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E-Newsletter |
Dear Friends,
Welcome to the May edition of the Naturetrek e-news.
This Month's Newsletter Features
NATURETREK EVENTS – DATES FOR YOUR DIARY |
TRIP REPORTS |
| LATE AVAILABILITY |
NATURETREK EVENTS – Dates for your Diary
The Naturetrek diary is filling up over the next few months with several exciting forthcoming events: a Photography and Wildlife Travel Show, a ‘Moths and Sausages’ evening and more office open days! We hope that these will be great days or evenings out for everyone – whether amateurs or specialist, newcomers to travelling or experienced globetrotters, individuals or families looking for adventure.
Please do come along to one or all of the following events to exchange hints and tips on how to get the best from your Naturetrek holiday and to meet the Naturetrek team.
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 and answer any questions you may have. We will also be presenting a number of slide shows throughout the day, covering several of our worldwide destinations and the wealth of wildlife we enjoy in them. Speakers will include Naturetrek tour leader and tour manager, Paul Stanbury and Chris Gomersall, Naturetrek tour leader and wildlife photographer. Chris will also be hosting a couple of digital workshops throughout the day.
Normal entrance fees to Marwell will apply, but these will be refunded to you on all purchases over £100.
Please phone Victoria to register your interest on 01962 733051 or email victoria@naturetrek.co.uk.
‘MOTHS & SAUSAGES’ – JOIN US ON NATIONAL MOTH NIGHT
Following our first – and very successful – Naturetrek Moth Evening in July 2004, we are holding our second ‘Moths & Sausages’ Evening on Saturday 9th July 2005… this time on National Moth Night! The evening will take place in the grounds of our offices at Cheriton Mill. Food from the BBQ will be served from 6.30pm, an introduction to moth conservation and trapping will follow at 7.30pm, and our traps will run until midnight. With our enviable location providing chalk stream, water meadow, chalk downland and woodland habitats all within a few hundred metres, a wide and fascinating variety of moths are expected, and an enjoyable and interesting evening is in store. A delicious BBQ and desserts, with a glass of wine, beer or a soft drink will be served, and a charge of £5 per person levied for the evening and donated in full to Butterfly Conservation.
Do join us by calling Abby on 01962 733051, or emailing abby@naturetrek.co.uk.
OFFICE OPEN DAYS
If you need help and advice planning your next wildlife holiday come to one of our Open Days at our Cheriton Mill offices and meet our tour leaders and staff. We will be delighted to help you with expert advice on all of our destinations in a relaxed and informal meeting over tea, coffee and cakes.
Our next Open Days are:
Friday, 24th June 2005
Friday, 29th July 2005
To ensure an appointment can be made for you to see the staff member best suited to discuss your interest please phone the office on 01962 733051 or email Abby on abby@naturetrek.co.uk.
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?
TOUR REPORTSSri Lanka
Sri Lanka is one of those perfect wildlife destinations that never seem to disappoint. The February Naturetrek group found few fellow travellers because of post-tsunami concerns but with a tour itinerary that only briefly visits the south coast everything was absolutely as normal and even at Yala and Bundala National Parks in the south, it was business as usual. The tour was filled with a myriad of natural history encounters but among the highlights were a delightful herd of Indian Elephants at Uda Walawe, including several appealing youngsters, spotlight views of the recently discovered Serendip Scops Owl, dancing clouds of colourful butterflies and sensational close-up observations of Green-billed Coucals at Sinharaja Forest. Although the tour has a broader focus than just birds, most of the island endemic species were seen and Sinharaja in particular provided some unforgettable birdwatching moments such as the trio of Sri Lanka Blue Magpies feeding just metres away from our position, or the startling crimson face of a mysterious Red-faced Malkoha accompanying one of the forest mixed species feeding flocks. Click here to view a full travelogue and species list for the tour.
Trinidad and Tobago
The twin islands of Trinidad & Tobago form the basis of a perfect Caribbean holiday, particularly when the itinerary includes eight nights at the superb Asa Wright Centre. Hundreds of Naturetrek clients have enjoyed the very special Asa Wright experience; click here to read Peter Dunn’s informative account of the exploits of Naturetrek’s most recent trip.
The proposed dates for 2006 are:
Saturday, 4th March – Friday, 17th March 2006
Saturday, 15th April – Friday, 28th April 2006
Botswana
Naturetrek's annual visit to Botswana in November 2004 was another great success with many fantastic mammal sightings including Wild Dog, Leopard, Lion, Giraffe and Red Lechwe and almost 300 species of birds. Click here to read the full report written by tour leader Paul Stanbury.
We shall be operating this tour again in both 2005 and 2006:
HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTHFriday, 11th November – Saturday, 26th November 2005
Friday, 10th November – Sunday, 26th November 2006
At the end of March, Naturetrek tour leader Dave Suddaby led our third – and last – winter tour of the year to southern Morocco. On the fifth day of the tour, the 29th March, at Erfoud the group became the first ever Naturetrek group to record Houbara Bustard.
This day remains one of the true highlights of birding in North Africa – alarm calls at 04.00, a quick breakfast and into the Land Rovers at 04.30 we headed in the darkness on bumpy tracks or stony featureless desert to our first stop – Café Yasmina for sunrise. The sunrise is spectacular as it rises over the dunes at Erg Chebbi and we wait patiently for our first target bird, but first a walk around the tamarisk bushes nearby produced a scattering of migrants with close views of Western Bonelli’s Warbler before the target bird – a male Desert Sparrow – appeared. Next it was back into the Land Rovers, stopping briefly at other cafés with further views of Desert Sparrows and close views of Bar-tailed Desert Larks, Cream-coloured Coursers and fly-by Brown-necked Ravens before heading off into the deep desert in a search for the holy grail of southern Morocco’s birds: the Houbara Bustard. Hunted almost to the verge of extinction only two or three pairs remain in the vast desolate landscape, these facts combined quickly dispelled much hope of tracking them down! However we continued and between us we managed to see 3 African Desert Warblers – a bird that can never be guaranteed, 5 Fulvous Babblers and a Lanner. After an hour or so of driving around in what appeared to us to be circles (although our drivers told us they had seen a bird in this area the previous week) we suddenly set off in a determined fashion towards the Algerian border! After sometime, and in the middle of nowhere, we were introduced to a nomadic man (how did they know where to find him?) who had been tracking a bustard that morning. He showed us the footprints in the sand – and then pointed to Algeria indicating that it had flown that way! This gave us renewed hope and with our nomadic guide now on board we continued our search, however by late morning the heat-haze was starting to affect our viewing. So close yet so far, we dropped off our nomadic guide (in the middle of nowhere) and started heading back. Our drivers then suddenly stopped and told us we had to wait – the nomadic man’s young son was tracking a female with a small chick! After approx 15 minutes we were off again and there emerging out of the heat haze was a young boy patiently zigzagging across the stony desert plain…words fail me! We sat and watched him, and his father joined us – 2 Land Rovers then set off and arched either side and then the adrenalin started to rush as our driver suddenly shouted ‘Houbara Houbara’ – there the Houbara Bustard was in all her majestic glory. A quick call to the other Land Rovers and this enigmatic bird was watched walking across the stony desert presumably arching back round to where she had left her chick. A stunning experience and one of those magical birding moments that will linger forever in the minds of those who were fortunate to share it!
To read Dave’s full account of the trip, including their memorable Houbara Bustard sighting, please click here.
RWANDA – NEW DESTINATION FOR 2005Saturday, 10th September – Sunday, 25th September 2005
In September 2005, Naturetrek will be operating our first tour to Rwanda in search of this fascinating country’s primates and birds. Our 16-day itinerary begins and ends in Rwanda’s small, lively capital of Kigali and includes visits to both Akagera and Nyungwe National Parks before arriving at the Parc National des Volcans. Here the group will spend four days exploring the lush cloudforests and during one of the days will search for, and then hopefully spend time with, one of the habituated Mountain Gorilla groups. Our group will be escorted from the UK by Marcus Kohler, an experienced Naturetrek tour leader, who travelled to Rwanda in June 2004 in preparation for this trip.
To view the trip dossier and for further details please click here.
2005 MINI BREAKS – FILLING FASTNeed a break? Looking to escape for just a few days?
Our weekend and mid-week breaks are perfect and as popular as any of our holidays. They are an ideal way for first time Naturetrekkers to sample one of our holidays and for our seasoned travellers to cover yet more ground. There are still places available on several of our holidays this year including to Finland to view Brown Bears; Whale and Dolphin watching in Gibraltar; Orcas in Norway plus many more destinations.
But hurry, our 2005 dates are booking up quickly!
Click here for further information on our weekend breaks.
FAMILY WILDLIFE ADVENTURES – SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE
The summer holidays are fast approaching – have you organised your family summer holiday this year? Alternatively, why not escape with the family during the October half term or at Christmas? We still have places available on the following Family Wildlife Adventure holidays:
Finland – Just Brown Bears
Monday, 1st August – Thursday, 4th August 2005
Monday, 15th August – Thursday, 18th August 2005
Monday, 22nd August – Thursday, 25th August 2005
Big Game in South Africa’s Kruger National Park
Friday, 21st October – Sunday, 30th October 2005
Tigers in India
Saturday, 22nd October – Sunday, 30th October 2005
Orcas in Norway
Tuesday, 27th December – Friday, 30th December 2005
PLUS… A Free Bradt guide with every booking!
We are offering a Free copy of Bradt’s excellent new guide on Family Health Abroad with every family booking… essential reading for all families choosing to travel to exotic destinations with their children. So, book now for your free guidebook!
To receive a copy of the tour dossier on any of our Family Wildlife Adventure holidays, please email Victoria on victoria@naturetrek.co.uk
LATE AVAILABILITY
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 would be interested to hear any of your top travelling tips that you think other Naturetrek clients might benefit from – please contact Victoria on victoria@naturetrek.co.uk
We are continually striving to improve our e-newsletter – any comments and feedback would be gratefully appreciated!
Best wishes from us all,
The Naturetrek Team
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