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The British Channel Islands have been little-explored by naturalists. This pioneering 10-day holiday explores three of the archipelago's islands, led by an expert naturalist. Our stay begins on the beautiful island of Sark, which lies 9 miles to the south-east of Guernsey and is described by the Daily Telegraph as one of the 20 most tranquil and most "desirable great escapes on the planet”. Sark is also one of the sunniest places in the British Isles and hosts a wonderful selection of wildlife which we shall seek on serene excursions.
After a most enjoyable 6-day exploration of Sark’s flora and fauna, we’ll take a 50-minute ferry crossing back to Guernsey where we will be based for our next four nights. The picturesque island of Guernsey is the second largest of the Channel Islands and is packed with award-winning beaches, picture-postcard towns, and world-class cuisine. Guernsey hosts an interesting fauna and flora including such specialities as Glanville Fritillary, Loose-flowered Orchid and Short-toed Treecreeper. On one of the days based on Guernsey we shall make a day trip to our third Channel Island of the holiday, Herm, which is just a 15-minute ferry crossing from Guernsey's St Peter Port Harbour. Herm is one of the smallest of the inhabited Channel Islands and with a population of just over 60 is beautifully unspoilt and with no cars, incredibly peaceful.
The Camargue is one of Europe’s best known wetlands – a 'must' for any keen naturalist. Based at the same small, family-run hotel on the outskirts of Arles for all four nights, we will explore the saline habitats, reedbeds and shallows of the Camargue, the dry stony steppe of La Crau, and Les Alpilles (a range of limestone hills covered with aromatic herbs and scattered pines), in search of exciting and exotic Mediterranean bird species at the peak of the breeding season. This area of France is especially rich in wildlife, history and local culture and we hope to enjoy a flavour of this diversity with some quality birdwatching, good photographic opportunities, a visit to the Roman amphitheatre in Arles and ample time each day to enjoy our famous Naturetrek French picnic lunches!
The Forest of Dean covers an area of about 100 square kilometres and is England’s second largest expanse of ancient woodland. From our comfortable hotel base in the heart of the forest, we will make daily walks exploring the surrounding trails during the day, and on one evening head out in search of Wild Boar! In May and June the woodlands are home to Pied and Spotted Flycatchers, Redstarts and Wood Warblers along with many other species. We’ll look for these and visit a clearing at dusk to look - and listen for - Nightjars.
From the Empire State Building and Broadway to Central Park and yellow cabs, images of New York City are so familiar to us from popular culture that even first-time visitors feel they know it as soon as they arrive! What most people aren’t aware of is that its extensive parks, green spaces and 578-mile waterfront offer some of North America’s most exciting and accessible birding! On this unusual holiday we will explore the top birding locations in New York City’s boroughs from our ideally located midtown Manhattan hotel. New York City is on the Atlantic Flyway bird migration route, and each spring large numbers of Arctic, boreal and temperate species ‘drop into’ the city’s metropolitan area to rest and refuel. Central Park is one of the top birding sites in the United States and we’ll enjoy birding in this 843-acre oasis, where as many as 30 species of wood warbler might be seen on a single ‘fall’ day, as well as other key sites in the city. There will also be time for some sightseeing and, for those who wish, an ‘upstate’ extension.
This birdwatching and natural history tour focuses solely on the wonderfully bird rich region of Extremadura. We will cover a range of habitats from the undulating, sun-drenched steppes and shimmering plains to the oak-forested hills of Monfragüe National Park. We will also dedicate a full day to visit the region's primary wetland site with an altogether different range of birds. As we set out to encounter a large range of species we shall take time to obtain excellent views and learn about their identification as we go.
Situated in the far south-east – ‘stiletto heel’ – of Italy, Puglia offers a profusion of spring flowers, as well as an excellent variety of butterflies, birds and other wildlife. During this 2-centre holiday we will stay in charming family-run ‘Masseria’ (fortified Puglian farm houses). We begin our holiday with an exploration of the Capo D’Otranto, Italy’s most easterly point and an excellent vantage point for watching the spring raptor migration as birds pass north towards the Balkans. The region’s colourful maquis vegetation should be in full bloom during our visit and we’ll look for orchids and numerous butterflies on daily excursions. We will also visit some of the region’s ancient cave dwellings and characteristic ‘trulli’, while a walk along the Gravina di Laterza offers the chance to see breeding Egyptian Vulture and Lanner Falcon.
Lake Kerkini offers the very best of Mediterranean birdwatching in a picturesque setting. This week-long holiday is based at a hotel located close to the lake, facilitating a leisurely exploration of the area with relatively little travelling. Both the common White Pelican and the rarer Dalmatian are numerous on the lake, along with an impressive selection of nesting waterbirds. In the countryside surrounding the lake we will see colourful summer visitors such as Bee-eater and Roller, whilst montane species can be found in the range of mountains separating the lake from neighbouring Bulgaria. As well as the superlative birdlife, the spring flora is exquisite, with abundant butterflies and resident reptiles including two species of tortoise.
We begin our holiday exploring Iceland’s ‘Golden Circle’, where we’ll be hoping to see Red-throated and Great Northern Divers in Thingvellir National Park. Continuing via the coastal road we pass beautiful waterfalls and drive on towards the great ice-sheet of Vatnajökull where glaciers carve into ice-filled lagoons. Connected to the mainland by a spit, and reached by a cart drawn by a tractor, we make an excursion to the promontory of Ingólfshöfði, home to breading Puffins and Great Skuas. We then cross the highlands for the final days of the tour at the bird-rich Lake Mývatn where exciting species like Red-necked Phalarope and Slavonian Grebe will be in full breeding plumage. We should also have our first close-up views of Iceland’s ubiquitous and awe-inspiring geothermal activity – in the form of pressure steams, vents and boiling mud around the lake! We’ll then take a whale-watching trip from Husavík.
Spring is a wonderful time to visit Yellowstone National Park and this tour focuses on the region’s wildlife and geological highlights at a time of year when the reserve is transitioning from winter to summer. We begin with a flight to Jackson Hole where we will be based for four nights while we explore the Grand Teton National Park. Next we head north into Yellowstone itself and explore the southern half of the park from the town of West Yellowstone. Our four nights here will give us ample time to look for a variety of mammals including Pronghorn Antelope, North American Bison and Grizzly Bear, plus birds including Western Tanager and Williamson’s Sapsucker. Finally, we drive north-east to the small town of Cooke City for three nights, from where we will explore the northern half of the national park in search of Bald Eagle, Evening Grosbeak, Bighorn Sheep, Rocky Mountain Elk and the Grey Wolves of Yellowstone’s famous Lamar Valley.
After a flight to Trieste in Italy, we will drive across the border into Slovenia and from there into Croatia to our base for the week, the San Stefano thermal spa near the medieval city of Buzet. Nesting Alpine Swifts, Blue Rock Thrushes and Black Redstarts are found in limestone cliffs near our accommodation, whilst the adjacent Mediterranean scrub holds Sardinian and Subalpine Warblers, Nightingale and Cirl Bunting. During our week we’ll explore a variety of habitats throughout Istria, including sites along the coast, through the river valley and up into the mountains. The wetland reserve at Skocjanski Zatok in Slovenia is especially rich in birdlife and attracts a variety of herons, egrets and passage waders. On one day we’ll venture further north into Slovenia to Lake Cerknica and the Rakov Skocjan Gorge to search for birds such as Corncrake, Crossbill and numerous woodpeckers, while on another we’ll look for butterflies and migrant birds on the Premantura Peninsula, the most southerly point on the Istrian Peninsula. We will spend a final day exploring the Cicarija Plateau and Dinaric Alps in search of Golden and Short-toed Eagles, Rock Partridge and Ortolan Bunting, plus wild flowers including Lady Orchids, before it is time to return to Trieste for our flight home.
Poland’s Bialowieza Forest is home to over 200 species of bird, as well as mammals such as Wolf, Lynx and Elk. We’ll explore a variety of habitats in Bialowieza looking for such sought-after birds as Pygmy Owl, Red-breasted Flycatcher and River Warbler, plus Corncrake, Thrush Nightingale and a variety of woodpeckers, including Three-toed and White-backed. Bialowieza is also home to one of Europe’s last remaining herds of Bison. Next we head north-west to the flooded meadows, lakes and rivers of Biebrza Marshes in search of White-winged Terns, Aquatic Warblers, Spotted Eagle, Bluethroat and Common Cranes. Great, Common and Jack Snipe can all be seen here along with a variety of migrating waders, waterfowl and passerines.
