Travel Guide 2021

Bird the
W RLD
l 20 birding hotspots, including Spain, Colombia, The Bahamas,
Costa Rica, USA, Finland and the best of the UK

FP_BIRDSPA4_4628321id4752730.pdf 04.10.2021 09:01
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Welcome to
NOW BOOKING 2021 - 2025
heatherlea
birding and wildlife holidays
An employee-owned company
Heatherlea are your natural choice in Scotland!
Our small hotel is run BY birders FOR birders, and
is open every week of the year. We show you all the
birds of the Highlands and Islands, with a wealth of
seasonal choice and unbeatable prices.
See our ‘Scotland’ Brochure online!
Birding every week here at Mountview Hotel in
Nethy Bridge. Capercaillie, Crested Tit, Scottish
Crossbill, Black Grouse, Golden Eagle, White-tailed
Eagle, Ptarmigan, Dotterel, Osprey, divers and
grebes, spring and autumn migrants, wintering
geese, ducks and gulls - Scotland and Heatherlea
have everything you need!
Have you got what it takes ...
to be a Heatherlea Guide?
We are recruiting in Scotland and around the world.
With all the benefits of an employee-owned
Company on offer, come and
‘Do it the Heatherlea Way’!
All tours now booking, strictly limited availability.
WORLDWIDE
Reserve your places for 2022 - 2025 without
obligation or deposit for most tours. Use our
Holiday Planner to make any changes you wish.
Heatherlea - outstanding value from your complete holiday provider!
See our website or call our office for full details.
Heatherlea, The Mountview Hotel, www.heatherlea.co.uk Tel: 01479 821248
Nethy Bridge, Inverness-shire
Email: info@heatherlea.co.uk
PH25 3EB.
@heatherleabirds F/book: heatherleabirdwatching

Are you thinking about your next birding trip? Albania offers
excellent opportunities for birding and biodiversity tourism!
Having remained closed to the world for half a century, our
doors and hearts are open again. One of the richest
countries in southeastern Europe when it comes to
landscape and habitat diversity per surface unit,
Albania lies along the Adriatic and Ionian
Seas, and in a mere half-hour you can go
from soaking up a Mediterranean
climate to enduring a high
mountain continental climate.
The aptly-named “Land of the Eagles” has 362 noted bird species and new species have been reported every year for the last
seven years. If you want to see the Dalmatian Pelican, the Greater Flamingo, the Golden Eagle, the
Egyptian Vulture, the Rock Partridge, the Collared Pratincole, the Bee-Eater, the Greater Spotted
Cuckoo, the Horned Lark or the Alpine Accentor, just to name a few, definitely consider Albania for
your next birding trip!
We passionately and professionally organize knowledgeable and
entertaining tailor-made birding tours with the help of the
most skilled ornithologists in the country.
We are waiting for you - please message us here: contact@albaniantrip.com
albaniantrip.com
ALBANIAN TRIP
@albanian_trip
HUNGARIAN BIRD TOURS
7 day flight inclusive (BA) birdwatching holidays in
Hungary for only £1,185 staying at the outstanding Hotel
Villa Volgy in Eger famous for its fine wines and historic
buildings. This hotel has just upgraded all its rooms to 4 star
standard! Hungarian Bird Tours offers that mix of outstanding
birdwatching with plenty to see, drink and eat in your spare
time.
Eger is a hugely popular destination and offers many different
attractions. It is also ideally placed on the southern slopes
of the Bukk National Park with its four species of Eagle and
eight species of Woodpecker to see Hungary’s spectacular
birds. Hungarian Bird Tours is run by Roy Adams who lives in
a village close to Eger.
He is mostly known for his work on Hawfinches and
Woodpeckers.
BLACK WOODPECKER
TOURS TO RE-START MARCH 1 ST 2022
Holidays start from £490 (4 days)
Telephone: 07774574204 or For full information visit
www.hungarianbirdtours.com

Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve.
Now with added wetlands.
Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve in
North Norfolk constantly evolves
to provide a rich and varied habitat
for wildlife. The 200-acre reserve
has a rich mosaic of different habitats
ranging from fen to riverbank,
wildflower meadows to woodland.
You might see an Otter family playing
on the riverbank, Red Kites and Hobbies
soaring overhead or tiny invertebrates
scuttling along the ground.
Visiting Sculthorpe Moor
■
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Entrance is by donation, under 16’s free
Open daily 8am - 4.30pm (last entry 3pm)
Sorry, no pets are allowed on site
Ample free parking
EV charging points
Visitor centre, gift shop
and refreshments
New wetland brings new species
The team at Sculthorpe has created
a wonderful 13-acre area of wetland
along the River Wensum, a rare and
beautiful chalk stream.
Even as the excavations were still
underway, new species moved in,
Little Egrets were early arrivals, a
Great Egret and Heron can often
be spotted with them. Little Ringed
Plovers, Teal, Lapwing, Oystercatchers,
and Curlews have also staked their
claim on this lovely area. A wild Crane
has called in during the summer
months of 2021.
Our volunteer team is hard at work
building a spectacular new wetland
hide. As with the rest of the reserve,
the hide will be fully accessible to all,
including visitors in wheelchairs
and buggies.
Come and see for yourself
Next time you’re in Norfolk, venture
inland, away from the usual coastal
spots for a day at Sculthorpe Moor. A
warm welcome is guaranteed.
Hawk and
Owl Trust
www.hawkandowltrust.org
Turf Moor Road, Sculthorpe, Fakenham, NR21 9GN
01328 856788. Registered charity no. 1058565
haot birdwatching wtg aw.indd 1 01/10/2021 13:32

Birdfinders
Worldwide Birdwatching Tours
t
L t’s G t B
A a
Central and South America
15 tours from £2,995
including flights
NEW - CHILE
125
www.birdfinders.co.uk birdfinders@aol.co.uk
SPEYSIDE WILDLIFE
HOLIDAYS I DAY TRIPS I HIDES I TAILORMADE TOURS
Est. 1991
Fully inclusive wildlife watching holidays
throughout Scotland, the UK and Overseas
WILDLIFE
EXPERIENCE
enquiries@speysidewildlife.co.uk I 01479 812498
WWW.SPEYSIDEWILDLIFE.CO.UK

Bed and
breakfast
and self
catering
Close to
ham l Pensthorpe
and the many nature and wildlife reserves erves of West Norfolk
l RSPB Titchwell l RSPB Snettisham
Group rates available.
Early breakfast and packed lunches available on request.
Buffy Helmetcrest
Tailor-made, small
groups, and private
tours at your own pace
Over a decade of
experience in sustainable
birding and wildlife tours
Safety and health protocols in
place throughout the whole trip
www.jaguarunditravel.com
info@jaguarunditravel.com
Phone +57 312 5859630
Tel:
OLD HUNSTANTON
E: reception@lestrangearms.co.uk
www.lestrangearms.co.uk
BIRDING AND NATURE TOURS IN COLOMBIA

Port Askaig Hotel, Port Askaig, Isle of Islay PA46 7RD
A traditional 16th century Drove Inn standing in its own grounds on the
harbour side in the picturesque hamlet and ferry port of Port Askaig.
Islay is a Bird Watchers paradise due to the abundance of bird life
with a large population of over wintering geese a particular draw. Port
Askaig, Mull of Oa and Isle of Jura are locations where rarer sea eagles
and golden eagles may be spotted while choughs can also be found in
certain locations.
13 en suite rooms /2 Bars/ Bistro style restaurant
www.portaskaig.co.uk
Email: hotel@portaskaig.co.uk Tel: 01496 840 245
The Secret Courtyard B&B
in the heart of Bempton Village
on the Yorkshire Heritage Coast
Your own private cottage from where
you can plan your day ahead, or relax
after a pleasant day sightseeing or
walking. With local attractions such
as Bempton Cliffs the RSPB Nature
Reserve and Flamborough Head.
E-mail - Stablesbempton42@gmail.com
01262 850438 / 07563135840
www.secretcourtyard.co.uk
Everything for wildlife,
ecology and conservation
Field guides
Binoculars & spotting scopes
Travel essentials
Bird & bat boxes
Bat detectors
1000s of natural history books
And more..
Huge product range
Over 140,000 books & equipment products
Rapid shipping
UK & Worldwide
Exceptional customer service
Specialist help and advice
www.nhbs.com | Serving conservation since 1985 | +44 1803 865913

BIRD THE WORLD ADVERTORIAL
Take your birdwatching
off-road!
Visitors enjoy a tour in
Andros’ dense woodlands
Case study 2: Bahama Warbler
By tracking Bahama warblers, local
conservationists and bird
enthusiasts alike can learn more
about their recovery
ELIJAH SANDS
TAMBOURINE AND BAHAMAS MINISTRY OF TOURISIM
FOUND
For birds and birdwatchers alike, The Bahamas
are unique, and conservation efforts mean
things keep getting better
Pristine white sand beaches,
crystal-clear seas, palm trees
waving in a gentle breeze –
you probably already have your
own idea of The Bahamas as
an island paradise.
What you may not have known before
now is that this archipelago off the
south-eastern corner of North America is a
paradise for birds, and for birdwatchers too.
It boasts an impressively high level of
biodiversity, with the official bird list total
The wild flamingos of Inagua
coming to 380 species, including seven
endemics.
The islands’ position on a major
migration flyway means that surprises are
there to be discovered whenever you visit,
and there are 39 Important Bird Areas
(IBAs), more than 10 per cent of the
total for the whole of the Caribbean.
Like anywhere else, its wildlife has
faced threats and problems, but ongoing
conservation efforts are ensuring the
islands’ preservation as a paradise for
THE BAHAMAS MINISTRY OF TOURISM & AVIATION
birds and birders.
These efforts are led by organisations
such as the Bahamas National Trust (BNT),
who have set up programmes that aim to
conserve both birds and vital habitats.
But it isn’t merely a case of NGOs
carrying out their own schemes. By
training islanders as bird guides, with the
help of the Audubon Society, in partnership
with the Bahamas National Trust and the
Inter-American Development Bank, many
of the islands’ communities are now being
Case study 1: Abaco Parrot
When Christopher Columbus made landfall
on The Bahamas in 1492, he is said to have
noted that “flocks of parrots darken the
sun”, but numbers declined drastically over
the centuries.
By 1986, it was decided to create
a national park in Abaco, to protect the
remaining 1,500 or so Abaco Parrots,
but alongside that The Bahama Parrot
Conservation Committee launched a
major effort to engage locals with the
made stakeholders in both the conservation
efforts, and their own development.
This means a huge step forward for the
protection and promotion of biodiversity
in The Bahamas, creating a virtuous circle
– local communities value the biodiversity,
and help promote it to visitors, visitors
bring new money into the communities
and conservation projects, and everyone
benefits.
Two case studies illustrate the scale
of the work that has been done.
So, The Bahamas offer a truly unique
experience. With 16 major islands, boasting
habitats that range from the dense Andros
woodlands to the rolling salt flats of Great
Inagua, it’s an unmatched destination for
birdwatching.
A sample itinerary illustrated here
conservation programme – 8,000 Bahama
Parrot Posters were distributed, 27,750
schoolchildren learned about the importance
of the species, and 6,000 people pledged
support for the conservation effort. By 1994,
the national park was a reality.
The number of parrots rose to 8,900 in
2009, and although Hurricane Dorian had an
impact, this species may have survived it better
than most, because uniquely among parrots,
they nest on the ground.
On tour with a local
birding guide
(bit.ly/3hMmHnn) shows how to make the
most of your Bahamas birding experience,
taking in all the key habitats, from dense
coppice to sandy shores.
There are now eight non-stop flights to
Nassau from London Heathrow per week,
The symbol of a resilient
Bahamas, Bahama Parrot
numbers are slowly increasing
ELIJAH SANDS
THE BAHAMAS MINISTRY OF TOURISM & AVIATION
THE BAHAMAS MINISTRY OF TOURISM & AVIATION
The endemic Bahama Warbler was recently
listed as endangered – for nearly two years,
nobody had seen one in Grand Bahama,
one of two islands the species is endemic to.
It had seemingly disappeared in the wake
of the devastating Hurricane Dorian in
2019, and in 2020, the BNT began
banding Bahama Warblers on Abaco to
track their movements and inform
conservation efforts.
The BNT conducted comprehensive
surveys on both Abaco and Grand
Bahama Island, and launched the
Empowering Communities for
Conservation programme to engage
Abaco residents for conservation efforts.
And so, hope remains for the Bahama
Warbler, not least because previous
conservation efforts have succeeded.
Research published earlier this year showed
that there are 10 times as many Bahama
Orioles as previously thought, meaning the
future is brighter for that particular species.
Thanks to the work done with the species,
future conservation efforts can be targeted
more effectively.
with British Airways flying six of them
starting from 2nd November, and Virgin
Atlantic starting two per week from 20th
November.
There’s never been a better time to step
out of the cold and rain and discover the
warm, sunny embrace of The Islands of
The Bahamas. Visit our website or give us
a call to discuss what’s on, what’s new,
and what’s there to look forward to in
paradise. Welcome to your next tropical
getaway. Welcome to The Islands of The
Bahamas.
More info:
l https://www.bahamas.com/plan-yourtrip/ecotourism
l https://bnt.bs/
BW
14 Bird the World 2021
birdwatching.co.uk 15

FP_BIRDSPA4_BIRDWATCHIid4720307.pdf 09.07.2021 14:34
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