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Three days in Somerset in February visiting different wildlife areas as a group of eleven plus two leaders. It would be difficult to overstate just how good these three days were. Oliver and Dave were a brilliant team enthusiastic, skillful, helpful and fun to be with. The itinerary was well balanced and the wildlife exciting. Even the weather mostly played ball. Particularly loved the Penduline Tits, the incredibly confiding Red Crested Pochard and the contrast between the mass Starling murmuration on the levels (with ring side seats courtesy of Oliver) and the wonderful long aerial display of the Starlings at Weston. Naturetrek excel at these short breaks as well as their long haul wildlife holidays. They have been flexible and trustworthy throughout the pandemic and I highly recommend them.
D.L. West Midlands, Feb 22
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Somerset's Winter Wildlife
Tour Code: GBR281A 4-day break to Somerset, focusing on the special birds of the area, including the spectacular winter congregations of Starlings.
£695 (land only)
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
Our visit is timed to coincide with the massive flocks of wildfowl that gather here during the winter, when internationally important numbers of Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Pintail and Shoveler are present. Another species found here in vast flocks is the Starling. A dusk outing to watch hundreds of thousands of birds swirling over their roost sites makes for breathtaking viewing. The other star attraction of the area is the Bittern. Habitat creation has, in recent years, attracted several breeding pairs, and in winter these are joined by migrants, giving us a good chance of seeing one standing among the reeds or flying across the vast reedbeds.
There are small numbers of wintering raptors such as Short-eared Owl, Merlin, Peregrine, Marsh Harrier and Hen Harrier, and in recent winters it has been possible to watch Great White Egret alongside Little Egret with regularity. This superb bird bred in the UK for the first time in 2012 and chose the Somerset Levels in which to do so, such is the extent and quality of the habitat. Another bird we will hope to encounter is the Common Crane which has been re-introduced here as part of the Great Crane Project. It can be unpredictable as to its whereabouts but many have been lucky.
- Enjoy the aerial artistry of a million-strong Starlings as they gather at dusk prior to roosting
- Bittern, Great White Egret, and Bearded Tit all possible
- Special effort to find the Cranes which have been re-introduced to the area and now breed
- Birds of prey including Marsh Harrier and Peregrine with large concentrations of wintering wildfowl & waders
- A rural hotel surrounded by countryside
- Led by expert naturalist guides
Outline Itinerary
What's Included?
- Accommodation:
A comfortable, rural, hotel close to Weston-super-Mare. All rooms en-suite
- Food:
Breakfasts and 3-course evening meals included in the price. Lunches are not included and will be taken at a local pub or café, or in good weather may be collected from a supermarket to maximise time in the field.
Reviews
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First introductory evening the guides elicited specific wishes of each member of the group. Guides worked well together and generated a relaxed and friendly atmosphere with all group members. Guides used extensive and current local knowledge to satisfactory results for all but one desire - never saw a Bittern even though we heard 'booming' nearby. Accommodation was central to the area covered - excellent food. Overall a fun adventure with several 'firsts'. Competitively priced (against other wildlife tour operators), used them many times. Excellent guides and itineraries. Adaptable to personal needs. Friendly and very efficient staff. Excellent communication that helps prepare for the holiday. Never had a disappointment with all holidays with them so far.
J.H. Hampshire, Feb 22 -
My first Naturetrek holiday and introduction to birdwatching in Somerset. Learnt a great deal in beautiful settings. Superb guides, lots of interesting sightings and an enthusiastic group made this a delightful few days of total immersion in nature. Really good to have two local guides that knew the area so well and could choose perfect locations for wildlife sightings. Their knowledge and enthusiasm was a real bonus. Efficient and easy booking system, good course information, and prompt responses to queries. Love the Naturetrek website and the resources available to customers.
S.K. Kent, Feb 22
Dates & Prices
2025
Tour Leader: Oliver Smart
Following a childhood fascination with the natural world, Oliver went on to study ornithology at the University of Birmingham during his mid-twenties. Alongside an emerging interest in photography, learning the art of bird ringing and volunteering for the Avon Wildlife Trust, BTO and RSPB, Oliver has put time to good use. His main passion is birds and through photography he has built a diverse collection of imagery, which is represented by both RSPB Images and Alamy. Combined with a desire to travel, Oliver has explored many parts of the world; his favourite destinations usually including a seabird colony or two, where the sight, sound, smell and opportunities for a photographer are second to none. His claim to fame to date though is an image he took in the Seychelles which has been used on a bank note!
2026
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Among our programme is a significant range of short breaks, designed specially for those wishing to enjoy some of Europe’s top natural history highlights at the best time of year. All of these holidays have the bonus of being short-haul and supported by like-minded wildlife enthusiasts.
Naturetrek Short Break Wildlife Tours
Short breaks are becoming increasingly popular and in response to the high demand for this type of holiday we are continuing to increase our programme both within the UK and abroad. Most of our short breaks are within Europe, for convenience of travel.
For some of our mini-breaks there is an option to travel by plane or train, and we offer a choice of duration and type of break, from a weekend’s birdwatching in the Somerset Levels to a 6-day whale watching tour in the Azores.
A selection of our UK short breaks:
- A winter bird watching break in Norfolk
- An autumn holiday to enjoy the Red Deer rut in Ardnamurchan, Scotland
- A wildlife weekend in the New Forest
A selection of our overseas short breaks:
- In Spain we look for the world’s rarest cat, the Iberian Lynx
- Wolves on the plains in rural northern Spain
- An exploration of La Brenne’s exceptionally rich butterfly-life in northern France
Our specialist recommends...
"We offer two superb short breaks to the lovely island of Madeira in search of whales, dolphins and seabirds. It’s hard to beat our Just Brown Bears trip for families, while if you fancy something off the beaten track, try Estonia in Early Spring for some excellent spring birdwatching."
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
Birdwatching Tours – Learn from the Experts
Many people take delight in watching birds, and would like both to learn more about them, and to be able to identify them (or at least some of them!).
We offer a selection of holidays specially designed for the novice birdwatcher – these are designed to be slower in pace than other similar holidays and they provide an even higher level of instruction from our top leaders.
We still intend of course to see all the key species of these special areas but we shall take a little more time explaining about everything we find and how the species are identified.
Naturetrek's Birdwatching Holidays for Beginners
On all of our ‘Beginners’ Birdwatching’ holidays, we provide a high level of instruction from our top leaders. These tours are undertaken at a relaxed pace and are suitable for the complete novice, as well as those with some knowledge who would benefit from ‘brushing it up’ or learning more.
And, as is typical with Naturetrek tours, there will be an emphasis on enjoying our surroundings and other wildlife, as well as the birdlife. Questions will be very much encouraged, with emphasis placed on participants being able to see, enjoy and identify every bird well for themselves, whether common or rare.
Our specialist recommends...
"It’s hard to beat the Somerset Levels for the beginner birder. Our Somerset Levels winter break offers a perfect introduction to a variety of waterbirds and, of course, you can enjoy the impressive Starling murmurations. Further afield, our week-long holidays to Extremadura and Coto Doñana in Spain are great for getting to grips with more exotic Mediterranean species."
Tom Mabbett - Operations Manager
All Beginner Birdwatching Tours
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For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
Enquire
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
