Naturetrek Newsletter

INDIA TOURS
India ’s Wildlife – A Photography Tour
Cricket, Birds & Wildlife in India
Just Tigers!
India North (Bargain Mammal Tour)
India – Kerala (Bargain Birdwatching Tour)
India (Bargain Birdwatching Tour)

On our recent winter trip to Poland we all saw Bison (over 50 of them!); Elk; Red & Roe Deer; Wild Boar; Racoon Dog; and Red Fox - the last almost every day, and very beautiful against the snow. Wolf, Red Squirrel and Brown Hare were further mammals observed by some members of the group.

Four clients saw Wolf in daylight on our day of arrival at Puszcza Romincka. One of these plus three others wanted to do an overnight at the same high seat the next day but came out after about five hours. This left me with an opportunity to spend the rest of the night at that high seat and I was rewarded with two Wolves for a few minutes at 0230 and the same two - at least, I presume the same two - from 0500 to 0520. Wild Boar coming to this same remote spot are their usual exuberant, noisy selves, both vocally and in movement. The Wolves however moved like wraiths and it was fascinating to watch these creatures behaving completely naturally, unaware they were being observed.

Racoon Dog is an animal from the Oriental Faunal zone, now an escape from fur farms and living ferally in Poland. Naturalists are often ambivalent about such escapes but our superb view of a Racoon Dog in brilliant sunshine against pristine snow was voted one of the highlights of the trip.

I have been leading trips to Poland in winter most years since 1985 and this was unquestionably one of the best three or four ever for wildlife - not just the variety, but repeated good views of a number of species. We were fortunate with the clear frosty weather and just the right amount of snow - Peter Price's photos give a wonderful impression of the ambience. The good wildlife show was partly due to these favourable weather conditions and partly due to minor itinerary redesign to enhance our chances of good Bison views - with obvious results!

The bird list was as usual fairly modest - as to be expected for a winter trip - but quality made up for this. We had the finest views ever of Middle-spotted and Grey-headed Woodpeckers (plus several other species); excellent views of many tits; and almost monotonously good views of White-tailed Eagle.

The bonfires, forest feast and horse-drawn sledge ride proved as popular as ever. For the first time in some years several clients rented cross-country skis and greatly enjoyed their outings on three successive days.

A selection of superb images taken by tour participant Peter Price can be seen by clicking here

Dates for the next trips are 27 January-4 February 2007 and 19-27 January 2008. For further details please click here.

2006 is Naturetrek’s 20th year! To celebrate this, we initially offered a 20th Anniversary cruise around Spitsbergen which sold out quickly. To celebrate further, with as many as possible of you who have been travelling regularly with us over the years, we are now launching a special programme of Anniversary Breaks.

The concept is a simple one. We will be taking over our favourite hotels and lodges, generally for a week (if long-haul) or for a 4-night break (if short-haul). We will take as many clients as the chosen accommodation will hold (generally between 20 and 50), and will take a range of our staff and leaders, so that we have a client-leader ratio of no more than 8-1. Each day, a wide ranging programme of both morning and afternoon excursions will be offered, with each leader running a different excursion, morning and afternoon. Clients will be able to sign up for the excursion of their choice, insofar as there are places available. Each evening a leader will do an optional slide- illustrated talk on his/her favourite country. Above all, we will have fun!

From the cost of each tour, we offer a discount of 1% for every overseas holiday you have previously had with Naturetrek. Thus, if you have previously travelled with us 20 times, as many have, you will be eligible for a substantial 20% discount!

India – Bharatpur & the Chambal River
Sat 18th – Sun 26th Nov ’06 Cost: £1,195

Please register your interest now by phoning Naturetrek’s Julie Lacy on 01962 733051, or by emailing julie@naturetrek.co.uk

Following hot on the heels of the first Firecrest for Cheriton Mill last autumn this winter has produced some interesting records. The cold weather before and after Christmas encouraged a small flock of Brambling to take advantage of the plentiful food supplies at the Naturetrek feeding station. Numbers peaked at ten in mid January and included a fine male. A very confiding Water Rail has also been present, spending time in the stream which runs under the building.

More regular wintering species have included several Little Egrets, Kingfisher and up to two Green Sandpipers. Nearby wintering Hen Harriers and Bitterns have shown well on occasion along with the resident Barn Owl but the hoped for rarity at the Naturetrek feeding station has yet to appear...

In 2005 professional wildlife photographer Chris Gomersall led a very successful Naturetrek photography tour to India. Chris has been kind enough to let us show you a few of his favourite images taken on the tour:

We have got a few spaces left on our 2006 wildlife photography holiday to Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in northern India departing in March. This group will be accompanied by a professional wildlife photographer, David Back, who will be on hand to provide expert hints and tips on wildlife photography. This is an opportunity any keen photographer simply cannot afford to miss.

Naturetrek run several other tours aimed specifically at the wildlife photographer and details of these can be found by clicking here.

With the number of English cricket supporters reaching an all time high this summer, many are looking forward to the England v India Test matches in 2006. Combine the best of the action and wildlife watching on a Naturetrek holiday.

The dates for the Test matches between England and India have been released and we are pleased to present the trip dossier for our cricket tour. Please note that there is a lot of interest in this tour; should you be interested in travelling with us we urge you to reserve your place as soon as possible, as the holiday is limited to 16 people.

JUST TIGERS!
Friday 10th March – Wednesday 22nd March 2006 (Holi in Kanha-The Festival of Colours is on 15th March)
Extensions: Tuesday 21st March – Sunday 26th March 2006

Friday 17th March – Wednesday 29th March
Extensions: Tuesday 28th March – Sunday 2nd April 2006

Friday 7th April - Wednesday 19th April 2006
Extensions: Tuesday 18th April - Sunday 23rd April 2006

Our ever-popular 13-day appreciation of the mammals and birds of Kanha, India’s most rewarding Tiger Reserve, with an optional extension to Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary or Ranthambore Tiger Reserve.

Friday 10th February - Saturday 18th February 2006
Friday 17th February - Saturday 25th February 2006
Friday 10th March - Saturday 18th March 2006 (The Festival of Colours “Holi” is on 15th March)
Friday 7th April - Saturday 15th April 2006

A 9-day tour in search of the Tigers and other mammals that inhabit India’s Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve. It is situated amid the Vindhya hills of Madhya Pradesh and has established a reputation as one of the best places in India to observe Tigers. Although a relatively small reserve when first established in 1968, it was enlarged twenty years later to include adjacent tracts of Sal forest and this extension has proved very beneficial for the Tiger population.

Saturday 11th March – Sunday 19th March 2006*
*Combine with “Wildlife & Indian Cuisine in Kerala” and save £400 from the joint price.

A 9-day wildlife tour to Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, Periyar Tiger Reserve, and the Eravikulam National Park near Munnar plus an overnight ‘houseboat cruise’ on the backwaters of Kerala.

A 9-day wildlife tour to Ranthambore National Park and the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary plus an extension to visit the Taj Mahal.

For those of you who like to plan ahead please be aware that we are taking provisional and confirmed bookings for 2007. Although some tours do not have finalised dates it is a good idea to phone us and at least book a provisional place on your preferred holiday to avoid disappointment. Our bargain birdwatching tour to Ecuador departing January 2007 only has two remaining places and both our Galapagos and Costa Rica tours are already half full!

If you need some help in planning your wildlife holiday for 2006, join our leaders and staff at our Cheriton Mill offices for tea, coffee, cakes and expert advice on one of the Naturetrek Open Days listed below… but please do phone the office to ensure an appointment can be made for you to see the staff member best suited to discuss your interests!

Why not make a day of it – and visit some of the local nature reserves or attractive market towns and historic sites in our pretty corner of Hampshire – whilst you are in the area?

To view a list of the late availability for Naturetrek tours departing over the next couple of months, 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 improve our e-newsletter – any comments and feedback would be gratefully appreciated!

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