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News in Brief: Georgia, Greece, Albania, Sri Lanka & Scotland
April 2023
‘We enjoyed a marvellously successful 9-day tour in search of the special montane species of the high Caucasus and the lowland birds of central Georgia’s steppe habitats’ writes tour leader Richard Bashford. ‘At the base of the slopes, in our favoured spot at Kazbegi, we marvelled at the evocative whistle of the snowcock. Here we also enjoyed Caucasian Black Grouse (sometimes lekking), a singing Mountain Chiffchaff, Caucasian Tur on the hilltops posing for photos, and a very kind Red-fronted Serin that perched in a nearby tree singing.
Georgia is a must-go destination for the keen birder, and we relished sightings of Grey-necked Bunting, Green Warbler, Grey-headed Swamphen, Güldenstädt’s Redstart, Great Rosefinch, a colossal flock of Alpine Chough (perhaps as many as 500 birds), Demoiselle Crane, Wallcreeper – feeding on rocks in a grassy slope and another individual at eye-level – and a plethora more!
Other highlights included Urartian Rat Snake (Elaphe urartica), multiple individuals of Spur-thighed Tortoise (Testudo graeca), Goitered Gazelle, Caucasian Spotted Fritillary, Nine-spotted Moth, Empusa pennata, Monkey Orchid, Spring Meadow Saffron and more!’
April 2023
‘In April, with the onset of spring in Europe, back-to-back herpetology tours took participants to the beautiful Peloponnese peninsula in Greece for our second and third herp tours of the year’ writes tour leader Christos Kotselis. ‘The tours returned having seen 34 and 35 species of reptiles and amphibians respectively, alongside a suite of exciting Mediterranean birds, butterflies, orchids and mammals.
Reptile and amphibian highlights included African Chameleon, Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Nose-horned Viper (which is likely to be split as a distinctive subspecies soon), the rare and endemic subspecies of Balkan Spadefoot Toad (ssp. chloeae), the Peloponnese endemics Greek Rock Lizard and Limbless Skink, Worm Snake, and Europe’s only relative of boas, the Sand Boa.
Other highlights across the two tours included Golden Jackal, mating Great Spotted Cuckoo, Eurasian Nightjar, Eurasian Eagle Owl, Great Reed Warbler, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Collared Pratincole and numerous others.’
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May & June 2023
‘In May and June, it was a pleasure to welcome Naturetrek groups to my beautiful country of Albania, exploring from the south to the north, and each enjoying the study of over 30 reptile and amphibian species including Aesculapian Snake, Eurasian Worm Snake, Balkan Terrapin, Ionian Wall Lizard, Dalmatian Algyroides, Macedonian Crested Newt, Yellow-bellied Toad and the Endangered Albanian Pool Frog’ writes tour leader Dr. Enerit Sacdanaku.
‘One particularly interesting find was a beautiful Sand Lizard (bosnica ssp.). Sand Lizard in Albania is a rare species observed mostly in the north-eastern mountainous region, so our finding could be the first record of this species at this location (Tomorri Mountain) and further demonstrates how Naturetrek’s herpetology tours continue to contribute to the scientific knowledge of species. This subspecies looks quite different to those found in the UK.
Other highlights included Nutcracker, Rock Partridge, Golden Eagle (another rare species in Albania), Dalmatian Pelican, Woodchat Shrike, Great Reed Warbler, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Southern and Eastern Festoons, Chapman’s Blue, Oriental Meadow Brown, and a very notable find of a Large Copper colony.’
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June 2023
‘Our tour concluded successfully with a plethora of extraordinary wildlife sightings and memorable experiences’ writes tour leader Dhanushka Perera. ‘We were thrilled to spot a total of 31 mammal species, including the elusive Rusty Spotted Cat, the world's smallest cat, and to have a captivating encounter with a Sri Lankan Leopard marking its territory.
We witnessed some spectacular creatures, such as the Giant Flying Squirrel, massive colonies of Indian Flying Foxes, and a significant number of Asian Elephants. Among the endemic species we encountered were Purple-faced Langur, Sri Lankan Toque Macaque, Grey Langur, Water Buffalo, and the elusive Jungle Cat. Late evening drives in Sigiriya rewarded us with many Grey Slender Loris.
The night brought new adventures as we encountered nocturnal creatures like Ring-tailed Civet, Black-naped Hare, White-spotted Mouse Deer, and Indian Gerbil. Birdwatching opportunities during our visits to historical sites revealed Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Sri Lanka Woodshrike, Orange-breasted Green Pigeon, Crested Serpent Eagle, and numerous other species.
Our journey to the central mountains led us to the enigmatic Giant Flying Squirrel, Muntjac, and Sambar Deer in Horton Plains National Park. The highlight at the renowned Yala National Park was the majestic sighting of a Leopard, and the surrounding fields treated us to the presence of a Jungle Cat during our night drive.
In total, our tour was a treasure trove of wildlife encounters, with sightings of 31 mammal species, 14 reptiles and amphibians, and an impressive count of 134 bird species. This tour not only deepened our appreciation for Sri Lanka's rich biodiversity, but also provided a glimpse into the country's glorious past through its historical sites. We departed with fond memories, new friendships, and a renewed commitment to conserve and protect the remarkable wildlife and natural treasures of this beautiful island.’
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July 2023
'Our cruise successfully navigated around the Inner Hebrides in generally excellent weather and calm conditions’ writes tour leader Neil McMahon. ‘The more powerful weather traits associated with the Outer Hebrides prevented us from visiting the St Kilda archipelago but this provided us with the opportunity of visiting seabird cities in the Shiants and the Treshnish Islands.
Black Guillemots showed nicely in the harbour at Oban, while several small pods of Harbour Porpoises escorted us briefly on the outgoing journey along the Sound of Mull, and plenty of Common Guillemots were on the water with their single 'jumpling' chicks. On our first evening, two Otters were visible fishing in the bay at Salen and we were entertained by eight Bottlenose Dolphins playing in the shallows during our visit to Muck and Eigg.
The next couple of days saw us visit the islands of Rum, sail the Sound of Raasay off Skye, and then head north to the wonderful Shiant Islands, where a myriad of seabirds in breeding plumage and at close range were all around us. We also saw our first White-tailed Eagles of the trip and Common Dolphins as well.
Cruising down the west side of Skye, we encountered and stayed with the undoubted highlight of the trip: a feeding Fin Whale at close range. More Common Dolphins and Harbour Porpoises delighted and Storm Petrels, a single Sooty Shearwater and Arctic Skuas were a nice distraction to the constant Manx Shearwaters. A walk on Canna yielded Corncrake and the Sound of Arisaig was good for Otter and White-tailed Eagle.
A visit to Lunga in the Treshnish Islands is always special for that iconic seabird at very close range – the wonderful Atlantic Puffin! More Otters, a Golden Eagle and a close White-tailed Eagle were all much enjoyed on Mull. A visit to Staffa and the cooled pillars of volcanic basalt is always a treat, and our last evening was spent at picturesque Tobermory.’
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