Heatherlea Mini-Brochure 2023-2024

Welcome to Heatherlea

- your natural holiday choice!

Summer 2023

We organise birding and wildlife holidays around the world! This MiniBrochure updates all our tours for 2023 and 2024, we hope you find inspiration for your next holiday.

WHY CHOOSE HEATHERLEA? - MEET THE TEAM!

Established in 1991, and protected by our own ATOL Licence (6113), Heatherlea offers the confidence you need when deciding who to choose. We hold specialist Tour Operator Insurance, and Mountview Hotel in Nethy Bridge is wholly owned by the company, added security which might not be available everywhere you look. Our attitude and dedication have established Heatherlea as one of Britain’s leading wildlife holiday providers, and as we enjoy our 33rd season we always strive to be better, giving our clients the best we can. Heatherlea has been an Employee-owned Trust since July 2021, an important development which provides security and confidence to our staff, clients and partners around the world.

When delivering a wildlife watching holiday, we know that services including accommodation, food and travel are just as important as activities in the field. In this specialist field, there are very few travel companies who own and deliver hotel services on a daily basis, and even fewer hotel-owning companies who understand the complex delivery of wildlife holidays. Heatherlea does both!

Our Operations Team are ready and eager, wherever you want to go. We have the knowledge and experience to deliver everything you need, and offer a personal service with all the support you need and appreciate. Whether you wish to just have a chat, confirm personal requirements, arrange dietary needs, airport parking, onward flights using our ATOL protection, or anything else, please feel free to call or email. Emma, Fleur, Jolene, Dawn and Sarah are here to help!

Your holiday also includes the services of a Heatherlea Guide, a very valuable asset. Guides work hard with patience and skill, wherever you are, to make sure that your investment of time and money is rewarded. Guides take care to make sure you are comfortable and you won’t feel out of place if you have less experience than others. Whether you are viewing Crested Tit and Capercaillie within a few miles of our Hotel in the Scottish Highlands, watching Tiger from a jeep in a remote Indian reserve, or finding spring migrant birds in Lesvos or Extremadura, we work hard to give you the ‘real’ experience and treat you as a valued individual, not as part of a crowd. We are firmly focused on finding wildlife for you to see, though only in a sensitive and sustainable way, and plan very carefully in advance to give you the best chances, in comfort and safety.

In this Brochure you can see all tours until late 2024, and you can place a provisional reservation without obligation for any tour more than 12 months ahead. Please also see our website, regular E- Newsletters and printed Brochures for full details and updates!

Heatherlea offer a wealth of choice, with many added features to give you the very best value. Thanks to friends old and new who have joined us in the past, we hope to earn your support again. Here’s to great wildlife watching!

Photos: Jolene Allan, Suchit Basnet, John Bentham, Birding Korea, Aidan Branch, James Champion, Mike Coleman, Enrique Couve, Peter Cosgrove, Peter Csonka, Wilson Diaz, Knut Eisermann, Barry Embling, Finnature, Ian Ford, George Gay, Dimiter Georgiev, Simeon Gigov, Gerard Gorman, Toby Green, Andy Jones, Rob Jordan, Tang Jun, Phil Knott, Letaka Safaris, Bob Lewis, Leon Marais, Emma McBride, Neil McIntyre, Chrys Mellor, Brahim Mezane, Adrian Mills, John Muddeman, Scott O’Hara, Holly Page, Jari Peltomaki, Dave Pullan, Chris Rodger, Kevin Shaw, Peter Stronach, Rodrigo Tapia, Andres Trujillo, Machiel Valkenburg, Mladen Vasilev, Washington Wachira, Mark Warren, David Whitaker.

Photo credits:

‘Guides, office team and hotel staff, all on duty one sunny day in May 2023!’

MAINLAND SCOTLAND HOLIDAYS

your gateway to Scottish birds and wildlife!

Our 3-star Hotel in the beautiful Highland village of Nethy Bridge, on the edge of the Abernethy Forest, is exclusively dedicated to birding tours. Many clients take their first wildlife watching holiday here, often continuing with us to new places around the world. ‘Mainland Scotland’ groups are small, guaranteeing a high level of personal attention. We are birding virtually every week of the year, with many different seasonal itineraries. Many key species can be found close to our hotel, though many of our Scottish Highland itineraries combine birding in the Highlands with key Scottish islands, taking you as far away as Handa Island, Orkney, the Isles of Lewis and Harris, Skye, and Mull, including a night or two in a second centre, a unique way to enjoy top quality birding while saving both time and money.

The Mountview is set in two acres of attractive grounds featuring native Scots Pine and Silver Birch. Our busy bird feeding station attracts a variety of species including Crested Tit, Siskin, Goldfinch and of course our local Red Squirrel population. We have a wildlife pond and wildflower meadow and a highly productive kitchen garden.

During your stay you will enjoy delicious meals prepared by our highly skilled Chefs Ettienne Els and Arek Swider. You can expect a wide selection of fresh Scottish produce, locally sourced where possible, and prepared with skill and imagination.

Chef Ettienne says:

“Our dishes are inspired by the best regional Scottish produce available. Everything is freshly made at the hotel including breads, sauces and desserts. We are lucky to have access to wonderful fresh ingredients from our own kitchen garden as well as fantastic local suppliers such as our village Balliefurth Butcher who provides top quality beef, lamb, pork and much more. Their produce is always exceptional and comes from their own farm located just two miles from our hotel”.

We show you all the wildlife and include all accommodation, food, travel, access fees and ferry charges. You get terrific value from our fully inclusive holidays, so book with confidence – there are no hidden extras!

Rest of UK’ holidays are expanding rapidly too, and now many of you can choose Heatherlea much closer to home.

DEDICATED SCOTTISH ISLAND HOLIDAYS

go a little further!

We are experts on the Scottish islands, with over 30 exciting departures from Islay to Shetland. Corncrake, eagles, skuas, Basking Shark, Storm Petrel, rare windblown migrants, wonderful scenery, charming people and exciting places are all waiting for you. Around the Scottish Islands, Heatherlea offer unique access to beautiful, isolated places where wildlife is special, Our expert, friendly guides make each experience truly memorable.

OVERSEAS WITH HEATHERLEA

Do it ‘The Heatherlea Way’

Europe, the Americas, long-haul to Africa, Asia or Australia, there is a world of choice with Heatherlea. ‘The Heatherlea Way’ involves looking after you with care whilst maximising your experience and giving value for money.

Most holidays begin before you even reach airport check-in and our very popular Pre-flight Service saves money, brings comfort, and makes everything easy. Before you fly, we include an Airport Hotel, VIP Lounge and Bird Guide (for tours beyond the Collins Guide). With a maximum of just twelve clients on most holidays, and frequently two guides in attendance, the accent is again on personal service to you, our valued customer. It takes many months to plan a new Heatherlea holiday and we immerse ourselves completely in detail long before we launch the tour. First-hand experience from our expert guiding team, liaison with capable and conscientious ground agents, and careful logistical planning from departure to return requires dedication and great attention to detail, so that each can be savoured.

This Mini-Brochure offers a flavour of our holidays, and most of the basic information you need. More information is available on our website or directly by telephone or email, and details can change. We always issue a full itinerary with each holiday confirmation, though please check against the website to ensure you know exactly what the content will be. New holidays are launched virtually every month, and as some dates fill others are made available. We are always very happy to hear from you. Thank you for reading our 2023/24 Mini -Brochure!

SpecialitiesandMigration SPECIALOFFER! Fullweektours fromonly£1295pp!

In autumn 2023 we have a comprehensive choice of Scottish tours during the key migration period between July and October. From rarities on the islands to seabirds in 'The Minch', migration birding is so exciting! Tours also

We believe Heatherlea offer the most affordable top-quality holidays to you, our valued customers, so to help everyone we are offering up to £300 off (that's around 20% discount from most tours). Prices are guaranteed when you book, though availability is of course limited. Prices may rise, so book early to get the best value!

EAGLES, DIVERS and DOTTEREL

Sat 1 Jul - Sat 8 Jul £1695 £1545 Save £150 including MULL Sat 8 Jul - Sat 15 Jul (Full)

Tour Leaders – Aidan Branch & Andy Jones

The best British birding in July? Golden and White-tailed Eagle, Dotterel and Ptarmigan on the tops, divers in breeding plumage inland – great birding! We stay overnight on Mull and visit the Gannet colony at Troup Head.

HIGHLANDS and WESTER ROSS Sat 15 Jul - Sat 22 Jul £1695 £1545 SAVE £150

Tour Leaders – Ian Ford & Aidan Branch

An exceptional holiday, combining local birding with three days exploring the rugged west coast, including an exhilarating boat trip on which we may find Minke Whale, dolphins and plenty of seabirds. Targets include Ptarmigan at a scenic west coast location (avoiding a strenuous walk), exceptional summer birdlife of mountain, moor and forest in Strathspey plus a visit to the Gannet colony at Troup Head.

HIGHLAND WILDLIFE

Sat 22 Jul - Sat 29 Jul £1595 £1445 SAVE £150 in High Summer

Tour Leaders – Mark Warren & Holly Page

A holiday aimed at the general naturalist, celebrating all the wildlife that we encounter during our short and exciting Highland summers. The holiday is slow paced, looking at birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and flowers, all in stunning scenery. Timed three weeks later than our ‘early summer’ tour, this week will witness a marked change in seasonal wildlife. NEW! HIGHLAND BIRDING Sat 29 Jul - Sat 5 Aug £1595 £1295 SAVE £300 in Late Summer Sat 5 Aug - Sat 12 Aug

Tour Leaders – Holly Page & Aidan Branch

On this varied tour, we visit the local pine forests, moorland habitats, rugged west coast and the southern end of the Cairngorm Mountain range. A boat-trip out into The Minch will be a highlight and we hope to see seabirds returning from their breeding grounds and may find Minke Whale, and Common Dolphin.

Holiday Dates Retail Special offer Saving price price

feature our resident specialities including Ptarmigan, Golden Eagle, Whitetailed Eagle, Black Grouse, Crested Tit, Scottish Crossbill and more!

HIGHLANDS and the OUTER Sat 29 Jul - Sat 5 Aug £1695 £1395 SAVE £300

HEBRIDES

Sat 5 Aug - Sat 12 Aug

Tour Leaders – Dave Pearce & Alex Rhodes

An action-packed trip taking in the Cairngorms, ‘the Uists’ and Skye! We take an evening ferry across the Minch followed by a full day and a half of birding on North Uist and Benbecula looking for raptors, waders, flocks of passerines, mammals and seabirds. Back in Strathspey we target Scottish specialities around the Cairngorms...a superb adventure, packed full of wildlife!

AUTUMN in the HIGHLANDS Sat 12 Aug - Sat 19 Aug £1595 £1445 SAVE £150 with easy walking

Sat 19 Aug - Sat 26 Aug

Tour Leaders – Mike Coleman & James Champion

A unique birding holiday especially for those who don't want to walk too far. We look for all the Scottish specials including Ptarmigan, perhaps the most inaccessible of our native birds. We explore the dramatic west coast, search for southbound migrants and enjoy a fantastic seabird trip to the Outer Hebrides.

NEW! HIGHLAND MIGRATION Sat 19 Aug - Sat 26 Aug £1595 £1295 SAVE £300 by land and sea Sat 26 Aug - Sat 2 Sept

Tour Leaders – Aidan Branch & Alex Rhodes

With migrants to the fore, we explore birding hotspots from east to west! We explore the coastline to its fullest and choose the best days for seabirds, the best tides for waders and the best winds for passerines. We may single out an exciting rarity and be prepared to travel for that one special bird!

TWENTY SCOTTISH SPECIALS Sat 26 Aug - Sat 2 Sept £1595 £1295 SAVE £300 in Autumn

Tour Leader – James Champion

A holiday designed for those who would like to see the Scottish speciality birds, we name 20 to give the holiday a fun focus. We look for key species in this part of the world at a relaxed pace including visits to the west coast, Moray coast, Cairngorms and Black Isle. Early Autumn birding at its best!

AUTUMN MIGRATION Sat 2 Sept - Sat 9 Sept £1595 £1295 SAVE £300 in the Highlands

Tour Leader- Holly Page

A fantastic holiday exploring migration on the west and east coasts of the Highlands, also featuring our special resident birds. With Northern breeders on the move, it’s an exciting time and we visit some of the best places and habitats on both land and sea. Includes two nights on the west coast.

RAPTORS AND GROUSE Sat 2 Sept - Sat 9 Sept £1695 £1545 SAVE £150 Sat 9 Sept - Sat 16 Sept

Tour Leader- Mike Coleman & Mark Warren

A mouth-watering raptor list: White-tailed Eagle, Golden Eagle, Buzzard, Osprey, Red Kite, Hen Harrier, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel with chances of Merlin, Goshawk and Short-eared Owl. Grouse targets are Capercaillie, Ptarmigan, Black Grouse and Red Grouse – the four naturally occurring grouse species of the British Isles. Includes an overnight on Magical Mull!

THE 'OUTER LIMITS' ADVENTURE

Sat 9 Sept - Sat 16 Sept £1795 £1495 SAVE £300

Sat 16 Sept - Sat 23 Sept

Sat 23 Sept - Sat 30 Sept

Tour Leaders – Dave Pearce (wk 1), Dave Pearce & Alex Rhodes (wk 2), Alex Rhodes & Aidan Branch (wk 3) Including two nights on the Outer Hebrides, this is an exceptional itinerary at the ‘outer limits’ of Scottish Birding. We include two nights on Lewis, one of the best places in the UK to get views of Golden Eagle as they fly low over the moors. On other days we seek all the specialities of the Highlands.

HIGHLANDS and SKYE in Autumn

Sat 30 Sept - Sat 7 Oct £1795 £1495 SAVE £300

Sat 7 Oct - Sat 14 Oct

Tour Leaders – Aidan Branch (wk 1), James Champion (wk 2)

An extraordinary holiday for those who love mammals, birds and stunning scenery. Golden and White-tailed Eagle, otters, divers, Mountain Hare, Black Grouse and Ptarmigan are just some of the highlights. A superb celebration of Autumn across the Highlands, featuring two nights on the stunning Isle of Skye!

HIGHLAND AUTUMN BIRDING

Sat 30 Sept - Sat 7 Oct £1595 £1295 SAVE £300

Sat 7 Oct - Sat 14 Oct

Sat 14 Oct - Sat 21 Oct

Sat 21 Oct - Sat 28 Oct

Tour Leaders- James Champion (wk1), Holly page (wk2), Aidan Branch & Chris Rodger (wk3), Adian Branch & Barry Embling (wk4)

With a two-night stay on the east coast, this holiday will cover all habitats from mountain to sea, giving a full flavour of how good autumn birding is in the Highlands. Particular focus will be given to the key spectacle of large numbers of wildfowl recently arrived from their breeding grounds. We will enjoy the numbers but also look closely for any rarities.

SHORT BREAKS - Scottish Birding Sat 28 Oct - Wed 1 Nov £795 £695 SAVE £100 in Autumn

Sun 5 Nov - Thurs 9 Nov

Four-night, three day short breaks for busy birders! Our birding days are categorised and ‘speciality’, ‘eagle’ and ‘coastal’, as we enjoy a rewarding few days of late autumn birding in the far north.

BIRDERS' BLASTS in Autumn

Wed 1 Nov - Sun 5 Nov £795 £695 SAVE £100

Thurs 9 Nov - Mon 13 Nov

Mon 13 Nov - Fri 17 Nov

Fri 17 Nov - Tues 21 Nov

Fast paced and fun birding breaks ideal for the busy birder. We target the Scottish Specialities and also visit busy coastal sites for an ambitious 100 species (including many species best birded in Scotland). Like our Short Breaks in Autumn but run at a slightly faster pace, packing in lots of birds and sites

HOGMANAY BIRDING

Thurs 28 Dec - Sat 6 Jan £2195 £1995 SAVE £200 EXTRAVAGANZA

Tour Leaders – Aidan Branch & Holly Page

Enjoy a bird-filled end to 2023, followed by five days of birding to begin 2024 in style. This tour is ideal for birders who want an exciting winter holiday, as well as those who keep lists. On Hogmanay itself we have the opportunity to visit a nearby street party, involving live music and dancing.

Holiday Dates Retail Special offer Saving price price

Here are just a few of our autumn migration highlights from 2022

Where will YOU go birding in 2023?

update by Mark Warren

‘For birdwatchers across the UK, autumn can be an exciting time and especially so here in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. With three coasts to choose from, plus hills and the Cairngorm mountains birding is extremely varied, and often we are spoilt for choice! With holidays which visit Mull, Skye and the Outer Hebrides as well as here at our HQ in Nethy Bridge there is a great variety to choose from, and keen birders and those with a more general interest will be spoilt for choice.

In truth, migration in Scotland actually begins in late July as post-breeding flocks of wildfowl, waders, gulls and terns begin to build. Among commoner waders, Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff and Greenshank were all especially numerous, while the first rarity of the second half of the year was a Sabine’s Gull found by Mike and the 'Orkneys in High Summer' group in mid-July. Hot on the heels on a jaunt down to the Angus/Perthshire coast came drake Surf Scoter, Ruddy Shelduck and Great White Egret in just two hours, not to mention superb mammal experiences with Pine Marten and Beaver. Closer to home, local Crested Tit and Crossbills of various (dis)guises appear to have enjoyed good breeding seasons, while the local Black-throated Diver pair have offered delightful views with their two young. Sadly, the eagles have fared less well after cool weather in early spring, but on a positive note Hen Harrier and Short-eared Owl have both done well in Orkney and the Hebrides respectively.

By August, it was seabirds to the fore, the unprecedented numbers of Sooty Shearwater the main talking point - our Easy Walking tour logged a conservative 700 crossing the Minch. A Great Shearwater among them was a super bonus, while the Minch has proved a real hotspot for cetaceans with some exceptional Minke Whale sightings, with Orca, Fin and Humpback Whale also recorded. An unseasonal adult Woodchat Shrike was found out in the wilds by Holly and her bespoke American group, arguably bird of the month and just goes to show what might be out there! Much more familiar (to our American friends at least) was the Pectoral Sandpiper she found on the Moray Coast two days later – talk about a lucky streak!

The spell of easterly winds continued into September, Mark and our Autumn Migration group really hitting the jackpot with migrants and rarities seen on both the east and west coasts. Featuring were a stunning female Brown Shrike, no fewer than three Red-backed Shrike, Melodious Warbler, Common Rosefinch plus Redstart, Pied Flycatcher, and common warblers in good numbers. Birds were everywhere, while out west the Minch delivered again with eight Great Shearwater on the crossings. With such a

roll call, many clients are already rebooking for 2023! On the home front Pink-footed Geese have started to arrive with large skeins flying high overhead most mornings. Some have even been seen overhead as we watched Ptarmigan in the mountains. Nearctic waders often feature this month, and we scored on two consecutive days. Firstly, Jenna and the Outer Limits group finding a juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper on Lewis, followed by Chris and the North Ronaldsay group with a lovely Long-billed Dowitcher.

After such a good early autumn, the latter half of September and October would have to be pretty special to keep up… and it certainly was, weather system after weather system from both east and west producing top quality birding all over Scotland, while some of our English tours profited in style too!

Also in September, Lewis and Harris really came up trumps for our Outer Limits group, guides Chris and Dave barely believing their own eyes when a superb white-morph Gyr flew over their heads and perched on a hillside! An epic raptor for sure, and with Leach’s Petrel, masses of Sooty Shearwaters and the world’s second largest mammal – a Fin Whale also featuring, there were plenty of ‘write-ins´ on the weekly checklist!

Still in the west, a massive wildfowl passage took place during our Autumn trip for birders to the Outer Hebrides, Ian’s group enjoying large numbers of Whooper Swan and Barnacle Geese in particular. A Ring-necked Duck was a nice rarity from the west, with point blank views of Grey Phalarope, Lapland Bunting and one of the only Long-tailed Skuas of the autumn too. A few weeks later in the Inner Hebrides it was thrushes at the fore, and Ian was again on fine form discovering Jura’s first Goshawk for ten years as it mobbed a Golden Eagle on our October Islay & Jura tour. In Mainland Scotland our local tours operating out of the Mountview Hotel were as busy as ever, our two Highland & Skye groups seeing the return of winter visitors including Slavonian Grebe, Scaup, Long-tailed Duck and Velvet Scoter on the Moray coast. Skye as ever produced fine views of both eagles and otters, a Mediterranean Gull was unexpected and it was nice to see Ptarmigan in the west coast hills again. The Highland Black Grouse leks have been well attended throughout and the rollcall from visits to Aberdeenshire on our Highland Autumn Birding tours included Pectoral Sandpiper, Temminck’s and Little Stint, Great White Egret, Marsh Harrier and Smew, the latter discovered by Jenna and her group.

What a wonderful autumn!’

2023 Late Summer & Autumn trips to Scottish islands / Rest of UK

Heatherlea offer carefully selected holidays around the British mainland, from the east coast of Scotland to Cornwall, and the Scillies. We explore remote, little-known corners where birding is excellent, and all are ideal for birders and general wildlife enthusiasts alike, of any level of experience. Below are some of our tours in 2023 that still have limited availability!

NEW! MULL and ARDNAMURCHAN Sat 22 Jul - Sat 29 Jul £2095 £220

Wildlife Spectacular

Tour Leader – Aidan Branch

We explore the wild Ardnamurchan peninsula and ‘Magical’ Mull thoroughly, in an appreciation of all its wildlife! We dedicate time to mammal watching with butterflies, dragonflies, moths and plants likely to feature too, and of course a range of fabulous birdlife.

OUTER HEBRIDES in Early Autumn Sat 26 Aug - Fri 1 Sept £1845 £245

‘For Birders’

Tour Leaders – Mark Warren & Chris Rodger

A six-day birders tour of Lewis, Harris, Berneray, Benbecula and both North and South Uist! Late August is a great time for migration, with good numbers of common and scarce migrants and excellent chances of finding our own rarities. Previous rarities include Western Sandpiper, Greater Sandplover, Pectoral Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs and many more!

KENT AND EAST SUSSEX in Autumn Sat 2 Sept - Sat 9 Sept £1795 £290

Tour Leader – Barry Embling

Exciting birding on this two-centre holiday as autumn migration gets into full swing! A variety of species are likely to be seen during our week including waders, seabirds, migrants and much more. This is a great new opportunity to explore South-East England at a busy time of year for birds.

NORTH RONALDSAY & ORKNEY Sat 9 Sept - Fri 15 Sept £1695 £130 in Autumn ‘for Birders’ Sat 16 Sept - Fri 22 Sept

Tour Leaders – Aidan Branch (week 1)

Mike Coleman (week 2)

Only 29 miles from Fair Isle, North Ronaldsay is a wonderful migration hotspot, overlooked and under-explored! In favourable weather (easterlies!), regular species include Wryneck, Bluethroat, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Icterine, Yellow-browed and Marsh Warbler, Ortolan, Lapland and Little Bunting and Common Rosefinch.

SHETLAND in Autumn ‘for Birders’ Sat 16 Sept - Sat 23 Sept £1895 £230

Tour Leaders – Holly Page & Chris Rodger Sat 23 Sept - Sat 30 Sept

Rarity hunting at the top of Britain, covering all corners of Shetland! We stay in two centres on the mainland giving us access to Unst and other islands. Recently rarities on our holidays include White's Thrush, Siberian Rubythroat, Myrtle Warbler, Swainson's Thrush, Bluethroat, Pechora Pipit, Citrine Wagtail, Red-flanked Bluetail, Isabelline Shrike, Rustic Bunting.

UNEXPLORED ORKNEY Sat 23 Sept - Fri 29 Sept £1895 £140

Tour Leader – Mark Warren

Pioneering birding adventure on remote Orcadian islands: Sanday, Westray and Papa Westray! The possibilities are great, as early October is a rich time for southbound migrants, while our local expertise gives every chance of connecting with rare and scarce visitors. Orkney is not all about birds, there’s stunning scenery and historical interest too.

OUTER HEBRIDES in Autumn ‘for Birders’ Sat 7 Oct - Fri 13 Oct £1845 £225

Tour Leaders – Mike Coleman & Dave Pearce

Everyone knows the Outer Hebrides are becoming famous for rarities, and this is a real birders’ treat as we seek rarities at the best time of year. Possibilities are many and varied from Snowy Owl to Dusky Warbler as we travel the length of the islands from the Butt of Lewis to South Uist.

ISLES OF SCILLY ‘for Birders’ Sat 7 Oct - Sat 14 Oct £2095 £195

Tour Leaders – Toby Green & Barry Embling

Steeped in birding folklore, the Isles of Scilly are a ‘must visit’ place in the UK. Birdwatching can be fantastic with an impressive roll call of ‘megas’ from recent Octobers. We’ll be flexible and activities will depend largely on bird news plus select different islands to explore daily to see as much of the Scillies as possible.

LANCASHIRE and THE WIRRAL Mon 16 Oct - Sun 22 Oct £1695 £195

Tour Leader – Holly Page

This two centre holiday aims to explore the very best birdwatching north-west England has to offer. Based near Lancaster and then on The Wirral we’re ideally placed to visit key reserves and sites for waders, wildfowl, raptors and even a rarity or two.

ISLAY and JURA Sat 21 Oct - Thurs 26 Oct £1645 £295

Tour Leader – Mike Coleman

Brilliant Autumn birding on stunning Hebridean islands. On Islay we explore the large goose and duck flocks and see Britain’s most northerly Choughs. Jura is well worth a visit for the scenery alone, and is rightly renowned for its large population of Red Deer, Hen Harrier and White-tailed Eagle.

SOLWAY FIRTH Sat 4 Nov - Thurs 9 Nov £1395 £100

Tour Leader – Ian Ford

A winter wildfowl spectacular on the Solway Coast of Dumfries and Galloway! We visit key sites to find wintering geese and duck flocks which often contain a rarity or two. Passerines will also feature including many woodland and farmland species plus we search for locally scarce Golden Eagle in the hills.

Heatherlea Guides – a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm!

Most have been working for Heatherlea for many years, and you can read detailed Guide profiles on our website, where you can also see their upcoming tours. We are not ‘intensive’ or ‘twitchers’, but are dedicated to showing you wildlife, and above all, we have fun. Here are some thoughts from the oldest and youngest members of the Team!

Aidan’s story

One of our newest recruits, Aidan Branch joined from North Ronaldsay, where he was Assistant Warden at the Observatory. During his time on the island, he met many Heatherlea Guides and clients;

“Heatherlea Guides were always very positive about the company, and clearly enjoyed working there. I was also interested to hear that the Company was now operating as an Employee-owned Trust. Intrigued by this relatively new concept and encouraged by what their guides had to say, I did some further research. I liked the involvement it gave employees and the exciting opportunities for guides. I was looking for the security of regular employment rather than just freelance work and decided to apply as a Heatherlea Guide – I’m glad I did!”

Now employed all year round, Aidan is looking forward to meeting more and more clients, and showing them birdlife throughout Scotland and hopefully around the world!

Aidan’s Highlights….

“One of my highlights was my trip to North Uist and Benbecula whilst guiding the Highlands and Corncrake tour in May of this year. If a scenic boat crossing full of seabirds and the chance of a cetacean or two wasn’t enough, as soon as you arrive at Lochmaddy, you are greeted by White-tailed Eagles in the harbour, the sound of Corncrake in the fields and the occasional spinning Phalarope on a small loch. The joy with this destination is that anything can turn up such as a Black-crowned Night Heron and the famous Grey-headed Lapwing.

On a more local level, seeing the Highlands change throughout the seasons is a wonderful thing! When I first arrived in January, it was a cold -14C and the Cairngorms were covered in snow; this provided a beautiful landscape and gave us close encounters with the charismatic Crested Tit. Today as I sit and write this, it’s stunning late spring weather with temperatures in the 20’s, the greens of the trees are vivid and we have some really special breeding birds only a few minutes away, including Black Throated Diver, Slavonian Grebe and Ospreys!

My favourite local excursion is the trip out to the West Coast where mountains meet the sea with its dramatic landscapes and calm bays and something spectacular round every corner. This is a dream place to work!’

Aidan will be leading the following trips, amongst others!

NEW! Highland Birding in Late Summer, Sat 5 Aug – Sat 12 Aug

North Ronaldsay & Orkney in Autumn for birders, Sat 9 Sept – Fri 15 Sept

Highland Autumn Birding, Sat 14 Oct – Sat 21 Oct and Sat 21 Oct – Sat 28 Oct

Ian’s Story

Ian Ford has been guiding with Heatherlea since 1999 and is the longest standing member of the guiding team. Ever popular with guests and fellow guides alike, he has guided from Costa Rica to the Arctic;

“It has been wonderful working at my hobby and playing a part in the company’s move from only Highland trips to taking over the world! It has been a real joy to share the wildlife of these beautiful places with so many Heatherlea guests over the years.”

In recent years Ian has worked to help develop wildflower meadows and woodland by the Tay estuary, and he holds a license to grow Greater Yellow Rattle, a flower which grows wild in only one location in Scotland. His oakwood and orchard project will keep him busy for many years to come!

Ian’s Highlights….

“One of my favourite Heatherlea tours to lead in the last year has to be our Kenya Ultimate Birding tour. Our bird total was a massive 438! Some of the many and varied highlights of the group included the displaying Widowbirds, Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, Crowned Eagle, Pygmy Falcon, and stunning beauties like the Three-banded Courser, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater and Goldenbreasted Starling. The incredible red underwings of the Black-billed Turaco overhead were unforgettable. We saw a wide range of mammals too and the bull Elephant in the dark, the Elephant herd at the mud pool, the three Giraffe races, Hippos, Hyenas and ‘active’ Lions were the most popular. The boat trips were universally popular for the richness of water and land birds and favourite places included The Ark, Samburu and birding in the Kakamega Forest. The passion of the local guides working hard within their communities stood out, and many clients commented on the positive image we had of Kenya from all the villages, full of locally grown food and all the friendly Kenyan people we met as well as the rich variety of landscapes we saw in this beautiful country. What a fantastic tour!”

Ian will be leading the following trips, amongst others!

Bulgaria in Autumn, Sat 2 Sept – Sat 9 Sept

NEW! Lancashire & the Wirral, Mon 16 Oct – Sun 22 Oct

Kenya – Ultimate Birding Tour, Sun 3 Dec – Sun 17 Dec

SCOTLAND 2024

Birding in Scotland is more popular than ever before, and we believe Heatherlea is your natural choice for guided tours in this wonderful part of the world. With thirty-three full seasons experience of delivering exceptional holidays, and based in the ideal location for birding tours, we offer everything you need. Come and join us! Book early to secure your 2024 holiday and get our lowest price.

Holiday

NEW YEAR BIRDLIST BOOSTER Sat 6 Jan - Sat 13 Jan £1495 £1295 £200

Sat 13 Jan - Sat 20 Jan

Get your New Year birdlist off to a cracking start with a week of birding across the Highlands! We aim to see as many birds as possible and this exciting holiday is suitable for birders who want to see Scotland’s birds in winter, as well as those who keep lists. Top priorities are resident specialities, winter visitors and any rarities.

BIRDER’S BLASTS in WINTER Sat 20 Jan - Wed 24 Jan £795 £695 £100

Wed 24 Jan - Sun 28 Jan

Sun 28 Jan - Thurs 1 Feb

Thurs 1 Feb - Mon 5 Feb

Mon 5 Feb - Fri 9 Feb

Fri 9 Feb - Tues 13 Feb

Tues 13 Feb - Sat 17 Feb

Fast paced and fun birding breaks ideal for the busy birder. We target the Scottish Specialities and also visit busy coastal sites for an ambitious 100 species (including many species best birded in Scotland). This holiday is perfect for all levels of birding ability, packing in a lot of birds and lots of sites.

HIGHLAND WINTER BIRDING Sat 17 Feb - Sat 24 Feb £1595 £1395 £200

Sat 24 Feb - Sat 2 Mar

Highland birding featuring two nights on the remote North Coast to visit remote hideaways and locate the best Scottish birdlife in winter. Potentially visiting four different coastlines, the far north, the eastfacing coast north of Inverness, the Moray Coast and either Aberdeenshire or the west coast, depending on available birding opportunities and the weather.

HIGHLANDS & the ABERDEENSHIRE Sat 2 Mar - Sat 9 Mar £1595 £1395 £200

COAST

A late winter holiday with two nights away in Aberdeenshire. Coastal birding will focus on waders and wildfowl, with a good amount of time spent sea-watching and we’ll build a healthy birdlist from mountains to sea. We spend time exploring Royal Deeside for eagles and grouse and Strathspey for Crested Tit and Crossbills.

NEW! BIRDING in the FOOTSTEPS Sat 9 Mar - Sat 16 Mar £1595 £1395 £200 of the JACOBITES

A unique holiday combining the best of Scottish Highland birding and historical sites relating to the illfated Jacobite uprisings of the 18th century. Ideal for those who love history as well as birding, any walking will be gentle and at a relaxed pace. Approximately 25% of our time will be spent on historical sites and 75% birding.

HIGHLANDS & WEST COAST

Sat 9 Mar - Sat 16 Mar £1595 £1395 £200

An exciting, early-spring holiday including one night on the rugged West coast. As spring arrives in the Highlands we celebrate with visits to the best birding and wildlife sites. We search for Black Grouse, Ptarmigan, Crested Tit, Golden and White-tailed Eagle, Crested Tit, Scottish Crossbill, three species of diver and Slavonian Grebe in summer plumage

HIGHLANDS & ARDNAMURCHAN

Sat 16 Mar - Sat 23 Mar £1695 £1595 £100

Sat 23 Mar - Sat 30 Mar

A very different holiday, with displaying and breeding resident birds, winter visitors still present in good numbers, and the first arriving spring migrants. We also enjoy a two-night expedition to the remote and wildlife-rich Ardnamurchan peninsula, where the birding can be unforgettable, and where we might encounter some special mammals.

HIGHLAND BIRDING in March

Sat 16 Mar - Sat 23 Mar £1595 £1495 £100

A holiday designed to maximise our birding as winter turns to spring. Speciality species include Scottish Crossbill, Crested Tit, Black Grouse, Golden and White-tailed Eagle, Ptarmigan, Snow Bunting and good chances of Slavonian Grebe and three or even four diver species in breeding plumage.

NEW! HIGHLANDS & EAST

Sat 23 Mar - Sat 30 Mar £1595 £1395 £200 COAST BIRDING

With the potential to search across three counties – Perthshire, Angus and Aberdeenshire – as well as around our home in Strathspey there is lots of flexibility here with birding options. This is our only Scottish trip targeting Hawfinch and Bearded Tit and we also look for Crested Tit, Black Grouse, Ptarmigan, Hen Harrier, Goshawk and both eagles.

SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS in Early Sat 30 Mar - Sat 6 Apr £1395 Spring

An absorbing spring wildlife experience in Scotland! All resident birds are displaying or breeding, winter birds are still in good numbers and summer visitors are arriving daily. We travel west to find eagles, to the Cairngorm plateau for Ptarmigan and take a boat into the Moray Firth targeting White-billed Diver and other seabirds.

SPRING into SCOTLAND inc Mull

Sat 30 Mar - Sat 6 Apr £1695 £1595 £100

Sat 6 Apr - Sat 13 Apr

Perhaps the ultimate spring wildlife experience in Scotland! All resident birds are displaying or breeding, winter birds are still here in good numbers, and summer visitors are arriving daily. We enjoy a two-night stay on the magical Isle of Mull, giving us plenty of time to enjoy fabulous birding and unforgettable scenery.

HIGHLANDS and SKYE in Spring Sat 13 Apr - Sat 20 Apr £1695 £1595 £100

Sat 20 Apr - Sat 27 Apr

Including two nights on Skye, key targets are Golden and White-tailed Eagle, we should enjoy prolonged views of both as they contest territories. Travelling to or from Skye we seek roadside Ptarmigan on a mountain pass if weather allows while the rest of our time is spent around our home territory in Strathspey, where a great spring experience awaits.

Holiday Dates Retail Special offer Saving price price

NEW! SPRING MIGRATION Sat 27 Apr - Sat 4 May £1695 £1595 £100 in the Highlands

Based in Strathspey we focus on the specialities which make this area unique and migrating birds on our coasts. With a highly flexible itinerary our daily routine will very much depend on weather conditions and up to date bird news. We’ll target migrants in Aberdeenshire or the Tarbat Peninsula plus eagles, other raptors and seabirds

HIGHLANDS and CORNCRAKE Sat 4 May - Sat 11 May £1795 £1695 £100

Sat 11 May - Sat 18 May

Our only seven-night itinerary combining all the key Scottish mainland species with Corncrake, a unique opportunity! On this exciting two-centre holiday we enjoy all the species which make Scotland so special, from tranquil Caledonian pinewoods and the vast Cairngorm Mountain plateau to a two-night stay on the Outer Hebrides.

BIRDING the HIGHLANDS in May Sat 4 May - Sat 11 May £1695 £1595 £100

Sat 18 May - Sat 25 May

Ideal for the first-time visitor or seasoned expert this holiday offers a wealth of variety. On local days we look for specialities including Crested Tit, Scottish Crossbill and Slavonian Grebe. Our Troup Head boat trip will be a highlight while time exploring estuaries and farmland on the Moray coast and Black Isle help amass a high bird-list!

HIGH SEASON Across the Sat 25 May - Sat 1 Jun £1695 £1595 £100 Highlands

A tremendous two-centre holiday for all the species that make Scotland so special. We visit many habitats including the remote and beautiful seabird colony of Handa Island with breeding skuas and thousands of auks.

NEW! HIGHLANDS & AILSA CRAIG Sat 1 June - Sat 8 June £1695 £1595 £100

Including two nights in Ayrshire, this fantastic new two centre holiday explores some of the best birding in Ayrshire and Dumfries & Galloway, plus all the key specialities in the Highlands. Highlights include a boat trip to Ailsa Craig to view the spectacular gannet colony, the third largest colony in Britain! Target birds include Nightjar, Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, plus local specialities including Black Grouse, Crested Tit, Golden & White-tailed Eagles, Ptarmigan, Dotterel and more!

HIGHLANDS and ORKNEY Sat 15 Jun - Sat 22 Jun £1695 £1595 £100

As Scottish summer gets into full swing we visit Orkney, where special breeding birds include Hen Harrier, Short-eared Owl, Red-throated Diver and Twite. With auks, skuas, terns and gulls, our three-day journey is full of excitement amid stunning coastal scenery. We also search the Caledonian pinewoods and rugged glens to find many special birds.

THE ‘OUTER LIMITS’ in Summer Sat 15 Jun - Sat 22 Jun £1795 £1695 £100

An exciting summer itinerary to see the birdlife of mountain, moor, forest and coast, with special attention paid to the rugged beauty and desolate vistas of the islands of Harris and Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, voted as the best island destination in Europe!

ISLANDS & REST of UK 2024

Our unique itineraries are designed to show you the best of British Wildlife at the best time of year. From Cape Wrath in the far north to Cornwall and the Scilly Isles. We explore remote little-known corners where birding is excellent. In 2024 we have a whole host of exciting holidays across the Scottish Islands and elsewhere in the UK to choose from. Where will you go on your next adventure?

UP HELLY AA – SHETLAND in WINTER

Fri 26 Jan - Thurs 1 Feb

£1895

£295

Rugged Shetland is a wild and beautiful place at all times of year, and this trip explores the Isles in winter, including hardy wildlife and the Isles unique Viking heritage. The Up Helly Aa Viking Fire Festival is famous the world over, a real spectacle which will be a feature of this holiday. Wildlife may include winter geese, ‘white-winged’ gulls, auks, cetaceans, Otter and Mountain Hare

NORFOLK & SUFFOLK in Winter

Sat 10 Feb - Sat 17 Feb

£1695

£320

East Anglia offers a wide variety and unrivalled birding potential at this time of year with a high species list and superb wildlife encounters are likely. Bittern will be a top target, but we’ll also hope to see Common Crane, wintering geese and ducks, waders and any wintering rarities.

FOREST OF DEAN and SOMERSET LEVELS

Sat 24 Feb - Sat 2 Mar

£1995

£300

An opportunity to enjoy some of the best winter birdwatching in two fascinating and distinct areas of the south-west of England. We will search for elusive and sought-after woodland species, and also seek wintering waders and wildfowl in estuary and wetland locations.

MULL & ISLAY

Sat 24 Feb - Fri 1 Mar

£1895

£275

A late-winter itinerary combining two of our favourite island destinations! We have timed this holiday so the winter wildfowl spectacle of tens of thousands of geese, ducks and waders on Islay can be coupled with both White-tailed and Golden Eagle, as well as Hen Harrier, divers and Otters on Mull.

CORNWALL in Spring

Thurs 18 Apr - Thurs 25 Apr

£1895

£125

We explore a range of birding sites with northbound summer migrants high on our agenda. Seabirds, wildfowl, waders and passerines will feature, including a variety of warblers, flycatchers and chats to name but a few. If lucky we may connect with a rarity too, there are many possibilities depending on the prevailing weather.

ISLES OF SCILLY in Spring

Fri 26 Apr - Thurs 2 May

£2095 £195

We stay on the largest Island, St Mary’s, visiting the four other inhabited islands on daily excursions. We plan to birdwatch at a more leisurely pace than our autumn tour but we won't shy away from attractive Mediterranean overshoots such as Hoopoe, Red-rumped Swallow, Golden Oriole, Night Heron or Woodchat Shrike if known to be present.

NORTH RONALDSAY and ORKNEY in Spring ‘for Birders’

Sat 4 May - Fri 10 May

Sat 11 - Fri 17 May

£1695

£130

The island of North Ronaldsay, off the very northern tip of Orkney, is a great place to be during migration. The birding potential is fabulous, and this holiday aims to tap into prime-time spring passage, when the 4 by 1 mile island can be awash with a variety and large number of birds. Anything can and often does turn up!

SHETLAND in Spring ‘for Birders’

Sat 11 May - Sat 18 May

£1995

£245

Extreme rarities can arrive at any time and we will be 'on the ball' to seek these birds. Migrants arrive almost daily (often in 'falls' of hundreds of birds), with many in their finest breeding colours. Typical scarce birds at this time of year include Red-backed Shrike, Bluethroat, Common Rosefinch, Wryneck, Rustic Bunting and Subalpine Warbler

OUTER HEBRIDES in Spring

Sat 11 May - Fri 17 May

Sat 18 May - Fri 24 May

£1845

£195

This cracking holiday celebrates the tremendous birding available here in spring. We stay for six nights on the Outer Hebrides, giving us maximum time to enjoy the best birding including Corncrake, both eagles, Hen Harrier, Short-eared Owl, four Skuas, waders in breeding plumage, Otter and Red-necked Phalarope, on the islands of South Uist, Benbecula, and North Uist.

MULL, IONA & THE TRESHNISH ISLES Tues 14 May - Sat 18 May

£1745 £220

On Mull we seek both eagles, Hen Harrier, Short-eared Owl and Otter. We take a boat to the islands of Lunga, with seabird colonies including Puffin, and Staffa, famous for Fingal’s Cave. On Iona the grassy fields around the Abbey hold Corncrake, although we can’t guarantee a sighting we should hear the birds rasping and maybe rewarded with a glimpse!

BIRDING the NORTH COAST 500 Sat 18 - Sat 25 May £1945 £275

Wonderful wildlife amid some of Scotland’s finest scenery on this spectacular journey around some of the country’s most northerly coastal points, feted by holiday-makers and travel writers alike as one of the best road trips in the world. Passage and breeding birds, golden beaches and bays for waders and divers and Applecross for eagles and Ptarmigan all feature.

SHETLAND ISLAND EXPLORER Sat 18 May - Sat 25 May £2245 £275

Sat 25 May - Sat 1 June

This is a slow-paced holiday with a natural history focus including visits to Unst, Fetlar, Yell, Noss, Mousa and Mainland. We’ll see some of the biggest seabird colonies and some of the rarest and most difficult to observe breeding birds in Britain. Flora, mammals and the cultural and archaeological heritage will feature too.

SUSSEX, HAMPSHIRE and KENT in Spring Sat 18 - Sat 25 May £1995 £410

An exciting two-centre holiday combining bird-rich Sussex with day visits to The New Forest in Hampshire to the west and to the Dungeness reserves on the Kent coast to the east. Tour highlights will be frequent and varied but could include Turtle Dove, White Stork, Nightjar, Honey Buzzard and Dartford Warbler.

ORKNEY ISLAND EXPLORER

Sat 25 May - Sat 1 Jun £2195 £175

A wide-ranging exploration dedicated to these fabulous islands. The focus is on natural history, but scenery and archaeology are important too as we visit some of the outlying islands. Targets include Hen Harrier, Short-eared Owl, Twite, a wide range of seabirds, waders and wildfowl. Anything can turn up on North Ronaldsay and offshore we have chances of Otter and cetaceans.

ISLANDS on the EDGE

Sat 25 May - Sat 1 Jun £2295 £245 Sat 8 Jun - Sat 15 Jun

This eight-day, eight-island tour includes the best birdlife, sealife, flora and local history, visiting North Uist, South Uist, Benbecula, Berneray, Barra, Eriskay, Coll and Tiree. With the machair in full bloom, Corncrake rasping, Snipe drumming, Redshank, Arctic and Little Terns, Common Seals and a variety of cetaceans it’s a wonderful celebration of Scottish island wildlife

SOUTH WALES in Summer Sat 1 Jun - Sat 8 Jun £2095 £330

South Wales is a lesser-known birding holiday destination just waiting to be explored! We visit ancient woodland for Redstart, Pied Flycatcher and Redstart, wetlands for Bittern, Avocet and Bearded Tit, moorland for Red Grouse and Dartford Warbler and offshore islands for seabird colonies.

PEAK DISTRICT, YORKSHIRE COAST Sun 2 Jun - Sun 9 Jun £2045 £195 and NORFOLK in Spring

This exciting new two-centre holiday is designed to cover a broad cross-section of upland and lowland bird species including spring migrants and breeding birds, from several different habitats including moorland, woodland, heathland, wetland and coast. Key targets include Nightjar, Woodcock, Stone Curlew, Dartford Warbler, Crane, Woodlark plus waders and seabirds.

WILDLIFE of ARGYLL Sat 8 Jun - Sat 15 Jun £2245 £275 and INNER HEBRIDEAN ISLANDS

On this unique and exciting holiday, we enjoy this area's flora and fauna including birds, mammals, butterflies, dragonflies and both night and day flying moths. We visit exciting places on the mainland in Argyll, and seven islands near Oban, including rarely visited Lismore, Easdale and the Isle of Seil.

NORTH WALES in Summer Sun 9 Jun - Sun 16 Jun

£1995

£245

This is a wildlife rich region, which we explore by both land and sea, dividing our time between coastal locations and the famous Snowdonia National Park. Birds of moorland, woodland and mountain and coast will feature and a sure highlight will be a boat trip to Bardsey Island, noted for its 20,000 pairs of Manx Shearwater

SHETLAND and ORKNEY Sat 15 Jun - Sun 23 Jun

£2395

£260

We start with a tour of Shetland, moving onto a highlights tour of Orkney, witnessing some of the most impressive scenery and wildlife in the country and indulging in history and archaeology. We visit seabird colonies, Red-necked Phalarope and Storm Petrel at breeding sites, watch Otter and seals, and have chances of cetaceans such as Orca

INNER HEBRIDES from CANNA to IONA Fri 21 Jun - Fri 28 Jun

£2295

£290

This exciting journey takes you to seven beautiful islands, Canna, Eigg, Muck, Mull, Staffa, Lunga and Iona plus a day on the remote Ardnamurchan peninsula, travelling through scenic west coast between Mallaig and Morvern. The wildlife in this area is truly outstanding, and our days will be filled with seabirds, eagles, Otters and cetaceans.

OVERSEAS 2023

We have a reputation for being ‘less-intensive’, during itineraries planned carefully so you see memorable wildlife, whilst enjoying relaxed, informal days that are great fun. Our holidays are not ‘dawn to dusk’ expeditions, and we take sensible breaks when in very hot places and regular comfort breaks on every holiday. Each is run for guests who we consider friends as well as clients. That means rewarding and exciting days in the field with capable Leaders who really look after you, and good quality accommodation and meals, with a real flavour of the country we are visiting. Please take a close look for great holiday content at very attractive prices - wherever you want to go!

ECUADOR with AMAZON RAINFOREST Extension

Wed 23 Aug - Tues 5 Sept £5595 £395

Extension Mon 4 Sept - Sat 9 Sept. Extension £1595

Extension £195

Ideal for those who wish to experience the incredible avian diversity of Ecuador accompanied by a friendly, experienced guide. Some key birds are unforgettable Andean Condor, spectacular and colourful Cock-of-the-Rock, strange-looking Oilbird and incredible Long-wattled Umbrellabird. Extend your holiday to include the bird and wildlife wonders of the greatest rainforest on earth, exploring the trails, waterways and visiting an amazing parrot clay lick!

BULGARIA in Autumn

Tour Leader - Ian Ford

Sat 2 Sept - Sept 9 Sept £2395 £150

An exciting tour focusing on the spectacular annual migration of thousands of birds of prey, pelicans, storks and passerines along the Black Sea Flyway, known as the Via Pontica. The tour is based in two centres, allowing exploration of the Black Sea coastline, the bottleneck for migratory and resident birds. This tour is suitable for beginners and experts.

NEW! GREENLAND & ICELAND

Tour Leader – Andy Jones

Wed 6 Sept - Mon 18 Sept

From £6495 £185

A unique and genuinely outstanding experience, beginning with an optional land journey across Iceland focusing on birding and geology, followed by a voyage north by comfortable ship to Scoresby Sound in Eastern Greenland, where Polar Bear, Muskoxen and whales are our targets. On this tour, wildlife can be sparse, but when it happens can be stunning!

HUNGARY in Autumn

Tour Leader – Gerard Gorman

Sun 1 Oct - Sun 8 Oct

£1995 £200

Our main focus is the spectacular migration of Common Cranes through the Hortobagy National Park, one of Europe’s great birding experiences. Other special residents include Great Bustard, Eastern Imperial Eagle, eight species of woodpecker and more, while the first winter visitors such as Rough-legged Buzzard and a range of wildfowl enhance this tremendous autumn holiday

NORTHERN PERU

Tour Leader – Carlos Diaz

Tues 3 Oct - Wed 18 Oct

£5995 £425

An important birding destination with many wild and hard to reach places. Our tour concentrates on the northern birding corridor, focusing on sites with a rich bio-diversity and a large concentration of species. The itinerary is exceptionally good for hummingbirds, tanagers, toucans, raptors, finches and fruiteaters with chances of Andean Condor, Cock-of-the-Rock, Humboldt's Penguin and Inca Tern.

CHILE

Mon 9 Oct - Thurs 26 Oct

£8795 £945

A fantastic adventure to a country with some of the most diverse and varied habitats in the world. We search for birding specialities in the high Andes, arid desert, Pacific islands, Humboldt current and the tundra and sub-Antarctic rainforest of Tierra del Fuego. Highlights include Diademed Sandpiper-Plover, Magellanic Plover, Least Seedsnipe and Andean Condor.

Holiday Dates

Price Single per person supp

INDIA - GOA, from the Konkan coast Tues 21 Nov - Wed 6 Dec £3895 £425 to the Western Ghats

Goa is rich in birdlife and key habitats are concentrated, our itinerary features many easily worked areas. There are approx 28 endemics within the Western Ghats, plus many near-endemics. We seek Malabar Whistling Thrush, White-bellied Blue Flycatcher, Malabar Trogon, Sri Lanka Frogmouth, Velvetfronted Nuthatch, Heart-spotted Woodpecker, Black-rumped Flameback and Asian Fairy Bluebird to name a few.

KENYA Ultimate Birding Tour Sun 3 Dec - Sun 17 Dec £5995 £750

Tour Leader - Ian Ford

This tour is an exceptional Kenyan birding safari taking in soda lakes, freshwater lakes, both high and low altitude grasslands, bush, standard savannah woodlands, mountainous ecosystems and escarpments, extreme drylands and of course, tropical habitat. Kenya has the second highest birdlist for any African country with over 1000 species, and on this tour we expect perhaps 450 of these, including many of the most sought-after Kenyan and regional endemics during a birding spectacle to treasure, as we visit many of the country's top sites.

NEW! QUEENSLAND, S.E AUSTRALIA Sat 25 Nov - Thurs 21 Dec £12,495 £1680 & TASMANIA Grand Tour

Australia is nearly impossible for the birder to 'do' thoroughly in one visit, requiring a great investment of time to cover all regions of interest. We offer the chance to join a fabulous Grand Tour combining our Queensland, Tasmania and South-Eastern Australia itineraries, to maximise your experience in one visit. With a significant price saving we seek the very best birding and natural history encounters.

NEW! QUEENSLAND Sat 25 Nov - Wed 6 Dec £5995 £655

This itinerary takes us to significant areas in North-east Australia. We visit the Atherton Tableland with its fertile plateau and protected rainforest for endemics and rare mammals, Lamington National Park for sub-tropical birdlife, reptiles, frogs, mammals and invertebrates and the Wet Tropics. Another highlight will be our visit to The Great Barrier Reef, the most spectacular coral reef in the world.

TASMANIA & SE AUSTRALIA Mon 4 Dec - Thurs 21 Dec £7795 £1010

With its rich history, vast tracts of wilderness, remote mountainous areas and un-spoilt islands, Tasmania offers a wealth of wildlife opportunities. Of particular interest are key mammals and marsupials, while great birding is guaranteed throughout. A pelagic cruise (optional) into the Southern Ocean will be a highlight, potentially reaching the continental shelf where we could encounter between 20-30 species of tubenose as well as seals, dolphins and whales.

FOCUS ON... NEW! SOUTH KOREA

Leader/s Mark Warren, joined by experienced local guides. Join this new and exciting holiday to one of the recently-discovered hotspots of Asian winter birding – South Korea! This is a comprehensive birding tour of a modern country with high quality infrastructure, and relative ease of travelling between destinations, which enables us to cover the whole country and feature many hard-to-find East Asian specialities, and large numbers of other sought-after birds. Around 500 species have been recorded in the country, many along the coasts, and we will visit the whole range of major wildlife habitats – offshore islands, tidal flats, coastal lagoons, rice fields, rocky shorelines, headlands, rivers, open country, and forests and scrubland, including the DMZ – the land that time forgot between South and North Korea.

Our tour is timed in January to coincide with the presence of winter specialities, including the world’s largest concentration of Baikal Teal and highly-prized Scaly-sided Merganser. Flocks of Red-crowned Crane stand out on tidal-flats, while there may also be thousands of White-naped and Hooded Cranes too. We aim to see spectacular Steller's Sea Eagle, Swan and Lesser White-fronted Geese, Solitary Snipe, and Relict and Saunders’s Gull. Uncountable numbers of ducks and geese fill western coastal sites, possibly including rarities like Baer’s Pochard, while the formerly extirpated Crested Ibis has been reintroduced. As we travel around the country, we hope to see Varied Tit, Vinous-throated Parrotbill, Cinereous Vulture, Black-eared Kite, Eurasian Eagle Owl, Chinese Penduline Tit and Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker in suitable habitat. Pacific seabirds including Ancient Murrelet, Temminck’s Cormorant, Rhinoceros Auklet and Spectacled Guillemot on our boat trip will be a highlight. Asian Rosy Finch, Pallas’ Rosefinch and Siberian Accentor will be important finds in the mountains, and in the fields the range of Asian finches and buntings is outstanding.

Due to the ever-expanding tourist industry in Korea, the country is likely to become a major birding destination in the not-too-distant future, so join Heatherlea at the start of this trend, and discover the beauty of this hitherto little-known wildlife hotspot.

FOCUS ON… CYPRUS

Fri 5 April - Fri 12 April 2024

Price: £2095pp ssupp: £290 Deposit: £300pp Leader/s Chris Rodger, joined by another from the Heatherlea team with more than 7 clients.

Due to the success of our 2023 departure, we are delighted to offer our Cyprus tour again in 2024. A fabulous Mediterranean birding destination, Cyprus offers excellent spring migration and notable, sought-after residents including endemics. This holiday is timed to give us excellent chances of variety and high numbers of passage migrants as they travel north or settle down to breed.

Staying in just one centre, we are well positioned to visit hotspots including Paphos headland in the southwest, the Arkamas National Park in the northwest, Larnaca in the east and many great sites in between. We spend our days exploring saltpans, coastal scrub on headlands reservoirs, dry riverbeds with residual freshwater pools, traditional farmland and also the Troodos Mountains for raptors and endemic subspecies found in the pine forests. A big birdlist approaching 150 species is very possible as we aim to connect with a mix of northern and eastern European migrants, including herons, wildfowl and waders. Passerines such as Isabelline and Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Citrine Wagtail, Black-headed, Cretzschmar's and Ortolan Bunting, Ruppell's, Eastern Olivaceous, Eastern Bonelli’s, Sardinian and Eastern Subalpine Warbler and both Collared and Semi-collared Flycatcher are possible and we should also enjoy Hoopoe, Bee-eater, Roller, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Alpine Swift, Honey Buzzard, Lesser Kestrel, Wryneck, Woodchat, Red-backed and Masked Shrike daily. The sought-after endemics are Cyprus Warbler, Cyprus Pied Wheatear and recently split Cyprus Scops Owl. We aim to see all three, plus difficult to find Black Francolin and we also hope to connect with some of the rarities for which the island is increasingly famous. On last year’s tour we connected with Diederik Cuckoo, a real find!

OVERSEAS 2024 Europe Holiday

SPAIN - BIRDING & LYNX, Andujar plus Coto Donana

Sat 6 Jan - Sat 13 Jan £1895

£195

This is a combined birding and mammal trip, with a special focus on seeing endangered Iberian Lynx in the wild. You also have the advantage of excellent birding on this two-centre holiday, including many Spanish resident speciality birds, and absorbing birding in pleasant weather is a very enjoyable part of this holiday.

NEW! BULGARIA and NORTHERN GREECE in Winter

Mon 29 Jan - Mon 5 Feb £2295

£150

Birding in wetlands, forests and mountains of two wildlife-rich countries. We seek flocks of pelicans, swans and geese and later look for Eastern Imperial, Golden and White-tailed Eagle, Long-legged and Rough-legged Buzzard, Griffon and Cinereous Vulture. Other possibilities include five Woodpecker species, Sombre Tit, Rock Nuthatch and perhaps Eagle Owl. A great winter tour for beginners and experts alike.

NEW! SPAIN in Early Spring

Sat 2 Mar - Sat 9 Mar £1995

£250

This wonderful winter-into-early-spring holiday is based in parts of the Iberian peninsula which are full of speciality birds including Wallcreeper, Lammergeier, eagles, bustards, sandgrouse and much more! This is a true birding feast on one of the very best Spanish itineraries!

CAMARGUE

Sat 9 Mar - Sat 16 Mar £2095

£225

Join us in one of Europe’s premier birding destinations in late winter. Wallcreeper is one of our top targets, and we visit known hotspots to look for this unique and beautiful bird. We also look for Alpine Accentor, Blue Rock Thrush, Eagle Owl, Citril Finch, Black Woodpecker, Bluethroat, Little Bustard, Bonelli’s Eagle and more!

NEW! FINLAND and NORWAY in Winter

Wed 20 Mar - Mon 25 Mar £2895

£185

Finnish Lapland and Norway offer a unique environment for birding and in late-winter a number of Arctic specialities can be easier to see here than anywhere else. Highlights may include King and Steller’s Eider, Brunnich’s Guillemot, Gyrfalcon, Siberian Jay, Pine Grosbeak or even the Aurora Borealis!

SPAIN - EXTREMADURA

Sat 13 Apr - Sat 20 Apr £2095

£195

Extremadura and the Monfragüe National Park are brimming with some of the best birdwatching in Europe, featuring many of Europe’s rarest and most endangered species such as Spanish Imperial Eagle and Cinereous Vulture. Birds of prey, bustards, sandgrouse and brilliant Spanish spring birding!

SPAIN - CATALONIA and SOUTH-EAST ARAGON

Wed 17 Apr - Thurs 25 Apr £2195

£295

This eight-night adventure features days full of birdsong and breeding display. Our itinerary covers many of the sought-after species, and although not a holiday to see all the key targets of the region, can certainly be an opportunity for outstanding European birding covering an impressive number of targets in delightful places featuring authentic Catalan hospitality.

FOCUS ON… GEORGIA Sat 20 April - Mon 29 April 2024

Price: £3195pp

ssupp: £195 Deposit: £800 Leader/s Dave Pearce, joined by experienced local guides

Located at the junction of Europe, Asia and the Middle East, Georgia holds a diversity of habitats and landscapes, ranging from semi-desert to humid subtropical forest. On this tour we explore the rich birdlife of snow-capped mountains, dry steppes, intact savannas, barren mountain semi deserts, impressive gorges and canyons, lush deciduous forests and waterfowl-teeming wetlands and lakes. Avian highlights include endemic Caucasian Snowcock, near-endemic Caucasian Black Grouse, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Cinereous Vulture, Armenian Gull, Wallcreeper, Krüper’s Nuthatch, Güldenstädt’s Redstart, Rose-coloured Starling, Green and Ménétries’s Warbler, Mountain Chiffchaff, Semi-collared Flycatcher, Red-fronted Serin and Great Rosefinch. Other highlights might include Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Alpine Accentor, Barred Warbler, Dalmatian Pelican, Demoiselle Crane, Pygmy Cormorant, Red-crested Pochard, Ferruginous Duck, Spotted and Little Crake, Broadbilled Sandpiper, Montagu’s and Pallid Harrier, Black Vulture, Lesser Kestrel, Scops Owl, Lesser Spotted, Steppe, Short-toed and Booted Eagle, Bee-eater, Roller, Golden Oriole, Black Francolin and many more. We travel at the beginning of the northerly migration season, and many passerines and raptors can be expected in key hotspots such as the broad Tergi Valley, and we should find a good representation of eastern European species.

FOCUS

ON... CAPE MAY FOR BIRDERS

Leader/s: Mark Warren joined by experienced local guides.

Sat 21 Sept - Mon 30 Sept 2024

Price: £4595pp ssupp: £735

Listed by National Geographic as a World’s Best destination for birding, Cape May is an iconic location for the migration enthusiast. The narrow peninsula is a natural bird funnel, bringing in songbirds during their spring and autumn (fall) migrations. As such, large numbers may occur in the right conditions and birding can be especially varied and enjoyable.

This is very much a location for the migration enthusiast, concentrating on autumn movement on the eastern Atlantic seaboard. Our time will be well spent, as we seek, find and identify dozens of warblers, vireos, thrushes, flickers, kingbirds, tanagers, orioles, raptors, seabirds and shorebirds.

Over twenty species of attractive American Wood-warbler are possible, including Pine, Blackpoll, Magnolia, Myrtle, Black and White, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, American Yellow, Prairie, Connecticut, Blackburnian, Bay-breasted, Tennessee and Cape May Warbler, Northern Parula, American Redstart and Common Yellowthroat to name but some. Often it is the sheer volume of birds which stand out, perhaps of just a single species. The good days are spectacular, while the exceptional days can be thrilling and defy belief.

Deposit: £1200

The Cape May Hawkwatch platform is legendary, and here at the raptor capital of North America we might record Coopers, Sharp-shinned, Broad-winged, and Red-tailed Hawk, Bald Eagle, Osprey, Turkey and American Black Vulture, Northern Harrier and American Kestrel. With waterbirds which might include Semi-palmated and Grey Plover, Pectoral, Western, White-rumped, Semi-palmated and Least Sandpiper, Willet, Marbled Godwit, (Hudsonian) Whimbrel, Short and Long-billed Dowitcher and American Oystercatcher and beaches where a few post-breeding Piping Plovers may be present, along with possible American Avocet, Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, Solitary and Spotted Sandpiper, Tricolored, Little Blue and Great Blue Heron. There are many possibilities, and we expect to see around 150 species, an impressive tally for such a small area!

This really is a classic holiday in perhaps the world's most iconic destination to observe bird migration. For those who have poured over North American field guides and dreamt of finding these species, this is the perfect trip. Holiday Dates

NEW! LESVOS, GREECE

Wed 17 Apr - Wed 24 Apr £1995 £175

Lesvos is a classic destination, one of those 'must do' places reaching a wonderful peak when we visit during spring migration. We find speciality birds including Kruper’s Nuthatch, Cretzschmar’s Bunting and Cinereous Bunting, show you summer visitors newly arrived such as Subalpine, Orphean and Ruppell’s Warbler, and enjoy the wonderful migration around this beautiful island.

MALLORCA

Sat 27 Apr - Sat 4 May £2095 £195

The most exciting time for birding in Mallorca is during springtime, when many thousands of birds pass over and through the island, resting and feeding before heading to mainland Europe. This passage peaks in late April and early May, and is an exciting time when virtually anything can happen.

ARMENIA

Sat 4 May - Wed 15 May £3195 £230

A small, landlocked country in the Caucasus region, Armenia is rural, unspoilt, sparsely populated and very hospitable. It forms a geographical bridge between avian populations of Europe and Asia and holds a variety of habitats. Mouth-watering targets include Caspain Snowcock, Grey-necked and Ortolan Bunting, Lammergeier, Armenian Horned Lark, Upcher’s Warbler, Radde’s Accentor and more!

ESTONIA in Spring

Sun 5 May - Sun 12 May £2195

£195

A Baltic Birding Bonanza, superb Eastern breeding birds and thousands of Northern migrants! On this three-centre adventure we target northern and eastern specialities including Taiga and Tundra Bean Geese, Lesser and Greater Spotted Eagles, Montagu’s Harrier, Hazel Grouse, lekking Great Snipe, Pygmy and Ural Owls, four Woodpecker species, Thrush Nightingale, Savi’s, Icterine and River Warblers and Nutcracker.

BULGARIA and NORTHERN GREECE Sat 11 May - Mon 20 May £2495 £175

A fabulous ten-day birding tour that combines the highest mountains of Southwestern Bulgaria and the wetlands of Northern Greece, including famous Lake Kerkini and the Axios Delta. The timing and sheer range of habitats covered give us the chance to record 180-200 species; a very good birdlist with many eastern species, not easy in Europe!

Holiday

GAMBIA

Dates Price Single

Tues 9 Jan - Fri 19 Jan

£3695

£515

A well-known and superb option for British birders, The Gambia offers the nearest tropical forests to the UK, is easily accessible, safe and has comfortable hotels close to great birding spots. With a wide variety of habitats including estuarine, mangrove swamp, riverine forest, marshland and the edge of the West African Forest, a tour here offers an enjoyable introduction to African birding.

COSTA RICA Classic Tour

Sat 13 Jan - Sun 28 Jan

£6295

£695

We visit a sample of Costa Rica's biologically rich areas providing a thrilling experience - ideal for the first-time visitor. You’ll see a range of birdlife from exotic and colourful bird families! Other wildlife will include monkeys, sloths, lizards, crocodiles, bats, amphibians, turtles, snakes, a vast range of butterflies and a wealth of flora!

NEW! SOUTH AFRICA – KRUGER NATIONAL PARK Mon 15 Jan - Sat 27 Jan

£4295 £345

This is predominantly a birding tour with many targets, and of these Lappet-faced Vulture, Martial Eagle, Saddle-billed Stork, Kori Bustard and Ground Hornbill are difficult to see elsewhere. Famed for its ‘big game’, Kruger is home to more species of large mammal than any other African game reserve. This is a superb tour to one of the most famous African destinations.

NEW! COSTA RICA with Easy Walking

Sat 3 Feb - Sun 18 Feb £6295 £625

An itinerary suited for those who don't want to walk too far. Longer walks are avoided wherever possible, feature leisurely boat rides with easy access to get close to wildlife and also utilise the feeding stations at hotels and other places along the way, to guarantee a wonderful list of hummingbirds and other beautiful passerines.

KENYA – Birding the Rift Valley Sun 4 Feb - Tues 13 Feb £4795 £500

This is an exciting and very comfortable holiday, featuring unforgettable wildlife and excellent supporting services. With an experienced Guide from the UK supported by top local guides, a carefully researched and planned itinerary, substantial, comfortable vehicles where everyone has a window seat, and excellent hotels and food throughout, this is the ideal Kenyan safari adventure.

UGANDA Mon 12 Feb - Mon 26 Feb

£6595

£1380

A carefully designed safari through the most wildlife-rich areas, focused on birding and mammals, with excellent photography opportunities. We hope to see approx bird 300 species, including Shoebill, Bateleur Eagle and African Finfoot. We will be looking for many avian specialities of central Africa and endemic species. A key highlight will be the opportunity to see Mountain Gorilla and Chimpanzee.

NEW! WESTERN SAHARA

Tues 27 Feb - Sun 3 Mar

£2295

£100

In the largest hot desert in the world Golden Nightjar is a key target, other specialities include Cricket Warbler, African Dunn’s Lark, Greater Hoopoe-Lark, Desert Larks, Desert and White-crowned Wheatears, Fulvous Babbler, African Desert Warbler and Desert Sparrow. Rare mammals may also feature, with Fennec and Ruppell’s Fox, Lesser Egyptian Jerboa, Lesser Egyptian Gerbil and Desert Hedgehog

INDIA – Birds, Tigers and Taj Mahal

Mon 4 Mar - Thurs 14 Mar

£4295

£395

This holiday combines mammal watching, birding and sightseeing. We visit the world famous wetlands of Bharatpur, the iconic Taj Mahal, and look for Tiger. This holiday is ideal for the birder who wants an introduction to India, for those who want to see Tigers, and for those who want to experience the country's rich social and architectural heritage.

NEPAL

Tues 5 Mar - Mon 18 Mar

£5295

£595

This carefully planned itinerary is ideal for the visitor who wants a relaxing experience of Nepal's birds, mammals, landscape and lifestyle. We travel at the end of the Nepalese winter and beginning of spring, a good time for both wildlife and weather considerations, with temperatures beginning to rise after the colder winter months

NEW! CUBA including Havana

Thurs 21 Mar - Tues 2 Apr

£4295

£195

Cuba is one of the most important and rewarding Caribbean birding destinations. The island is over 1200km long, and with relatively low population density, is largely quiet and unspoilt. Around half of the c.26 endemics are endangered, including miniscule Bee Hummingbird, rare Fernandina’s Flicker, and striking Cuban Trogon, which ‘displays all the colours of our national flag’!

MOROCCO Sun 24 Mar - Wed 3 Apr

£2395

£180

An eleven day delight in North Africa covering the birdlife of desert, mountain, coast and wetlands. In a country which could have been designed purely for birding, we explore a variety of habitats including stony desert, sand dunes, lakes, rivers, estuaries and the immense Atlas Mountains accumulating a mouth-watering list of species.

For MORE DETAILS of all our holidays

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• E-MAIL info@heatherlea.co.uk

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birding and wildlife holidays

The Mountview Hotel, Nethy Bridge, Inverness-shire, Scotland PH25 3EB