Our Holidays

Why join an Experience Nature Wildlife Watching holiday?

Our holidays are sourced personally by us! We visit every location ourselves before offering them to you and work directly with local tourism and communities in the countries that we operate. This means we offer responsible travel experiences…responsible to the country, culture, wildlife and of course for our travellers.

Top Ethical Ecotour Provider

Our Ethos and Ethics. We always work in partnership with local experts, offering a wealth of knowledge in their country. Using a local team ensures money is injected back into the community, which in turn promotes protection of the beautiful areas and wildlife we are privileged to be a part of on that journey. This has earned awarded us recognition by Terra Incognita as a Top Ethical Ecotour Provider for consecutive years.

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You are in safe hands. From the moment you pay your deposit, your money is protected by TRIP (Travel Regulation Insolvency Protection). The TRIP scheme is fully approved by ABTA and has the backing of one of the worlds leading insurers in Zurich.

Price Confidence. The price of your holiday at the time of booking will always be the price you pay… we have no hidden costs! Keeping our overheads low, ensures all holidays are priced very competitively, without cutting corners.

We are passionate about what we do… wildlife is amazing… Experience Nature through us

 

Relaxed Tobago

Type: Wildlife Watching Tour

Dates: 12 March to 22 March 2024

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Overview: This holiday includes ten nights based at Cuffie River Nature Retreat, in the heart of this quiet Caribbean island, offering not only some fabulously colourful birdlife and countless photographic opportunities, but also ample time to relax in beautiful surroundings.

Often holidays to Tobago are combined with a visit to Trinidad, but this little island has a much more relaxed vibe and some great nature reserves and trails hosting a variety of colourful birdlife, many of which can't be seen on its larger sister island.

Our excursions will include visits to Little Tobago island, home to Red-billed Tropicbirds, Frigate Birds and a further variety of seabirds which nest around the islands at this time of year. Additional outings cover a range of habitat from lush rainforest, wetlands and the coast, thus increasing the variety of wildlife we shall encounter.

We have also planned an evening visit to the beach where we hope to witness Turtles hauling themselves ashore to lay their eggs. Impressive Leatherbacks that can exceed two meters in length and weigh 700kg nest here at this time of year along with the smaller Green and Hawksbill Turtles.

As the holiday title suggests, there will be ample time built in to explore the beautiful surroundings, swim in the pool or take part in optional photography workshops or additional birdwatching walks.

For a more detailed itinerary, Contact Ashley through the website, or via email on experiencenaturetours@gmail.com


This tour is limited to 10 places.


FULLY BOOKED

Cost: £2995

Deposit: £350

See images from this Wildlife Watching Tour here

Request a full itinerary here

Contact me here to book your space.

or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


Highlands Wildlife & Whisky

Type: Wildlife Watching Tour

Dates: 27 April to 04 May 2024

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Overview: The Grant Arms has been carefully chosen, not only for the excellent quality of this hotel and it's food, but because of it's location. We will be central to many of the Highlands best wildlife watching hotspots and the trip has been well planned to give you the opportunity to see much of Scotland's iconic wildlife and landscape.

At this time of year Ospreys and Slavonian Grebes will have returned to nest in the area and residents like Golden Eagle, Black Grouse and Pine Marten will be more visible than in other seasons. So visits to Mountain, Moorland, Lochs and lush Valleys will give us the best opportunities to get views of some special Scottish wildlife.

We'll visit the coast to see a selection of waders and seabirds, of which some will be resident and others still moving through to more northerly breeding grounds, as well as spending an evening in a very comfortable hide in the hope of seeing Pine Marten, Badgers and possibly more!
Local woodlands give us the best chance of Crested Tits, Crossbills and Red Squirrels and if we're very lucky Capercaillie.

A visit to a local whisky distillery will add a cultural twist to a very enjoyable, social and rewarding break.

The Price includes -
* Seven nights full board accommodation at the wonderful Grant Arms Hotel, within the Cairngorms national park.
* Transport and guiding throughout
* Tour of a local Whisky distillery
* Tickets for the Cairngorm funicular railway
* An evening in the famous Rothymurcus mammal hide.

Collection and drop off from/to Aviemore railway station, or Inverness airport may be arranged if required. An additional charge may apply dependant on timings.

NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT ON THIS HOLIDAY

FULLY BOOKED

Cost: £1295

Deposit: £300

Request a full itinerary here

Contact me here to book your space.

or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


Spring Migration in Lesvos

Type: Wildlife Watching Tour

Dates: 12 May to 19 May 2024

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Overview: Spring in the tiny Greek island of Lesvos has long been renowned as one of the best places to experience bird migration in Europe.

Our visit will coincide with the later arrival of some breeding species like Bee-eaters from their wintering grounds and also the movement of other species as they head further north, including some little crackers like Red-throated Pipit, Thrush Nightingale and Red-breasted Flycatcher.

Early to mid May is renowned for the arrival of large numbers of Rose-coloured Starling as they pass through, along with White-winged Black & Whiskered Terns and possibly Great Snipe.

Some of the islands iconic breeding species will now be active feeding young so can be more easily found, so we'll be on the look out for Kruper's Nuthatch, Rock Nuthatch, Masked Shrike, Middle-spotted Woodpecker, Cinereous Bunting and Sombre Tit.

We'll visit raptor watch points where we'll look for Red-footed & Eleanora's Falcons, Honey Buzzard and maybe even Lavant Sparrowhawk among other more common species.

Basing ourselves in a small quiet hotel, right next to coastal lagoons and salt pans, we'll be in the right place at the right time and could see close to 150 species of birds during our week on the island.

This holiday will have our usual relaxed approach to birdwatching, quietly enjoying the wildlife in its environment, but a few early starts will be necessary to get catch the "early bird".

There is no doubt that this trip will be full of surprise encounters and plenty of wow moments for us among some stunning landscapes and hopefully under sunny skies. And while predominately a holiday for birders of all levels, there will no doubt be plenty of photographic opportunities throughout.

Whats included;
- 7 nights accommodation, including breakfast, dinner & lunch.
- Transportation throughout your stay.
- 2 birdwatching guides

Your flight is not included, but this holidays dates are based on return flights with Jet2 from Manchester.

Note - We will be running the holiday to Lesvos in Spring 2025, based around flights from London Stansted.
Please scroll down below to see the dates.


Double rooms for single occupancy are available at a supplement of £180

FULLY BOOKED

STILL SPACE ON THE 2025 HOLIDAY

Cost: £1495

Deposit: £300

Request a full itinerary here

Contact me here to book your space.

or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


Spanish Pyrenees & Med Coast. Birds, Butterflies and so much more.

Type: Wildlife Photography Tour

Dates: 23 May to 02 June 2024

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Overview: The Lammergeier is one of those must see birds and this tour gives you unrivalled opportunities to get up close to these amazing creatures.

We will use purpose built hides, overlooking where these birds feed throughout the year, high in the Spanish Pyrenees. Three hides offer different views of the birds, plus a forth hide close by overlooking a deep valley, offers the opportunity to photograph these birds against a spectacular mountain backdrop.

This fourth hide is almost guaranteed for very close views of Golden Eagle, as the locally nesting pair are fed regularly here by the hide owner. Nesting on adjacent cliffs, they often arrive just moments after the carrion is put in place.

Other regular raptors include, Griffon Vulture (over 400 birds during a feed) , Monk (Black) and Egyptian Vultures, Peregrine and Red Kites. In fact this is one of the only sites where you'll find all 4 of Europe's Vultures in one location. Booted Eagle are also seen here almost daily.

A fifth hide overlooks a natural pool, where regular Dartford, Bonelli's, Orphean & Subalpine Warblers, Rock & Cirl Bunting, Hoopoe, Crested Tit and plenty more besides come in to drink and bathe.

We will rotate use of each of the hides to give everyone ample opportunity of photographing or watching each key species on this holiday.

In addition to the birds, alpine flowers are numerous and over 100 Butterfly species have been recorded here, so plenty to keep all wildlife enthusiasts busy.

Sunsets are amazing up here at nearly 4000ft and to watch these with a cold beer at the end of the day, while Nightjars, Nightingales and Scops Owl call around you and Red Deer and Wild Boar emerge from the trees to graze, is it truly magical.

Holiday cost includes all transportation, accommodation and meals throughout your stay, plus use of the hides. Ashley will be on hand to offer advise to photographers where required and of course to spot the wildlife for you. The holiday dates are based on flights from Birmingham to Girona with Jet2. We will likely be travelling with you from Birmingham airport, if not we will meet you in Girona. However we advise reserving a couple of days either side of the holiday dates as flight schedules have changed a lot since the pandemic and could mean us flying to Barcelona El Prat airport instead.

We will also take time to explore the local area, where different birds and flora may be found. Plus Ashley will site pop up hides for photographers wishing to photograph some additional species. Red-backed Shrike is a particularly good opportunity.

Around the seven nights in the Pyrenees, we have three nights on the coast based near Empuriabrava. This adds a relaxing start and end to the holiday, where we can explore local wetlands for a different variety of colourful Spanish birds.

We can tailor the itinerary to suit you, with the right balance between, wildlife watching, walking, photography, or just downtime to relax in this tranquil setting.

The stay in the Pyrenees is on the site of a village that was abandoned in the 1970's. The new owner of the site has created a lovely dwelling which consists of three bedrooms for guest use, plus two further en-suite bedrooms in an adjacent building that will be available from Spring 2024.

So we can now comfortably accommodate a maximum group size of 7 people, plus two guides.

FULLY BOOKED

CONTACT US ABOUT A FULLY BESPOKE HOLIDAY FOR JUST 6 PEOPLE IN THIS LOCATION

Cost: £2299

Deposit: £250

Request a full itinerary here

Contact me here to book your space.

or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


St Kilda & Outer Hebrides Cruise

Type: Wildlife Watching Tour

Dates: 09 June to 17 June 2024

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Overview: This holiday is based on board the Seahorse II, a comfortably converted former Norwegian ferry. Mid June in this part of the world gives us nine long days (17 hours between Sunrise & Sunset) to explore the breathtakingly beautiful Western Isles of Scotland.

We board the boat near Oban and chart a course to St Kilda, but also visit the isles of Mull, Canna, Harris, North Uist, Rum and Treshnish Isles, each beautiful in their own right. Weather permitting we will disembark for a wildlife walk each day and an opportunity to enjoy the landscape, and relax. Evenings we will drop anchor and maybe enjoy Kayaking or Paddle Boarding, perhaps even a swim or a snorkel in the 'relatively warm' Gulf Stream waters.

Evening meals will be taken in the open air when possible, overlooking the shore of an island that we may well have all to ourselves. The numbers of locally breeding seabirds will be at their peak, with this years birds taking to the air and water, with the Gannet colony on Stac Lee (St Kilda) being a must see.

Apart from a wide variety of oceanic birds, we will of course be on the look out for Whales and Dolphins, which could include Orcas, Hump-Back & Minke Whales and June gives us a very good chance to see Basking Sharks as well. The various bays we visit will be good places to see Seals and surely Otters.

All in all, we've carefully crafted a package to experience a very special part of the world, with fabulous food and great company.

We have the whole boat to ourselves and with just 9 guest places, 2 guides and 3 crew, it's a very exclusive holiday. The breakdown of cabins and prices is as follows;

3 x Single Cabin with wash basin and shared bathroom - £2995pp ALL SOLD
1 x Twin Cabin with basin & toilet - £2995pp SOLD
2 x Twin/Double Cabin with en-suite - £3295pp BOTH SOLD

Note - Whilst we currently have no cruise planned for 2025, please do contact us to express an interest in this holiday. New dates may be added or spaces may become available on existing holidays.

Cost: £2995

Deposit: £350

Request a full itinerary here

Contact me here to book your space.

or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


Carcassonne, Wine Tasting, Fine Food & Birds of Southern France

Type: Wildlife Watching Tour

Dates: 14 September to 21 September 2024

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Overview: This will be our third time taking group to stay in 'Maison Tranquil' and the name of this lovely property really sums up the holiday we have planned for you in this beautiful part of France. We'll have sole use of the property for the week of our stay.

Set deep in the countryside overlooking a lake, with its own heated swimming pool, this large country house with seven large en-suite bedrooms is the perfect place to stay, relax and enjoy the birdlife of the Languedoc region of Southern France.

The local area has a variety of habitats to explore including woodland, rivers, wetland, farmland and 'Garrigue' a heathland type of habitat found only in Mediterranean countries, which supports a diverse range of wildlife. We're also not too far from the foothills of the Pyrenees which will be worth exploring on this holiday.

Birdlife we might expect to see locally would be Firecrest, Tawny Pipit, Honey Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle, Hoopoe, Cirl Bunting, Rock Sparrow, Black Redstart, European Bee-eater, but going a little further afield on day trips out its possible to see various Heron species, Rock Thrush and perhaps some migrants as they head south for the winter.

An equal part of this holiday though will be put aside for relaxing in different ways. We've organised some wine tasting in the historic old village of Montoleiu, which is twinned with Hay-on-Wye in Herefordshire, both famous for the number of book shops they have. We'll spend time exploring this quaint village which sits in an elevated position with a river running either side of it.

We'll also spend a day visiting the nearby Medieval City of Carcassonne, which looks like it came straight out of a fairytale with its many turreted towers.

Our breakfast, most lunches and evening meals will be lovingly prepared by Wendy who has gained quite a reputation on our holidays as being quite a chef, so yet another reason to join us on this holiday.

We'll start the holiday with arrivals at Toulouse airport, where Ashley will be ready with a minibus to transfer us all to the house, roughly one hour fifteen minutes drive. The minibus will be used throughout for our transportation.

The cost of the holiday below does not include flights and is based on one person sharing a double/twin room. Three double rooms are available for single occupancy for an additional £250

Whats Included;
- All food, including any meals out are included in the price of this holiday, along with some wine with meals.
- Transportation throughout
- Wine tasting experience
- 7 nights accommodation at Maison Tranquil

Maximum group size is 7 people.

FULLY BOOKED

Cost: £1995

Deposit: £250

Request a full itinerary here

Contact me here to book your space.

or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


Devons Birdlife, Migrants on the move

Type: Wildlife Watching Tour

Dates: 29 September to 04 October 2024

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Overview: Join us in Devon for a five night, half board birdwatching break based at TLH leisure resort Torquay.

These holidays have attracted repeat visitors annually since we started running them in 2018 because of their great value, fab birding and have proved a great starting point for beginner and novice birders over the years.

As well as some of the wonderful resident birdlife in the area, we will be hoping to catch up with a few of the birds that pass through the South West on their Autumn migration. These could be American vagrants blown adrift by westerly winds, as well as European and Eastern species.

Regular autumnal visitors could include warblers like Yellow-browed and waders such as Curlew Sandpiper. Who knows what might turn up.

This break offers a great combination of quality birdwatching and excellent hotel facilities at an affordable price and is open to birdwatchers of levels.

Whats included:
- 5 nights dinner, bed & breakfast at the TLH Carlton Hotel
- Pre dinner drinks reception on the first night to meet your host/tour guide Ashley Grove and fellow bird watchers
- Full day & two half days birdwatching.
- A talk illustrated with images from Ashleys wildlife portfolio
- Transport for all trips is included.
- (Packed lunches not included but can be ordered at TLH Carlton Hotel, or purchased locally) 

To book a place, Contact TLH directly on 01803 400500

No Single Supplement on this break!!

PLACES REMAINING

Cost: £412

Deposit: £

Request a full itinerary here

Contact me here to book your space.

or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


The Scilly Isles in Style...

Type: Wildlife Watching Tour

Dates: 10 October to 18 October 2024

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Overview: Having had a host of enquiries about this holiday for 2023 fall through due to people being put off by the journey to get to Cornwall in the first place, we've built in the solution..

We're now providing transportation from the Solihull area to Devon for a one night stay and then onward to catch our flights from Landsend for the week on the Islands.

The Isles of Scilly have long been known as a beautiful UK holiday destination, particularly so for birdwatchers. It's varied Islands have a warmer climate than anywhere else in Britain and host some fabulous flora and fauna.

We visit the islands in October for this holiday, when migration is in full flow and birds around the world are moving to their southerly wintering grounds.
The Scilly's annually have falls of migrants from western Europe at this time, including Hoopoe, Lapland Bunting, Black Redstarts and Wryneck, but stronger winds and weather fronts can bring in birds from eastern Europe, which produce yearly records of Yellow-browed Warbler, Rustic & Little Buntings, various Pipits, and Red-breasted Flycatcher for example.

Even more remarkable are the regular occurrences of American birds, or "Yanks" as they are known in the birding world, that can cross the Atlantic on the back of strong winds. Solitary Sandpiper, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Bobolink, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Black & White Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, American Robin and Blackburnian Warbler have occurred in recent years, with the later being the highlight for 2023.

So what we will see during our week of birdwatching is a real lottery, but what is guaranteed is some very comfortable accommodation, great food and the warm atmosphere of these tranquil islands.

Ashley will be keeping an ear to the ground and an eye on the website to keep abreast of the latest bird news on the islands, so a fluid itinerary, with Island visits being guided by which will be most fruitful in terms of 'good birds', whether that be based upon reported sightings, or the most likely place we may find our own.

We will for sure visit Tresco at some stage, giving you the opportunity to visit its famous gardens, where we also usually take lunch with the Red Squirrels..

INCLUDES RETURN TRANSPORT FROM THE WEST MIDLANDS TO LANDSEND

Max group size of 11

Price includes;
- Return transport from the Solihull area to Devon & onward to Landsend for your flight.
- One night at the Victoria Hotel Torquay
- Seven nights half board accommodation at the wonderful St - Mary's Hall Hotel, St Mary's.
- Collection & drop off at St Mar's airfield
- Guiding throughout, by Ashley Grove & Wendy Palmer-Grove
- Three return boat tickets for off island day trips
- Entry to Tresco Abbey Gardens

FULLY BOOKED

Cost: £1890

Deposit: £350

Request a full itinerary here

Contact me here to book your space.

or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


North Norfolk Birds, long weekender

Type: Wildlife Watching Tour

Dates: 25 October to 28 October 2024

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Overview: The Feathers Hotel is our base for this short break on Norfolks famously bird rich North coast. The timing of this break gives us the chance of not only catching some late migrants, but also the arrival of the counties Winter visitors.

Thousands of Waders and Wildfowl spend the winter months in around the salt marsh habitat of Titchwell, Cley-next-the-sea and other famous coastal sites nearby, so we'll explore these thoroughly.

Resident birds like Bearded Tit and Marsh Harrier are pretty much guaranteed at these sites, plus there's usually the odd rarity around like Black Brant, perhaps a Stint, Hen Harrier, Grey Phalarope and it's always worth spending time staring out to sea.

Various Diver & Grebe species spend the winter months at sea and can be picked up close to shore at various places along this stretch of coastline, along with regular sightings of Scoters and Red-breasted Merganser and auks.

The holiday includes the following;

- 3 nights on a half board basis at the Feathers Hotel Dersingham

- Transportation is included for this holiday by minibus and this includes a lift there and back from the Solihull area if required.

Room availability;

We have six Double/Twin rooms available. Double rooms are available for single occupancy for an additional £90.

Max group size is 12 people.

For more information contact Ashley on 07704 189835 or by email experiencenaturetours@gmail.com

FULLY BOOKED

Cost: £590

Deposit: £150

Request a full itinerary here

Contact me here to book your space.

or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


Southern Ghana, Pangolins, Picathartes & much more

Type: Wildlife Watching Tour

Dates: 26 November to 9 December 2024

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Overview: Situated in the heart of West Africa Ghana is a must visit destination for any birding and wildlife enthusiast. A comprehensive coverage of varied West African habitats from coastal wetlands and lagoons, moving inland through the coastal savannah into the rich Upper Guinea Rainforests that protect so many West African speciality species that include the Yellow-headed Picathartes, surely a must see for any birder.

This holiday gives us 14 days to explore these various habitats which will not only give us a wide variety of birdlife, and butterflies, but the best chance of seeing three of Africas four Pangolin species.

We'll be working alongside the very best guiding team in Ghana, using comfortable vehicles and staying in some great accommodation, with even an option to sleep in "posh tents" within the rainforest which will be an amazing sensory experience.

Flights are not included in the cost below, these will be direct flights from LHR with British Airways.

For a comprehensive itinerary please contact us via the button below or by email - experiencenaturetours@gmail.com or phone Ashley on Mob 07704 189835

FULLY BOOKED


Yellow-headed Picathartes image courtesy of Lucas Lombardo

Cost: £3299

Deposit: £350

Request a full itinerary here

Contact me here to book your space.

or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


Burns, Birds & Highland Beasties. Plus Solway Firth extension

Type: Wildlife Watching Tour

Dates: 24 January to 31 January 2025

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Overview: Our Burns Breaks for January 2022, 2023 and 2024 sold out within a week, so early booking is recommended. See below to read about the optional extension to this holiday. We're even offering transport there and back from our base near Solihull West Midlands.

The Burns Night Gala Dinner at the Grant Arms Hotel is always fun, entertaining, with fabulous food and great service. The piper welcomes in the Haggis (other food available of course), which will be toasted by us all.

This great night will just be a part of this winter break in the Highlands as we visit various wildlife hotspots within the Cairngorm national park.

Snow isn't guaranteed even in this part of the world, but does add to the atmosphere of the break and we are more likely to encounter some on a trip to Cairngorm Mountain. Snow Buntings should be around the car park here at this time of year and we may even be able to catch a glimpse of Ptarmigan.

This area is stunning at all times of the year, but be sure to bring a camera for this one as if we do get snow, the landscape is truly breathtaking and makes the evening meal and a dram of whisky by the fire at the end of the day, go down even better.

A trip to the coast for some birdwatching can be very productive, with Waders like Purple Sandpiper, offshore Divers, Scoters and Long-tailed Duck being targets.

The Price of £1005 includes -
* Five nights full board accommodation at the wonderful Grant Arms Hotel, within the Cairngorms national park.
* Transport and guiding throughout
* Burns Gala Dinner
* Cairngorm mountain visit looking for Snow Buntings & Ptarmigan
* Visit to Udale Bay RSPB and other coastal sites for wintering birds
* Visit to Findhorn Valley in search of Golden Eagle & Mountain Hare
* Hunt for Crested Tits and Red Squirrels in Anagach woods and Abernethy forest.
* Evening talk by Ashley

Transportation throughout is provided, including collection and drop of from Aviemore railway station, or Inverness airport if required. See below if you'd like a lift there and back..

FULLY BOOKED

NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT ON THIS BREAK

Transportation by minibus is provided throughout this holiday, but you may also be interested in our offer to take you there and back for just an additional £95. Contact us for more information.

Those opting for the return transportation might be interested in an optional two night extension near Dumfries, where we'll not only enjoy some very nice accommodation and good food, but have a full day to explore the local wildlife.

SOLWAY FIRTH TWO NIGHT EXTENSION
This extension will include a visit to Caerlaverock WWT centre or Mersehead RSPB reserve and a chance to witness what is surely one of the best wildfowl spectacles in the British Isles, with thousands of over wintering Barnacle Geese and much more besides, including Hen Harriers which are a regular sight in this area in winter.

The cost of this extension to the main holiday is just £299 and includes two nights on a dinner bed and breakfast basis in a very nice local hotel, transportation throughout and cost of entry to the wetland centre and of course guiding throughout.

The price for this full week long 2 centre holiday including transportation there and back is £1399

Just get in touch for full information.

FULLY BOOKED

Cost: £1399

Deposit: £250

Request a full itinerary here

Contact me here to book your space.

or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


Devon's Winter Birdlife

Type: Wildlife Watching Tour

Dates: 23 February to 28 February 2025

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Overview: Join us in Devon for a five night, half board birdwatching break based at TLH leisure resort Torquay.

These holidays have attracted repeat visitors annually since we started running them in 2018 because of their great value, fab birding and have proved a great starting point for beginner and novice birders over the years.

We visit several of Devon's top birdwatching sites to see a variety of birds that take advantage of the warmer winters the county enjoys.
Flocks of waders including Avocets, Godwits & Golden Plover enjoy the food rich marshes and at points along the coast we have the chance of catching up with Cirl Buntings, which breed in this part of the country alone.

This break offers a great combination of quality birdwatching and excellent hotel facilities at an affordable price.

Whats included:
- 5 nights dinner, bed & breakfast at the TLH Victoria Hotel
- Pre dinner drinks reception on the first night to meet your host/tour guide Ashley Grove and fellow bird watchers
- Half day trip of bird watching to Bowling Green Marsh RSPB (Topsham)
- Full day trip of bird watching at Exminster Marshes RSPB & Dawlish Warren
- A talk on How to be a bird watcher
- Half day trip to Stover Country park
- Evening talk by Ashley 'Shetland to Scilly, Birds of The British Isles'
- Transport for all trips is included.
- (Packed lunches not included but can be ordered at TLH Victoria Hotel) 

To book a place, Contact TLH directly on 01803 400500

No Single Supplement on this break!!

SPACES AVAILABLE

Cost: £400

Deposit: £

Request a full itinerary here

Contact me here to book your space.

or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


Southern Portugal, Alentejo & Algarve Birdwatching

Type: Wildlife Watching Tour

Dates: 8 February to 15 February 2025

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Overview: Portugal offers a fantastic diversity of habitats and consequently of birds in a relatively small area, so this birding programme will enable you to visit several species rich areas without needing to travel long distances. The first four nights of the holiday we stay in Tavira where the coast and salt pans are literally on the doorstep.

From Faro city centre and its International Airport, Ria Formosa Natural Park is just 15 minutes’ drive away, while Castro Marim Nature Reserve can be reached in 40 minutes. These two important protected wetland areas offer extensive bird lists that include Greater Flamingo, White Stork, Eurasian Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis, Purple Heron, Booted Eagle, Pallid Swift, Bluethroat, European Serin and an excellent selection of ducks, waders, gulls and terns. Some of the places you will visit are unique in Portugal as sites for rare and highly localised species, like Audouin’s and Slender-billed Gulls and Lesser Short-toed Lark. These are also excellent spots for getting close views of scarce species like Little Bittern and Western Swamphen. Little Owl, Red-necked Nightjar, Eurasian Hoopoe, Common Kingfisher, European Bee-eater, Sardinian and Spectacled Warblers and Iberian Magpie are particularly abundant here. The cliffs and shore at Cape St. Vincent should provide an excellent opportunity for participants to see a wide range of sea bird species.

Another short 45-minute drive takes you to complementary biotopes and consequently new bird species in the Alentejo. We stay at another lovely hotel for our last three nights in this tranquil area, where again the wildlife is all around us.
Here, you will visit both the rolling plains of Castro Verde (the home of Great and Little Bustards, Red Kite, Montagu's Harrier, Black-winged Kite, Lesser Kestrel, Eurasian Stone- curlew, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Great Spotted Cuckoo, European Roller, Calandra Lark, etc...) and the bluffs and hills of the Guadiana Valley Natural Park, noted for species like Black Stork, Iberian/Spanish Imperial, Golden and Bonelli's Eagles, Eurasian Black and Griffon Vultures, Turtle Dove, Eurasian Eagle Owl, Iberian Green Woodpecker, Eurasian Crag Martin, Red-rumped Swallow, Black-eared Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Spotless Starling, Golden Oriole, Spanish Sparrow, Hawfinch, Cirl Bunting and Rock Bunting.

During our time in Portugal we'll stay at two very well chosen hotels, each close to some amazing habitats to keep road time to a minimum. As with all of our holidays the pace is gentle, putting the emphasis on relaxed birdwatching with photographic opportunities and as one of my regulars puts it, some first class "Apres Birding"... A holiday in the true sense of the word.

Whats included
- 7 nights Half board accommodation at two great hotels
- Lunches each day in local restaurants
- Local guide plus one or two Experience Nature guides
- Transportation throughout in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Airport transfers to and from Faro International airport
- All reserve entry permits
- Drinking water throughout & wine with meals
- A contribution of 40 Euros the Conservation Project in the Guadiana Valley Natural Park

- The price below does NOT include flights, but these are often reasonably priced, often less that £150 return. Our preferred flight for this holiday will be with Jet2 from Birmingham to Faro, but please discuss with us if you prefer to use a different UK airport.

PLACES AVAILABLE

Cost: £2295

Deposit: £350

Request a full itinerary here

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or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


Swedens Crane Migration, Grebes & Great Food

Type: Wildlife Watching Tour

Dates: 09 April to 13 April 2025

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Overview: The Lake Hornborga area of Sweden plays host to one of the most incredible bird spectacles to be seen in Europe. From late March to mid April, thousands of Common Cranes stop here to feed up on their journey to more northerly breeding grounds. The quantity of birds varies from year to year, but we have timed this trip to catch the peak of the birds movement and hope to see between 15 and 30,000 cranes at this time. In 2019 the peak count reached upwards of 27,000 birds, plus of course a wide variety of wildfowl that are present at this time. A highlight of this trip will be the sight and sound of thousands of Cranes coming into the lake at dawn, which really has to be experienced.

Whooper Swans and Goldeneye that stay on to breed in the area are joined by White Fronted & Pink-footed Geese, Wigeon, Pintail, Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler, Pochard and Tufted Duck in large numbers.
Other breeding birds in the area are setting up territory at this time and very evident are the grebes. Great-crested and Little Grebes are present, but in addition Red-necked and Slavonian Grebes breed here and often Black-necked pass through at this time, so it can be a Grebe bonanza.

We also visit other areas locally which are fabulous for birdwatching, sites where we could be lucky enough to see some birds that are either very rare in the UK, or don't occur at all. Capercaillie, Black Grouse, Black Woodpecker, Hawfinch, even Eagle Owl and Pygmy Owl are all possible.

Our base for the 4 nights is a converted water mill, where the owner prides himself in offering top quality, locally sourced and organic food and wine.
This tranquil riverside location has some wonderful local walks to enjoy and we also will have a canoe safari on one evening in search of Beaver which are relatively common in the area.

The gentle flow of the water and sound of bird song is only broken by the occasional splosh of a beaver submerging as we approach.

This break has a very relaxed pace to it, with ample down time to enjoy the locality and its wildlife and to round off the package, we have a meal in a very well recommended local restaurant on one of our evenings.

Flights are in addition to this price and are with British Airways from Heathrow, coming in usually between £150 and £250 return.

The minimum number for this trip is 5, with a max of 8. There is a single supplement charge of £245, but please let us know if you are willing to share.

FULLY BOOKED

Cost: £1475

Deposit: £300

Request a full itinerary here

Contact me here to book your space.

or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


Spring Migration in Lesvos

Type: Wildlife Watching Tour

Dates: 27 April to 04 May 2025

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Overview: Spring in the tiny Greek island of Lesvos has long been renowned as one of the best places to experience bird migration in Europe.

Resident species will now be on territory, so we'll look for singing Cinereous Bunting and Kruper's Nuthatch, along with Masked Shrike, Middle-spotted Woodpecker and Sombre Tit.

We should see other Shrike species arrive as the week progresses, Red-backed, Woodchat & Lesser Grey, along with Olivaceous Warbler and Hoopoes arriving in numbers to nest.

Rarer species also begin to move through at this time which may include Red-throated Pipit, Thrush Nightingale and Red-breasted Flycatcher, Great Snipe, Marsh Terns, Barred Warbler, River Warbler and Wrynecks.

We'll visit raptor watch points where we'll look for Red-footed & Eleanora's Falcons, Honey Buzzard and maybe even Lavant Sparrowhawk among other more common species.

Wetland areas are hotspots for much of the bird movement and Spotted Crake & possibly Little Crake are likely, along with Night Heron, Glossy Ibis & Purple Heron while overhead both Alpine & Pallid Swifts are possible among the Commons hawking for insects.

Basing ourselves in a small quiet hotel, right next to coastal lagoons and salt pans, we'll be in the right place at the right time and could see close to 150 species of birds during our week on the island.

This holiday will have our usual relaxed approach to birdwatching, quietly enjoying the wildlife in its environment, but a few early starts will be necessary to get catch the "early bird".

There is no doubt that this trip will be full of surprise encounters and plenty of wow moments for us among some stunning landscapes and hopefully under sunny skies. And while predominately a holiday for birders of all levels, there will no doubt be plenty of photographic opportunities throughout.

Whats included;
- 7 nights accommodation, including breakfast, dinner & lunch.
- Transportation throughout your stay.
- 2 birdwatching guides

Your flight is not included, but this holidays dates are based on return flights with Jet2 from London Stansted.

Double rooms for single occupancy are available at a supplement of £180

4 SPACES REMAINING

Cost: £1595

Deposit: £300

Request a full itinerary here

Contact me here to book your space.

or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


Spanish Pyrenees & Med Coast. Birds, Butterflies and so much more.

Type: Wildlife Watching Tour

Dates: 5 June to 15 June 2025

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Overview: The Lammergeier is one of those must see birds and this tour gives you unrivalled opportunities to get up close to these amazing creatures.

We will use purpose built hides, overlooking where these birds feed throughout the year, high in the Spanish Pyrenees. Three hides offer different views of the birds, plus a forth hide close by overlooking a deep valley, offers the opportunity to photograph these birds against a spectacular mountain backdrop.

This fourth hide is almost guaranteed for very close views of Golden Eagle, as the locally nesting pair are fed regularly here by the hide owner. Nesting on adjacent cliffs, they often arrive just moments after the carrion is put in place.

Other regular raptors include, Griffon Vulture (over 400 birds during a feed) , Monk (Black) and Egyptian Vultures, Peregrine and Red Kites. In fact this is one of the only sites where you'll find all 4 of Europe's Vultures in one location. Booted Eagle are also seen here almost daily.

A fifth hide overlooks a natural pool, where regular Dartford, Bonelli's, Orphean & Subalpine Warblers, Rock & Cirl Bunting, Hoopoe, Crested Tit and plenty more besides come in to drink and bathe.

We will rotate use of each of the hides to give everyone ample opportunity of photographing or watching each key species on this holiday.

In addition to the birds, alpine flowers are numerous and over 100 Butterfly species have been recorded here, so plenty to keep all wildlife enthusiasts busy.

Sunsets are amazing up here at nearly 4000ft and to watch these with a cold beer at the end of the day, while Nightjars, Nightingales and Scops Owl call around you and Red Deer and Wild Boar emerge from the trees to graze, is it truly magical.

Holiday cost includes all transportation, accommodation and meals throughout your stay, plus use of the hides. Ashley will be on hand to offer advise to photographers where required and of course to spot the wildlife for you. The holiday dates are based on flights from Birmingham to Girona with Jet2. We will likely be travelling with you from Birmingham airport, if not we will meet you in Girona. However we advise reserving a couple of days either side of the holiday dates as flight schedules have changed a lot since the pandemic and could mean us flying to Barcelona El Prat airport instead.

We will also take time to explore the local area, where different birds and flora may be found. Plus Ashley will site pop up hides for photographers wishing to photograph some additional species. Red-backed Shrike is a particularly good opportunity.

Around the seven nights in the Pyrenees, we have three nights on the coast based near Empuriabrava. This adds a relaxing start and end to the holiday, where we can explore local wetlands for a different variety of colourful Spanish birds.

We can tailor the itinerary to suit you, with the right balance between, wildlife watching, walking, photography, or just downtime to relax in this tranquil setting.

The stay in the Pyrenees is on the site of a village that was abandoned in the 1970's. The new owner of the site has created a lovely dwelling which consists of three bedrooms for guest use, plus two further en-suite bedrooms in an adjacent building.

We can comfortably accommodate a maximum group size of 7 people, plus two guides.


JUST 4 SPACES AVAILABLE

OTHER DATES MAY BE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

CONTACT US ABOUT A FULLY BESPOKE HOLIDAY FOR JUST 6 PEOPLE IN THIS LOCATION

Cost: £2499

Deposit: £300

Request a full itinerary here

Contact me here to book your space.

or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


Carcassonne, Wine Tasting, Fine Food & Birds of Southern France

Type: Wildlife Watching Tour

Dates: 13 September to 20 September 2025

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Overview: This will be our third time taking group to stay in 'Maison Tranquil' and the name of this lovely property really sums up the holiday we have planned for you in this beautiful part of France. We'll have sole use of the property for the week of our stay.

Set deep in the countryside overlooking a lake, with its own heated swimming pool, this large country house with seven large en-suite bedrooms is the perfect place to stay, relax and enjoy the birdlife of the Languedoc region of Southern France.

The local area has a variety of habitats to explore including woodland, rivers, wetland, farmland and 'Garrigue' a heathland type of habitat found only in Mediterranean countries, which supports a diverse range of wildlife.

Birdlife we might expect to see locally would be Firecrest, Tawny Pipit, Honey Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle, Hoopoe, Cirl Bunting, Rock Sparrow, Black Redstart, European Bee-eater, but going a little further afield on day trips out its possible to see various Heron species, Rock Thrush and perhaps some migrants as they head south for the winter.

An equal part of this holiday though will be put aside for relaxing in different ways. We've organised some wine tasting in the historic old village of Montoleiu, which is twinned with Hay-on-Wye in Herefordshire, both famous for the number of book shops they have. We'll spend time exploring this quaint village which sits in an elevated position with a river running either side of it.

We'll also spend a day visiting the nearby Medieval City of Carcassonne, which looks like it came straight out of a fairytale with its many turreted towers.

Our breakfast, most lunches and evening meals will be lovingly prepared by Wendy who has gained quite a reputation on our holidays as being quite a chef, so yet another reason to join us on this holiday.

We'll start the holiday with arrivals at Carcassonne airport, where Ashley will be ready with a minibus to transfer us all to the house, roughly 35 minutes drive. The minibus will be used throughout for our transportation.

The cost of the holiday below does not include flights and is based on one person sharing a double/twin room. Three double rooms are available for single occupancy for an additional £385

Whats Included;
- All food, including any meals out are included in the price of this holiday, along with some wine with meals.
- Transportation throughout
- Wine tasting experience
- 7 nights accommodation at Maison Tranquil

Maximum group size is 7 people.

JUST LAUNCHED

PRICE HELD FROM 2024 HOLIDAY

Cost: £1995

Deposit: £300

Request a full itinerary here

Contact me here to book your space.

or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


North Norfolk Birds

Type: Wildlife Watching Tour

Dates: 17 October to 22 October 2025

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Overview: The Feathers Hotel is our base for this holiday on Norfolks famously bird rich North coast.

Our holidays based at the hotel have proved a great hit, with the 2023 holiday pretty much selling out at the dinner table on our last evening in 2022! This left leaving little room for anyone else to enjoy the holiday, But new people have got in to try this out in October 2024 but we're already sold out!

We've extended this 2025 holiday to 5 nights from the original 3 to broaden the birding opportunities and now more nights to enjoy the hotels excellent hospitality and socialise with like minded group members.

The timing of this break gives us the chance of not only catching some late migrants, but also the arrival of the counties Winter visitors.

Thousands of Waders and Wildfowl spend the winter months in around the salt marsh habitat of Titchwell, Cley-next-the-sea and other famous coastal sites nearby, so we'll explore these thoroughly, along with other local hotspots like Snettisham, Holkham and Wells-next-the-sea.

Resident birds like Bearded Tit and Marsh Harrier are pretty much guaranteed at these sites, plus there's usually the odd rarity around like Yellow-browed Warbler, Shore Lark, Black Brant, perhaps a Stint, Hen Harrier, Grey Phalarope and it's always worth spending time staring out to sea.

Various Diver & Grebe species spend the winter months at sea and can be picked up close to shore at various places along this stretch of coastline, along with regular sightings of Scoters and Red-breasted Merganser and auks.

The holiday includes the following;

- 5 nights on a half board basis at the Feathers Hotel Dersingham

- Minibus transportation is also provided throughout this holiday, either make your own way to the hotel or jump in at our start point near Solihull or perhaps a pick on route.

Room availability;

We have six Double/Twin rooms available, so a maximum group size of 12.

For more information contact Ashley on 07704 189835 or by email experiencenaturetours@gmail.com

SPACES AVAILABLE

Cost: £955

Deposit: £250

Request a full itinerary here

Contact me here to book your space.

or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


Jewels of The Gambia

Type: Wildlife Watching Tour

Dates: 04 November to 18 November 2025

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Overview: The Gambia has been a popular Birdwatching destination since the 1970's and is still probably the safest African Country to visit. No wonder our tour leader Ashley has visited over 20 times, leading 15 holidays here since 2011.

As with all our trips, this is run at a relaxed pace, giving ample opportunity to enjoy the wildlife and in particular the many colourful bird species that can be found here. With 9 Kingfishers and 8 Bee-eater species for example, this guarantees to be a real feast for the eyes.

With little effort we can hope to see upwards of 250 bird species, with the photographers among us expecting to get quality images of a good percentage of these.

Throughout the trip we will have 3 guides and our own driver, making sure individual group members needs are catered for, so photographers for example can spend longer with a single species if they wish. The max group size will be 12 people.

We spend time near the coast, but also travel inland to experience the real Gambia and it's various habitats and associated wildlife, including Hippo's, Bee-eater colonies, bird rich rice paddies and ancient forests.

The tour dates coincide with return flights from Gatwick, but flights may also available from Birmingham and Manchester. These were axed post covid, but may be re-introduced.

Please contact Ashley for a full itinerary and do check out the Gambia gallery through the link below for further temptation.

The price below does not include flights.

SPACES AVAILABLE

Cost: £2495

Deposit: £300

See images from this Wildlife Watching Tour here

Request a full itinerary here

Contact me here to book your space.

or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


Sri Lanka - Birds, Leopards & Blue Whales

Type: Wildlife Watching Tour

Dates: 10 January to 29 January 2026

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Overview: With so much to see in this wonderful little country, we have extended our original tour to 18 nights, two more than the 2023 holiday, enabling us to visit some of the wildlife rich areas in the North of the country, but also build in some quality downtime at first class locations.

In addition to the well known sites in the southern and central regions, visiting the north will increase our chances of seeing key species like Sri Lanka Leopards and Sloth Bears which proved very successful in 2023 with 3 Leopard and 2 Sloth Bear sightings on the same day.

We have chosen to stay at some of the best accommodation in Sri Lanka, so along with great food, we can enjoy comfortable, restful nights between our wildlife watching and some typical Sri Lankan hospitality.

Sri Lanka's bird list tops 430, including 33 endemics, and with the help of two highly experienced English-speaking guides, who will be with us throughout the tour, we will see most of them, including the rare Serendib Scops Owl, which was only discovered in 2004! Our visit coincides with the presence of winter visitors, including waders from Siberia and songbirds from the Himalayas.

In addition to the abundant birdlife, other wildlife we can expect to see are Marsh Mugger Crocodile and various land mammals such as Grey Langur and Purple-faced Leaf Monkeys, Water Buffalo, Sambar and Spotted Deer, Wild Boar, Indian Fruit Bat, various Mongoose species, Golden Jackal Sloth Bear, Leopard and Asian Elephant. On top of all this, our visit to the south coast is timed to coincide with a calm sea and the presence of Blue Whales, as well as several other whales and dolphins, which can often be seen from a boat at close range. Sri Lanka also has 244 species of Butterflies.

The price includes full board en-suite accommodation, all transport in Sri Lanka by air conditioned vehicle, all excursions and reserve entry fees, including three jeep safaris in national parks, and one whale watching excursion, plus bird checklist and the services of local guides & two Experience Nature guides.

The price does not include your flights (from £550 return pp from LHR with Sri Lanka airlines). Your personal travel insurance, alcoholic drinks or items of a personal nature.

Our visit in 2023 was a long time in coming due to Corona and Sri Lanka's instability as a result, meaning 3 cancelled holidays, but they are well and truly ready to receive tourists again and our 2023 holiday couldn't have gone better. Over 250 species of birds seen and rare Mammals like Sloth Bear, Leopard, Stripe-necked Mongoose and Golden Jackal, plus dozens of Butterfly species.

We're often asked asked "If I picked just one holiday, which should I go on?" This has to be the one, it really does have everything.

3 PLACES REMAINING

Cost: £3365

Deposit: £395

Request a full itinerary here

Contact me here to book your space.

or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


Scotlands Highlands & Outer Islands

Type: Wildlife Watching Tour

Dates: 25 May to 03 June 2026

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Overview: Continuing to expand our selection of UK holidays, this break explores the rugged islands of the Outer Hebrides as well as the stunning Cairngorm Mountains and National park.

Staying on North Uist for five nights, sandwiched between four nights in Grantown-on-Spey, we'll visit the islands of Benbecula and South Uist, as well as reliable sites around the Cairngorm national park for top birds like Slavonian grebe, Ring Ouzel, Black-throated Diver, Crested Tit, Osprey and Black Grouse.

Our time spent on the islands gives us the best chances in the UK to enjoy close views of Corncrake, Hen Harrier, Red-necked Phalarope and much more besides.

As with all our holidays, this will be run at the same relaxed pace, no rushing around ticking birds off lists, but watching the wildlife in its environment and soaking up the stunning scenery in good company.

The Price includes - 4 nights at the Grant Arms Hotel, Grantown-on-Spey and 5 nights at the Temple View Hotel, North Uist, to include breakfast, dinner and packed lunches.

Transportation throughout and if required and timings are suitable, free collection and drop off for Inverness airport or Aviemore railway station.
Also included is the price of the short ferry crossing between the Isles of Skye and North Uist.

Single Supplement - We have 3 rooms available for single occupancy, after that a double room can be taken for sole occupancy for an additional £490

Group size - 12 persons max, plus 2 guides

1 ROOM REMANING

Cost: £1995

Deposit: £250

Request a full itinerary here

Contact me here to book your space.

or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


The Isles of Scilly in Style...

Type: Wildlife Watching Tour

Dates: 02 October to 09 October 2026

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Overview: Having had a host of enquiries about this holiday for 2023 fall through due to people being put off by the journey to get to Cornwall in the first place, we've built in the solution for future holidays..

We're now providing transportation from the Solihull area to Devon for a one night stay and then onward to catch our flights from Landsend for the week on the Islands.

The 2024 holiday sold out quickly and with no 2025 holiday this will no doubt be one to book early.

The Isles of Scilly have long been known as a beautiful UK holiday destination, particularly so for birdwatchers. It's varied Islands have a warmer climate than anywhere else in Britain and host some fabulous flora and fauna.

We visit the islands in October for this holiday, when migration is in full flow and birds around the world are moving to their southerly wintering grounds.
The Scilly's annually have falls of migrants from western Europe at this time, including Hoopoe, Lapland Bunting, Black Redstarts and Wryneck, but stronger winds and weather fronts can bring in birds from eastern Europe, which produce yearly records of Yellow-browed Warbler, Rustic & Little Buntings, various Pipits, and Red-breasted Flycatcher for example.

Even more remarkable are the regular occurrences of American birds, or "Yanks" as they are known in the birding world, that can cross the Atlantic on the back of strong winds. Solitary Sandpiper, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Bobolink, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Black & White Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, American Robin and Blackburnian Warbler have occurred in recent years, with the later being the highlight for 2023.

So what we will see during our week of birdwatching is a real lottery, but what is guaranteed is some very comfortable accommodation, great food and the warm atmosphere of these tranquil islands.

Ashley will be keeping an ear to the ground and an eye on the website to keep abreast of the latest bird news on the islands, so a fluid itinerary, with Island visits being guided by which will be most fruitful in terms of 'good birds', whether that be based upon reported sightings, or the most likely place we may find our own.

We will for sure visit Tresco at some stage, giving you the opportunity to visit its famous gardens, where we also usually take lunch with the Red Squirrels..

INCLUDES RETURN TRANSPORT FROM THE WEST MIDLANDS TO LANDSEND

Max group size of 11

Price includes;
- Return transport from the Solihull area to Devon & onward to Landsend for your flight.
- One night at the Victoria Hotel Torquay
- Seven nights half board accommodation at the wonderful St - Mary's Hall Hotel, St Mary's.
- Collection & drop off at St Mary's airfield
- Guiding throughout, by Ashley Grove & Wendy Palmer-Grove
- Three return boat tickets for off island day trips
- Entry to Tresco Abbey Gardens

SPACES AVAILABLE

Cost: £2190

Deposit: £380

Request a full itinerary here

Contact me here to book your space.

or book your space online. (Requires a deposit).

       


   

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