Wildtravel 11/14 by StStilinski

WILDTRAVEL Destinations inside >>

SOUTH DEVON

CANARY ISLANDS

FINLAND

NEW FOREST

Enjoy the world’s most amazing animals

Where whales come close enough to touch

Wildlife secrets of Argyll & Bute

Meet top kat Finn McCool and his meerkat clan Tracking down the Resplendent Quetzal bird

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AUSTRALIA’S WEIRD AND WONDERFUL CREATURES

Nov 2014 £3.99 wildlifeextra.com

Outback

Telling winter geese apart

The Duck-billed Platypus, an animal unique to Australia

WELCOME Contributors

Neil Glenn The birdwatching guide and self-confessed twitcher on his top world birding locations.

Ann & Steve Toon

Welcome!

The husband and wife photography team meet some meerkat families.

A few years ago I was standing on a high bank peering down at a muddy river, trying to follow where a wildlife guide was pointing in the swirling brown water. Then I saw it: flat snout, four flailing webbed paws and a long, broad tail. It was a platypus, the first I’d ever seen for real. Australia is the subject of our essential country guide this month, and a visit there to celebrate a birthday was a dream come true for me, but I have also had that same feeling of privilege in watching nature on a trip to Norfolk in winter. It isn’t one rare, unique native there, as you can read inside, but thousand upon thousand of winged visitors from Europe descending on our coasts from October to March. It still gives me the same thrill I get anywhere in the world from being outdoors, having the chance to watch wild animals living their natural lives. We’re organising a special Wild Travel holiday to see wildlife in the Scottish Highlands next spring, so if you’d like to meet fellow wildlife enthusiasts and see some of our best native wildlife, such as Red Squirrels, Bottlenosed Dolphins and Black Grouse, have a look on page 39. In the meantime, I hope you have some great wildlife encounters of your own this month.

COVER IMAGE: © IMAGEBROKER/ALAMY; ABOVE: © DAVE WATTS/FLPA

Sheena Harvey, Acting Editor

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To contact editorial Archant House, Oriel Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 1BB ; Tel: 01242 211 080 Email: editorial@wildtravelmag.com EDITOR Sheena Harvey EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Debbie Graham DESIGNER Steve Rayner With thanks to Sam Stocks ARCHANT SPECIALIST MANAGING DIRECTOR Peter Timperley; peter.timperley@archant.co.uk For customer services Tel: 01242 216 002; Email: sylvie.wheatley@ archant.co.uk, or estelle.iles@archant.co.uk Printing William Gibbons ISSN 2048-2485

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WILD TRAVEL IS AN OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER OF

Stella Martin Author of the Bradt guide to Australia’s wildlife on that fascinating country.

Mark Hamblin Top wildlife photographer Mark gives tips on getting good images of seals.

On the cover...

Cover image: the Koala, one of Australia’s most-loved mammals.

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Contents Features

27 Home or away?

52 Anatomy of a Red Deer

From the salmon leap in Scotland to penguin watching in the Antarctic, we list some of the best wildlife watching for the month of November

Find out what makes the iconic Red Deer such an impressive animal

32 Trip report: Norfolk Sheena Harvey visits the coast at RSPB Snettisham to see the spectacle of hundreds of waders and winter geese

42 Take me there: Baja California Head to the Mexican peninsula of Baja California for some unforgettable whale watching experiences with both Grey and Blue whales

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54 Ultimate birding holidays We give an expert’s run down of the best birdwatching holidays to be had around the world, and what species you can expect to find in each location

62 Trip report: African Meerkats Ann and Steve Toon visit the world’s best loved mongoose in South Africa’s Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

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AUSTRALIA

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Stella Martin leaves no room for doubt that Australia is a world-class destination for wildlife watching

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From the Northern Territories to Victoria, and Western Australia to Queensland

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You’ll find a very diverse and unique variety of wildlife, including the iconic Koala

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What you need to know to plan your trip, including suggested itineraries and a list of tour operators

Regulars 10 Wild world We review the latest images from the world of wildlife, from Mexico to Madagascar, as well as the latest conservation news and a guide to good wildlife-watching tours

20 Wild UK 10

Inspiration for UK days out, seeing animals from otters to New Forest ponies. Plus the results of the Whaling Commission meeting

97 The knowledge Our experts explain how to create a green roof, rehabilitate circus lions and make fat balls for your garden birds, plus wildlife photographer Mark Hamblin offers his tips on photographing Grey Seals

106 Column: Confessions of a wildlife traveller On a tiny island you can really focus on the native wildlife , says Mike Unwin

Departments 03 Editor’s welcome 20

06 Inbox Our selection of the latest comments, tweets, photos and wildlife stories we’ve received

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Go to: www buyamag co uk/WT Go to www.buyamag.co.uk/WT Discount code: JH84

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V O N

B M E

InBox

Send us your thoughts on the magazine, wildlife travel pictures and recommendations, or stories of your own wildlife encounters. The author of our favourite letter, picture and story will receive a brilliant wildlife book

Winning letter Bear Necessities in Estonia Inspired by your article on bear watching in Finland, last year I set my sights on seeing wild Brown Bears somewhere in Europe. Having found budget flights from Stansted to Tallinn in Estonia, I booked two nights in a hide in Alutaguse, just an hour and a halfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drive from the airport. I was not disappointed, getting good views of Brown Bears before dusk as well as after dark. Regular bickering outside the hide between Red Foxes and Raccoon Dogs was another highlight of the trip. During the day my Estonian guide took me tracking in the forest where she pointed out fresh spoor of a small pack of wolves and a single lynx track. Estonia is definitely a good option for travellers on a budget looking to get close to Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s large and small carnivores. John Boyle, Suffolk, via email

Basking Shark mystery Last month I found what I thought must be two young Basking Sharks washed up on a beach on the Ard Peninsula in County Down, Ireland. First I found the body of one baby shark. Unsure of what species it was, I took pictures so it could

later be identified. The same day I noticed a Grey Seal bull eating something big. Watching through my binoculars I saw him hauling his prey towards the sea. The tide was going out and the seal moved out further, taking his meal a little way into the water. At first I thought it might

be another seal, but as the tide got lower, I noticed the fin and realised it must be another shark. When I got closer to take photos, I saw that it was still alive, but sadly it died soon after. I spoke to the Northern Ireland Marine rangers who were keen to find the remains of the shark, which by then had been washed out by the tide. After a full night at sea, we managed to retrieve the body. The rangers undertook a post-mortem, and found it was a young male Basking Shark that appeared to be undernourished. I contacted Jackie Hall from the Manx Basking Shark Watch, who organised for samples of the shark to be sent to scientists around the world for analysis. Lena McVea, via email For information on what to do if you find a stranded marine animal, visit www.wildlifeextra.com/go/world/ whale-stranding.html

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InBox 1

Your photos This month’s selection of photos from our Flickr site 1 Early in the morning, six Cheetah cubs take a moment to rest in the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. By Andy Howe 2 Bob Brewer captured this dramatic shot of two Hippos on the Shire River in Malawi at sunset 3 This coastal Brown Bear was photographed by Kevin Morgans at Lake Clark National Park in Alaska 4 A Common Merganser on Quidi Vidi Lake in Newfoundland is hounded by a hungry gull after surfacing with a trout. By ‘Tomcod’ 5 Congratulations to Paul Wilde. His characterful shot of an elephant calf frolicking in the mud at Mana Pools National Park in Zimbabwe wins him a three-month subscription to Wild Travel magazine To upload your own image, or view and comment on those already there, visit www.flickr.com/groups/wild_travel

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Winning image

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InBox Your stories

Finding the extremely elusive and secretive Narwhal in the enormity of the Canadian Arctic was not going to be easy. And to get close enough to see the extraordinary tusk that some of them possess was going to be even more difficult. The purpose of the Narwhal’s spiral tusk is still uncertain – in fact little is known generally about these whales. Finding Narwhal was one of the main objectives of our trip to Baffin Island and our expedition leader knew of a couple of isolated fjords where they could be found during the arctic summer. We eventually hit the jackpot but the sighting was initially frustrating. All we could see from our ship – even with a telescope – was some splashing near the shore. So, ‘plan B’ was initiated – landing in small boats some

way off from the Narwhals and then making our way quietly along the shoreline and just waiting. It worked! Quite soon, small groups of Narwhal became visible and then gradually swam closer to us. When their sleek bodies surfaced to breathe, we could see the variations in their colouring. Some had a mottled grey appearance but others – the older ones we were told – were almost white. Initially, there were no signs of tusks. Then suddenly, one or two in a group of males lifted their tusks into the air. A spontaneous cheer went up from our group as camera shutters went into burst mode. In the end, we

From the website Hope for bears Our news story reporting that bear bile products are on the decline in China was greeted with approval Big thanks for your news item. Bear bile farms are the worst cases of large scale animal cruelty I have seen in my 25 years as an animal welfare advocate. And that includes the disgusting Concentrated Animal Feed Operations in the US. Thanks again. Susanne Coyle, via website

Supermarket sweep News that Tesco was considering shooting a Pied Wagtail that had made its home in the supermarket’s Great Yarmouth store was met with outrage It’s a totally disproportionate response to shoot a tiny little bird in a supermarket swarming with humans coughing, sneezing and handling food. The chance of a Pied Wagtail spreading a pathogen which poses any threat to human health is infinitely small. Thanks again to Chris Packham for injecting us with a bit of common sense and compassion. Iain Gibson, via website

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had enjoyed the best sighting of this unicorn of the sea that we could have expected. Later on, two Bowhead Whales showed themselves in the bay and swam parallel with some of the Narwhal. What a fantastic privilege to be able to observe two such rare and fascinating marine mammals at the same time! Charles Kinsey, via email

Trending: The great grouse debate With the RSPB calling for a ban on the practice of grouse shooting, opinions on whether the sport should be continued or abandoned remain divided. What are your thoughts? Let us know and join the debate. www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/great-grouse-debate.html The banning of grouse shooting would result in the overgrazing of the moors and the consequent disappearance of heather. No heather means no grouse which means no raptors. The effects of no moor management can clearly be seen in Wales and many areas of Scotland. I am told that even on RSPB-owned moors, certain predators are ‘discouraged’! R Mather via email

Getting in touch EMAIL: editorial@wildtravelmag.com PHONE: 01242 211 080 FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/wildtravelmag TWITTER: @wild_travel We welcome your letters but reserve the right to edit them. Please include a daytime telephone number and, if emailing, a postal address (this will not be published)

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Unicorn of the sea

Zambia

Liuwa’s pride There was sad news for Liuwa Plain National Park in Zambia recently when the park’s only male lion (pictured here) was found dead. The death came at a particularly unfortunate time, as the pride has three young cubs that have not yet reached maturity. “We will have to wait for about a year before introducing new male lions to the park,” explains Liuwa Park manager Rob Reid. “Lions typically kill cubs that they have not sired in order to stimulate the female coming into oestrous.” The cause of the lion’s death is not yet known, but is suspected to be due to a snake bite, deliberate or accidental poisoning, or disease.

Wildworld Latest visions from the world of wildlife

Madagascar

Perfect capture

This perfectly timed photograph showing the precise moment a Panther Chameleon captured its prey is the winning image of the ZSL Animal Photography Prize 2014. The shot was the result of lots of patience, with photographer Simone Sbaraglia spending several days waiting to achieve the picture he was looking for. “I spent a significant amount of time trying to learn the animal’s behaviour to try and anticipate this moment,” he explains. “I hope that when people see it they are amazed by this animal, connect with nature and learn to love and respect it.”

Australia

Deadly secret

The vibrant and variable colours of Australia’s Crimson Rosella parrot are not quite what they seem. The diversity of the bird’s colours have long intrigued scientists, and now it has been found that the unlikely culprit helping to maintain this variability is Beak and Feather Disease Virus. Although attractive in the Crimson Rosella, this virus can be deadly to other parrots. This strange side effect in the Crimson Rosella is good news for all parrots, though, as researchers are now able to better study the disease, helping them to minimise the virus’s impact on other parrot populations.

Wildworld

Asia

Blushing bride Humans aren’t the only mammals to find a blushing complexion attractive! A new study has found that Rhesus Macaques with darker red faces and hind-quarters are more successful at breeding, meaning that the monkeys are actively selecting their partners for the physical trait of having much redder skin.

Mexico

Some 103-acres of lush cloud forest in the Sierra Gorda, Mexico, will now be under the protection of the World Land Trust (WLT) and its partner Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda, thanks to WLT’s Buy an Acre fund. The tract of forest is home to a diverse range of wildlife, from tiny tree frogs, to the endangered big cats including jaguars and pumas.

Cloud nine

Shorts

Our roundup of the latest news, discoveries and tours that the wildlife world is talking about. For more, visit our website at www.wildlifeextra.com

New species

Worldwide

Going down World wildlife populations have fallen by half The World Wildlife Fund and the Zoological Society of London have published a new report that reveals species of wildlife around the world have declined by 52 per cent since 1970. The Living Planet Report set out to assess the state of the world’s biodiversity, and concluded that unsustainable human consumption – including overfishing, habitat destruction, and pollution – is responsible for the continuing decline of the world’s wildlife species. Species in freshwater ecosystems showed the sharpest decline, dropping by 76 per cent since 1970, while numbers of land animals and marine animal populations had both fallen by 39 per cent in the

NEW TAPACULO same time. David Nussbaum, Chief Executive of WWF-UK, has called the findings that have been revealed in the report as a ‘wakeup call’. He says: “We all – politicians, businesses and people – have an interest, and a responsibility, to act to ensure we protect what we all value: a healthy future for both people and nature.”

1,945 By numbers

North America

Highs and lows Researchers have found that the population of California Blue Whales off the west coast of the US is 97 per cent as large as it was in 1905, years before whaling peaked in the 1930s. There are currently around 2,200 California Blue Whales; a figure that has remained the same since the 1990s. “Before this study some people thought that number should be going up,” explains Cole Monnahan, a doctoral student in ecology and resource management at the University of Washington, “but if there were about 2,200

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Bear-free bile shops and pharmacies in China

A newly identified species of Brazilian bird has already been reported as being endangered. The Bahian Mouse-coloured Tapaculo (Scytalopus gonzgai) was initially thought to be a common species found in south and southeast Brazil. However two expeditions in 2004 and 2006 made it possible for ornithologists, led by Dr Marcos Bornschein, to investigate further in the region of Bahia, where they discovered that the bird was indeed a new species. It is estimated that the population of Bahian Mousecoloured Tapaculo – which measures just 12cm and weighs around 15g – stands at around 2,883 birds, making them endangered under IUCN criteria.

SOURCE: ANIMALS ASIA

whales to begin with, then that is what the environment can support.” However others theorise that data in the study is based on underestimate numbers of the initial whale population, throwing this conclusion into question. Meanwhile over on North America’s east coast, Quebec’s Beluga Whale population is

not faring well following a difficult calving season with an unusually high number of Beluga calf deaths. Richard Michaud, Scientific Director of Quebec’s Marine Mammals Research and Education Group, has described the slow and gradual decline of the Beluga population in this region as ‘catastrophic’.

Wildlife weekends

Britain’s finest mammal watching

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amidst rugged scenery with craggy hillsides, rocky coastlines, sandy beaches and autumn’s burnt tones. Such wildlife-watching paradise does not come easy so plan for long weekend. The drive from Glasgow alone is four hours. Once on Ardnamurchan, some mammals (deer and seals) give themselves up easily but others take time, sharp eyes and luck. But the end more than justifies the effort. At the eastern base of Ardnamurchan, the A861 sinews beside Loch Sunart. Between Strontian and Salen, pause several times to scan. You should find Harbour and Grey seals bobbing in the water or lounging on the shoreline. The strand also holds the invasive American Mink (unfortunately), Water Shrew (reportedly, east of Salen) and Otter. For the latter, two sites stand out: Garbh Eilean Hide at Ard Airigh and the stretch of water leading 500m west from Resipole Farm. Resipole is also the first of several sites for Pine Marten, which is

attracted to food put out after dark by watchers. (A feast of jam sandwiches, cut into small squares, is optimum!) In Salen, decant onto B8007 to continue westwards. Checking Loch Sunart should reveal Harbour Porpoise plus further seals. The road traverses Glenborrodale, another Pine Marten site; it formerly bred in the hotel roof. Immediately west, halt at RSPB Glenborrodale. Scan for marine mammals from the car park then wander the umber oakclad hillside. There’s a chance of Red Squirrel, and you should see various fungi. Heading 3km west, call at Glenmore’s natural history centre, Nàdurra. This is a good place to exchange information on sightings over a cuppa – and to see mammals! Scan slopes northwards for Red Deer, and southwards for both Red and Roe deer on the islet of Eilean Mòr. Pine Marten occurs nearby and Brown Long-eared Bat inhabits the centre itself. Even better, the bay 300m west, Port na

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n the youthful darkness, you drive remote roads deep in the Scottish Highlands. Slowly, eyes fixed on the carriageway ahead. Your companion swings a spotlight along scree slopes and vegetated hillsides flanking the tarmac. All is quiet. Then... there! In midcarriageway, a cat! A stocky feline with flared jowls directs a disdainful look in your direction, then saunters on into the roadside and the night beyond. The thick furred, banded and black-tipped tail provides your parting glimpse of a near-mythical and increasingly rare beast. The Scottish Wildcat! An isolated protrusion on Scotland’s west coast that peers southwards towards Mull, Ardnamurchan Peninsula is the best area to see Scottish Wildcat. Indeed, Ardnamurchan arguably offers Britain’s finest mammal watching. Your target list comprises Pine Marten, Otter, Harbour Porpoise, two seals and three deer. All

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A winter visit to Argyll & Bute in Scotland’s mid-west is a chance to see Wildcat, Pine Marten, Otter, Harbour Seal and White-tailed Eagle, writes James Lowen

WildUK

PRACTICALITIES Clockwise from left: Otters can be seen along Scotland’s Ardnamurchan Peninsula, particularly at Port na Croisg; visit Loch Mudle in late afternoon for the chance to see an elusive Barn Owl; the Ardnamurchan Peninsula is the best place to see the Scottish Wildcat; glimpse a Pine Marten at Loch Mudle or Glenborrodale

Croisg, is a well-known haunt of Otter and seals. A falling tide is best for twisting and diving otters, especially at each end of the day. What a fabulous place to while away an hour or two! Continue 2km further west and stop at Cladh Chiarain car park. Look into Camas nan Geall bay for possible Harbour Porpoise, Eider and Red-throated Diver. And look up for Golden and White-tailed Eagles. The latter deserves its reputation as a ‘flying barn door’, while the former is no small fry, either. From Clad Chiarain, the B8007 swings inland. After 5.5km a conifer plantation nuzzles the road, with Loch Mudle lying to your right. Late in the afternoon, you might be fortunate enough to bump into Pine Marten running with rocking-horse gait amidst prostrate pines, a Hedgehog or Barn Owl. You should see the odd Roe Deer, nervously huddling the wooded fringes, and the recently introduced Fallow Deer. On the moorland northwest, Red Deer can be common: as the light dwindles, you should see several herds. For more, continue to the T-junction, then head north on the minor road through

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Branault and Kilmory to Ockle. Perhaps pop down to the coast just northwest of Kilmory, which can be good for Otter. Once darkness falls (blessedly early in autumn), shift up a gear. Wildcat prospects are highest in the first hours of night, as famished felines hunt voles, but you still need great fortune. Prime terrain is the B8007 from the Kilchoan–Kilmory junction south to Port na Croisg; drive this stretch slowly and repeatedly. The ultimate areas are Doire Darach where the road forges between conifers and Loch Mudle, and the 3km sweep north of Cladh Chiarain (particularly the basin of rush fields northwest of Allt Tòrr na Mòine River and scree slopes 500m further on). In addition to the car’s beam, train a spotlight perpendicular to the car. Your search image is the ‘twin headlights’ that denote a predator’s forward-facing eyes. To be sure the cat is genetically pure (and only 1 per cent of Scotland’s ‘wildcats’ are thought untainted by tabby), clock the clublike, ringed tail and striped legs, and confirm the absence of telltale hybrid characteristics of white patches or spots. Result!

WHERE TO GO: Ardnamurchan Peninsula (www.ardnamurchan.com) is west of Fort William. From the A82, take the Corran Ferry to the A861. Follow this west through Glen Tarbet then along Loch Sunart. For the hide at Garbh Eilean (http://tinyurl.com/ garbheilean), use Ard Airigh car park. Resipole Farm is 3km before Salen, on the B8007. Where the road flanks Loch Sunart, good locations comprise: RSPB Glenborrodale (www.rspb.org.uk/ glenborrodale); Nàdurra Natural History Centre (www.nadurracentre. co.uk); Port na Croisg and Cala Darach; and Cladh Chiarain car park above Camas nan Geall. The B8007 between Cladh Chiarain and Loch Mudle is best for wildcat, particularly the scree slopes, the ‘basin’ rush fields north of Allt Tòrr na Mòine River, and Doire Darach. Find good information on wildcats at www. scottishwildcats.co.uk. SUGGESTED BASES: Villages include Salen, Kilchoan and Glenborrodale (www.ardnamurchan.com). There is additional accommodation around the peninsula. With a view over Loch Shiel, Ardshealach Lodge (www.ardshealachlodge.co.uk) offers four traditionally styled rooms and restaurant. FLEXIBILITY: Wildcat and Pine Marten are resident; in autumn, populations of predator and prey should be at their peak, and night draws in early making it easier to see these nocturnal mammals. Don’t search during rain, but the first dry night thereafter is optimum. White-tailed Eagle is resident. RECOMMENDED READING: Purchase James Lowen’s 52 Wildlife Weekends at the special price of £7.79 (inc free UK p&p) by visiting www. bradtguides.com and using the discount code WT52. Offer expires 19/02/15

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WildUK Spotter’s guide

Wintering Geese

©WILDFOWL AND WETLANDS TRUST

In winter months, five species of geese come from colder climes to join our two resident species in the UK. Kane Brides of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust tells how to recognise and where to find them

Brent Goose Branta bernicla The three varieties of this small, darkcoloured goose are Dark-bellied, Pale-bellied, and Black. From October to March, the Dark-bellied birds can be found in the Wash, the north Norfolk coastal marshes, the Essex estuaries, the Thames Estuary, and Chichester and Langstone Harbours. The Pale-bellied variety can be found at Stangford Lough and Lough Foyle in Northern Ireland, and Lindisfarne, Northumberland. Flying from: Canada and Svalbard

Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus Numbers of this medium-sized goose are increasing in Norfolk, and they can be also be seen between October and late April on large estuaries on the east Scottish coast, the Wash, the Ribble, and the Solway, and surrounding farmland. Anything up to 36,000 can be seen at WWT Martin Mere in Lancashire. They feed in groups on grain, winter cereals, potatoes, and grass. Their evening flights to roost are spectacular, forming long lines and ‘V’ shapes. Flying from: Iceland and Greenland

White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons There are two varieties of this medium-sized goose; those that breed in Siberia have pink bills, while birds from Greenland have orange bills. Between October and March, they can be seen in southern England, particularly on the Severn estuary in Gloucester and the Swale estuary in Kent for Siberian birds, and in Ireland and West Scotland for Greenland birds. They fly in ‘V’ formations, or irregular packs with head and neck outstretched. Flying from: Greenland and Siberia

Bean Goose Anser fabalis The Bean Goose visits the UK in small numbers in winter. Most come from Scandinavia where they have been in decline for the past 20 years. The best places to see them in the UK are in the Yare Valley, Norfolk, including RSPB’s Mid-Yare nature reserves, and near Falkirk in southern Scotland where they join flocks of White-fronted Geese between late September and March. Flying from: North Scandinavia, north Russia, and north Asia

Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis These sociable birds fly in irregular flocks, are shy and unapproachable, and so are best viewed from hides. Their greatest numbers can be seen on the Solway Firth at WWT Caerlaverock and on the island of Islay between September and April. There are few other species of bird as numerous as the Barnacle Goose that are restricted to such localised, traditional wintering sites. Flying from: Greenland and the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard

Canada and Greylag Geese Year-round residents of the UK Canada Geese (top) are often seen around lakes, and they also frequent town parks. Greylags are found in lowland areas of UK, and are seen in suburban parks with lakes, and on low-lying grassy fields in river valleys. Both birds are common and tend to be noisy! Also seen: Canada Geese are found across Europe, and in their native North America, and Mexico. Greylags are found across Asia and Europe (except southern Europe), and North America.

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Left: New Forest Ponies Above: this amanita muscaria is one of around 2,700 species of fungus in the forest Below: the Firecrest is easiest to spot in autumn and winter

Tour of Britain

New Forest National Park The New Forest National Park’s rich variety of landscapes – woodland, heathland, mires, and coastal land – are home to a diverse range of wildlife The New Forest National Park covers 219 square miles and is one of the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland, mires and forest in the south east. There are plenty of walking paths and activities for both adults and children, such as horse riding and deer watching.

History The New Forest has a rich history dating back to 1070 when William the Conqueror created a royal forest for hunting. These days around 90 per cent of the forest is still owned by the Crown, although the land has been managed by the Forestry Commission since 1923. Common rights were confirmed in 1698, allowing the area’s inhabitants to graze horses, donkeys and cattle within the forest. Today not much has changed in this respect; you can still find farmed animals roaming freely throughout the woodland, including the famous New Forest Pony. In autumn pannage is carried out. This is the release of domestic pigs to forage acorns, beechnuts and chestnuts. This is important for the ecology of the Forest as acorns are poisonous to cattle and ponies.

Wildlife The New Forest is well known for its deer, of which there are five different species: Fallow, Roe, Red, Sika, and Muntjac. The deer are shy and might be difficult to spot, but you can try your luck at

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Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary, where a purpose-built viewing platform allows you to observe a herd of Fallow Deer which gather regularly. The forest is also home to Britain’s only poisonous snake, the Adder, as well as Grass and Smooth snakes. The UK’s rarest reptile, the Sand Lizard, can be found in the sandy open heathlands. If you miss them in the wild, you can see these creatures at New Forest Reptile Centre in Lyndhurst. Thanks to the varied landscapes there is also a diverse range of birdlife in the Forest, including waders such as Lapwings, Redshanks, Snipe and Curlew, which make their home in the valley mires. Birds of prey include Sparrow Hawk, Kestrel, Common Buzzard, Hobby, Goshawk, the rare Honey Buzzard, and Tawny Owl.

Seasonal Highlights Visiting the forest in autumn, you’ll be treated to a dramatic display of colour to rival even those of the famous Canadian and New England shows in Fall. Fungi walks also take place at this time of year. By November the Roe Deer rut may be over, but it will be possible to see other deer species still in rut. If you have a keen eye, you might also see Europe’s smallest bird, the rare Firecrest, with its bright orange and black stripe down its head, darting between the russet-coloured trees and bushes. This time of year is possibly the easiest to see it, as the falling leaves take away a lot of the bird’s cover.

NEED TO KNOW LOCATION: The park is east of Southampton on the south coast. Brockenhurst train station has good connections to and from major destinations. The area is serviced by National Express and a public bus network. If driving, access is via M27, A31, and A338. VISITOR CENTRE: The New Forest Centre in Lyndhurst comprises a gift shop, museum, gallery, library, and toilets. The Visitor Information Centre is also located there. OPENING TIMES AND PRICES: The Visitor Information Centre: Open all year, Monday to Sunday, 10:00-17:00, free. Guided walks with picnics: Adult £16, child £8. The New Forest Centre: Open all week, 10:00-17:00. New Forest museum and library: Standard ticket £4, concessions £3, under-16s free. CONTACT DETAILS: New Forest Centre, Tel: 023 8028 3444; www.thenewforest.co.uk Visitor Information Centre, Tel: 023 8028 2269; www.newforestcentre.org.uk wildlifeextra.com

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Positive steps IFAW president and www.wildlifeextra.com columnist Azzadine Downes reports his views on the outcome of the recent International Whaling Commission meeting

fter many years of campaigning, I am very pleased to be able to say that the tide is finally turning against Japan’s high seas whaling around Antarctica. This follows some positive outcomes in recent months, not least at last month’s 65th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). Year after year at the IWC, despite significant conservation wins on the floor, we have been losing the body count of whales killed by the government of Japan in the name of science in the waters of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, a massive marine protected area established by the IWC in 1994. As IFAW’s whales team prepared for this year’s meeting, held in Portoroz, Slovenia, we hoped to continue the momentum of a strong majority judgment by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in late March, which ruled Japan’s annual Southern Ocean slaughter conducted in the name of ‘science’ illegal. Japan’s legal team at the ICJ and top officials in Tokyo had immediately announced Japan would comply with the court’s judgment and cancel its Antarctic hunt this year. But we were also very aware that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan had subsequently announced that his government would continue Antarctic whaling despite the judgment in a misguided effort to resuscitate its outdated whaling industry. We were encouraged in July when the government of New Zealand, which had supported Australia’s ICJ petition, signalled its intention to present a resolution at the IWC meeting to ensure the IWC took the provisions of the unprecedented ICJ judgment on board in its procedures and regulations. My organisation, The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) strongly supported this resolution and was determined not to see it watered down. There were 11th hour attempts by Japan to do just that, but, with significant pressure

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from all sides, the New Zealand IWC Commissioner saw through a strong and solid majority resolution on the final day of the meeting – a big win for whales and all of us around the world who care about them. The successful resolution calls on Japan to seek the approval of the Scientific Committee and the full Commission itself rather than unilaterally embarking on a new research whaling programme in the Southern Ocean. This was not the only good news for whales at the IWC meeting. The forum adopted Monaco’s proposal to increase interaction and information sharing with other international entities and the UN regarding conservation of highly migratory cetacean species. The Conservation Committee of the IWC set a bold course for continuing work on the threat of ship strikes on whales, entanglement and ocean noise. New funding from governments and NGOs, including IFAW, was announced to help advance critical conservation work and the protection of small whales and dolphins. In addition, a new memorandum of cooperation was signed by the governments of Russia, Japan and the US to enhance efforts to protect threatened Western Gray Whales in the Far East. In the two weeks following the meeting, two of Japan’s leading daily papers, Asahi Shimbun and Mayanichi Daily News, have published editorials calling on Japan to end its two decades of taxpayersubsidised whaling in the Southern Ocean. Both cited the ICJ judgment and New Zealand’s IWC resolution as signals that continuing such whaling is no longer in Japan’s interest. Most importantly for us this year, for the first time in more than a century no whales will be chased and cruelly killed in the Southern Ocean. To find out more about the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s work to protect whales and other animals around the world, and how you can help, visit www.ifaw.org

ZSL ANIMAL PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION The 2015 Zoological Society of London’s photography competition, with a top prize of £10,000, is now open for entries. There are six categories and the best images received will form the basis of a stunning exhibition at the zoo in 2015. www.zsl.org/photo-prize

THE WILD UNCOVERED 11-15 November The Old Truman Brewery, London An exhibition showcasing work by three wildlife artists; Simon Max Bannister (sculpture), David Filer (graphite) and Emily Lamb (oil/acrylics on canvas) in aid of David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation. www.davidshepherd.org

NORTH WEST BIRD WATCHING FESTIVAL 22-23 November Martin Mere Wetland Centre, Lancashire Mike Dilger, Mark Avery and David Lindo (above) are just some of the well-known speakers at this festival. Other highlights include reefbed walks, workshops, boat tours, and stands. www.wwt.org.uk/ wetland-centres/martin-mere k NOVEMBER 2014 25

DAY TRIP I DEVON

LONG WEEKEND I SELKIRK

OR HOME AWAY? We round up the best wildlife watching experiences around the world in November, with ideas for days out, weekends away, and short and long haul breaks WORDS BY WILLIAM GRAY

MINI BREAK I CANARY ISLANDS

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LONG HAUL I ANTARCTICA

NOVEMBER 2014 27

DID YOU KNOW?

The Avocet is said to get its name from its black and white colouring resembling the robes of old time advocates or lawyers

A winter wader wonderland Exe Estuary, Devon Graceful and leggy, stylish in black and white plumage, and a touch aloof with slender upturned bills, Avocets are the supermodels of the wader world. Following their comeback in the 1940s, these exquisite birds are one of the UK’s biggest conservation success stories with over 1,500 pairs regularly breeding along the east coast of England. Migrants swell this population to around 7,500 birds during the winter when Avocets congregate on estuaries in the southwest. The Exe Estuary is one of the best places to see them. The RSPB – the logo for which has long been adorned by an Avocet – has nature reserves on both sides of the estuary. Just five miles from Exeter city centre, Exminster and Powderham Marshes protect a large swathe of grazing marsh, while Bowling Green Marsh near Topsham also provides safe roosting for thousands of overwintering waders and waterfowl as the rising tide nudges them off the mudflats. Hides provide excellent views of several species of ducks (including Wigeon, Pintail, Teal and Shoveler), as well as hundreds of Black-tailed Godwits, Lapwings, Golden Plovers and Curlews. For your best chance of spotting Avocets, however, join one of the RSPB’s special cruises, beginning this month. It’s not unusual for these boat trips to encounter flocks of up to 500 of the birds, sweeping their bills across the estuary muds in search of food. An onboard expert will point out other highlights, such as Brent Geese and Red-breasted Mergansers, which travel to the Exe Estuary from as far afield as Siberia and Greenland. Grey Seals may also be seen. RSPB Avocet cruises – which include dawn departures – leave from Trout’s Boatyard in Topsham. Stuart Line Cruises (www.stuartlinecruises.co.uk) also offer winter bird watching cruises on the Exe. 28 NOVEMBER 2014

Clockwise from left: two avocets fighting; Shorebirds feeding in the River Exe estuary; Passengers boarding the Topsham ferry on the River Exe

AT A GLANCE COST RATING: WHEN TO GO: Avocet cruises take place between November and early March

OTHER WILDLIFE: Black-tailed Godwit, Brent Goose and Red-breasted Merganser

BOOK NOW: RSPB (www.rspb. org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/ seenature/events/details. aspx?id=tcm:9-380507) wildlifeextra.com

DAY TRIP I UK

HOMEORAWAY? LONG WEEKEND I UK

The drama of the salmon leap Ettrick Weir, Selkirkshire, Scotland Following autumn rains, rivers swell and the salmon migration gets underway, the fish swimming and leaping upriver to reach spawning beds in the Highlands. It’s one of the most fascinating and dramatic events in the UK’s nature calendar – and November is a prime month to catch the action. One of the best spots is the Salmon Viewing Centre on the Philiphaugh Estate, near Selkirk. As well as watching fish leap the weir on Ettrick Water, live video links from underwater cameras provide a glimpse of the epic struggle taking place below the surface. Salmon have been known to leap 3.5m (12ft) in their determination to scale waterfalls to return to native streams to spawn. The fish enter rivers after spending between one and four years in the Atlantic, ranging across vast swathes of ocean. Most travel to rich feeding grounds off southwest Greenland or around the Faroe Islands, gorging on herring, sand eels and krill. The salmon grow rapidly before hormones trigger the homeward migration. As well as Ettrick Weir, other good locations to witness the salmon migration in Scotland include the Falls of Feugh, Kincardineshire, where a viewing platform and footbridge provide a good vantage of the foaming torrents. The Falls of Shin in Sutherland also has viewpoints over spectacular waterfalls, while Pitlochry Dam in Perthshire has a 300m (984m) long salmon ladder, which allows thousands of fish to migrate upstream to Loch Faskally every year. Buchanty Spout on the River Almond, Cargill’s Leap on the River Ericht and The Hermitage at the Falls of Braan are also good salmon leaping spots in Perthshire. With luck you may be able to distinguish the blue-black females, swollen with eggs, from the more coppery coloured males. Fish are generally more active in the early morning and evening.

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Below, left: wild Atlantic Salmon leaping upstream at Ettrick Water Below, top: falls on the River Braan near Dunkeld; Bottom: walkers look over the Hermitage Falls

AT A GLANCE COST RATING: WHEN TO GO: OctoberNovember

OTHER WILDLIFE: Near woodland rivers keep an eye out for Red Squirrel, Otter and Pine Marten BOOK NOW: Salmon Viewing Centre (www.salmon viewingcentre.com)

NOVEMBER 2014 29

MINI BREAK I CANARY ISLANDS

Underneath the volcano Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gomera and Gran Canaria

AT A GLANCE COST RATING: WHEN TO GO: Year round; Bryde’s Whales visit waters off La Palma in summer

OTHER WILDLIFE: Red-billed Chough and Barbary Falcon on La Palma, Eleonora’s Falcon in the Chinijo Archipelago north of Lanzarote BOOK NOW: Naturetrek (www.naturetrek.co.uk/ wildlife_holidays_in_canary_ islands.aspx)

November is the perfect month to take a winter-sun break in the Canary Islands, exploring beyond the tourist resorts as you track down some of the archipelago’s 600-plus endemic plant species and five endemic birds, as well as enjoying a spot of whale watching. Mount Teide National Park on Tenerife is a good place to start. The Canary pine forest on the lower slopes of the 3,718m (12,000ft) volcano is the only place in the world where you’ll find the Blue Chaffinch and Tenerife Kinglet. Endemic subspecies of Blue Tit, Buzzard, Chiffchaff, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Kestrel and Rock Dove are also found here, while unique plants clinging to the volcanic bedlam of ash- and pumice-strewn slopes include the Teide Violet, Broom and Bugloss. The higher zones of Teide are also the haunt of Macaronesian endemics such as Berthelot’s Pipit and the Atlantic Canary. Clinging to the concertina folds of the Anaga Massif in the east of Tenerife, laurisilva forest forms a tangled mesh of laurel and myrtle home to the endemic Bolle’s and Laurel Pigeons. Take a ferry to Gomera and you may spot them flying over the canopy of the ancient laurel forest in Garajonay National Park. The ferry crossing, meanwhile, is a good opportunity for sightings of seabirds such as Cory’s and Little Shearwaters, as well as Shortfinned Pilot Whales and Bottlenose Dolphins. Fuerteventura has arid species more typical of North Africa, including Barbary Partridge, Black-bellied Sandgrouse and Egyptian Vulture, along with the Fuerteventura Chat and the increasingly endangered Houbara Bustard. Although Gran Canaria is bereft of endemic birds, it is the only place in the world to see the Gran Canaria Lizard.

Below, top: the rock formation of Roque Bentayga Bottom left: Gran Canaria Giant Lizard Bottom right: Houbara Bustard

30 NOVEMBER 2014

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HOMEORAWAY?

LONG HAUL I ANTARCTICA

Land of the summer penguins Antarctic Peninsula and Sub-Antarctic Islands Only possible during the austral summer months, between November and March, a voyage to the Great White Continent in search of penguins, whales, albatrosses and seals is one of the world’s most exciting wildlife journeys. It’s only in summer when Antarctica lifts her snowy skirts to reveal a few rocky shores and headlands that many species are able to claim their breeding grounds. Sub-Antarctic islands also attract vast numbers of seabirds and seals at this time of year – no surprise then that many voyages combine these remote outposts with the Antarctic mainland. Sailing from Ushuaia, near the southernmost tip of South America, a three-week ‘dream trip’ to Antarctica might include the following highlights. Heading east to the Falklands, West Point Island has a spectacular clifftop rookery of 14,500 pairs of Black-browed Albatrosses, while Sea Lion Island is like a sub-Antarctic Galapagos with everything from Gentoo Penguins and Elephant Seals to Orcas and Magellanic Snipe. After a couple of days at sea, the jagged silhouette of South Georgia appears on the horizon. No fewer than 60 million birds are thought to breed here each year, including 400,000 pairs of King Penguins. Going ashore at St Andrew’s Bay and Salisbury Plain you can experience, up-close and personal, the sights, sounds and smells of these giant rookeries. Sailing on towards Antarctica itself, a stop in the glacier-covered South Shetland Islands promises encounters with large colonies of Chinstrap, Gentoo and Adelie Penguins. Navigating Bransfield Strait, you reach the magnificent polar wilderness of the Antarctic Peninsula, ice-clad peaks rearing above channels scattered with colossal blue-tinted icebergs. Humpback and Minke whales, Crabeater and Leopard seals, penguins and petrels… the full cast of Antarctic wildlife can be seen here – whether you’re scanning ice floes from the deck of your expedition ship or kayaking among icebergs in a sheltered bay. wildlifeextra.com

Clockwise from left: King Penguin colony, South Georgia Island; Chinstrap Penguin, Bailey Head, Deception Island; Humpback Whale pair feeding

AT A GLANCE COST RATING: WHEN TO GO: November to early March

OTHER WILDLIFE: Snow Hill Island for Antarctica’s northernmost Emperor Penguin colony; sub-Antarctic islands of New Zealand for Snares Island Penguin, Royal Penguin, Hooker’s Sea Lion and Southern Royal Albatross BOOK NOW: Discover the World (www.discover-the-world.co.uk/ destinations/antarctica-holidays) NOVEMBER 2014 31

Here: a Eurasian Oystercatcher stands amidst a flock of Knots Right: a Knot flock in flight 32 NOVEMBER at Snettisham, Norfolk 2014

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Trip Report

NORTH NORFOLK COAST

Winter in Norfolk is a time for coastal walks to see some of the best that Britain can offer in wildlife spectacles

awn THE

usk TO

WATCH WORDS BY SHEENA HARVEY

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t’s still dark and we’re making our way between two long lines of idiosyncratic wooden holiday homes, decorated with driftwood, wind chimes and seashells. Given the time of year these are mostly empty, which is fortunate for the owners as there’s a fairly contrast stream of people passing by their front doors carrying binoculars and spotting scopes. It is dawn on a November morning on the coast of north Norfolk, when an unusually high tide is due. Those of us in the know, and in the area, are on our way to the edge of the Wash at Snettisham RSPB Reserve to witness one of the UK’s most impressive wildlife spectacles… Hopefully to witness it, that is, because as we all know there’s nothing certain in wildlife watching. As the sky begins to lighten ever so slightly we reach the edge of this large square bite taken out of east England, and look out over a truly vast expanse of saturated mud, stretching into the visible distance and riven with deep

NOVEMBER 2014 33

Between the ocean and where we stand we can see hundreds of birds, all probing the mud for tasty treats

channels. At 32 times magnification through my binoculars, the tiny pale dots that blanket the mud are revealed as distant flocks of wading birds pottering around at the fringe of incoming waves. Between the ocean and where we stand we can see hundreds of birds – among them striking black and white Oystercatchers, leggy Redshanks and Godwits, large and dumpy Curlews, even bigger brown, black and white Shelducks, tiny Sanderlings and the odd Little Egret – all probing the mud for tasty treats; each bird a specialist at foraging at different depths in the tidal mud.

THERE’S AN AIR OF EXPECTATION rippling through the groups of watchers strung out along the track between the shore and the dunes, some with binoculars and spotting scopes trained on the fast-disappearing mudflats, others just watching the skies. The returning sea flows inexorably towards the shore. Water invades the channels in the mud and deepens over the flats so the Shelducks begin to float. The furthest wading birds – Knots, Dunlin and Golden Plovers – and vast numbers

34 NOVEMBER 2014

of wandering Pink-footed Geese begin to lift and form into flocks. The smaller birds skim the sea margins, looking for drier areas to settle, the larger take to the air proper, massing above the horizon, dark clouds against the pale pink dawn. Eventually, there’s an acknowledgment that the feeding opportunities for lugworms and cockles are over for a few hours and squadrons of geese and waders head towards the land and our position. Closer and lower they come until the air above our heads is full of wheeling birds. They pass overhead in wave after wave; flocks hundreds strong. The geese form into classic V shapes heading inland with purpose. The waders make untidier groupings, seemingly less single-minded, swirling this way and that, each individual bird keeping an eye on its neighbours for the slightest twitch that indicates that the whole flock is suddenly changing direction. The mudflats empty and the sea takes over for a spell, and we continue along the coast track and turn off onto a

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Trip Report

NORTH NORFOLK COAST

Below left: a Dunlin wading at dawn Left: Eurasian Oystercatchers feeding on the mudflats at Snettisham RSPB Reserve, Norfolk Above: birdwatchers at the reserve watching a wader flock in flight over the mudflats Right: photographing waders from a bird hide by the gravel pits

boardwalk that skirts some abandoned and flooded gravel pits behind the dunes. Here, there are hides set up along the rim offering shelter from the early winter weather and the chance of closer views of some of the beach birds, plus Lapwings, gulls and some freshwater ducks. With my naked eye, as I settle onto a hide bench, I can see a single-line crescent of black and white Oystercatchers ranged along the sloping side of the grey gravel pit opposite, above the waterline. The only other thing visible on the gravel is an upturned rowing boat. Curious as to why the Oystercatchers are so uniform in their distribution, I focus my binoculars. The amazing sight of thousand upon thousand, closely packed Knots come into view, ringed by the larger Oystercatchers. It looks like a huge crowd of demonstrators being corralled by a cordon of police. The birds will spend the next few hours at this roost, jostling for space until they settle into waiting for the tide to recede and the feeding to begin again. We make our way back for breakfast at our hotel, Congham Hall, before a short trip down the Lynn Road to explore the historic parts of King’s Lynn. The town has close connections to the Hanseatic League of merchants who traded wool, timber, metals and grain across Europe from the 13th century. Situated at the mouth of the River Great Ouse, the town was

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an important gateway to East Anglia and the East Midlands and is full of fascinating medieval buildings. It’s while I’m strolling along the newly regenerated docks that I spot a pointed nose in the water by one of the mooring pontoons. It’s a Grey Seal playing around the wooden piles – a truly wild creature in the heart of a built-up area. Our guide says that seals often make their way up river from their colonies along the Norfolk coast and some have been seen as far as 50 miles upriver, following the fish. Thanks to efforts to control pollution in the Ouse, these renewed fish sources have also attracted Otters back to the area.

SEALS WERE THE GOAL FOR OUR NEXT DAY’S OUTING, to Blakeney Point, between Wells-Next-the-Sea and Sheringham on the north Norfolk coast. The sea wends its way round sandbanks here and provides shelter and pupping grounds for both Common and Grey seals. Each species has its own time of year to bear young and November is the turn of the larger Greys, distinguished by their Roman noses and parallel nostrils. Round-faced Commons with their V-shaped nostrils are also present, all of them lolling on the beaches and bars of sand and shingle left by the retreating tide. There are not too many young pups on view for our visit,

NOVEMBER 2014 35

Trip Report

NORTH NORFOLK COAST

Geese galore These winter visitors keep to a strict regime and rigid timetable

but there are lots of curious seals bobbing up near our little boat for a look-see. Among them are a number of youngsters, weaned after three weeks and just learning about their watery world. They are possibly the most inquisitive of all, keen to understand this strange object that looks like a large white seal but has rows of multi-coloured heads that emit excited ooohs and aaahs the nearer they get. Sharing the beach is the Old Lifeboat House which the National Trust wardens who look after the Blakeney Point Reserve use as a base and Visitor Information point. There are also hides for views of the winter ducks, geese and waders. Many of the seal trip boats that depart from Morston or Blakeney Quays will drop you a short walk from there, for a half hour to an hour’s stay. A brisk walk to the Lifeboat House helped us to warm up and we followed the boardwalk from the house to the beach. In summer much of this shingle spit is closed to walkers because the Common, Sandwich and, sometimes, Arctic terns lay their eggs in shallow depressions in the stones. The warden who accompanied us said that the eggs, and later the chicks, are so well colour-camouflaged there’s a danger they will be trodden on, no matter how carefully you scrutinise where you’re putting your feet. So the only safe option is to rope off the area.

IN WINTER, HOWEVER, YOU ARE FREE TO ROAM AND you can walk almost all the way to the Point itself and watch the seals from the land – handy if you don’t travel well in small boats, although the seas are generally very calm when they run the trips. Heading west again, along the coast road, we made our final stop of the trip at Holkham National Nature Reserve as the sun was going down. We parked in Lady Anne’s Drive, opposite the Victoria Hotel and the main entrance to the Holkham Estate. Instead of following the dog walkers through the pine woods to the vast expanse of sand that is Holkham Beach, we

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Some 30,000 Pink-footed, White-fronted and Brent geese have been counted roosting on the water meadows of the Holkham National Nature Reserve, over a third of the 80,000 that arrive on the Norfolk coastline in the winter. All are relatively small animals, shorter by at least 12in from our resident Canada geese. Pink-foots come from their breeding grounds in Scandinavia to over-winter in the relatively balmy climate of the UK. They arrive in October and stay until April. White-fronts arrive from Siberia in far fewer numbers – 2,500 in total, spread around east and south-east Britain. They leave slightly earlier, in March. Brents are the smallest, being only the size of a Mallard duck. They are pretty, delicate geese that also visit from Scandinavia from October to March. All the Norfolk geese spend their nights roosting on the meadows or tidal mudflats. At dawn they form into long skeins and travel into the surrounding fields to graze on the remains of harvested grain, grass and beet tops. As night falls they

return to the roost. Because their target areas are quite specific and they are travelling in numbers, they need to be able to make a rapid descent to a vacant spot. In order to do this they employ a technique known as whiffling. This involves twisting and turning their bodies off the horizontal, yet

keeping their heads in their original position, to spill air from their wings and reduce their aerodynamics. The action slows them down, making them resemble falling leaves. When they reach their goal they flip, sometimes completely upside down for a moment, and plummet towards the ground, righting themselves just in time to land on their feet.

Above left: an adult male Grey Seal on a beach at Blakeney Point, Norfolk Above right: Pink-footed Geese grazing in an inland meadow

NOVEMBER 2014 37

Trip Report

NORTH NORFOLK COAST

TRIP ADVISER COST RATING GETTING THERE Regular train services run from London King’s Cross to King’s Lynn, from where you can get a bus to Hunstanton or Wells-Next-the-Sea. Return train tickets are around £46, or from £53 for a combined train/bus return to Wells. The Coasthopper bus runs roughly every hour, connecting King’s Lynn with Cromer, but only stops at Snettisham once a day. For dawn and dusk trips a car is the most practical option.

ACCOMMODATION

SOON, THERE WERE GEESE ON THE GROUND AS far as you could see in the dwindling light, filling the air with the rush of wings and calls. At the slightest provocation huge numbers lifted off the ground again en masse, then gradually sank down as the perceived threat to the flock’s safety didn’t materialise. As the darkness deepened they all settled down for the night and we returned to the car. But our excitement wasn’t yet over. In the meadows on the other side of the car park a Barn Owl was hunting, drifting backwards and forwards like a ghost bird over the rough grasses. We watched until there was not enough light left to see even its pale feathering and then retired to the colonial atmosphere of the Victoria for a hot chocolate. 38 NOVEMBER 2014

v o b A Pink-footed e: Geese in flight leaving the coastal estuary roost at the Wash Below: an adult female Barn Owl perched on a roost

ACTIVITIES

■ RSPB Snettisham Tel: 01485 542689; www.rspb.org.uk/snettisham ■ Holkham National Nature Reserve www.holkham.co.uk ■ Beans Boat Trips to Blakeney Point Tel: 01263 740505; www.beansboattrips.co.uk

TIPS & WARNINGS You need a good pair of binoculars for best views of wildlife. Allow around half an hour to walk from the RSPB car park at Snettisham to the shoreline and hides. Less able walkers can apply to the RSPB for permission to drive closer, but you must contact the warden five working days before your visit to obtain a permit. Consult the Admiralty EasyTide website (www.ukho.gov. uk/easytide) or RSPB Snettisham for birdwatchers’ tide tables, which will give you the very best times to visit.

WHEN TO GO Between mid-October and March for the geese and at very high tides for the best wader spectacles. You can still see impressive numbers of both geese and waders at other times as the birds clear the mudflats twice every day, but it is only when the tide comes in to cover every scrap of mud that you get the really big displays.

FURTHER INFORMATION Visit Norfolk www.visitnorfolk.co.uk

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turned left and followed a path between the woods and meadows until we got to an elevated hide with its back to the sea but overlooking the fields. We were just in time as, in the distance, we saw the first skein of geese, dark against the pinky-orange twilight. There were 30 or 40 Pink-footed Geese in that first tranche. They circled and descended to come to rest in the meadows. Not long after another flight appeared, bigger this time. The two arms of the V straggled out behind the lead birds for what looked like miles. Wave after wave of Pink-footed and Brent geese arrived from all directions. All were heading for the same meadows.

■ Congham Hall Hotel, is a Georgian manor house and Spa, offering double rooms with breakfast from £125. There are also 30 acres of parkland, a herb garden and orchard, swimming pool and hot tub to enjoy. Tel: 01485 600250; www.conghamhallhotel.co.uk ■ Bank House, King’s Lynn, is a Georgian town house offering double rooms from £120 with breakfast, and meals overlooking the River Great Ouse quayside and Custom House in the heart of the old town. Tel: 01553 660492; www.thebankhouse.co.uk

Reader Holiday

5 NIGHTS DB&B from only £430

Scottish wildlife special with Wild Travel

ENJOY AN EXCLUSIVE FIVE-NIGHT WILDLIFE BREAK IN THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS

oin Wild Travel magazine staff and experts from the Bird Watching and Wildlife Club, which is part of the Grant Arms Hotel at Grantownon-Spey, Inverness-shire, for a special wildlife holiday in Speyside and the Cairngorms. The holiday consists of dinner, bed and breakfast, guided walks, expert advice and spotting tips, evening talks given by guest speakers, and film shows. All this for only £430 per person sharing a standard double room. A stay at the Grant Arms Hotel is perfect for keen wildlife watchers of all levels. There are few other locations in the UK that can offer the range of wildlife you can find in this spectacular area of Scotland, and the April breeding season is a great time to experience it. The hotel, in the Cairngorms National Park, is known for its high quality ensuite rooms and delicious food sourced from local producers. It is also home to the Bird Watching and Wildlife Club, the expert staff of which will be on hand to guide you, as well as offering advice and maps if you prefer to organise your own time.

THE WILDLIFE From grouse moor and Caledonian pine forest, to marshland and the coasts of the

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Moray Firth, the habitats of this Highland area offer the opportunity to see Red Deer, Bottlenose Dolphins, Red Squirrels, Golden Eagles, Capercaillies, Pine Martens, Mountain Hares, Ptarmigan, Otters, Wild Goats, Red and Black Grouse, Slavonian Grebes, Crested Tits and Crossbills, among many others. Within easy reach are a number of RSPB reserves such as Loch Garten, Culbin Sands, Insh Marshes, Troup Head and Udale Bay, all of them offering opportunities to see not just birds but iconic Scottish mammals and marine life. Of these, Insh Marshes is one of the most important wetlands in Europe, Troup Head boasts over 30,000 nesting sea birds between April and July and Culbin Sands is one of the largest shingle and sand dune habitats in Britain. A short stroll from the Grant Arms brings you to Anagach Wood which abounds with Red Squirrels and birdlife,

and the River Spey with its Dippers and Otters is nearby. The hotel also provides guests with access to a private hide on the loch at Avielochan.

THE SPEAKERS Friday 24 April at 8.30pm Mark Cocker on Birds & People Mark is an author, naturalist and environmental activist who writes and broadcasts on nature and wildlife in a variety of national media. His 10 books include Birds & People, which was published to international acclaim in 2013 and was a collaboration with wildlife photographer David Tipling. Monday 27 April at 8.30pm John Miles on Hadrian’s Wildlife John is a wildlife consultant, tour leader and the author of Hadrian’s Birds, which celebrates the landscape and its animal, plant and bird life, Exploring Lakeland’s Wildlife, Pharaoh’s Birds and The Solway.

HOLIDAY INFORMATION Friday 24 April to Wednesday 29 April 2015 This five-day break is held in partnership with Wild Travel magazine and includes: ■ Five nights dinner, bed and breakfast ■ Ensuite rooms, equipped with hairdryer, tea & coffee making facilities, TV and toiletries ■ Gala dinner ■ Evening events including talks from Mark Cocker and John Miles ■ Evening quiz ■ Guided walks ■ Films and entertainment Please note: a car is essential on this break

PRICES ■ Double standard room for five

nights DB&B £430 ■ Extra nights DB&B £48 per

person per night ■ Superior room supplement £75

per person per five-night stay

TO BOOK ■ Call 01479 872526 ■ Or visit www.bwwc.co.uk ■ Or email bookings@bwwc.co.uk

BWWC LTD, 25 THE SQUARE, GRANTOWN-ONSPEY, INVERNESS-SHIRE PH26 3HF www.grantarmshotel.com Programmes, talks, walks and rooms subject to availability and liable to change without notice. NOVEMBER 2014 39

For an up-close encounter with whales, there is nowhere in the world quite like Baja California

DOWN

Mex

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Take me there

BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO Grey Whale and whale watchers watching each other at San Ignacio lagoon, Baja California, Mexico

ico wildlifeextra.com

WAY WORDS BY SARAH GILBERT

NOVEMBER 2014 43

I GRIPPED MY

camera AND HELD MY

breath “Have they ever tipped up a boat?” asked one of the passengers, a note of panic in her voice, as a 30 tonne, barnacle-pocked Grey Whale glided underneath our small craft like an enormous shadow, bearing us gently upwards. “Don’t worry,” replied our relaxed captain, “they just like to scratch their backs against the hull.” We’d been in Laguna San Ignacio for fewer than 20 minutes with several Grey Whales in our sights when a mother and her calf glided up to the edge of our boat. The 4.5m (15ft) calf kept vying for our attention, thrusting its head upwards as if inviting us to stroke it. I reached out and touched its soft, smooth head. Suddenly, the whole of the mother’s long head was rising up out of the water directly beside us, the skin encrusted with barnacles and crisscrossed with scars. We stroked her, too. As mother lifted herself out of the water, we could appreciate her enormous size. She left us with a balletic flourish, amongst a galaxy of leviathans and the otherworldly sound of whales breathing.

here are few, if any, whale-watching destinations that can rival Mexico’s Baja California. One of the world’s longest peninsulas, it’s a narrow finger of land that stretches for around 1,056 miles south of the Mexican border with California. The climate ranges from temperate and dry in the north to tropical in the south. To the west is the Pacific Ocean and to the east the Gulf of California – known as the Sea of Cortez – which separates Baja from mainland Mexico. This unique spot is young in ocean terms, thought to be around five million years old, and is home to nearly 900 species of fish and the world’s greatest concentrations of cetaceans. Broad plains make up much of the peninsula’s central and southern half, and an intricate lagoon system has formed where these plains meet the Pacific coast. El Vizcaíno, Mexico’s largest Biosphere Reserve, encompasses two UNESCO-protected coastal lagoons, San Ignacio and Ojo de Liebre, surrounded by a patchwork of wetlands, marshes and

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BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

TOP 5 MARINE SPECIES 1

GREY WHALES The name stems from the grey patches and white mottling on its dark skin. Adult males measure around 14m (45ft) and adult females measure slightly more; both sexes weigh around 30-40 tonnes. Calves are 3.5m to 5m (12 to 17ft) in length at birth and can gain 23kg (50lb) every day.

BLUE WHALES These enormous creatures are the largest on the planet and can reach lengths of up to 30m (100ft) and weigh over 200 tonnrs. Like the greys, they are Baleen whales and their diet consists mainly of Krill. They have a broad, flat head and a long, tapered body that ends in wide, triangular flukes.

SHORT-BEAKED COMMON DOLPHIN These are strikingly patterned, with a dark brownish-grey back, white belly and tan thoracic patch. In the eastern Pacific, the males measure around 2m (7ft) and can weigh more than 180kg (400lb). Large social groups are often seen in Baja.

NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEALS

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The northern Elephant Seal is the second largest seal in the world, named after the males’ large nose that resemble an elephant’s trunk. Adult males often grow to over 4m (13ft) in length and weigh up to 2,300kg (5,000lb). Adult males have a life expectancy of around 14 years.

CALIFORNIA SEA LION The seals’ natural habitat ranges from south Alaska to central Mexico. Large colonies are found in the Sea of Cortez and Los Islotes, and scientific investigation has discovered that they have adapted their feeding habits to deep-water fish for which many sea lions would not ordinarily hunt.

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Grey whale migration The longest migration made by any mammal follows a well-defined route and timetable

mong the most ancient of all the whales, greys are members of the Baleen family, named for the keratin mouth plates through which they filter their food. However, they are different from other shallow feeding great whales in that they prefer prey that lives near or on the ocean floor. The species is unique in that almost the entire

dunes, as well as mangroves. The warm, sheltered waters of these lagoons form the principle breeding grounds for the Grey Whale. Every year between December and April, thousands of Grey Whales gather to mate, give birth and nurse their calves for two to four months. Normally, child rearing is a time of seclusion among mammals but, for the majority of Greys, the time they spend in Baja’s giant aquatic nursery is a social one, used for playing as well as teaching.

MINAKUCHI/FLPA

population follows the same seasonal migration, spending April to November in the rich feeding grounds of the cold, sub-polar waters of the Bering and Chukchi Seas between Alaska and Russia, consuming enormous numbers of crustaceans and building up their fat reserves. In October, they begin the almost 5,000 mile journey south to Baja California and the lagoons, where they

Right: A Grey Whale calf being stroked by tourist in Baja California, Mexico

aguna San Ignacio is Baja’s most popular grey whalewatching spot. Stretching 16 miles into the desert and five miles across at its widest point, the whales have the entire area in which to roam. Its three sections provide the perfect habitat for them to breed and calve: the upper lagoon is the shallowest part and known as the birthing area, where pregnant females congregate. In the middle lagoon, mothers get their newborns ready to join the whales at the lower lagoon, where the majority of social behaviour occurs. The whale-watching zone itself covers just a small proportion of the lagoon and is carefully monitored. Excursions are on eight- or 10-seater pangas, small but stable fibreglass boats operated by skilled local fishermen. There’s a strict limit on the number of boats allowed in the area at any

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remain between December and April, mating, giving birth and nursing their calves. The gestation period lasts for about 13 months and they breed every two to four years. Pregnant females return to the feeding grounds for the summer, returning to breeding areas to calve the following winter. From February, they begin the long journey north again, hugging the coast of America and Canada. The first returning adult males can arrive in mid to late-March, while mother and calf pairs normally return in mid-May and keep arriving into July. This 10,000 mile round trip is the longest known migration of any mammal and there are many obstacles along the way, including Orcas (Killer Whales), which lie in wait as the migration route crosses California’s Monterey Bay.

one time and passenger numbers are rigorously controlled, with boats remaining in the lagoon for just 90 minutes. As many as 300 whales can be present on any given day during the mating and calving season, with stunning displays of whale surfacing behaviour on all sides, such as breaching (leaping out of the water); spyhopping (raising their heads up and ‘treading water’ to look around), and lobtailing (lifting their tails, or flukes, out of the water and slapping them down hard on to the water’s surface). Grey Whales are naturally inquisitive and in San Ignacio genuinely appear to seek out human contact. Close encounters are initiated by the whales themselves – they come right up to NOVEMBER 2014 47

Clockwise from top left: White Ibis roosting in mangroves, San Ignacio Lagoon; Californian Sea Lion pups swimming underwater; the coast of Cedros Island; Mexican Hogfish in the waters off Socorro, Revillagigedo Islands; Short-beaked Common Dolphin leaping out off water

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SCHUYL, REINHARD DIRSCHERL/FLPA

Few places on Earth boast such biodiversity and scuba diving pioneer, Jacques Cousteau, described it as the ‘world’s aquarium’

the boats and allow people to stroke their heads and mouths. Whales can live for 70 years – some scientists believe it’s closer to 100 – so if you know the recent history of Baja’s lagoons it’s incredible that they’re so trusting. Ojo de Liebre was once known as Scammon’s Lagoon, named after Charles M Scammon, the American whaling captain who discovered the birthing lagoons in 1857 and subsequently turned them into killing grounds. Whalers would steer their small boats between the mothers and calves, bringing the protective and angry mothers close enough to harpoon. They were an easy but dangerous target and the whales were dubbed ‘devil fish’ because of the ferocity with which they would defend themselves and their young, overturning boats and killing the occupants. They were hunted to near extinction, first in the lagoons and again in the early 1900s with the introduction of floating processing factories, but the International Whaling Commission gave the whale partial protection in 1937 and full protection in 1947. They were put on the US endangered species list in 1973, but since that time the population has made a remarkable recovery. They were taken off the list in 1994, the first marine mammal to be removed from protection. Current numbers are estimated to be between 19,000 and 23,000, close to their original population size. Baja’s fishermen used to avoid the whales because of their dangerous reputation but, in 1972, Francisco ‘Pachico’ Mayoral, a fisherman from San Ignacio, was fishing for Sea Bass in the lagoon when a female Grey Whale surfaced beside his panga. He tried to steer away but the whale kept surfacing wildlifeextra.com

beside him. It followed his boat closely for almost an hour until eventually Pachico reached out his hand and cautiously stroked it. From this first friendly encounter with a whale everything changed and what had been known as the ‘devil fish’ became today’s ‘gentle giant’. But San Ignacio isn’t just about Grey Whales; the lagoons are home to numerous other marine mammals that populate the shallows, such as Bottlenose Dolphin, and four out of world’s seven marine turtle species –Leatherbacks, Hawksbills, Green Turtles and Olive Ridleys, all endangered.

ountless breeding and migratory bird species also depend on the lagoon. Pelicans nose-dive in search of fish, while Ospreys circle overhead. Kayak into the dense mangroves that fringe the lagoon and you can find Magnificent Frigatebirds and Great Blue Herons stalking the tidal mudflats which coyotes regularly patrol, foraging for clams. Baja is a veritable ‘Mexican Galapagos’. Cruising down to the lagoons from San Diego you’ll pass Islas Todos Santos and the chance to see nesting seabirds, Harbour Seals and the odd migrating Grey Whale. There’s wildlife aplenty on dry land, too: a hike on Islas San Benito leads to coves crammed with vociferous Elephant Seals, which in breeding season includes jousting males and nursing pups. Further south, off Bahia Magdalena, where the confluence of warm currents from the tropical south and cold collide, a 12m (40ft) tall blow of water vapour marks the surfacing of the largest creature on the planet, magnificent Blue Whales NOVEMBER 2014 49

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BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO that can grow to over 27m (88ft) in length. Off Cabo San Lucas, at the southern tip of the peninsula, is a breeding ground for Humpback Whales that, despite weighing up to 40 tonnes, are capable of performing spectacular acrobatic displays. One of Baja’s many highlights is the chance to listen through an underwater microphone to male Humpback Whales singing. Their composition of squeaks, whistles, moans and groans is mesmerising. Rounding the southern tip and turning north, you reach the Sea of Cortez, surrounded by arid desert studded with huge barrel cacti, and thick mangroves silhouetted against an atmospheric A Grey Whale spyhopping Swifts. Bottlenose Dolphins abound in these backdrop of purple mountains. Like San in front of whale watching waters, too, with pods of Short-beaked Common Ignacio, this area has been designated a boat, San Ignacio Lagoon Dolphins often in the thousands. UNESCO World Heritage Site. As well as abundant birdlife in its cactus Few places on Earth boast such diversity, forests – Gila Woodpeckers, Black-throated and scuba diving pioneer, Jacques Cousteau, Sparrow, Crested Caracara, among them – Isla Santa Catalina described it as ‘the world’s aquarium’. Its maze of underwater is home to the rare, endemic Rattleless Rattlesnake and the canyons and seamounts deflect nutrient-rich water to the abundant Emerald-tailed Lizards. While at Los Islotes, the sea surface to feed blooms of plankton and other sea creatures. is usually calm enough to swim and snorkel with a large colony There’s a chance to see Minke, Sperm and Bryde’s whales, plus of friendly, inquisitive California Sea Lions, all twisting and more elusive species such as Orca, Dwarf Sperm Whale and wheeling and wanting to play. Pygmy Killer Whale. The waters are studded with remote Baja’s biodiversity is astounding. One moment you can be islands sheltering huge Blue-footed Boobies, rare Red-billed surrounded by thousands of boisterous dolphins or stroking a Tropicbirds and many other seabirds, as well as endemic Grey Whale under the chin, the next you can be having a close Xantus’s Hummingbirds that can be seen dipping in and out of encounter with a gargantuan Blue Whale. And thanks to colourful desert flowers. on-going conservation efforts and the establishment of key Excursions to uninhabited islands such as Isla San Jose, will protected areas, future generations will hopefully always be give you close-up views of nesting Brown and Blue-footed able to experience an ocean filled with remarkable marine life. Boobies, Pelicans, Yellow-footed Gulls and White-throated

C ja Ba ali fo ia rn

MEXICO Mexico City

COST RATING SAMPLE PACKAGE TOUR: Naturetrek (www. naturetrek.co.uk) offers a 14-day Baja California & Sea of Cortez cruise from £4,095 per person, based on two people sharing. The price includes return flights, accommodation, transport, most meals and expert guiding. Departs 6, 21, 23 February 2015 and 23 March 2015. 50 NOVEMBER 2014

GETTING THERE: British Airways (www.ba. com) operates five flights a week between London Heathrow and San Diego, where cruises start. They also operate regular flights between London Heathrow and Mexico City, from where there are daily flights to La Paz and Los Cabos in Baja California. If you have more time to spare, Highway One goes from US/Mexican border in Tijuana to Cabo San Lucas at the southern tip of the peninsula, a journey of around 1,200 miles. VISA REQUIREMENTS FROM THE UK: Holders of full UK passports do not require visas. However to enter the US, even if you’re just transferring, you must apply for an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) in advance.

WHEN TO GO: The main whale-watching season runs from early February to the end of April. Later in the season there are fewer whales but there are more with calves and they are more playful. The annual Grey Whale Festival takes place in La Paz in early February and includes concerts, traditional cuisine and whale-watching expeditions.

TOUR OPERATORS

NATURETREK, Tel: 01962 733 051; www.naturetrek.co.uk AQUA FIRMA, Tel: 0844 412 0848; www.aqua-firma.co.uk

TIPS AND WARNINGS: Book as early as

WILDLIFE WORLDWIDE, Tel: 0845 130 6982; www.wildlifeworldwide.com

possible as space on the tours is limited and they fill up quickly. Take plenty of sun block and cool, comfortable clothes.

GREENTOURS, Tel: 01298 83563; www.greentours.co.uk

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TRIP ADVISER

Anatomy of a...

Red Deer With its impressive roar and full crown of antlers, the Red Deer is one of Britain’s most exciting animals

Rutting Call The height of the rutting season is the time to see a mature stag against a misty dawn landscape and hear its impressive territorial ‘roar’. Hinds are attracted to males that have the loudest call, as these are usually the strongest animals with the most stamina. The rut occurs in autumn, when males compete for access to females and young stags challenge their elders for supremacy. They engage in roaring contests and parallel walking to size each other up. If evenly matched they may fight, otherwise the weaker backs down.

Diet and Digestion Red Deer feed on grasses, sedges, rushes and heather. During the winter, shrubs become an important part of their diet, which includes bramble, holly and ivy. Deer are classed as ‘ruminants’; a group of mammals that have a four-chambered stomach and eat their food in two stages, the second stage being when they regurgitate and chew the ‘cud’. This process of breaking down their food is known as ‘rumination’.

Where in the world?

Antlers

Young stags are known as ‘knobbers’ and have small antlers without branches. Each spring the antlers are shed, but grow again soon after. At the early stage they have a protective covering called ‘velvet’, which is shed from July to August. On stags over two years old, new branches begin to grow each time a new set of antlers is formed. In a mature stag, they can reach up to a metre in width. Antlers are of crucial importance to stags during the rutting season, as those with larger ones tend to be more successful when it comes to mating.

Coat

The coat changes by season, from brown or grey in winter, to reddish-brown in summer. It is this deep shade of red that gives the deer its name. During the autumn, Red Deer develop thicker coats to help insulate them during the cold winter months. The fur around the necks of the stags also becomes longer, resulting in a noticeable mane.

Scottish Red Deer are commonly found in Scotland and England, while subspecies of the deer are widely spread across the world and can be found across Europe, Russia, the Caucasus Mountain region, and central Asia. They also inhabit the Atlas Mountains between Morocco and Tunisia, making them the only deer species to be found in Africa. In the southern hemisphere, Red Deer have been introduced to Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Uruguay, and Argentina.

Hooves

The Red Deer is the UK’s largest land animal, and boasts the largest footprints of all deer species. The hooves have evolved to help the deer to evade predators, enabling them to gain a greater stride in order to escape faster.

There are thousands of amazing birds to be admired all over the world, not least on our own British Isles, so here we select a few of the must-see locations for a wide variety of exciting species to delight birdwatchers of all levels

WORDS BY NEIL GLENN

ULTIMATE birdingholidays COSTA RICA Thanks to the Costa Rican Government ditching its army and spending the money on reforestation and education instead, 52.3 per cent of the country is covered with forest. Visiting birdwatchers reap the rewards, with over 900 bird species recorded here, which is remarkable in an area about the size of Wales! The key to this diversity is the range of different habitats and elevations across the country, including Pacific and Caribbean coasts, highlands up to 3,400m (11,000ft), tropical dry forest, south Pacific and Caribbean lowlands. A good bird watching tour will aim to take in all of these habitats. Birdwatchers who have been to Costa Rica always want to go back, whereas the ones who haven’t yet visited desperately yearn to go. Probably the main ‘prize’ is Resplendent Quetzal. The male is a shining green colour with a long, flowing tail and a punky hairdo. The Quetzal is not unique among Costa Rican birds in being beautifully coloured; there are hummingbirds, tanagers, euphonias, manikins, parrots and araçaris of all hues to admire, though the national bird is the chocolate brown Clay-coloured Thrush! An added bonus of visiting Costa Rica early in the year is the chance to encounter some of the gorgeous American wood warblers that overwinter in Central and South America. These may include Blackburnian, Golden-winged, Chestnut-sided, Kentucky, Mourning and Parula Warblers. Apart from birds, Costa Rica is teeming with butterflies, amphibians, reptiles, insects, plants and mammals. SPECIES

KEY

The tiny Snowcap Hummingbird, a Central American endemic found on the Caribbean Slope in Costa Rica. It is one of the smallest birds in the world and all you may see is an iridescent maroon bullet with a white crown zip past you!

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WHO CAN I GO WITH? ■ Ornitholidays ■ Web: www.ornitholidays.co.uk ■ Tel: 01794 519445 ■ Email: info@ornitholidays.co.uk

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Ultimate

BIRDING HOLIDAYS

Resplendent Quetzal male in flight, Costa Rica

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A wide range of habitats ensure a diverse spread of bird species to be seen in a relatively short space of time

KEY SPECIES

Greater Roadrunner is the bird that everyone wants to see. It feeds on insects, lizards and snakes and will even work with other Roadrunners to tackle a fully grown rattlesnake. Beep, beep!

SOUTH AFRICA

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A week’s extension is all you’ll need to explore the Cape, starting in Cape Town. As well as the chance to take a boat out to view seabirds at close range, you should search the mixed habitats of the Cape Peninsula for Cape Sugarbird, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Black Harrier and Protea Canary to name but a few. No trip to the Cape would be complete without visiting an African Penguin colony! WHO CAN I GO WITH? ■ Rockjumper Tours ■ Web: www.rockjumperbirding.com ■ Tel: +27 33 394 0225 ■ Email: info@rockjumperbirding.com

Any country on the African continent will provide a long bird list, but South Africa has the most regionally endemic birds. It is a huge country, of course, but a three-week tour visiting the east and the Cape should produce around 500 species! Kruger National Park in eastern South Africa, as well as being famous for large mammals, holds a number of evocative bird species. Visitors should connect with Purple-crested and Livingstone’s Turacos, Blue Swallow, Gurney’s Sugarbird, Wattled and Blue Cranes, Drakensburg Rockjumper, Cape Parrot and many more delights.

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Ultimate

BIRDING HOLIDAYS

SPAIN

SOUTH TEXAS, USA The Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) in Texas covers an area only approximately 140 miles by 50 miles but has recorded over 550 species of birds and over 300 species of butterflies! This staggering diversity is all down to the LRGV’s position on the migration route of birds wintering in South America and breeding in North America. The Valley also juts into Mexico, allowing visiting birders the chance to see some sub-tropical species. A wide range of habitats ensure a diverse spread of bird species to be seen in a relatively short space of time. In the west, there are areas of desert and semi desert where birds such as Black-throated Sparrow and Pyrrhuloxia can be found. As you move eastwards, the terrain becomes greener until you hit the Gulf Coast at South Padre Island where gulls, terns, waders and herons abound. Spring is the classic time to visit, though a late autumn trip can pay dividends. Sites all along the Gulf Coast can be alive with wonderful American wood warblers feeding up for their long journey north. Species such as American Redstart, Baybreasted, Chestnut-sided, Yellow-rumped and Parula Warblers may be hiding in any patch of bushes along with many other migrant species such as Rosebreasted Grosbeak and Summer Tanager. A visit any time after mid-November will give you the chance to take a boat ride from Rockport into Aransas Bay to see the rare Whooping Cranes.

KEY SPECIES

WHO CAN I GO WITH? ■ Avian Adventures ■ Web: www.avianadventures.co.uk ■ Tel: 01384 372013 ■ Email: avianadventures@btinternet.com

KEY The Jackass, or African Penguin is an instantly recognisable endemic much loved by birdwatchers and non-birding tourists alike. The pink ‘eyebrows’ are actually glands that aid cooling in hot weather.

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SPECIES

It is difficult to single out one area of Spain. The country is peppered with amazing scenery and a smorgasbord of sought-after European bird species. If pushed to choose, Aragon, in the north of the country, offers the widest range of birds. The wide variety of habitats is the key and Aragon spreads from the High Pyrenees down to the dry, flat, almost desert areas of The Steppes. The magnificent peaks of the Pyrenees offer a good chance of seeing Lammergeier (Bearded Vulture), Wallcreeper, Alpine Accentor, Alpine Chough and Snow Finch. Most of these drop to the Pre-Pyrenees when the snow closes in, giving those with bad backs and stiff necks a chance to see them! The forests are home to

Wallcreeper is a bird of the high mountains but moves down to lower elevations in the winter. This grey and crimson mountain specialist lives on sheer rock faces, feeding in shady crevices.

one of Europe’s most sought after species: the Black Woodpecker. This monster is about the size of a Jackdaw but can be decidedly elusive in the vast Aragon woods. The Steppes around Belchite offer a very different birding experience from the mountains. Most of the target species are what bird watchers call Little Brown Jobs or LBJs, for this is the home of the larks. An early morning on The Steppes produces a wonderful chorus of Short-toed, Lesser Shorttoed, Calandra and Dupont’s Larks, though the latter is very difficult to see. The scene is completed by sandgrouse, Stone Curlew and Griffon Vultures.

WHO CAN I GO WITH? From the UK, ■ Naturetrek ■ Web: www.naturetrek.co.uk ■ Tel: 01962 733051 ■ Email: info@naturetrek.co.uk In Spain, ■ Audouin Birding Tours ■ Web: www.audouinbirding.net

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SMALL GROUP

Adventure Safaris throughout Southern Africa

Botswana 14 days camping safari from GBP1,369 South Africa 17 days accommodated safari GBP1,541 Guaranteed departures. Maximum 12 clients.

+27 11 465 4905 marketing@sunway-safaris.com

www.sunway-safaris.com

Ultimate

BIRDING HOLIDAYS

FINLAND

KEY SPECIES

Siberian Jay is a pleasing mix of rusty orange, brown and grey; an understated jewel of the Finnish forests but tricky to see. Local guides can usually produce the goods, though.

Driving along one of northern Finland’s traffic-free roads is a dream. Mile after mile of tree-covered countryside passes by as you keep one eye open for Capercaillie in the ditches. This hard-to-see-in-Britain species is positively showy in this verdant country. As you drive north, into the Arctic Circle, trees thin out and give way to a mix of moorland and bogs. As with all bird tours, a mix of habitats is essential to a species-rich visit. Nearly 200 different birds are possible in a 10-day trip in late May/ early June, but you will need local knowledge to identify some of them. Most people travel to Finland to see the owls. In a good vole year, seven species of owl are likely to be seen, including Eagle, Tengmalm’s, Pygmy, Ural, Hawk, and the drop-deadgorgeous Great Grey. No matter how many times you encounter a Great Grey you can never quite top the aweinspiring moment when one slowly turns its head and holds you in its gaze

in a forest devoid of sound other than bird song and your intake of breath. Northern Finland also offers bays and lakes packed with wildfowl on their breeding grounds. The bogs, fields and grassy lakeside edges are where you can see 200 Ruffs in full ‘dandy fop’ plumage lekking in one field! This is also the place to encounter colourful breeding waders such as Turnstone, Red-necked Phalarope, Bar-tailed Godwit, Spotted Redshank and Dotterel. Plus, near mythical birds such as Siberian Jay, Siberian Tit, Pine Grosbeak and Red-flanked Bluetail. In winter and very early spring, you get the added bonus of the chance to see the aurora borealis! WHO CAN I GO WITH? From the UK, ■ Naturetrek ■ Web: www.naturetrek.co.uk ■ Tel: 01962 733051 ■ Email: info@naturetrek.co.uk In Finland, ■ Finnature ■ Web: http://finnature.com

Most people travel to Finland to see the owls, including the drop-deadgorgeous Great Grey Owl

A Great Grey Owl taking off from snowy ground in Finnish Lapland

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BIRDING HOLIDAYS

AUSTRALIA Australia is one of the world’s endemic bird hotspots, with around 80 species found nowhere else. A three-centre stay, taking in Kakadu, Cairns and the Red Centre, over the course of three weeks, isn’t too strenuous and will result in plenty of amazing birds. Cairns Esplanade is renowned as one of the best wader watching sites in the world and Red-necked Stint, Great Knot and Beach Thick-Knee should all be seen. A boat ride out from Cairns to the Great Barrier Reef is a must for noddies, boobies and terns. A drive further north will bring you to the Atherton Tablelands where you will want to seek out Magpie Goose, Golden Bowerbird, Chowchilla and Victoria’s Riflebird. One third of Australia’s bird species have been recorded in Kakadu National Park! Rainbow Pitta, Gouldian Finch, Hooded

KEY SPECIES

The Wompoo Fruit-Dove (left) Parrot, Brolga is a large, wildly colourful pigeon and Sarus Crane of rainforests of north-east will be high on Australia and New Guinea. As its any visitor’s ‘want name suggests, it mainly eats fruit, especially figs. list’ along with many more endemic and endangered species. A visit to Australia also wouldn’t be complete without a trip to Uluru, or Ayers Rock, and its accompanying birds. The incredible red landscape should be graced with species such as Spinifex Pigeon, Little Eagle, Grey Falcon, wild Budgerigar and Australian Ringneck parrots. With this itinerary, you will have only just scratched the surface of a vast continent but at least it’s a start!

WHO CAN I GO WITH? ■ Avian Adventures ■ Web: www.avianadventures.co.uk ■ Tel: 01384 372013 ■ Email: avianadventures@btinternet.com

NORFOLK, UK No matter what time of year you visit this county there is always a wide variety of birds to see. For this reason, it is the most visited area by birdwatchers in Britain. In winter, there are hundreds of thousands of geese, ducks and waders that move in from their northern breeding grounds. This is the best time to see one of the world’s avian spectacles: the swirl of waders swarming and eddying over the Wash at Snettisham as the tide pushes them closer and closer to the shore. You shouldn’t miss a raptor roost, either. The best known being at Stubb Mill in the Norfolk Broads. Anything can turn up in spring SPECIES and autumn depending on the prevailing weather conditions. Marsh Harriers nearly became Ardent birders flock to coastal extinct in Britain but thanks to conservation efforts they can hotspots to find rare and scarce now be seen gracefully migrants among the commoner drifting over many species. Places such as Holme, Norfolk sites. Winterton and Blakeney Point have Stone-Curlew are prized finds, a proven track record of turning up and you may even see Honey Buzzard, extreme rarities. Goshawk and Montagu’s Harrier, three of The breeding season brings a new set Britain’s rarest breeding raptors. of species. Avocets grace the coastal In short, you really can’t go wrong with reserves and Bitterns are increasing in a visit to this East Anglian birding Mecca number year on year. In the Brecks, whenever you fancy dropping in. Nightjar, Tree Pipit, Woodlark and

KEY

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WHO CAN I GO WITH? ■ Norfolk Birding ■ Web: www.norfolkbirding.com ■ Tel: 07876 357677 ■ Email: chrismills@norfolkbirding.com

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Ultimate

Meerkats live in close family groups, each member looking out for the others as they go about their daily business

62 62NOVEMBER NOVEMBER2014 2014

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Trip Report

SOUTH AFRICAN MEERKAT

Real

Meerkat magic Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the stars of greeting cards, posters, T-shirts and mugs, favourites in zoos, on TV ads and documentaries, but seeing these small animals in their scorched and sandy home knocks other sightings into the shade Words and Pictures by ANN AND STEVE TOON

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It’s summer in the Kalahari and the temperature, normally an unpleasant 32°C or so, is busting 40°. The clouds are massing like a violet bruise and serious rain is on the way. Our search for the perfect Meerkat picture is going to have to wait for another day. The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, straddling the border between the north-west corner of South Africa and Botswana, is home to some of the continent’s most captivating desertadapted creatures, from big cats to the characterful Meerkats we’ve come in search of. This unique landscape is a surrealist painter’s perfect blank canvas – a sandy, arid void punctuated by twisted dead trees, bleached animal bones and distant red dunes. It’s hauntingly beautiful whenever you visit, but in summer, when most of the meagre annual ration of four or five inches of rain is delivered via spectacular storms, this semi-desert wilderness really is something else. Back at camp that evening we are treated to the sound and light show of an awesome electrical storm as we barbecue under the stars. Thankfully the torrential downpours come when we’re in bed – tossing and turning under the oppressive blanket of heat. When we emerge at dawn, bleary-eyed, the dusty Kalahari we know and love is wearing a new set of clothes. The swirling herds of Springbok are conducting their morning rituals as usual, but there’s a film of water in the perennially dry riverbed. The scene is framed by a huge, arching rainbow and, what’s more, the dune slopes are breaking out in a mass of tiny yellow spots. They’re Devil’s Thorn flowers, luridly brash in this normally monochromatic landscape, but hugely

64 NOVEMBER 2014

nutritious. They’re eagerly gobbled up by most of the herbivores that subsist on the region’s normally spartan diet, from lanky giraffes to impossibly cute Ground Squirrels. The heat may be stifling by 8am but, when you’re on a Meerkat safari, summer is a cool time to visit. There’s plenty of food around so this is when the Suricates, as they’re also called, tend to have their comical, alien-looking young. The German word for Meerkats translates as ‘little earth men’ which is brilliantly apt. A chance to capture family snapshots of these hugely popular animals is difficult to pass up. We know how well the acid colours of the Kgalagadi flower carpets at this time of year will give our shots added appeal.

IN THE YEARS WE’VE BEEN VISITING this vast reserve there’s always been a group of Meerkats close to Mata-Mata, one of the reserve’s three main camps, which is why we’ve chosen to base ourselves here. It’s not long before we track them down, foraging through the fresh flowers in customary hyperactive style, chattering reassuringly to each other with roly-poly young ones in tow. We’re pleased with our morning’s haul of images and head back to camp for a late breakfast. But there’s a problem. Wonderful as it is to observe and get great shots of these fascinating mammals going about their daily business in the wild, we’re confined to our vehicle in this

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Clockwise from above: The Devilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Thorn flowers provide a colourful background to a Meerkat in classic pose; the flowers provide a nutritious snack for a Ground Squirrel; Victoria Ashford from the Kalahari Meercat Project coaxes one of her charges onto the weighing scale; a Springbok also enjoys the seasonal floral meal

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Two youngsters pause in their games to adopt the watchful pose of their parents

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Trip Report

SOUTH AFRICAN MEERKAT

The best way to capture the personality and ‘essence’ of Meerkats is to get down low, down to their level

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Clockwise: children from the Mata-Mata staff camp; a Meerkat family group just above their burrow; lion cubs, which are some of the other inhabitants to be found in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

protected reserve. It’s for good reason and helps keep the place the pristine wilderness that’s made it world-renowned, but the best way to capture the personality and ‘essence’ of Meerkats on camera is to get down low, down to their level, making our shots much more naturalistic and dynamic. No worries, though, because tomorrow we’re off to our next destination, just 200km of good dirt road from here, where, at 5.30am sharp, we’ve got an appointment with Finn McCool. He’s an alpha male Meerkat celebrity living on the 5.5 sq mile Kalahari farm that’s the HQ of a long-running Meerkat conservation project. It’s also the location of pretty much every TV Meerkat documentary ever made, including the awardwinning series Meerkat Manor. If anyone’s going to be okay having the wildlife paparazzi around, Finn McCool is the guy.

MEERKATS ARE BUSY BY DAY in fairly open terrain in the Kalahari which makes them brilliant subjects for ecologists to study. Over the life of the project the Meerkats on the farm have become extremely habituated, allowing the researchers unprecedented access to observe their natural behaviour, day in and day out. Bleary-eyed after yet another sleepless, sweaty night we’re now lying out by a small burrow fringed by sour grass – our cameras poised to fire. The sun’s just up and Finn McCool, head of the Drie Doring group (named after a bush that grows here) has already made one brief appearance; peering furtively over the rim of his sleeping burrow to check the coast’s clear. We know it’s Finn because he has a splodge of brown dye on his head that has been put there for ID purposes. He’s followed closely by other members of his group, including the dominant female, wearing a radio collar and exuding a rather bossy, matronly air. Her collar helps conservationists track the troop

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MORE MEERKAT MANORS Here’s a selection of other Meerkat hotspots in southern Africa for an exciting encounter

KGALAGADI TRANSFRONTIER PARK (SOUTH AFRICA) is a great place to observe them, depending on conditions. Groups often have burrows close to tourist tracks, allowing excellent views of them sun-bathing in the early morning or foraging for food in the dry riverbed. www.sanparks.org

QUIVERTREE FOREST REST CAMP (NAMIBIA), about 14km outside of Keetmanshoop, has approachable wild Meerkats on its campsite, based on a farm famous for its photogenic quiver trees. www.quivertreeforest.com

TSWALU KALAHARI RESERVE (SOUTH AFRICA), where visitors get very close encounters at this luxury, private reserve in South Africa’s Northern Cape. Here the Meerkats have been habituated by researchers from the nearby Kalahari Meerkat Project. www.tswalu.com

ADDO ELEPHANT NATIONAL PARK (SOUTH AFRICA), a reserve famous for its elephant herds, but which has a number of Meerkat groups that are regularly sighted from the tourist roads. www.sanparks.org

THE MEERKAT MAGIC PROJECT (SOUTH AFRICA), an operation that runs trips to visit groups of habituated Meerkats in the Karoo near Oudtshoorn. www.meerkatmagic.com

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Trip Report

SOUTH AFRICAN MEERKAT

TRIP ADVISER

from burrow to burrow each day using telemetry. Both Meerkats do that entertaining thing of standing bolt upright and looking around, using their strong tails to help support their legs rather like a tripod. We’re so busy photographing we don’t immediately notice they’re followed out of the hole by four, five-weekold pups, wobbling awkwardly when they try to mimic the ‘sentinel’ pose of the adults.

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park Tswalu Kalahari Reserve JOHANNESBURG

DURBAN CAPE TOWN

COST RATING self-drive, self-organised self-drive, package

GETTING THERE: Several carriers operate flights to Johannesburg from the UK; return from £540. Hire car costs from around £20 a day and you can tour the Kalahari area and national park in a 2x4 sedan car. For more remote parts of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (KTP) you need a 4x4, costing from around £75 per day. It’s a 12-hour drive to the KTP from Jo’burg. Break the journey by stopping at Upington or Kuruman. Simple ensuite, self-catering chalets cost from £50 upwards for two (www.sanparks.co.za), but you can camp for around £16. Daily conservation fees cost £15 per person. A Wild card offers a year’s free entry to all South Africa’s national parks at £180 for a couple, or £110 for one person.

LEARNING FROM ADULT HELPERS within the group – there are about 10 Meerkats in the colony currently using this burrow – is vital for these amusing pups. Their very survival depends on them learning to forage for difficult, and occasionally dangerous, food items such as scorpions, as the adults gradually introduce them to live prey. We’ve been schooled by the researcher to use the soft, ‘hum, hum, hum’ habituation calls the conservationists on the farm use. It reassures the Meerkats the humans are not a threat, so the group carry on tidying round the burrow’s edge, oblivious to our presence. The pups climb over our feet and the adults peer into the distance for possible danger as if we’re part of the scenery. Two of the pups get covered in sand when they get in the way of the digging alpha female’s obsessive house-keeping. One pup sticks its tongue out and looks in our direction. At last we’re getting the intimate shots we hoped for. The opportunity to get this close to these animals in the wild, without impacting on their behaviour to any real degree, is a rare one. We don’t want to waste any precious time so continue clicking away and hum, hum, humming with the chitter-chatter of the Meerkats in the background. It’s going to be another good day in the Kalahari – even if it is too hot to breathe…

PORT ELIZABETH

SAMPLE PACKAGE TOUR: Expert Africa run a

Above: giraffes are cautious of visiting photographers in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Below: a young Meerkat, sticking close to the burrow

self-drive ‘Meerkat Safari’ with six nights in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Tours are tailor-made so you could spend longer in the KTP if you wished. The package costs from £2,122 to £2,230 per person sharing. www.expertafrica.com

VISA REQUIREMENTS FROM THE UK: No visa is required but passport must be valid for at least 6 months.

TIPS AND WARNINGS: Sunhats and high factor sunscreen are essentials. Drink plenty of water and rest up during the middle of the day.

WHEN TO GO: You can see Meerkats in the KTP at any time, but spring and the late summer months around January/February provide the best chance. Avoid local school holidays and bear in mind winter months from June to August can be very cold at night.

TOUR OPERATORS

EXPERT AFRICA Tel: 020 8232 9777 www.expertafrica.com TRIBES TRAVEL Tel: 01473 890499 www.tribes.co.uk WILDLIFE WORLDWIDE Tel: 01962 302 086 www.wildlifeworldwide.com wildlifeextra.com

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<ʝʦɠ FʝʛɿȵHɀɏ ʨɵOɮʙLȯɏ ZDWɭʕʖQɒ ʔʦLȫɏ 72 WHY?

There’s nowhere quite like Australia; after being isolated for millenia, much of its flora and fauna is utterly unique

74 WHERE?

From Queensland’s lush tropical forests and coral reefs to Tasmania’s wild and remote landscapes, and everywhere in between

88 WHAT?

Australia boasts a boggling array of wildlife in its varying habitats, from the curious Platypus, to the iconic Koala

93 HOW?

Suggested itineraries, facts, advice and recommendations to help you on your way

(ʽʑQʤLɪɗ

AUSTRALIA

A ‘beware kangaroo’ traffic sign warns motorists that there are roos nearby to Uluru (Ayer’s Rock)

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ESSENTIAL AUSTRALIA

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Australia is as varied as it is big, and much of its diverse wildlife is unique. Therefore, a visit should be savoured, not rushed.

Slowly DOES IT WORDS BY STELLA MARTIN

hanks to 35 million years of isolation, Australia’s animals have evolved in their own distinctive style. From Platypuses paddling in pristine creeks and Koalas slumped on eucalypt branches to Frilled Lizards skittering through savanna woodlands and Thorny Devils tottering across hot desert sands, many can be seen nowhere else on Earth. While mammals can be elusive, birds are everywhere: Rose-pink Galahs amass in deafening flocks at sunset; lyrebirds wander under tree ferns; perky fairywrens twitter in the undergrowth; honeyeaters rifle through Bottlebrush blossoms; Emus stride across farmers’ fields... and Kookaburras simply laugh. Much of Australia is arid but it is far from dull, supporting one of the world’s highest diversity of reptiles, masses of spring wildflowers and flocks of bright nomadic birds. This rust-red landscape is studded with spectacular rockscapes threaded with lush, shady gorges providing oases for

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wildlife. In complete contrast there are dense, dripping rainforests, soaring forests of the world’s tallest flowering trees, alpine moorlands, diverse flowering heathlands, beaches, coastal cliffs and coral reefs. Then there is the sparsely populated savanna region, covering the northern quarter of the country. Dominated by summer floods and winter drought and fire, this swathe of grasslands, woodlands and wetlands includes Australia’s bio-diverse Kakadu, Kimberley and Cape York Peninsula regions. It is possible to watch wombats snuffling through snowdrifts and, within a couple of days, go diving on coral reefs or boating past crocodiles in a tropical billabong, but a trip should not be a hurried affair. Whether opting for guided tour or self-drive adventure, it’s better to choose one area and get off the beaten track, rather than spend too much time in airports. Australia’s animals can be shy – take your time to get to know them!

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ALAN GILLANDERS Naturalist, Guide and Educator The Wet Tropics of Queensland are rightly renowned for their natural history values. For those interested in animals, the Atherton Tableland is the highlight not only for diversity but also the endemics. Bowerbirds build and decorate structures for courtship; from September to New Year it is possible to see five species in one day. Some are master builders, others jazz musicians. One of my most memorable wildlife experiences was watching two male Golden Bowerbirds fighting – it was a gold disco light show! Tree-kangaroos and the many possum species are best sought at night. In the forest are strange lizards that recall armoured dinosaurs and huge spiny insects. www.alanswildlifetours.com.au

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Queensland The Great Barrier Reef shadows the Queensland coast for 2,300km, containing nearly 3,000 reefs harbouring over 1,500 fish species, turtles and numerous invertebrates. Generally, the best sites are those furthest from land; trips heading north from Port Douglas offer chances to snorkel with Minke Whales in June and July. Many islands have fringing reefs and some have significant seabird breeding colonies. Hinchinbrook Island offers a challenging 32km wilderness hike. Magnetic Island has resident Koalas and allied rock wallabies. Fraser Island is a massive, rainforested sand island with some of Australia’s purest Dingoes. Whale-watching trips visit migrating Humpback Whales in nearby Hervey Bay between late July and October. Cape York Peninsula is a remote wilderness accessible only by 4x4 in the dry season (May to October). The savanna woodlands, termite

mound-studded grasslands and crocodileinhabited wetlands support over 500 terrestrial vertebrates; some species such as Green Python, Common Spotted Cuscus, Palm Cockatoo and other colourful birds are also found in New Guinea, but nowhere else in Australia. Rainforests of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area cover a narrow coastal strip between Cooktown and Townsville, but host 34 per cent of Australia’s mammal and 40 per cent of bird species. While Daintree National Park is a major tourist destination, other parks offer quieter experiences. The upland rainforests boast 10 species of possum and glider and one tree-kangaroo – though they are difficult to find without an experienced local guide. Kingfisher Park, at Julatten, with over 200 bird species and nesting Buffbreasted Paradise Kingfishers in summer, is a mecca for birdwatchers. Further south,

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ESSENTIAL AUSTRALIA

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Eungella National Park has reliably seen Platypuses, noisy pittas and Regent Bowerbirds. Summer season tours at Mount Etna Caves National Park allow visitors to observe the nightly departure of thousands of little bent-wing bats. Mon Repos Conservation Park is a major summer nesting area for Green, Flatback and Loggerhead turtles. On the New South Wales border, Lamington National Park is good for birds including Regent Bowerbirds, Logrunners, Paradise Riflebirds and Albert’s Lyrebirds. Red-necked Pademelons are abundant; Land Mullets and spiny crayfish wander rainforest tracks. The wonderful granite boulders of Girraween National Park host a great variety of lizards and spring wildflowers. In the vast outback, occasional deluges fill wetlands, attracting many thousands of breeding waterbirds. Lava tubes of Undara Volcanic National Park support vine thickets and insectivorous bats, and Cobbold Gorge harbours Freshwater Crocodiles. In the west, visitors to Boodjamulla National Park can canoe between towering sandstone cliffs of Lawn Hill Gorge, home to Freshwater Crocodiles, Purple-crowned Fairywrens and Great Bowerbirds. Carnarvon National Park is another outback oasis with numerous Echidnas, macropods and gliders.

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Every Wednesday the Gulflander railmotor leaves Normanton, on the Gulf of Carpentaria, for a leisurely five-hour, 152km, journey to Croyden, a former gold-rush town in the heart of Queensland’s outback. And every Thursday it returns, delivering supplies to cattle stations along the track. Built between 1888 and 1891, with steel sleepers designed to foil termites and withstand summer floods, the railway initially serviced the burgeoning goldfields as Croyden’s population swelled to 30,000. Now Croyden has fewer than 300 inhabitants and the rail service’s main cargo is tourists. The driver knows every inch of the track and stops to show off highlights ranging from a bowerbird bower and a flying fox colony to an abandoned gold mine. Staff also help to identify savanna plants and share stories of colourful outback characters and local trivia. Train enthusiasts can combine this with a trip on the Savannahlander which runs between Cairns and Forsayth. www.gulflander.com.au; www.savannahlander.com.au

Far left: an aerial view of a coral reef at Lizard Island National Park. Top: a diver watching a Green Sea Turtle at the Great Barrier Reef. Above left: a Red-necked Pademelon female with young in pouch. Left: Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher holding an ant. Directly above: the Gulflander crossing the Normanton Bridge near Normanton.

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Here: Queensland rainforest near Mount Warning. Below left: Emus on the road in Sturt National Park. Bottom: an adult male Regent Bowerbird.

New South Wales

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The Great Dividing Range splits the relatively narrow coastal plain from the extensive, drier outback and hosts many of the state’s national parks. In the south, an area of winter ski-fields, the alpine heathlands of Australia’s highest peaks are protected in Kosciuszko National Park while the temperate rainforests of the northern slopes are included in Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area. These relict patches left from Australia’s ancient forests are a diversity hotspot for frogs, snakes, birds and marsupials. Many of these reserves are rugged, wilderness areas suitable for long-distance hikers but Dorrigo National Park, with its elevated skywalk, has easy rainforest walks with chances of Regent Bowerbirds. The gnarled, mossy Antarctic beech forests of Border Ranges National Park overlook the spectacular volcanic plug of

Mount Warning. Capertee Valley/Glen Davis on the western side of Wollemi National Park is an outstanding birding area with over 235 species recorded including Turquoise Parrots, Diamond Firetails and endangered Regent Honeyeaters and Swift Parrots. The seaboard is dotted with an interesting variety of reserves covering beaches, wetlands, cliffs, coastal heaths and forests. Migrating Humpback Whales and other cetacean species come quite close to shore around Eden, particularly in October and November. The western slopes of the Great Dividing Range have been largely cleared for farming but Warrumbungle National Park is a haven for numerous macropods as well as Emus, parrots and other birds. Further west, as conditions become drier, Red and Western Grey kangaroos, Euros and dry-country birds become common.

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MY AUSTRALIA TONIA COCHRAN Wildlife Guide Bruny Island, off Tasmania’s southeast coast, is famous for its biodiversity and stunning scenery, attracting visitors from around the world. With just 600 permanent residents, the island is relatively undeveloped and features large tracts of untouched forest and pristine beaches. It is a stronghold for a number of threatened species; there is a significant population of Eastern Quolls, a carnivorous marsupial which is now restricted to Tasmania and hard to find outside Bruny. It also has an abundance of White Bennett’s Wallabies and Golden Brush-tailed Possums. Not least, all of Tasmania’s endemic birds can be found here. Bruny Island is one of the world’s best places to witness true ‘wild’ life. It’s my home and I feel privileged to live here. www.inalabruny.com.au

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Tasmania Tasmania is the best place in Australia to see a wide variety of mammals, some of which are extinct, rare or non-existent on the mainland. Most commonly sighted are the endemic Rufous-bellied Pademelon and Bennett’s Wallaby. The Forester, a Tasmanian Eastern Grey Kangaroo, occurs in large numbers in places. Common Wombats can be very numerous, echidnas are often seen during the day and Platypuses inhabit many waterways. Eastern and Spotted-tailed Quolls are sometimes encountered and the iconic Tasmanian Devil can still be found, although numbers have declined drastically due to disease. One-fifth of the state is protected in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Included are tall eucalypt forests and Australia’s largest expanse of magical, mossy, temperate rainforest. In Mount Field National Park it is possible to explore all the major vegetation types, from forests to alpine heathland, along just16km of road. The

largely uninhabited south-west lies in the path of cold, moisture-laden, westerly winds, so this stunning landscape of glaciated peaks, alpine moorlands, forests, rivers and lakes can experience wild weather. An easy way to explore this area is to cruise, or kayak, the Gordon River from Strahan. A true wilderness adventure for the experienced is to raft the Franklin River or follow the 65km Overland Trek in Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park. The northern Cradle Mountain end of this park is a major tourist destination, but there are numerous walking tracks and mammals are plentiful. Wallabies and wombats graze in the evening and when driving extremely slowly along park roads at night it is possible to see quolls, possums, pademelons and even Tasmanian Devils. In the north and east, impressive numbers of Foresters, wombats and pademelons can be seen at dusk in Narawntapu and Mount William national parks. About 18 million wildlifeextra.com

ESSENTIAL AUSTRALIA

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:ʕɵȵɏ \ʝɤ Ⱦɏ ʃȱʑȾɏ In its time (1822 to 1833) the penal colony on Sarah Island, on Tasmania’s west coast, was the harshest in Australia. But, from September to May, visitors to Strahan have the opportunity to see its funny side in a theatre production, The Ship That Never Was. Australia’s longest running play, written by Richard Davey and produced by The Round Earth Company, is based on real events when 10 convict shipwrights hijacked the ship they had been building. This great escape led to an extraordinary voyage and a tale with many intriguing twists and turns. All parts are played by just two actors (who earlier treat passengers on the Gordon River cruise to a spirited guided tour of Sarah Island) with help from the audience, in a production that is energetic, witty and hilarious. And if the weather is cold, audience members are given blankets and hot water bottles! www.roundearth.com.au/ship.htm

Clockwise from far left: a Tasmanian Devil; Hells gate at Macquarie Harbour on the west coast of Tasmania; a Common Wombat mother and joey; Lake Seal at Mount Field National Park

Short-tailed Shearwaters nest in Tasmania, returning to their burrows at nightfall – good spots are The Nut at Stanley and The Neck on Bruny Island, where they share the site with a Little Penguin rookery. Penguins also nest at Bicheno and near Devonport, Burnie, Penguin and Stanley. Bruny is an excellent place for Tasmania’s 12 endemic bird species and various mammals, including a white form of Bennett’s Wallaby. Take a boat trip to Bruny Island and the Tasman Peninsula for Australian and New Zealand Fur Seal colonies, Bottlenose and Common dolphins and, in winter, Humpback and Southern Right whales. Traffic-free Maria Island has a good variety of mammals, some reintroduced, and most of the endemic birds. Boat trips target pelagic seabirds, such as Albatrosses, particularly in winter when they move north from the freezing Antarctic for a warmer climate. wildlifeextra.com

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Here: Little Blue Penguins heading to their nesting burrows Below: a Leafy Seadragon male

SIMON MUSTOE Founder, Wildiaries Nature Travel While most people enter Australia via Sydney, Melbourne is regarded by many as the country’s cultural and wildlife capital. Victoria’s capital city boasts internationally significant wetlands and a quarter of Australia’s bird species. The city is surrounded by lush rainforest which is home to Greater Gliders. There are Platypuses in the city’s rivers; Eastern Grey Kangaroos en route to the airport; grasslands teeming with Eastern Barred Bandicoots; steep rocky mountains with Koalas; Bottlenose Dolphins in the sea and, in the heart of the urban jungle, one of the world’s largest owls, the Powerful Owl, which resides near a colony of Little Penguins. Just a half hour drive from the city centre, there is nothing quite like hearing and seeing mimicking lyrebirds displaying in the lush forest. www.wildiaries.com

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Victoria The Great Dividing Range takes a westward turn in Victoria, ending in the sandstone escarpments of Grampians National Park. The magnificent, soaring mountain ash forests of the Central Highlands are inhabited by eight different possums and gliders; the prolific birdlife of Sherbrooke Forest includes Superb Lyrebirds. Southwest of Melbourne the Great Ocean Road and 91km Great Ocean Walk follow a dramatic coastline with high cliffs, forests and heathlands; Koalas, echidnas, macropods and wombats are fairly common with Yellowbellied Gliders in places. Marine protected areas, dotted along the state’s coastline, protect some unique temperate underwater life, including endemic seadragons and, in winter, calving Southern Right Whales are visible from land near Warrnambool. There are Australian Fur Seal colonies and on summer evenings Shorttailed Shearwaters and Little Penguins return, en masse, to coastal rookeries. The very popular Penguin Parade on Phillip Island is near a Koala reserve. Croajingolong and adjacent national parks

in the southeast corner are a hotspot for possums and gliders. The elusive ground parrot and Eastern Bristlebird are among 300 plus recorded bird species; and waders and seabirds flock to the wetlands. In the more arid inland Emus are abundant, Western Grey Kangaroos take over from Eastern Greys and Malleefowl are a highlight. The Chiltern-Mount Pilot National Park protects remnant box-ironwood woodland attracting some rare honeyeaters and parrots when the trees are flowering in spring.

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ESSENTIAL AUSTRALIA

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South Australia Despite widespread habitat clearing, the state contains some of Australia’s wildlife hotspots. Koalas are numerous on Kangaroo Island and some species, such as Tammar Wallabies, Cape Barren Geese, black cockatoos and the Southern Heath Monitor Lizards, in decline elsewhere, are common. There are Little Penguin rookeries and colonies of Australian Sea Lions and New Zealand Fur Seals. From Port Lincoln it is possible to join cruises to see Bottlenose Dolphins and

Above: pelicans in flight. Here: a Yellow-Footed Rock Wallaby at Flinders Ranges. Right: stalagmites and stalactites at Naracoortes Cave.

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swim with sea lions or farmed Southern Bluefin Tuna, and to go cage-diving with Great White Sharks. Near Whyalla you can dive or snorkel with the thousands of Giant Australian Cuttlefish that migrate to breed between May and August. Southern Right Whales calve below cliffs at Head of Bight from May to October. Migratory and nomadic waders and waterfowl congregate at the Coorong, the mouth of the River Murray, and on the rare occasions when Lake Eyre fills with

water, massive numbers of birds, notably Banded Stilts and pelicans, descend to breed. In the southeast, a 50,000ha area of undisturbed mallee scrub in BirdLife Australia’s Gluepot Reserve shelters 190 recorded bird species. Flinders Ranges National Park is a refuge for the threatened Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby and also supports good numbers of Red and Western Grey kangaroos, Euros (aka Wallaroos), plus a variety of reptiles and inland bird species.

:ʕɵȵɏ \ʝɤ Ⱦɏ ʃȱʑȾɏ A cast of strange characters once roamed Australia. Including marsupial lions, giant kangaroos (some carnivorous), rhino-sized wombat-like herbivores and enormous birds, lizards and snakes, this megafauna became extinct roughly 60,000 years ago. Their legacy is two major fossil deposits. The older site is at Riversleigh, in Queensland, (with a visitor’s centre in Mount Isa). The other is at Naracoorte Caves, 320km south-east of Adelaide. Among the world’s 10 greatest fossil sites, they were listed jointly in 1994 as the Australian Fossil Mammal Sites World Heritage Area. For over 500,000 years the Naracoorte limestone caves functioned as pitfall traps, fossilising the bodies of over 120 species, ranging from extinct megafauna to more modern animals. The Wonambi Fossil Centre, at Naracoorte, brings this vanished world to life. Visitors can also join guided cave tours (and try ‘adventure caving’). An added bonus is the large resident colony of Southern Bent-wing Bats. www.naracoortecaves.sa.gov.au

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Here: snorkellers getting a close-up of a Whale Shark. Below: the Pinnacles at Nambung National Park .

MY AUSTRALIA PAT CHANNING Lodge Operator I am an Aboriginal descendent of the Bardi and Kija people of west and east Kimberley. My husband David and I operate Mercedes Coastal Retreat on the Dampier Peninsula, 120km north of Broome. Each year, between July and October, the Humpback Whales return home to calf and breed. We can see these wonderful creatures from our lookout, even without binoculars, and have witnessed both birthing and mating. I never tire of watching them breaching, tail slapping, fin waving or just swimming past. Even at night we hear them breaching and when they’ve been snorkelling our guests have heard them singing. We are truly blessed to live in this wonderful environment and to share it with our guests. www.mercedescove.com.au

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Western Australia This sparsely populated state is huge and, isolated by deserts, a large proportion of its flora and fauna is endemic. The southwest, Australia’s only internationally recognised terrestrial hotspot for biodiversity, includes towering forests of endemic eucalypts on the well-watered coastal fringe and megadiverse heathlands. Stirling Range, Fitzgerald River and Lesueur National Parks are notable botanical hotspots with spectacular spring wildflowers and nectar-dependant animals. Although the southwest has been extensively cleared for agriculture, pockets of native woodland at Perup Forest and Dryandra Woodland provide refuges for Numbats, quolls, Brush-tailed Bettongs, Tammar Wallabies, Western Ringtail Possums, Echidnas, Southern Brown Bandicoots and good numbers of birds. Barna Mia captive breeding centre offers close encounters with some very rare animals, such as Bilbies. The coastal waters and islands are rich in

wildlife. Southern Right and Humpback Whales, visible from various coastal vantage points and on cruises, visit southern and western coastal waters between June and early December. There are also Australian Sea Lion and New Zealand Fur Seal colonies, and Little Penguin rookeries. Quokkas are common on Rottnest Island. Further north, at

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predator-free Peron Peninsula. Swimming with Whale Sharks is big business at Coral Bay and Exmouth from March to July; manta rays, turtles, sharks and whales may also be seen. From Cape Range National Park it is possible to snorkel from the shore over the corals of Ningaloo Reef, while on land, Black-footed Rock Wallabies, abundant Euros, occasional Red Kangaroos and Emus inhabit the gorges and plains. Green, Loggerhead and Hawksbill Turtles nest in nearby Jurabi Coastal Park during the summer months. The arid, rust-red Pilbara contains rich iron deposits, some of the most ancient rocks on the planet, an extraordinary amount of Aboriginal rock-art and stunning national parks providing watery oases for a variety of wildlife. The Kimberley is a remote area of rugged ranges, savanna woodlands and forested valleys, inaccessible in the monsoon season. Central gorges host diverse bat colonies and macropods as well as freshwater fish and crocodiles, while those in the north provide refuges for species such as the Gouldian Finch and various frogs. From September to March significant numbers of shorebirds can be seen at the Broome Bird Observatory.

Top: a Quokka hopping through water at Rottnest Island. Above: entrance to the Western Australian Maritime Museum. Left: a Western Bowerbird male tending his bower filled with gifts for the female.

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Shark Bay World Heritage Area, living stromatolites, with a 3.5 billion-year ancestry, thrive in Hamelin Pool. In warmer months on boat trips it is possible to see Dugongs along with turtles, rays, sharks and sea snakes. Bottlenose Dolphins come to shore to be hand-fed by crowds at Monkey Mia, and birders can find Thick-billed Grasswrens in the car park. Nearby, captive-bred and released Malleefowl, Bilbies and Brush-tailed Bettongs may be seen living on the

The treacherous Western Australian coast claimed many of the first European ships to reach Australia. The stories of several wrecks are told alongside salvaged timbers, cannons and other artefacts on display in the Shipwreck Galleries of the Western Australian Museum branches in Fremantle and Geraldton. None of the tales are quite as colourful and gruesome as that of the oldest, the Batavia, a Dutch ship that was wrecked off the coast near Geraldton in 1629. About 280 survivors managed to reach nearby islands. The commander, captain and senior officers set out in the ship’s longboat for Batavia (now Jakarta) in Dutch Indonesia. Meanwhile, a mutinous junior merchant took control, instigating a reign of terror which saw a total of 110 men, women and children murdered by the time the rescuers arrived three months later. In the end, fewer than 100 of the more than 320 original passengers reached safety in Batavia. www.museum.wa.gov.au/ museums/shipwrecks

MY AUSTRALIA JENNY HUNTER Kakadu Ranger I was born in Kakadu and I’ve been a ranger here for 20 years, so it means a lot to me when I see some of the rare animals that used to roam here a long time ago coming back. Last year I saw a baby Emu as I was heading past Nanguluwur, a really old rock-art site. It was having a snack on a sand palm. We use this palm to make string bags, but we don’t eat the berries that hang off it – Emus love them though, and this one popped his head up and grabbed some in his mouth. Emus were really common in Kakadu a long while back, but for many years you didn’t often see them. Recently we’re starting to see more of them. It’s great – and important to teach the kids about our wildlife because in the future it may disappear. www.parksaustralia.gov.au/kakadu

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Northern territory The territory is dominated by climatic extremes. While the arid ‘Red Centre’ receives less that 300mm of rain per year, the ‘Top End’, as the northern 25 per cent is known, is inundated in summer with monsoonal deluges. Replenishing the wetlands of Kakadu National Park, this triggers a surge of life but renders the park largely impassable. During the winter dry season wildlife is concentrated at shrinking water bodies – as are the tourists. Kakadu’s varied habitats, from savanna woodland to floodplains and rocky escarpments, support a great diversity of wildlife. Estuarine and Freshwater crocodiles are plentiful, along with File Snakes, Northern Long-necked Turtles and Mertens Water Monitors in the billabongs. Massive numbers of wetland birds congregate at Yellow Water, Mamukala and Anbangbang Billabong. Agile Wallabies and Antilopine Wallaroos frequent open areas with

rarer rock wallabies and Black Wallaroos on escarpments. To the west of Kakadu, Mary River Park is good for woodland birds and Fogg Dam is a haven for wetland species, with huge numbers of Water Pythons crossing the dam wall at night. Popular Katherine Gorge, complete with Freshwater Crocodiles, zigzags through the sandstone landscape of Nitmiluk National Park and can be explored by canoe, cruise and walking track. A quieter option is the 58km Jatbula Trail or guided canoeing trips downstream of Katherine. Agile Wallabies are common and there are Euros and Antilopine and Black wallaroos. A noisy Black Flying Fox camp occupies the picnic ground, and there’s another in Katherine town. Leliyn (Edith Falls) section is good for birding. The Alice Springs Desert Park is an excellent introduction to the arid zone and also attracts a variety of wild lizards and birds. Euros hang out wildlifeextra.com

ESSENTIAL AUSTRALIA

:ȱʑȾɏ"

:ʕɵȵɏ \ʝɤ Ⱦɏ ʃȱʑȾɏ

Aboriginal people arrived in Australia over 50,000 years ago. As hunter-gatherers they were finely tuned to natural cycles and today retain a profound spiritual connection to their ancestral country. Kakadu National Park is imbued with the culture of its traditional owners which is proudly displayed in the Warradjan Cultural Centre. It is also well worth joining tours conducted by Aboriginal park rangers or by one of several Aboriginal-owned and operated companies (here, and in other parts of Australia). Guides provide insights into the elaborate artwork preserved on rock surfaces and share Dreamtime stories. They may also show how wild food (‘bush tucker’) is gathered; how toxic plants are made edible; how ‘calendar plants’ provide cues for finding seasonal food; how fish and other animals are trapped and caught; and may involve visitors in everything from food preparation to basket-making. Such an experience adds an unforgettable extra dimension to your visit. www.gagudjudreaming.com/IndigenousExperience/WarradjanCultural-Centre.aspx

at the Telegraph Station with occasional Red Kangaroos. The Olive Pink Botanic Garden is ideal for learning about Aboriginal plant uses and spotting birds. The Ilparpa Sewage Ponds (permit and key required) support over 60 bird species, including waders, with chances of rare vagrants. In the West MacDonnell National Park there are good populations of Black-footed Rock Wallabies at Simpsons Gap and Serpentine and Ormiston gorges. Birding is good at these gorges and at Ellery Creek Big Hole. Reptiles can often be seen basking on walking trails in wildlifeextra.com

the morning. Newhaven Sanctuary has over 160 bird species, some rare desert mammals – and abundant wild camels. Around Uluru and Kata Juta large numbers of Thorny Devils may appear after rain, and Spinifex Hopping Mice may frequent the campgrounds at night. Dingoes, Euros and Red Kangaroos are present. The latter, along with Perentie Goannas, are common around Mount Conner. Beautiful King’s Canyon, in Watarrka National Park, shelters a permanent spring with rare cycads and ferns.

Clockwise from far left: a Thorny Devil in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park; a Dingo near Uluru; ancient aboriginal rock art site at Obirr Rock in Kakadu National Park; a rare waterfall after a heavy downpour on Uluru; a Saltwater Crocodile leaping from the water at Kakadu National Park.

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2ȸHɡ Wɛ ZDWɭɓ Australia’s unique wildlife not only looks distinctly different but exhibits some fascinating behaviour as well

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Red Kangaroo Macropus rufus The male ‘big red’ is the body-builder of the macropod (kangaroo and wallaby) world: impressive but not especially pretty. The largest living marsupial, he weighs up to 90kg and can stretch to over 2m in height. He is also the supreme athlete, reaching 60km/h in short bursts and covering 12m in the long jump and up to 3m in the high jump. Most males have rusty-coloured fur while the females, which weigh just half as much as the males, are generally a bluish grey; they are sometimes called ‘blue fliers’. Red Kangaroos are common and widespread, favouring arid and semi-arid parts of Australia. They hop with their bodies held almost horizontal to the ground and tails curving up; hopping is so energy-efficient that they actually expend the least amount of energy when they are moving fast. Spotting tips: Large mobs gather on green growth after rain, resting in shade during the heat of the day.

Short-beaked Echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus The Short-beaked Echidna, Australia’s other monotreme beside the Platypus, is found in every part of the country, from deserts to humid tropics to alpine heights, and can be abundant. About the size of a rabbit, it is covered with spines and fur which in Tasmania grows long enough to conceal the spines. It wanders along with a slow, rolling gait, rather like that of a large lizard but, if threatened, wedges itself under a log or rock, digs rapidly into soft ground, or rolls into a ball. Apart from sensitive hearing and smell, the echidna uses electro-sensors on its long snout to detect prey. It feeds mainly on ants and termites, breaking into nests with its strong front feet and using its long, sticky tongue – up to 18cm long – to lap up the occupants. During the winter breeding season a train of up to a dozen hopeful males can be seen following one female for as long as six weeks. She incubates her single egg and carries the baby, once hatched, for about two months in a muscular pouch made of folds of skin. Spotting tips: Look for signs of digging at ant or termite nests.

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ESSENTIAL AUSTRALIA

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Barramundi

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Lates calcarifer The Barramundi is found in billabongs and rivers around northern, tropical, coastal areas. It is prized by anglers for its fighting spirit as well as its flavour; it is served up in restaurants as quintessentially Australian cuisine. Affectionately known as “barra”, it grows up to 1.8m and has a humped back and pointed head. In fresh water it is greenish-blue but in salt water it is silvery. Indeed, this is a fish of two worlds. During the wet season, October to April, adults migrate to coastal waters to spawn. The juveniles develop among the mangroves but migrate back up to fresh water at the end of the wet season, remaining there for up to five years until mature. At this stage they are all male – but the Barramundi is a transsexual: when the males reach about 80cm in length, they become female (this can only happen in salt water). This strategy maximises their breeding potential since larger females are able to produce more eggs – up to 40 million in a season. Spotting tips: Barramundi lurk around submerged rocks and logs to ambush prey. Local fishers and guides can take visitors to their favourite haunts. Some dams are artificially stocked.

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Varanus varius Australia is home to 27 of the world’s 50 or so monitor lizard species. Often called goannas, they tend to be large lizards with loose, patterned skin. Monitors are carnivorous, eating everything from invertebrates to fish, birds’ eggs, possums and carrion. The Lace Monitor, which can reach lengths of over 2m, is found all along the east coast and into Victoria, and often appears at picnic areas and campgrounds to scavenge food. It lumbers confidently along the ground but can run quickly and climb rapidly up tree trunks. The female lays her eggs in a termite mound which makes an ideal incubator when the termites reseal the hole she has made. She later returns to dig out the babies which are colourfully striped in blue and yellow. Spotting tips: Lace monitors are common in woodlands. Listen out for the sound of startled scuffling in the leaf litter.

Platypus

Ornithorhynchus anatinus In 1798, when the first Platypus skin was sent to England, it was regarded as a hoax. And that was before it was discovered that this mammal – one of only two monotremes – lays eggs. Found only in Australia, the Platypus lives in

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Lace Monitor

freshwater dams, lakes and rivers throughout eastern Australia, including Tasmania, diving after insects, crustaceans, worms, small fishes and frogs. It is 40-60cm long with dense brown fur, a rounded tail and a rubbery duck-like bill equipped with electro-sensors to detect the muscle movements of its prey. When it is not in the water, a Platypus conceals itself in a burrow with a small entrance at, or just

below, the water level. Before giving birth, the mother walls herself in to the burrow to keep out predators, and holds her eggs (usually two or three) between her curled-up tail and her belly until they hatch. Spotting tips: Stake out a local hotspot, usually a quiet waterway, at dusk or dawn, or on overcast days. Watch quietly for tell-tale bow-waves, or splashes as one dives – it will usually surface every couple of minutes.

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ESSENTIAL AUSTRALIA &ODVVLF LWLQHUDULHV

WINTER ITINERARY (May to October)

Darwin

Fogg Dam Kakadu National Park

WESTERN AUSTRALIA ITINERARY

Kimberley

Nitmiluk National Park

■ NORTHERN TERRITORY

Daintree National Park

Cairns

Broome

Gr ea

Atherton Tableland

tB ar rie ee rR f

DAY 1 TO 4 Perth / Perup / Karri Forest / Dryandra DAY 5 Lesueur National Park DAY 6 TO 8 Shark Bay World Heritage Area DAY 9 TO 11 Exmouth/Cape Range National Park DAY 12 TO 14 Pilbara DAY 15 & 16 Broome Bird Observatory DAY 17-21 Kimberley

Pilbara Cape Range National Park

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Alice Springs West MacDonnell National Park

DAY 1 TO 5 Darwin/Fogg Dam/Kakadu & Nitmiluk national parks DAY 6 TO 9 Alice Springs & West MacDonnell National Park ■ QUEENSLAND DAY 10 TO 15 Cairns/Port Douglas, Daintree National Park & Atherton Tableland, Great Barrier Reef DAY 16 TO 18 Fraser Island National Park & Hervey Bay cruise Fraser Island National Park

Shark Bay

BRISBANE

Lesueur National Park

PERTH Dryandra Perup

SUMMER ITINERARY

Karri Forest Kangaroo Island

Whatever time of year you decide to visit Australia it is always a fantastic destination for wildlife watching. These tours will show you the highlights.

Factfile COUNTRY FACTS ■ Location: Southern hemisphere ■ Capital city: Canberra ■ Terrain: desert to rainforest to alpine heathlands ■ Highest point: Mount Kosciuszko ■ Lowest point: Lake Eyre ■ Population: 23.5 million ■ Most widely spoken language: English ■ Currency: Australian dollar ■ Time zones: GMT +8.00 to +10.00 ■ Flight time from UK: approximately 21 hours ■ Visas: UK citizens can apply on-line for a free, three-month tourist visa ■ Vaccinations: standard types CLIMATE October to March is hot, humid and wet in the northern tropics, very hot in the centre and generally pleasant in the south. Winter months are cold in the south and very pleasant in the north and centre. wildlifeextra.com

ADELAIDE

(September to May)

SYDNEY

■ VICTORIA

MELBOURNE

Lake St Clair Nat Park Mount Field Nat Park

WHEN TO GO Generally, the north and centre between May and October; the south from September to May.

DAY 1 TO 3 Melbourne/Dandenong Ranges/Phillip Island ■ TASMANIA DAY 4 TO 6 Bruny Island DAY 7 & 8 Mount Field National Park/ Strahan/ Gordon River cruise DAY 9 TO 11 Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park ■ SOUTH AUSTRALIA DAY 12 TO 15 Kangaroo Island

Dandenong Ranges Phillip Island

TASMANIA Bruny Island

■ SOUTH AUSTRALIA

www.kiwr.com ■ TASMANIA

TIPS AND WARNINGS Respect crocodile and stinging jellyfish warnings in the north. Wear sensible shoes and trousers to avoid (rare) snake and insect bites. Always wear a hat and sun protection, even when swimming, and carry water. Avoid collisions with wildlife by not driving at night outside urban areas.

Waldheim cabins, Cradle Mountain: www.parks.tas.gov.au/?base=412 MORE INFORMATION ■ www.australia.gov.au/topics/

tourism-and-travel/tourist-information LODGES AND CAMPS ■ WESTERN AUSTRALIA www.mercedescove.com.au www.drysdaleriver.com.au www.elquestro.com.au www.kimberleycoastalcamp.com.au

■ www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/

australian-story/national-parks ■ www.birdlife.org.au/visit-us ■ www.australianwildlife.org

TOUR OPERATORS ■ Country-wide: www.wildiaries.com;

■ NORTHERN TERRITORY

www.inalabruny.com.au

www.gagudju-dreaming.com

■ Across the north: www.savannah-guides.com.au;

■ QUEENSLAND

■ Aboriginal tours:

www.oreillys.com.au www.redmillhouse.com.au www.birdwatchers.com.au

www.gagudju-dreaming.com www.aboriginalaustralia.com. au; www.waitoc.com ■ From the UK: www.naturetrek.co.uk NOVEMBER 2014 93

Classifieds AFRICA

PATTARD NORTH DEVON COAST Do you seek luxury accomodation with many walks on your doorstep?

Pattard is situated in an AONB with South West Coast Path within 2 miles. 3 Barn conversions sleeping 2 - 8, CH & woodburner. Pets welcome. Good pubs within 10 mins walk.

Self-drive and escorted wildlife safaris throughout Southern Africa

www.naturalhistorytours.co.za

For our brochure or trip planning advice contact Geoff Crane - Email: birdtour@hbic.co.za

01237 441311 www.pattard.co.uk

Relaxing Hotel Boat Holidays A holiday on board our wide beam Hotel Boat â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tranquil Roseâ&#x20AC;? offers you fully serviced accommodation, with good food freshly prepared each day by our creative chefs. You will be sharing your holiday with up to seven like minded guests, as we cruise the River Thames, the Kennet & Avon Canal, the Lee and Stort Navigation, the Wey Navigation, the Grand Union Canal and the Paddington Arm into the heart of London at Little Venice. For details of possibly the most relaxing of holidays, Tel: 07966 248 079 Email: enquiries@tranquilrose.co.uk www.tranquilrose.co.uk

Royale Wilderness Living the Wilderness

Botswana Tented Mobile Safaris Bespoke for families and small groups

Exclusive, privately guided, fully inclusive, non participatory safaris to: Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve, Chobe National Park, Nxai Pan, Central Kalahari Game Reserve

Tel: +267 6862038 | Mobile: +267 71518501 www.royalewilderness.com | Email: info@royalewilderness.com

Visit www.wildlifeextra.com for more great information on wildlife and travel To advertise contact Justin Parry on 01242 216 060 or Katy Byers on 01242 265890

Theknowledge <ʝʦɠ

HOW TO

SKILLS

ʨɵOɮʙLȯɏ ʤUʋɃɰɗ ʣʦʢʧʖYɪɗ

BOOKS

DVDS

KIT LIST

ʔʦLȫɏ

PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

+ʝɦ Wɛ

CREATE YOUR OWN GREEN ROOF Dr Tijana Blanusa from the Royal Horticultural Society explains how you can turn your roof into an eco friendly one that supports plants and wildlife

nown as living, or eco, green roofs deliver an array of environmental and financial benefits. They’re great insulators, both against heat loss and sound, they extend the life of the roof membrane, and they support wildlife. Green roofs typically fall into two broad categories, intensive and extensive. Intensive roofs or ‘roof gardens’ generally feature large plants and require deep growing media (up to 1m of substrate). They are high maintenance and primarily ornamental. Extensive green roofs host a narrower range of drought tolerant plants (typically Sedum species or grass mixtures), which require a thin layer of growing substrate (10 cm). They are low maintenance and require little or no irrigation. However, over the past 15 years ‘semiextensive’ roofs that combine the best features of the two types have emerged. These roofs have slightly deeper growing substrate (20cm) than the extensive variety, and are usually more visually appealing, as they offer greater opportunities to use a range of plants. But before you can begin the task of installing a green roof and unlocking those environmental benefits, there are a few conditions that will have to be met. As a simple rule, DIY installation of green roofs should only be attempted on small built structures, a shed for example, and should only be undertaken by a person who has an understanding of the weight the structure can take. For novice installers,

shallower and lighter extensive green roofs should be the initial choice, while they are building up their confidence. Before starting, there are a few practical considerations: • Check with the Council if planning permission will be required. • Check with a chartered structural engineer or surveyor that the roof will be able to take the weight of the design you have in mind. • If your design is complicated, get plans drawn up by an architect or by a company that specialises in creating roof gardens. As a rough guide, for DIY roofs, chiefly flat or lightly sloped roofs (up to 20°) should be used. Before starting, the roof surface should be cleaned and protected with a

waterproof layer (such as a pond liner), which can also act as a root barrier. The roof’s principal components are: a root barrier, drainage layer, water retention layer, and then on the top a suitable substrate for the plants to grow in. The plant choice for green roofs could start with readily available Sedum species mixes, which come as mats that are simply rolled out. However, you can try seeds and plugs, Sempervivum, small bulbs including grape hyacinths and drought tolerant grasses such as Stipa tenuissima. Once you begin looking into it, you will realise that the possibilities for planting are varied and exciting, so just start exploring! www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=289

Dr Tijana Blanusa is a senior horticultural scientist with the Royal Horticultural Society and leads the Society’s urban greening research programme.

Write and tell us about your wildlife experiences by emailing editorial@wildtravelmag.com NOVEMBER 2014 97

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6NLOOV

Add a little extra knowhow to your wildlife-watching adventures with the help of our expert mini-guides

,QʣLȫʑɠ ɡ ʔʦLȫɏ Wɛ

REHABILITATING AN EX-CIRCUS LION The charity Animal Defenders International (ADI) is tasked with rescuing 30 circus lions from Peru. Their president Jan Creamer tells us what’s involved

escuing and rehabilitating an abused ex-circus lion is no easy task, but imagine when there are as many as 30. That’s the task we are presently undertaking in Peru, working alongside the authorities to enforce their wild animal circus ban. The first challenge we face is tracking down and removing the animals from the circuses, which are constantly on the move. Once located, the animals are transferred into our specially designed cages and then transported to the ADI ‘s Operation Spirit of Freedom rescue centre. Some of the journeys can be gruelling, taking up to two days to travel across

rugged terrain. Once we reach the centre, the recovery process can begin. Our investigations reveal the brutal lives these animals endure, leaving them with both mental and physical scars. Most of them have spent their entire lives in small bare cages, and have been beaten and abused to force them to perform. In our care, the animals receive attention and compassion to help them on the road to recovery. We start with enriching their environment – simple things like hay (which causes much excitement), logs, tyres, and footballs to play with, all create interest in their immediate environment. Gradually their personalities emerge and for the first time in their lives they feel safe, not fearful, and start to enjoy life. This has a profound effect on their wellbeing. Once the lions are fit to travel, they will be flown to their forever homes at The

Wild Animal Sanctuary in Colorado and placed in family prides. The sanctuary resembles the African savannah, and in their vast habitats our rescued prides are free to roam and play without human interference. These lions will be able to express all the natural behaviours that they would in the wild. www.stopcircussuffering.com

Making suet balls for birds Suet balls are excellent fodder for birds during winter months and are easy to make says RSPB Wildlife Adviser Tom Waters. Here are his tips for a successful bake You can do this by melting fat, both vegetable or beef suet is fine, and mixing it with a variety of dry ingredients. Never use fat from roasting tins. The problem with cooked fat from the Sunday roast is that the meat juices have blended with the fat and have then been allowed to set; this consistency makes the fat prone to smearing and is really not good for birds’ plumage. It is also a breeding ground for bacteria, so potentially bad for birds’ health. About one-third fat to two-thirds dry ingredients is what I would recommend. Gently heat the suet in a suitably sized pan on a low heat until melted. In a bowl, place the dry ingredients, such as dried mealworms, mixed birdseed, pinhead oatmeal, raisins, peanuts or even some cheese. Larger items such as peanuts can be granulated in a food processor if preferred. Once the suet is melted, pour it over the dry ingredients and

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mix it all together until the consistency is sticky. This can be put into empty yoghurt pots or coconut shells. Alternatively, when cooled to room temperature, you can shape the fat into balls with your hands. Put them in the fridge until they have set. Then put outside for your feathered friends to enjoy. For more tips on how to help your garden wildlife visit www.rspb.org.uk/homes

Theknowledge

ʘLɢ ʙLVɢ HAND-HELD GPS Know where you are every step of the journey with our selection of GPS devices

BUDGET 1 Memory Map With its 2.8 inch screen, a rugged and lightweight weatherproof design and pre-loaded Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger maps for all of Great Britain, the Adventurer 2800 is great value and a perfect entry level unit for any budding walker, hiker, cyclist or explorer. It comes with a Memory-Map PC software for route planning and map printing, both mains and car chargers, and a handy belt clip. £199, www.memory-map.co.uk

MIDRANGE

1 Lowrance

Like its sister Endura, Lowrance’s Safari GPS has an easy-to-use interface with a touch screen, simple menu and physical button. It also has an advanced basemap with key points-of-interest and has pinpoint navigation accuracy through a combination of advanced mapping, three-axis compass, barometric altimeter, and trip computer. There is a large range of mapping options on plug and play micro SD cards and web downloads. £266.40, www.lowrance.com

2 Garmin

3 Lowrance

The affordable, yet durable and waterproof, Etrex 20 hand-held GPS comes with free Garmin Birdseye map downloads, a worldwide basemap and is readable in all weather, including bright sunlight. It should run for up to 25 hours on just two AA batteries, making it perfect for day/weekend expeditions. It also has a micro SD card slot and one GB of internal memory, which lets you load the Garmin range of Ordnance Survey maps. £169, sites.garmin.com

The waterproof, colourful Endura Out&Back GPS from Lowrance has an easy-to-use interface with a touch screen, simple menu and physical buttons. There is pre-loaded mapping content with key land features and you can also download further maps or use plug and play micro SD cards. Other features include a picture explorer for viewing photos and a power standby to conserve battery life. £196.80, www. lowrance.com/en-GB

2 Memory Map

3 Garmin

The Memory Map Adventurer 3000 is a waterproof and easy-to-use GPS with a three inch touch screen and great detail for outdoor navigation. It comes with a built in battery, a 8GB micro SD card pre-loaded with Great Britain OS Landranger 1:50,000, a bike mount, car and mains charges, silicon case and Memory-Map PC software to plan routes and print maps. It also includes a free subscription to TrailZilla. com for route sharing. £279, www.memorymap.co.uk

Waterproof, dustproof and impact-resistant, the inReach Explorer GPS is a global satellite communicator that provides 100 per cent pole-to-pole coverage via the Iridium satellite communications network. Features include a colour screen, virtual keyboard, an internal rechargeable lithium battery and you can subscribe to gain access to unlimited, downloadable topographic maps and NOAA charts. £270, www.globaltelesat.co.uk

TOP-END 1 Two Nav

Plan, track and, study the entire route at home first with the help of Two Nav’s Aventura GPS. Features of this rainproof GPS include a 3.5 inch, 240x320 resolution, colour touchscreen with eight buttons and a joystick; a built-in electronic compass and barometer so you know your elevation and direction with every step, a 1:250,000 overview basemap and TeleAtlas UK road map, a four GB SD card, and a bike and car mount. £470, en.compegps.com

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2 Satmap

3 Garmin

Features of the Active 12 GPS from Satmap include a bright and easy to navigate 3.5 inch hi-res screen, bluetooth, a barometric altimeter for accurate pressure and elevation data, one year’s free access to Satmap Xpedition Premium (an online mapping and planning tool), a rechargable battery, a Great Britain Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 map, a Map Card, and it comes preloaded with World Base Mapping 1:5 million and 1:200 million. £450, satmap.com

The Montana 650 GPS Discoverer has a four inch dual-orientation and sunlight-readable touch screen display, a five MP autofocus camera and a three-axis compass with barometric altimeter so you can check your direction and altitude at any time. It’s also preloaded with worldwide basemap with shaded relief, and has access to Ordnance Survey maps of the whole of the UK. £459.99, www. garmin.com/en-GB

NOVEMBER 2014 99

Theknowledge

5HDG DOO DERXW LW A roundup of wildlife books, DVDs and upcoming natural history TV we think you’ll enjoy

BOOKS

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SIMON WATT Simon talks about why the ugly animals of this world have caught his imagination and why they deserve our attention Tell us about the book

Do you have a favourite?

It is a celebration of the weird and wonderful animals that we so often overlook because of their hideous appearance. It features 60 fascinating but ugly endangered species that deserve a little more attention.

I have a soft spot for the Canadian Blue Grey Tail Dropper Slug. For a start it is Smurf-blue and, if you give it a fright, its bum drops off.

How did the idea come about?

A fair few. I was really keen to include the Pygmy Hog Sucking Louse but we couldn’t get hold of a decent photograph. It is the only parasite in the world that is currently classed as endangered.

I run the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, a comedy night with a conservation twist. It found a sort of global infamy last year when we ran an online election resulting in the Blobfish being voted the world’s ugliest animal. The book was a chance to talk about some of these marvellous species in a lot more detail. How did you choose which species to feature?

It was tricky. I wanted to try and get a fair spread of animals from different families and habitats. The only real rule I applied was that they had to be endangered... and ugly.

RSPB Seabirds

Marianne Taylor (Bloomsbury Publishing, RRP £25.00) Our price £18.99, quote WT073 With stunning photography by David Tipling, this book should take pride of place in your natural history collection. In addition to detailing all seabird species found in the British Isles and on northern European coastlines, from Cormorants to terns, it also covers visitors to British shores.

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Was there any animal you wanted to include but didn’t have the space?

Is there a more serious note behind the writing of this book?

Yes, very much so. I think that we tend to be shallow in our approach to wildlife and a lot of people only care about the charismatic creatures. The natural world is not just some kind of outdoor zoo and the crisis facing our planet’s biodiversity is a serious one. Evidence suggests that up to 250 species are going extinct every day.

British Wildlife Photography Awards: Collection 5 (AA Publishing, RRP £25) Our price £16.99, quote WT075

A must for every coffee table, this beautiful book celebrates British wildlife photography, captured by the country’s best amateur and professional photographers. There are images from 12 separate categories covering everything from marine life and animal behaviour to creepy crawlies and urban wildlife. As well as the adult categories there are two special junior ones.

What is your background?

I grew up in Northern Ireland and have had a love of biology as far back as I can remember. I have also been lucky through my work as a natural history documentary presenter to get to see some amazing wildlife close up and personal. On Inside Nature’s Giants for example, I got to swim with dolphins and whales, ride a racing camel and dive into a Polar Bear’s den. THE UGLY ANIMALS: WE CAN’T ALL BE PANDAS Simon Watt, The History Press RRP £9.99 Our price: £7.99, quote WT070

National Birds of the World

Ron Toft (Bloomsbury Publishing, RRP £25.00) Our price £18.99, quote WT072 Find out how and why almost 100 species of bird have been chosen by countries as a symbol of their national identity, including the 2013 Scottish adoption of the Golden Eagle. This fascinating book also details the wide range of cultural contexts in which these birds have appeared throughout history.

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Theknowledge TV

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SPIDER HOUSE BBC 4, this month Calling all arachnophobes. For the first time a television documentary will be lifting the lid of the creepy, secret, mysterious world of the British spider, with the help of arachnologist and breeding expert, Graham Smith and presenters Dr Alice Roberts and Dr Tim Cockerill. Using macro technology, the team captured every moment of spider life in unprecedented detail – showing them you have never seen them before. But will this programme change spiderphobic public perception of this small, yet much maligned and feared creature? You be the judge.

ULTIMATE WILDLIFE EXPERIENCES

Mark Carwardine, Wanderlust Publications Ltd, RRP £25 Our price: £15, quote WT069

THIS WILD LIFE BBC 2, early 2015 Go behind the scenes of a safari camp and elephant conservation charity in Kenya’s Samburu National Reserve and follow owners Saba Douglas-Hamilton and her husband Frank Pope as they endeavour to keep their guests and animals happy while trying to raise their three young daughters. Lucinda Axelsson, who commissioned the programme says: “This series will reveal the unpredictable and occasionally chaotic behind-the-scenes world of running an unfenced safari camp in the middle of the bush.”

Duncan Macdonald, founder of WildSounds & Books, recommends one of his all-time favourite wildlife books I’ve read a lot of wildlife travel books but there is one that stands out above the rest, and that’s Mark Carwardine’s Ultimate Wildlife Experiences. It’s inspiring and well-written with Mark’s fantastic photos and realistic full travel info. And you don’t have to organise special permits or complex ground arrangements to go, so the chances of success are relatively high! These are places to dream about and raise your spirits after a difficult day or when the weather is foul. I keep a copy next to my bed...

DVDS

Otters of the World Paul and Grace Yoxon (Whittles Publishing, RRP £18.99) Our price £15.99, quote WT074 A beautifully illustrated book that explores all 13 species of otter, an endearing and charasmatic aquatic mammal that lives all over the world, from Africa and Asia to Europe and North America. Species range from the smallest, the Asian Small-clawed Otter, to the largest, the Giant Otter and Sea Otter.

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SERENGETI – NATURE’S GREATEST JOURNEY 4K-Ultra-HDMovies.com Released on 9 October, this film explores the fight for survival that takes place every day between predators and prey in the vast African plains of the Serengeti, that vast African safari wonderland that lies in north Tanzania and south western Kenya.

THE DAVID ATTENBOROUGH COLLECTIONS BBC A must for every David Attenborough fan. Enjoy five series of natural history programmes and over 13 hours of entertainment from the master, including two hours of exclusive behind-the-scenes. It includes Kingdom of Plants, Rise of Animals, Micro Monsters, Galapagos, and Natural History Museum Alive.

From £12

From £35.25

In Search of Lost Frogs: The Quest to Find the World’s Rarest Amphibians Robin Moore (Bloomsbury Publishing, RRP £25.00) Our price £16.99, quote WT071 Conservationist Robin Moore set out on a unique, global expedition to find and protect the world’s rarest amphibians. Here, fully illustrated with beautiful photography, he tells the compelling story, including the discoveries, and disappointments, of the journey.

TO ORDER To purchase any of the featured books at our special discounted prices, please go to: www.wildsounds.com/wildtravel or call: 01263 741 825 and quote the relevant offer code above. Offers valid until 31 December 2014 Free postage for all UK orders. A percentage of every sale will be donated to our selected charity, World Land Trust (www.worldlandtrust.org)

In association with

NOVEMBER 2014 101

3KRWɛ ZʝʁNʂKʝɞ

SEAL OF APPROVAL There can be few more appealing pictures than a young seal pup with melting dark eyes, and getting such a shot is simply a matter of patience and a willingness to get wet and sandy, says Mark Hamblin

ritain is home to around 50 per cent of the global population of Grey Seals with numbers estimated to be between 100,000 and 120,000. This arguably makes the UK the best place in the world to take photographs of them. They are larger than Common Seals, which are also found around British waters, and can be told apart from that species by their distinctive Roman nose. Both species make fantastic subjects but the photographic attraction of Grey Seals at this time of year (October to January) is that they come ashore at favoured sites around the coast to give 102 NOVEMBER 2014

birth to their pups. This is also the time when rival bulls fight to gain precious territory on the breeding grounds and, more importantly, to gather together a harem of females. With so much going on there are plenty of opportunities to photograph interesting aspects of seal behaviour as well as capturing portraits of the irresistibly photogenic pups. Just be aware that, as with all wildlife, the welfare of the subject must always come before any photographs. This applies in particular when it comes to photographing young seal pups, which are vulnerable to being separated from

their mothers. Always keep a respectful distance to avoid disturbance. Bulls can also be aggressive on their breeding grounds so, again, don’t approach too closely or get between two rivals. Grey Seals are most numerous around the Scottish coast and can be seen almost anywhere there are secluded beaches or coves for them to haul out. The Orkney Islands are a favoured location with 25,000 Grey Seals residing there, so the chances of good encounters are high. The Farnes Islands off the Northumberland coast also host a large colony, while further down the east coast around 3,000 Grey Seals use the MOD wildlifeextra.com

Theknowledge Left: a Grey Seal female is framed by breaking surf as she leaves the water Right: a Grey Seal breeding colony on a sand bar in north Lincolnshire Below right: an adult male calling aggressively, north Lincolnshire

WILD NOVEMBER Other species to photograph around the UK this month GEESE From October onwards large numbers of geese migrate to the UK to spend the winter. There are several species including Pinkfooted, Barnacle and White-fronted which each have their favoured wintering sites. Photograph them in large flocks as they fly between their roost sites and feeding grounds. Locations: Montrose Basin, NE Scotland; Caerlaverock WWT Reserve, Dumfries

bombing range at Donna Nook as their pupping grounds! This site is partly managed by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and is best visited at weekends when you can get excellent close-up views of the seals just a short walk from the main car park. Other locations well worth a visit include Blakeney Point in Norfolk – take a boat trip out to the point for the best views – and Skomer Island in Pembrokeshire, Wales. At many of these locations seals are quite accustomed to people, which makes it much easier to capture good images. If you’re a first-time visitor or concerned about causing disturbance, then an organised visit or boat trip to a seal colony is a good option. Seals can be very curious when in the water and you may well see them bobbing up within a few metres of the boat to take a closer look at you. So keep your camera handy wildlifeextra.com

and make sure it’s set up ready to grab a shot. Preset the exposure settings, autofocus mode and motordrive so that all you need to do is press the shutter when a seal pops into view. A lightweight zoom lens works well when working from a boat, as it’s more manageable to handle and also gives you greater flexibility in terms of composition. When photographing seals on land it’s best to use as long a telephoto lens as possible so that you can shoot from a reasonable distance, which will help ensure that the seals behave naturally. Approach them slowly and stop every few metres to monitor their behaviour. If they remain relaxed then move in a little closer. In order to present less of an imposing figure, stay low to the ground rather than shooting from a standing position. For this reason you should wear waterproof clothing and footwear so if

FIELDFARES AND REDWINGS These attractive winter thrushes descend onto berry-laden hedgerows during the autumn, especially on frosty mornings. Once the birds find a good crop they’ll keep returning until they’ve stripped them bare. Use your car as a hide or, alternatively, set up a portable pop-up hide. Locations: farmland and industrial estates that have been planted with berry yielding trees SALMON Atlantic Salmon migrate to their spawning grounds at this time of year, swimming up rivers and having to negotiate waterfalls by leaping out of the water. Watch to see where the fish jump most often and pre-focus the lens on that spot, then use a remote release to fire the camera. Locations: Falls of Shin, Inverness-shire; Stainforth Force, Settle, Yorkshire

NOVEMBER 2014 103

Left: a Grey Seal pup rests on the beach Below right: an adult female Grey Seal emerges from the sea in north Lincolnshire

:KDɢ ɡ ʖɚ ʛɨ ʘLɢ EDɒ Mark reveals the essential items he takes on a trip to the coast CANON 1DX BODY Canon’s latest pro camera body, which is fully weather sealed and has good battery life even in cold conditions. The fast motordrive of up to 12 frames per second means that I have the best chance of capturing action shots. CANON 7D BODY I use this as a back-up camera and also when I need extra reach, because the 1.6x cropped sensor provides an effective focal length of 960mm with the 600mm lens.

necessary you can kneel or lie on the ground. Shooting from a lower viewpoint will give you the added benefit of throwing the background out of focus, making the seal stand out from its surroundings and giving the picture greater impact. A seal’s coat is a beautiful mix of warm tones when it’s completely dry, as opposed to bluish grey when wet, and this is really accentuated in the low angled sunlight of winter, most notably early and late in the day. Front lighting tends to work best, so try to shoot with the sun coming from behind you, which will provide good, even illumination without any deep shadows. Overcast conditions can work, too. These are good for close-up portraits, providing soft, even lighting. Avoid shooting against a pale sky or sea, as a bright background can be distracting. Before you make your approach, try to pre-visualise the shot you want to capture. That way you can move into the correct spot with minimum fuss. Once in the right position, remain patient and simply wait for events to unfold. Initially, the seals may be a little wary, but once they accept your presence they’ll behave normally and allow you capture a variety of interesting images. Seals often remain inactive for long periods of time and it’s tempting to move on if there’s not much happening, but if you stick around long enough the 104 NOVEMBER 2014

rewards will come. Even something as simple as a seal scratching its ear with its flipper will make a great shot. Keep your compositions simple, with good eye contact and uncluttered backgrounds. If you have the opportunity to get in close enough for portraits, then switch to vertical format and fill the frame with the seal’s head and shoulders. Focus carefully on the eyes and, for close-up shots, adjust the aperture setting to f/8 to increase the depth of field enough to bring other facial features into focus. If you don’t have a long telephoto lens, then create images that show the seal or seal colony as part of its environment. By including the surroundings in your picture, your images will tell more of a story and put the seal into context.

CANON 600MM F/4 IS Super telephoto that provides 12x magnification on the full frame 1DX body. It gives superb image quality and works really well with both 1.4x and 2x convertors. CANON 1.4X AND 2X CONVERTORS When working from a distance or for really close portraits it’s good to have the extra pulling power. CANON 70-200MM F/4 A lightweight short telephoto lens for wider views when I want to include more of the surroundings. Can also be used with convertors. CANON 16-35MM F/2.8 A small portable wide-angle zoom for possible landscape opportunities while on, or driving to/ from, the location. FOOD AND DRINK Having plenty of supplies with me means that I can shoot all day and helps keep my energy levels up without having to break away to find the nearest café! RAINCOVERS Working at the coast inevitably means that water is never far away, either from the ground, sea spray or the air. Raincovers keep my kit dry when I’m photographing and also help stop everything getting covered in wet sand if I’m working on a beach. ■ Share your wildlife photos at www.flickr.com/groups/wild_travel

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BRITISH WILDLIFE AT ITS BEST

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TM ON T

...and where to find it in 2015! PLUS Musk Oxen, Polar Bears and five types of whales on a cruise round Greenland ● Searching for the strange and exotic in steamy Samoa ● Paddling down the seasonal waterways of Botswana ● Norway’s fjords ● Africa’s Cheetahs PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY TO SAVE £1 off the cover price and get free delivery in the UK! 1. Go to www.buyamag.co.uk/WT 2. Click to order the December 2014 issue 3. Enter the discount code JH84

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26 Nov

Confessions of a wildlife traveller...

Small is beautiful On a tiny island you can really focus on the native wildlife, says Mike Unwin

106 NOVEMBER 2014

The colourful Mauritius Oranate Day Gecko is endemic to the coastal areas of the island of Mauritius

10 individuals. Plants are special, too: the island’s fragile ecosystem, from which most invasive flora has been eradicated, now harbours critically endangered endemics such as the Round Island hurricane palm, of which only one adult tree remains. I love it. The place is so small – so restricted in both its size and ecology – that I can really get to grips with it. There’s no sense of the road not taken, the species not ticked, the bigger quarry over the next horizon. There’s not much here, in short, but everything we do find is special. Each plant and animal warrants stopping, investigating and learning. And it strikes me, while wandering around this bijou haven, how wildlife travel is so often sold on scale: big animals, vast numbers, huge landscapes. If it’s not herds of Wildebeest sweeping majestically across the Serengeti, then it’s the record-breaking number of species you can tick off in a Peruvian rainforest or the formidable length of a Saltwater Crocodile. On Ile aux Aigrettes, it’s about the limited and the little. The place may be small but it’s perfectly formed, and with no competing attractions you can truly focus on its unique wildlife. As I stare at a tiny gecko on a little leaf on this postage stamp of an island, I wonder whether everything in nature would be this fascinating if you only gave it your full attention.

“There’s not much here, but everything we find is special. Each plant and animal warrants stopping, investigating and learning.” wildlifeextra.com

t’s only a lizard. A very pretty one, mind you, with a beaded motif of sky-blue and scarlet scales between its dark, bulging eyes. But it’s not more than 10cm long and it’s sitting on a leaf doing not very much. I’m thrilled, though. This is the Mauritius Ornate Day Gecko – a reptile endemic to the island. Peering between the foliage, I fire off a bunch of photographs, trying – and mostly failing – to do justice to its diminutive size and exquisite patterning. Mauritius, you might think, offers relatively little to the wildlife traveller. Its location – marooned in the middle of the Indian Ocean – means that it has no native land mammals, bar a couple of bat species that managed to fly here long-haul, and very few reptiles. Its birdlife, meanwhile, is dominated by invasive aliens, such as mynahs, bulbuls and sparrows, that have bullied the natives into hiding. Indeed Mauritius is more famous for the wildlife it has lost – most famously the late lamented Dodo – than for what it has managed to retain. Furthermore, much of the native wildlife that does remain is not on the mainland, where 90 per cent of the forests have been cleared, but on tiny offshore islands. Here they can escape the ravages of invasive rats, mongooses and other introduced predators, while conservationists battle to stem the alien tide. It is on one such island, Ile aux Aigrettes, in the far southeast, that I am currently watching my gecko. If you think Mauritius is small (at just 2,040km, the country would fit comfortably inside Dorset), then this coral satellite is minuscule. Yet its 26 hectares of limestone and coastal ebony forest are home to some of the rarest creatures on the planet. With the expert help of our Mauritian Wildlife Foundation guide, Gianie Clarisse, not only do I find the gecko but also Telfair’s Skink – a larger and even rarer lizard. My bird list, meanwhile, inches up to five species. While this may be fewer than I’d expect back home on my walk to the bus stop, it nonetheless includes the Mauritius Olive White-eye, Mauritius Fody and Pink Pigeon, all endemic to Mauritius and the pigeon once reduced to a world population of just

WILD TRAVEL – November 2014 Geese in Norfolk

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