Latest News - Naturetrek News

On this tour, we go in search of the Snow Leopard, and the magnificent Markhor on which they prey, journeying into the heart of the Hindu Kush, home of the fascinating Christian Kalash people

Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve has enjoyed an unprecedented influx of Mediterranean Gulls this spring. For a chance to enjoy views of this beautiful bird and talk to the Naturetrek team why not visit Titchfield Haven in May.

We have had an amazing response to these new tours. As a result we have added extra departure dates for Tiger Direct and 2010 dates for the Brahmaputra Cruise.

Naturetrek's unique range of exclusive (full boat) wildlife cruises is continuing to expand and we are delighted that they are filling so quickly and have become so popular. Here are details of two new tours for 2009 and a summary of remaining space on our 2008 departures.

February and early March 2008 saw our inaugural 'Wallcreepers & Cranes' tour in Northern Spain. 25 clients joined our two departures and were treated to Wallcreepers, Lammergeiers and 10,000's of Cranes, as tour leader John Willsher reports.

A single Northern Bald Ibis was a major surprise in Coto Donana during our recent Best of Coto Donana tour in April.

2007 was a good year for Naturetrek group sightings of Harpy Eagle, with birds seen on tours in Ecuador, Peru, Panama and Venezuela.

Naturetrek tour leader Alan Miller talks about the highlights of a summer trip to the High Atlas Mountains.

Mike Strickland (tour participant) reports on his Naturetrek tour to Hungary in October 2008.

Congratulations to Mark Caunt for winning our competition and a copy of '100 Animal To See Before They Die'. Mark supplied us with a number of high quality images taken on Naturetrek tours

A full list of all dates and prices for our 2009 Bargain Birdwatching and Mammal Selection. Book early to guarantee your place.

In addition to the new tours ready for booking we also have details of 15 new tours for 2009 which include six cruises and several new destinations for Naturetrek (the Cape Verde Islands, Vietnam and Pakistan).

Naturetrek's ever increasing range of wildlife cruises are proving as popular as ever and we are down to our last few cabins The Scottish Islands, Spitsbergen and Greenland so book now to avoid disappointment.

Naturetrek will once again be spending the day at Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, near Fareham in Hampshire, on Friday 16th May 2008. Several of our staff and leaders, will be on hand to answer any holiday questions you may have and to escort walks around the nature reserve.

Since its founding in 1870, there has been just one previous overseas Winchester College Natural History Society trip, to Israel in 1994. In association with Naturetrek, our excellent local wildlife travel firm, we had started planning for the India trip way back in May 2007

Nepalese scientists have recorded a new subspecies of bird at Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR) of east Nepal.

Although Spoon-billed Sandpipers have been seen by clients on previous occasions, the feast of waders this year was extraordinary and the presence of the putative new species of plover known for the moment as 'White-faced Plover' was an amazing bonus.

Naturetrek's ever increasing range of wildlife cruises are proving as popular as ever and we are down to our last few cabins for 2008. The following space is still available so book now to avoid disappointment!

If you are seeking a wildlife-packed holiday which also leaves you feeling healthier, happier and more relaxed the groundbreaking Naturetrek wildlife and yoga holidays could be the vacation you have been waiting for.

The flora of the state of Western Australia is truly amazing, and is as diverse as any other in the world. Tour leader Paul Harmes reports on the highlights of the September 2007 Naturetrek tour.

I think it went really well, we delivered almost everything we had on the itinerary. 50 cm of snow, –15° c, at least 4 Nutcrackers, Grey-headed, Black, Lesser-spotted & Three-toed Woodpeckers, at least three

Always a popular destination in the spring, last autumn we ran our first autumn tour to what is undoubtedly one of the finest wetlands in Europe. Tour leader Roy Taylor reports

Byron Palacios has led many Naturetrek birding groups around his native Ecuador in recent years, carving out a reputation for himself as one of the country's brightest young birding talents. Now in the UK

The overnight rain had soaked the bush and thick, late-summer grass, turning the open road into a relatively dry pathway. We saw them as we came round a corner – a couple of Spotted Hyenas

If you would like some help in planning your wildlife holiday for 2008, join our tour leaders and staff at our Cheriton Mill offices for tea, coffee, cakes and expert advice on one of the Naturetrek Open Days listed below.

Ibisbill, Wallcreeper and Rubythroat are on the breakfast menu at our very own Koshi Camp!... situated within the finest wetland in Asia.

Our new Sweden in Winter short break has been so popular that we have added an extra 3 departures to the one outlined in our Autumn 2007 newsletter.

You may well have enjoyed Nisar Malik and Mark Smith's BBC Natural World film 'Snow Leopard - Beyond the Myth' last weekend. It was a truly fabulous piece of filming!

Ted and his wife Julia travelled with us to Guyana in March 2007 and enjoyed amazing luck with wildlife sightings, as their photos and account clearly illustrate!

The benefits of subscribing to the Naturetrek e-newsletter:

Interest in Naturetrek Butterfly Conservation tours continues to grow steadily. In 2007 we took 66 clients to some of the best butterfly destinations in the world.

Naturetrek offers 32 different expert-escorted group wildlife holidays to India each year (in total over a hundred group departures annually), the largest selection offered by any specialist wildlife tour operator.

 

The first two Naturetrek Just Jaguars tours took place during June 2007. Although many previous Naturetrek groups had visited the Pantanal region of Brazil these were the first tours designed specifically to try and find Jaguars in this fascinating region of marshes and riverine forests. Although regarded as one of the major strongholds of Jaguars in South America, it is by no means an easy task to locate these most elusive of cats in the vastness of the Pantanal and the daily activities were carefully structured to give participants the best opportunity of finding their quarry. Despite the narrow focus of the tour a good many other birds and mammals were seen by both groups including the very rare Giant River Otter, Brazilian Tapir, Ocelot, Crab-eating Fox, and the magnificent Hyacinth Macaw, one of the rarest parrots in the world. We had hoped for multiple Jaguar sightings but the creatures remained stubbornly unco-operative until the very last day on both tours when they finally decided that they had teased us long enough and presented views for both parties, much to the relief of everyone! The first tour group were lucky enough to see a pair whilst the second had to be content with a swimming male, albeit at down to 15 metres range. These encounters were all too brief but a just reward for the guides who had worked extremely hard trying to locate these enigmatic animals for the groups. We shall be returning to Brazil in seach of Jaguars in 2008 and whilst we hope for even greater success next year nothing can ever be guaranteed and all we can promise is a determined effort to find the top predator of the Pantanal forests.

 

For more information visit the Just Jaguars tour page.

 

 

 

Many of you will be familiar with the popular reality television series, The Dragons’ Den, that places would-be entrepreneurs before a panel of wealthy businessmen prepared to back them financially or tear them apart. In recent months, a similar series entitled E-Den, operated by Bowshot and backed by Businesslink Wessex, has been run at university venues in the south. Sixteen businesses have presented their websites publicly to a panel of high-profile, expert and entrepreneurial E-Dragons, who have critically examined each company’s presentation and website, during a series of rounds, to establish a winner. The 2007 winner of E-Den (and a prize of nearly £10,000-worth of legal and website assistance), we’re delighted to say, was Naturetrek!... and our website which was presented at E-Den events by our General Manager, Andy Tucker. Well done to Andy, and to all those others at Naturetrek, who have worked so hard on our website. We hope that you will be as impressed as the E-Dragons!

 

 

Naturetrek Slide Evenings

During the New Year we will again be holding Naturetrek Slide Evenings around the UK. This year our speakers will include Paul Stanbury (on our selection of exclusive wildlife cruises, including Spitsbergen, Kamchatka, Antarctica, Baja California and Galapagos), Peter Dunn (on Europe, Monterey Bay and Trinidad and Tobago), Andy Tucker (on South America) and David Tattersfield (on our botany holidays in the Himalaya, Kazakhstan, South Africa and Europe). In order to chat and answer your questions, we will be present 30 minutes before each show and, also, during a 20-minute coffee break at half-time. Entry is by (free) ticket only. To register, please email julie@naturetrek.co.uk (or call Julie on 01962 733051) to advise us of the number of tickets you require, your address, phone number, and of course which venue you wish to attend. This year we will be visiting:

 

Wildfowl & Wetland Trust, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire
Sun, 13th Jan (4.30pm – 7pm)

 

Gipsy Hill Hotel, Exeter, Devon
Mon, 14th Jan (7pm – 9.30pm)

 

Royal Hotel, Winchester, Hampshire
Tue, 15th Jan (7pm – 9.30pm)

 

Royal Wells Hotel, Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Wed, 16th Jan (7pm – 9.30pm)

 

Trinity College, Oxford
Thu, 17th Jan (7pm – 9.30pm)

 

Best Western Midland Hotel, Derby
Sat, 19th Jan (7pm – 9.30pm)

 

The Grange Hotel, York
Sun, 20th Jan (7pm – 9.30pm)

 

The Braid Hills Hotel, Edinburgh
Mon, 21st Jan (7pm – 9.30pm)

 

Crown Court Hotel, Inverness
Tue, 22nd Jan (7pm – 9.30pm)

 

 

 

Office Open Days

If you would like some help in planning your wildlife holiday for 2008, join our tour leaders and staff at our Cheriton Mill offices for tea, coffee, cakes and expert advice on one of the Naturetrek Open Days listed below. You may wish to combine your visit to us with one or more of the local attractions. These include some fabulous local pubs along the Itchen Valley, the Watercress Line for steam train enthusiasts, birdwatching at nearby Alresford Pond and the surrounding watercress beds and water meadows, and the attractions of the charming Georgian market town of Alresford and the historic cathedral city of Winchester just a short drive away. But please do phone Julie in our office first (on 01962 733051) to ensure an appointment can be made for you to see the staff member best suited to discuss your interests!

Friday 11th January ’08
Friday 15th February ’08
Friday 14th March ’08 

 

 

 

Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve Open Day

Naturetrek will once again be spending the day at Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, near Fareham in Hampshire, on Friday 8th February 2008. Several of our staff and leaders, including David Mills (Asia), Maryanne Mills (Australia and New Zealand), David Tattersfield (Naturetrek’s botany holidays), Rajan Jolly (India), Paul Stanbury (Europe and Africa) and Andy Tucker (South America), will be on hand to answer any holiday questions you may have and to escort walks around the nature reserve (entrance fee not included). Guided walks will take place at 10am and 2pm, each for one hour. 45-minute powerpoint shows will be presented throughout the day, as follows:

 

Wildlife Cruises around Spitsbergen, Antarctica, Kamchatka & Baja – 11am
Botanical tours in Europe, the Himalaya, South Africa and Kazakhstan – 12 midday
South America for Birds and Mammals – 1pm
Wildlife Cruises around Spitsbergen, Antarctica, Kamchatka & Baja – 3pm

 

Early February is a wonderful time to visit Titchfield Haven. Good numbers of waders, geese, ducks and gulls are present, whilst Bitterns, birds of prey and Bearded Reedlings are amongst species to be seen over the reedbeds. To join us for the day, please phone Julie on 01962 733051, or email julie@naturetrek.co.uk. We look forward to seeing you there!

 

 

 

Be Our Guest At Destinations 2008!

Apply to us now for your Complimentary Ticket (worth £10) to Destinations, the London Travel Show, from 31st January to 3rd February ’08.

Destinations, the annual London Travel Show at Earl’s Court, runs from Thursday 31st January to Sunday 3rd February 2008. This is your opportunity to be inspired by the vast range of travel opportunities and ideas offered beneath one roof… and to visit our Naturetrek stand (no. R57) to discuss your wildlife interests and travel arrangements with our expert consultants. Do join us at Earl’s Court (applying for your free ticket(s) by phoning Naturetrek’s Kiera Griffin (01962 733051) or e-mailing kiera@naturetrek.co.uk

 

 

Jenny Wilsher (Naturetrek tour leader) reports on her trip to The Galapagos Islands this summer:

 

If there was ever a place where one runs out of superlatives, this is it! The uniqueness of the wildlife is one thing but the opportunity to get up close and personal to most of it just takes your breath away and reduces you to speechlessness and awe. From sea lion pups snuffling at your feet, Blue-footed Booby chicks, balls of white fluff, looking up at you from their grubby nests on the ground, the courtship ritual of the Waved Albatross, or a pair of Humpback Whales, Great and Magnificent Frigate Birds in mixed groups puffing up their bright red throat patches, causing the photographers a huge dilemma as to which really was the best grouping, to amazing aerial displays from these sky pirates, the Galapagos Islands did not disappoint. The intriguing diversity and the magic of ‘adaptive radiation’ of many of the islands flora and fauna, kept us attentive and fascinated, in large part due to the knowledge, passion and dedication of our local naturalist, Juan Manuel Salcedo. Juan was a natural teacher, taking every opportunity to share and explain every aspect of the islands, using the sand as his blackboard and bones, shells and live material as natural teaching aids. His specialist subject was not just the wildlife, but the human history, thankfully brief but none the less destructive, and volcanology, a fundamental key to any understanding of the islands. And then there was marvellous boat crew who looked after us so well, and the locals on the mainland who could not do enough to ensure we enjoyed every moment of our trip. For those who opted for the rainforest extension, more superlatives were called for. The lush, exuberance of the forest, its plants, birds, insects and animals, and the impressive (and thankfully calm) Napo River, were an amazing contrast, both to the islands and to the high altitude habitats at Antisana, Otavalo, Pichincha and Yanacocha. A feast of experiences all in one trip!

 

Lava Heron by John Wilsher

 

Our unique 2-week exclusive charters around the Galapagos Islands are filling up quickly for 2008. We're fully booked for cruises in January, February, March and August 2008, leaving spaces on our second August cruise departing on 18th August and also on 8th December. 2009 dates are also now uploaded to the tour page.

 

Book early to avoid disappointment!

 

 

Polar Bear Watching in Canada

In order to guarantee the departure of our Just Polar Bears tour to Churchill in Canada this October, we are looking to fill the last places. If anyone is interested in this unique chance of seeing Polar Bears in their natural environment, please email Debbie Ward or phone on 01962 733051 for further details. Space is limited so do contact us as soon as possible!

Wild Spain - La Montana Palentina

We have one place left on this new tour departing 20th September 2007. For some great walking and wildlife exploration in a beautiful part of Spain based in these cottages, why not join us? £935 pp with all food, wine, transport and excursions included. 

Venezuela - Henri Pittier & Llanos

One male share space available on the tour departing 20th October 2007 at a £100 discount (£1,395) due to an Air Portugal sale with flights to Caracas via Lisbon.

 

 

The destruction of the Atlantic rainforests of Brazil was dramatically highlighted by the 1999 British Birdwatching Fair at Rutland Water which donated funds to support the local efforts to preserve these remarkable forests. Half the 103 bird species designated as 'endangered' in Brazil occur in the Atlantic forests and many other very rare species are known only from this area. These threatened forests form the basis of this biannual tour and during a week based at a comfortable lodge adjacent to prime tracts of forest we will be able to enjoy a stunning variety of Nearctic birds including many of the local specialities.

 

Owned and managed by Andy Foster, Serra dos Tucanos is a small birding lodge in the Atlantic forest of South-East Brazil. Situated at an elevation of 400 metres  it provides the perfect location from which to observe a whole host of endemic and non endemic birds. Hummingbird feeders, together with regularly stocked bird tables ensure that many species can be seen throughout the day from the comfort of the lodge itself; however the Naturetrek tour itinerary incorporates altitudinal variation and different local habitats to ensure that we see as many bird species as possible during the week.

 

For more information about the Naturetrek tour visit the tour page.

 

 

During the course of the Birdfair David Mills, Andy Tucker, Paul Stanbury, Debbie Ward, Paul Dukes and Rajan Jolly will be present on the Naturetrek stand. If you would like to speak to a particular member of staff or want to talk about a particular region then please time your visit according to the information provided below.

 

Present Friday, Saturday and Sunday:

Andy Tucker (South America, Western Europe, North Africa)

Paul Stanbury (North & east Europe, Africa, cruises)

Paul Dukes (Americas, Asia, Ethiopia, Greece)

Rajan Jolly (India)

 

Present Saturday and Sunday:

 

Debbie Ward (Nepal, Canada, Italy, Jordan)

 

Present Friday:

 

David Mills (Africa, Asia, Oceania)
 

 

Talk in birding circles at the moment is of an amazing sequence of events in the Ecuadorian cloudforests which has seen some of South America's most coveted antpitta species become habituated to morning feasts of fat earthworms hand fed by a dedicated local campesino called Angel Paz at Refugio Paz de las Aves near Mindo. Here, Giant, Yellow-breasted and Moustached Antpittas can all be viewed at point blank range. Angel has trained some of Fundacion Joctotoco's staff in the techniques involved and Jocotoco Antpitta is also now habituated on the Tapichalaca reserve in southern Ecuador. We are delighted to introduce this new 10-day bargain tour for £1,495 with three departure dates for 2008. Visit the tour page for a tour dossier, or drop by our stand at the Birdfair for a chat.
 
Also new for 2008 will be a re-vamped version of our Peru - Central Andes bargain birding tour for Diademed Sandpiper-plover, Golden-backed Mountain Tanager and a range of other exciting range-restricted birds. This tour will be combinable with the Antpitta tour in Ecuador. Watch this space for details.

 

 

Office Open Days

 

If you would like some help in planning your wildlife holiday for 2007 or beyond, join our tour leaders and staff at our Cheriton Mill offices for tea, coffee, cakes and expert advice on one of the Naturetrek Open Days listed below.

 

These Open Days are generally held at Cheriton Mill, from where you may combine your visit to us with an excursion to one of our excellent local pubs, a birdwatching trip to the nearby Itchen Valley, or a look around the charming Georgian market town of Alresford or the historic cathedral city of Winchester just a short drive away. 

 

As space is limited, and it is important that we ensure an appointment can be made for you to see the staff member best suited to discuss your interests, it is essential that you register your interest, make a time for an appointment and/or let us know which of our open days you plan to attend by contacting Rajan (or by phone on on 01962 733051).

 

Forthcoming open days in 2007:

 

Friday 7th September

 

Friday 28th September

 

Friday 19th October

 

Friday 16th November

 

Friday 7th December

 

 

Slideshows

 

We will again be holding Naturetrek slideshows around the UK in January 2008. Our operations managers and tour leaders will be speaking about many of our destinations including Madagascar, Iceland, Spitsbergen, South Africa, Spain, Belize, Peru and Guyana. In order to chat and answer your questions, we will be present 30 minutes before each show and, also, during a 20-minute coffee-break at half time. Entry is by (free) ticket only. To register, please email julie@naturetrek.co.uk (or phone Julie on 01962 733051) to register your interest. Dates and venues have yet to be confirmed but will be posted here soon.

 

 

Here is a complete list of all the new tours to be featured in the 2008 Naturetrek brochure. Further details can be found by clicking on the tour title. Tour dossiers may not yet be available for all tours but keep checking the tour pages as they will be added in the coming weeks.

 

Butterflies of Morocco's High Atlas Mountains
An 8-day holiday in search of the butterflies of the High Atlas Mountains. A wealth of other wildlife, mountain walks, spectacular scenery, and the colourful culture of the Berber people are amongst other holiday highlights.

 

South Africa - Best of the Cape
A 10-day holiday, based in Cape Town, focusing on the region's colourful flora, scenic national parks, wild coastlines, and wealth of birds, mammals and cetaceans, plus an optional day spent watching (or cage diving with) Great White Sharks.

 

Boston, New England & Its Whales
A 6-day holiday focusing on the outstanding dolphin and whale-watching off Cape Cod, one of the top destinations for cetaceans anywhere in the world, plus a little sightseeing in Boston and the charming and historic town of Plymouth.

 

The Mammals of Northern Argentina
A 16-day exploration of the montane and Chaco habitats of northern Argentina in search of the region's mammals and birds.

 

China - Plant Hunting in Sichuan, Land of the Panda
A pioneering 22-day botanical tour to Sichuan Province following in the footsteps of the early plant-hunters.

 

India & Nepal - Corbett to Kathmandu
This 17-day holiday, in search of birds and mammals, offers a mouth-watering combination of the best national parks in the Himalayan foothills - Corbett in India, and the Sal and riverine forests of Bardia and subtropical jungles of Chitwan in Nepal, plus birdwatching and sightseeing in the Kathmandu Valley.

 

India - Assam, Darjeeling & Bhutan
An 18-day holiday exploring Kaziranga (the finest of India's national parks), the magical kingdom of Bhutan and the charming hill station of Darjeeling, plus an exciting optional extension to the Sunderbans.

 

Lowland Nepal
A comprehensive, 17-day mammal and birdwatching tour of lowland Nepal, visiting the country's three finest lowland sanctuaries, Chitwan and Bardia National Parks, and the remote Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, and the forested hills of the Kathmandu Valley.

 

Antarctica, The Falklands and South Georgia
A 22-day wildlife holiday including an 18-night voyage from Ushuaia in Patagonia to the Falklands, South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula.

 

Wildlife of Australia's Northern Territory
A 17-day holiday focusing on the best wildlife sites of Australia's Northern Territory, amongst them the unrivalled wetlands of Kakadu, the remote Arnhem Land escarpment and the spectacular Katherine Gorge.

 

Wildlife of Southern Australia
A 17-day holiday offering the best of the wildlife highlights and national parks in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

 

France - Butterflies of La Brenne
A 6-day holiday, travelling to and from Poitiers by train, to enjoy the exceptionally rich wildlife of La Brenne, focusing in particular on its remarkable variety of butterflies.

 

Greece - The Pelicans of Lake Kerkini
An 8-day birdwatching holiday to Lake Kerkini, one of the finest wetlands in Greece.

 

Greenland - Glaciers, Icebergs and Musk Ox
An 11-day holiday incorporating a 10-day cruise along the magnificent east coast of Greenland in search of Musk Ox, white phase Gyr Falcon, migrating waterbirds, cetaceans and perhaps Polar Bear. Some of the most spectacular landscapes on Earth, dressed in fabulous autumn colours, will be a further highlight.

 

Romania - The Wildlife of Transylvania
An 8-day holiday to the beautiful Carpathian Mountains of Romania in search of birds, flowers, butterflies and European Brown Bears.

 

Romania - Wild Flowers of The Carpathians
An 8-day botany holiday to the beautiful Carpathian Mountains of Romania.

 

The Scottish Islands
A magical 8-day wildlife voyage around the isolated islands and seabird colonies of northern Scotland including the rare opportunity to visit some of Britain's most inaccessible outposts, amongst them Foula, St Kilda, North Rhona and Sula Sgeir.

 

Slovakia - Butterflies of the Tatras & White Carpathians
An 8-day butterfly holiday to the Tatras and White Carpathian Mountains of Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

 

Spain - Granada & the Sierra Nevada
An 8-day holiday to enjoy the birds, plants and butterflies of the alpine summits and desert plains of unexplored Andalucia.

 

Wild Spain - La Montana Palentina
An 8-day holiday to enjoy the birds, plants, butterflies and mammals of this wild corner of Spain.

 

 

It has not been much of a summer for watching English cricket so why not join us on the tropical island of Sri Lanka for a birdwatching and wildlife tour this winter combined with daily attendance at the First Test match in Kandy? The tour itinerary visits some of Stri Lanka's world heritage archaelogical sites but will also guarantee some superlative birdwatching opportunities.

 

Tour itinerary

• Sun 25th November - Depart London
• Mon 26th November - On arrival Colombo early morning go to airport hotel for 'wash & brush up'. Drive to Anuradhapura stopping along the way for birding & breakfast. Arrive hotel for lunch, then afternoon relaxation/local birdwatching
• Tue 27th November - Tour of Anuradhapura & Mihintale, ancient cities & sites with plenty of birding & wildlife opportunities among the sightseeing
• Wed 28th November - Drive to Sigiriya with birdwatching stops en route. Afternoon birdwatching/climb Sigiriya Rock
• Thu 29th November - Morning around Sigiriya Rock in forest. After lunch visit Minneriya National Park for wildlife viewing including Elephants
• Fri 30th November - Drive to Kandy stopping at Spice Garden en route
• Sat 1st - Wed 5th December - Test Match with chance of birding excursions to local sites before play 
• Thu 6th December - Drive to Colombo 
• Fri 7th December - Morning return flight to UK

 

Tour cost: £1,700 (based on sharing twin accommodation)

Single room supplement: £150

Tour includes: full board accommodation, all transfers and transportation in private vehicles, entrance fees, services of naturalist tour leader, air fare from London, entrance fees, picnic lunches and soft drinks for daily attendance at First Test Match in Kandy.

 
Optional extension

• Thu 6th December - Drive to Nuwara Eliya, capital of hill country
• Fri 7th December - Horton Plains all day
• Sat 8th December - Drive Colombo
• Sun 9th December - Fly to London

 

Extension cost: £200

Single room supplement: £60
 

 
For further information please email Paul Dukes or phone 01962 733051

 

 

 

Parc National d'Aiguestortes by Steve West

 

Northeast Spain is an area that I didn’t know and it would be a contrast to previous birding trips to Spain. It is the most prosperous part of the country with intensive agriculture both arable and livestock that is reared in vast new sheds blotting the landscape. The Northern edge is mountainous defined by the Pyrenees and the borders with France and Andorra. Catalonia has a detached view of Spain. Much EU money has been poured into infrastructure development. Roads are excellent or being improved; even remote lanes in the mountains are being widened and surfaced. Tourism is rapidly growing with affluent city dwellers from Barcelona and Lleida owning holiday apartments in the area.

 

A mid-morning flight from Bristol to Barcelona made for an easy start to this trip. There I met the group and our local guide, Steve West, who is English but has lived in Spain for a long time. Fortunately he speaks both Spanish and Catalan, vital skills in this region where English is not understood or spoken. We headed north through a remarkably green landscape, it has been a wet spring here, calling in at the Estany d’Ivars which is a lake that was drained for agriculture but is now being restored. Developing vegetation and changing water levels are altering the mix of birds but Nightingales and Great Reed Warblers were calling with Avocets, Shelduck, Great Crested Grebe, Mallards, Moorhen, Coot and Yellow-legged Gulls on the water whilst Honey buzzards and Marsh Harriers soared overhead. Several Penduline tits were feeding in the bushes. A pair of White Storks flew over the village nearby.

 

Our base for the next three nights was the Monastir de las Avellanes near Belagur. It is a working monastery with an hotel attached set in beautiful surroundings. Different! It has its own vineyard so you can guess the choice of wine at dinner (Vino Negra is actually the red wine). Around the hotel we had Golden Orioles, Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers, Woodchat Shrikes, Short-toed Treecreepers, Black Redstarts, Olivaceous and Grasshopper Warblers, Serins and Firecrest just to pick out a few species. Swifts, Swallows and House Martins were a constant sight, using the monastery for nesting. One evening a Tawny Owl called from the wood across the road.

 

Day trips took us out onto the dry lands of the Lleida plains. The EU has protected them to stop irrigation and maintain the conservation value. They are reminiscent of the Wiltshire ‘prairies’, with a major difference, there are large areas of scrub and rough ground left uncultivated making superb habitats for wildlife. It was also a lot warmer. Crested, Calendra and Thekla Larks and Corn Buntings were plentiful. We only saw one Hoopoe and one Stone Curlew though. Common and Honey Buzzards, Marsh and Montagu’s Harriers soared overhead. A Bonelli’s Eagle was a real bonus. The ‘raspberry’ calls of Little Bustards carry a long way; they are always much further away than you think. Derelict farm buildings provided homes for Turtle and Stock Doves, Lesser Kestrels and a pair of Rollers and nearby a Tawny Pipit showed well. Bee Eaters were arrayed along the overhead cables beside the roads and tracks. Going up into the hills we found Griffon and Egyptian Vultures, Peregrines, Kestrels, Sub-alpine Warblers, Rock and Blue Rock Thrushes. We heard an Orphean Warbler but it refused to come out despite playing a recording of the song. On the other hand, we had superb views of Great Spotted Cuckoos.

 

An essential part of each days routine was a visit to a shop to buy the fresh bread and other ingredients for our picnic lunches. You had to bring your own knife, fork, spoon, plate and mug. It made for very pleasant and civilised breaks. It was essential to keep the ‘bins close to hand whilst eating as lunch stops were chosen for their birds and scenery. Travelling north again we crossed a col at 1600m and we were very surprised to see a Marsh Harrier hunting over the forest above 1000m altitude. The landscape became more rugged as we approached the Pyrenees. Along the main valley there are massive developments from a burgeoning tourist industry that will put pressure on the countryside. Kayaking and white water rafting are popular pursuits here. Eventually we turned up a winding road to the village of Espot at 1314m on the eastern edge of the national park, ‘Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes’. The comfortable Roca Blanca hotel was our base for the last four nights. The mountains rise to around 2800m and they still had snow on them so the village has a real alpine feel apart from all the cranes building new developments.

 

There is good birding around the village with Yellow Wagtails and Dippers nesting alongside the river running through the middle of the village. Alpine Swifts and Crag Martins added to the mix of swifts, Swallows and martins. Rock Sparrows were nesting on the church opposite the hotel. A Scops Owl called each evening from a building about 50m from the hotel; the street lights illuminated it. Two of us found an Iberian Chiffchaff which, despite its name, is rare here. Follow-up visits to the site over four days confirmed it was not a passage migrant thus making this the first record of probable breeding in this part of Spain. Steve has submitted the record to the authorities; I couldn’t even begin to do it in Spanish. Above the village there is a nesting site for Black Woodpeckers. Use of the MP4 player brought the male out to investigate, nearly taking Steve’s head off; we got excellent views too. Red Squirrels had taken over one hole in a tree.

 

Land Rover taxis took us up the valley to where the track was blocked by snow at about 1900m.  It was a very rough ride up – think Lake District mountain footpath with added boulders. Some of us walked up, partly on snow, to the Refugio d’Amitages at 2380m to look for Alpine Accentors and Snow Finches with no luck; worse, the refugio wasn’t open so, we couldn’t get a drink. However it was a superb walk in brilliant conditions with fantastic scenery all around. Marmots and Chamois provided a diversion. Great, Blue, Coal and Crested tits flitted through the trees lower down.

 

Griffon Vultures abounded but it took a lot of effort and three days before we found Lammergeier Vultures which was the main target species for me on this trip. The same day we also saw a Golden Eagle. Choughs and Alpine Choughs flew across the rock faces high up. Above 1500m we also found Ring Ouzels and Citril Finches in the trees. Stone walls and banks are home to Rock Buntings.

 

We walked along a forest track in an area known to hold Capercaillie. A female exploded out of the tree above our heads and clattered off through the forest. How can you miss a turkey-sized bird sat in a tree next to the track? Some of us got a view of it going away.

 

On Monday the sunshine and heat of the previous six days was replaced by rain. We headed up towards a pass at 2000m to try again for Alpine Accentors and Snow Finch. By 1500m it was freezing and snowing hard so we retreated to the valley to find a coffee shop. The rain eased so we stopped off for a look around finding familiar species such as Jay and Yellowhammer along with more Rock Buntings. It dried up later so we went on a final foray to look for Lammergeier. A single bird provided much better views than the day before and we could really see the plumage details.

 

The long drive back to Barcelona airport was interrupted by a pair of Booted Eagles, one light phase and one dark phase. The ratio of light to dark phase birds in Spain is 80:20. Fortunately we were able to park off the road for a better look. ‘Bins were rapidly retrieved from hand luggage. It made a nice finale to an excellent and successful birding trip.

 

A footnote for wild flower and butterfly enthusiasts. There is much here to occupy your time. We were a little early for most of the orchids but much else was in flower. Camberwell Beauty and Apollo were the two most notable butterflies.

 

Richard Belson

(tour participant)

 

To find out more about the Naturetrek tour and book your place in 2008 please visit the tour page.

 

 

In November 2006 Naturetrek clients were fortunate enough to see both Jaguar and Ocelot at Hato Pinero on our Venezuela - Llanos bargain bird tour.

 

Client Keith Cherry charts a typical afternoon at Hato Pinero. "The lorry arrived and we were off again. New birds were soon listed including Forest Elaenia, Orinocan Saltator, Glittering-throated Emerald, Groove-billed Ani, Orange-chinned Parakeet, Grey-necked Woodrail, Purple Galinule, Blue-tailed Emerald, Ringed Kingfisher, Spot-breasted Woodpecker and the stunning Rufous-tailed Jacamar. Further on we saw Rusty-backed Spinetail, Red-rumped Woodpecker, Snail Kite and Laughing Falcon. As the light began to fade we happened across a dead tree that was being used as a Vulture roost. A juvenile King Vulture and a juvenile Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture were present along with numerous Black and Turkey Vultures. We moved on and added Bi-coloured Wren before we started lamping again on our return to the ranch seeing numerous Great Potoo, Lesser Nighthawk, White-tailed Nighthawk and Common Paraque. The group received a massive bonus during this session when we all saw a juvenile Jaguar walk out of the undergrowth to the right of the lorry. This excited everyone and was a brilliant way to end the day. We arrived back at the ranch at 20:30hrs, tired but pleased with our day, considering how it had been disrupted by the weather. The evening was brought to an end in the usual way, dinner, call over, chiller cabinet!"

 

Click here to read a copy of the tour report.

 

 

 

As the dismal British summer lurches from one downpour to the next and pitches become more suitable for water sports than cricket, it is perhaps a tempting thought to consider the England cricket team's matches in sunny Sri Lanka later this year. The friendly tropical island of Sri Lanka has long been a favourite Naturetrek birdwatching and natural history destination and it is not surprising that  in common with most of the island population, our local team of expert naturalists are also enthusiast followers of the great game. Following the successful formula of previous Naturetrek tours combining international cricket with wildlife viewing, we are pleased to offer a programme of ad hoc Sri Lanka tours which can be taken either before or after the First Test Match in Galle which takes place December 1-5. There will be three tour itineraries to choose from, one embracing the northern cultural 'triangle' of Anuradhapura, Sigiriya and Kandy, a general wildlife tour visiting Yala and Uda Walawe National Parks, and finally a tour for birders seeking the endemic birds of the Hill Country and Sinharaja Forest. If the prospect of superlative wildlife encounters followed the spectacle of Harmison, Flintoff et al in action on the historic Galle ground is one that appeals we will be delighted to hear from you! Please contact Paul Dukes for further information

 

 

Naturetrek sends hundreds of happy botanists into the European mountain ranges each spring. Although far fewer clients venture further afield on our long haul botanical selection, some truly splendid botanising is available for the more adventurous. Jack and Joan Lamb headed to the Andes of Ecuador last year and sent us this enthusiastic piece on their holiday.

 

 

"Apart from a few ups and downs 2006 was a good year.  I passed my examinations, had a good Euro-fuchsia enjoyed the travelling we were able to do and met a lot of nice people.  There was still something missing and had been missing for a few years, the Andes.  I study and study but all along but it always played on my mind that I had not been or studied in the cloud forest, rain forest or paramo.  You can botanise anywhere but the place of your most interest in botany is a big help in understanding.

 

It was early in the year cold and wet outside and the television playing to itsself.   Joan was reading one of her magazines and I was reading the RHS magazine “The Garden”.  Just by chance Joan was reading about a couple who had immigrated to Ecuador and mentioned one comment to me “Ecuador was a beautiful country of warm friendly people”.    I just remarked that it sounded good, but as I closed my magazine there was a travel company advert for Naturetrek on the back cover that jumped out at me “Flora of the Andes, Ecuador”.  I was soon emailing them, reading reports of the previous years trek.   Naturetrek were very good in their prompt answers, soon confirming to me that the trek had a wheel at each corner and a driver.  The botanising was basically orchids and alpines but local guides confirmed that we would see fuchsia.   That was good enough for Joan and I and we booked, being kept up to date by Naturetrek all the time.    The itinerary changed several times due firstly to the volcano Tungurahua erupting, then not being able to use the airport at Loja because of runway repairs. But Naturetrek had everything covered.

 

There was four of us in the party and were met at Quito airport by a smiling Gustavo Cañas Valle who was to be our tour leader.   We were quickly loaded into a Mercedes mini-bus and driven to the Hotel Sebastian and introduced to our other botanist guide Hugolino Onate.  Then a light meal and much needed bed.

 

Early the next morning I saw my first fuchsia in Ecuador ‘Gartenmeister Bonstedt’ in a small garden across the road from the hotel.     After an early breakfast we set off for the Cotopaxi National Park where we soon found out that the roads in Ecuador are not quite up to the standard we have.   Once in the park we climbed/drove to just over 4000 metres where breathing was a bit of a problem but I was in heaven as every plant I looked at was new to me and I was soon face down on the ground photographing alpines, lichens, grasses etc.    We spent most of the day in the park before descending and botanising and birding as we went.  We stopped for me to photograph Pasiflora mixta, but as I was setting up the shot what could I see in the viewfinder but my first wild fuchsia, F. loxensis.  I was one happy man. I had seen my fuchsia in the wild.

 

We spent the next few days based in Ambato, visiting an orchid reserve at Puyo and generally enjoying Ecuador.  We drove back to Quito for a flight to Cuenca where we stayed the night before meeting our new driver Joffrey for a drive to Loja, roadside botanising and birding as we went and saw what we thought were the odd fuchsia.  I could have kicked myself when I got home and realised that they could have been F. harlingii.   From Loja we went to Vilcabamba where we stayed two nights.  My favourite two days of the trip.  The first one was to Cerro Toledo, Fuchsias Fuchsias and more fuchsias before we got to the high paramo.    I had not seen the first fuchsia we stopped for, but Hugolino’s eagle eyes spotted it in a thicket of growth.  It turned out to be F. Andrei, a bit further and there was F.campii  and then fuchsias I did not know,  until we reached what I think could be F. summa.   As the vegetation change, Hugolino pointed out a fuchsia high up a mini waterfall.  My eyes were not as good as his but the binoculars helped.   He said he would guide me up if I wanted to go, daft as I am I could not resist having a go.  He said he would carry my camera in case I fell.  I could not have asked for a better guide, he showed me every foot and handhold as we made the climb.  We took the pictures and were just looking around when someone from below shouted that we had to climb down.   The sense of achievement when I got down was fantastic.  All I could say was thank you to Hugolino and “It was worth it” to the other members.  

 

The following day was another dream.  We were met early by orchid expert Tulio Bustos Cordero and taken to one of his favourite orchid sites near to Loja , to say it blew my mind was an understatement, there were epidendrum orchids plus many more I did not know the names of right down to the road,  I can’t say pavement because there wasn’t any.  There were also many different genera there that I am interested in including Amarylids.   We also saw a fuchsia but as it was F. magellanica I did not pay a lot of attention to it, also it was in someone’s yard.  From there Tulio too us to Loja Zoo where he had his conservation collection of orchids.  My camera ought to have been fitted with a cooling system as I simply went mad.  We left Tulio and headed for Cuenca for a flight back to Quito, botanising again as we drove but driving right past Fuchsia harlingii once again.

 

We stayed the night in Cuenca before the early flight to Quito and were met by our third driver Edwin.   We soon left Quito climbing up towards Antisana and or lodge for the next couple of days at the Termas de Papallacta.   We were botanising on an old lava flow and I saw what looked like a hedge and made my way too it,  I soon saw red and as I got closer realised it was a fuchsia, but it was high and once again Hugolino came to my assistance, he held it while I did the photography.  It came into my mind that there may be flowers on the other side but soon found out that it was long drop so that idea was aborted.   In that area we saw a lot of fuchsia but nearly all were F. vulcanica in forms that I had not seen.   From Papallacta  we botanised to just south of Baeza before tuning to or stay at the San Isidro Lodge, our favourite accommodation.    After leaving the main road down the lanes through the forest we came to a sudden stop and Gustavo shouted “Jack lots of Fuchsia”, they turned out to be F. orientalis and F. scabriuscula and obviously some I did not know.   I was photographing, measuring and the usual things botanists do but following us up the road was a team of machete armed road men clearing the road sides of all vegetation.   It was a saddening site to see them all gone the day after.   From San Isidro we botanised up to The Guango Lodge for our last night in Ecuador.   The Guango Lodge is famous for its humming birds and to me very memorable as I pointed to a bird on a feeder another settled on my finger.

 

We learnt so much in such a short time about not only fuchsia but Andean flora, weather. And I think most we felt the true warmth and friendliness of the Ecuadorian people. We owe a huge dept of thanks and gratitude to Gustavo Canas Valle, Hugolino Onate and all three drivers David, Joffrey and Edwin.   Nothing was too much trouble for them at all.    They took us to places that the average tourist would not see, we ate at restaurants that we would not dream of finding.  Having a good laugh, where ever we went.      Our time in Ecuador was much too short and we had not done enough homework but we can’t wait to get back and will do so.   I was worried that our health would let us down but our every need was catered for and there were no long hikes or over exertion, stopping where ever we wanted.    And yes we did eat CUY (Guinea pig)

 

Our thanks also go to Andy Tucker of Naturetrek who organised the trip for us.   I would recommend Naturetrek and their Ecuadorian agents to anyone.    

 

Jack Lamb"

 

Naturetrek still have spaces on the tour departing 22nd September 2007. For details visit the tour page.

 

 

 

During the last five years, the Naturetrek Poland in spring trip has been a great success, not only for the birds but also the large mammals which we have encountered.  The first two years produced sightings of Wolf and Bison as well as the speciality birds of the Polish wetlands and forest.

 

However the trip in May 2007 surpassed all our expectations.  Firstly this was the first year that we managed to see all the woodpeckers (10 species including Wryneck) – having seen all the woodpeckers of the Bialowieza forest including excellent views of Three-toed, we detoured, on the way back to the airport to a site on the outskirts of Warsaw, to see Syrian Woodpecker.

 

In 2005 and 2006 we failed to see both Citrine Wagtail and Aquatic Warbler because of the cold spring and poor weather but this year we had excellent views of a pair of Citrine Wagtails in good sunny weather at their breeding site on the south bank of the Siemianówka Reservoir.

 

Aquatic Warblers can be late migrants and with the lack of River Warbler and Common Rosefinch we feared that they would not have arrived.  However a new boardwalk out into the flooded marsh in the southern basin of the Biebrza Marshes produced up to seven singing birds – although the wind and showers made them impossible to see.  However this was a good omen for our visit to a stronghold at Mscichy Dam and studying the weather forecast we chose to visit here on a bright sunny day.  As we approached the favoured habitat of flooded tussock grass we heard one singing and soon the whole group was able to watch it sat out in the sunshine for about five minutes.  It even entertained us with a couple of song flights.  There were in fact three birds visible here.  Finally close to our last hotel at Goniadz there is a tower hide which reputedly also had a small population of this ‘tiger-striped’ warbler, but over the previous four trips, there was never any heard or seen. This year up to four were heard from the hide giving a total of

14 birds for the trip.

 

The 2007 was exceptionally special because of another incredible stroke of luck.  We planned to go out to a known site for Pygmy Owl one evening and gathered together on a dirt track in the forest with a friend and local expert Arek.  Whilst he was busy trying to locate the bird, one of the group noticed a mammal walking towards us on the track some 200 yards away.  The creature turned sideways and marked its territory by ‘spraying’ the vegetation and then sat on the track and watched us.  The cat-like gait, marking of territory and pointed, tufted ears could only mean one thing – a European Lynx – the first time one had been recorded on a Naturetrek trip.  It must have sat there for 3-4 minutes which gave one of the group members, Jeremy Aldred ample time to fire off a few photos in failing light – the result of which was astounding.  This was such a rare sighting that Arek had never had a group present when he had seen them in the past and he went round shaking everyone’s hand, congratulating us all on our incredible luck.

 

It appeared that the Lynx was waiting for us to leave so it could continue walking along the track but after a few minutes it decided to walk back into the forest.  However a few minutes later it crossed back over the track checking us out again!

 

The icing on the cake was that the Pygmy Owl flew into the trees above us to see what all the fuss was about!

 

This trip will remain in the memories of the entire group and especially the leaders, as one of the best of the best of Poland, and thanks to Arek and Tomasz Jezierczuk (Tomek) for their hard work in achieving this.

 

Peter Dunn (Naturetrek tour leader)

To find out more about the Naturetrek Poland in Spring tour visit the tour page.

 

 

If you would like some help in planning your wildlife holiday for 2007 or beyond, join our tour leaders and staff at our Cheriton Mill offices for tea, coffee, cakes and expert advice on one of the Naturetrek Open Days listed below.

 

These Open Days are generally held at Cheriton Mill, from where you may combine your visit to us with an excursion to one of our excellent local pubs, a birdwatching trip to the nearby Itchen Valley, or a look around the charming Georgian market town of Alresford or the historic cathedral city of Winchester just a short drive away. 

 

As space is limited, and it is important that we ensure an appointment can be made for you to see the staff member best suited to discuss your interests, it is essential that you register your interest, make a time for an appointment and/or let us know which of our open days you plan to attend by contacting Rajan (or by phone on on 01962 733051).

 

Forthcoming open days in 2007:

 

Friday 7th September

 

Friday 28th September

 

 

 

Rajan Jolly’s personal account of his pilgrimage to his native India in search of that most magnificent and elusive of beasts, the tiger.

 

In April 2007, I got the opportunity to visit some of the best Tiger reserves in India and I was very lucky with 32 Tiger sightings of 16 individuals Tigers.

 

During my tour, I visited Panna, Bandhavgarh, Kanha and Pench Tiger Reserves, and ended my trip in Sunderbans with a wonderful sighting of huge monitor lizard!

 

In the early morning, leaning out from the Jeep, looking down at the very fresh pug marks of a tiger made me very excited. I looked around as a peacock continued his shrill alarm. Shortly afterwards my first encounter began when a Tigress with two well grown cubs emerged from cover. The sheer beauty and the thrill of seeing these magnificent animals made one almost shiver in the cool morning air. Everyone present there had a sighting of these magnificent big cats and I had extended close views of males patrolling along the jeep tracks, and from one of my trips from Elephant back during a so-called Tiger show, I saw a big male Tigers for 45 minutes. It was amazing! Afterwards, I reflected that the first sighting had taken place just 10 minutes after entering the park.

 

My last Tiger sighting was in Pench, where I saw a family group comprising male and female with their four 18 months old cubs!!!!!! I can’t explain the joy it brought to all of us present to see this very rare sight.

 

In addition, I was lucky to see four Leopards, seven Jungle Cats and a single Sloth Bear while the local pack of Dhole (Indian Wild Dogs) was seen on two occasions. Commoner herbivores such as abundant Chital (Spotted Deer) and Sambar were supplemented by repeated encounters with impressive Gaur (the largest Bovine in the world) and Barasingha (‘Khana’ Swamp Deer) one of the rarest mammals on earth and the original reason for establishing Khana as a protected area.

 

I also got good birding opportunities and saw a wide range of species including Painted Francolin, Orange-headed Thrush, Crested Hawk-eagle, Indian Black Eagle and four species of Owls as well as numerous commoner species (over 150 species in total); even a few vultures (3 species were seen) are still hanging on in this remote corner of India after the catastrophic population declines elsewhere.

 

The experience is very different from the safaris of Africa. The animals are far more elusive and the vehicles generally smaller. However, the wonder of finding pristine natural environments and the experience of spotting game from an elephant or even the jeeps/boat trips adds to the pleasure, and the beauty of the parks at sunrise or sunset make wildlife viewing in India a highly enjoyable experience.

 

On the last leg of my trip, I visited Sunderbans, located in a river delta in the Bay of Bengal. Two major rivers of South Asia – Brahmaputra and Ganges – enter the sea here. 102 islands are situated in this world’s largest river delta. Approximately 60 per cent of the Sunderbans belong to Bangladesh, the former East Bengal, 40 per cent to India’s state of West. The Landscape at Sunderbans is the largest mangrove forest worldwide; they cover 60 per cent of India’s total mangrove area. Roughly 90 per cent of all Indian mangrove species are found here. The mangroves play an important role as a buffer zone as they protect the fauna, the island and the alluvial soils from rises in sea level, torrential rain and cyclones.

 

The Sunderbans are home to a huge variety of species, out of which the Royal Bengal Tiger (panthera tigris) can be named as the most significant flagship species. Only in the Sunderbans it shows distinct amphibian behavioural patterns. The Tigers roam the entire area, sometimes crossing several kilometres swimming. Moreover the Sunderbans are home to many amphibiae, reptiliae, fish and mammals as well as more than 180 bird species.

 

Most of the people in the Sunderbans are fishermen or farmers. Houses are built with locally available materials: timber, mud, paddy straw. Often the houses are surrounded by paddy fields, in which families grow paddy and – in a small scale – vegetables. Agriculture in the Sunderbans is dependent on the rainfalls during the rainy season. They are sufficient for growing paddy, but normally allow only one yield.

 

The Sunderbans are a rich fishing ground. Yet the fishermen’s life is not easy. The fishing nets are still often knotted by hand, the weirs plaited manually. Fishing is still handwork, yet over fishing increasingly becomes a challe