gourmet birds programme 2017 ·...
TRANSCRIPT
Gourmet Birds Programme 2017 ne of the challenges of putting together a small programme of birdwatching holidays is identifying places that people want to go to, and birds that they want to see, and including both new destinations and old favourites. For 2017 we are offering a mixture of both. It’s 10 years since we last visited Bulgaria in winter to see the red-‐breasted geese, but in contrast our trips to Greece have been annual for the last eight years. Latvia is a totally new destination for us, and one that promises lots of birds but few, if any, other birdwatchers. Here we will be using the services of a local company, Baltic Wildlife, to ensure that we find all the special birds. In late June we are planning a relaxing holiday in the beautiful Asturias mountains of northern Spain where we will be looking for butterflies as well as birds. RED-‐BREASTED GEESE IN BULGARIA 25-‐31 January (six nights) Flights with Wizz Air from Luton to Varna, then return from Burgas to Luton. The delightful little red-‐breasted goose is not only the most beautiful goose in
the world, it is also the rarest. The most important wintering ground for this goose in Europe is on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, where up to 50,000 birds can be seen – the bulk of the world population. However, such numbers have been the exception rather the rule in recent years, but we can still be confident of seeing good numbers during this six-‐night holiday. Though the redbreasts will be our main focus, we can be
confident of seeing a strong supporting cast of wildfowl, including huge numbers of white-‐fronted geese, black-‐throated divers and black-‐necked grebes on the sea, plenty of raptors including white-‐tailed eagles and long-‐legged buzzards, half-‐a-‐dozen species of woodpeckers and a very good chance of eagle owl. Our guide will be Dobry, who many people have met on previous trips to Bulgaria. Price about £995.00, plus flights. There will probably be a small SRS supplement too.
SPRING MIGRATION IN NORTH EAST GREECE 4-‐12 May (eight nights) Flights with easyJet from Gatwick or Ryanair from Stansted to Thessaloniki. From Thessaloniki it’s an easy drive east to Lake Koronia and Lake Volvi. The former was once a rich bird habitat, but pollution and lack of water almost led to its disappearance. However, thanks to an EU Life programme it is once again a
O
“rich, vibrant, brimming wetland”: we look forward to exploring it. Lake Volvi is separated from Kornia by a narrow strip of land, and with breeding white-‐tailed eagles and a rich variety of wetland species it offers great birdwatching. We will be staying nearby, in the delightful seaside village of Olympiada where we start our holiday. Our host, Lulu, is a local celebrity chef, so
we can be certain to eat well. I honestly think that Lulu has cooked some of the best meals I've eaten anywhere in the world. Mount Paggeo is a spectacular 6500ft mountain just 50 miles from Olympiad. As it holds a number of special mountain birds, we will be spending a day on the mountain, then staying locally overnight before driving north-‐west to Lake Kerkini, where we will stay for the last four nights with Stelios at the Viglatoras Hotel in the village of Anno Poroia. This is one of our favourite hotels, while Lake Kerkini offers terrific birdwatching, especially in spring when migrants are flooding back. Expect bee-‐eaters and rollers, black-‐headed buntings and masked shrikes, plus all the local specials such as Dalmatian pelicans and golden eagles. Price about £1150.00, plus flights. No SRS. LATVIA – A NEW COUNTRY TO EXPLORE 18 to 25 May (seven nights) Flights with Ryanair from Stansted to Riga.
In recent years we have visited Lithuania and Estonia, but never the country in between, Latvia, despite the fact that it has a wealth of good birds. Like Estonia, it’s a great place to witness the arctic migration, and it holds many of those elusive forest birds that appeal so much to British
birdwatchers, including Ural and pygmy owls, capercaillie and hazel hen, white-‐backed and three-‐toed woodpeckers. After an early
morning flight to Latvia’s capital, Riga, we meet Edmunds, our local guide from Baltic Wildlife, and drive to Slitere National Park. We will be staying close to Cape Kolka, the best place for viewing the northern migration. In the park itself we will look for capercaillie and hazel grouse, plus a variety of woodpeckers. We can also hope to see pygmy owl. We stay for the first four nights in the Hotel Zitari, while for the last
three nights we will be in the Hotel Valguma Pasaule. Both are rural hotels perfectly placed for pre-‐breakfast bird walks. Price is £1260pp sharing a double room; SRS is £160. Flights extra. SUMMER IN THE ASTURIAS, NORTHERN SPAIN Details of this trip to follow shortly: it will probably be seven nights, from 25 June to 2 July. If you are interested, please ask for details. David Tomlinson [email protected] 01359 269657