic, including annual trips to Morocco and Oman.