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Great to have Chris Rollie leading who is so knowledgeable about the local area, history, geology and culture as well as the wildlife. Excellent evening meals and very welcoming staff at the hotel.
J.L. Lancashire, Nov24
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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The Winter Birds of Dumfries & Galloway
Tour Code: GBR66An exciting 5-day tour to Dumfries and Galloway, including time enjoying the wildfowl and waders that overwinter on the Solway Firth, as well as roosting Hen Harriers and a visit to a nearby Red Kite feeding station.
5 days
from
£995 (land only)
£995 (land only)
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
In autumn, the scenic lowlands of south-west Scotland act as a gigantic Arrivals Hall for inbound birds from the far north. The Solway Firth hosts Svalbard’s entire breeding population of Barnacle Geese. The sheltered bays attract seaducks such as Greater Scaup, Common Scoter and Long-tailed Duck, while the nearby marshes and fields are perfect for a variety of northern wildfowl, waders and smaller birds such as Bramblings, Redwings and Fieldfares. Add in an excellent range of residents such as Red Kite, Willow Tit and Tree Sparrow, plus birds of prey such as Short-eared Owls and roosting Hen Harriers, and you have the perfect recipe for an exciting early winter holiday.
- Observe the goose spectacular at Caerlaverock, with Barnacle, Pink-footed and Eurasian White-fronted Geese
- Visit a Hen Harrier roost at dusk
- See Red Kites close up at a feeding centre
- Scan the bays for wintering sea-ducks
- Gorgeous scenery of lowland Scotland
- Have great views of small birds such as Willow Tit, Lesser Redpoll and Tree Sparrow
- Good chance of Red Squirrel
Grading
Grade A. We will undertake some gentle wildlife walks during the course of the holiday (with any more demanding walks always being optional). It may be wet and muddy underfoot, which can make the paths a bit slippery.
This single-centre tour is based in St John’s Town of Dalry, an attractive village lying just
south of the Carsphairn Hills and west of Dumfries. From here we will explore the varied and
wildlife-rich nature reserves of this picturesque region of Scotland, including the RSPB reserve
at Mersehead and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust reserve at Caerlaverock in which Svalbard's
entire population of breeding Barnacle Geese overwinter. Caerlaverock overlooks the Solway Firth
and also attracts flocks of Pink-footed Geese and a few Greenland White-fronted Geese, plus
thousands of Wigeon, Gadwall, Shoveler, Pintail and other ducks. Whooper Swans overwinter here
too and it is possible to get wonderful views of these majestic birds from the reserve’s comfortable
hides. Feeders attract Tree Sparrows, Yellowhammers, Siskins, Lesser Redpolls and Bramblings and
flocks of Fieldfare and Redwing are common. At the nearby Nith Estuary we hope to find Scaup,
Red-breasted Merganser, Common Scoter and a variety of waders including, perhaps, Purple
Sandpiper and – weather permitting – stunning views across the Solway.
To the west lies Loch Ryan and Wigtown Bay, both of which are excellent areas to look for Golden
Plover, Slavonian Grebe, Black Guillemot and Long-tailed Duck. We also hope to see flocks of
waders taking to the sky in mesmerising, swirling flocks as they move from their feeding to
roosting sites. Woodlands around Loch Ken are home to Willow Tit, Sparrowhawk and Nuthatch,
as well as the charismatic Red Squirrel. A nearby feeding station attracts good numbers of Red
Kites in the winter, and there will be many wonderful photographic opportunities as they wheel
around overhead before swooping down to snatch a morsel of food. We will end each day with an
evening visit to a nearby Hen Harrier roost to watch as these elegant raptors fly in for the night.
Stunning silver-bodied males with their contrasting black wing-tips, together with brown females
and immature birds (collectively known as ‘ringtails’), roost here together, often allowing
breathtaking views. Merlin, Short-eared Owls and Barn Owls are also commonly encountered.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive Dumfries
Day 2/4
Daily excursions around Dumfries & Galloway
Day 5
Depart Dumfries
What's Included?
- Accommodation:
We stay in a comfortable country inn, where all rooms have private facilities.
- Food:
Breakfasts and evening meals are included in the holiday cost, however lunches are an additional cost. Suitable arrangements will be made for a lunch stop each day.
Reviews
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One of the most enjoyable trips I have been on. Very good range of habitats visited without too much time spent in the minibus. We saw Water Rail and Barnacle Geese at Caerlaverock, ducks, grebes and divers on Loch Ryan. Clachan Inn was comfortable and the food was sensational. The Inn is ideally situated for the various sites visited. Birding was excellent and the additional contact about history, geology, arboriculture was fascinating.
P.W. Hampshire, Nov24 -
It was one big highlight. The company was very good and the food was truly outstanding.
N.T. Berkshire, Feb 24 -
Visiting Loch Ryan and seeing Slavonian Grebes was an absolute highlight. We saw a lot of the birds, especially geese, that come into the area over winter. Chris is a great leader and was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. He knows the area well and took us to some lovely habitats. The hotel provided excellent evening meals that were very good quality and the staff were helpful and friendly.
E.G. Devon, Feb 24 -
Superb combination of wonderful hospitality & cuisine & great birding with our guides phenomenal local knowledge & contacts facilitating amazing wildlife viewing (including hen harrier roosts) & fascinating local background ranging from geology to history to insider information about projects such as the red kite re- introduction. [Naturetrek are] dedicated to providing personal great wildlife experiences & willing to help customise holidays.
S.J. Derbyshire, Feb 22
Dates & Prices
2025
Departures
Availability
Cost
Mon 10th Feb – Fri 14th Feb
4
£995
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£995
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£155
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
Chris Rollie
Tour Leader: Chris Rollie
Chris was born in Ayrshire and grew up overlooking Glenafton, where he developed a love of nature and especially birds from an early age. Educated at Stirling University and Jordanhill College (Glasgow), Chris was a biology teacher for nearly ten years, while volunteering as a casework officer for the Scottish Wildlife Trust and becoming an active member of the developing raptor study group movement in Scotland in the 1980s. In 1991 he moved with his young family to Galloway to become the RSPB's first Conservation Officer in the region, becoming Area Manger in 2000 and reintroducing red kites after an absence of 140 years. After 28 years with the Society, latterly being their avian lead across south and west Scotland, Chris took early retirement at the end of 2018 to spend more time outdoors surveying, guiding and travelling. He chairs Dumfries & Galloway Raptor Study Group and the UK Ring Ouzel Study group and remains a volunteer with RSPB on hen harriers, golden eagles and ring ouzels. He has travelled extensively in Europe and USA, and undertaken sabbaticals in Morocco and Syria. An experienced lecturer, he loves meeting people who share his passion for wildlife and landscapes. His other interests include history, architecture and poetry.
Mon 17th Nov – Fri 21st Nov
6
£995
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£995
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£155
2026
Departures
Availability
Cost
Mon 9th Feb – Fri 13th Feb
6
£1,195
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,195
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£165
Mon 16th Nov – Fri 20th Nov
SPACES
£1,195
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,195
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£165
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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
Birding Tours Led by Expert Naturalists
The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.
Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours
We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.
The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.
Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:
- Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
- The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
- Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
- Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
- Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
- Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar
Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection
Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.
Our specialist recommends...
"Try Coto Doñana & Extremadura for an excellent introduction to Europe's wetland and steppe birds. I would recommend our bargain holiday, 'Nepal – A Birdwatching Tour' for those interested in Siberian rarities and Ibisbill, while Costa Rica offers a chance to search for arguably the world's most beautiful bird, the Resplendent Quetzal."
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
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Flight-free Wildlife Holidays
At Naturetrek we make full use of the Eurostar rail service through the channel tunnel, and of the ferry routes between England’s south coast and France and Spain, to offer a range of ‘flightless’ wildlife holidays in Belgium, Holland, France and Spain. In addition, we also offer the widest selection of wildlife holidays within the UK, none of which require a flight to participate in. Therefore, if you prefer not to fly, for whatever reason, we have a range of varied and exciting wildlife holidays for you to choose from, and we are committed to regularly adding more.
It is also the case that many of our other holidays within Europe are also accessible by rail. Generally, where there’s a will, there’s a way, and we’d be pleased to offer advice to anybody who wishes to join any of our tours within Europe by a means other than flying!
Our specialist recommends...
"Our Picos & Plains tour offers an environmentally-friendly route down to Spain for some excellent birding and cetacean-watching. More broadly, we’re very keen for Naturetrek to offer the most dynamic, market-leading carbon-reduced holidays available, and we hope you enjoy browsing our list of no-flight wildlife holidays!”
Kerrie Porteous - Operations Manager
Kerrie Porteous - Operations Manager
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!
