FOREST of DEAN and THE SOMERSET LEVELS

SAT 18 FEBRUARY – SAT 25 FEBRUARY 2023

SAT 24 FEBRUARY – SAT 2 MARCH 2024

PRICES: from £1895pp

Single supplement: £295 Deposit: £300pp

Max 7 clients. Leader Barry Embling

An opportunity to enjoy some of the best winter birding in England, as we search for elusive and sought-after forest species, and also seek wintering waders and wildfowl in estuary and wetland locations. Rewarding birding in three fascinating and very different habitats in the south-west of England.

We first visit the Forest of Dean, around 35 square miles of mixed woodland nestled between the River Severn and River Wye on the Gloucestershire/Welsh border. The Forest holds some of the oldest Oak woods left in England and is arguably the best place in the country to see Hawfinch and Goshawk, two of the UK’s hardest-to-find breeding species.

In March, resident Hawfinch numbers are boosted by continental wintering birds. They favour a small number of favourite feeding places, thereby increasing our chances of seeing them. The Forest also holds perhaps the highest density of Goshawk in the country, and the birds will be starting to display at this time. We know ‘secret’ places to find these elusive species, often over-looked by visiting birders, and local contacts will also be useful for up to date information. The Forest of Dean also supports an established population of over 200 freeliving British Wild Boar; this is probably the best place to see them in the country.

Next we explore the Severn estuary, an excellent place for wintering wildfowl and waders, and we may see Greenland White-fronted Geese, Bewick's Swan, godwits, raptors and more. We visit WWT Slimbridge, Peter Scott's flagship reserve, and Symonds Yat viewpoint, home to a resident pair of Peregrine.

In the Somerset Levels we'll be looking for wintering wildfowl and wetland species, including Bittern, Water Rail, Marsh Harrier, thousands of wintering duck, Little and Great White Egret, Pochard, Shoveler, Gadwall, Teal and Goldeneye amongst many others. We will also be looking for the population of Common Crane which call the levels home, and of course the UK's largest Starling roost with up to a million birds which if attacked by raptors will go into their mesmerising murmuration, a truly unforgettable experience!

This holiday starts in Gloucester and ends in Bridgewater. Number of centres: 2.

THURS 13 APRIL – THURS 20 APRIL 2023

THURS 18 APRIL – THURS 25 APRIL 2024

PRICES: from £1745pp

Single supplement: £175 Deposit: £300pp

Max group size 7. Leader Toby Green

Join us for great birding in Cornwall, one of the most under-watched counties in the UK! Its 400 miles of superb coastline, steep cliffs, beautiful valleys and estuarine habitat all offer good birding. Based in Penwith in the far west, we explore many birding sites with northbound summer migrants high on our agenda. Seabirds, wildfowl, waders and passerines will feature, and if lucky we may connect with a rarity, there are many possibilities.

Our schedule will be flexible around up-to-date local bird news and of course the weather. April is a great time to visit, and extensive knowledge of all the birding hotspots and lesser known sites gives us great chances. Key sites include Marazion Marsh, a wetland site for wildfowl and waders, Cetti’s Warbler; ‘valley birding’ will begin at Porthgwarra, the most south-westerly point of Mainland Britain, and here we search for migrants, checking patches of trees and scrub. Passing Cuckoo, Ring Ouzel, Wheatear, Whinchat, Redstart, Pied and Spotted Flycatchers, hirundines, pipits, finches, thrushes and a variety of warblers are all possible. Land’s End is one of the best birding locations in the UK. Isolated bushes and scrub are sparser than in the valleys, and the track record for rarities here is incredible, with Dotterel, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Common Crane, Black Kite, Montagu’s Harrier, Alpine Swift, Snowy Owl, Woodchat, Red-backed and Brown Shrike, Hoopoe, Golden Oriole, Short-toed Lark, Tawny and Red-throated Pipit, Western Subalpine, Melodious and Icterine Warbler, Ortolan and Little Bunting all recorded in recent springs!

We visit the Lizard Peninsula where Chough famously first made their return and Dartford Warbler are found. We also enjoy a boat trip into Mount’s Bay where Gannet, auks including a few Puffin, Fulmar, Kittiwake, Manx Shearwater, Arctic Skua and terns are likely to be around. seals, cetaceans and perhaps Basking Shark may be encountered, and we may even see peculiar Sunfish or frantic Atlantic Blue Fin Tuna. A great trip!

A special feature will be our search for Cirl Bunting. With a very small and range-restricted population, this is a rare and difficult to see bird in the UK. The species is now breeding again in parts of southern Cornwall and we make a special effort to see them.

Number of centres: 1.