Wild Intrigue Expeditions DRAFT

WILD INTRIGUE EXPEDITIONS
I S S U E 0 1
I N S P I R E E D U C A T E R E W I L D S U M M E R 2 0 1 6
Discover the Wild Intrigue Expedition locations for 16/17
Explore
Isle of Carna
the
our
through
Expedition video!

Wild Intrigue Expeditions
Wild Northumbrian
2 Nights
Your Expedition Key
tipi with log burner
Shared
own sleeping bags
Bring
4 people
catering; full kitchen
Self
stone-baked
Fresh
cooked for you on
pizzas
day last
galore, Red Squirrels, Bats,
Birds
Badgers, Lepidoptera
Hares,
,
woodland
Deciduous
Riparian
Moorland
ecology and activity surveys
Bat
surveys Bird
Cost
and installing camera traps
Setting
kick sampling
River
in the wilds
Navigation
and night photography
Day
per person
£220
See page 5 for what this does
and does not include.
Tracking and field craft

A Naturalist's glamping
adventure cocooned by intriguing
species & landscapes
In partnership with
us for 2 nights under the stunning
Join
of Northumberland
starscape
you retire to your stove heated tipi,
Before
will eavesdrop on the resident Wild
we
International Dark Sky Park.
Bats, undertaking dusk
Northumbrian
optional dawn activity surveys to
and
how to apply traditional tracking
Learn
to installing camera traps in
techniques
our monitoring programme of
continue
fascinating animals.
these
untouched grounds of Wild
the
as we take time to
Northumbrian,
bioblitz the beautiful camp grounds.
will venture out to explore the
We
of Wild Northumbrian in
surroundings
of Red Squirrels, Otters, Roe
search
and Adders - allowing you to gain
Deer
valuable insight into the ecology of
a
species.
these
exploring you will navigate your
Whilst
through your wild surroundings
way
being guided through skills in
after
such as map and
cartography
compass reading.
are sure you will be keen to find
We
way back to your unique, cosy tipi
your
your days exploring and
after
wildlife, especially as you
recording
relax around the camp-fire whilst
can
prepare stone-baked pizzas for you
we
tasty ingredients you will have
using
throughout the day.
foraged
"
A big thank you to Heather & Cain
for such an amazing weekend. Two of
the most knowledgable people I've
met and I'm so glad we had the
"
opportunity to learn from you both!
-Tom

House or Carna Cottage.
Carna
bedroom
Shared
catering, full kitchen
Self
optional
Fishing
Bats, Eurasian Otter, Whitetailed
Cetaceans,
& Golden Eagle, Common Seal,
Mammals, Foxes, Red & Roe
Small
Shoreline wildlife
Deer,
Oak and Hazel woodland
Atlantic
meadow
Wildflower
Loch (Sunart)
Sea
marsh Salt
ecological surveys to map
Full
& wildlife of Carna
habitats
mammal trapping
Small
surveys + much more!
Shoreline
Wild Intrigue Expeditions
Isle of Carna, West Scotland
5 Nights
Your Expedition Key
Shared bathroom
5 to 7 people
No shops on island
Cost
Upland caves
trap installation & analysis
Camera
photography/ film-making
Wildlife
£500 per person
See page 5 for what this does
and does not include.

of drumming Snipe? Whitetailed
soundtrack
Eagles calling? Harbour Porpoise
In partnership with
Rewild yourself
Isle of Carna is free from the
The
of internet and TV, and a
distractions
"
signal can only be reached at the
phone
of Cruachan Carna. With no roads
peak
the island, the sound of traffic is
on
replaced by a seasonally shifting
instead
unique to each Expedition.
soundscape,
your adventure on the island be to the
Will
blowing in Loch Sunart?
private island is unique in that it is
The
a state of rewilding; so
undergoing
.
by the marine waters of Loch
Cocooned
(SSSI, MPA), Otters, Common Seals
Sunart
the surveys and field work you
excitingly,
during this Expedition
undertaken
Harbour Porpoise can be viewed off
and
shores of Carna - along with an array of
the
directly to the Isle of Carna
contribute
plan.
rewilding
observed marine wildlife such as
lesser
Starfish, Butterfish and
Jellyfish,
between your jam-packed itinerary of
In
wildlife photography/ film
exploration,
Nudibranchs.
conservation and fieldwork, for
making,
extra fee you can book onto one of
an
Charters' popular wildlife
Ardnamurchan
boat trips; a chance to explore
watching
of the stunning landscapes of the
more
coast of Scotland.
west
"
"
"
I discovered so much both for
the island and for myself, and
learnt an incredible amount in
the short space of time with it
being so practical and hands on!!
-Zahrah
"

othy.
Isolated
bedroom
Shared
all meals
Includes
snacks and marshmallows!
Bring
Stoat, Raptors, Reptiles, Small
Badger,
Owls, Bats, Waders , Red
Mammals,
and more (incl. rumours of
Squirrel
Marten!) Pine
plantation
Conifer
Riparian
biodiversity mapping surveys
Full
trap installation & analysis
Camera
Wild Intrigue Expeditions
Chesters, Northumberland
3 Nights
Your Expedition Key
Shared bathroom
4 to 12 people
heath and grassland
Upland
woodland
Deciduous
Cost
Wildflower meadow
kick sampling
River
surveys
Reptile
per person
£240
See page 5 for what this does
and does not include.
Map reading and exploration + more

A secluded bothy unknown by many, awaits your discovery
only what you need on your
Carrying
you will join the Wild Intrigue guides
back,
join us to trek over hills and
So
through woodland and moor,
streams,
the heart of Northumberland to trek
in
streams and hills to
over
truly connect with the Northumbrian
to
all whilst learning key Naturalist
wilds,
skills in the field.
your rural accommodation; Chesters.
this Expedition you will be involved in
On
new wildlife mapping project to
a
the biodiversity around
discover
enabling the natural features
Chesters;
creatures of this area to be
and
and protected for years to
monitored
come.
Expedition is ideal for those who
This
walking. We will explore the wilds
enjoy
Chesters on foot, tracking and
around
species as we go, and will
identifying
a night or two wild
spend
Northumberland
camping.beneath
International Dark Sky Park.

survival shelter
A-frame
toilet facilities
Basic
all meals
Includes
snacks and marshmallows!
Bring
Birds, Reptiles, Small
Badgers,
Owls, Bats, Otters,
Mammals,
Meadow
Riparian
training & bushcraft
Survival
fbiodiversity mapping surveys
Full
Wild Intrigue Expeditions
The Badger & The Bear, Northumberland
2 Nights
Your Expedition Key
Stream to wash in!
4 to 12 people
Invertebrates & more ,
Deciduous woodland
Cost
trap installation & analysis
Camera
kick sampling
River
per person
£200
See page 5 for what this does
and does not include.
Reptile survey s & much more!

help prepare you for your wild future,
To
Expedition will offer a crash course
this
various skills for living as well as
in
in the heart of the wilds.
surveying
about conserving the natural
Passionate
of The Badger & the Bear,
surroundings
founder Nick is interested to find
camp
more about the species his land
out
We have teamed up to offer
supports.
the opportunity to bioblitz this
you
site, learning ecological skills
stunning
camera trapping, bat
including
species identification and
detecting,
more along the way.
much
will teach you a selection of basic
Nick
skills he gained as a Royal
survival
Commando, such as wild
Marine
fire lighting, and how to
orienteering,
an essential piece of kit from
create
Nettles...
the evenings you can relax as your
On
fire dinner is cooked, and toast
camp
sounds and smells of the wild
sights,
Who knows, perhaps you will
night.
In association with
Wild camp and bioblitz
the stunning Coquet Valley
"
"
before settling into your
marshmallows
frame camp bed - cocooned by the
A
"
the camp's namesake Badger
hear
you by. pass

Guest Article
In this issue we hear from Rebecca Gibson, University of Cumbria
BA Wildlife Media student, who attended a Wild Intrigue
Expedition on the Isle of Carna in May this year.
Sit back and visit this stunning wild island through Rebecca's eyes.
Undoubtedly the highlight of my trip to Carna
was being a part of the wild.
Photo credit: Rebecca Gibson
We walked every day, covering as much of
the six hundred acres as we could. Each time
we heard different sounds; a favourite of mine
was the call of the cuckoo, something I’d
never heard before coming here. On one walk
alone the wildlife was plentiful. Of birds we
saw a eurasian rock pipit (Anthus petrosus),
red­breasted merganser (Mergus serrator)
and a pair of cuckoos (Cuculus canorus),
something we were all excited to see.
We also found two drinker moth caterpillars
(Euthrix potatoria), beautiful insects of black,
hazel and amber. Over the day we were
fortunate enough to see an otter (Lutra lutra)
too. It was hard to tell the gender, but we
enjoyed watching it dive.
Heather explained that when a dark shape in
the water was hard to distinguish, otters
always show their tail when they dive under
while seals do not.

Guest Article
While perched on the rocky beach with our
lunch we spent some quality time watching a
herd of common seals (Phoca vitulina)
lounging in the sun, both adults and
juveniles. Seals are always so entertaining.
Despite hardly moving, they provide endless
enjoyment, from their banana Pilates move
to their orb­like bottomless eyes and long
white whiskers speckled with wet sand.
We got glimpses into the lives of other
species too. Whilst exploring the marine life
around the pontoon we saw evidence of otter
sprainting, a sign of territory marking. At the
pontoon there were several patches, so we
were hopeful that we could use a camera
trap to see the night­time visitor.
As we were scaling Cruachan Chárna,
Carna’s 170m summit, we came across a
muddy puddle stuffed with grey and black
feathers, clearly the scene of a crime. Cain
explained how he knew the culprit was a
bird not a mammal. When foxes feed they
chew the feathers off the carcass, splintering
the feather shafts. Birds of prey pluck the
feathers so leave them relatively
undamaged. It was then a case of
determining the exact species; this involved
identifying the prey. When viewed in direct
sunlight the black feathers had the dark
green sheen of a shag (Phalacrocorax
aristotelis). The size of this bird meant the
predator had to be an eagle; a buzzard
wouldn’t have the size over a seabird such
as a shag. It was so interesting deducing
what happened based on the evidence; we
didn’t need to see the event to know parts of
what happened.
Photo credit: Rebecca Gibson.
From top: Drinker Moth caterpillar;
Redpoll; Sunset Landscape.
Continued on the next page

Guest Article
We learnt how to track using sound as well as
sight. When the sun had set and we were making
our way across the field back to the house a
peculiar sound made us stop and listen. Heather
silently told us they were snipe (Gallinago
gallinago), which made the extraordinary
winnowing noise with their tail feathers.
Although we never saw them, they must have
been wheeling around our heads, as the noise
reverberated in every direction. Amongst the
snipe’s commotion, we also heard the distant
calls of a tawny owl and a cuckoo.
Perhaps the most exciting moment came when
we were sitting in a hide watching the seals. I
was just admiring the hills of the mainland when
I noticed a black speck in the sky.
So, what did you think of your Expedition?
"I had a fantastic experience on the Isle
of Carna, all thanks to Wild Intrigue
Expeditions. Being surrounded by
people just as passionate about wildlife
as me was a real treat. I learnt a great
deal about British birds, mammals and
invertebrates; I would highly
recommend the experience to anyone
wanting to improve their knowledge of
British nature. We got the chance to
use professional tracking equipment
and saw some incredible species for the
first time. Although only fleeting, our
golden eagle sighting was a real
highlight. If I had the opportunity, I
wouldn't hesitate to go again."
- Rebecca
Binoculars up in an instant, I spied what I
hoped and prayed to be an eagle. The three of
us gazed up at the mystery visitor and
deliberated over eagle or buzzard. Moments
later Cain came running out of the bluebell
wood to tell us a white­tailed eagle (Haliaeetus
albicilla) was swooping overhead, so our
suspicions were confirmed. Giddy with
excitement, we watched the ‘flying barn door’
glide through the sky, barely moving its
gigantic wings. This was my first eagle sighting
and I was thrilled.
FOLLOW REBECCA'S JOURNEY
Rebecca is an aspiring and talented
wildife photojournalist, follow her
journey through her blog, available
via:
www.rebeccagibsonwildlifeblog.
wordpress.com