Birdwatching Breaks 2021 - Amazon S3 · 2020. 8. 8. · A warm welcome to our 2021 brochure of birdwatching holidays, this being our 34th year of operation. In 2021, ... hotel management

BirdwatchingBreaks 2021Over 30 years of guided tours

2 www.birdwatchingbreaks.com ☎ 01381 610495

BLACK ISLE BIRDING – SCOTLANDScotland . . . . . . . . . . . . Caithness and Orkney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . Dumfries and Galloway with Northumberland . . . . . . . . . . 14Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . Scottish Highlands and Aberdeenshire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . Isle of Islay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . Mull, Tiree and the Uists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . Scottish Highlands – spring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . Scottish Highlands – autumn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . Shetland – autumn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . Shetland – breeding birds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . Western Isles – the Uists, Harris and Lewis . . . . . . . . . . . 32

AFRICAEthiopia . . . . . . . . . . . . . Birds and Mammals of north-east Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Guinea-Bissau . . . . . . . . Casamance and Guinea-Bissau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Namibia . . . . . . . . . . . . . Birds of Etosha and the Skeleton Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41Rwanda . . . . . . . . . . . . . Albertine Rift endemics and mammals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44Senegal . . . . . . . . . . . . . SE Senegal and Saloum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46Senegal . . . . . . . . . . . . . Birds of the Sahel and Saloum Delta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49Senegal . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pelagic birding and birds and the Sahel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

ASIA AND AUSTRALASIAJapan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Breeding birds and migrants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Japan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Winter birds in the Land of the Rising Sun . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Siberia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Autumn migration at Lake Baikal and Buryat . . . . . . . . . . 62

EUROPEBulgaria . . . . . . . . . . . . . Winter birds of the Black Sea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66England . . . . . . . . . . . . . West Cornwall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68England . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kent and Sussex in springtime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Champagne-Ardennes at New Year 2021 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Camargue and Corsica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76Ireland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Northern Ireland and Donegal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78Mallorca . . . . . . . . . . . . Autumn in the Balearic Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80Norway . . . . . . . . . . . . . Winter birds of the High Arctic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82Sweden . . . . . . . . . . . . . Autumn migration at Falsterbo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84Sweden . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lake Hornborga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

THE AMERICASCanada . . . . . . . . . . . . . Long Point, Algonquin and Carden Alvar . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88Colombia . . . . . . . . . . . . The world’s best birding country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Veracruz, Oaxaca and Sierra Madre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96Trinidad and Grenada . . Birds of the southern Caribbean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Front cover: Western Capercaillie, taken near Lake Hornborga, Sweden. Althoughpresent in Scotland it is hard to locate. Photo: Kent-Ove Hvass

Back cover: Atlantic Puffins Photo: Jo FinnLayout and design www.russellturner.org Printed by Speedprint, Inverness

Copyright © Birdwatching Breaks 2020

Destinations

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Tour Calendar

January 2021Colombia . . . . . . . . . . . The World’s Best Birding Country . . . . . . . . . . . January 9-23Senegal . . . . . . . . . . . . South-east Senegal and Saloum . . . . . . . . . . January 13-26Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . Isle of Islay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . January 26-30FebruaryJapan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Winter birds in the Land of the Rising Sun . . . February 5-20Senegal . . . . . . . . . . . . Pelagic birds and the Sahel . . . . . . . . . February 27-March 7 MarchFrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . Camargue and Corsica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March 6-14Sweden . . . . . . . . . . . . Cranes, owls and woodpeckers . . . . . . . . . . . . . March 24-28Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . Highlands and Aberdeenshire . . . . . . . . . . . March 28-April 4AprilNorway . . . . . . . . . . . . . Winter birds of the High Arctic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 3-9Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . Early spring in the Highlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 18-25England . . . . . . . . . . . . Kent and Sussex in springtime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 24-30MayScotland . . . . . . . . . . . . Spring in the Highlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 1-8Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . Long Point and Algonquin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .May 6-15Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . Mull, Tiree and the Uists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 9-16Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . Caithness and Orkney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 24-30JuneJapan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Breeding birds and migrants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June 1-20Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . Breeding birds of Shetland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June 12-19JulyNamibia . . . . . . . . . . . . Birds of Etosha and Skeleton Coast . . . . . . July 24-August 8AugustSiberia . . . . . . . . . . . . . Autumn migration in Siberia . . . . . . August 28-September 11SeptemberScotland . . . . . . . . . . . . Autumn migration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . September 18-25Sweden . . . . . . . . . . . . Migration at Falsterbo . . . . . . . . . . . September 25-October 2Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . Western Isles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . September 26-October 3OctoberShetland . . . . . . . . . . . . Autumn in the Northern Isles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . October 2-9Mallorca . . . . . . . . . . . . Eleonora’s Falcons and migrants . . . . . . . . . . . . October 2-9England . . . . . . . . . . . . West Cornwall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . October 9-16Ireland . . . . . . . . . . . . . Northern Ireland and Donegal . . . . . . . . . . . . . October 9-17Senegal . . . . . . . . . . . . Pelagic birds and the Sahel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . October 23-31Senegal . . . . . . . . . . . . Casamance and Guinea-Bissau . . . October 31-November 12NovemberScotland . . . . . . . . . . . . South-west Scotland and Northumbria . . . . . November 6-13 Trinidad and Grenada . . Birds of the Caribbean . . . . . . . . . November 20-December 1DecemberEthiopia . . . . . . . . . . . . Birds and mammals of Ethiopia . . . . . . . . . . December 2-16France . . . . . . . . . . . . . New Year in eastern France . . . . . . December 28-January 2January 2022Colombia . . . . . . . . . . . The World’s Best Birding Country . . . . . . . . . . . January 8-22Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . Veracruz and Yucatan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . January 8-22 Rwanda . . . . . . . . . . . . Birds of the Albertine Rift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . January 15-27FebruaryJapan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Winter birds in the Land of the Rising Sun . . . February 4-19Bulgaria . . . . . . . . . . . . Winter birds of Eastern Europe . . . . . . . . . . . February 12-19Senegal . . . . . . . . . . . . Sahel and Saloum Delta . . . . . . . . . . . February 27-March 11

A warm welcome to our 2021 brochure ofbirdwatching holidays, this being our 34thyear of operation.

In 2021, we have introduced new tours tointeresting countries around the world, allof them having had an inspection trip eitherby us or our local tour operators.

In Asia, we have destinations to Japanboth in winter and early summer plus anautumn tour to Russian Siberia. For thosewho wish to witness the winter wonderlandof Japan, we have tours in February 2021and 2022. The country continues to be apopular destination and we have modifiedthe winter tour slightly to visit an area forJapanese Murrelet. I have also introducedan early summer tour to Japan taking in theRyuku Islands, Izu Islands and the beauti-ful island of Hokkaido.

Siberia is repeated in 2021 this stunning-ly beautiful region of Russia with equallyimpressive bird life. Our focus is in earlyautumn on the migration of shorebirds, rap-tors, warblers and buntings many of which

are extreme rarities in Britain.In Africa, we have departures to

Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia,Senegal and Rwanda. These destinationsoffer you an extremely wide range ofAfrican birds and mammals from the Sahelin Senegal to the birds and mammals ofRwanda. Rwanda is a small country inCentral Africa and relatively unexplored forbirds and wildlife. We have tours hereDecember 2021 and January 2022. InSenegal we have a new tour taking in apelagic trip off Dakar and the Sahel regionalong the Senegal River. To the south anew tour has been introduced taking in theunexplored country of Guinea-Bissau andthe southern part of Senegal, Casamance.Ethiopia is revisited in December 2021 withmany improvements made in recent yearsto infrastructure and hotels. A comprehen-sive tour taking in the major birding sites ofthis beautiful country. In our summermonths we are going back to Namibia tovisit this fascinating desert country for itsbirds, abundant wildlife and EtoshaNational Park.

In The Americas a birding tour toColombia the world’s best birding countryis planned for January 2021 and 2022. Inspringtime our annual tour to Long Pointand Algonquin in the Canadian province ofOntario for a migration spectacle withoutthe crowds who flock to Point Pelee. Duringthe winter of 2021 a wonderful tour toTrinidad plus a few days in the island stateof Grenada is bound to produce a wealth ofbirds closely associated to the avifauna ofSouth America. In the same geographicalregion I am pleased to reintroduce our tourto Mexico which takes in the bird rich areasof Mexico City, Veracruz, Oaxaca and theimpressive Sierra Madre mountain range.

Closer to home, we have departures toBulgaria, Corsica, France, Ireland,Mallorca, Norway and Sweden. Thesecountries offer you great birding amongspectacular countryside and vistas.Extreme Northern Norway is being offered

Welcome to Birdwatching Breaks 2021

Slavonian Grebe Photo: Jo Finn


in April a prime time to watch some spec-tacular winter birds of the High Arctic. In2021 a week long tour to southern Franceand the island of Corsica should provideexceptional winter birding and twoEuropean endemics. Over the New Year in2021 a short visit to Champagne-Ardennein Eastern France for winter birds. I havereintroduced our tour to Northern Irelandand Donegal in October for late migrants.Falsterbo in Sweden is offered for the spec-tacular migration of birds whilst earlier inthe year a tour to Central Sweden for themigration of cranes plus woodpeckers andowls.

2021 sees the 16th year of Black IsleBirding which covers all our holidays oper-ating in Scotland and Britain. This sectorhas grown significantly over the last fewyears and we are pleased to say that wehave a growing reputation as one ofScotland’s premier birding companies. Joand I operate our popular “holiday at home”programme based at Cygnus House. Itslocation, overlooking the Cromarty Firthand set in two acres of wildlife habitat,makes it is an ideal base for visiting north-

ern Scotland. We have several otherScottish tours to Aberdeenshire, Caithnessand Orkney, Islay, Shetland, and an islandspecial visiting Mull, Tiree and The Uists.

I firmly believe we offer you the best bird-ing packages in Scotland, with the coun-try’s top birding guides, along with a friend-ly and welcoming service with no hiddenextras.

Further afield in Britain tours have beenadded to my old home of Kent and Sussex,autumn in West Cornwall and the northerncounty of Northumbria which is combinedwith Dumfries and Galloway.

The team at Birdwatching Breaks looksforward to welcoming you on one of ourtours.

Finally, my thanks go to Simon Papps forproof-reading our 2021 brochure and forthe layout and design Russell Turner.

Mark FinnBirdwatching Breaks

Cygnus House Gordons Mill, Balblair

Black Isle, Ross-shire IV7 8LQScotland

Birding on the Uganda/Rwanda border Photo: Jo Finn



Mark Finn lives on the Black Isle in Scotland and is the principal leader ofBirdwatching Breaks, having formed the company in May 1987. In 2005, Markset up Black Isle Birding for tours based in Scotland. Mark originally trained inhotel management and catering before pursuing careers in the MerchantNavy, industrial catering and, finally, as a sales representative. He has trav-elled widely in search of birds both whilst leading trips and on reconnaissancetrips for future tours. His travels have taken him to a wide variety of destina-tions around the world. Mark is also a member of the Scottish Ornithologists’Club. In between leading tours, Mark deals with the administration work ofBirdwatching Breaks. He has a keen interest in sport, particularly cricket andsoccer, and enjoys wine and good food.

Phil Beraet lives in Ramsgate, Kent. He is a very experienced birder withexcellent knowledge of his home county of Kent and neighbouring Sussex.After working in the civil service for several years he then became involved atDungeness RSPB reserve and the nearby bird observatory. In his spare timePhil visits Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory where he helps out with surveywork and the ringing of migratory birds. Phil has an easy-going nature and awealth of knowledge regarding all things natural and is thus a welcome addi-tion to the team.

Harriet Kemishiga lives in Kampala, Uganda. She is Uganda’s only femalebird guide and one of the directors of Harrier Tours. Her passion for wildlife andbirds started when she was a little girl growing up with her grandfather at theedge of Kibale National Park. Harriet has guided countless birding trips inUganda and Rwanda since 2003. She also works for the avian vocalisationcentre, specialising in capturing the sounds of rare species which have notbeen previously recorded for science. Harriet is one of the best birding guidesin Africa today, with an incredible knowledge of birds and bird sounds withinher native Uganda.

Anders Faugstad Mæland lives in central Norway and has been a birderfrom a young age. Anders has established himself as a professional guide inNorway and taken part in a wide variety of ornithological surveys and biodi-versity projects. He was the main ringer and migration counter at Jomfrulandbird observatory from 1997–2011 before setting up Birdwatching Norway.Anders has an intimate knowledge of his native Norway and its abundantwildlife, especially in the far north of the country.

Igor Fefelov lives in Irkutsk, Siberia. He is a skilled bird guide and natural-ist, having written several papers on the waders and swifts which occur aroundLake Baikal. Igor has an interest in anything concerning the natural world. Hisability, professionalism and personality are second to none, making him anideal guide for Birdwatching Breaks in this huge area of Russia.

Birdwatching Breaks Leaders


Kent Ove Hvass lives and works in Skovde in central Sweden. For manyyears he has worked in education, however his main passion is for the birdsthat reside on and around Lake Hornborga, where he spents much of his timestudying owls, woodpeckers and the annual migration of cranes.

Assen Ignatov is one of the most experienced birdwatching and wildlifeguides in Bulgaria. He has an MSc in Biology from the University of Sofia andcurrently works at the National Natural History Museum. Assen is an excellentwildlife artist with many painting and drawings published in books, calendarsand elsewhere. He leads birdwatching, wildlife, butterfly and photographytours.

Simon MacLaughlin lives near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands and iscurrently a warden for the RSPB. He has worked in conservation for manyyears and has a vast knowledge of forestry and the wildlife than occurs withinit. Simon has a passion for birds and is exceptionally good with people, con-veying his enthusiasm for wildlife. He is a welcome addition to the BirdwatchingBreaks team.

Kiwako Minami lives in Sapporo on Hokkaido, the most northerly of themain Japanese islands. Kiwa, as she is fondly known, is just starting out on herbirding career. Among her many strengths are her outstanding understandingof the English language and the humour associated with it. Kiwa is an essen-tial part of our Japan tours, making sure that everything runs to perfection andensuring guests gain a fascinating insight into Japanese life.

Ass Ndiaye lives in Dakar, Senegal. He has worked with Birdwatching Breakssince we initiated tours to Senegal in the mid-1990s. Ass is a skilled birder witha happy knack of locating unusual birds; he has a particularly good eye for rap-tors and owls. Ass lives with his wife and young son and is an avid follower offootball, particularly the English Premier League.

Simon Papps lives in Waltham Abbey, Essex. Simon is a vastly experiencedbirder having travelled to more than 50 countries in pursuit of birds. He was for-merly sub-editor at Birdwatch magazine, the highly respected monthly publi-cation for birders. Currently, he works as publisher for natural history books atNew Holland Publishers based in London. Away from birding, Simon enjoys allsports, but particularly kayaking, running, mountain biking and football.

Our holidays are friendly, exciting and runby professional guides with a passion forbirding and natural history. Our guides havea background from bodies like the RSPB orother conservation organisations. On over-seas tours we use local ornithologists whoare highly experienced in the country theyoperate and work in. Our groups are basedon a maximum ratio of seven clients to oneleader.

All tours have inspection trips before weoffer them to our clients

We cater for all abilities of birders frombeginners to those with more experience,including clients who wish to visit moreadventurous countries around the globe intheir quest for birds. Our tours range fromtours in Europe to weeks in Scotland andthe United Kingdom and Ireland. Generallyspeaking, African and Asian tours are up to18 days and those to the Americas and theCaribbean of 10-15 days duration. To par-ticipate in our tours you need to have a rea-sonable degree of fitness for the tour youselect. If you wish to know more about atour we have bird lists and tour reports or,in the case of inspection trips, a generalinformation package.You can access theseby visiting www.birdwatchingbreaks.com orsimply contact us by phone or email. Onbooking your Birdwatching Breaks holidaywe send you all the relevant informationincluding flight details, accommodation list-ings, what to take with you, health and visaregulations, titles of field guides and whereto obtain them.

A typical day with

Birdwatching Breaks

Naturally we spend most of our time in thefield but this does vary on each tour. In tem-perate climates we generally have break-fast early and take a packed lunch with usfor the day. Returning in the evening, we tryto allow you at least one hour before dinnerto shower and freshen up. In Africa, partsof Asia and the Americas, birds are most

active at dawn, hence we start birding atthis time. We usually arrange coffee or teabefore going out and come back mid-morn-ing for brunch. In countries with a hot cli-mate we take a siesta in the middle of theday or travel between sites. We return tobirding late afternoon when bird activitystarts again. To balance early starts we tryto return earlier in the evening. Before din-ner, we have drinks and go through thedaily log of birds observed.

Where to stay

We endeavour to stay in hotels, lodges andfamily homes as close as possible to areasof birding interest. Wherever possible, westay in accommodation reflecting the char-acter and atmosphere of the country weare visiting rather than ’standard type’hotels. Rooms have private facilities unlessotherwise stated. In some locations withouta tourist infrastructure, facilities may beshared or, in areas without permanentaccommodation, a chemical toilet and bushshower are used. Hotels around the worldare phasing out single rooms and accom-modating clients in double/twin rooms. Thishas, in effect, pushed up the price of a sin-gle room quite considerably. If you are asingle traveller, please consider sharing aroom. If you have ticked twin-bedded roomon your holiday booking form but we areunable to find you a suitable roommate, asingle-room supplement will apply. Food isimportant to our clients and is on a half-board basis of breakfast and evening mealwith a packed lunch in the field. We try toensure food is based upon the cuisine ofthe country we are visiting. On occasionswhere half-board is not available, you canchoose from a la carte menus. If this is thecase, we make an allowance of £25 perperson for evening meals.

What the tour price includes

Tour prices are fully inclusive of accommo-

Holidays with Birdwatching Breaks


dation, meals, guidance, entry permits intoreserves, tips and taxes. Not included inyour tour price are air fares, which arequoted separately with our best estimate ofthe fare. Also not included are credit cardand baggage charges (where applicable),drinks, laundry and telephone bills, visafees, travel insurance, items of a personalnature and any relevant fuel surcharges.

Flights

Because of fluctuating fuel prices it isbecoming very difficult to obtain accuratequotes for airfares. Tour prices are brokendown into two elements – the basic cost ofthe tour, which includes everything exceptthe cost of the international and internalflights, and secondly our best estimate ofthe air fares when the tour was costed.Please advise us if you wish us to bookyour flights. When we send invoices for thetour, we charge you the exact airfare andhope that many of these will be near theprice currently quoted in our 2021brochure.

Arranging your own flights

You should arrive at least one hour beforethe main group or be booked onto the

same flight. On departure, flight timesshould be after or at the same time as thegroup. Birdwatching Breaks are not respon-sible for your own flight arrangements andyou must ensure you have adequate travelinsurance in place to cover your flights.

Flying from regional airports

On some occasions flights from regionalairports and those which connect with theLondon hubs cost more thanLondon/London flights. Whilst we arehappy to arrange these for you, where pos-sible, the additional charge will be passedon to you.

Your money paid to

Birdwatching Breaks

Air holidays and flights in our 2021brochure are ATOL protected by the CivilAviation Authority. Our ATOL number is4324. In the unlikely event of our insolven-cy, the CAA ensures you are not strandedoverseas and will arrange to refund you forany monies paid in advance toBirdwatching Breaks. Visit the ATOL web-site www.atol.org.uk for further details.

In accordance with passenger protectionpolicy for insolvency cover in respect of the

Kruper’s Nuthatch Photo: Jo Finn


Package Travel and Linked TravelRegulations 2018, all passengers bookingwith Birdwatching Breaks are fully protect-ed for the initial deposit and subsequentlythe balance of all monies paid to us, includ-ing repatriation costs arising from cancella-tion or curtailment of your travel arrange-ments due to the insolvency ofBirdwatching Breaks. There is no require-ment for Financial Protection of day trips,and none is provided. Consumer aware:Your booking is insured by IPP Ltd and itspanel of insurers. This insurance is onlyvalid for passengers who book and paydirectly with/to Birdwatching Breaks If youhave booked and/or paid direct to a TravelAgent for a holiday with BirdwatchingBreaks please request proof of how thebooking is secured as this will not be cov-ered by IPP Ltd in this instance. ThisInsurance has been arranged byInternational Passenger Protection Limitedand underwritten by Liberty MutualInsurance Europe SE. For further informa-tion please go to www.ipplondon.co.uk

CLAIMS PROCEDURE: You must notifyIPP as soon as practically possible, givingfull details of what has happened and quot-ing the name of your Travel Operator: IPPClaims at Cunningham Lindsey, OakleighHouse 14-15 Park Place Cardiff CF103DQ, United Kingdom. Telephone: 0345266 1872 Email: [email protected] or online at www.ipplondon.co.uk/claims.asp

Credit cards

We accept most major credit cards with theexception of American Express. Credit cardpayment is ideal for late bookings and air-line seats which we have to secure quicklyif departure is imminent.

Passports and visas

You must be in possession of a currentpassport with a minimum of 6 months torun after your chosen holiday has ended. Ifyou are applying for a new passport, thequickest and most efficient process isthrough your local high street post office.This process, in some cases, may take upto 8 weeks. With regards to visas manycountries, particularly in the underdevel-

oped world, require you to have a visa inorder to enter the country. BirdwatchingBreaks will supply you contact addresses,e-mail and phone numbers in order for youto obtain the correct visa. This should bedone when you receive your final docu-mentation from us around 12 weeks beforedeparture. If you are a non-UK national,British Subject or live overseas, you areresponsible for obtaining your own visafrom your country of residence.

Health

The majority of tours in Europe do notrequire compulsory vaccinations whenentering from the UK. We do recommendthat your injections are current for polio,hepatitis A and tetanus. Travel to Africa,Asia and parts of the Americas require pro-tection against yellow fever (if coming froman infected country), typhoid, diphtheriaand tuberculosis. The threat of malariaaround the globe also makes a course ofanti-malaria tablets a necessity for certaindestinations. We will advise you in our finaldocumentation of the health requirementsyou need to enter the country. We wouldalso recommend you consult yourdoctor/surgery to confirm the currentrequirements.

Travel insurance

It is a legal requirement that you have ade-quate travel insurance. On your bookingform we require proof of travel insurancebefore we process the final documentation.Insurance covers and protects you whilston tour and also if you have to cancel priorto holiday commencement through illnessor accident. If you are over 65 (in somecases 70) you are subject to additionalinsurance premiums.

Foreign Office advice

The Foreign Office advice website is atwww.fco.gov.uk Generally speaking this isgood, sound advice but on occasion it maybe inaccurate or harsh in its message. Ifyou cancel through advice from the ForeignOffice, your insurers may not cover theclaim of your cancellation with Birdwatch-ing Breaks.


Welcome to Black Isle Birding, one ofScotland’s premier birding companies spe-cialising in the Scottish Highlands,Aberdeenshire, Dumfries and Galloway,Mull, Tiree, Islay, Orkney, Shetland and theWestern Isles. We offer you the followingservices:■ Accommodation at Cygnus House on afull-board basis using locally producedmeat, fish and vegetables. Complimentarydrinks and wine at the table■ Excellent location on the Black Isle over-looking the Cromarty Firth and Udale Bay■ No single room supplement at CygnusHouse■ Wi-fi access in all rooms■ Visits to areas of the extreme north andislands for birds and other wildlife■ Complimentary travel by 9-seat minibuswith individual seats and seatbelts■ Small group size with one leader■ One of Scotland’s top birding guides withup-to-date knowledge of where to find andshow you the country’s birds■ Complimentary pick-up from InvernessAirport or Inverness railway station.

Flights to Inverness are available fromAmsterdam, Bergen, Belfast, Birmingham,Bristol, Dublin, London Heathrow, LondonGatwick, London Luton and Manchester. Ifusing Logan Air, many flights are viaManchester to Inverness.

Day trips, private tours and RSPBgroups are also catered for. Please con-tact us for details.

Cygnus House, our base, is situated onthe Black Isle, north of Inverness, the capi-tal of the Highlands. Inverness has goodair, rail and road connections with the restof Britain and Ireland. When we collect youfrom the airport or railway station, we makethe short journey across the KessockBridge and onto the rolling farmland andforests of the Black Isle to Cygnus House.This gives you a feel of the area andscenery and the idyllic surroundings wherewe live. Our home is located next to UdaleBay RSPB reserve and is surrounded by a

variety of habitats including rough grass-land, saltmarsh, woodland, farm land, estu-arine mud and river and eco-friendly gar-dens. This combination of habitats ensuresa healthy birdlife throughout the year. In thegarden and adjacent area we have record-ed over 155 species of bird to date, with themost unusual species being Snow andGreenland White-fronted Geese, AmericanWigeon, Eurasian Hobby, Common Quail,Glaucous and Little Gulls, Pomarine Skua,Red-rumped Swallow, Blue-headedWagtail, Marsh Warbler, Hawfinch and theNorthern races of Eurasian Bullfinch andLesser Redpoll. From early April until theend of September, Ospreys regularly flyover the house to fish in the Cromarty Firth.Numerous bird feeders attract a variety ofspecies throughout the year includingGreat Spotted Woodpecker, Tree Sparrow,Eurasian Siskin, tits, Brambling, ReedBunting and Yellowhammer. The wintermonths bring Waxwing, Fieldfare, Redwingand Mistle Thrush. Mammals using the gar-den on a regular basis include PineMarten, Badger and Roe Deer

Our base is ideally situated for visitingthe remote and beautiful counties ofCaithness and Sutherland, Wester andEaster Ross, Speyside, Moray Firth coastand the mountains and forests ofCairngorm and Speyside.

Our Scottish programme also includestours to Mull, Tiree and the Uists,Aberdeenshire, Caithness, Dumfries andGalloway, Islay, Orkney and Shetland,many of which can be combined with yourstay at Cygnus House.

Black Isle Birding – birding holidays in Scotland

Pine Martens at Cygnus House



Day 1: This morning we head north alongthe A9 towards Thurso the largest town inCaithness. We have an afternoon ferry toOrkney with a good selection of seabirds;Northern Gannet, Manx Shearwater, fourspecies of auks and the possibility ofmigrant Pomarine and Long-tailed Skuas ifthe winds are favourable. On arrival inStromness we transfer to Kirkwall, the maintown on Orkney, for a four-night stay.

Day 2: Today we start our exploration ofMainland with a visit to the old red sand-stone cliffs of Marwick Head. During Maythe cliffs are home to Black-leggedKittiwake, Common Guillemot, Razorbill,Rock Dove and Northern Raven. TheLoons RSPB reserve is close by andbreeding ducks here include NorthernPintail, Eurasian Wigeon and NorthernShoveler. Also present in the marsh areArctic Tern, Common Redshank and dis-playing Common Snipe. In the afternoonwe make a visit to Birsay Moors, which isan important area for Hen Harrier, Merlin,Short-eared Owl and Red-throated Diver.

Day 3: Today we visit the island of Hoywhich is fairly mountainous in nature and

holds little in the way of human population.Our interest is in the moorland birds whichcome to breed in the northern part of theisland including substantial numbers ofGreat and Arctic Skuas. Other speciesinclude European Golden Plover, Dunlin,Eurasian Curlew, European Stonechat andTwite. A visit to the towering cliffs of StJohn’s Head is productive for auks includ-ing Atlantic Puffin plus Peregrine Falconand on occasion White-tailed Eagle.

Day 4: A check of Kirkwall Harbour for anylingering Iceland and Glaucous Gullsbefore heading into East Mainland. DeerSound is an important area holding GreatNorthern Diver and seaducks during mid-May. On the foreshore we should findmigrant waders including Sanderling andRuddy Turnstone. Our journey continuessouth to South Ronaldsay and Burraywhich are linked by the famous ChurchillBarriers. This is a good area for lingeringBlack-throated Diver and Slavonian Grebe.If the winds have been southerly or easter-ly in nature migrants may be located. Inrecent years sightings have includedCommon Crane, Woodchat Shrike,Bluethroat, Pied Flycatcher and CommonRedstart.

Day 5: Head to Stromness for the ferry

Caithness and Orkney

Birding at the top end of Scotland

Monday May 24th – Sunday May30th 2021Leader: Simon McLaughlinGroup Size: 7Birds: 120-140

Dates

This is a new tour visiting the north-easterly corner of mainland Scotland and thenearby Orkney Islands. Caithness is relatively unknown for birds but it has severalimportant sites in a small area. Just across the Pentland Firth are the OrkneyIslands with their seabird colonies and important populations of breeding species.Please note you should stay in Inverness on the nights of May 23rd and May 30th.

Northern Fulmar Photo: Jo Finn


back to Scrabster. On arrival we can checkthe harbour for Common Eider, BlackGuillemot and possibly Iceland Gull. We fol-low the coast, stopping at Dunnet Bay, aregular haunt of divers, Long-tailed Duck,Greater Scaup, Great and Arctic Skuasand Sandwich Tern. St John’s Pool is a pro-ductive area for birds, attracting Arctic andCommon Terns, Whimbrel and scarcebreeding ducks of northern Scotlandincluding Gadwall and Northern Shoveler.Unusual species on recent visits haveincluded Garganey, Lesser Scaup andRing-necked Duck. Later we travel toBroubster Leans, located in the flow coun-try of Caithness where we shouldencounter Hen Harrier, Short-eared Owl,European Golden Plover and Dunlin.Transfer to Thurso for two nights.

Day 6: A change of direction today as wecross the county boundary of Caithnessinto Sutherland which is a large andsparsely populated area of Britain. Our firststop is the Hope Valley a reliable area forGolden Eagle, Common Greenshank,Eurasian Woodcock and in some summersRedwing and Brambling. The marshy areasaround Loch Hope often have WhooperSwan. On the beach at Durness, the mostnorth-westerly village in mainland Britain,migrant Bar-tailed Godwits and Sanderlingare joined by Sandwich and Arctic Terns.Slightly inland the water meadows of

Balnakiel often have lingering Barnacleand Pink-footed Geese and WhooperSwans. Rarities and scarcities occur on aregular basis at Durness with Ring-neckedDuck, Common Crane, Wood Sandpiper,Little Stint, Western Yellow Wagtail andRed-breasted Goose seen in recent years.Return to Thurso via Bettyhill, where thefields often hold Whinchat and Twite.

Day 7: We check areas in and aroundThurso before making our way south toInverness. Along the way we make stops atBrora, where the estuary attracts unusualbirds in late spring notably Little Gull. LochFleet is further south with nesting Ospreysand a wide selection of waders and wild-fowl. The tour concludes in Inverness laterin the day.

Caithness and Orkney

Tour Price: £1,995Single room: £100Deposit: £200

This holiday is fully inclusive ofaccommodation and meals,complimentary transport and anyboat fees.

Not included: Drinks, insurance anditems of a personal nature.

Prices

Whimbrel Photo: Jo Finn


Day 1: From Edinburgh, the capital ofScotland, we travel south to the bordertown of Berwick-upon-Tweed which is situ-ated in Northumberland. Our main interestis the River Tweed and adjacent North Sea.The river is an important area for Mute,Whooper and on occasions Bewick’sSwans, plus concentrations of CommonGoldeneye and Common Merganser. Anyexposed areas of mud may yield views ofthe commoner waders at Yarrow Slake anda chance of wintering Jack Snipe. Transferto Berwick-upon-Tweed, which is our basefor three nights.

Days 2-3: Our destination today isLindisfarne, an island situated just off theNorthumberland coast and reached bycauseway. We have to time our visit withthe tidal conditions as the island gets ’cutoff’ at high tide. The area is internationallyimportant for Pale-bellied Brent Goose,Eurasian Wigeon, Red Knot, EuropeanGolden Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit. Indeeper waters we have good chances oflocating Common Eider, Long-tailed Duckand Common Scoter. The island hasstands of bushes, hedges and cover whichattract migrant Redwing, Fieldfare andmaybe a late Ring Ouzel. In recent yearsthe area has had late migrants includingBlack Redstart and Siberian Chiffchaff. Thesand dunes and open fields often haveShort-eared Owl, Hen Harrier, Merlin andEurasian Woodcock, especially if the windsare easterly. On another day we head toBudle Bay, a huge expanse of tidal mudand shore which attracts Barnacle, Pink-

footed and Greylag Geese and in someyears Greater White-fronted Goose andNorthern Lapwing. Further south we visitthe picturesque village of Bamburgh withits dominating castle. The coast here isattractive to wintering Black-throated andRed-throated Divers, Slavonian and Red-necked Grebes, Common and VelvetScoters, Red-breasted Merganser,Common Guillemot, Razorbill and if thewinds are onshore Little Auk. Rocky areascan be productive for Purple Sandpiper,Ruddy Turnstone, Grey Plover, Sanderlingand Red Knot. In recent years rarities andscarcities which have occurred at this timeof the year have included Long-billedDowitcher, Glaucous and Iceland Gulls andBohemian Waxwing in irruption years.

Day 4: This morning our travels take uswestwards into Dumfries and Galloway, aremote and sparsely populated area ofsouth-west Scotland. En route a visit to TheHirsel is planned. This large estate close toColdstream has commoner waterbirds onthe lakes, whilst the surrounding extensivewoodland holds Green and Great SpottedWoodpeckers, Eurasian Nuthatch, titsincluding Marsh, and on occasions

Dumfries and Galloway with Northumberland

Winter birding in and around the Borders

Saturday November 6th – SaturdayNovember 13th 2021Leader: Simon McLaughlinGroup Size: 8Birds: 110-130

Dates

Black Isle Birding and Birdwatching Breaks are offering you a unique combinationof early winter birding in Northumberland and the south-west region of Dumfriesand Galloway in Scotland. Your tour is timed to coincide with the arrival ofwintering birds to these regions, which can be varied and exciting and often turnsup rarities.

The tour starts and finishes in Edinburgh, which has excellent travel connectionswith the rest of the UK. Clients should arrive in Edinburgh on the evening ofNovember 5th.


Hawfinch. Transfer to Dumfries, which isour base for four nights.

Days 5-7: Caerlaverock is one ofScotland’s most famous reserves andattracts thousands of birds during the win-ter months. A combination of grassland,hedges and coastal habitats combined withseveral hides makes it an ideal winter des-tination. In early November most winteringbirds will have arrived, including thousandsof Barnacle Geese and lesser numbers ofPink-footed and Greylag Geese. Wildfowlcan be numerous with important popula-tions of Northern Pintail, Northern Shovelerand Eurasian Wigeon. Vagrant ducks fromNorth America occur on a regular basiswith recent visits recording AmericanWigeon, Green-winged Teal and Ring-necked Duck. As dusk falls we shouldencounter Short-eared Owl, Western BarnOwl and falcons including Peregrine andMerlin. On one morning we make a visit toLoch Ken, a habitat of woodland, fen,marshes and open water. In the forest habi-tats we may find Willow Tit, Great SpottedWoodpecker, Eurasian Nuthatch and thecommoner woodland birds. Damper areasaround the loch lure Water Rail, CommonSnipe, Northern Lapwing and in some win-ters small numbers of Greenland White-fronted Geese. Mersehead is another

important wintering area which we will visitduring our stay. Loch Ryan is close toStranraer. This large sea loch, with a shin-gle spur and patches of exposed mud atlow tide, is an important wintering groundfor Great Northern, Black-throated andRed-throated Divers, Red-necked andSlavonian Grebes and Greater Scaup. Atthe Mull of Galloway, south of Stranraer,farmland attracts Common Stonechat,Twite and small numbers of Corn Bunting.

Day 8: Depart from Dumfries, where theriver attracts Common and Red-breastedMergansers and White-throated Dipper.Transfer to Edinburgh, where the tour con-cludes mid-afternoon.

Dumfries and Galloway with Northumberland

Tour Price: £1,495 Single Room: No ChargeDeposit: £150

This holiday is fully inclusive ofaccommodation, meals andcomplimentary transport.


Prices

European Stonechat Photo: Simon Papps


Day 1: Arrive at Cygnus House situated onthe eastern half of the Black Isle, overlook-ing the RSPB reserve of Udale Bay, for afour-night stay. Feeders in the garden arewell stocked, attracting Eurasian TreeSparrow, Eurasian Siskin, Brambling andother common garden birds. The lower gar-den regularly has Eurasian Sparrowhawk,Common Buzzard, Yellowhammer andReed Bunting. Further inland, on the exten-sive farmland of the Black Isle, we shouldencounter Red Kite, and as dusk falls wehave a chance of observing Western BarnOwl. Mammals at Cygnus House includePine Marten and Badger, both of whichoccur on a regular basis.

Day 2: Udale Bay, situated in the CromartyFirth, is literally on our doorstep and is anexceptional area for birds. The deeper-water sections have Red-throated Diver,Slavonian Grebe, Red-breastedMerganser, Greater Scaup and BlackGuillemot. The new reserve at Nigg Bayattracts thousands of geese and shorebirdsincluding Eurasian Oystercatcher, EurasianCurlew, Red Knot, Dunlin and Bar-tailedGodwit. Tarbat Ness is a long spit of landjutting into the North Sea. Fields hereattract geese, swans, finches and buntings,plus predatory Peregrine Falcon andMerlin. Off the coast we should see divers,seaducks, auks and gulls. On our return

journey, Loch Eye is an important roostingsite for Greylag and Pink-footed Geese andWhooper Swan.

Day 3: This morning we travel south intoSpeyside and Abernethy Forest. Species ofinterest include Common, Scottish andParrot Crossbills and Crested and CoalTits. With luck we may encounter the rareand declining Western Capercaillie alongforest trails. Later in the day we headtowards the Cairngorm Mountains wherewe have a chance of locating Red Grouse,Rock Ptarmigan and parties of SnowBuntings at low levels. Early migrants oftenappear around the lower car park, includingRing Ouzel and Northern Wheatear.

Day 4: Early morning visit to Corrimony forlekking Black Grouse followed by visits toGruinart Bay and Little Loch Broom inWester Ross. Travelling through the coun-tryside, we pass fast-flowing rivers and dra-matic mountain ranges to reach the heavi-

Scotland

Late winter birds of theHighlands and Aberdeenshire

Sunday March 28th – Sunday April4th 2021Leader: Mark FinnGroup Size: 7 Birds: 120-135

Dates

The wild and dramatic scenery of the Scottish Highlands and the adjacent NorthSea and Atlantic Ocean coasts offer some of the finest late-winter birding inBritain. You are visiting at the optimum time for concentrations of divers,seaducks, geese and other wildfowl along the coast and inland lochs. In theforests and glens we have a chance of observing Western Capercaillie, BlackGrouse and birds of prey. On beaches and exposed headlands we can expectflocks of waders, finches and buntings. Aberdeenshire is one of the largestcounties of Scotland, situated in the north-east of the country. It has an extremelylong coastline bordering the North Sea, and several headlands which attractingmigrants. The tour takes in some of Scotland’s most important bird areasincluding Loch of Strathbeg, Rattray Head and the Ythan Estuary.Travel arrangements should be into Inverness (March 27th) and out of Aberdeen(April 4th).


ly indented coastline of Wester Ross. Anisland in Gruinart Bay may have White-tailed Eagles. We have excellent chancesof locating Red-throated, Black-throatedand Great Northern Divers. Other speciespresent include Barnacle Goose, CommonEider, Golden Eagle, Common Guillemotand Razorbill. Passerines are few but mayinclude Lesser Redpoll and Twite.

Day 5: Today we head south-east towardsAberdeen via the coastal town of Portsoy,which is a reliable staging post for White-billed Divers. Girdle Ness, an exposedpromontory jutting into the North Sea,attracts Great Northern Diver, Great Skuaand possibly returning Sandwich Terns. Aswe head north we stop at the River Don forwaders, with Ruff and Black-tailed Godwitbeing possible in late March. Travel toPeterhead for a three-night stay.

Day 6: Rattray Head has a good reputa-tion for attracting migrants among the net-tles and docks. Regular visitors includeRedwing, Fieldfare, Common Chiffchaffand Goldcrest, while the beach attractsSnow Bunting and on occasions HornedLark. Nearby is Loch of Strathbeg – one ofthe premier RSPB reserves in Scotland forwildfowl and waders. We should seeWhooper Swan, ducks and Pink-footed andGreylag Geese. Barnacle and GreenlandWhite-fronted Geese are also regular whilethere are occasional sightings of Snow andPale-bellied Brent Geese. Marshes and

scrub lure hunting Short-eared Owl, Merlinand Peregrine Falcon. Recent rarities andscarcities have included Garganey,Eurasian Spoonbill, Great Egret, Little Gull,Green-winged Teal and Common Crane.

Day 7: Today we visit the Ythan Estuaryand Sands of Forvie, an interesting tidalarea of mud flats, beaches, sand dunesand moor. Ythan is an important stagingpoint for ducks including CommonGoldeneye and Long-tailed Duck, and inrecent years it has been reliable for KingEiders. The commoner waders occur inroosts along the river. Offshore waters haveRed-throated Diver, Greater Scaup andCommon and Velvet Scoters. In the after-noon a visit to the woodlands and wetlandsof Haddo Country Park is planned tosearch for Great Spotted Woodpecker andvariable numbers of Brambling andEurasian Siskin. Aberdeenshire often hasparties of northbound Bohemian Waxwingsin late winter. If time permits, we revisitLoch of Strathbeg for the spectacle ofroosting geese and swans.

Day 8: Return to Aberdeen, visiting BlackDog en route. Extensive sandy beachesborder the North Sea. Offshore we shouldfind Common Eider and Common andVelvet Scoter, plus the occasional SurfScoter. Transfer to Aberdeen airport forearly afternoon connections to the rest ofBritain.

Scotland

Tour Price: £1,595Single room: No chargeDeposit: £150

This holiday is fully inclusive ofaccommodation, meals,complimentary pre-dinner drinks andwine at Cygnus House,complimentary transport and anyboat fees.

Not included: flights, insurance anditems of a personal nature. Drinks inhotels at Peterhead. Entry into RSPBreserves if you are not a member.

Prices

Purple Sandpiper Photo: Anders Mæland


Day 1: This morning we travel to Argylland Bute from Glasgow, following the shoreof spectacular Loch Lomond. Our journeytakes us through increasingly beautifulscenery to Lochgilphead and eventually tothe ferry terminus at Kennacraig. The ferrycrossing offers us Great Northern, Red-throated and Black-throated Divers,Northern Gannet, Common Guillemot andRazorbill. On arrival at Port Askaig or PortEllen we make the journey to our accom-modation at Bowmore, which is ideally situ-ated for exploring the island and offersviews towards Loch Indaal.

Days 2-4 (5): Islay has many places inwhich to observe birds in a wide variety ofhabitats. Loch Gruinart, situated at thehead of a sea loch amidst low-lying hillsand moorland, is famous for GreenlandWhite-fronted and Barnacle Geese. Carefulscanning of the goose flocks may revealannual but rare visitors in the form ofCackling and Snow Geese from Greenlandand Canada. The presence of thousands ofgeese attracts good numbers of raptors,including Peregrine Falcon, Merlin, HenHarrier and, on occasions, Golden Eagle.The reserve has areas that flood and drawin wildfowl and waders, which usuallyinclude flocks of Northern Lapwing,European Golden Plover, Eurasian Curlewand sometimes wintering Ruff andCommon Greenshank. Loch Gruinart isblessed with a well-placed hide where wewatch hundreds of wintering ducks, includ-ing scarcer species such as Gadwall,

Northern Shoveler and Northern Pintail.The drier islands attract wintering CommonSnipe and the uncommon Water Rail. Thesurrounding dykes and damper areas aregood for Western Barn Owl and EurasianWoodcock at dusk, along with the specta-cle of huge flocks of geese coming in toroost.

Ardnave Point, a remote peninsula, jutsout towards Colonsay. The loch often hasWhooper Swans, Common Goldeneye,Tufted Duck and, occasionally, vagrantGreen-winged Teal and Ring-necked Duck.The machair at Ardnave has Red-billedChough and Twite, while Snow Buntingsforage along the sandy shoreline.

Loch Indaal, a large sea loch with mudflats, beaches, rocky promontories andseveral piers, almost severs Islay in two.Greater Scaup are numerous along withsmaller numbers of Great Northern, Red-throated and Black-throated Divers,Slavonian Grebe, Common Scoter, Long-tailed Duck and Common Goldeneye.Rocky beaches and mud flats attract

Isle of Islay

New Year in the Inner Hebrides

TOUR A: Wednesday December 30th2020 – Monday January 4th 2021TOUR B: Tuesday January 26th –Saturday January 30th 2021Leaders: Mark Finn (A) and SimonMcLaughlin (B)Group size: 8Birds: 90-115

Dates

The island of Islay is located in the large and spectacular region of Argyll andBute. Islay is one of the largest islands in the Inner Hebrides chain and is literallyjust to the north-east of Ireland. The mild climate attracts thousands of winteringgeese, mainly Barnacle and the distinctive Greenland race of Greater White-fronted Goose, to the fields and moors. Islay is almost split into two by a large sealoch – Loch Indaal. This in turn is an important wintering area for divers, grebes,seaduck and waders, which are attracted by the mild winter climate.Please note you should arrive in Glasgow on the nights of December 29th2020/January 25th 2021 as departure is early the next day.


Purple Sandpiper, Dunlin, Bar-tailedGodwit and Red Knot. The mud atBridgend is one of the best areas forwaders and we may locate uncommonbirds for Islay including Pink-footed Goose,Pale-bellied Brent Goose, Red-breastedMerganser, Grey Plover and in some win-ters the Icelandic race of Black-tailedGodwit. Near Bridgend the fast-flowingrivers attract Grey Wagtail and occasional-ly White-throated Dipper. A large freshwa-ter loch often holds Little Grebe and thecommoner ducks.

Woodland on Islay is generally stuntedand old, attracting Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits, Eurasian Treecreeper andGoldcrest. In the open fields Fieldfare,Redwing, Mistle and Song Thrushes formlarge flocks before making the short migra-tion across to Ireland.

In the south of Islay we visit the harbourat Port Ellen, which is sheltered from theworst of the elements. This is a reliablearea for wintering Glaucous and IcelandGulls although their numbers vary fromyear to year. The maltings around the coastattract Common Reed Bunting andYellowhammer.

The Mull of Oa is close by. This RSPB

reserve holds important populations ofGolden Eagle and Red-billed Chough,while in recent years it has become a reli-able site for the huge White-tailed Eagle.Islay does have a good track record for rar-ities and we will look for these if they turnup during our stay.

Day 5 (6): Today we take the morningferry back to the mainland at Kennacraigand travel to Glasgow where the tour con-cludes.

Isle of Islay

Tour Price: (A)£1,695 (B)£1,395Single room: £100Deposit: £200

This holiday is fully inclusive ofaccommodation, meals, ferry fares,transport and guidance.

Not included: Accommodation andmeals in Glasgow, insurance anditems of a personal nature. Entry intoRSPB reserves if you are a non-member.

Prices

Greenland White-fronted Geese Photo: Jo Finn


Days 1-2: After leaving Inverness, wepass through Skye and on to the port ofUig. On arrival, we transfer to Balranald,which is situated on the north-west coast ofNorth Uist. The area is made up of croftsthat use traditional farming methods, thusensuring a healthy population of migrantCorncrakes and resident Corn Buntings.Lochs and marshes have Whooper Swan,Eurasian Teal, Gadwall and Tufted Duck.Nesting waders comprise NorthernLapwing, Common Redshank, RingedPlover and Dunlin. Close by, Aird an Runairis an excellent seawatching point, particu-larly in spring when favourable weatherconditions can result in Northern Fulmar,Manx Shearwater, European and Leach’sStorm Petrels and Pomarine Skuas pass-ing offshore. Eurasian Dotterels are occa-sionally seen resting on the machair.Benbecula is situated between the twolarger islands. From the coast road weshould see a variety of species includingRed-necked Phalarope, Common Eider,Long-tailed Duck and, in May, Common,

Arctic and Little Terns along with harassingArctic Skuas. We spend three nights onBenbecula

Day 3: Loch Druidibeg is our destinationtoday – a rather harsh landscape of shal-low lagoons, marshes, machair and dunesystems. On the lagoons we should findBlack-throated Diver, Whooper Swan,Greylag Goose and a wide range of ducks.On surrounding moors we have a chanceof finding Merlin, Short-eared Owl and HenHarrier. Agricultural land around the lochmay have Common Redpoll and Twite. Inthe afternoon, a visit to an indented sealoch with patches of woodland is planned.

Mull, Tiree and the Uists

Springtime on the islands

Sunday May 9th – Sunday May 16th2021Leader: Mark FinnGroup Size: 8 Birds: 120-140

Dates

The islands of Mull and Tiree are situated off the western coast of Scotland inArgyll and Bute. We also visit the rugged and remote Ardnamurchan Peninsula.Tiree is the most westerly of the islands with habitats ranging from machair to lowwet moorlands. The island has significant numbers of nesting ducks, terns andshorebirds, plus a good population of Corncrakes which can number over 300calling males. Mull is a large mountainous island dominated by rugged peaks andindented coastal lochs with White-tailed and Golden Eagles in high densities. Thesea crossing between Oban and Tiree is exceptional for seabirds and cetaceans.The Outer Hebrides, straddling the western coast of Scotland, is an area ofoutstanding natural beauty. This tour visits the remote islands of Barra, North andSouth Uist and Benbecula. Habitat ranges from the wind-lashed west coast toupland moors and bogs and, on the eastern seaboard, indented sea lochs. Inrecent years, the islands have built up a reputation for rare and unusual speciesand extensive coverage has revealed a rich vein of migrants and vagrants. Onrecent tours we have found our clients White-billed Diver, Surf Scoter, Laughingand Bonaparte’s Gulls, Grey and Red-necked Phalaropes, Snowy Owl, Long-tailedand Pomarine Skuas, Black-billed Cuckoo and Red-rumped Swallow.■ This tour starts and finishes in Inverness, which has good flight connectionswith the rest of Britain. Clients should book accommodation in Inverness on thenights of May 8th and 16th. This tour can be combined with the Scottish Highlandstour on page 23.


We have excellent chances of Golden andWhite-tailed Eagles and a range of passer-ines including Willow Warbler and endemicsubspecies of Dunnock and EurasianWren. Nearby, on the Atlantic Ocean coast,sheltered bays and beaches with seaweedattract Pale-bellied Brent Goose and linger-ing Glaucous and Iceland Gulls, whileshorebirds gather in huge concentrations.

Day 4: Morning ferry from Eriksay boundfor Barra, the southernmost island of theWestern Isles. The waters around Barrahave recently been mooted as a potentialmarine reserve as they hold good numbersof Great Northern Diver, Razorbill,Common and Black Guillemots and otherseabirds. Eoligarry is a good spot forGolden Eagle and the adjacent seas usual-ly hold Black-throated and Red-throatedDivers. Barra has a few small reedbedswhich attract Sand Martin, Sedge Warblerand, on occasions, Whinchat. Any standsof mature trees are worth checking onBarra as they often have migrants. Later inthe afternoon, we make the ferry crossingto Tiree, which is our base for two nights.

Day 5: We start our initial exploration of

Tiree with a visit to Loch a’Phuill, a large,shallow lagoon bordered by farmland andflower meadows. Loch a’Phuill often hasCommon Tern, Water Rail, EurasianWigeon, Eurasian Teal, Tufted Duck andrarer breeding species such as NorthernShoveler and Northern Pintail, whilstWhooper Swans occasionally remain overthe summer. On our return to Scarinish, astop at The Reef is productive for flocks ofnorthbound European Golden Plovers andprospecting Arctic Terns. Balephetrish Bayhas Great Northern Diver, Arctic and LittleTerns, Sanderling, Common Ringed Ploverand Ruddy Turnstone. Farmland is animportant habitat on Tiree for nestingCommon Snipe, Northern Lapwing, Dunlin,Common Redshank, Rock Dove, EurasianSkylark, Raven, Hooded Crow, Twite,Common Reed Bunting and substantialnumbers of Corncrakes.Tiree holds around300 pairs of this rare and declining speciesand we have excellent opportunities tolocate one giving its distinctive ’crex-crex’calls during daytime.

Day 6: From Tiree we board a morningferry bound for Oban, our base for the nexttwo nights. Seabirds from the ferry include


Red-necked Phalarope Photo: George Matz


Northern Gannet, Manx Shearwater,European Storm Petrel, Great, Arctic,Pomarine and, occasionally, Long-tailedSkuas, Common Guillemot, Razorbill andAtlantic Puffin. Cetaceans are oftenobserved and Atlantic White-sided Dolphin,Harbour Porpoise and Minke Whale are allpossible, together with the huge BaskingShark. From Oban we head south to LochNell, an enclosed freshwater loch sur-rounded by woodland. On the loch, LittleGrebe and Mute Swan are present with thenearby woodlands alive with the songs ofWillow Warbler, Common Whitethroat,Blackcap and, sometimes, European PiedFlycatcher. Glen Loran is nearby, a site forWhinchat, Grey Wagtail and the highlylocalised Garden Warbler.

Day 7: Oban is the departure point for Mulland we make a day trip to the island.Reaching Mull, we head to Lochdon, asmall shallow sea loch. Common and ArcticTerns fish on the loch edge while residentspecies include Red-breasted Merganserand Common Eider. White-tailed Eagle andCommon Buzzard are frequently seenhunting overhead or sitting in large trees.Passage waders occurring in Lochdon usu-ally include Grey Plover, Sanderling, RedKnot, Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits,Green Sandpiper and Ruff. Glen More is along, wide, open valley flanked by moun-tains and patches of conifer plantations; itis an important area for birds on Mull andan optimum site for upland species. Carefulscrutiny may reveal Golden Eagle, HenHarrier, Short-eared Owl and Raven. Lowerdown in the valley, Eurasian Curlew,

Common Cuckoo, Whinchat, CommonStonechat, Wood Warbler and NorthernWheatear breed. Before returning toCraignure, we visit the capital of Mull –Tobermory. This picturesque town is hometo White-throated Dipper and, on occa-sions, white-winged gulls. Return to Obanfor the night.

Day 8: We leave Oban and head north tothe remote and rugged Ardnamurchanpeninsula. Our main interest isGlenborrowdale, an oak wood with standsof pines and adjacent moors. Typical wood-land species include Common Redstart,Wood Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher. Onthe moors, we may find Golden Eagle, HenHarrier, European Golden Plover, RingOuzel and Whinchat. We return toInverness in the late afternoon where thetour concludes.


Tour Price: £1,995Single room: £100Deposit: £200

This holiday is fully inclusive ofaccommodation, meals, ferry fares,complimentary transport andguidance.

Not included: insurance and itemsof a personal nature. Entry intoRSPB reserves if you are a non-member.

Prices

Ruddy TurnstonePhoto: Jo Finn


Northern Scotland and the Highlands

Day 1: Arrive at our home, which is situat-ed on the Black Isle and overlooks theRSPB reserve of Udale Bay. Feeders haveEurasian Siskin and Eurasian TreeSparrow while lingering migrants includeBarn Swallow, Common Chiffchaff andNorthern Wheatear. Common Linnet, Twiteand Yellowhammer occur on the entrancetrack. In Udale Bay we may find SlavonianGrebe and Greater Scaup. Charonry Pointis excellent for viewing seabirds in the rightconditions. If winds are favourable we mayobserve Great and Arctic Skuas, Common,Arctic and Sandwich Terns, Razorbill andCommon Guillemot, along with the mostnortherly Bottle-nosed Dolphins in Britain.

Day 2: Wester Ross is our destination, anarea of huge bays and low cliffs huggingthe Atlantic Ocean. Before reaching thewest coast we visit the remote village ofApplecross. Our main interest here is low-level Rock Ptarmigan which reside on theboulder fields. Further along the coast, avillage has White-tailed Eagles. Gairlochand Rubha Reidh hug the rocky coastlineof Wester Ross with the former holdingconcentrations of Black-throated Diversand other seabirds. Rubha Reidh is a notedseawatching point and, if the winds arewesterly, we expect a wide range ofseabirds. Poolewe attracts waders at high

tide including Common Greenshank.Further along the coast, fields regularlyhost Greylag Goose and Twite.

Day 3: Today we visit Abernethy Forest, areserve of Caledonian pines interspersedwith lochs. Our main interest is to observeWestern Capercaillie, a rare and decliningspecies. In the pinewoods we mayencounter Eurasian Woodcock, Coal andCrested Tits, Eurasian Treecreeper,Eurasian Bullfinch, and Scottish and ParrotCrossbills. Later in the day, we venture intothe Cairngorm Mountains for RockPtarmigan, Red Grouse and Snow Bunting.A stop at the Ness Islands in Inverness ismade for Common Merganser, White-throated Dipper and Grey Wagtail.

Day 4: A change of scenery today as wehead to Caithness and visit Noss Head andDunnet Bay, two migration hot-spots. AtNoss Head, bushes and shrubs around the

Autumn in the Highlands

Saturday September 18th – SaturdaySeptember 25th 2021Leader: Mark FinnGroup size: 7 Birds: 120-140

Dates

Autumn birding in the highlands of Scotland is an exciting and rewardingexperience. Our base on the Black Isle gives easy and quick access to the majorbirdwatching areas of northern Scotland and Speyside. During the week, we visitthe Cairngorm Mountains in search of Rock Ptarmigan and Snow Bunting. It isalso an optimum time to visit Caledonian pine forests for Western Capercaillie andparties of Crested Tit. Other specialities which are easier to see in Septemberinclude Black Grouse, Scottish and Parrot Crossbills and the first winter thrushesof the autumn. On the Moray Firth and North Sea coasts, the main arrival of geeseand ducks starts along with good seabird passage in north-easterly to south-easterly winds. If the former are blowing we expect Sooty Shearwater, Great andArctic Skuas and possibly rarer species in the form of Pomarine Skua andSabine’s Gull. Coastal scrub and bushes along the east coast often lure migrantsat this time of the year.■ This tour can be combined with the Western Isles on page 30



lighthouse are attractive to Ring Ouzel,Whinchat, Common Stonechat, Blackcap,Common Whitethroat, Willow Warbler andEuropean Pied and Spotted Flycatchers.Rarer migrants regularly appear includingWryneck, Bluethroat, Red-breastedFlycatcher and Yellow-browed Warbler.Dunnet Bay is further west, attracting gullswhich have included Mediterranean,Sabine’s and Bonaparte’s in recent years.Within the bay we may see the first return-ing Common Scoter and Long-tailed Duck.St John’s Loch is a privately run naturereserve attracting wildfowl and terns. Onour return south, we visit Embo and LochFleet for waders and wildfowl.

Day 5: Corrimony is our first stop today. Onthis remote reserve of woodland and moorsour main interest is in locating BlackGrouse which finds a stronghold here. NearDingwall we visit a private estate forCommon and Scottish Crossbills andLesser Redpoll. On our return to the BlackIsle, a river complex may have Red Kite,Western Osprey and migrant shorebirds.Depending on tides, a visit to Udale Bay isplanned. Shorebirds here include Bar-tailed Godwit, Red Knot and Dunlin. Pink-footed Goose, Eurasian Wigeon andEurasian Teal numbers increase inSeptember and attract hunting PeregrineFalcons.

Day 6: Today we travel to the coastaltowns of Lossiemouth and Burghead in

Moray. Burghead Bay attracts Long-tailedDuck, Common and Velvet Scoters and, inrecent years, Surf Scoter. Along the shoreArctic and Sandwich Terns may be present.The rocky foreshore at Burghead often hasPurple Sandpiper. Lossimouth is reliablefor gulls, terns and waders including LittleStint, Curlew Sandpiper and CommonGreenshank. Nearby Loch Spynie haswaterbirds, migrant passerines and thepossibility of Eurasian Otter.

Day 7: We travel to Easter Ross and visitPortmahomack for Purple Sandpiper andRuddy Turnstone. Close by is Tarbat Ness,an important migration point. From thepoint we should see Red-throated andBlack-throated Divers, Red-breastedMerganser, Common Eider, CommonScoter and Long-tailed Duck. Stubble fieldsregularly attract Whooper Swan, migrantgeese, Peregrine Falcon and Merlin. Ifwinds are from an easterly direction, SootyShearwater, Great, Arctic and PomarineSkuas and large numbers of auks occur.We end the day at Nigg Bay for Black-tailedand Bar-tailed Godwits, Red Knot andother wildfowl and waders.

Day 8: Depending on flight and traveltimes, a visit to the Black Isle Forest isplanned for woodland birds includingCommon and Scottish Crossbills, CrestedTit and Lesser Redpoll.

Tour Price: £1,095Single room: No ChargeDeposit: £150

This holiday is fully inclusive ofaccommodation, meals,complimentary pre-dinner drinks andwine at Cygnus House,complimentary transport and anyboat fees.

Not included: insurance and itemsof a personal nature. Entry intoRSPB reserves if you are a non-member. Drinks purchased in hotelsaway from Cygnus House.

Prices

Rock Ptarmigan Photo: Bob Martinka



Day 1: Travel to Cygnus House, our homewhich is situated on the Black Isle andoverlooks the RSPB reserve of Udale Bay.Depending on tides, we check Udale Bayfor wildfowl, waders, gulls and terns. Flocksof Pink-footed Geese linger into early Maybefore embarking on their long flight toIceland. Feeders have Eurasian Siskin andEurasian Tree Sparrow while migrantsinclude Barn Swallow, Common HouseMartin, Common Grasshopper and SedgeWarblers, Common Whitethroat andCommon Cuckoo. Northern Wheatear,Common Linnet, Common Reed Buntingand Yellowhammer occur on the entrancetrack. In the evening we have a very goodchance of observing Pine Marten andBadger.

Day 2: Wester Ross is our destination, anarea of huge bays and low cliffs huggingthe Atlantic Ocean. En route we stop forSlavonian Grebe, Red Kite and wildfowl.Along the valley bottom, lochans andmarshes may have Whooper Swan,Eurasian Wigeon, Common Scoter andWood Sandpiper. Our journey takes us toremote areas of Wester Ross with breeding

Golden and White-tailed Eagles, and LochEwe where the sea loch attracts Red-throated and Black-throated Divers, auksand Arctic Terns. Poolewe often hasEurasian Whimbrel, Dunlin, CommonGreenshank and other waders, plus thepossibility of Otter. Nearby, an isolated vil-lage is reliable for Northern Gannet,Northern Fulmar, European Golden Plover,gulls, Fieldfare, Redwing, White Wagtailand Twite.

Day 3: A visit to Strathconon for CommonSandpiper and Northern Wheatear, whilethe birch woodlands hold Blackcap andWood and Willow Warblers. Later in themorning we visit a private estate which has

Spring in the Highlands

TOUR A: Sunday April 18th –Sunday April 25th 2021TOUR B: Saturday May 1st –Saturday May 8th 2021Leader: Mark FinnGroup size: 7 Birds: 125-145

Dates

Birding in springtime in the highlands of Scotland is an exciting and rewardingexperience. Our base on the Black Isle gives easy and quick access to the majorbirdwatching areas of northern Scotland including Speyside. Cygnus House andthe adjacent fields, shore and woodland have so far recorded 157 species of birdssince 2003. During your stay we visit the Cairngorm Mountains in search of RockPtarmigan, Snow Bunting and Eurasian Dotterel. Nearby, the ancient Caledonianpine forests host Western Capercaillie and a wide range of breeding and residentspecies. During the spring, we embark on Black Grouse safaris, and further northvisit the flow country of Caithness and Sutherland for waders, owls and harriers.On the west coast, interesting species include Great Northern, Red-throated andBlack-throated Divers, White-tailed Eagle and, from late April, Corncrake. Theseabird colonies on Handa are busy from April. During spring rare migrants areregularly found and highlights on previous tours have included White-billed Diver,Ring-billed Gull, Blue-winged and Green-winged Teals, Smew, King Eider, SnowyOwl, European Bee-eater, Eurasian Hoopoe and Great Grey Shrike.■ Please note the following itinerary is subject to change due to tides and otherfactors.■ Tour B can be combined with Mull, Tiree and The Uists on page 18.



Common and Scottish Crossbills and onoccasions Parrot Crossbill. We traveltowards Bonar Bridge for Common andRed-breasted Mergansers. The moors andbirch forest beyond offer us Red Grouse,Hen Harrier, Tree Pipit and Whinchat. LochFleet is reliable for Western Osprey, ducksand waders. Embo is close by with an oldjetty and rocks which attract waders at hightide including Purple Sandpiper, Red Knotand Sanderling. We end the day at NiggBay for Black-tailed Godwit, EurasianWhimbrel and other wildfowl and waders.

Day 4: A change of scenery today as wehead into Sutherland and to the island ofHanda. Our journey takes us past lochswith Black-throated Diver. Beyond Ullapool,the scenery becomes more dramatic androcky. Handa is accessed by boat fromTarbat. On arrival, we walk around theisland on boardwalks and footpaths.Moorland sectors have impressive num-bers of Great and Arctic Skuas, CommonSnipe and Common Stonechat. Handa,however, is famous for breeding seabirds

on its high vertical sandstone cliffs. We canexpect Northern Fulmar, Black-leggedKittiwake, Common Guillemot, Razorbilland Atlantic Puffin. After leaving Handa wehead to Durness, the most north-westerlyvillage in mainland Britain. After dinner wecan check meadows for callingCorncrakes, while on the beach we mayfind migrant Black-tailed Godwit andSanderling along with Barnacle and Pink-footed Geese and Whooper Swan. Raritiesand scarcities occur on a regular basis atDurness, with Little Stint, Western YellowWagtail, Ring-necked Duck and CommonCrane all seen in recent years.Accommodation for the night is at Durness.

Day 5: Loch Eriboll is our first destination.This large sea loch holds Great Northernand Red-throated Divers in summerplumage and, on recent tours, White-billedDiver. Nearby, the Hope Valley is reliable forGolden Eagle and Redwing. We follow thecoast, stopping at Dunnet Bay, a regularhaunt of divers, Long-tailed Duck, GreaterScaup, Great and Arctic Skuas and

Atlantic Puffins Photo: Jo Finn


Sandwich Tern. St John’s Pool is a produc-tive area for birds, attracting Sandwich,Arctic and Common Terns, EurasianWhimbrel and scarce breeding ducks ofnorthern Scotland including Gadwall andNorthern Shoveler. Unusual species onrecent visits have been Garganey, LesserScaup and Ring-necked Duck. In late Aprilwe may find lingering Greenland White-fronted Geese. Later, we travel toBroubster Leans, located in the flow coun-try of Caithness, where we shouldencounter Hen Harrier, Short-eared Owl,European Golden Plover and Dunlin.Return to the Black Isle with stops fordivers, ducks and Common Scoter on loch-side pools.

Day 6: Nairn is our destination today,where the deep waters of the CromartyFirth attract migrant seaduck includingLong-tailed Duck and in recent years KingEider. Portsoy is further east inAberdeenshire and is a regular and reliableplace for migrating White-billed Divers.Lossiemouth often has shorebirds includ-ing Red Knot and Sanderling, andSandwich Tern fishing in the bay. LochSpynie is a new reserve managed by theRSPB which often attracts interesting birdsin the spring. Later in the day, we ventureinto the Findhorn Valley for PeregrineFalcon, Golden Eagle and EuropeanGolden Plover. White-throated Dipperoccurs in the boulder-strewn rivers, whilealong the Farr Road we may find Merlinand parties of Red Grouse.

Day 7: Corrimony is our first stop today. Onthis remote reserve of woodland and moorsour main interest is in locating BlackGrouse which finds a stronghold here. Afterbreakfast we make a visit to the CairngormMountains. *Recent changes have permit-ted us to walk out from the PtarmiganRestaurant which is accessed by the funic-ular railway to search for Rock Ptarmigan,Ring Ouzel, Eurasian Dotterel and SnowBunting in the boulder fields. At AbernethyForest, a reserve of Caledonian pines inter-spersed with lochs, our main interest is toobserve the rare and declining WesternCapercaillie, and we may encounter Coaland Crested Tits, Eurasian Treecreeper,Tree Pipit and Common Redstart. Nestingboxes on the lochs lure CommonGoldeneye while Greylag Goose andCommon Merganser are regularlyobserved.

Day 8: Depending on flight and traveltimes, a visit to the Black Isle Forest isplanned for woodland birds including RedKite, Common and Scottish Crossbills,Crested Tit and Lesser Redpoll.

*At the time of writing the railway is beingrepaired and may not be open in 2021. Ifthis is the case we have alternative sites forthe mountain birds mentioned.


Tour Price: £1,195 Single Room: No ChargeDeposit: £150

This holiday is fully inclusive ofaccommodation, meals,complimentary pre-dinner drinks andwine at Cygnus House and Durness,complimentary transport, Cairngormrailway and any boat fees.

Not included: insurance and itemsof a personal nature. Entry intoRSPB reserves if you are a non-member. Drinks purchased in hotelsaway from Cygnus House.

Prices

Black Grouse Photo: Jo Finn


Days 1-3: These three days have beenset aside to explore the extreme north ofShetland with visits to the islands of Fetlar,Yell and Unst from our base at Saxa Vord.Our birding adventure starts in Unst, themost northerly of the islands, and we con-centrate on the sycamore plantations andgardens at Norwick, Uyeasound andBaltasound. Recent visits have producedsightings of Lesser Whitethroat, EasternYellow and Citrine Wagtails, Blyth’s ReedWarbler and Barred Warbler. There isalways something unexpected with thepossibility of Snowy Owl or a vagrant waderfrom North America. Yell is the secondlargest of the islands, with Yell Sound beingimportant for passage and wintering birdsincluding Common Eider and Long-tailedDuck. Fetlar is a compact island where asearch of gardens and crofts may be pro-ductive for migrants. Recent sightings have

included Greater Short-toed Lark,Hawfinch, Olive-backed Pipit and GreenishWarbler. Falls of Redwing and Fieldfare arealso possible and there is an outsidechance of finding a Ring Ouzel during ourvisit.

Days 4-7: Travel south to our base atSumburgh Head, which is ideally situatedfor visiting the southern half of MainlandShetland. The hotel gardens often havemigrants and the area is a rarity hot-spotitself. Our precise plan is dependent on theprevailing weather conditions and news ofrecent arrivals. We visit a number of sites inthe southern part of Mainland. SumburghHead and Grutness are well known formigrants, which may include SiberianStonechat, wheatears, Marsh Warbler,Richard’s Pipit, Red-backed Shrike andEurasian Wryneck. Open ground and stonewalls are important for tired migrants andwe search these for anything of interest,especially warblers, thrushes and flycatch-ers.

Pool of Virkie attracts waders with Black-tailed Godwit and Curlew Sandpiper beingregular visitors and occasional raritiesincluding the odd red-letter bird such asKilldeer. Nearby gardens lure migrants and

Shetland

Autumn migration in the Northern Isles

Saturday October 2nd – SaturdayOctober 9th 2021Leader: Simon McLaughlinGroup Size: 8Birds: 100-120

Dates

The remote archipelago of the Shetland Islands is closer to Norway than theScottish mainland and is ideally placed to receive autumn migrants from Asia andNorth America. The islands are around 90 miles in length and connected by agood inter-island ferry system. To make best use of our time we have two baseson the islands: on Unst in the far north, and Mainland, which covers the southernpart of Shetland.■ Please note you should arrive on Shetland on October 1st.

Arctic Warbler Photo: Jo Finn


vagrants such as Western Bonelli’sWarbler. Virkie willows are a reliable spotfor Yellow-browed Warbler, a regularautumn migrant on the islands. They areoften joined by other scarce migrants in theform of Barred and Icterine Warblers, Red-backed Shrike and Common Rosefinch.Rarer species noted in recent years includeLanceolated and Arctic Warblers, Red-flanked Bluetail and Great Snipe. QuendaleMill with its habitat of damp vegetation cansometimes be good for warblers, withrecent records of River and Sykes’s.

Places such as Scatness, Exnaboe andToab are locations likely to be on the agen-da for interesting migrants. Many of thespecies associated with Fair Isle are possi-ble, and mouth-watering rarities oftenappear at these locations during theautumn. Rarer species seen in this areahave included Pallid Harrier, Buff-breastedSandpiper and Citrine Wagtail. Loch ofSpiggie attracts wildfowl includingCommon Goldeneye, Eurasian Wigeon,Whooper Swan, Greylag Geese and in2018 Pied-billed Grebe and Lesser Scaup.

We also explore other locations furthernorth on Mainland, with the plantations ofKergord, Vidlin and Voe having more coverthan much of Shetland and hence often

encouraging tired migrants to linger a littlelonger. Recent visits have produced Long-eared Owl, Brambling and Red-breastedFlycatcher. The numerous mussel farmsattract Slavonian Grebe, Long-tailed Duck,Red-breasted Merganser, Common Eiderand recently also Surf Scoter and KingEider.

Day 8: The tour concludes after breakfastin order to catch connecting flights back tomainland UK.

Shetland

Ground Price: £1,795Single room: £100Deposit: £200

This holiday is fully inclusive ofaccommodation, meals,complimentary transport, permit fees,guidance, tips and taxes.

Not included: travel to and fromShetland, accommodation inShetland on October 1st, drinks,insurance, and items of a personalnature.

Prices

Long-eared Owl Photo: Jo Finn


Day 1: Our journey commences in Lerwickand follows a northerly route to Yell, thesecond largest of the islands. Yell is pre-dominately low lying with tracts of moor-land, bogs and lochans. Breeding birdsinclude Red-throated Diver, Red-breastedMerganser, Common Eider and CommonSnipe. Unst is reached by crossingBluemull Sound, where our accommoda-tion is located at Saxa Vord.

Days 2-3: On one day we visit the cliffs ofHermaness which overlook Muckle Fluggaand Out Stack, the most northerly points ofthe British Isles. Walking along the coastalpath we should encounter typical breedingbirds of Unst including Dunlin, European

Golden Plover Eurasian Whimbrel andGreat Skua. Passerines are few but includesmall numbers of Northern Wheatear andTwite. On reaching the cliffs we witness oneof the largest seabird colonies in Britainwith substantial numbers of NorthernGannet, Northern Fulmar, Black-leggedKittiwake, Common Guillemot, Razorbilland large populations of Atlantic Puffin.Any patch of sycamores and gardens onUnst often hold late migrants with recentvisits recording Marsh and IcterineWarblers and Red-backed Shrike. Onanother day we visit Fetlar on one of themany inter-island ferries. Fetlar is famousfor Red-necked Phalaropes and we shouldget excellent views of them ’spinning’around on the lochans. Fetlar is also pro-ductive for breeding Northern Lapwing,Eurasian Oystercatcher, Eurasian Curlewand Arctic Skua. Along the coast Arctic andCommon Terns occur, whilst the openmoors and cliffs attract Peregrine Falcon,Merlin and Rock Dove.

Days 4-7: On Day 4 we return south toMainland using the inter-island ferrieswhich give us a chance of locating sum-mering Great Northern Diver, Long-tailedDuck and colonising Whooper Swans.Sumburgh Head is in the southern sectorof Mainland and famous for its many rare

Shetland

Breeding birds and latemigrants of Northern Isles

Saturday June 12th – Saturday June19th 2021Leader: Simon McLaughlinGroup Size: 8Birds: 75-100

Dates

Shetland is closer to Norway than mainland Scotland and these isolated andwindswept islands offer some exceptional breeding birds. Our tour is based in twoareas, starting at Unst, the most northerly point in the British Isles, and continuingto Mainland where the capital Lerwick is located.■ Clients should arrive on Shetland on June 11th.

Common Rosefinch Photo: Jo Finn


bird sightings and seabird passage.Offshore we may find a late Pomarine orLong-tailed Skua. On recent June visits toMainland we have recorded EurasianHobby, Western Osprey, European HoneyBuzzard, Iceland and Glaucous Gulls,Common Crane, Common Quail andBlack-headed Bunting. There are manyareas to visit in Mainland in a compactarea, such as Lerwick Harbour where fish-ing boats attract gulls including Glaucousand the harbour itself is home to BlackGuillemots. On one evening we take a boattrip to the island of Moussa and its 2000-year-old brock. As darkness falls the brockcomes alive with the churring noise ofEuropean Storm Petrels which breed with-in the walls. The island of Noss is situatedoff the east coast and is famous for itsseabird colonies. The best way to view thebirds is by boat which circumnavigates theisland to give us excellent views. In additionto the birds at Hermaness we should haveclose views of European Shag, GreatBlack-backed Gull and Northern Raven. In

the nooks and crannies of the rocks bothRock Pipit and the endemic subspecies ofEurasian Wren breed.

Day 8: Transfer to the airport and flightssouth to mainland UK.

Shetland


This holiday is fully inclusive ofaccommodation, meals,complimentary transport, permit fees,guidance, tips and taxes.

Not included: travel to and fromShetland, accommodation inShetland on June 11th, drinks,insurance, and items of a personalnature.

Prices

Northern Gannets Photo: Simon Papps


Day 1: Morning departure from Inverness,passing over Skye to Uig for a ferry cross-ing to Lochmaddy on North Uist. En routewe make a short stop at Broadford Bay onSkye, which is one of the few areas withextensive areas of mud and grass islands.Waders may be numerous and we will beon the lookout for rare migrants which inrecent years have included Little Stint andCurlew Sandpiper. The bay is also a regu-lar stopping off point for Pale-bellied BrentGeese and overhead skeins of Pink-footedGeese heading east and south. As ourjourney passes through the mountains, it ispossible to have views of both eagles andother raptors. On arrival in North Uist, wecheck Vallay Strand, a huge inter-tidal area,for waders and wildfowl and the possibilityof American vagrants. Transfer to our baseon Benbecula for four nights.

Days 2-3: The Uists have a range of habi-tats, from shallow lagoons, marshes,machair and dune systems to the open seaand sandy beaches. Our main interest is inlocating migrants from Europe and NorthAmerica. In recent years The Range and

nearby Loch Bee have hosted Pectoral,Buff-breasted and White-rumpedSandpipers and Grey and Wilson’sPhalaropes. On lochs and sheltered seabays, we may find Great Northern, Red-throated and Black-throated Divers and awide range of ducks including Long-tailedDuck, Greater Scaup and CommonGoldeneye. The return passage of waderscomprises Purple Sandpiper, Red Knot,Dunlin, Sanderling and Ruddy Turnstone.On surrounding moors and high peaks, wehave a chance of finding White-tailed andGolden Eagles, Peregrine Falcon, Merlin,Short-eared Owl and Hen Harrier.Agricultural land holds Twite, Snow Buntingand, sometimes, Lapland Bunting. RubhaArdvule is a noted seawatching point in

Western Isles

Autumn Migrants on the edge of Europe

Sunday September 26th – SaturdayOctober 2nd 2021Leaders: Mark Finn Group Size: 8 Birds: 100-120

Dates

The Outer Hebrides, straddling the western coast of Scotland, is an area ofoutstanding natural beauty. This tour visits Lewis and Harris in the north and thesouthern islands of North and South Uist, Benbecula and Barra. Habitat rangesfrom the wind-lashed west coast to upland moors and bogs and, on the easternseaboard, indented sea lochs. In recent years, the islands have built up areputation for rare and unusual species. Extensive coverage of the islands hasalso revealed a rich vein of migrants and vagrants from North America. Anythingcan and does turn up on these remote islands. On recent tours we have found ourclients White-billed Diver, Surf Scoter, Laughing and Bonaparte’s Gulls, Grey andRed-necked Phalaropes, Snowy Owl, Long-tailed and Pomarine Skuas and Red-rumped Swallow. If wind conditions are favourable, we can expect close views ofLeach’s Storm Petrel, Sabine’s Gull and rare waterbirds from North America;Lesser Yellowlegs, Pectoral and Buff-breasted Sandpipers, Long-billed Dowitcher,American Coot, Lesser Scaup and Ring-necked Duck have been seen regularly inrecent years.

This tour starts and finishes in Inverness, which has good flight connections withthe rest of Britain. Clients should book accommodation in Inverness on the nightsof September 25th and October 2nd. The tour can be combined with our ScottishHighlands autumn tour on page 21


westerly winds, providing close views ofseabirds including Leach’s Storm Petreland, on occasions, Sooty Shearwater andSabine’s Gull. Various lochs may haveWhooper Swan and other wildfowl, includ-ing American Wigeon and Ring-neckedDuck in recent autumns. Stands of bushesmay harbour migrants and occasional rari-ties. Loch Aynort has mature trees, a rarehabitat on the lower islands. Carefulsearching in the right weather conditionsmay reveal the presence of EurasianWryneck, Spotted and European PiedFlycatchers, Willow Warbler, Blackcap,Goldcrest, Common Redpoll, CommonCrossbill and the local races of Dunnockand Eurasian Wren.

Day 4: Today a day trip is planned to theisland of Barra, which is the most southernof the Western Isles. In recent years theisland has built up a reputation for attract-ing rare birds from North America and Asia.Any patch of bushes or trees are worthchecking for regular migrants includingYellow-browed Warbler, European Pied andRed-breasted Flycatchers and, perhaps,European Turtle Dove and Wood Warbler.Rarities have included a Blyth’s ReedWarbler in 2019. In addition to thesespecies, Barra holds reasonable numbersof Golden and White-tailed Eagles, whilstthe sheltered bays attract divers and sea-ducks.

Days 5-6: Travel to North Uist and crossthe Sound of Harris into Lewis and Harris.Our main destination is the Butt of Lewisand its adjacent fields, lochs and scrub.Seabirds we may encounter from the ’Butt’include Manx and Sooty Shearwaters,European and Leach’s Storm Petrels,Sabine’s Gull, Great and Arctic Skuas and,possibly, Cory’s and Great Shearwaters.Nearby fields sometimes attract vagrantsincluding, in recent years, AmericanGolden Plover, Pectoral and Buff-breastedSandpipers and Ruff among the hundredsof European Golden Plovers. Passerinesare few but may include migrant Snow andLapland Buntings. The harbour atStornoway attracts gulls and has the possi-bility of Glaucous and Iceland Gulls. To thenorth of the town a small freshwater reser-voir attracts Long-tailed Duck, whilst off-shore we have good chances of findingskuas and other seabirds in onshore winds.On the morning of Day 6 we check thegrounds of Stornoway Castle for anyrecently arrived migrants. The remainder ofthe day is spent exploring sites along theexposed western shore of Lewis. Raremigrants are always possible; in recentyears these have included Barred Warbler,Citrine Wagtail, Isabelline Shrike andEurasian Wryneck. If the wind is blowingonshore, we have further opportunities towatch southbound seabirds from the Buttof Lewis.

Day 7: Morning ferry to Ullapool, sea-watching en route. Transfer to Invernesswhere the tour concludes later in the day.

Western Isles

Ground Price: £1,795Single room: No Charge Deposit: £200

This holiday is fully inclusive ofaccommodation, meals, guidance,tips, taxes, transport and ferry fares.

Not included: insurance, drinks anditems of a personal nature.

Prices

Great Northern Diver Photo: Simon Papps


Days 1-2: Fly to Addis Ababa, with arrivalearly the next day. Transfer to the city cen-tre for a night’s stay. In the afternoon a visitto the grounds of the Ghion Hotel whereour first Ethiopian birds await us, includingNyanza Swift, Black-winged Lovebird,Abyssinian Slaty Flycatcher, MountainThrush, Tacazze Sunbird and StreakySeedeater.

Day 3: On our departure from AddisAbaba, we explore the Suluta Plain, animportant habitat for Blue-winged Goose,Wattled Ibis and Spot-breasted Lapwing.The monastery of Debre Libanos is adja-cent to mature woodland holding BandedBarbet, African Lemon Dove and White-

cheeked Turaco. Nearby, a gorge attractsWhite-winged and Mocking Cliff Chats,Rüppell’s Black Chat and, in scrubbyareas, Erckel’s Francolin. Night in Fiche.

Day 4: A visit to the Jemma Valley whichholds Harwood’s Francolin, a rareEthiopian endemic. The cliffs and boulder-strewn slopes of the Jemma Valley haveWhite-billed Starling, Stone Partridge andthe rare Salvadori’s Serin. In gorges withsmall bushes, we hope to locate FoxyCisticola, Speckle-fronted Weaver andBlack-throated Firefinch. Further down thevalley exposed cliffs hold White-wingedCliff Chat, Little Rock Thrush, LesserStriped Swallow, Cinnamon-breastedBunting and Abyssinian Wheatear. Alongthe Jemma River, a tributary of the WhiteNile, fruiting trees lure Lesser Honeyguide,Northern Crombec, Vitteline MaskedWeaver and Yellow-spotted and SahelBush Sparrows. Transfer to Lemi for thenight.

Days 5-6: Today we head to Debre Birhan,travelling through farmland that holdsEgyptian Vulture, Tawny and SteppeEagles, Pallid and Montagu’s Harriers, Fan-

Ethiopia

Birds and wildlife of the Rift Valley

Friday November 26th – WednesdayDecember 15th 2021Leaders: Mark Finn and local guidesGroup Size: 8 Birds: 390-450

Dates

Ethiopia is located in north-eastern Africa, a mountainous country with the GreatRift Valley being a prominent feature. Our tour covers the migration period whenbird activity and migration is at its peak. A highlight of Ethiopia is the remote andbeautiful Bale Mountains National Park, home to Ethiopian Wolf. This tourpromises outstanding birding and sightings of rare mammals in the EthiopianHighlands.■ The itinerary is sometimes subject to change. This tour may depart one dayearlier/later due to flight schedules from the UK.

Abdims Stork Photo: Jo Finn


tailed Raven and wintering Red-throatedPipits. On arrival at Debre Birhan, weexplore the road to Ankober. On lowerfields we can expect Augur Buzzard,Lesser Kestrel, White-collared Pigeon,Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Fiscal,Western Yellow Wagtail and OrtolanBunting. Livestock attract Hooded, White-backed and Bearded Vultures. BeyondDebre Birhan the road rises over a fewkilometres until it reaches the rocky outcropof Gemessa Gadal - an area for AnkoberSerin, Rock Martin and singing CinnamonBracken Warbler. Driving along old AnkoberRoad the grassy habitats often have Red-breasted Wheatear, GroundscraperThrush, Ethiopian Siskin, EthiopianLongclaw, Red-billed Oxpecker, AfricanStonechat, Yellow-crowned and YellowBishops and Ethiopian Cisticola.

Days 7-8: Transfer to Awash National Parkand explore acacia scrub and riversidecampgrounds. The former has White-head-

ed Buffalo Weaver and Nile Valley Sunbird.Along the river we can expect Bruce’sGreen Pigeon, Nubian and BeardedWoodpeckers and Sulphur-breastedBushshrike. As dusk starts to fall, weshould locate Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse,Arabian, Kori, Black-bellied and Buff-crest-ed Bustards and, if we are lucky, the rareHartlaub’s Bustard. On Day 8 we visit AliDege, an area of plains habitat with a fewclumps of trees and cover, which hasSomali Ostrich and wintering Montagu’sand Pallid Harriers. The acacia bushes andadjacent bare ground attract Woodchat andGreat Grey Shrikes, Tawny Pipit andChestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark. Ali Dege isalso a reliable place to see Secretarybird,Arabian Bustard, Black-winged andScissor-tailed Kites, Taita and SomaliFiscals, Northern White-crowned Shrikeand Gillett’s Lark. A return to AwashNational Park for White-bellied Go-away-bird, Crested Francolin and along the riveredge Pied, Great and Grey-headed

Ethiopia

Secretarybird Photo: Jo Finn


Kingfishers, Striated Heron and EasternPlantain-eater.

Day 9-10: Lake Betakes is surrounded bylava fields and isolated trees. Our maininterest is the lava fields which attractWestern Osprey, Pied and IsabellineWheatears, Beautiful, Variable and NileValley Sunbirds and Blackstart. This area isalso home to Sombre Rock Chat, a little-known endemic. Travel to Lake Langanowhere the grounds of the hotel are excel-lent for birds, including migrants fromEurope and Asia. A steep escarpment hasLittle Rock Thrush whilst scrubby patcheshave Boran Cisticola and Rüppell’s andLesser Masked Weavers. Langano Lodgeis an excellent place to stay and birdwatcharound the extensive grounds. AfricanHoopoe and Marico and Scarlet-chestedSunbirds occur around the reception area.A walk down towards the lake shore mayproduce Mocking Cliff Chat, Red-wingedStarling, Heuglin’s White-eye, RattlingCisticola, Little and Vitteline MaskedWeavers. The gardens at the bottom of theroad often have Red-throated Wryneck,Little Swift, African Thrush, Orange-belliedParrot, Grey-headed Batis, Plain Martinand Grey-backed Fiscal.

Day 11: Bale Mountains National Park isour destination. En route we pass throughfarmland used for cereal production andsheep grazing. Birds of prey can be numer-ous, including Eastern Imperial Eagle,Lanner Falcon and Lesser Kestrel. Grassverges attract White-collared Pigeon,Ethiopian Longclaw, Red-breastedWheatear and Alpine Chat, whilst scrubholds Moorland and Chestnut-napedFrancolins and Cinnamon Bracken Warbler.In the juniper forest of Dinsho we expect tofind Abyssinian and African Wood Owls,White-backed Black Tit, Abyssinian GroundThrush, Brown Parisoma, MalachiteSunbird and Abyssinian Siskin. Goba is ourbase for a two-night stay.

Day 12: Beyond Goba is an extensivestand of juniper forest, home to AbyssinianCatbird, Abyssinian Slaty Flycatcher,African, Abyssinian and Bare-facedThrushes, Abyssinian Woodpecker and the

endemic subspecies of Brown WoodlandWarbler. In the park itself, pools attract rem-nant populations of Ruddy Shelduck,Wattled Crane and the endemic Rouget’sRail. Our main objective is to find and studyEthiopian Wolves hunting for mole rats.Less than 600 of these impressive animalssurvive. Later in the day we return to Goba,revisiting the forest for Tacazze andMalachite Sunbirds. Fields in and aroundGoba attract Black-winged Lapwing,Erlanger’s Lark and GroundscraperThrush.

Day 13: Today we cross the BaleMountains en route to Negele in easternEthiopia. Our main interest is the HarennaForest which holds the rare African White-winged Dove, Mountain Buzzard, RameronPigeon, Narina Trogon and African Citril.The habitat changes to acacia and desert-like conditions with patches of trees holdingthe spectacular Ruspoli’s Turaco, JubaWeaver and Brown-rumped Bunting. Twonights in Negele.

Day 14: Early start to visit the Liben Plainswhich hold several interesting birds of dry,open country. This is a protected areaalthough it suffers from over-grazing bylivestock. On the plain we should find thescarce Archer’s Lark, Somali Lark, TawnyPipit, Temminck’s Courser and KoriBustard. Birds occurring around farmsinclude White-crowned and SuperbStarlings and Cut-throat Finch. Darusalemis a small village with a habitat of acacia,farmland and rocky slopes. The acaciaattracts Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Shelley’sStarling, Dodson’s Bulbul, Yellow-belliedEremomela, Purple Grenadier, Salvadori’sSeedeater and Somali Bunting.

Days 15-16: Transfer to Yabelo, an impor-tant junction town in the middle of a redsandstone landscape dotted with termitemounds and acacia trees. Around the hotelcomplex, Red-winged and White-crownedStarlings nest in old buildings. On Day 15we head south of Yabelo to an area of cliffsto search for the recently described Black-faced Francolin. In the cliffs Verreaux’sEagles hunt the local Rock Hyrax for food.The river area is productive for Abyssinian

Ethiopia


Ground Hornbill, African Hoopoe, Red-fronted Tinkerbird and Rattling Cisticola.Bare areas with bushes are favoured byLong-billed Pipit and Sulphur-breastedBushshrike. Other species we may seeinclude Rufous Chatterer, Red-headedWeaver and Singing Cisticola. Along the ElSoad road several spectacular birds occur,notably the charismatic Stresemann’sBushcrow and parties of colourful VulturineGuineafowl. Acacias attract Pygmy Falcon,Grey Wren-Warbler, Shelley’s, Magpie andGolden-breasted Starlings, Red-and-yel-low Barbet and Black-billed Woodhoopoe.The plain also has Pygmy Falcon, CrownedLapwing, White-tailed Swallow, Rosy-patched Bushshrike and Somali and TaitaFiscals. The drier areas often have FlappetLark and White-bellied Canary. On the wayback to Yabello we make roadside stops forAbyssinian Scimitarbill, D’Arnaud’s Barbet,White-browed Scrub Robin, Spotted PalmThrush, Black-capped Social Weaver,Purple Grenadier and Orange-wingedPytilia.

Day 17: A travelling day to the city ofAwassa, an important area for birds andwildlife. On arrival, an exploration of the

grounds may produce African SpottedCreeper, Grey and Bearded Woodpeckers,Pringle’s Puffback and Blue-headedCoucal. Three nights at Awassa.

Days 18-19: Morning visit to LakeAwassa and the fish quay. The latter hasYellow-billed Kite, Black Egret, Black Crakeand, in surrounding large trees and scrub,Black-winged Lovebird, Banded Barbet,Red-fronted Tinkerbird and Eastern Black-headed Oriole. Lake Awassa, althoughsmall in size, is a regular haunt of Pink-backed Pelican, African Pygmy Goose,Western Marsh Harrier and migrant ducks,terns and warblers. One day we visitWondo Genet, watching the rocky hillsidesfor Long-billed Pipit en route. On arrival wesearch the area for Ethiopian Oriole,Silvery-cheeked, Crowned and Hemprich’sHornbills, Yellow-fronted Parrot, Half-col-lared Kingfisher and Abyssinian HillBabbler. Along the tracks, we mayencounter Mountain Wagtail, Yellow-belliedWaxbill and Eastern Olive Sunbird.

Day 20: On our last day in Ethiopia wevisit the wetlands of Debra Zeit. Late after-noon travel back to Addis Ababa for lateevening flights back to Europe and NorthAmerica with arrival on the 15th.

Ethiopia

Superb Starling Photo: Jo Finn

Ground Price:£4,295Single room:£275Deposit:£400*Air Fare:£720

This holiday is fully inclusive offlights, accommodation, meals,transport, entrance and permit fees,guidance and tips.

Not included: drinks, insurance anditems of a personal nature, a visa toenter Ethiopia and any fuelsurcharges.

*Please refer to our terms andconditions relating to flights

Prices


Day 1: Fly to the new airport in Dakar andtransfer to the coastal village ofPopenguine for an overnight stay. En routethere is a good chance of seeing Black-headed Lapwing.

Day 2: An early morning flight toZiguinchor, the largest city in Casamance.On arrival we travel south and cross theborder into Guinea-Bissau and the capitalBissau for an overnight stay. Bissau hasmany interesting areas for birds within thecity itself including substantial numbers ofBlack Heron, Western Reef Egret, CollaredPratincole, Grey and Kentish Plovers, Bar-tailed Godwit and Curlew Sandpiper.Patches of forest and cultivated land nearthe coast attract Violet Turaco, Red-throat-ed Bee-eater, White-fronted Black Chat,Grey-headed Oliveback, Lavender Waxbill,Purple Glossy and Bronze-tailed Starlingsand Piapiac.

Day 3: This morning our journey takes ustowards Buba and the Cufada Lagoons, aseries of freshwater wetlands bordered byforest. Before reaching Buba a stop at theRio Corrubal may produce sightings ofRock Pratincole, Egyptian Plover andPreuss’s Cliff Swallow. On reaching CufadaLagoons the secondary woodland is hometo the near-endemic Turati’s Boubou. Otherspecies inhabiting the forest include Red-thighed Sparrowhawk, Green Turaco,White-bellied Kingfisher, Black-and-white-casqued, Yellow-casqued, White-crestedand African Pied Hornbills, SpottedHoneyguide, Gabon Woodpecker, FantiSaw-wing, Red-tailed Leaflove, White-tailed Alethe, Capuchin Babbler, Green

Hylia, White-browed Forest Flycatcher,Mangrove Sunbird, Crimson Seedcracker,Western Bluebill and Western Oriole.Cufada also has areas of savannah dottedwith patches of bushes which attractBearded Barbet, Oriole Warbler, SplendidSunbird, Red-winged Pytilia and SahelBush Sparrow. Transfer to Buba for twonights.

Day 4: An early start is essential to visitthe Cantanhez Forests on the border withGuinea. This is a relatively new and little-visited area for birdlife. The habitat of semi-humid forest along with seasonal swamps,rivers and mangrove stands make it aninteresting area for wildlife. In addition tothe commoner forest birds we are on thelookout for Timneh Parrot, Little Green andBuff-spotted Woodpeckers, WesternBearded, Red-tailed and SpottedGreenbuls, Grey-chinned Sunbird,Chestnut-breasted Negrito, Red-headedMalimbe and Black-faced Firefinch.

Day 5: Today we revisit sites around Bubaand on the road back towards Bissau,where we have an overnight stay. A sectorof forest may have African Goshawk,Stone Partridge, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater,Brown-backed Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied

Guinea-Bissau and Casamance

Birding in little-knownareas of West Africa

Sunday October 31st – FridayNovember 12th 2021Leaders: Mark Finn and Ass NdiayeGroup size: 8Birds: 220-260

Dates

This is a new tour which takes in the small West African country of Guinea-Bissauand the extreme southern area of Casamance in Senegal. Until now this regionhas been largely ignored by birders although it holds many range-restrictedspecies in remnant patches of forest. The islands off the coast of Guinea-Bissauare an important wintering ground for many species from further north in Europe.■ This tour can be combined with Senegal Pelagic Birds and the Sahel, page 51.


Hyliota, Red-winged Warbler, WesternViolet-backed Sunbird, African GoldenOriole and Violet-backed Starling.

Days 6-8: On Day 6 we travel to theBijagos Archipelago which has over 80islands, of which around 20 are inhabited.Bijagos is the second-most importantcoastal site for birds in West Africa after theBanc d’Arguin in Mauritania. It takesaround four hours in a speedboat fromBissau to our base in the islands.The lodgeis located within secondary forest wherethe gardens hold White-throated Bee-eater,Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat, AfricanThrush, African Paradise Flycatcher,Western Violet-backed and CollaredSunbirds and Violet-backed Starling. Otherspecies we may find include Hadada andAfrican Sacred Ibis, Western Plantain-eater, Squacco, Black and Purple Herons,Great and Little Egrets, Hamerkop, AfricanSpoonbill, Pied, Woodland, Blue-breasted,Malachite and African Dwarf Kingfishers,Little Greenbul and Green-headed

Sunbird. The archipelago is also an impor-tant area for five species of turtles whichcome ashore to lay their eggs in November.This in turn attracts Palm-nut Vultures tobreed and feed on the hatchlings. Severalspecies of waders winter in the region andnumber many thousands, including CurlewSandpiper, Little Stint, Sanderling,Eurasian Whimbrel and CommonRedshank. Also present are Grey-hoodedand Slender-billed Gulls, Black, Gull-billed,Caspian and African Royal Terns. On Day 8we return to Bissau for an overnight stay.

Day 9: This morning we travel north toCasamance in Senegal via Mansôa - animportant area for the endangered BlackCrowned Crane. After crossing back intoSenegal we head towards the small bordertown of Mpak which has a varied habitat offarmland, degraded forest and bush.Travelling along the main road we have agood chance of Long-crested Eagleperched on telegraph poles. In the forestpatches we should find several skulking


Brown Babbler Photo: Roger Ridley


species including Western Bluebill, Grey-headed Bristlebill, Western Nicator, Yellow-throated Leaflove, Puvel’s Illadopsis andYellow-breasted Apalis. The forest is also agood area for the range-restricted BlueMalkoha, and if the rains have been late inthe season we may locate lingering cuckoospecies - Diederik, Klaas’s, African andRed-chested. Due to logging activity thereis a good chance of finding the secretiveTurati’s Boubou which has recentlycolonised Senegal from Guinea Bissau.The farmland is a good area to find theattractive Red-winged Warbler, plus grass-loving Whistling and Singing Cisticolas.Transfer to Ziguinchor for four nights, wherewe will be ideally located to visit severalareas with excellent birdlife.

Days 10-12: These three days have beenset aside to explore and visit little-knownareas of Casamance. Our main interest isexploring the marshes and remnant forestpatches to the west of Ziguinchor. We trav-el west towards Oussouye and the forest ofBoukitimigo - a known area for scarcespecies occurring in Senegal. With a littleluck we should locate Ahanta Francolin,White-spotted Flufftail, Brown Illadopsis,Green Crombec and Olive Sunbird. The

road towards the village of Elinkine mayhave Lanner Falcon, Piping Hornbill,Northern Black Flycatcher and possiblyPlain-backed Pipit. Further along the roadthe village of Kagnout has a wetland areawhere recent sightings have included thescarce Cuckoo-finch, Greater Painted-snipe, Lesser Moorhen, Yellow-throatedLongclaw and the commoner wetlandspecies. Also of interest are severalspecies associated with wetlands, namelyYellow-crowned Bishop, Yellow-mantledWidowbird and Quailfinch. On the return tobase another protected area of forest mayhave Black-throated Coucal, WesternSquare-tailed Drongo, Red-tailed Leafloveand maybe lingering cuckoos from the wetseason. Kamobeul and the Essil Foresthold several interesting species includingthe recently split Grey-hooded CapuchinBabbler, Buff-spotted Woodpecker andYellow-throated Leaflove. Boutoute is eastof Ziguinchor and a good area for wetlandbirds with regular sightings of Allen’sGallinule, West African, Wire-tailed andRed-chested Swallows, Fanti Saw-wingand Short-winged Cisticola.

Day 13: Our last day in Casamance withbirding close to Ziguinchor. In the afternoonwe take a flight to Dakar and onward con-nections to Europe. Arrival is on the follow-ing day.


Ground Price: £2,845 Single room: £250Deposit: £300*Air Fare: £600

This tour is fully inclusive ofaccommodation, meals, transport,boat fees, park entrance fees andpermits, guidance, tips and taxes.

Not included: visa to enter Guinea-Bissau, drinks, insurance, items of apersonal nature.


Prices

Palm-nut Vulture Photo: Roger Ridley


Days 1-2: We fly to Johannesburg andconnect with a flight to Windhoek, the cap-ital of Namibia. Transfer to our accommo-dation for a one-night stay. On arrival wemake an initial visit to Daan Viljoen GameReserve covering the rolling hills ofKhomas Hochland. The main habitat isgrassland dotted with small trees attractinga range of seed-eating birds. These mayinclude Orange River and Red-billedFrancolins, Stark’s Lark, Rufous Sparrow,Green-winged Pytilia, Violet-eared andBlack-cheeked Waxbills, Shaft-tailedWhydah, Red-headed Finch, ScalyWeaver, White-throated Canary and Lark-like and Cape Buntings. Near watercoursesthe trees are larger with a dense under-storey, attracting African Darter, AfricanBlack and Maccoa Ducks, South AfricanShelduck, Cape Shoveler and Hamerkop.Tree-loving species comprise Monteiro’sHornbill, Grey Go-away-bird, Purple Roller,Acacia Pied Barbet, Crimson-breastedGonolek, Marico Flycatcher, SouthernBlack and Ashy Tits and GroundscraperThrush. Rocky hillsides with bushes holdRockrunner, Mountain Wheatear andFamiliar Chat. On our way out of the park,we may locate Three-banded Plover andNamaqua Sandgrouse.

Day 3: Today we head west to the coastaltown of Swakopmund, which is veryGermanic in character. The Namib is animportant breeding ground for Lappet-

faced Vultures which often perch in the topof Camel Thorn Trees. In the same habitatwe may locate Rüppell’s Korhaan andDouble-banded Courser. Transfer toSwakopmund for a three-night stay.

Days 4-5: Rooibank is our destination. It issituated on the banks of the Kuiseb River,which is home to the localised Dune Lark.Visits are also planned to the salt-works,Walvis Bay Lagoon, Guano Platform andPaaltijies. On one morning we take a pelag-

Namibia

Birding the Skeleton Coastand Etosha National Park

Saturday July 24th – Sunday August8th 2021Leader: Mark FinnGroup Size: 8Species: 230-250

Dates

Namibia is a remarkable country of stark landscapes with the Namib Desert, oneof the driest places on earth, extending right to the ocean at the Skeleton Coast.Dunes and gravel plains of the Namib eventually give way to bush and secondarywoodland. Our tour starts in the capital city of Windhoek with a visit to DaanViljoen Game Reserve. Swakopmund is situated on the Skeleton Coast, where theadjacent cold Benguela Current results in an area rich in seabirds and waders.Spitzkoppen is next on the agenda, holding the endemic Herero Chat. Our mainbirding region is Etosha National Park, the jewel of Namibia. Etosha, translatedliterally, means Great White Place - a reference to the vast pan that dominates thecentre of the park. Our final destination is Waterberg Plateau National Park, adistrict of deciduous woodland surrounded by semi-dry acacia forest.

Female Lion Photo: Jo Finn


Namibia

ic trip into the Southern Atlantic Ocean,with late July being an optimum time forseabirds from the southern oceans. Birdswe hope to see include Cape Cormorant,Cape Gannet, White-chinned Petrel, SootyShearwater and Shy and Black-browedAlbatrosses, along with scarcer speciesnotably Brown Skua, Northern andSouthern Giant Petrels, Yellow-nosedAlbatross, Wilson’s Storm Petrel andBroad-billed Prion. Walvis Bay Lagoon is aRamsar site supporting resident speciessuch as Pied Avocet, Black-winged Stilt,White-fronted Plover and the scarceChestnut-banded Plover. A visit to WalvisBay Sewage Works is expected to produceHottentot and Cape Teals, Red-billed Duckand Cape Shoveler and possibly earlyreturning migrants from Europe.

Days 6-7: Today we leave the coast anddrive east to Spitzkoppe, which rises 600mabove the surrounding plains. This is a reli-able spot for the endemic Herero Chat.Rainfall in the arid Namib is extremely vari-able and this has an enormous effect on

the birds within this region. Likely speciesinclude Common Ostrich, White-backedVulture, Tawny, Booted and Martial Eagles,African Hawk-Eagle, Black-breasted SnakeEagle, Pale Chanting Goshawk, Ludwig’s,Rüppell’s and Northern Black Korhaans,Double-banded Sandgrouse, Monotonous,Karoo Long-billed, Spike-heeled, Red-capped, Stark’s and Gray’s Larks andGrey-backed Sparrow-Lark.

Day 8: An early morning walk to look forHartlaub’s Francolin before we travel northto Etosha National Park in time for an after-noon’s birding and game drive. We have afour-night stay in the Etosha area.

Days 9-11: Etosha National Park wasdesignated in 1907. The Etosha Pan whichdominates the park is 150km long and70km wide and is dry for most of the year.Two rivers run into the park along with var-ious artesian wells and seepage of salineand non-saline water. Consequently, thisattracts large numbers of birds and mam-mals. We can cover Eastern, Central and

Southern Red-Billed Hornbill Photo: Jo Finn


Western Etosha and stay in each area foreasy access. The eastern region receivesthe highest rainfall, much of it draining intoFischer’s Pan. The pan verges occasional-ly hold African Openbill, Marabou andSaddle-billed Storks. The Andoni Plainshave Blue and Grey Crowned Cranes andClapper Lark whilst sandy areas usuallyhave Burchell’s Sandgrouse. In woodlandareas we should see Emerald-spottedWood-Dove, Crimson-breasted Boubouand Black-faced Babbler. Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl is sometimes seen at Klein Namutoni.The camp itself has African Palm Swift and,at dusk, Rufous-cheeked Nightjar, Red-billed, Swainson’s and Crested Francolinscan be common here along with Red-crest-ed and Northern Black Korhaans. Centraland Western Etosha is dominated byMopane woodland supporting SouthernRed-billed Hornbill, White-crestedHelmetshrike, White-crowned Shrike, VioletWoodhoopoe and Carp’s Tit. It is also oneof the best places to find Bare-cheekedBabbler. Other woodland species compriseShikra, Meyer’s Parrot, Grey-backedCamaroptera and Familiar Chat. The scrubmopane supports Monotonous and Fawn-coloured Larks. Among the raptors weshould find Gabar Goshawk - which is oftenseen hassling seedeaters and WattledStarlings - and Lanner and Red-neckedFalcons. At night we can search for AfricanScops and Southern White-faced Owls.The Charitsaub and Salvadora Plains offerus a chance of Blue Crane. Desert speciesthrive in drier areas particularly Double-banded Courser and Grey-backedSparrow-Lark. Scrubby bushes may haveRufous-eared Warbler. Okaukuejo Camphas a number of trees with Acacia PiedBabbler and Burnt-necked Eremomela. Atnight the waterhole is floodlit allowingviews of Namaqua and Double-bandedSandgrouse coming to drink. The sur-rounding countryside has Sociable Weavercolonies attracting Pygmy Falcons to nest.

Day 12: We use a lodge outside the parktoday and travel towards Namutoni wherewe may find Secretarybird and Swainson’sFrancolin. At Uris Lodge a walk around theextensive grounds for Familiar Chat,African Paradise Flycatcher, Long-tailed

Paradise Whydah and Golden-breastedand Cinnamon-breasted Buntings.

Days 13-15: Today we leave Etosha andtravel to Waterberg Plateau Park for athree-night stay.The plateau itself rises 420metres above the surrounding countryside.Sandstone cliffs dominate the side of theplateau with the slopes being covered inrocks. Waterberg attracts a high number ofspecies due to its location where broad-leafed woodland meets the KalahariDesert. The cliffs at Waterberg hold themost northerly Cape Vultures in Africa andalso support Peregrine Falcon and Rosy-faced Lovebird. Various trails run throughthe area where Bradfield’s Hornbill,Freckled Nightjar and Short-toed RockThrush occur. We also take a four-wheeldrive trip onto the plateau looking for CoquiFrancolin and African Barred Owlet. Otherspecies we may see at Waterberg includeBlack-chested Prinia, Southern Pied-bab-bler, Pririt Batis, Pale-winged andBurchell’s Starlings, Black-cheekedWaxbill, White-breasted Sunbird and CapeBunting.

Day 16: Travel to Windhoek where ourflight departs for Europe. If time permits,we can make further visits to Daan ViljoenGame Reserve.

Namibia

Ground Price: £3,295Single room: £250Deposit: £350*Air Fare: £1,100

This holiday is fully inclusive offlights, accommodation, meals,transport, entrance and permit fees,guidance and tips.

Not included: drinks, insurance anditems of a personal nature, and anyfuel surcharges.


Prices


Rwanda

Birds and mammals ofRwanda’s National ParksRwanda is quite small, covering an area of around one fifth the size of England.Despite its small size the country is blessed with extensive areas of forest, lakesand swamps which in turn attract a wide species of birds and mammals. Rwandais a wonderful destination for wildlife tourism and an excellent location to watchMountain Gorillas. Our tour visits Akagera National Park, which has a mix ofwetlands and forest, and the bird-rich Nyungwe Forest National Park. We expect tosee almost 25 of the range-restricted Albertine Rift endemics. Birding withinRwanda is still in its infancy and this tour could well bring a few surprise specieswithin the extensive forest systems.

Days 1-2: We have a flight to Kigali thecapital of Rwanda with arrival on Day 2.Transfer to Akagera National Park in east-ern Rwanda which is close to the borderwith Tanzania. En route we shouldencounter the commoner birds of the coun-tryside, including Hamerkop, AfricanSacred and Hadada Ibis, Augur Buzzard,Long-crested Eagle, and Village, Black-headed and Vieillot’s Black Weavers. Thejourney passes through large tracts of agri-cultural areas where Grey-backed Fiscalresides, whilst patches of marsh and reedsattract Fan-tailed Widowbird andCarruther’s Cisticola. We spend four nightsat Akagera Lodge.

Days 3-5: Akagera National Park wasfounded in 1934 to protect animals andother wildlife using a mixed combination ofgallery forest, swamps and lakes. Almost500 bird species can be found in the park.A boat trip on Lake Ihema should reward uswith views of Rufous-bellied Heron, andpapyrus-loving Lesser and Greater SwampWarblers, Slender-billed Weaver andSwamp Flycatcher. The lakes also offer usthe chance of Shoebill although thisspecies has become scarce in recentyears. Other species we may see includeGoliath, Black-headed, Striated, andSquacco Herons, Little Bittern, GreyCrowned Crane, African Openbill, AfricanDarter, Black Crake, Wattled, Long-toedand Senegal Lapwings, Water Thick-knee,Blue-headed Coucal and Giant Kingfisher.In the forests and savannah we have a

chance of locating Black-chested, Brownand Western Banded Snake Eagles, White-headed Vulture, Ross’s Turaco, Black-col-lared and Red-faced Barbets, Bennett’sWoodpecker, Bare-faced Go-away-bird,and Klaas’s, Red-chested, and BlackCuckoos. In the grasslands a search forBlack-bellied Bustard, Red-neckedFrancolin, and Red-billed and occasionallyCardinal Queleas.

Day 6: Transfer to Nyungwe ForestNational Park. En route stops at papyrusswamps may produce Papyrus Gonolek,White-winged Warbler and the uncommonPapyrus Canary. In roadside marshes wesearch for another rare regional endemic -Grauer’s Swamp Warbler. Arrive atNyungwe Top View Hotel, which is our basefor five nights.

Days 7-10: The next few days are spentexploring the forests of Nyungwe. Withinthe reserve several well-maintained trailsallow access to this extensive forest, whichis one of the largest remaining in Africa.Albertine Rift endemics occurring in

Saturday January 15th – ThursdayJanuary 27th 2022Leader: Harriet Kemishiga and localguidesGroup Size: 8 Birds: 300-350

Dates


Nyungwe include Handsome Francolin,Great Blue and Ruwenzori Turacos, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, Barred Long-tailedCuckoo, Chestnut Owlet, Olive and Elliot’sWoodpeckers, Stripe-breasted Tit, Red-collared Babbler, Archer’s and White-bel-lied Robin-Chats, Doherty’s Bushshrike,Mountain Masked, Black-faced, Chestnut-throated, and Collared Apalises, RwenzoriBatis, Grauer’s and Short-tailed Warblers,White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Chapin’sFlycatcher, Rwenzori Apalis, Purple-breasted and Regal Sunbirds and StrangeWeaver. Birding in dense forest can bechallenging but a wide range of birds ispossible. We should encounter Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill, Cinnamon-chest-ed Bee-eater, Pink-footed Puffback andmore skulking species in the form ofAfrican Hill Babbler, Dusky Crimsonwingand Grauer’s Warbler. Walking along roadsand trails can be productive for AfricanBroadbill, Willard’s Sooty Boubou,Mountain Oriole, Mountain Illadopsis,Archer’s Robin and Red-faced WoodlandWarbler. On the canopy walk we search forBlack-billed Turaco, Kivu Ground Thrushand Purple-headed Sunbird. Along thewaterfall trail we have chances of GreyApalis, Cabanis’s Greenbul, Yellow-belliedWattle-eye and Yellow-eyed BlackFlycatcher. Almost anything may turn up atthis undiscovered forest.

Day 11: Today we return to Kigali after a

final visit into the forest.

Day 12: Travel to the swamps of Gahangaand Gashora for our final full day inRwanda. Areas near sugar cane factoriescan be productive for Blue-headed Coucal,Red-faced Cisticola, Papyrus Canary andWhite-winged Warbler. Gashora is animportant bird area in Rwanda, holdingseveral species of migrants from Europeplus Cape Wagtail, African Snipe, Red-chested Cuckoo and Carruther’s Cisticola.

Day 13: Morning flight back to the UK witharrival on the same day.

Rwanda

Grey-crownedCranes

Photo: Jo Finn

Ground Price: £4,695Single room: £450Deposit: £450*Air Fare: £650

This holiday is fully inclusive ofaccommodation, meals, transport,guidance and taxes.

Not included: drinks, insurance,airport departure taxes and items ofa personal nature. Visa to enterRwanda.


Prices


Day 1: Fly to the new airport south ofDakar. On arrival, we transfer to the sea-side village of Popenguine for a two-nightstay.

Day 2: Dawn visit to the coastal scrubreserve of Popenguine where we shouldfind Blue Rock Thrush and European CragMartin, which are rare visitors from Europe.To the south of Mbour is Lac Sarene, anarea bordered by farmland and just inlandfrom the Atlantic Ocean. This is an incredi-ble place for waders, wildfowl, terns andgulls, with recent visits recording GreaterPainted-snipe, Marsh and CurlewSandpipers and high numbers of winteringWestern Ospreys from Europe. These vis-its have also produced rarer species,notably Great Snipe and Citrine Wagtail. Inthe surrounding acacia woodland weshould locate a wide range of winteringwarblers and flycatchers. Later in the after-noon we visit Lac Somone for close viewsof waders and terns and the possibility ofthe scarce Brown Sunbird.

Day 3: After breakfast, we travel toWassadou via Tambacounda, the largestcity in eastern Senegal. En route we mayencounter the beautiful Scissor-tailed Kite,Dark Chanting Goshawk and, in the dryacacia woodland, Black-bellied Bustard,

Black Scimitarbill and Piapiac. Seasonalpools adjacent to the road lure small birdsto drink, including Cut-throat Finch,Exclamatory Paradise and Pin-tailedWhydahs, Sudan Golden Sparrow, VillageIndigobird and hunting Shikra. NearTambacounda we may locate SenegalBatis, Yellow Penduline Tit, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver and the uncom-mon and localised Brown-rumped Bunting.As dusk falls, we should encounter Four-banded Sandgrouse. We spend threenights at Wassadou.

Days 4-5: The area is home to over 300hundred species of birds, with some of themore interesting species includingBateleur, Martial Eagle, Denham’s Bustard,Egyptian Plover and Violet Turaco. TheGambia River meanders slowly through theregion with extensive vegetation along thebanks, sand-bars and banks attractingSaddle-billed and Woolly-necked Storks,

Senegal

Birds of south-east Senegal and Saloum

Wednesday January 13th – TuesdayJanuary 26th 2021Leader: Mark Finn and Ass NdiayeGroup Size: 8 Birds: 260-320

Dates

Senegal is one of West Africa’s most stable countries with a heavy Frenchinfluence dating back to colonial days. The first half of the tour concentrates onthe little-visited far east of the country on the border with Guinea, includingWassadou and the almost unknown Dindefelo region which stretches easttowards the border with Mali. The former area is the most reliable in West Africafor the beautiful Egyptian Plover and the localised African Finfoot. Dindefelo alsoholds significant numbers of mammals and over 220 species of birds, making itone of the premier wildlife areas of West Africa. Our final destination on this touris Saloum National Park, an area of inter-tidal rivers, scrub and savannah. Therange of bird species in Senegal is impressive and the many highlights includeArabian and Savile’s Bustards, Goliath Heron, Saddle-billed Stork, Scissor-tailedKite, Fox Kestrel, Adamawa Turtle Dove and Kulikoro Firefinch to name a few.■ Birdwatching Breaks has operated in excess of 25 tours to Senegal since the1990s and is pleased to offer these unique birding tours at a peak time for birdlife.


African Finfoot, Giant and Shining-blueKingfishers, White-headed Lapwing andOriole Warbler. In recent visits we haveseen Pel’s Fishing Owls at one of the fewknown sites in West Africa. During our staywithin the park, we make several excur-sions to birding hot-spots. Savannah habi-tats offer us Helmeted Guineafowl, StonePartridge, Black-headed Heron, HadadaIbis, Palm-nut Vulture, Short-toed,Beaudouin’s, Brown and Western BandedSnake Eagles, Bateleur and BlackCrowned Crane. Also present in the savan-nah in lower numbers are Sun Lark, Pied-winged Swallow and a wide range of estril-dids – Black-bellied and Black-facedFirefinches and Black-faced and Black-rumped Waxbills. Wassadou also haspatches of gallery forest holding Red-thigh-ed Sparrowhawk, Green Turaco, Spottedand Wahlberg’s Honeyguides, Little Greenand Buff-spotted Woodpeckers, SwampPalm Bulbul, Green Crombec and CrimsonSeedcracker. Wassadou attracts manybirds, with previous visits recording Red-throated, Green and Northern CarmineBee-eaters, Greater Honeyguide, Grey-headed Bushshrike, Red-shoulderedCuckooshrike, Yellow-bellied and Senegal

Eremomelas, Swamp Flycatcher, White-crowned Robin-Chat, Blackcap and BrownBabblers, Lesser Blue-eared Starling,African Pied Wagtail, Orange-cheekedWaxbill, Broad-tailed Paradise Whydah,Vitelline Masked Weaver and PygmySunbird.

Day 6: This morning we continue our jour-ney east towards the borders with Guineaand Mali.The habitat starts to change slow-ly as the border has cliffs, gallery forest andravines. In the afternoon we visit the forestand bush area of Samecouta. This is aninteresting place where we may find therare Senegal Lapwing, Lanner Falcon,Violet Turaco and Black-rumped Waxbill.Our base for the next three nights is in theregional town of Kedougou.

Days 7-8: Our main interest is visiting theDindefelo Nature Reserve, which wasformed thanks to a partnership betweenthe Jane Goodall Institute and the RuralCommunity of Dindefelo, in order to protectan isolated population of chimpanzees. Italso protects areas of forests, cliffs andwaterfalls which are rare habitats withinSenegal. Rare species occurring include

Senegal

African Spoonbill Photo: Roger Ridley


Fox Kestrel, Narina’s Trogon, Mocking CliffChat, Neumann’s Starling, Dybowski’sTwinspot and Kulikoro Firefinch. Severalrecent surveys have found species at theedge of their ranges or rare migrants fromEurope. These have included Black Stork,Red-chested Goshawk, Red-thighedSparrowhawk, Common Buttonquail,Forbes’s Plover, Rock Martin, Rufous-tailedRock Thrush, Olive Sunbird and Wilson’sIndigobird. In other areas we mayencounter Guinea and Violet Turacos,African Cuckoo, Northern White-faced Owl,Fanti Saw-wing, Yellow-bellied Hyliota,Singing, Short-winged and RufousCisticolas, Green-headed Sunbird andCinnamon-breasted Bunting. In theevenings the balcony viewing point of ourhotel should give us views of Long-tailedand Standard-winged Nightjars and Pearl-spotted Owlet.

Day 9: A travel day back towards Kaolackand onto Keur Saloum where we have afour-night stay.

Days 10-12: Today we head to SaloumNational Park, an extensive region offorests and mangrove swamps. As weapproach our hotel, we expect to find BlackWoodhoopoe, Fork-tailed Drongo, Fine-spotted Woodpecker, and African andBruce’s Green Pigeons. On one morning,depending on tide times, we take a boat tripthrough mangrove swamps and visit isolat-ed sandbars. The hotel quay sometimeshas Blue-breasted Kingfisher and GoliathHeron. Shorebirds are numerous andinclude White-fronted, Kentish, CommonRinged and Little Ringed Plovers, CurlewSandpiper, Eurasian Curlew, EurasianOystercatcher and Common Greenshank.On previous visits, we have observedWhite-crested Bittern, White-backed NightHeron, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Shikra, BronzeMannikin, Brown Babbler, Klaas’s Cuckoo,Western Plantain-eater, Greater andLesser Honeyguides, Lavender Waxbill andBrown Sunbird. An afternoon visit isplanned to a forested area where birds ofprey abound. We may find GrasshopperBuzzard, Brown, Beaudouin’s and Short-toed Snake Eagles, Grey Kestrel, AfricanHobby and Palm-nut Vulture. Open areas

attract European, Blue-cheeked and occa-sionally Green and Northern Carmine Bee-eaters. On one evening, we visit a hugeraptor roost site which holds hundreds ofScissor-tailed Kites, Lesser Kestrels andpossibly three species of harriers –Western Marsh, Montagu’s and Pallid.

Day 13: Today we return to Popenguineand visit a series of wetland lagoons adja-cent to the coast where it is possible to findwintering Audouin’s and MediterraneanGulls and, in recent years, Franklin’s Gullfrom across the Atlantic. Anything is possi-ble here and recent rarities have includedAmerican Golden Plover. The dry acaciawoodland holds many of Europe’s warblershere on their wintering grounds.

Day 14: A morning visit to Technopole – arecently established reserve situated in thecentre of Dakar. A habitat of sandy islands,reedbeds and exposed mud attracts a widerange of species in a relatively small area.Expect a wide range of wintering waders,gulls and terns plus resident AfricanSwamphen. Technopole has a reputationfor attracting unusual birds from Europeand North America, which on recent visitshave included Laughing Gull, AmericanGolden Plover and Buff-breastedSandpiper. Later in the day we return to theairport for flights to Europe, with arrivalearly the next day.

Senegal


This tour is fully inclusive ofaccommodation, meals, transport,park entrance fees and permits,guidance, tips and taxes.

Not included: drinks, insurance,items of a personal nature.


Prices


Birds of the Sahel and Saloum DeltaSenegal is one of West Africa’s most stable countries with a heavy Frenchinfluence dating back to colonial days. The coastline has several wetlands ofinternational importance which are protected in the form of national parks. Thenorth of the country has a wide belt of Sahel holding several species which prefersub-desert habitats while the south is primarily savannah dotted with stands ofacacia trees and secondary forest. We visit Djoudj National Park which is awetland where Palearctic migrants winter in their thousands. The range of birdspecies in this little known country is impressive; Arabian and Savile’s Bustards,Little Grey Woodpecker, Sennar Penduline Tit, Fulvous Babbler and Cricket Warblerall being found regularly on recent tours.■ Birdwatching Breaks has operated several tours to Senegal since the 1990s andis pleased to offer these unique birding tours at a peak time for birdlife.

Day 1: Fly to Dakar and transfer toPopenguine for an overnight stay.

Days 2-4: Dawn visit to the coastal scrubreserve of Popenguine where we shouldfind Blue Rock Thrush, European CragMartin, White-rumped Swift and on thecliffs Gosling’s Buntings. Yellow-billed Kiteis abundant in the region and on our jour-ney northwards birds of prey can benumerous and include Lappet-faced,Ruppell’s, Hooded and White-backedVultures. Near St Louis itself, we shouldfind Red-necked Falcons in roadside palmtrees. For the next few days we are basedat Ranch de Bango and Richard Toll fromwhere we explore sub-Saharan Senegal.The grounds of the ranch offer excellentbirding with regularly seen species –Western Red-billed Hornbill, Grey-headedKingfisher, Grey Woodpecker, Blue-napedMousebird, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Red-billed Firefinch, Beautiful and Scarlet-chested Sunbirds, African Silverbill, SudanGolden Sparrow and Long-tailed GlossyStarlings. Wintering Palearctic migrants arecommon and include Iberian Chiffchaff,Melodious, Subalpine and WesternOlivaceous Warblers, Common Redstart,Red-throated and Tree Pipits. Our base,adjacent to the Senegal River, is a havenfor waterbirds – Long-tailed Cormorant,Squacco and Purple Herons, PurpleSwamphen, Spur-winged Lapwing, African

Fish Eagle, Malachite and Pied KingfishersAfrican Jacana, Winding Cisticola,Abyssinian Roller and Senegal Coucal. Athorn forest regularly has roosting Long-tailed Nightjars. The drier ground is hometo Senegal Thick-knee, Black-billed WoodDove, Little Bee-eater and Northern Grey-headed Sparrow.

Marigot One: This is, in effect, a private-ly run nature reserve. Our main interesthere is in locating the internationally scarceSavile’s Bustard. Other sub-Saharan birdspresent include Marsh, Montagu’s and,occasionally, Pallid Harriers, BarbaryFalcon, Cream-coloured and Temminck’sCoursers, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse,and Chestnut-backed Sparrow Lark. A lakeattracts shorebirds and many species ofheron, including Black Heron. A stop atdusk may give us Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, alocal resident.

Marigot Two and Three: We spend aday in this area and typical species include

Senegal

Sunday February 27th – FridayMarch 11th 2022Leader: Mark Finn and Ass NdiayeGroup Size: 8 Birds:230-260

Dates


Northern Anteater-chat, Black and Rufous-tailed Scrub Robins, Senegal Batis, Long-tailed and Chestnut-bellied Starlings,Green Woodhoopoe and Blue-napedMousebird. If cattle are present, we mayfind Yellow-billed Oxpeckers. Patches ofacacia trees are home to specialisedSahelian birds – Cricket Warbler, SennarPenduline Tit and Little Grey Woodpecker.Other birds may include Great,Intermediate and Little Egrets, Sacred andGlossy Ibis, Common Snipe, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Black Crake and CollaredPratincole.

Djoudj National Park: Djoudj NationalPark is the third most important wetland inthe world. En route we travel through aca-cia forest looking for Striped Kingfisher,Vieillot’s Barbet, and Desert Wheatearwhilst a reed-fringed pool attracts GreaterPainted Snipe and waders. Patches ofwoodland attract many interesting species– Speckled Pigeon, Northern Crombec,Village Indigobird, Yellow-backed, Villageand Little Weavers and wintering Eurasian

Wryneck. We take a boat safari into one ofnature’s wonders. Our boat takes us alonga branch of the Senegal River, which isalive with birds, to a colony of Great WhitePelicans. This area usually holds largenumbers of ducks and herons. Seasonallakes in Djoudj attract Western MarshHarriers and Striated Heron, kingfishers,Black Crake, and Yellow-billed Stork. Otherhighlights include Black-crowned NightHeron, White-faced and Fulvous Whistling-ducks, Western Osprey, Caspian, Gull-billed, Black and Whiskered Terns and therange-restricted River Prinia. Lac de Kahrand Grand Lac hold Greater and, some-times, Lesser Flamingos. Grand Lac alsoholds substantial numbers of Garganeywith lesser numbers of Eurasian Teal,Northern Shoveler and Northern Pintail.Isolated trees on the surrounding desertlandscape provide hunting perches formigrant Peregrine and Lanner Falcons. Thepark has what is possibly the only protect-ed area for Arabian Bustard, a speciesunder constant threat from hunting and, inthis area of Africa, greatly endangered. On

Senegal

Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters Photo: Simon Papps


the return to Ranch de Bango, roadsidelagoons may hold Eurasian and AfricanSpoonbills, Spur-winged and EgyptianGeese, and shorebirds including Avocet,Marsh Sandpiper, Temminck’s Stint andBlack-winged Stilt.

Days 5-6: Richard Toll and Podor: Anew road running east towards the town ofRichard Toll allows us to explore the exten-sive Senegal River floodplain and theSahelian environment. Among the manybirds that we may encounter here areAfrican Pygmy Goose, Black-shoulderedKite, Montagu’s and Pallid Harriers,Wahlberg’s, Short-toed and BootedEagles, Kittlitz’s Plover, Common Quail,African Reed Warbler, Short-eared Owl,Black-crowned Sparrow Lark, Kordofanand Singing Bush Larks, AfricanQuailfinch, Desert Cisticola, Grey-backedEremomela and, occasionally, HoopoeLark. This is also a known area for Arabianand, in some years, Denham’s Bustard. Tothe east of Richard Toll and towards thesettlement of Podor several species occurwhich are hard too see elsewhere in thecountry. The dry grasslands with scatteredbushes are reliable for Cricket Warblersand the shy Fulvous Babbler. The habitatsaround Podor offer us the chance toobserve the rarely seen Golden Nightjar,Little Grey Woodpecker and winteringCream-coloured Coursers. Nights in Podor

Days 7-8: Today we travel south towardsthe capital city of Dakar. There are severalbirding locations along the way includingTechnopole which is a failed shoppingcomplex with lakes and reedbeds. Carefulscanning of the grass islands and shallowpools may produce a variety of gulls includ-ing Audouin’s and Mediterranean andoccasionally stragglers from North Americawhich has included Franklin’s in recentyears. Waders can be numerous and oftenreveal the presence of rarer species whichin recent years have included Buff-breast-ed Sandpiper and American GoldenPlover. On Day 8 we take a pelagic trip offDakar where the deep cool waters of theNorth Atlantic attract a variety of species. Inthe right weather conditions we shouldencounter Red-billed Tropicbird, Cape

Verde and Scopoli’s Shearwaters, theuncommon Baroli’s Shearwater, Pomarine,Arctic and Long-tailed Skuas, a wide rangeof terns comprising of Caspian, AfricanRoyal, Common, Arctic, Roseate, Little andSandwich the latter being quite common.Other possibilities include Grey Phalaropeand rarer species – Bulwer’s Petrel,Leach’s, Wilson’s and Madeiran StormPetrels, South Polar Skua and Sabine’sGull. Nights in Popenguine

Day 9: This morning we travel south to visitbirding areas near the coastal city of Mbour(or take the boat trip if weather conditionshave been poor). Habitats include severalpatches of acacia scrub which are attrac-tive to migrants from Europe and mayinclude Bluethroat, Spotted and PiedFlycatchers and Iberian Chiffchaff. Severalsmall ponds dot the landscape whichattract a wide range of waterbirds includingnumerous ducks and waders.

Days 10-12: Today we head to SaloumNational Park, an extensive region offorests and mangrove swamps. As weapproach our hotel, we expect to find BlackWoodhoopoe, Fork-tailed Drongo, Fine-spotted Woodpecker, African and Bruce’sGreen Pigeons. On one morning, depend-ing on tide times, a boat trip takes usthrough mangrove swamps to visit isolatedsandbars. The hotel quay sometimes hasBlue-breasted Kingfisher and GoliathHeron. Shorebirds are numerous andinclude White-fronted, Kentish, Commonand Little Ringed Plovers, CurlewSandpiper, Eurasian Curlew, EurasianOystercatcher and Greenshank. On previ-ous visits, we have observed White-crestedBittern, White-backed Night Heron, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Shikra, Bronze Mannikin,Brown Babbler, Klass’s Cuckoo, WesternGrey Plantain-eater, Greater and LesserHoneyguides, Lavender Waxbill and BrownSunbird. An afternoon visit is planned to aforested area where birds of prey abound.We may find Grasshopper Buzzard, Brownand Baudouin’s Snake Eagles, Short-toedEagle, Grey Kestrel, African Hobby andPalm-nut Vulture. Open areas attractEuropean, Blue-cheeked and, occasional-ly, Little Green and Northern Carmine Bee-

Senegal


eaters. On one evening, we visit a hugeraptor roost site which holds hundreds ofAfrican Swallow-tailed Kites, LesserKestrels and possibly three species of har-riers – Marsh, Montagu’s and Pallid.

Day 13: Today we return to Popenguineand visit a series of wetland lagoons adja-cent to the coast where it is possible to findwintering Audouin’s and MediterraneanGulls and, in recent years, Franklin’s Gullsfrom across the Atlantic. Anything is possi-ble here and recent rarities have includedAmerican Golden Plover. The dry acaciawoodland holds many of Europe’s warblershere on their wintering grounds. In theevening transfer to the airport and flightsback to Europe.

Senegal

Ground Price: £2,595 (provisional)Single room: £250Deposit: £250*Air Fare: £700

This tour is fully inclusive ofaccommodation and meals,transport, park entrance fees andpermits, guidance, tips and taxes.



Prices

Savile’s Bustard Photo: Roger Ridley


Day 1: Fly to Dakar and transfer toPopenguine for an overnight stay.

Days 2-4: Dawn visit to the coastal scrubreserve of Popenguine where we shouldfind Blue Rock Thrush, Eurasian CragMartin, White-rumped Swift and, on thecliffs, Gosling’s Bunting.Yellow-billed Kite isabundant in the region and on our journeynorthwards birds of prey can be numerousand sightings could include Lappet-faced,Rüppell’s, Hooded and White-backedVultures. Near St Louis itself, we shouldfind Red-necked Falcon in roadside palmtrees. For the next few days we are basedat Ranch de Bango and Richard Toll, fromwhere we explore sub-Saharan Senegal.The grounds of the ranch offer excellentbirding with regularly seen species includ-ing Western Red-billed Hornbill, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Grey Woodpecker,Blue-naped Mousebird, Tawny-flankedPrinia, Red-billed Firefinch, Beautiful andScarlet-chested Sunbirds, AfricanSilverbill, Sudan Golden Sparrow andLong-tailed Glossy Starling. WinteringPalearctic migrants are common andinclude Iberian Chiffchaff, Melodious,Subalpine and Western OlivaceousWarblers, Common Redstart, and Red-throated and Tree Pipits. Our base, adja-cent to the Senegal River, is a haven forwaterbirds – we may find Long-tailed

Cormorant, Squacco and Purple Herons,African Swamphen, Spur-winged Lapwing,African Fish Eagle, Malachite and PiedKingfishers, African Jacana, WindingCisticola, Abyssinian Roller and SenegalCoucal. A thorn forest regularly has roost-ing Long-tailed Nightjar. The drier ground ishome to Senegal Thick-knee, Black-billedWood Dove, Little Bee-eater and NorthernGrey-headed Sparrow.

Marigot One: This is, in effect, a private-ly run nature reserve. Our main interesthere is in locating the internationally scarceSavile’s Bustard. Other sub-Saharan birdspresent include Western Marsh, Montagu’sand, occasionally, Pallid Harriers, BarbaryFalcon, Cream-coloured and Temminck’sCoursers, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse,and Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark. A lake

Senegal

Pelagic birding and Birds of the Sahel

TOUR A: Friday November 6th –Saturday November 14th 2020TOUR B: Saturday February 27th –Sunday March 7th 2021TOUR C: Saturday October 23rd –Sunday October 31st 2021Leader: Mark Finn and Ass NdiayeGroup Size: 8 Birds: 200-250

Dates

Senegal is one of West Africa’s most stable countries with a heavy Frenchinfluence dating back to colonial days. The coastline has two important wetlandsof international importance which are protected in the form of national parks. Thenorth of the country has a wide belt of Sahel holding several species which prefersub-desert habitats while the south is primarily savannah dotted with stands ofacacia trees and secondary forest. We visit Djoudj National Park which is awetland where Palearctic migrants winter in their thousands. The range of birdspecies in this little-known country is impressive; Arabian and Savile’s Bustards,Little Grey Woodpecker, Sennar Penduline Tit, Fulvous Babbler and Cricket Warblerall being found regularly on recent tours.■ Birdwatching Breaks has operated in excess of 25 tours to Senegal since the1990s and is pleased to offer these unique birding tours at a peak time for birdlife.■ Tour C can be combined with Casamance and Guinea-Bissau, page 36.


attracts shorebirds and many species ofheron, including Black Heron. A stop atdusk may give us Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl,which is a local resident.

Marigot Two and Three: We spend aday in this area and typical species includeNorthern Anteater Chat, Black and Rufous-tailed Scrub Robins, Senegal Batis, Long-tailed and Chestnut-bellied Starlings,Green Woodhoopoe and Blue-napedMousebird. If cattle are present, we mayfind Yellow-billed Oxpeckers. Patches ofacacia trees are home to specialisedSahelian birds – Cricket Warbler, SennarPenduline Tit and Little Grey Woodpecker.Other birds may include Great,Intermediate and Little Egrets, Sacred andGlossy Ibis, Common Snipe, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Black Crake and CollaredPratincole.

Djoudj National Park: Djoudj NationalPark is the third most important wetland forbirds in the world. En route we travelthrough acacia forest looking for Striped

Kingfisher, Vieillot’s Barbet and DesertWheatear, whilst a reed-fringed poolattracts Greater Painted-snipe and waders.Patches of woodland attract many interest-ing species – Speckled Pigeon, NorthernCrombec, Village Indigobird, Yellow-backed, Village and Little Weavers and win-tering Eurasian Wryneck. We take a boatsafari into one of nature’s wonders. Ourboat takes us along a branch of theSenegal River, which is alive with birds, toa colony of Great White Pelicans. This areausually holds large numbers of ducks andherons. Seasonal lakes in Djoudj attractWestern Marsh Harrier and Striated Heron,kingfishers, Black Crake, and Yellow-billedStork. Other highlights include Black-crowned Night Heron, White-faced andFulvous Whistling Ducks, Western Osprey,Caspian, Gull-billed, Black and WhiskeredTerns and the range-restricted River Prinia.Lac de Kahr and Grand Lac hold Greaterand, sometimes, Lesser Flamingos. GrandLac also holds substantial numbers ofGarganey with lesser numbers of EurasianTeal, Northern Shoveler and Northern

Senegal

Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin Photo: Simon Papps


Pintail. Isolated trees on the surroundingdesert landscape provide hunting perchesfor migrant Peregrine and Lanner Falcons.The park has what is possibly the only pro-tected area for Arabian Bustard, a speciesunder constant threat from hunting and, inthis area of Africa, greatly endangered. Onthe return to Ranch de Bango, roadsidelagoons may hold Eurasian and AfricanSpoonbills, Spur-winged and EgyptianGeese, and shorebirds including PiedAvocet, Marsh Sandpiper, Temminck’s Stintand Black-winged Stilt.

Days 5-6: Richard Toll and Podor: Anew road running east towards the town ofRichard Toll allows us to explore the exten-sive Senegal River floodplain and theSahelian environment. Among the manybirds that we may encounter here areAfrican Pygmy Goose, Black-winged Kite,Montagu’s and Pallid Harriers, Wahlberg’sand Booted Eagles, Short-toed SnakeEagle, Kittlitz’s Plover, Common Quail,African Reed Warbler, Short-eared Owl,Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark, Kordofanand Singing Bush Larks, AfricanQuailfinch, Desert Cisticola, Grey-backedEremomela and, occasionally, GreaterHoopoe-Lark. This is also a known area forArabian and, in some years, Denham’sBustards. To the east of Richard Toll andtowards the settlement of Podor severalspecies occur which are hard to see else-where in the country. The dry grasslandswith scattered bushes are reliable forCricket Warbler and the shy FulvousBabbler.The habitats around Podor offer usthe chance to observe the rarely seenGolden Nightjar, Little Grey Woodpeckerand wintering Cream-coloured Courser.Nights in Podor

Days 7-8: Today we travel south towardsthe capital city of Dakar. There are severalbirding locations along the way includingTechnopole, which is a failed shoppingcomplex with lakes and reedbeds. Carefulscanning of the grass islands and shallowpools may produce a variety of gulls suchas Audouin’s and Mediterranean and occa-sional stragglers from North America whichhave included Franklin’s in recent years.Waders can be numerous and often reveal

the presence of rarer species which on pre-vious tours have included Buff-breastedSandpiper and American Golden Plover.On Day 8 we take a pelagic trip off Dakarwhere the deep cool waters of the NorthAtlantic attract a variety of species. In theright weather conditions we shouldencounter Red-billed Tropicbird, CapeVerde and Scopoli’s Shearwaters, theuncommon Baroli’s Shearwater, Pomarine,Arctic and Long-tailed Skuas, a wide rangeof terns including the quite commonSandwich plus Caspian, West AfricanCrested, Common, Arctic, Roseate andLittle. Other possibilities include GreyPhalarope and rarer species such asBulwer’s Petrel, Leach’s, Wilson’s andMadeiran Storm Petrels, South Polar Skuaand Sabine’s Gull. Nights in Popenguine.

Day 9: This morning we travel south to visitbirding areas near the coastal city of Mbour(or take the boat trip if weather conditionshave been poor). Habitats include severalpatches of acacia scrub which are attrac-tive to migrants from Europe and mayinclude Bluethroat, Spotted and EuropeanPied Flycatchers and Iberian Chiffchaff.Several small ponds dot the landscapewhich attract a wide range of waterbirdsincluding numerous ducks and waders.Later in the day we return to Popenguine tofreshen up and travel to the airport for ourlate night flight back to the UK.

Senegal


This tour is fully inclusive ofaccommodation, meals, transport,park entrance fees and permits,guidance, tips and taxes.



Prices


Days 1-2: A morning flight to Tokyo arriv-ing on the following day. Transfer toSasagawa for a night’s stay. Our main inter-est is locating the scarce Marsh Grassbirdwhich displays above the reeds. Otherspecies present include Oriental ReedWarbler, Zitting Cisticola and JapaneseReed, Masked and Meadow Buntings. Wemay find Great, Intermediate and LittleEgrets and possibly late waders – EurasianWhimbrel, Ruddy Turnstone and Grey-tailed Tattler.

Days 3-4: Today we transfer to Karuizawa,which is situated in forest and undulatinghills close to Asamayama, a volcano risingto 2,500 metres, for a two-night stay. Ourbase is situated among mixed deciduousand conifer forest. Hotels have bird feedersattracting Great Spotted and JapanesePygmy Woodpeckers, Japanese Grosbeakand Grey-bellied Bullfinch. Our interest,however, is Hoshino Onsen, an area offast-flowing rivers, forests and clearings.Along the rivers we should find Ruddy andCrested Kingfishers, Japanese and GreyWagtails and Brown Dipper. The wood-lands support Copper Pheasant, JapaneseGreen, Pygmy and White-backedWoodpeckers and summer visitors includ-ing White’s, Japanese and Brown-headedThrushes, Ashy Minivet, Siberian BlueRobin, Japanese Bush and Pale-leggedWarblers and Blue-and-white and AsianBrown Flycatchers.With a little luck we mayfind the endangered Yellow Bunting. NearKaruizawa, abandoned rice fields holdGreen Pheasant, Latham’s Snipe, Black-

browed Reed Warbler and Chestnut-earedBunting.

Days 5-6: Today we transfer to Gotemba,which is located near Mount Fuji and itsextensive forested slopes on the northernand eastern edges. On the afternoon ofDay 5 we make an initial exploration of theforest searching for White-bellied GreenPigeon, Oriental Cuckoo, Northern Hawk-Cuckoo, Olive-backed Pipit, Red-flankedBluetail, Eastern Crowned Warbler,Japanese Leaf Warbler, Goldcrest, Grey-bellied Bullfinch and the shy SiberianThrush. Areas near the tree line offer usour best chances of the localised JapaneseAccentor. On Day 6 we revisit forest areasbefore transferring to Tokyo docks and anovernight ferry to the island of Miyake-jimain the Izu Islands.

Day 7: On arrival in Miyake-jima we headto a forested area for Ijima’s Leaf Warbler,Izu Thrush and the endemic island race ofWarbling White-eye. Other species inhabit-ing the forest include the island-endemicrace of Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, IzuRobin and Izu Tit. Around the island wemay find Styan’s Grasshopper Warbler,Brown Shrike and Lesser Cuckoo. At Tairo-

Japan

Breeding birds andmigrants of Japan

Tuesday June 1st – Sunday June20th 2021Leaders: Mark Finn and KiwakoMinamiGroup size: 8 Species: 190-220

Dates

Birdwatching Breaks is pleased to offer you a summer tour to Japanconcentrating on Honshu, Hokkaido and the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa, AmamiOshima, Ishigaki-jima and finally Miyake-jima – a part of the Izu Island chain. Thistour takes you to some of the most beautiful and remote areas of Japan.■ Please note the itinerary is subject to change at short notice due to weatherconditions and air travel timetables in the Ryukyu Islands. We have alternativebirding sites if this happens.


ike Western Osprey and Black-eared Kiteare possible, with the surrounding forestholding the scarce Japanese Woodpigeon.After dinner we search wooded areas forJapanese Scops Owl and displayingEurasian Woodcock.

Day 8: Today we recheck Miyake-jima forany species we may have missed.Afternoon ferry back to Tokyo with possiblesightings of Laysan and Black-footedAlbatrosses, Streaked and Short-tailedShearwaters, Brown Booby, PomarineSkua and Tristram’s Storm Petrel. Night inTokyo.

Day 9: Morning flight to Amami Oshima inthe Ryukyu Islands for a two-night stay. Onarrival we transfer to the main town of Nazewhich is close to the forest habitats of theisland. Woodland species can be numer-ous, including Ryukyu Green Pigeon,Owston’s Woodpecker, Ryukyu Flycatcherand Owston’s Tit. As dusk falls it is a goodtime to look for the rare Amami Thrush onthe forest floor or singing from a low perch.After dinner we embark on a night drive

through the forest searching for the endem-ic Amami Woodcock, Ruddy Kingfisher andRyukyu Scops Owl.

Day 10: Today we check the forest areasand gardens for two island endemics –Lidth’s Jay and Amami Robin. The coasthas rocky headlands and bays attractingStriated Heron, Common Kingfisher andoccasionally migrant waders and terns. Ifrequired we take another night drive tocatch up with any missing species.

Days 11-12: Transfer to the airport for aflight to Naha in Okinawa and then on toIshigaki-jima, in the southern RyukyuIslands. Our main interest is in locatingRyukyu Serpent Eagle (another Japaneseendemic) and Ishigaki Tit, while there isalso a chance of the secretive and rareMalayan Night Heron. Other species wemay see on Ishigaki-jima includeCinnamon Bittern, Pacific Reef Egret,Purple Heron, Eastern Spot-billed Duck,Common Moorhen, White-breastedWaterhen, Greater Crested and LittleTerns, Emerald Dove, Pacific Swallow,

Japan

Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker Photo: Neil Norvock


Japan

Light-vented, Bulbul, Ryukyu Minivet andEastern Blue Rock Thrush. Chinese Egretis another possibility and the island is alsohome to rarer species such as Watercockand Slaty-legged Crake.

Days 13-14: Morning flight to Okinawaand transfer to the small town of Ada fortwo nights. The Yambura Forest is close byand this site attracts Ryukyu Robin,Okinawa Woodpecker, JapaneseWoodpigeon, Japanese Bush Warbler andBrown-eared Bulbul along with the beauti-ful Japanese Paradise Flycatcher. In theevening after dinner we take a night drive tolocate the flightless Okinawa Rail andPryer’s Scops Owl. Several areas of ricepaddies around the coast attract egretsand herons plus Black-naped and RoseateTerns in coastal waters.

Day 15: We take and an internal flight toKushiro in eastern Hokkaido via Tokyo andtransfer to Nemuro, which is our base forfour nights.

Days 16-18: Our first stop is Furen-ko, anexceptional area for birds which is home toWhite-tailed Eagle, Whooper Swan andmajestic Red-crowned Crane. The lake istypical of those on Hokkaido, beingextremely shallow and bordered by standsof fir and spruce. June brings Red-neckedGrebe, Tufted and Falcated Ducks, GreaterScaup and Eurasian Teal to breed on thelagoon. Walking through woodland should

bring us Eastern Buzzard, Grey-headedand White-backed Woodpeckers. On onenight we visit a private farm for Blakiston’sFish Owl. Tofutsu-ko, adjacent to the Sea ofOkhotsk, is a large lake with reedbeds andsand dunes where we should locateSiberian Rubythroat, SakhalinGrasshopper Warbler and LanceolatedWarbler singing from stands of wild roses.Other summer visitors include Latham’sSnipe, Middendorf’s Grasshopper Warbler,Meadow Bunting and Long-tailedRosefinch. Open water with emergent veg-etation attracts wildfowl, Eastern MarshHarrier, White-tailed Eagle and EurasianHobby. Cape Ochiishi has a boardwalkleading to a lighthouse. At the cape, and onthe sea below, a search may provide uswith views of Pelagic and Red-facedCormorants, Harlequin Duck, SpectacledGuillemot, Rhinoceros Auklet and Slaty-backed Gull. Cape Kiritappu is a largerocky promontory jutting into the sea. Ourmain interest is locating Tufted Puffin – arare breeding bird in Japan. On our returnto Nemuro we can search for Ural Owlalong birch-dominated roadsides.

Day 19: Today we head back to Kushiroand our flight to Tokyo. En route, we makea return visit to Furen-ko for JapaneseRobin and other woodland birds.

Day 20: Morning departure to Europearriving later the same day.

Ground Price: £5,695Single room: £500Deposit: £500*Air Fare: £1,500

This tour is fully inclusive ofaccommodation, meals, transport,entrance fees and permits, tips andtaxes.

Not included: drinks, insurance, anditems of a personal nature.


Prices

Varied Tit Photo: Neil Norvock


Days 1-2: We fly to Tokyo, arriving on themorning of Day 2. On arrival, we travel toTokyo station and take the bullet train toKaruizawa for a two-night stay. Karuizawais a picturesque town situated in thefoothills of the Japanese Alps. We make aninitial exploration of woodland and foresthabitats for Brown Dipper, JapaneseWagtail, Oriental Turtle Dove, Grey-cappedGreenfinch, Hawfinch, Brambling andRustic Bunting.

Day 3: This morning we walk the foresttrails of Karuizawa searching for the rareCopper Pheasant. Feeders attractJapanese Green Woodpecker, Long-tailedand Pallas’s Rosefinches, Japanese andVaried Tits, Japanese Grosbeak andMeadow Bunting. Near the river, we maylocate Japanese Accentor, Eurasian Wrenand, in trees laden with mistletoe,Japanese Waxwing. Patches of maturewoodland often have White-backedWoodpecker and Daurian Redstart. Duringthe afternoon, we explore rural roads and areservoir near Karuizawa in search ofGreen Pheasant and the localised Long-billed Plover. On the reservoir we shouldlocate a wide range of wildfowl includingSmew and Falcated Duck.

Day 4: Today we travel back to Haneda air-port for an internal flight to Miyazaki inKyushu. On arrival, we transfer to Hyuga.Night at Hyuga.

Day 5: Our main interest today is the near-endemic Japanese Murrelet, which is bestviewed by taking a short boat trip offshore.After seeing the murrelet, we travel to Mi-ike, a forested area of evergreens anddeciduous trees surrounding a volcaniclake. En route we make a short diversion toa coastal wetland which has on recent vis-its produced sightings of Oriental Stork,Baer’s Pochard and Long-billed Dowitcher.At Mi-ike a walk along the paths shouldgive views of Red-flanked Bluetail andGrey and Yellow-throated Buntings. Acampground is productive for Japanese

Winter birds in the Land of the Rising Sun

Tour A: Friday February 5th –Saturday February 20th 2021Tour B: Friday February 4th –Saturday February 19th 2022Leader: Mark Finn and KiwakoMinamiGroup Size: 8 Birds: 155-175

Dates

Japan is a huge archipelago stretching along the northern Pacific Ocean. Our tourconcentrates on Kyushu, Hokkaido, Katano on the Sea of Japan and Karuizawa inthe Japanese Alps. This winter tour to Japan should produce many memorablehighlights in a country steeped in its own tradition and culture. Interestingspecies present in winter include Short-tailed Albatross, White-naped and HoodedCranes, Baikal Teal, Blakiston’s Fish Owl and impressive concentrations ofSteller’s and White-tailed Eagles.

This is the most comprehensive Japanese winter tour available today taking in awide-range of habitats and sites. Birdwatching Breaks has been running tours toJapan since 1996, totalling 24 to date. Mark Finn has an extensive knowledge andexperience of Japan’s unique birdlife and where to find it. Over the years,Birdwatching Breaks has built up trust with local Japanese birdwatchers, makingthe company one of the market leaders to this wonderful country.■ The following itinerary is sometimes subject to change due to ferry schedulesfrom Nagoya.

Japan


Green and Japanese PygmyWoodpeckers, Olive-backed Pipit, VariedTit, Ryukyu Minivet and JapaneseGrosbeak. Transfer to Izumi along a quietcountry road which often has Pale Thrushand a chance of Copper Pheasant. Onarrival, we have a two-night stay in Izumi.

Day 6: This morning we visit Arasaki cranereserve, with wintering Hooded and White-naped Cranes and, possibly, Sandhill,Common, Demoiselle and SiberianCranes. Extensive estuarine habitats atArasaki attract Japanese Cormorant,Intermediate Egret, Black-eared Kite andwildfowl. Agricultural fields are a winterhome to Greater Painted-snipe, JapaneseSkylark, Oriental Rook, Daurian Jackdawand Rustic, Black-faced and MeadowBuntings. Gardens and hedgerows ofArasaki attract Hawfinch and JapaneseGrosbeak. Further south an area of dor-mant ricefields can be productive for win-tering Eastern Reed and Chestnut-earedBuntings and in milder winters EurasianWryneck. A scan of the wires may revealsubstantial numbers of Brambling andRusset Sparrow. In late afternoon, we visita boulder-strewn river holding Long-billedPlover, Crested Kingfisher, Eastern BlueRock Thrush, Barn Swallow, Asian HouseMartin and Japanese Wagtail.

Day 7: An early start today as we travel toAriake-kai, a coastal bay north of Arasakiwhich has extensive areas of mudflats,river estuaries and agricultural fields. Athigh tide we study roosting and feedingSaunders’s Gulls, Black-faced Spoonbills,shorebirds and wildfowl. Muddy dykes usu-ally have Spotted Redshank and MarshSandpiper with Meadow Bunting andChinese Penduline Tit in the reeds. A rem-nant patch of marsh near Saga is reliablefor wintering Merlin, Eurasian Woodcock,Ruddy Crake and Oriental Magpie. Transferto Saga for the night.

Day 8: Today we head north toShikanoshima Island which is reached viaa causeway. Shikanoshima is a regularhaunt of Red-throated, Black-throated andPacific Divers whilst sheltered bays offer asafe refuge to Great Crested and Black-

necked Grebes, Greater Scaup and otherwildfowl. Shikanoshima is a reliable areafor wintering Japanese Bush Warbler, PaleThrush and, on offshore stacks, JapaneseCormorant and on occasions Brown Booby.Transfer to Fukuoka for a flight to Komatsufor a two-night stay.

Days 9-10: Our main interest is the wet-lands and rice fields of Katano borderingthe Sea of Japan. Although small in size,Katano attracts geese and ducks in winterincluding the globally-threatened BaikalTeal. Other species occurring on a regularbasis include Middendorf’s Bean, GreaterWhite-fronted and occasionally LesserWhite-fronted Geese, Eastern MarshHarrier and Grey-headed Lapwing, whilstrarities comprise Tundra Bean and SwanGeese and Siberian Crane. Depending onwinter conditions we also have a chance oflocating Solitary Snipe in woodland pools.Along the Sea of Japan, we search for

Japan

Red-crowned Crane Photo: Neil Norvock


Red-necked Grebe, Ancient Murrelet andother seabirds. Woodlands around Katanohold the commoner Japanese birds and, onoccasions, Chinese Grosbeak andJapanese Waxwing. On Day 10 we take theexpress train to Nagoya where we board acomfortable ferry bound for Tomakomai inHokkaido. We have two nights aboard infirst-class en-suite cabins.

Day 11: A whole day seawatching in theNorth Pacific Ocean. We can expect White-billed and Pacific Divers, Laysan Albatross,Streaked and Short-tailed Shearwaters,Rhinoceros and Ancient Murrelets,Pomarine and South Polar Skuas, Black-tailed Gull and Red-necked and GreyPhalaropes. Rarities may include Short-tailed Albatross and Tristram’s StormPetrel. We also have a chance of observingNorthern Fur Seal and Pacific White-sidedDolphin.

Day 12: Before docking at Tomakomai, wemay see Least Auklet and Common andBrünnich’s Guillemots. In the harbour itselfwe may encounter Fork-tailed StormPetrels which winter in the area. Transfer toChitose airport for an internal flight toKushiro. On arrival we travel to Nemuro, ourbase for three nights. Furen-ko should pro-vide us with Black and Grey-headedWoodpeckers, Marsh Tit and other wood-land species. In Nemuro we may locateparties of Bohemian Waxwings.

Day 13: Our main interest today is thesheltered bays and estuaries en route toCape Nosappu overlooking the KurileIslands. The Nemuro Straits concentratesdivers, seaduck, gulls and alcids. Weshould find Pelagic Cormorant, HarlequinDuck, Snow’s and Spectacled Guillemots,Least Auklet and, possibly, Long-billedMurrelet. The frozen capes have White-tailed and Steller’s Sea Eagles and the har-bours Glaucous and Glaucous-wingedGulls. In the afternoon, we visit CapeKiritappu, an exposed peninsula jutting intothe Sea of Okhotsk where a house withfeeders has Asian Rosy Finch. Off thecape, we may see Red-necked Grebe,Red-faced Cormorant, Black andStejneger’s Scoters and Long-tailed Duck.

At the end of the day, we visit a farm forBlakiston’s Fish Owl.

Day 14: Today we head north towardsNotsuke Hando, a remote peninsula. Onour journey north, we check harbours forWhooper Swan and Smew. Depending onthe severity of the winter, we may findShort-eared Owl and Snow Bunting. AtNotsuke Hando hundreds of Steller’s SeaEagles congregate on the ice or in baretrees – a truly spectacular sight. Also pres-ent are White-tailed Eagle, Slaty-backedand Kamchatka Gulls, Greater Scaup,Common Goldeneye and CommonMerganser. Ice-free rivers are home toBrown Dipper. If we have not managed tosee Blakiston’s Fish Owl we make a shortdiversion to Rausu.

Day 15: We leave Nemuro and visitTancho no Sato, a feeding area for Red-crowned Cranes. In winter this delightfulbird often dances in the snow accompany-ing itself with bugling calls. After this finale,we head towards Kushiro Airport for aninternal flight to Tokyo and our final night inJapan.

Day 16: Transfer to Narita for our flight toEurope. Arrival is later the same day.

Japan

Ground Price: £5,995Tour B: £5,995 (provisional)

Single room: £600Deposit: £600*Air Fare: £1,550

This holiday is fully inclusive offerries, accommodation, meals,transport, guidance and taxes.

Not included: drinks, insurance,items of a personal nature, airpassenger duty taxes, excessbaggage and fuel surcharges.


Prices


Day 1: Fly to Ulan-Ude via Moscow wherearrival is early on Day 2.

Day 2: Ulan-Ude is the capital and maincity of the Buryat Republic and lies on theSelenga River which flows into Lake Baikal.After checking into our hotel, we make aninitial exploration of the area. Commonbirds within the city include Baikal Wagtailwhilst stands of trees near our hotel mayhave migrant warblers including Arctic. TheSelenga River has sandy islands attractingmigrant waders including Marsh, Greenand Wood Sandpipers, Eastern CommonTern, and waterfowl. Willow scrub is attrac-tive to Daurian Partridge, Azure Tit,Chinese Penduline Tit and Azure-wingedMagpie. An area of steppe near the cityholds Richard’s Pipit and on occasionsRed-throated Pipit from the High Arctic.Night Ulan-Ude.

Day 3: This morning we travel south-westtowards Gusinoozersk where we have athree-night stay. En route a riverside wood-land should hold Siberian Rubythroat,Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Long-tailed Rosefinch. Another area of fields withbushes should reveal Chestnut-eared

Bunting and Brown Shrike. Our journeytakes us to a large wetland surrounded byreeds. This is an important area for birdswith the open waters attracting CommonGoldeneye. Raptors use the area on a reg-ular basis and include Eastern Marsh andHen Harriers and White-tailed Eagle, whilemigrants may include Eastern and UplandBuzzards and Greater Spotted and SteppeEagles. In the stands of reeds EasternWater Rail, Eurasian Bittern and BeardedReedling are possible. The dry country sur-rounding the lake attracts Citrine andEastern Yellow Wagtails, Asian Short-toed,Horned and Mongolian Larks. We end theday by birding along the road towardsBeloozersk with concentrations of AmurFalcon and possibly Northern, Pied andIsabelline Wheatears. On the return toBeloozersk we may encounter Red-billedChough in the mountain passes.

Siberia

Autumn migration at Lake Baikal – taiga,forests and wetlandsThis Birdwatching Breaks tour brings us to central Siberia, Lake Baikal and theBuryat Republic on the border with Mongolia. As the vast evergreen forests ofRussia's Siberian taiga extend southward toward Mongolia, the ground rises andthe terrain becomes more varied. The border between Siberian Russia andMongolia is a natural divide here, with rugged hills and mountains forming aseries of ranges between the sprawling Russian forests to the north and rollingsteppes to the south. About midway along this border is Lake Baikal, situated in aregion of unsurpassed beauty, its forested shores dominated by the snow-cladpeaks of the Khamar-Daban, Sayan, and Barguzin Mountains. Birding in this areaof Russia is still relatively unknown and it gives you the opportunity to find andstudy birds that are major rarities further west in Europe. This tour is timed tocoincide with the autumn migration and we will encounter birds originating fromfurther north in Siberia and around Lake Baikal.

Saturday August 28th – SaturdaySeptember 11th 2021Leaders: Igor Fefelov and Mark FinnGroup Size: 8Birds: 155-175

Dates


Days 4-5: We have set aside two full daysto explore two salt lakes near Beloozerskwhich are an important staging point forsouthbound waders. En route a roadsidefreshwater lake often attracts the rareSwan Goose and migrant geese which mayinclude Greater White-fronted, LesserWhite-fronted and Tundra Bean Geese,plus Pacific Golden Plover, Eastern Black-tailed Godwit and Common and PintailSnipe. The open steppe habitat attractsDemoiselle and Common Cranes andgroups of Cinereous Vulture. The village ofBeloozersk is very run down and nowadaysalmost devoid of any human population.Gardens and bushes may harbourmigrants with recent visits having Thick-billed and Dusky Warblers and EurasianHoopoe. Our main interest is the lakes thathost hundreds of Ruddy Shelduck,Whooper Swan and the commoner duck

species. On the muddy margins we mayfind migrant waders including Red-necked,Little, Long-toed and Temminck’s Stints,Far Eastern Curlew, Eurasian Whimbrel,Curlew and Marsh Sandpipers and SpottedRedshank. We also check riverside wood-land with cliffs for migrant passerines,Golden Eagle, Lesser Kestrel, Azure Titand Meadow and Black-faced Buntings.

Day 6: Today we travel back to Ulan-Udevia an area of riverine woodland. Beyondthe village of Orongoy a visit to an area oflakes may be productive for migratoryBlack Stork, Eurasian Spoonbill, Broad-billed Sandpiper and White-winged Tern. Awalk around the lake should producePallas’s Grasshopper Warbler which maybe flushed from cover.

Days 7-10: Today we travel north towards

Siberia

Eurasian Nuthatch (Siberian race) Photo: Jo Finn


Siberia

Vydrino and Utulik on the shores of LakeBaikal where we stay for four nights. Thetaiga forest has a plethora of interestingspecies although most of our interest is inthe gardens, scrub and silver birch forestalong the shores of the lake. The wholearea is literally a migration bottleneck inlate August and into September. Migrantbirds of prey use the surrounding moun-tains and hillsides with sightings of OrientalHoney Buzzard, Japanese and EurasianSparrowhawks, Eastern Buzzard, andNorthern Goshawk being the most numer-ous, and other possibilities includingPeregrine Falcon and Western Osprey. Inthe forests resident species include GreatSpotted, White-backed and Grey-headedWoodpeckers, while the uncommonSiberian Jay is also known to occur. At thistime of the year we should locate Olive-backed and Buff-bellied Pipits,Lanceolated, Radde’s, Pallas’s Leaf and

Yellow-browed Warblers, Asian Brown,Taiga, Mugimaki and Spotted Flycatchers,Lesser Whitethroat, Common and Long-tailed Rosefinches, Little, Lapland, EasternReed and Pallas’s Reed Buntings andSiberian Stonechat.

On one morning we head in a westerlydirection to the village of Utulik. The gar-dens here hold the commoner birds plusTytler’s Barn Swallow, Daurian andCommon Redstarts, Eurasian Nuthatchand Azure-winged Magpie. Stands of silverbirch dominate the area where we shouldlocate the attractive Oriental Turtle Dove,Eurasian and Baikal Bullfinches, Hawfinchand various woodpeckers. On one after-noon we take the ski-lift to an area of conif-erous forest for Spotted Nutcracker andEurasian Three-toed Woodpecker. Kultuk ison the shores of Lake Baikal and is a notedmigration hot-spot with recent visits record-ing Grey-tailed Tattler, Green Sandpiper

Citrine Wagtail Photo: Jo Finn


Siberia

and the near-endemic Mongolian Gull.Offshore, large flocks of Stejneger’s Scoter,Common and Red-breasted Mergansersand Common Goldeneye are often pres-ent.

Day 11: The habitat starts to open up intofarmland dotted with seasonal lakes as weapproach the town of Arshan. Out on thesteppe Demoiselle and Common Cranesoccur along with Black-eared Kite and asmall population of Eastern Imperial Eagle.Two-night stay at Arshan.

Day 12: Today we visit the Tunka marshes,an area dominated by snow-capped peaks,patches of woodland, grass meadows andseveral small lakes with reedy margins.Before reaching Tunka, the bushes areworth checking for Siberian Rubythroat,Tree Pipit and Pine Bunting. In the mead-ows Richard’s Pipits are common whilststands of trees and scrub hold EurasianWryneck, Northern and Brown Shrikes.Scarcer birds occurring at Tunka include

Black Grouse, White-tailed Eagle and LittleGull.

Day 13: A morning visit to the birch forestand river habitats at Arshan. The forest hasBlack Woodpecker and the commoner for-est birds. After lunch we travel to Irkutsk,one of the largest cities of Siberia and alsoknown as an open museum with its authen-tic wooden houses. The city is built on theshores of the Angara River, a tributary ofthe Yenisey River. Two-night stay in the oldcity by the river.

Day 14: Irkutsk is blessed with a widerange of habitats from forests to marshesand several river systems. Our first birdingspot is the extensive marshes of Novo-Leninsky within the city boundary. This is atruly wonderful place for birds with the wil-low scrub and birch attracting Bluethroat,Yellow-breasted and Eastern ReedBuntings and Siberian Stonechat. On theshallow pools wildfowl abound and mayinclude the scarce Falcated Duck. The driermeadows here give us the opportunity tofind Eurasian Bittern in the open along withNorthern Lapwing and possibly migrantwaders. Fieldfare occur in the poplarswhilst the pylons sometimes attractWestern Osprey on migration.

Day 15: Fly to London via Moscow witharrival later the same day.


This holiday is fully inclusive ofaccommodation and meals, transportand permit fees, guidance, tips andtaxes.

Not included: drinks, insurance, itemsof a personal nature. Visa requiredfor Russia.


Prices

Siberian Rubythroat Photo: Jo Finn


Day 1: Fly to Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria.If time allows we visit Vitosha Mountain.Species of interest using the coniferous for-est in winter include Spotted Nutcracker,Common Crossbill, Goldcrest and if we arefortunate Three-toed Woodpecker. Shorttransfer to a hotel located at the foot ofVitosha Mountain.

Day 2: Transfer to Pomorie, a section ofthe Burgas lake complex including Mandraand Vaya, and a series of active saltpanswhich attract Caspian, Mediterranean,Little and Slender-billed Gulls. Great Black-headed Gulls are occasionally observedduring the late winter months. The lakeitself has Pygmy Cormorant and a selec-tion of wildfowl. Depending on the severityof the winter, we may find Whooper andBewick’s Swans. Vaya and Mandra lakesare situated in the Burgas district. LakeVaya is a brackish to freshwater lake con-nected to the Black Sea by a canal with asluice. The lake has stands of reeds onthree sides which attract Eurasian Bittern,Eurasian Penduline Tit and BeardedReedling. Open areas of water haveDalmatian Pelicans. Ducks present includeGreater Scaup and White-headed Duck.Lake Mandra is a brackish coastal lakeattracting GreaterWhite-fronted Geese,Red-breasted Merganser and Smew.

Day 3: Today we visit several areas aroundthe coastal port of Burgas. Our first stop atan old quarry may provide us with winteringRuddy Shelducks. The rest of the day isspent driving on roads either with open

fields or through beech woodland lookingfor Northern Goshawk, woodpeckers,Sombre Tit, Eurasian Nuthatch andEurasian Treecreeper. Large flocks ofEuropean Starlings are often pursued byPeregrine Falcons. Along the coast we mayfind Black-necked Grebe, Black-throatedDiver and large rafts of Eurasian Coots.Even during the harsh winter months thelarge saltpans of Burgas attract PiedAvocet, Eurasian Curlew and NorthernPintail.The pans also hold substantial num-bers of Dalmatian Pelicans and occasional-ly wintering Great White Pelican.

Day 4: Today we leave Burgas and travelnorth to Kavarna for a three-night stay. Ourjourney takes us along the Black Seacoast. From the coastal plain north ofBurgas we climb slowly through oak andbeech woods to a small taverna situated inwoods around Goritsa. We stop at Goritsato look for Black, Grey-headed, GreatSpotted, Middle Spotted and LesserSpotted Woodpeckers. Other woodlandspecies include Hawfinch, EurasianBullfinch, Brambling and Eurasian Siskin.Villages in the vicinity of Goritsa have the

Bulgaria and the Black Sea

Wintering Birds of the Balkans

Saturday February 12th – SaturdayFebruary 19th 2022 Leader: Simon McLaughlin andAssen IgnatovGroup size: 7 Birds: 90-110

Dates

Bulgaria is situated in south-eastern Europe. The country borders Romania to thenorth where the River Danube forms a natural boundary. The Danube rarelyfreezes in winter and is therefore an important area for wintering geese.Agriculture is still undeveloped in places. It is in these areas that large numbers ofgeese over-winter after being forced south by poor weather. Recent tours haveproduced huge numbers of the internationally-threatened Red-breasted Goosewith one visit producing in excess of 30,000 birds. The mild climate of the BlackSea coast is also important for swans, ducks, shorebirds, gulls and raptors.


rather localised Syrian Woodpecker. Wealso check a traditional site for EurasianEagle Owl which are actively calling in latewinter. Further north we reach Kavarna, atown adjacent to high cliffs and the coolBlack Sea.

Days 5-7: Lake Shabla is situated nearthe border with Romania adjacent to theBlack Sea. Offshore, birds include Black-throated and Red-throated Divers, Black-necked Grebe, Goosander, Red-breastedMerganser and Greater Scaup. The lake isimportant for Red-breasted and GreaterWhite-fronted Geese which are usuallypresent in their thousands. In amongst the’common’ two goose species we search forTaiga and Tundra Bean Geese, GreylagGoose and if we are fortunate LesserWhite-fronted Goose. Birds of prey includeHen Harrier and Rough-legged Buzzard.Cape Kaliakra, a steppe-like grassland withadjacent cliffs, juts out into the Black Sea.Passerines are few in winter but we shouldfind Calandra Larks and, in the gorge itself,Eurasian Eagle Owl. Offshore we have achance of European Shag. LakeDurankulak, a brackish to freshwatercoastal lagoon, will be our destination oneday. There are a few reedbeds which holdEurasian Bittern, Western Marsh Harrierand occasionally Moustached Warbler.Before reaching Durankulak we will check

fields for Red-breasted Geese. Dependingon numbers of wildfowl present, we mayalso locate reasonable numbers of White-tailed Eagles and perhaps a huntingNorthern Goshawk. We may find parties ofBohemian Waxwings and Great GreyShrikes. Fields may have hunting Rough-legged Buzzards and, if it is mild, Short-eared Owls.

Day 8: Transfer to Varna, birding along theroad, and then an internal flight back toSofia for onward connections to Londonwhere the tour concludes.

Bulgaria and the Black Sea


This holiday is fully inclusive offlights, accommodation, meals,transport, permit fees, guidance, tipsand taxes.



Prices

Dalmatian Pelicans Photo: Pandion Tours


Day 1: Surrounded by farmland and scrub,Drift Reservoir is our first destination today.On the reservoir resident species includeLittle Grebe, Common Pochard, TuftedDuck and Common Kingfisher. If the waterlevels are low the muddy edges attractCommon Greenshank and GreenSandpiper. In recent years Drift has attract-ed rarities in the form of Ring-necked Duckand Lesser Scaup. For the remainder of theday we explore the West Cornwall valleysof Nanquidno, Cot and Kenidjack, whichare close to St Just. In the upper part of thevalleys it is possible to locate severalspecies which use sycamore and oak treesin search of food. Among the flocks weshould locate Spotted and European PiedFlycatchers whilst Firecrest and Yellow-browed Warblers occur on an almost annu-al basis. Careful searching of the scrubmay reveal a migrant Eurasian Wryneck orperhaps something scarcer in the form of aBarred or Melodious Warbler. All three val-leys have small streams running throughthem which attract Common Snipe,Eurasian Woodcock and if we are fortunatethe uncommon and cryptically plumagedJack Snipe.

Day 2: First port of call today is Land’s Endairport, which usually has no air traffic onSundays. A check of the grassy fieldsshould reveal European Golden Plovers,and perhaps an American Golden Ploveramong them – the species occurs almostannually here. In the right conditions this isalso a favoured area for Buff-breastedSandpiper. The grasslands sometimes

attract unusual pipits, which may includeRichard’s and Red-throated, plus a chanceof Greater Short-toed Lark. If conditionsare good we will revisit the three valleysand explore the fields and cliff-tops nearthe coast. Our main objective is to locatethe increasing numbers of Red-billedChoughs which use the area on a regularbasis. If the winds are onshore there is thepossibility of migrant Merlin, PeregrineFalcon and Short-eared Owl. In the secondweek of October there is a good chance ofBlack Redstart, Ring Ouzel and Laplandand Snow Buntings using the coastal fieldsand rocky outcrops.

Day 3: Marazion Marsh is close to ourbase in Penzance and is in part-managedby the RSPB. The marsh is a reliable spotfor the commoner herons and wildfowl andgives us a chance of locating EurasianBittern in the reedbeds. In the reeds Cetti’sWarbler, Common Chiffchaff, EuropeanStonechat and Common Reed Bunting areresident. A scan into the bay from Marazionmay reveal returning winter birds, notablyGreat Northern and Black-throated Diversand in recent years Pacific Diver. Carefulscanning of the sea may also reveal Black-

England

Autumn migration in Cornwall

Saturday October 9th – SaturdayOctober 16th 2021Leader: Phil BeraetGroup Size: 8Birds: 90-110

Dates

Cornwall is located in the extreme south-west of the British Isles and is ideallylocated to receive migrants from North America, Asia and Europe. The majority ofsites are situated in the west of the county and are easily accessed from our basein Penzance. Over the years West Cornwall has regularly attracted rare speciesduring mid-October. Please note it is advisable to arrive in Penzance on theevening of October 8th.■ The following itinerary is subject to change due to weather conditions and winddirection, particularly when visiting Porthgwarra and Pendeen.


necked and Slavonian Grebes, CommonScoter and the ever-present NorthernGannet, Razorbill and Common Guillemot.Penzance and Newlyn both have extensivefishing ports and a visit to these could pro-duce Mediterranean, Iceland and GlaucousGulls. Waders using the area include thedeclining Purple Sandpiper, RuddyTurnstone, Sanderling and Dunlin. Raritiesobserved in recent years have includedSurf Scoter, Grey Phalarope and NorthAmerican gulls, notably Ring-billed,Laughing and Bonaparte’s.

Day 4: A change of direction today as thegroup heads to The Lizard – a longpromontory jutting into the English Channeland the most southerly point of mainlandBritain. Our first stop at Kynance Cove mayhave migrating flycatchers, warblers andthrushes. At Church Cove, on the easternside of the peninsula, our interest is in thesycamore trees around the churchyard.This site often produces records of Icterine

Warbler and Red-backed Shrike in Octoberwhile rarer species in recent years haveincluded Western Bonelli’s, Pallas’s, andBlack-and-white Warblers and Red-eyedVireo, the latter being almost annual inoccurrence. On exiting the village a checkof the heathland often produces sightingsof the shy Dartford Warbler and Hen andWestern Marsh Harriers, whilst PeregrineFalcon and Eurasian Kestrel often huntover the heath.

Day 5: Our main interest today is spendingtime around the Hayle Estuary, which isone of the most important birding areas inCornwall. Areas of interest include Ryan’sField, Carnsew Pool and the old railwaystation at Lelant. Anne’s Wood holds thecommon woodland species and localisedGreat Spotted Woodpecker and EurasianNuthatch.The estuary often has large num-bers of gulls including reasonable numbersof Lesser Black-backed, Mediterraneanand on occasions Little. Muddy sectors of

England

Eurasian Bittern Photo: Simon Papps


the estuary attract waders in the migrationseason and we have a chance of Red Knot,Common Greenshank and Bar-tailedGodwit. Scarcer species which occur inautumn include Wood and CurlewSandpipers, Little Stint and Ruff. The HayleEstuary also has a long track record ofattracting rarities and scarcities from NorthAmerica, Europe and Asia with recentrecords including Eurasian Spoonbill,Great Egret, Pectoral and Baird’sSandpipers, Lesser Yellowlegs,Bonaparte’s and Ring-billed Gulls andWhite-winged Tern.

Days 6-7: On one of these two days wewill pay a visit to Porthgwarra or Pendeenfor seabird passage. For best results thesesites are reliant on south-westerly or west-erly winds. Gwennap Head is probably thebest area for sightings of shearwaters,skuas, terns and storm petrels with goodpassage numbers of Great and ArcticSkuas, Balearic, Manx and possibly lateSooty Shearwaters along with steady flowsof Northern Gannet, Northern Fulmar,Common Guillemot and Razorbill. The val-leys at Porthgwarra often harbour migrantsand passage birds of prey. Recent visitshave produced sightings of Merlin, Short-eared Owl, Black Redstart, Richard’s Pipit,Lapland and Little Buntings. Other possibil-ities include Eurasian Hoopoe, Red-breast-

ed Flycatcher and Ring Ouzel. If the westwinds have been present for a long periodthere is an excellent chance of a NorthAmerican passerine. Stithians Reservoir isclose to The Lizard and a reliable site forGreen and Wood Sandpipers and maybean American ’peep’ such as White-rumpedor Baird’s Sandpiper. On the reservoir wild-fowl such as Northern Shoveler, EurasianTeal and Eurasian Wigeon are sometimesjoined by rarer ducks in the form ofGarganey, Lesser Scaup and Green-winged Teal. Depending on news of unusu-al or rare birds these last two days are flex-ible to meet our needs.

Day 8: The tour concludes after breakfastwith ample time for journeys back home byeither rail or road.

England

Tour Price: £1,495 Single Room: No chargeDeposit: £150

This holiday is fully inclusive ofaccommodation, meals andcomplimentary transport.


Prices

EurasianSpoonbill

Photo:SimonPapps


England

Day 1: After arriving at our base inFaversham we make the short journey toOare Marshes, a reserve run by the KentWildlife Trust.The reserve is adjacent to theSwale Estuary and a footpath traverses thehabitats of shallow lagoons, reedbeds andmuddy shore. Common, Sandwich andLittle Terns regularly feed in the estuary. Onthe scrapes we should find Pied Avocetand migrant waders, notably Black-tailedand Bar-tailed Godwits, CommonGreenshank, Ruff and perhaps rarerspecies such as Wood Sandpiper and LittleStint. Within the reedbeds Eurasian Reedand Sedge Warblers should be in full songwith Western Marsh Harriers quartering thearea. Return to our base in Faversham forthe next three nights.

Day 2: Today we head north across theSwale Bridge and onto the Isle of Sheppey,which retains large expanses of the NorthKent Marshes. Our first reserve is at Elmleywhich is reached along tracks passingthrough farmland, much of which is man-aged for wildlife. Along the track we shouldencounter displaying Northern Lapwing,Eurasian Curlew and, if there are any sea-sonal pools lingering, wildfowl. A walk downtowards the reserve can be productive forLittle Owl and occasionally Short-earedOwl, Northern Wheatear, Pied andWestern Yellow Wagtails, EuropeanStonechat and Meadow Pipit. The scrapesat Elmley hold significant numbers ofwaders which should include migratory

Grey and European Golden Plovers,Spotted Redshank and Green andCommon Sandpipers, while at this time ofthe year there is always the chance of ararer species such as Curlew Sandpiper orTemminck’s Stint. After leaving Elmley wetravel along the Harty Ferry road, which isprobably one of the best sites for raptors insouth-east England. Careful scanning mayreveal Western Marsh and Hen Harriers,Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian Sparrowhawkand Merlin. Patches of trees attract rem-nant populations of Corn Bunting, EurasianLinnet and other farmland species.

Day 3: This morning we head to SandwichBay and its bird observatory. Like all migra-tion spots it is hard to predict what mayappear, but recent years late April has wit-nessed good passage numbers of CommonSwift, Common and Lesser Whitethroats,Garden Warbler, Blackcap, CommonCuckoo and Mediterranean Gull. NearbyWorth Marshes is a reliable spot for LittleRinged Plover and migrant Garganey. In theafternoon we head towards the Stour Valleyand Stodmarsh National Nature Reserve.

Spring migration in Kent and Sussex

Saturday April 24th – Friday April30th 2021Leader: Phil BeraetGroup Size: 7Birds: 130-160

Dates

Kent and East Sussex are situated in the south-east of England and hold severalinteresting areas for birds in the form of reserves and protected areas. Our tourtakes in the very best of this unique area from the wetlands of the Swale Estuaryand Isle of Sheppey and then on to the bird-rich sites of Stodmarsh and SandwichBay and the migration hot-spot of Dungeness. The tour concludes in East Sussex,a predominantly rural county with areas of interest being at Rye Harbour,Cuckmere Valley and Ashdown Forest.■ Please note you should arrive at Faversham by 1400 hours on April 24th.Faversham is well served by the fast railway network from London and themotorway system.


England

An area at the eastern end often attractswaders in springtime. We have a goodchance of locating Eurasian Bittern, WaterRail, Western Marsh Harrier, EurasianHobby, and in the reedbeds BeardedReedling, Cetti’s, Sedge and Eurasian ReedWarblers. A section of woodland and scrubcan be productive for the decliningEuropean Turtle Dove and CommonNightingale plus other woodland species.

Day 4: Dungeness is our destinationtoday. It is the largest shingle spit inEurope, jutting into the English Channel,and has its own bird observatory and adja-cent RSPB reserve. At this time of the yearexpect to see a wide range of birds includ-ing many migrants from further south inEurope. A scan of the power station mayreveal Black Redstarts which breed in thevicinity. Offshore seabirds can be numer-ous in suitable wind conditions and shouldinclude Manx Shearwater, Brent Goose,

Sandwich, Common and Arctic Terns, andGreat, Arctic and occasionally PomarineSkuas. Migrant passerines use the bushesand scrub and we may find Ring Ouzel,Goldcrest, Firecrest and migrant warblers.The nearby RSPB reserve has hides over-looking scrapes and lagoons where wecould see Little and Great Egrets,Garganey, Little and Black Terns,Mediterranean and Little Gulls, andCommon Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers.A walk around the trails may producemigrants including Common Redstart,Common Whitethroat, Tree Pipit and otherpasserines. Rarities turn up on a regularbasis and have included Common Craneand Black-winged Stilt. Dengemarsh isoften worth visiting with recent records ofPurple Heron and Western Cattle Egret.Scotney Pit often has Black-necked Grebein spring, plus egrets and wildfowl. Furtheralong the road there is a possibility ofCommon Scoter in inshore waters. Transfer

Little Egret Photo: Simon Papps


to Rye in East Sussex via the coast road forthree nights.

Day 5: We start our day by visiting RyeHarbour National Nature Reserve, a com-pact area of shingle adjacent to the RiverRother. Similar birds occur to those atDungeness although there is a large colonyof terns which sometimes attracts RoseateTern on passage. Later in the morning wetravel to Cuckmere and the Seven SistersCountry Park. This is an interesting area inspring for migrants with recent records ofEurasian Spoonbill, Black Kite, KentishPlover and Water Pipit.

Day 6: Our final destination is theAshdown Forest, which has a wide varietyof birdlife in spring. Patches of heath attractWoodlark, Common Stonechat, DartfordWarbler, Tree Pipit and Eurasian Hobby. Onthe forest edge we may find Yellowhammer,Common Reed Bunting, Common

Redstart, Lesser Whitethroat, WillowWarbler, Spotted Flycatcher and smallnumbers of European Turtle Dove.

Later in the day we return to Favershamwhere the tour concludes. It is possible todrop clients off at East Grinstead, whichhas good connections to London.

England

Tour Price: £1,495 Single room: No ChargeDeposit: £150

This holiday is fully inclusive ofaccommodation, meals,complimentary transport andguidance.

Not included: insurance and itemsof a personal nature. Entry to RSPBreserves if you are a non-member.

Prices

Bearded Reedling Photo: David Bonniface


Day 1: Morning flight to Paris and thentravel east to St Dizier, a small countrytown close to Lac du Der, which is our basefor the tour.

Days 2-5: St Dizier town centre has wood-ed parks and fast-flowing rivers whichattract Grey Wagtail and in some wintersthe ’black-bellied’ race of White-throatedDipper. Mature trees within the parklandlandscape are home to Great Spotted andGreen Woodpeckers, Eurasian Nuthatch,Firecrest, Goldcrest and the continentalrace of Coal Tit. Depending on water levelsLac du Der can be excellent for Black-necked and Red-necked Grebes, TaigaBean, Tundra Bean and Greater White-fronted Geese, Great Egret, Eurasian

Wigeon, Smew and Common Merganser. Afew waders winter on the muddy fringes ofthe lakes with recent visits finding Dunlin,Green Sandpiper, Common Redshank,Common Greenshank and EurasianCurlew. Birds of prey using the region con-sist mainly of Common Buzzard, Red Kite,Western Marsh and Hen Harriers,Peregrine Falcon and Merlin, while there is

France

New Year in Champagne-Ardenne

Tuesday December 28th 2021 –Sunday January 2nd 2022Leader: Mark FinnGroup Size: 8Birds 90-110

Dates

Lac du Der Chantecoq is the largest artificial lake in France. It was constructed inthe 1970s to take the overflow from the Seine and Marne rivers. Almost byaccident the lake was built on a major migration route of Common Cranes whichnow stop and winter here in large numbers. Lac du Temple is nearby and covers ahuge area towards the historic and timber-built town of Troyes. The whole area isexperiencing human population decline and consequently this has affected themain industries of farming and forestry, resulting in several abandoned villages.This tour should produce some excellent birding, especially if the weather is nottoo cold and the lakes remain unfrozen.

Common Cranes Photo: Jo Finn


a chance of the rarer Rough-leggedBuzzard. Lac du Der is famous for winter-ing Common Cranes and these may num-ber several thousand if the weatherremains mild. Etang de la Horre and Lacd’Orient are situated close to Troyes.Species we may encounter includeEurasian Bittern, Water Rail, CommonKingfisher and if we are lucky a winteringGreat Grey Shrike. Open fields of the areaoften attract parties of Whooper andBewick’s Swans, Fieldfare and Redwing.Lac du Temple is a relatively new lakeattracting White-tailed Eagle and PeregrineFalcon. Wildfowl find a safe refuge hereand recent visits have seen Common Eiderand Velvet Scoter occur in bad weather.Trois Fontaine is north of St Dizier and hasextensive oak and beech forests that arehome to Black, Middle Spotted and LesserSpotted Woodpeckers, Hawfinch,Brambling, Eurasian Siskin, CommonRedpoll and, if we are fortunate, NorthernGoshawk.

Day 6: Today we leave the region and trav-el back towards Reims with a stop at Lacde l’Ailette near Laon, which is a goodplace for wildfowl and woodland species.Ducks may include Red-crested Pochard

and Smew whilst the muddy marginsattract wintering Water Pipits. The wood-land is predominately oak with an under-storey of hornbeam – a favourite haunt ofShort-toed Treecreeper, EurasianNuthatch, Hawfinch and Marsh, Willow andCrested Tits. Late afternoon flight back tothe UK where the tour concludes later inthe day.

France

Ground Price: £1,495 Single room: No ChargeDeposit: £150*Air Fare: £160

This holiday is fully inclusive ofaccommodation, meals, transportand permit fees, guidance, tips andtaxes.

Not included: drinks, insurance,baggage and credit card charges,items of a personal nature and anyrelevant fuel surcharges.

*Please refer to our terms andconditions relating to flights.

Prices

Western Cattle Egret Photo: Simon Papps


Day 1: We take an early morning flight toMarseille and transfer to our base atBeaucaire. En-route we should see our firstLittle and Great Egrets, White Storks, andbirds of prey such as Common Buzzardand Western Marsh Harrier. If time permitswe will make an initial exploration of thenorthern part of the Camargue.

Days 2-4: During our stay we explorethree main areas with our daily routinedetermined by the weather and our suc-cess in finding our target species.

We have plenty of time to explore theworld-famous Camargue, France’s largestwetland. Greater Flamingos are among themost famous inhabitants and are present ingood numbers. Wintering species fromnorthern Europe include Ferruginous Duckand Red-crested Pochard, Common Craneand perhaps Bewick’s Swan. Raptorsinclude Western Marsh and Hen Harriers,with White-tailed Eagle and GreaterSpotted Eagle also occurring on an annualbasis. The extensive reedbeds hostEurasian Bittern and Glossy Ibis withpasserines including Eurasian PendulineTit, Cetti’s Warbler and, with luck,Moustached Warbler.

Inland from the Camargue is La Crau asteppe-like habitat that is home to groupsof Little Bustard and Pin-tailedSandgrouse. Great and Iberian GreyShrikes, Eurasian Thick-knee and

Calandra Lark are further possibilities.Les Baux-de-Provence is a small town

dating back to medieval times which isperched on top of a huge rocky outcropwith high cliffs. It is known as a regular win-tering site for Wallcreeper, with other possi-bilities including Alpine Accentor, EurasianCrag Martin, Black Redstart, Wood Lark,European Serin and Blue Rock Thrush.

On one day we visit the impressive forestand montane habitats of Mont Ventoux.Theroad passes through areas of forest hometo Firecrest, Crested and Coal Tits, Short-toed Treecreeper, Common Crossbill andwith luck perhaps the impressive BlackWoodpecker. The upper slopes of themountain above the tree-line offer usAlpine Accentor and the uncommon White-winged Snowfinch. Nearby the Pont duGard, an ancient Roman aqueduct, is aregular site for Rock Petronia.

Day 5: This morning we return to Marseilleand fly to Bastia in the north-east ofCorsica. Etang de Biguglia is our first bird-

France

Winter birding in the Mediterranean

Saturday March 6th – SaturdayMarch 13th 2021Leader: Simon PappsGroup Size: 8 Birds: 120-135

Dates

This tour covers the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur – a beautifularea close to the Mediterranean Sea – and the island of Corsica. We visit thelimestone hills of Les Alpilles and the wetlands of the Camargue which in winteroffer some superb birding for desired species such as Wallcreeper, Citril Finch,Alpine Accentor, Little Bustard and spectacular concentrations of wildfowl fromfurther north and east. This area is bound to produce a few surprises in winter,with recent tours encountering Greater Spotted Eagle and wintering Richard’sPipit. Corsica is located further south in the Mediterranean Sea and offersmemorable birding amid some spectacular mountainous landscapes. In particularit hosts two endemic birds: Corsican Nuthatch and Corsican Finch, with otherexciting possibilities including Marmora’s Warbler, Audouin’s Gull and maybe evenBearded Vulture.


ing stop. Spotless Starlings and Red Kitesshould be easily encountered. The lake isimportant for waterbirds and we should findTufted Duck and Great Crested and Black-necked Grebes. A few Sandwich Terns canusually be found, whilst we have an excel-lent chance of seeing Audouin’s Gull.Transfer to the old, historic town of Corte,our base for the next three nights.

Day 6-7: Corte is conveniently placed forexploring the mountainous centre ofCorsica which is dominated by pine woods,rocky gorges and areas of maquis. Ourmain interest is in locating the island’s twoendemic birds: Corsican Nuthatch andCorsican Finch. We also expect to find aselection of woodland species including thelocal koenigi subspecies of Eurasian Wren.In the low maquis scrub we search forMarmora’s Warbler and Eurasian Wryneck.The mountains of central Corsica hold afew pairs of Bearded Vulture. Other specieswe hope to see include EurasianSparrowhawk, Golden Eagle, Blue RockThrush, Cirl Bunting, Northern Raven,White-throated Dipper and on the highestslopes Yellow-billed Chough. A visit to thecoastal lagoons of the east coast shouldreveal Common Sandpiper and LittleRinged Plover. Areas of scrub hostSardinian Warbler, Common Chiffchaff,

Blackcap and perhaps some early return-ing spring migrants. If there are onshorewinds we may see Scopoli’s and BalearicShearwaters and the local race ofEuropean Shag.

Day 8: We return to Bastia and fly back toMarseille on the French mainland. In theearly afternoon, we fly back to Londonwhere the tour concludes.

France



Not included: drinks, insurance,baggage and credit card charges,items of a personal nature and anyrelevant fuel surcharges.


Prices

Black-wingedStilt Photo:SimonPapps


Northern Ireland and Donegal are relatively under-watched by visiting birders fromthe United Kingdom. This tour is timed to maximise the opportunities for locatingvagrants from North America and coincide with the southbound migration ofwildfowl, including geese and swans, from further north and east. Our tour takesin a diverse range of habitats including Strangford Lough, Lough Beg, the BannEstuary and Lough Foyle. We also spend a few days birding in Donegal, the mostnorth-westerly county in the Republic of Ireland. Our main objective here isvisiting the remote island of Tory and the rugged north-west coast of Donegal.Malin Head is an excellent seawatching point in favourable conditions whilstLough Swilly attracts a wide range of waterbirds. Recent rarities at this time of theyear have included Black Brant, Snowy Owl, American Golden Plover, Buff-breasted and Baird’s Sandpipers, Long-billed Dowitcher and Common Nighthawk.■ Please note you should arrive in Belfast on the evening of October 8th. Theitinerary below is subject to change due to weather conditions.

Day 1: The tour commences in Belfastfrom where we head to Castle Espie.Strangford Lough is famous for its thou-sands of Pale-bellied Brent Geese whichfeed on expanses of eel grass and areoccasionally joined by Black Brant. Wadersuse the lough on a regular basis with hugenumbers of Eurasian Oystercatcher,Common Redshank, Dunlin, Red Knot andBar-tailed Godwit. Adjacent fields harbourCommon Stonechat, Common Linnet,Twite, Eurasian Tree Sparrow and CommonReed Bunting. Night at Castle Espie.

Day 2: After breakfast, we head westtowards the Myroe Levels. In recentautumns, the levels have attracted White-rumped, Buff-breasted and PectoralSandpipers, and American Golden Ploveramong flocks of European Golden Plover.Lough Foyle is close by – it is an importantarea for Whooper and Bewick’s Swans,Pale-bellied Brent, Greenland White-front-ed and Greylag Geese and concentrationsof Eurasian Wigeon and other ducks.Transfer to Letterkenny in Donegal for atwo-night stay.

Day 3: This morning we drive north toMalin Head, the most northerly point inmainland Ireland. If north-west winds areblowing, we expect a range of seabirds

including Manx and Sooty Shearwaters,Leach’s Storm Petrel, Sabine’s Gull, Greatand Arctic Skuas and, possibly, Little Auk.Grassy areas around Malin Head regularlyattract Red-billed Choughs. In the after-noon, we visit Lough Swilly, a long sealough with a variety of habitats. Shallowerwaters lure Great Northern and Red-throat-ed Divers and Slavonian Grebes.Shorebirds are few but we may find moreunusual species in Ruff, Little Stint andSpotted Redshank, and wintering’Icelandic’ Black-tailed Godwits. Raptorspresent include Common Buzzard,Peregrine Falcon, Merlin and, on occa-sions, Short-eared Owl. Lough Swilly regu-larly attracts wildfowl from North Americawith recent sightings of Ring-necked Duckand Lesser Scaup.

Days 4-5: An early start in order to catchthe ferry across to Tory Island, which is sit-uated 11km off the Donegal coast. This iso-

Northern Ireland and Donegal

Autumn migrants and birds of Ireland

Saturday October 9th – SundayOctober 17th 2021Leader: Mark FinnGroup Size: 8Birds: 100-120

Dates


lated spot has a population of a few hun-dred Gaelic-speaking people. Due to itsunique geographical location, anythingmay appear in this under-watched birdinglocation. There is very little in the way ofcover on the island apart from low bushesand stone walls. We hope to locate passer-ine migrants, which have in the past includ-ed Whinchat, Red-backed Shrike, Barredand Yellow-browed Warblers, CommonRedpoll (Greenland races), CommonRosefinch and Snow and LaplandBuntings. If a westerly airflow is blowing,the possibility of North American passer-ines is high. Seawatching can be produc-tive for Great, Pomarine, Arctic and Long-tailed Skuas, European and Leach’s StormPetrels and Grey Phalarope. We have atwo-night stay on Tory Island.

Day 6: Today we leave Tory Island. Onceon the mainland, we continue westwards toSheskinmore Loch adjacent to the AtlanticOcean. Sheskinmore has a wide range ofhabitats in a relatively small area and hasthe potential to attract North Americanpasserines. Other species we mayencounter include Greenland White-frontedand Barnacle Geese, Common Redpoll,Snow Bunting and, occasionally, LaplandBunting. Transfer to Bruckless for twonights.

Day 7: Today we travel to the town ofDonegal and Donegal Bay, the latter being

an important area for birds. En route wevisit Killybegs Harbour, the centre ofIreland’s deep-sea fishing fleet. Althoughthis is early in the ’gull season’, we maylocate American Herring, Iceland andGlaucous Gulls. Careful scanning ofDonegal Bay may reveal Black-throatedDiver, Common and more rarely Velvet andSurf Scoters, Greater Scaup, Long-tailedDuck, Common Eider and Red-breastedMerganser. Along the shore, PurpleSandpiper, Dunlin, Sanderling, CommonGreenshank and Bar-tailed Godwit occur invarying numbers.

Day 8: We leave Donegal, enter NorthernIreland, and visit the Bann Estuary nearColeraine which has a reputation for rarewaders with records of Long-billedDowitcher and Wilson’s Phalarope.Commoner shorebirds comprise Dunlin,Red Knot and Curlew Sandpiper. LoughBeg is nearby, adjoining Lough Neagh,which is the largest body of freshwater inthe British Isles. Our interest is along thenorth-west shore of Lough Beg, whichattracts a wide range of shorebirds withLittle Stint, Common and Jack Snipe andthe possibility of North American vagrants.Open water holds diving ducks, mainlyCommon Pochard, Tufted Duck andCommon Goldeneye. We have anovernight stay at Portstewart.

Day 9: After breakfast, we make the shortjourney to Belfast airport where the tourconcludes.

Northern Ireland and Donegal


This holiday is fully inclusive ofaccommodation, meals, transport,ferry fares and guidance.

Not included: flights to and fromBelfast (it is recommended to fly inand out of Belfast City Airport),insurance and items of a personalnature.

Prices

Glaucous Gull Photo: Simon Papps


Day 1: On arrival at Palma-de-MallorcaAirport we head westwards towards SaintElm and Isla Dragonera. The island holds asubstantial colony of Eleonora’s Falconsnumbering over 70 pairs, plus smaller num-bers of the near-endemic Audouin’s Gull.Sections of pine interspersed with rockyoutcrops attract the Mallorcan race ofCommon Crossbill, Firecrest, Cirl Buntingand Blue Rock Thrush. Later in the day wetransfer to Puerto Pollensa, which is ourbase for the next seven nights.

Days 2-7: S’Albufera is probably theisland’s most famous birding area. Alongthe entrance track we should find roostingBlack-crowned Night Herons, WesternCattle and Little Egrets. The extensivereedbeds are home to Purple Heron, LittleBittern, Western Marsh Harrier, WesternSwamphen, Bluethroat, the skulkingMoustached Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler andthe endangered endemic subspecies ofCommon Reed Bunting. Open waters oftenhave increasing numbers of Marbled Duck,Gadwall, Red-crested Pochard and Red-knobbed Coot. Migrant shorebirds from fur-ther north are attracted to muddy sectorsalong with resident Black-winged Stilts. Inthe surrounding fields we may come acrossEurasian Stone-curlew and migratingEuropean Bee-eaters.

The Boquer Valley has rocky sides whilstthe valley bottom has bushes and shrubsattracting migrants. Our main target is theendemic Balearic Warbler a skulking inhab-itant of the valley. We may encounter vari-ous migrants in favourable wind conditions

plus Rock Dove, Eurasian Hoopoe, BlueRock Thrush, Eurasian Wryneck, EurasianCrag Martin, Greater Short-toed Lark,Sardinian Warbler, European Serin, CirlBunting and Northern Raven. Overheadthere is a good possibility of Alpine Swiftand Booted Eagle.

On one day an early start is needed aswe head inland to Embalse de Cuber – anoted haunt of Cinereous and GriffonVultures which regularly patrol the moun-tain sides. Other species we mayencounter include Eleonora’s andPeregrine Falcons and passerine migrantsheading south. Pallid Swifts are often pres-ent overhead whilst Thekla Larks reside onthe rocky hillsides. Around the reservoir wemay encounter migrant passerines withrecent visits producing Blackcap, Commonand Iberian Chiffchaffs and EuropeanReed Warbler. Cala San Vicente is anothermigration hot-spot where a check of treesand scrub can be productive for migrants.

The Formentor Peninsula is a beautifularea reached by a narrow and twisting roadwhich eventually leads to a scenic view-point overlooking the sea. The peninsula isfamous for Eleonora’s Falcons which preyon tired migrants at this time of the year.

Mallorca

Autumn in theBalearic Islands

Saturday October 2nd – SaturdayOctober 9th 2021Leader: Simon PappsGroup size: 8Birds: 80-100

Dates

Mallorca is the largest of the Balearic Islands. It is situated 160 kilometres off theSpanish mainland and is a noted autumn migration hot-spot. The island hasseveral species of interest, notably Eleonora’s Falcon, Audouin’s Gull and theendemic Balearic Warbler. Early October is an optimum time to visit and migrantsmay appear in large numbers. Our base is in the north-east of the island at PuertoPollensa, giving easy access to the main birding sites.■ Please note that it is possible to fly into Mallorca from several UK airports thusavoiding the London hubs.


Offshore we may see Scopoli’s andBalearic Shearwaters along with theMediterranean race of European Shag.Casas Vellas is an area of fig and olivegroves which attracts a wide range ofmigrants including Mediterranean, Spottedand Pied Flycatchers, Common Redstart,Common Crossbill and Firecrest. The ArtaPeninsula is close by and this is anotherarea for migrants which may includeWestern Osprey, Tawny Pipit and TheklaLark.

Salinas de Levante are situated in thesouth of Mallorca. This area of saltpans is apremier site for waders. The southern sec-tor is usually productive for GreaterFlamingo, Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet,Ruff, Kentish Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit,Common Greenshank, Curlew Sandpiperand Little Stint. Further south the light-house allows seawatching opportunities forshearwaters and gulls which may includeAudouin’s Gull and passing SandwichTerns and Great Skuas. The scrub aroundthe lighthouse often hosts migrants withrecent visits recording European TurtleDove, Whinchat and Northern Wheatearplus resident Eurasian Stone-curlews

which form small flocks in October.

Day 8: Depending on flight times it may bepossible to revisit areas around PuertoPollensa. Most flights depart in the after-noon with arrival later in the day into theUK.

Mallorca



Not included: drinks, insurance,baggage and credit card charges,seat upgrades and items of apersonal nature.


Prices

Cinereous Vulture Photo: Simon Papps


Day 1: Fly to the mining town of Kirkenesin extreme northern Norway. On arrival wedrive towards the taiga forest in the Pasvikvalley, where our base is at Svanvik for twonights. The vegetation of Pasvik is domi-nated by pine and birch forests.

Day 2: We birdwatch along the border withRussia and in the Pasvik National Park.Some of the species we look for includeWestern Capercaillie, Black Grouse, PineGrosbeak, Siberian Jay, Siberian andWillow Tits, Arctic Redpoll and the northernrace of Eurasian Bullfinch which oftenforms small flocks. Birds of prey includeMerlin and White-tailed Eagle. We alsohave a good chance of seeing NorthernHawk-Owl, Short-eared Owl and, if it is agood rodent year, Great Grey Owl.

Resident species of interest include GreatSpotted, Lesser Spotted and EurasianThree-toed Woodpeckers and BohemianWaxwing.

Day 3: Drive towards the VarangerPeninsula. As we cross the Tana Valley withits rocky outcrops we should keep an eyeout for Rough-legged Buzzard, GoldenEagle and Northern Hawk-Owl, which are adistinct possibility along the road. Stuntedwillows attract flocks of Arctic Redpolls. Atthe highest elevations of our journey theroad edges and any exposed rocks mayhave Willow and Rock Ptarmigan, both ofwhich will be in their white winter plumage.Eventually we approach Batsfjord, whichwill be our base for the next two nights.

Day 4: Today is spent birding aroundBatsfjord and Berlevåg. The landscape andscenery are quite dramatic with snowfields,frozen lakes and Arctic tundra. The fishingport of Batsfjord has Steller's, King andCommon Eiders at close range along withLong-tailed Duck and Common Merganser.In the afternoon we drive slowly towardsthe isolated settlement of Berlevåg. Thiscan be a productive area in late winter forMerlin, Gyrfalcon and Rough-legged

Norway

Eider ducks and the AuroraBorealis in Varanger

Saturday April 3rd – Friday April 9th2021Leaders: Anders Mæland Group Size: 7Birds: 60-90

Dates

This tour concentrates on the wintering birds of Northern Norway and along theborder with Russia. Even in early April, daytime temperatures can be low. We haveexceptional opportunities to watch and observe many familiar and uncommonEuropean bird species that winter in and around the Varanger Fjord, whichincludes various owls, ducks and High Arctic species.Please note you should arrive in Oslo on April 2nd as the flight to Kirkenes isearly on the 3rd.

Pine Grosbeak Photo: Anders Mæland


Buzzard. The harbour at Berlevåg oftenholds large numbers of gulls which mayinclude Glaucous, Iceland and the northernraces of Herring. In recent years both Ivoryand Ross's Gulls have put in an appear-ance. Shorebirds present include PurpleSandpiper.

Day 5: Today we drive back over themountains towards the spectacularVaranger Fjord, a huge indented sea lochwhere White-tailed Eagles are particularlynumerous. Stops along the shore atNesseby, Varangerbotn and VestreJacobselv allow good vantage points forviewing into the fjord and we should findWhite-billed and Red-throated Divers,Common and Velvet Scoters, BlackGuillemot and the three eider species.Transfer to Vadsø for two nights.

Day 6: This morning we visit the fishingport at Vardø for a trip to the fantasticseabird cliffs at Hornøya. It is a short boattrip from the harbour to the cliffs whereCommon and Brünnich's Guillemots,Razorbill, Atlantic Puffin, Black-legged

Kittiwake and European Shag all breed.Later in the day we make visits to Svartnesand Kiberg harbours in search of anythingwe may have missed earlier in the tour.

Day 7: Return to Kirkenes for our flightssouth to Oslo and on to London, with arrivallater the same day.

Norway


This holiday is fully inclusive ofaccommodation, meals, transport,permit fees, guidance, tips and taxes.

Not included: drinks, insurance,items of a personal nature. Night inOslo and meals on the 2nd.


Prices

Steller’s Eider Photo: Anders Mæland


Day 1: Clients should arrive in Denmark atCopenhagen international airport on themorning of September 25th. FromCopenhagen we drive across the bridgeconnecting Denmark and Sweden and turnsouth to Falsterbo, which is our base for theweek.

Days 2-7: Falsterbo is a charming village,surrounded by wetlands, meadows andsmall woodlands. On the north-west side ofthe peninsula extends a tiny strip of land,covered with sedge and salt marsh vegeta-tion. The migration is at its most intensefrom late September to the middle ofOctober. Barnacle Goose, Brambling,Common Chaffinch, Common WoodPigeon, Eurasian Blue Tit and CommonStarling are the most numerous species.Eurasian Siskin, Common Linnet, MeadowPipit, Common Eider and Eurasian Wigeonare just some of the many other species

that migrate in large numbers. The raptormigration is perhaps the most famousattraction. Here you can see most of thenorth European species during a singleday. Common Buzzard and EurasianSparrowhawk are the most numerous inSeptember and October when daily num-bers can reach several thousands. Othercommon raptors at this time are Red Kite,Hen Harrier, Merlin and Common Kestrel.Rarer species which occur on a regularbasis include Pallid Harrier, Black Kite,Peregrine Falcon, White-tailed Eagle and

Sweden

Autumn migration at Falsterbo

Saturday September 25th - SaturdayOctober 2nd 2021Leader: Anders MælandGroup size: 7Birds: 110-130

Dates

Falsterbo is located at the end of a narrow peninsula in south-west Sweden. Dueto its unique geographical location migrant birds are literally funnelled down tothe point when they have to decide to migrate across the Baltic Sea or stay untilconditions are right. The birding week and itinerary is dependent on the weathersituation. We mainly stay on the peninsula when the conditions are good formigration. On some days we explore the wonderful Baltic Sea coastline andseveral lakes and wetlands in the province of Skåne.

White-tailedEagle Photo:Kent-OveHvass


Golden Eagle. On the west side a sandybeach stretches all the way south toNabben. East and north is an area of mud-flats uncovered during low tide whichattracts thousands of Dunlin and otherwaders. During our stay we see less com-mon species – Little Ringed Plover, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper andPied Avocet. This is also a good area forresting terns, gulls, waterfowl and pipits.

A short drive inland takes us through thecountryside to beech forests, meadowsand lakes. The avifauna here is quite differ-ent from that on the Falsterbo peninsula.Some of the species likely to be found hereare Great Crested Grebe, Black andEuropean Green Woodpeckers, BeardedReedling, Marsh Tit, Hawfinch andCommon Kingfisher. Large flocks of geeserest and feed and may include Tundra andTaiga Bean Geese and increasing numbersof Greylag Geese. Another feature of thearea are migrant Common Cranes whichcan occur in huge numbers feeding in themeadows and fields. The nutritious lakesKrankesjon and Vombsjøen are attractivefor waterfowl and other freshwater speciesincluding Whooper Swan, Greater White-fronted Goose and in some autumns the

rare Lesser White-fronted Goose. Manybirds of prey linger in Southern Scania,waiting for ideal migration weather. Withsome luck rare species like Red-footedFalcon and Lesser and Greater SpottedEagles can be observed from strategicwatching points.

Day 8: A final morning birding aroundFalsterbo before returning to Copenhagenfor flights back to Britain.

Sweden





Prices

Black Woodpecker Photo: Pandion Wildlife Tours


Day 1: On arrival transfer to the small townof Skövde travelling along quiet roadspassing through patches of forest andfarmland. On the forest edge there is agood chance of locating Fieldfare, EurasianNuthatch, the Scandinavian race of Long-tailed Tit, Marsh Tit and Hawfinch.

Days 2-4: Three full days to explore thedelights of Lake Hornborga and severalother areas within close proximity.Hornborga is one the largest lakes inSweden, being fairly shallow and fringedwith reeds and willow scrub. Our maininterest is connecting with almost 25000Common Cranes which rest on their jour-ney north to breed. On the lake we shouldlocate Great Crested, Red-necked, Little,Black-necked and Slavonian Grebes. In thereedbeds a sizeable population of Eurasian

Bittern is present and with luck we shouldlocate some birds giving their boomingcalls. Other species we may encounterinclude Greater White-fronted, Greylag andTaiga Bean Geese, Northern Pintail,Eurasian Teal and hunting White-tailedEagles. On one day an early morning visitto the woodland bogs at Billigen may revealWestern Capercaillie, Black Grouse,Eurasian Pygmy and Tengmalm’s Owls and

Sweden

Cranes, owls and woodpeckers of Hornborga

Wednesday March 24th - SundayMarch 28th 2021Leaders: Kent-Ove Hvass and SimonMcLaughlinGroup size: 8Birds: 75-100

Dates

Western Sweden is within easy reach of the UK and offers exceptional birding inearly spring with large concentrations of Common Cranes at Lake Hornborga. Inaddition to the cranes this is an optimal time to search for several species of owlsand woodpeckers, many of which will be on territory at the end of March. The areaaround Hornborga is dominated by a mix of agricultural land, huge coniferousforests, bogs and shallow lakes which attract a wide variety of birds and otherwildlife.

Eurasian Eagle OwlPhoto: Kent-OveHvass


the impressive Black Woodpecker. To thenorth is Lake Osten, another importantstopover point where we have a chance offinding the rare Lesser White-frontedGoose whilst the reedbeds attract WesternMarsh Harriers to breed. Lake Dattern isanother area to visit where we mayencounter passage waders in the watermeadows. During late March we may findlingering visitors from further north includ-ing Golden Eagle, Rough-legged Buzzardand Northern Goshawk. The extensive for-est also has scarcer species, notablyEurasian Eagle-Owl, Spotted Nutcracker,Common and Parrot Crossbills and, if it hasbeen an invasion year, Northern Hawk-Owland Great Grey and Ural Owls from theHigh Arctic.

Day 5: Depart from Skövde to Gothenburgvia Torslandaviken, a vast bay fed by one ofSweden’s largest rivers. The area is anoted migration hot-spot with a wide rangeof waterbirds using it as a staging post

including Whooper Swan, Common Eider,Common Goldeneye and Greater Scaup.Later in the day we transfer to the airportfor flights back to the UK.

Sweden

Ground Price: £1,645Single room: No ChargeDeposit: £150*Air Fare:£125

This holiday is fully inclusive offlights, accommodation and meals,transport, permit fees, guidance, tipsand taxes.



Prices

Common Cranes Photo: Kent-Ove Hvass


Day 1: Fly from London to Toronto in theCanadian province of Ontario. On arrival,we transfer to Orillia for a two-night stay.

Day 2: A visit to the beautiful wilderness ofAlgonquin Provincial Park. Near the parkentrance, fields attract mixed flocks ofsparrows that include White-crowned,Chipping, Savannah and White-throated.The forest edge has Eastern Phoebe,Northern Raven and Canada Jay. OpeongoRoad is a good area for Black-backedWoodpecker and Ruffed Grouse, whileBoreal Chickadee and Spruce Grouse areboth possibilities. Other species includeRose-breasted Grosbeak and Golden-crowned Kinglet. Spruce Bog Trail and itsenvirons has tame Black-cappedChickadees and Red-breasted Nuthatches,while interesting mammals include Mooseand Groundhog.

Day 3: We start our exploration of CardenAlvar by visiting Kirkfield Lift Lock whichhas Cliff and Northern Rough-wingedSwallows. Nearby, a check of meadowhabitats may reveal the presence ofNorthern Harrier, Wilson’s Snipe, UplandSandpiper, Cedar Waxwing, the endan-gered eastern race of Loggerhead Shrike,Grasshopper Sparrow and Bobolink.Patches of marsh are worth checking forthe highly localised Sedge Wren and wemay hear the calls of Yellow, Virginia andSora Rails and glimpse an American

Bittern. Drier sections of the marsh withscrub may attract Golden-winged Warbler,Indigo Bunting and Clay-coloured and FieldSparrows whilst in recent years raritieshave included Lark Sparrow and PrairieWarbler. Black Bear is also a possibility.Transfer to Port Rowan in the afternoon.

Day 4: Long Point’s Old Cut Field Stationis our first destination today. This site isworld famous for migrant songbirds andrarities which occur during spring migra-tion. Falls of migrants occur with regularityat the time of our visit. One area of wood-land, on a good day, can hold in excess ofa hundred species. On occasions it can bedifficult to know where to look next as birdsof every colour adorn the trees. For many,however, it is the flocks of warblers whichare the biggest draw. At Long Point inspringtime you stand the best chance ofobserving large mixed flocks of these birdswhich are always stunning both in theirdiversity and in the brightness of theirplumage. A number of species ar commonor fairly common, including American

Canada

Spring migration at Long Point, Ontario

Thursday May 6th – Saturday May15th 2021Leader: Simon Papps Group size: 6 Birds: 160-190

Dates

Following past successful visits to Long Point in Ontario, we are once againreturning to this beautiful, bird-rich area of Canada. For those fortunate to havewitnessed it, a fall of North American songbirds in springtime is an exciting andmemorable experience. Warblers, orioles, tanagers and grosbeaks frequentlyabound, their colours and characters defying adequate description. This holidayoffers the opportunity to encounter many such visually stunning species. Our visitis timed to coincide with the spring migration of songbirds, mid-May being theprime period. We also search for breeding species in southern Ontario andlingering winter migrants around the Great Lakes. We have extended the tour bytwo days to visit the Algonquin and Carden Alvar areas which hold several scarcespecies and migrants during May.


Redstart, Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat,Northern Parula, the enigmatic Black-and-white Warbler, the stunning flame-throatedBlackburnian Warbler, plus Magnolia,Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green,Palm, Bay-breasted, Yellow-rumped,Nashville and Chestnut-sided Warblers.Other species which are regularly recordedinclude Baltimore Oriole, Indigo Bunting,Scarlet Tanager, Grey Catbird, NorthernMockingbird, Brown Thrasher andAmerican Robin. The undergrowth can bealive with Grey-cheeked and Swainson’sThrushes, Lincoln’s and White-throatedSparrows. Rarities encountered on previ-ous tours include Worm-eating Warbler andHarris’s Sparrow. We visit Old Cut and sur-rounding areas several times during theweek in order to stand the greatest chanceof witnessing songbird migration at its best.

Day 5: Today we head straight for WilsonTract, an area of old Carolinian forest. It willbe an early start to this birding hot-spotwhich holds breeding Yellow-billed andBlack-billed Cuckoos, Blue-winged, Black-throated Blue, Cerulean, Prothonotary andHooded Warblers and Louisiana

Waterthrush. Broad-winged and Cooper’sHawks can also be found. Nearby an oldorchard holds Eastern Bluebirds andmeadows are home to Grasshopper, Fieldand Vesper Sparrows. Later in the day, aftera stop at Long Point to discover the state ofthe day’s migration, we progress to nearbyPort Rowan and birdwatch around thepond and the cemetery where OrchardOrioles occur on a regular basis. PortRowan sewage ponds are close by whereshorebirds rest on their northward migra-tion. Wilson’s Phalarope, LesserYellowlegs, Least Sandpiper and Short-billed Dowitcher often turn up along withAmerican Black Tern and CommonNighthawk. Lake Erie itself often has GreatNorthern Diver, Ring-necked Duck, LesserScaup, Redhead, Canvasback andCaspian Tern.

Day 6: After a visit to Long Point to checkon the day’s migration potential, we headnorth-east to Turkey Point. En route, wevisit Spooky Hollow which, along with typi-cal woodland species, provides the oppor-tunity to discover Black-throated Green,Blackburnian, Cerulean and Canada

Canada

Red-breasted Nuthatch Photo: Simon Papps


Warblers and, on occasions, LouisianaWaterthrush, Carolina Wren and Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Turkey Point itself is anexcellent site for shorebirds, gulls andterns. We can expect Killdeer, GreaterYellowlegs, Solitary and SpottedSandpipers. The overlook of Turkey PointMarsh is a reliable site for Wood Duck andthe impressive Bald Eagle. Along the road-side we search for Red-belliedWoodpecker and Carolina Wren. The forestat Normandale should provide us withLeast Flycatcher, Black-throated GreenWarbler, Nashville Warbler, and Wood andHermit Thrushes.

Day 7: After our morning visit to LongPoint we progress to the extensive areas ofwetlands at Big Creek Reserve and HahnMarshes. Several species of interest arepresent including American Bittern,American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal,American Black Duck, Sandhill Crane,Forster’s Tern, Purple Martin, Marsh Wrenand Common Yellowthroat. Woodlandtracts sometimes have a few migrantsincluding Brown Creeper, Red-breasted

Nuthatch, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher, AcadianFlycatcher and Solitary Vireo.

Day 8: Rondeau is west of Simcoe, apeninsula facing south-west into Lake Erie.It is a noted migration hot-spot although notas well known as Long Point. The entranceroad can be a reliable place to see GreatHorned Owls. However, our main interest isthe feeders outside the visitor centre. Onour last visit we recorded Ruby-throatedHummingbird, Red-headed, Red-bellied,Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Goldfinch,White-crowned Sparrow, Rose-breastedGrosbeak and Northern Cardinal. A walkalong a boardwalk through a swamp shouldprovide us with Prothonotary Warbler andWinter Wren. There are several trails atRondeau providing good access to wood-land, scrub and the shore of Lake Erie.Walking along South Beach Trail, we mayencounter Field Sparrow, PileatedWoodpecker, Bay-breasted Warbler,Common Yellowthroat and Brown Thrasher.After an early dinner, we return to Rondeauto observe the remarkable display flight

Canada

Black-capped Chickadee Photo: Simon Papps


Canada

and feeding actions of AmericanWoodcocks. Common Nighthawk is also adistinct possibility as dusk falls.

Day 9: Today we head towards BackusWoods to look for Blackburnian, Canada,Cerulean, Blue-winged and Black-throatedGreen Warblers. Backus Woods also pro-vides us with a chance of locating Red-shouldered Hawk, Wild Turkey, Barred Owl,Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and OrchardOriole. Lakeland Drive follows the shorelineof Lake Erie with several vantage points.We may locate lingering Bufflehead off-shore and Semipalmated Plover along themuddy shore. Fields and weedy areas mayhold Savannah Sparrow, EasternMeadowlark and Bobolink.

Day 10: After a final visit to Long Point, wehead for Niagara Falls. Sightseeing atNiagara will be arranged to suit the group.Visually, the falls are a stunning spectaclewith rainbows in the spray. The force of thefalling water is astounding. Nearby are tow-ers that have been erected to give the verybest viewpoint from which to survey the

falls. Niagara is noted for Bonaparte’s Gullsand Double-crested Cormorants. Thegorge below the falls attracts Ring-billedGulls in their thousands and, occasionally,Great Black-backed Gull. We then travel toToronto Airport for our flight home witharrival early the next morning.


This holiday is fully inclusive offlights, accommodation and meals,transport, permit fees, guidance, tipsand taxes.

Not included: Visa to enter Canada,drinks, insurance, and items of apersonal nature.


Prices

White-crowned Sparrow Photo: Simon Papps


Colombia

Day 1: Overnight direct flight from LondonHeathrow to Bogotá, arriving early the nextmorning.

Day 2: Bogotá is located at an altitude ofaround 2,300m, nestled in a large plateauin the Eastern Cordillera of the Andes. Wehave an early start to visit La Florida, whichholds three endemic birds: Bogotá Rail,Silvery-throated Spinetail and Apolinar’sWren. There is also a good chance ofSubtropical Doradito, Noble Snipe, Rufous-browed Conebill and the local race of LeastBittern. We also become acquainted withwidespread species such as RoadsideHawk, Blue-and-white and SouthernRough-winged Swallows, Great Kiskadee,Fork-tailed and Vermilion Flycatchers,Masked and Black-crowned Tityras, Buff-breasted Wren, Black-billed and Pale-breasted Thrushes, Saffron Finch, and win-tering Blackburnian and Canada Warblers.We then catch a late morning flight fromthe nearby airport to the city of Riohacha,which is the setting for parts of several nov-els by Gabriel García Márquez, includingOne Hundred Years of Solitude. The nearbyLos Flamencos Sanctuary on the GuajiraPeninsula is an important coastal wetlandand dry forest reserve created to protect alarge population of American Flamingosand numerous other birds includingherons, waders, Black Skimmer andRoseate Spoonbill. Scarlet Ibis can usuallybe found in the small flocks of White Ibis.Scattered trees and brush by the lagoons

may produce Scaled Dove, GlaucousTanager, Grey Kingbird and Yellow Oriole.

Day 3: We spend the morning birding inthe Guajira desert near Los Flamencos.Inland, xerophytic scrub dominates, whichis very productive for Guajira specialtiesrestricted to north-east Colombia andnorth-west Venezuela. These includeRufous-vented Chachalaca, Bare-eyedPigeon, Buffy Hummingbird, Russet-throat-ed Puffbird, Chestnut Piculet, White-whiskered Spinetail, Slender-billed Inezia,Orinocan Saltator, Pileated Finch, TocuyoSparrow and Vermillion Cardinal. We alsosearch for Crested Bobwhite, Blue-crowned and Brown-throated Parakeets,Green-rumped Parrotlet, Black-crestedAntshrike, White-fringed Antwren andNorthern Scrub-Flycatcher. After lunch thescorching desert sun is overpowering, sowe head west, visiting lush coastal forestwhere we have a chance of encountering

Endemics and antpittas in theworld’s best birding country

TOUR A: Saturday January 9th –Saturday January 23rd 2021TOUR B: Saturday January 8th –Saturday January 22nd 2022Leader: Simon Papps and localleaderGroup Size: 6Species: 450-500 including up to 42endemics

Dates

Colombia is home to a staggering total of over 1,950 bird species – more than anyother country on Earth - and the world's best birding country is once again safeand open for business. This tour, which has been specially designed to see aslarge a selection of species and as many endemics as possible, will begin at thelegendary endemism hot-spot of Santa Marta on the Caribbean coast, and thenfocus on the various cordillera of the central Colombian Andes. The wonderfulbirdlife, combined with friendly people, good food, quality accommodation,efficient infrastructure and varied geography, from the High Andes to theCaribbean coast, make Colombia arguably the number one birding destinationanywhere in the world.


Colombia

the likes of Trinidad Euphonia, Yellow-rumped Cacique, Streaked Flycatcher andif we are lucky Military Macaw. Overnightnear Tayrona National Park.

Day 4: Early start at Tayrona NationalPark, where forest birds include Lance-tailed and White-bearded Manakins, BlueDacnis, White-chinned Sapphire and avariety of woodcreepers, tanagers andother birds. Mammals include VenezuelanRed Howler and Cottotop Tamarin. If ourluck is really in we may encounter a Blue-billed Curassow.Later in the morning we will drive to thefoothills around Minca. Birding here mayproduce Scarlet-fronted Parakeet, ScaledPiculet, Crimson-crested Woodpecker,Red-billed Parrot, Boat-billed Flycatcherand Keel-billed Toucan, plus a wide rangeof warblers and other species.Accommodation near Minca.

Days 5-6: We ascend to the famous ElDorado reserve in the Sierra Nevada deSanta Marta for a two-night stay. Thismountain range is the jewel in the crown ofColombian birding and is home to no lessthan 19 endemic bird species, including therecently described Santa Marta ScreechOwl. Birding around the lodge is productivefor Santa Marta Brush-Finch and CrestedOropendola. Hummingbirds include theuncommon endemics, Santa MartaBlossomcrown and Santa Marta Woodstar.Tanagers visit the feeding trays, with Black-capped Tanager and Blue-napedChlorophonia being possible. The lodgeclearing, with a view of the Caribbeanbelow, is a good place for Scarlet-frontedParakeets and White-rumped Hawks.Black-fronted Wood-Quail, Santa MartaToucanet, White-tipped Quetzal, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, Streak-cappedSpinetail, Grey-throated Leaftosser, SantaMarta Antpitta, Golden-breasted Fruiteater,Black-hooded Thrush and White-loredWarbler are present in forests adjacent tothe lodge. Many of the endemics are foundat higher elevations above the lodge,including Santa Marta Parakeet, White-tailed Starfrontlet, Rusty-headed Spinetail,the distinctive endemic subspecies ofRufous Antpitta, Brown-rumped Tapaculo,

Santa Marta Bush-Tyrant, Santa MartaMountain-Tanager, Yellow-crownedWhitestart and Santa Marta Warbler. Thepeaks of the sierra – the highest inColombia – are usually visible in the earlymorning. Watching the skies may reveal thepresence of Scaly-naped Parrots and rap-tors including Andean Condor, Black-and-chestnut Eagle and Semi-collared Hawk.

Day 7: We bird down the road towardsMinca this morning looking for speciessuch as Black-backed Antshrike, Golden-winged Sparrow, Golden-fronted Greenlet,Coppery Emerald and Rosy Thrush-Tanager. The little known Santa MartaSabrewing is occasionally seen here. Wethen take a flight from Santa Marta toColombia’s second largest city, Medellín,and from here head west crossing over thewestern Andes. The Chocó rainforest inwestern Colombia contains one of thehighest concentrations of range-restrictedbiodiversity in the world, with many birds,plants and amphibians at risk of extinction.We will be based in the comfortable LasTangaras lodge for the next three nights.The endemic Crested Ant-Tanager is regu-larly seen in the lodge garden.

Days 8-9: We will have two full days toexplore the area around the reserve, wherewe will look for a number of endemics suchas the Chocó Vireo, Gold-ringed Tanager,Black-and-gold Tanager, Chestnut Wood-Quail, Red-bellied Grackle and the recentlydescribed Tatama Tapaculo. Other speciali-ty species of the area include Beautiful Jay,Black Solitaire, Fulvous-dotted Treerunner,Black-chinned Mountain-Tanager, Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Toucan Barbet andWhite-headed Wren. We will also visit ahummingbird feeding station within thereserve where we will see Velvet-purpleCoronet, Violet-tailed Sylph, Rufous-gapedHillstar, Empress Brilliant, Purple-throatedWoodstar, and Tawny-bellied Hermit.

Day 10: After a final morning’s birding atLas Tangaras, visiting a different area insearch of Tanager-finch and MunchiqueWood-Wren, we head back over the moun-tain pass to the pleasant colonial town ofJardin for a two-night stay, stopping en


Colombia

route to look for the endemic GreyishPiculet is some degraded forest fragmentsby the roadside.

Day 11: The reserve above Jardin is thebest place to find the spectacular and criti-cally endangered endemic Yellow-earedParrot. Munchique Wood-Wren has recent-ly been discovered here and we have agood chance of seeing this critically endan-gered Colombian endemic. The forests arealso home to the Colombian subspecies ofAcorn Woodpecker, White-browedSpinetail, Chestnut-crowned Cotinga,Golden-faced Whitestart, Black-and-whiteSeedeater and Tanager Finch. Groups ofWhite-capped Tanagers are occasionallyfound. Later in the day we will visit a lek ofAndean Cock-of-the-Rock which, incongru-ously, is situated just five minutes’ walkfrom the town centre. In the afternoon, wedrive down the Central Andes to the city ofManizales, in the so-called coffee zone(although in fact coffee is grown over much

of the country), for a two-night stay.

Day 12: A full day in the hills aboveManizales at the magical Rio Blancoreserve which is home to a large variety ofendemics and specialties representative ofthe Central Cordillera. Cabins at thereserve entrance are festooned with hum-mingbird feeders and we expect to see upto ten species, including TourmalineSunangel and the diminutive White-belliedWoodstar. Birding activity is exceptionallygood with large mixed-species flocks fre-quently encountered. Flocks contain anincredible diversity of furnarids, tanagersand flycatchers, including TyrannineWoodcreeper, Dusky Piha, HandsomeFlycatcher, Golden-faced Whitestart,Oleaginous Hemispingus, Buff-breastedMountain-Tanager and Grass-greenTanager. Understorey flocks in areas ofbamboo are of particular interest andinclude Plushcap, Black-earedHemispingus, Yellow-billed Cacique, Black-

Blue-naped Chlorophonia Photo: Simon Papps


billed Peppershrike and Masked Saltator.Other highlights include the noisy Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, PowerfulWoodpecker, Northern Mountain-Cacique,Black-collared Jay and White-cappedTanager. This is also a good area for par-rots, including Rusty-faced Parrot, Golden-plumed Parakeet and the endemic Rufous-fronted Parakeet. The skulking Ocellated,Blackish and Spillmann’s Tapaculos andChestnut-naped Antpitta can sometimesbe tempted into view. Rio Blanco’s high-light, however, is its antpitta feeding station.Chestnut-crowned and the endemicBrown-banded Antpittas are regular whileSlate-crowned and the endemic BicolouredAntpittas are occasional visitors. We willstay until dark for a chance of Lyre-tailedNightjar, Common Potoo, Rufous-bandedOwl and White-throated Screech-Owl.

Day 13: An hour’s drive from Manizales,the road up to Nevado de Ruiz NationalPark passes through elfin forest andparamo where we search for a very specialhigh-elevation hummingbird – the remark-able Buffy Helmetcrest. Other species wemay encounter are Viridian Metaltail, TawnyAntpitta, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant, Stout-billed Cinclodes and Glossy Flowerpiercer.Lower down, the road passes LagunaNegra, a glacial lake that is home toAndean Duck and Andean Teal. Golden-breasted Puffleg, Andean Tit-Spinetail,White-chinned Thistletail, Black-backedBush-Tanager and many others also occur.The park entrance road passes throughelfin forest patches, home of the scarceand elusive endemic Rufous-frontedParakeet. This forest also has Rainbow-bearded Thornbill, Andean Pygmy-Owl,White-browed Spinetail, Crowned Chat-Tyrant, Ocellated and Paramo Tapaculos,Golden-crowned Tanager, Scarlet-belliedMountain-Tanager and Pale-naped Brush-Finch. In the afternoon, we drive to the LaSuiza lodge in the Otun-Quimabya region-al park, near the city of Pereira, for a two-night stay.

Day 14: Today we visit Otun-Quimbayareserve which holds the Cauca Valley andCentral Cordilleran endemics Cauca Guan,Chestnut Wood-Quail, Multicoloured

Tanager, Crested Ant-Tanager and GreyishPiculet. Other key species in the upper sub-tropical and montane forest includeMoustached Puffbird, Bar-crestedAntshrike, Moustached Antpitta, Chestnut-breasted Wren and Slate-colouredSeedeater. Two trails and a road passingthrough the forest are good for findingHighland Motmot, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow andAndean Cock-of-the-Rock. Mixed flocksmay contain Moustached Puffbird, Streak-capped Treehunter, Bar-crested Antshrike,Rufous-breasted Flycatcher andPlumbeous-crowned Tyrannulet. The cabinarea is good for Great Antshrike,Whiskered Wren, Golden-rumpedEuphonia and Flame-rumped Tanager,while the river is home to Torrent Duck andWhite-capped Dipper. The road continuesto El Cedral where a mule trail leads up tocabins at La Pastora, an area for DuskyPiha, Flammulated Treehunter, MaskedSaltator, Golden-fronted Whitestart, White-capped Tanager and Black-collared Jay.

Day 15: After another morning’s birding atOtun-Quimbaya, we take a flight fromPereira to Bogotá and connect with a flightback to the UK. Arrival is on the followingmorning.

Ground Price: £4,995Tour B: £5195 (provisional)

Single room: £400Deposit: £500*Air Fare: £600

This holiday is fully inclusive ofaccommodation and meals,transport, permit fees, guidance, tipsand taxes.

Not included: drinks, insurance,items of a personal nature, fuelsurcharges.


Prices

Colombia


Mexico

Day 1: Fly to Mexico City and transfer toour hotel on the outskirts of the city for athree-night stay.

Days 2-3: Our main interest is the mixedwoodlands and open grasslands of LaCima. The latter habitat holds the endemicSierra Madre Sparrow. Stands of pinesattract Strickland’s Woodpecker,Townsend’s, Pine and Olive Warblers andon occasions the uncommon ColimaWarbler. The pines also attract Buff-breast-ed Flycatcher, Blue-hooded Euphonia andEvening Grosbeak. Tres Marias is a smallvillage with extensive oak woods. Opentrails here allow easy viewing of feedingflocks and we hope to find Rose-throatedBecard, Grey-breasted Jay, Grey-barredWren, White-throated Thrush, BlueMockingbird, Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo,Crescent-chested, Red-faced and RedWarblers, Painted Redstart and VariedBunting. Older trees often have White-striped Woodcreeper. Areas of scrub attractRufous-capped and Green-stripedBrushfinches. Flowering shrubs are impor-tant for White-eared, Blue-throated andMagnificent Hummingbirds, Cinnamon-bel-lied Flowerpiercer and a range of oriolesincluding Black-backed. Lobos Canyon is areliable spot for Slate-blue Seedeaterwhilst other species of interest includeBalsas Screech Owl, Colima Pygmy Owl,Golden Vireo and Black-chested Sparrow.

Lerma Marshes are nearby, where theendemic Black-polled Yellowthroat is foundalong with migrant waterfowl and waders.

Day 4: Today we head towards the ruraltown of Fortin de las Flores, passingthrough agricultural lands where TropicalKingbird and Scissor-tailed Flycatcher canbe numerous. Our hotel in Fortin is situatedin superb tropical gardens for birds includ-ing Green Jay, Montezuma’s and Wagler’sOropendolas, Yellow-winged Tanager andBlack-headed Saltator. Shrubs attractNorth American wintering warblers, in par-ticular Magnolia and Wilson’s. Mature treesare good for Golden-fronted Woodpecker,Singing Blackbird and noisy Band-backedWrens. We spend three nights at Fortin

Day 5: An area of dry thorn scrub atColonia Francisco Barrios is our destina-tion today. En route we pass through exten-sive marshes with borderline ditches. Wehave good chances of finding Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Pinnated Bittern,

Veracruz, Oaxaca and the Sierra Madre

Saturday January 8th – SaturdayJanuary 22nd 2022Leaders: Mark Finn and local guidesGroup Size: 8Birds: 290-350

Dates

Mexico is a country with a diverse avifauna and important ecological areas. Ourtour starts in Mexico City, which lies in a bowl 2,230 metres above sea level and isone of the largest conurbations in the world. Just outside the city are extensiveareas of pinewoods and oak woodlands interspersed with grassy plains. The tourthen moves on to Veracruz province, which is one of Mexico’s richest areas forbirds with a habitat of limestone cliffs and secondary forest. Veracruz is a longstraggly state along the Gulf of Mexico and is in ornithological terms classified asthe Atlantic Slope. Our final base is at Oaxaca which is reached by travelling overthe Sierra Madre – a dramatic area of mountains and forests. Oaxaca is steeped inhistory and Spanish is the second language to almost thirty local dialects. Thearea is rich in archaeological ruins especially at Monte Alban. The areasurrounding Oaxaca holds up to thirty endemic bird species.


Mexico

Jabiru and Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture,plus the commoner ducks and herons.Arriving in the thorn forest we search forMexican Sheartail, White-bellied Wren andBotteri’s Sparrow. Other species using thethorn forest include Red-lored Parrot,Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Ladder-backedWoodpecker, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher,Grey-crowned Yellowthroat and White-col-lared Seedeater.

Day 6: First stop today is to check the riverarea for Black Phoebe and AmericanDipper. In the surrounding forest it is possi-ble to find Lineated Woodpecker, AltamiraOriole and Red-billed Pigeon. An area oflimestone outcrops and shade forest atAmatlan is close to our base. Our aim is tolocate Sumichrast’s Wren, which is onlyfound in Eastern Mexico. The forest itself ishome to Thicket Tinamou, White-crownedParrot, Wedge-tailed Sabrewing, NorthernEmerald Toucanet, Golden-oliveWoodpecker, White-breasted Wood-wren,Fan-tailed, Golden-crowned and Rufous-capped Warblers, White-winged Tanagerand up to ten species of flycatchers.

Day 7: Today we travel towards Veracruzstopping at a coastal wetland with adjacentgrassland – a favourite habitat of Double-striped Thick-knee, Long-billed Curlew,American Golden Plover, AplomadoFalcon, American and Sprague’s Pipits,Grassland Yellow Finch and on telegraphlines Fork-tailed Flycatcher. Areas of scrubhold Striped Cuckoo, Rufous-breastedSpinetail and Barred Antshrike. Seasonalpools often have Blue-winged Teal,Northern Jacana and Solitary and PectoralSandpipers. Our journey takes us along thecoast with Magnificent Frigatebirds forcompany. Eventually we reach our hoteloverlooking Lake Catemaco for a four-nightstay. From the hotel veranda we can studySnail Kite, American Royal and Forster’sTerns and Ringed Kingfisher.

Day 8: An early morning walk around thegrounds may produce NorthernWaterthrush, Hooded Warbler and Blue-grey Tanager. After breakfast we headtowards an isolated patch of rainforest witha biological research station. Typical birdsof this lowland forest include Grey-headed

Blackburnian Warbler Photo: Simon Papps


Mexico

Kite, White Hawk, Black Hawk-Eagle,Brown-hooded Parrot, Long-tailed Hermit,Red-capped Manakin, Lovely Cotinga,Stub-tailed Spadebill, Black-throatedShrike-Tanager and Crimson-collaredTanager. En route to Sontecomepan an iso-lated village has Limpkin and Ruddy Crake.Late afternoon we arrive at Arroyo Agrio,an area fringed with hedgerows and fruitingtrees, with the latter attracting AztecParakeet, Keel-billed Toucan, CollaredAracari, tanagers and orioles. Nearby for-est patches sometimes have CollaredForest Falcon, Barred Woodcreeper andRed-throated Tanager.

Day 9: Today should be one of the high-lights with a boat trip on LakeSontecomepan with visits to mangroveswamps, rivers, rainforest and open water.The harbour itself often has Reddish Egretand Tricoloured Heron. Our boat takes usinto the backwaters where we have ourbest chances of Sungrebe, PinnatedBittern, Bare-throated Tiger Heron and thelocalised Boat-billed Heron. Other speciesof the mangroves include American PygmyKingfisher and Yellow-tailed Oriole. Afterlunch we explore the forest aboveCatemaco for Tuxtla Quail-Dove, VioletSabrewing, Slate-coloured Solitaire, Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush and Plain-breasted Brushfinch.

Day 10: Our last day in the Catemacoarea with visits to Bastonal and Playa Azul.

En route a stop in Catemaco may produceYellow-throated Warbler, and above thelake Chestnut-collared and LesserSwallow-tailed Swifts.The grounds of PlayaAzul are overgrown with flowering treesand flowering shrubs which attract Grey-collared Becard, Band-backed Wren,Green-breasted Mango and Azure-crowned, Rufous-tailed and Buff-belliedHummingbirds. The road to Bastonal issteep, passing fields used for cattle ranch-ing. Typical species of the area includeHook-billed and Double-toothed Kites,Laughing Falcon, Northern Bobwhite,Scaled Pigeon, Smoky-brown, Chestnut-collared, Lineated and Black-cheekedWoodpeckers, Bright-rumped Attila, Worm-eating Warbler, Blue Bunting, Black-cowledand Altamira Orioles and parties of LesserGoldfinch.

Day 11: Transfer to Tuxtepec, a bustlingand lively town situated in a valley belowthe Sierra Madre. Thickets have Slate-throated Tody-Flycatcher and the ratheruncommon Thick-billed Seedfinch. Riversattract Spotted Sandpiper, MangroveSwallow and a range of herons and egrets.

Day 12: We have all day to cross the spec-tacular Sierra Madre en route to Oaxaca.The road zigzags and winds its waythrough pristine forest and pinewoodsbefore reaching the summit. Valle Nacionalis a hamlet with extensive forests offeringus the chance of Crested Guan, White-faced Quail-Dove, Barred Parakeet,Emerald-chinned and BumblebeeHummingbirds, Black-crested Coquette,Azure-hooded and Unicoloured Jays andWhite-naped Brushfinch. Transfer toOaxaca for three nights.

Days 13-14: Monte Alban, the old capitalof the Zapotec empire, is close to Oaxaca.The habitat is mainly arid with areas ofscrub and vegetation filled gullies. Typicalbirds of Monte Alban include White-throat-ed Towhee, Blue Mockingbird, Canyon andRock Wrens and Thick-billed and WesternKingbirds. The surrounding countryside isbordering on sub-desert with patches ofvegetation in watercourses. Floweringtrees attract Berylline, Black-chinned and

Rufous-tailed Jacamar Photo: BarryLancaster


Dusky Hummingbirds. Open areas withtrees have Loggerhead Shrike and Curve-billed Thrasher. Birds of prey using the areainclude Short-tailed and Swainson’sHawks. To the north of Oaxaca the roadleads up into the Sierra Madre mountains.Important species we hope to locateinclude Oaxaca and Bridled Sparrows,Boucard’s Wren, Grey Silky-flycatcher,Slaty and Golden Vireos and Black-ventedOriole. Cerro San Felipe is an area of pineand oak woodlands where we will seek outsome of Mexico’s rarest endemics.Common species include Red, Crescent-chested, Rufous-capped and Golden-browed Warblers, Slate-throated Redstartand Collared Towhee. The higher ground ishome to the endangered Dwarf Jay. Otherspecies we may encounter include Long-tailed Wood Partridge, Mountain PygmyOwl, Mountain Trogon, Spot-crownedWoodcreeper, and Russet and Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrushes.

Day 15: Today we leave Oaxaca for thejourney back to Mexico City, which offers

fantastic views over the desert and dramat-ic canyons. Near the town of Puebla, wherecacti forest start to dominate, colonies ofthe endemic Grey-breasted Woodpeckerreside. Other species include Harris’sHawk and Botteri’s Sparrow. Our flight backto Europe leaves in the evening with arrivalon the following day.

Aplomado Falcon Photo: Simon Papps



Not included: drinks, insurance anditems of a personal nature.


Prices

Mexico


Day 1: Fly to Port of Spain, the capital ofTrinidad and Tobago, and transfer to theAsa Wright Nature Centre, which will beour base for the holiday.

Days 2-8: Today is spent in and aroundthe centre, which is situated on a ridge at360 metres in the grounds of an old cocoaplantation. The view from the veranda isover a rainforest valley with the lowlands ofthe island visible in the distance. The high-er trees often give views of Channel-billedToucan and Bearded Bellbird giving theirhammer-and-anvil-like calls. The veranda

itself has many hummingbird feedersattracting Bananaquit, White-neckedJacobin, Black-throated Mango, Blue-chinned Sapphire, White-chested Emerald

Birding in the southern Caribbean

Friday November 19th – TuesdayNovember 30th 2021Leader: Simon Papps and localguidesGroup Size 7Birds: 200-250

Dates

Trinidad is situated just a few miles off the coast of Venezuela in South Americaand offers an ideal introduction to the birdlife of South America. The secret of theisland's varied avifauna lies in the wide range of habitats, which includes highmountains, rainforests, marshes, agricultural lands and abandoned cocoaplantations. These diverse areas attract a wide range of birds from North andSouth America. Our base in Trinidad is the world-famous Asa Wright NatureCentre, which is located within tropical rainforest habitats. Grenada in contrast isa tiny island famous for the production of spices, notably nutmeg. The island hasseveral interesting areas for birds, including the Mount Harman Estate which ishome to the critically endangered Grenada Dove.

Tufted Coquette Photo: Mukesh Ramdass

Trinidad and Grenada

Trinidad Motmot Photo: by Barry Lancaster



and Copper-rumped Hummingbird. Thegrounds have extensive areas of shrubsattracting Spectacled, Cocoa and White-necked Thrushes, Barred and GreatAntshrikes, Squirrel Cuckoo and NorthAmerican warblers including AmericanRedstart and Northern Waterthrush. Thelower gardens have lekking grounds ofGolden-headed and White-beardedManakins and it is possible to find thesecretive Little Tinamou.

The trails lead to lower elevations fes-tooned with creepers which are home toRufous-breasted Hermit and Red-crownedAnt Tanager. A major attraction is a cavehousing Oilbirds – an extremely rare andnocturnal species which finds a daytimeroost here. A check of bamboo thicketsmay produce Ferruginous Pygmy andTropical Screech Owls. Secondary foresthas the rail-like Black-faced Antthrush,Grey-throated Leaftosser and StreakedXenops. Above the valley White Hawk,Ornate Hawk-Eagle and Common BlackHawk are regularly observed.

On another day we explore the

Blanchisseuse Road, which has many hair-pin bends as it winds its way towards theAtlantic Ocean. The roadside vegetationand luxuriant jungle habitats offer usGuianan and Green-backed Trogons andGolden-headed Manakin. The higher partsof the road are home to many of theisland’s 29 tanager species includingSpeckled Tanager. The lower valleys oftenhave Lilac-tailed Parrotlet and Blue-headedParrot whilst overlooks can be good for rap-tors including Bat Falcon and Grey-headedKite. Andrews Trace is the highest point onthe road and this area attracts TropicalParula and Golden-crowned Warbler.Brasso Seco is an area with plenty of ants,which in turn attract Plain-brown andCocoa Woodcreepers, Great Antshrike andPlain Antvireo. Today we head towards theNariva Swamp, which is the largest herba-ceous swamp in Trinidad. Along the vege-tated banks we may find Black-crestedAntshrike, Silvered Antbird and Green-throated Mango, plus a chance of the rareLimpkin. The swamp itself usually hosts afew waders, Pinnated Bittern, American

Purple Honeycreeper Photo: Peg Abbott


Purple Gallinule and possibly the rareAzure Gallinule, Wattled Jacana andmigrant herons and egrets. The drier partsof the marsh have Red-breastedMeadowlark, Southern Lapwing, White-headed Marsh Tyrant and overheadSavannah Hawk and Pearl Kite.

An early start to visit the village ofGrande Riviere on the north-eastCaribbean coast of Trinidad. Our mainobjective is to find one of the island’sendemic bird species, the scarce andlocalised Trinidad Piping Guan which has asmall and stable population in the area.Other species include Chestnut-collaredand Lesser Swallow-tailed Swifts, Crimson-crested Woodpecker, White-bellied Antbird,Black-tailed Tityra, Greyish Saltator andTrinidad Euphonia. The old airfield atWallerfield and Aripo Savannah havegrassland habitats attracting Yellow-head-ed Caracara, Orange-winged Parrot,Squirrel and Striped Cuckoos, Fork-tailedPalm Swift, Sulphury and Bran-colouredFlycatchers, Yellow-rumped Cacique andthe rare Moriche Oriole. Aripo is dominatedby palm trees, wet areas and cattle ranch-

es with typical species being Greater andLesser Yellowlegs and White-flankedAntwren.

On one afternoon a boat trip will be takeninto the world-famous Caroni Swamp. Theextensive mangroves and tidal mudflatsattract hundreds of Scarlet Ibis to roost.Other species include Masked Cardinal,Bicoloured Conebill, Northern Waterthrushand Green-throated Mango. The mudattracts Yellow-crowned Night Heron andNorth American shorebirds. As dusk fallswe have a good chance of Boat-billedHeron and Common Potoo, which are twonocturnal species. The Aripo LivestockFarm is situated in the lowland plains ofTrinidad. Habitats include wet pastures,hedgerows and a few isolated trees attract-ing Savannah Hawk. Anywhere where thecattle are fed lures Shiny Cowbirds andYellow-hooded Blackbirds, Blue-blackGrassquit and Pied Water Tyrant. The pas-ture land is dotted with seasonal pondswhich are attractive to Least Grebe,Wattled Jacana, Least and PectoralSandpipers. Raptors use the area on a reg-ular basis including wintering Peregrine


Large-billed Terns Photo: Simon Papps


Falcon and Merlin alongside residentZone-tailed Hawk. Arena Forest is a low-land rainforest with a dam of the samename. In the forest and environs we expectto locate White Hawk, Blue-headed Parrot,Crimson-crested Woodpecker, woodcreep-ers, Pale-breasted and Stripe-breastedSpinetails and Greyish Saltator. It may bepossible to visit the Arena Dam whereCocoi Heron, Black-bellied Whistling Duck,and other waterbirds occur.

Day 9: Today has been set aside to revisitareas mentioned on Days 2-8.

Days 10-11: This morning we fly toGrenada, the most southerly of the LesserAntilles, for a two-night stay. Grenada isalso known as the spice island and isfamous for the production of nutmeg. Ourtarget species here is the highly endan-gered Grenada Dove which has a popula-tion numbering around 60 birds and occursin the dry forest woodlands along with thecritically endangered Grenada Hook-billedKite. Other species present include Rufous-breasted Hermit, Yellow-bellied Elaenia,

Yellow-bellied Seedeater and ShinyCowbird. Grenada has around 35 residentland birds. Other range-restricted speciesinclude Grenada Flycatcher, LesserAntillean Tanager and Lesser AntilleanBullfinch.

Day 12: Early morning flight to Trinidadand onward connections to the UK.


Ground Price:£4,495Single room: £500Deposit: £250*Air Fare: £675




Prices

Wattled Jacana Photo: Simon Papps


Birdwatching BreaksBooking

Form 2021


Birdwatching BreaksBooking

Form 2021


Terms and Conditions 2021-22Birdwatching Breaks, founded in May 1987, is the trad-ing name of Mark Finn. The terms and conditions listedbelow form the contract between Mark and his clients.

Reservation: A reservation is made when the bookingform and deposit have been confirmed by BirdwatchingBreaks. Bookings by telephone should be confirmed inwriting or by email and received within seven daysaccompanied by the appropriate deposit. To secure airflights booked within 72 days of departure, we requirefull payment (of the flights) by credit card. In return, youreceive a confirmation invoice with details of the holidayyou have chosen, departure dates and airline timings ifknown at the time of booking. We agree to operate yourholiday as stated in our 2021 brochure. The contract isdeemed to have been made at Cygnus House, GordonsMill, Balblair, Ross-shire, Scotland, and is thereforegoverned by Scottish law and is subject to the exclusivejurisdiction of Scottish courts.

Balance: The balance for all bookings is ten weeksbefore the holiday is due to commence. In the case ofholidays in Scotland and the United Kingdom, the bal-ance is due six weeks before holiday commencement. Ifthe balance has not been paid by the appropriate date,we regard your holiday as being cancelled. Cancellationcharges would be levied.

Cancellations: A cancellation can only be accepted inwriting or by email and takes effect on the date wereceive it at Cygnus House. Cancellations receivedtwelve weeks or more before the holiday commence-ment will involve the loss of deposit. If, however, flightshave already been bought and paid for, these will becharged to you and it is your responsibility to try andobtain a refund from either the airline or your insurancecompany. Thereafter, the following charges will apply:

Over 96 days before departure – deposit only40-95 days before departure – 80%Under 40 days until the day of departure – 100%

Tours: We do everything in our power to ensure all ourtours are operated as advertised. However, situationsmay arise which are outside our control and these maynecessitate change. If such circumstances arise, wereserve the right to alter or curtail the itinerary. Wereserve the right to alter the tour or substitute leaders oraccommodation if necessary.You will be informed if thisaction takes place. If major changes to the tour takeplace, we will inform you and advise the following: 1/accept the new arrangements; 2/ an alternative holidayif available (with you paying any additional sums oralternatively Birdwatching Breaks refunding you the dif-ference) ; 3/ cancelling your chosen tour for a full refund;or 4/ compensation for a major change made byBirdwatching Breaks which is: above 95 days – nothing,14-94 days – £30, under 14 days – £50. A major changeis defined as a significant change of itinerary. At the timeof going to print, airlines currently flying to the stateddestinations on the days quoted and internal flightschedules have been checked. It is beyond the controlof Birdwatching Breaks if airlines change their schedule

which may necessitate us amending the stated itinerary.Change of UK airports excludes the London hub ofHeathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton. No compensa-tion is due from Birdwatching Breaks where cancella-tion or change results from unforeseeable or unusualcircumstances beyond our control. This includes war orthreat of war, terrorist activity, riots, civil disorder, natu-ral or nuclear disasters, pandemics, epidemics, fires,adverse weather conditions, strikes by air traffic con-trollers in the European Union and elsewhere in theworld, no fuel availability preventing carriers, hoteliersand other suppliers from carrying out their duties. Inaddition to the above, no compensation is payable if thebalance is not paid on time or the tour is cancelled dueto insufficient bookings. Save for the above compensa-tion in (4) we will be under no further liability to you. Wereserve the right to change any of the prices in our 2021brochure before we enter into a contract with you. Ifthere is a change, we will notify you by email or in writ-ing. Birdwatching Breaks reserves the right to canceltours up to 6 weeks before departure if sufficient num-bers are not obtained. In this event, we can offer you analternative holiday or a full refund of monies paid.

Flights: Because of fluctuating fuel prices, it is becom-ing very difficult to obtain accurate quotes for airfares.Tour prices are broken down into two elements: thebasic cost of the tour which includes everything exceptthe cost of the international and internal flights; and,secondly, our best estimate of the air fares when thetour was costed. When we send invoices for the tour, weonly charge you the exact airfare and hope that many ofthese will be near the price currently quoted in our 2021brochure.

Party Size: The minimum size of group necessary forour tours to operate is four. If the party size is notattained, the client will be informed in writing eightweeks before holiday commencement.

Birds and Mammals: The birds and mammals men-tioned in this brochure are only a guide to what youmight expect to see on the tour you have selected.Whilst many additional species will be seen, we areunlikely to see every species mentioned in our text.However, you should see a good proportion of them ifyou participate fully in the tour and have reasonableeyesight.

Liability: We have taken all reasonable steps toensure holidays published in our 2021 brochure havebeen properly arranged. The travel agents, vehicle hireoperators, hotels, motels and restaurants we use arereputable. We accept liability as a direct result of ournegligence or breach of contractual duty in makingarrangements for you, including acts or omissions byour agents. We will accept liability for death, bodilyinjury or illness arising out of our proven negligence orthat of our employers or our sub-contractors or suppli-ers or their servants and/or agents, providing they wereacting in the scope of their employment at the time.Claims in respect of the above matters shall fall withinthe exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Scotland. All


claims must be made in writing to us within 28 days ofyour return from holiday. We do not accept liability foranimal or snake bites, as we have no control over them.We cannot accept liability for claims arising out of car-riage by air and sea. We have no control over the carri-ers concerned and you are subject to their terms andconditions, some of which exclude or limit liability inrespect of death, injury, delay and loss of baggage. Wedo not accept liability for delays in air flights, ship sailingtimes or other conveyances used in carrying out ourtours. We accept no responsibility for losses or addi-tional expenses due to delay or changes in flights or lostairline or ferry tickets, other services, weather, activevolcanoes and ash clouds, strikes, terrorism activity,pandemics, war or Acts of God. All such losses will beborne by the passenger. Birdwatching Breaks is notresponsible for loss, damage or theft of luggage, cam-eras, binoculars, telescopes and personal belongings,or for accidents or illness, death or personal injury. Weaccept no claims arising out of your own acts or omis-sion or those of a third party not connected with the pro-vision of your holiday. For your own protection it is high-ly advisable to have adequate insurance cover. This is alegal requirement.

Visiting countries: At all times it is advisable to fol-low the customs of the country you are visiting andcomply with the laws and regulations which may be inforce. You must conduct yourself in a manner deemedby the leader to be compatible with the tour.Birdwatching Breaks reserves the right to send anyclient home, at their own expense, if they disrupt thetour through unreasonable or unacceptable behavior.We will make no refund, nor pay or be liable for anycompensation.

Surcharges: All our prices are based on exchangerates at the time of going to press and we reserve theright to make reasonable adjustments if the pound fallsin value or foreign rates fall below what our prices arebased on. In certain circumstances we may levy a sur-charge on tour prices involving departure taxes, landingfees, transport costs including fuel, scheduled airfaresand any other airline surcharges and ground agent andtour operator increases. We will absorb any minor fluc-tuations of up to 2% of the full tour price. Anythingabove this will be surcharged until 10% is reached. If thelatter is reached, you are entitled to cancel your book-ing for a full refund. To exercise this right, you mustinform Birdwatching Breaks in writing or by email within14 days of the invoice date.

Fuel Surcharges: If any fuel charges are passed onto us by airlines on booking flights in conjunction withyour holiday, we reserve the right to pass these on toour clients. We have no control over oil prices and thevolatile nature of the airline industry as our prices arebased on fares and other factors nearly a year inadvance.

Currency: We plan our tours many months inadvance. Our prices are based on tourist exchangerates from Ramsdens on June 17th 2020. All rates areequal to £1.00 sterling. £1.00 is equal to €1.07 andUS$1.20 All European/Middle East destinations, withthe exception of the United Kingdom, are based onEuro rates. In the Americas, rates are based on US$

rates. Asia, with the exception of Japan, is based onUS$ rates. Otherwise, the following rates apply:Canadian Dollar 1.59, Japanese Yen 126.28, MexicanPeso 25.36, Norwegian Kroner 11.26, South AfricanRand 20.41, Swedish Krona 10.98. All other destina-tions not listed above use US Dollars, Euro or PoundsSterling.

Booking and Financial Security: BirdwatchingBreaks holds an ATOL (Air Travel Operators Licence)Number 4324 issued by Civil Aviation Authority. Thislicence means that we are fully bonded against financialinsolvency for packages which include flights. We arenot in a position to name the operator or state the typeof aircraft or its destination. The Civil Aviation Authorityis a government-approved organisation. Anybody book-ing a holiday through Birdwatching Breaks can do sowith complete financial security. Our bonding arrange-ments guarantee your holiday will continue in the unlike-ly event of our insolvency.With regard to holidays involv-ing land-based travel, you are covered by InternationalPassenger Protection (IPP) – details are on page 10.

Your Financial Protection: When you buy an ATOL-protected flight or flight-inclusive holiday from us you willreceive an ATOL Certificate. This lists what is financiallyprotected, where you can get information on what thismeans for you and who to contact if things go wrong.“We, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL Certificate,will provide you with the services listed on the ATOLCertificate (or a suitable alternative). In some cases,where neither we nor the supplier are able to do so forreasons of insolvency, an alternative ATOL holder mayprovide you with the services you have bought or a suit-able alternative (at no extra cost to you). You agree toaccept that in those circumstances the alternative ATOLholder will perform those obligations and you agree topay any money outstanding to be paid by you under yourcontract to that alternative ATOL holder. However, youalso agree that in some cases it will not be possible toappoint an alternative ATOL holder, in which case youwill be entitled to make a claim under the ATOL scheme(or your credit card issuer where applicable).” For land-based travel you are covered by IPP.

Hand Luggage on Aircraft: Please note many air-lines are extremely strict about the amount you can takeon board with you. The maximum weight allowance is10kg (subject to change) in the case of low-cost carri-ers. To keep the weight down, pack your tripod in yourmain case, in addition to any books you do not need intransit. Any sharp implements such as scissors,penknives and screwdrivers should be packed in yourhold luggage.

Complaints: If you have any complaints on tour,please notify the leader so that they can be addressedimmediately. If this is not done to your satisfaction,please notify us by writing or email within 28 days ofyour return.

Names and addresses: We keep these on our com-puter systems for use by Birdwatching Breaks and noother parties. If you wish to be removed from our data-base, please contact us at the relevant address. Yourdetails are kept secure by us and conform with currentdata protection rules as of May 2020.

Enjoy a relaxing Scottish

break with

Black Isle Birding

Birdwatching holidays from

the Borders to Shetland

www.birdwatchingbreaks.com

Documents

Birdwatching Breaks 2021 - Amazon S3 · 2020. 8. 8. · A warm welcome to our 2021 brochure of birdwatching holidays, this being our 34th year of operation. In 2021, ... hotel management