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We had a wonderful day out bird watching on the Somerset Levels, with a total tally of 61 bird species. Our trip was organised by Naturetrek, who in my opinion are one of the best operators when it comes to Natural History tours. Our guide - Oliver Smart was extremely knowledgeable and we all learnt lots on the day, which will be very useful on future outings. I would highly recommend this trip and Naturetrek to anyone interested in Birding and Natural History. We have travelled with Naturetrek before and they are my go to tour operator for Natural History trips. Highly professional, seamless communication and organisation. Their guides are second to none. I recommend them to all.Their website is a mine of information and easy to navigate. They deserve all the accolades they have received.
L.S. Avon, Mar 22
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The Somerset Levels (Day Trip)
Tour Code: GBR198An exciting day on the wonderful Somerset Levels in search of a whole host of special species.
£60 (land only)
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
Join local naturalists Chris Griffin or Oliver Smart for a wonderful day of wildlife on the famous Somerset Levels, including the chance to witness the magical movements, murmurations and acrobatics of up to a million roosting Starlings on the trips running from November through to February.
The Somerset Levels spans around 650 square kilometres between the Quantock and Mendip Hills and is made up of vast reedbeds, open pasture, flooded fields and endless wet ditches and open bodies of water.
- Enjoy the aerial artistry of a million-strong Starlings as they gather at dusk prior to roosting. (November through to February only)
- Birds of prey including Marsh Harrier and Peregrine with large concentrations of wintering wildfowl & waders
- Bittern, Great White Egret, and Bearded Tit regularly seen
During the winter months the area is inundated with wildfowl and waders and we will enjoy large numbers of wintering duck including, Pintail, Wigeon, Teal and Gadwall. Marsh Harriers quarter the reedbeds and with luck, we may see Bittern which has thrived here in recent years. Great White Egrets are now a fairly common sight here alongside Little Egrets, while Cattle Egrets are also possible. We will hope to find Bearded Tit too while the alder-lined channels may hold noisy flocks of Siskin and Redpoll, as Cetti’s Warblers blast their explosive call and Water Rails squeal from reedbeds. Otter sightings are also becoming more frequent here and we will be keeping our eyes sharp for this charismatic mustelid.
As dusk falls we shall conclude the day in spectacular fashion by watching the Starlings gathering before going to roost in their favoured reedbed. If a Peregrine or Sparrowhawk is around they often cause the wonderful murmurations and with numbers in excess of one million birds being possible, it is a very special experience. The highlights of the day are sure to be many as we explore the area with leisurely walks on open, flat paths. We may make one short drive between sites and can expect to cover around 6 to 7 miles across the course of the day.
Day Trip Location
Reviews
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It was a day of bird watching in the Somerset Levels. We spent time on nature reserves with a wonderful guide who showed us things we'd never have seen alone. The day culminated in a spectacular murmuration of starlings. He was unbelievably knowledgeable and a brilliant teacher, and very generous in setting up his telescope to make sure we had the best close-ups at every turn. He was very patient with all our questions and lovely company for the day.
E.M. London, Dec 21 -
A small group of us spent a December day exploring reserves on the Somerset Levels selected by our expert guide. He had experience of working on the Levels and so was able to guide us to the right places to make the most of the rather gloomy December weather. We saw birds that I would have never found on my own and it was interesting to learn about the management of the reserves from someone who had been directly involved. The day concluded with a starling murmuration happening over and around us. The sight and sounds of thousands of starlings overhead was brilliant and a privilege to behold.
A.B. Cornwall, Dec 21 -
Day trip with wildlife guide / photographer in the reserves of the Somerset levels. Birding, dragonflies, plants, mammals. Small group of six like minded enjoying our own version of "Springwatch". Well established wildlife tour operator with incredibly high standard of professionalism and customer care. Have used these company for many trips abroad over many years. They have never let us down and always exceeded expectations. A company that really knows it's stuff!
M.L. Hampshire, Jun 21 -
Day trip to Somerset Levels with just 3 people and incredibly personable, knowledgeable guide. I was the least experienced member of the group and made to feel equally welcome. Good logistics, rendezvous point with loos, and felt totally safe with covid arrangements. This was my first day out since the start of the pandemic - I felt like I'd travelled a million miles to the RSPB reed beds and water reserve. Amazing landscape. Great guided bird sightings - and heard several rare bitterns. Our guide was impressive in his knowledge, experience, his clear passion for sharing his love of birds and nature to others. Brilliant concept to have been able to continue offering, and building on their day trip formula. Recommend highly to anyone. Thank you Chris, our guide.
L.T. Warwickshire, May 21 -
Wildlife and nature trip to the Somerset Levels concentrating on birds but also including other wildlife such as flowers, insects, reptiles and mammals. As an amateur wildlife photographer I was able to take hundreds of photos and had a wonderful time. Highly recommended wildlife and nature tour operator. Super trips and great knowledgeable tour leaders. Excellent staff and service on the phone when booking. I have another trip confirmed for this year and an overseas trip pending. 3 trips pencilled in overseas for next year. Highly recommend Naturetrek to all my friends.
B.W. Middlesex, May 21 -
Our Naturetrek day outing in the Somerset Levels was a great success. Our guide Oliver was very knowledgeable and had tremendous powers of observation, spotting things which I would never have seen on my own! He took great care to involve all the participants, ensuring that everyone had a positive experience. There was a very good range of wildlife on display and the whole day was thoroughly enjoyable.
S.C. Hertfordshire, May 21 -
One of Naturetrek's excellent day trips, the fourth I have been on. The guide, Chris Griffin, was very knowledgeable and good fun to be with and we saw 50 species of bird in the day. I know the Levels fairly well but it was very enjoyable to explore as part of a small group with and expert guide.
P.W. Hampshire, May 21 -
This was a day trip near home, and I took two friends, who had never been birdwatching, nor had they met Naturetrek, or even been to the Levels and they, and I, thought it a fantastic day out. The Naturetrek guide was, as always, really knowledgeable, keen, excited to show us ‘his’ sites and birds. His excitement was catching of course, and went a long way to make the day as superb as it was. This is a really good response to the Covid restrictions.
N.C. Somerset, Dec 20 -
We went for a day trip to the Somerset Levels. We were guided by Oliver Smart who was extremely knowledgeable and helpful and we saw and heard some very exciting birds. It culminated in a wonderful starling murmuration, and Oliver found us two very good vantage points.
E.S. Worcestershire, Dec 20 -
A very enjoyable day led by Chris Griffin. He shared his in depth knowledge of the area and wildlife. We saw so much more than had we been on our own. Chris identified all the birds many of which we would have missed without his guidance.
K.P. Berkshire, Dec 20
Dates & Prices
2025
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We are delighted to offer a series of Naturetrek Day Trips which visit a wonderful selection of reserves and habitats across the UK, each guided by one of our expert naturalist tour leaders, many of whom are leading our Day Trips on their own ‘local patch’! Meeting at around 9am, and exploring largely on foot until around 5pm (though note that specific Day Trip timings do vary slightly by location and season), these trips are designed to spend a full day out in the fresh air, in search of a wide range of special British wildlife.
Whether you would like to explore a new area in the company of a local, expert naturalist tour leader, try a guided wildlife day out for the very first time, or perhaps you simply wish to spend the day learning more about your own local wildlife, you will find yourself most welcome on one of our Naturetrek Day Trips. We also offer days out specifically aimed at beginner birders and amateur wildlife photographers, and some trips even extend after sunset to allow us to take you on a guided tour of the night skies above. Whatever the trip focus – be it birds, botany, fungi, photography, butterflies, dragonflies, geology or a mix of just about everything – your leader will take you to the very best places to search for wildlife, and will share their knowledge generously along the way.
Our Day Trips have been fully risk assessed, and all activities are carried out in line with UK government and industry Covid-19 guidance. Most Day Trips from 17th May 2021 onwards will have a maximum number of 7 people, with a handful, such as cruises with a slightly higher number. We have also been certified as 'Good to Go'; the domestic tourism industry standard mark for Covid-19 protocols. Your safety is paramount, and we will be complying fully with UK government guidance throughout all of our Day Trips.
How to Book
The price for all our standard Naturetrek Day Trips is £50 per person and payment is by debit card only. You can book online, or you are very welcome to book over the phone by calling us on 01962 733051. Some Day Trips operate seasonally, and we are continuing to add additional departure dates for our fully booked Day Trips, so if you would like to be added to our wait list for any of these trips please just email info@naturetrek.co.uk or register your interest via the tour page.
Joining Instructions for Day Trips
If you, or someone that you have been in close contact with, has displayed symptoms of Covid-19 in the 14 days prior to the Day Trip, or if you receive an alert from NHS Track and Trace, you MUST NOT JOIN the Day Trip. Please let us know in the Naturetrek office as soon as possible and we will be happy to refund you in full.
- Upon booking we will email you with a designated meeting point and confirmed timings, along with contact details for your tour leader.
- During some Day Trips we will each use our own vehicle to move the short distances in between sites (group transport is not provided).
- Please do not bring your dog, or other pets, as they may disturb the wildlife!
- Please bring your own lunch.
- Please bring plenty of water, snacks, hand sanitiser, tissues, your own face covering (this will not be compulsory whilst we are out in the fresh air and wide open spaces throughout during the day but may be required to enter toilets, visitor centres, etc.) along with anything else that you might need for the day. You will need to be able to carry everything yourself. Suitable footwear (walking shoes or walking boots) will be essential, along with sensible layers and waterproofs plus sun hat and sun cream or woolly hat and gloves etc., depending on the weather forecast.
- Wherever possible, we will try to arrange comfort breaks during the day. On some of our more remote Day Trips this isn’t always possible, and on those occasions you will need to be prepared for the odd ‘bush stop’! If this is likely, we will alert you in the joining instructions beforehand. Please be stringent with hygiene when using public facilities.
- We ask you to respect minimum social distancing AT ALL TIMES (currently 2m where possible between households at the time of writing, but could be updated at any time). To help ensure this, we ask group members and tour leaders not to share optics, field guides or any other equipment.
- Finally, please do share your photos and favourite wildlife sightings with us … we love seeing them! Tweet @naturetrektours, Instagram @naturetrek_wildlife_holidays or find us on facebook.com/naturetrekwildlifeholidays
Tailormade Day Trips
Should the dates we offer not suit you, or should you wish to have a private, tailored Day Trip, we will be delighted to arrange this for you. Please just call Georgie Head on 01962 733051, or fill out our quick enquiry form and we will get back to you. For inspiration for a Tailormade UK break, please see our Tailormade UK holidays.
Reviews:
'The Naturetrek £50 days out have been a lifesaver this year. What better way than to spend a day in the open with four other like minded people in the company of a brilliant guide who can tell you all about the geology, flors and fauna of the area. I’ve been on three of these days with more booked for the future. The days are full, meeting at 9.00am and not finishing until 5.00pm, maybe slightly earlier in the darker winter months, with about 45 minutes for our picnic lunch but never have I ever looked at my watch and wished the time would pass more quickly. Quite the opposite in fact, the time passed so quickly I was amazed when we found ourselves back at the car park. Value for money? Yes, definitely. Thank you Naturetrek.'
VB – The Naze and Walton Backwaters (Essex)
‘The Upper Teesdale Day Trip was brilliant and Andy Bunten was an exceptional guide. So very knowledgeable and an expert spotter, but equally important he had great communication skills so that no-one felt remotely patronised or afraid to ask the most basic of questions. The organisation of the day was impeccably planned too. This was my first Naturetrek outing but I have friends who regularly use you and have spoken of your trips in glowing terms. So I will certainly look at your website and I will hope to travel with you at some point in the future.’
KS – Teesdale
‘We had a lovely day on Monday; Matt was terrific - particularly with us being beginners at bird watching! The other attendees were very interesting and one in particular was extremely knowledgeable. So we learned a lot - just got to remember it now! We are looking at the other day trips available to see if we can do another one.’
Ashdown Forest
‘I wanted to write to thank you for organising your new Day Trips. It’s an excellent idea and something to give hope to many people, who are keen to get out and about, and to experience the beauty of nature closer to home. Our trip to the Ashdown Forest on Friday was excellent. The weather was kind to us, a lovely sunny, English summer day, but it was our guide, Matt Eade, who made it special. Quite how Matt managed to arrange Goshawk, two Honey-buzzards, Hobby, Treecreeper, and a whole host of other species was remarkable.
Spotted Flycatcher is the personal favourite of my husband Simon – and Matt knew where to find two of them. Simon was over the moon!
It was a top day. Matt was informative, very knowledgeable, engaging, encouraging, always happy to help, provide insights and share his knowledge and experiences. He paced the walk just right, thoughtful about short breaks where needed. I worked for 8 years as a Tour Director around Europe and I know how exceptionally hard it can be to keep everyone happy!’
Ashdown Forest
‘The trip exceeded our already high expectations. Andy Bunten was kind, humorous, thoughtful and his knowledge of the wildlife truly exceptional. It was a real pleasure and privilege to be in his company.’
KE – Teesdale
‘So nice to be on a Naturetrek trip again and had a thoroughly enjoyable day with Russ and our other companions. Everyone just got on even though we had not met before. Looking forward to our next day trip!’
LD – Smardale
‘We had a great day, thank you. Matthew Capper was an excellent guide, giving us a wealth of information about the ecology, conservation and social history of the area as well as the wildlife, and having an amazing ability to detect birdlife out of nowhere. The Lammergeier before we'd even left the meeting point was of course spectacular, but it was Matthew's commitment to searching for the birds and Mountain Hares which impressed me even more. We also appreciated his patience and good humour, and his determination to make sure that all 5 of us got to see everything. These day trips are a brilliant idea. We are really looking forward to our next Naturetrek Day in a couple of weeks.’
AB – Peak District
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Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
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!
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