Dear Friends,

Welcome to the April edition of the Naturetrek e-news.

March has been another busy month for Naturetrek with clients travelling to many exciting parts of the world including India, Morocco, Argentina, Tunisia and France and Spain closer to home! We also operated our inaugural tour with 9 participants to Guyana which returned with some wonderful memories… watch out for further details in next month’s e-news!

In this month’s edition we’ve got our regular features, including the trip report section that gives you the chance to read how recent Naturetrek tours from around the world have run and the sightings they have had, plus our late availability section which gives details of any spaces available on approaching tours. This month we have pleasure in introducing a new feature, ‘Highlight of the Month’, where we shall share one memorable moment from a tour each month.

This Month's Newsletter Features

WILD WEEKENDS FOR 2005

Our weekend breaks provide the perfect opportunity for people wishing to escape for a short while to view some of the fantastic natural history and wildlife that is on offer close to home. These shorter trips are proving as popular as any of our holidays. Some of the current favourites include A Woodpecker Weekend in Poland, Norway’s Orcas, Finland’s Bears and, closer to home, the Hampshire Downs, the New Forest and Norfolk.

TOUR REPORTS

Ecuador Birdwatching

Client Keith Cherry has kindly sent us his excellent report from our Ecuador Cock of the Rock Birdwatching tour in October 2004; click here to read it.

If you would like to receive a copy of this report, complete with colour photographs taken by Kevin, please email Andy on andy@naturetrek.co.uk and we will happily email you a copy, but bear in mind the file size will be rather large!

Ecuador's Orchids

Long-haul botanical tours are not at all well represented in the many natural history tour brochures that are currently available. We are in the process of rectifying this, with new botanical tours to Sri Lanka and Madagascar due to operate this year, and with further exciting projects in South America (including the "Lost World" Tepuis of Venezuela/Guyana) in the pipeline.

Client Irene Palmer has written a wonderfully detailed account of our pioneering tour to sample the alpine and cloud forest flora of Andean Ecuador. If you are one of the many people who have enjoyed botanical holidays in Europe with us, click here for a taster of what riches lie beyond our continent.

Northern India & the Himalayan Foothills

“Totally excellent trip! Awesome place, brilliantly structured itinerary and top guides/leader”

“It was a super holiday – thank you!”

These are just a couple of the comments that we have received from the participants of our group that went on our 17-day birdwatching and wildlife holiday to northern India. Our itinerary is based on the itinerary that the late David Hunt devised thirty years ago. After extensive research he believed he had concocted the perfect itinerary for a Northern India birdwatching tour, which included Bharatpur reserve, Corbett National Park and the faded colonial hill resort of Nainital. Much has changed in India since David's early visits but the species seen by following this classic itinerary remain remarkably consistent, offering a wide variety of wetland and sub-himalayan birds spiced with an impressive selection of mammals and just a little mogul culture. David's perceptive choice of locations has provided hundreds of travellers with a comprehensive introduction to the colourful avifauna of Northern India as evidenced by the success of the recent Naturetrek tour.

Click here to read leader Chris Kehoe’s excellent tour report and to obtain further details of the next Naturetrek trip to Northern India & The Himalayan Foothills, which will take place on Friday, 20th January 2006.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

Our group who travelled to the state of Gujarat in western India in search of the Asiatic Lions and Wild Asses returned having had wonderful views of both of these unique creatures. They also had the phenomenal sighting on their last morning at Velavadar of seeing a pack of five wolves singling out a young Blackbuck gazelle from a large herd and successfully killing it, only to have the kill usurped by a very large wild boar!

SERENDIP SCOPS OWL IN SRI LANKA

The alliteration in the title refers to the astonishing discovery of a tiny owl in the southern rain forests of Sri Lanka which has proved to be a species completely new to science! For many years strange calls had been heard which some ornithologists thought might simply be variations of the more familiar cries made by one of the resident owl species, but others were not convinced and suspected that despite all probability, an undescribed new species of owl was living in the forests. It seemed highly unlikely that a new species of owl could remain unidentified on a small island like Sri Lanka, with a long history of ornithological study, but in 1995 the mystery was finally resolved when local bird guide Deepal Warakakoda succeeded in spotlighting the source of the calls and discovered that it was indeed a small, and very distinctive, owl which looked totally different to any other Asian species. A detailed study was immediately initiated to try and ascertain the habitat requirements and lifestyle of this attractive addition to the Sri Lanka avifauna and during this period of research it was decided not to take visitors to the location for fear of causing disturbance. In the ten years since it was first discovered, the owl has acquired a name, Serendip Scops Owl (Otus thilo-hoffmanni), and a wealth of knowledge accumulated about its behaviour and distribution. Over 40 birds have now been located and for the first time visiting groups are now being allowed to observe this latest Sri Lankan endemic. Three Naturetrek groups have already enjoyed views of the owl and we hope to offer further viewing opportunities on many of our future tours. Sightings can never be guaranteed, but with local assistance there is now a real chance of watching this charming little creature which for so long managed to avoid detection in its forest home.

E111 - NEW REGULATIONS

As a result of recent changes to European law a new E111 form has been introduced to replace the old one.  If you are planning to travel to the countries concerned during 2005 you should apply for the new E111 as the old ones are now invalid.

During the course of 2005 the UK will be adopting the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).  This will be automatically issued to those who apply for the new E111 form and tick the box to receive the new card.

If you are a UK resident you are entitled to any medical treatment which becomes necessary, free or at a reduced cost, when temporarily visiting a European Union (EU) country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

To obtain treatment you will need to take a completed E111 form with you which you can get free of charge from your nearest post office.

For further details and to view a list of countries covered by E111, visit the website for the Department of Health at: www.dh.gov.uk.

SHARE YOUR TOP TRAVELLING TIPS

Have you got any top travelling tips that you think are worth sharing with the readers of our monthly e-newsletter? We would be interested to hear from you – please contact Victoria on victoria@naturetrek.co.uk.

PHOTOGRAPHY & WILDLIFE TRAVEL SHOW AT MARWELL!

On Sunday 5th June Naturetrek and the London Camera Exchange are hosting an all-day Photography and Wildlife Travel Show at Marwell Zoological Park, near Winchester, Hampshire. Also attending will be the leading manufacturers of optical equipment, including Canon, Zeiss, Swarovski, Leica, Nikon, Manfrotto, Lowepro, etc. who, together with the London Camera Exchange, will be demonstrating (and selling!) a wide range of optical equipment, including cameras, lenses, binoculars, telescopes, tripods, etc. Meanwhile, Naturetrek staff and tour leaders will be present throughout the day to discuss holiday options with you, as well as presenting a number of slide shows throughout the day, covering our worldwide destinations and the wealth of wildlife we enjoy in them. Normal entrance fees to Marwell will apply, but these will be refunded to you on all purchases over £100.

Please phone Victoria if you are interested in joining us and for further details on 01962 733051 or email victoria@naturetrek.co.uk.

LATE AVAILABILITY

To view a list of the late availability for Naturetrek tours departing over the next few months, as of 14/04/2005, please click here.

However, as things are constantly changing, we advise you to call our Cheriton Mill office on 01962 733051 to check for any amendments.

We hope you have enjoyed reading this edition of the Naturetrek e-news. If you would like some help planning a future wildlife holiday, please call or e-mail us on info@naturetrek.co.uk and we will be happy to assist you.

We are continually striving to better our e-newsletter – any comments and feedback would be gratefully appreciated! Email victoria@naturetrek.co.uk.

We look forward to being able to assist you with your future travel plans.

If you would prefer not to hear from us in this way, please email remove@naturetrek.co.uk

For more information on any of our holidays please call us on 01962 733051