SPEYSIDE & SKYE
11th – 18th July 2009

Highland wildlife at its best.

A two-centre holiday, staying four nights in Speyside before moving to the magical Isle of Skye. The aim of this tour will be obtaining good views of the rich and varied wildlife Scotland has to offer, from the charming Crested Tits of the Abernathy Forest to the impressive Minke Whales off the west coast of Skye. Our first base will be Grantown on Spey, which lies in the heart of the Highlands, and is a must for anyone with an interest in British wildlife. It is particularly well known for its rich and varied bird life, which includes many species difficult or even impossible to see elsewhere in the UK. From our second base on Skye, we'll explore the beautiful and rugged scenery this island has to offer, searching out its very special wildlife as we go.

DAY 1
We'll make an early start on our journey in order to reach our hotel at a reasonable time, once we've checked in and dropped off our luggage we'll have time for some casual birding close to the hotel before returning for our evening meal.

DAYS 2 – 4
The next three days will be spent visiting many of the important habitats that make this area of Scotland so important. We'll visit the ancient Caledonian Pinewoods, including Loch Garten and the now world famous Osprey hide where we should be able to watch this impressive bird of prey at the nest. Other birds here could include the rare and elusive Capercaillie, Crested Tit and Scottish Crossbill, all of which can be found nowhere else in the UK.  Siskin, Redstart and of course the beautiful Red Squirrel also occur, the latter often providing good views. Pine Martin is another resident of these ancient pinewoods and one evening we'll stake out this secretive creature from the comfort of a heated hide. The feeding station here attracts several individuals and views can often be down to just a few feet, Badger is also regularly seen here and even Scottish Wildcats have put in the occasional appearance.

One day we'll head north to the Moray Firth where we hope to see Bottle-nose Dolphins, although unpredictable, when these fascinating animals do show they often give good views as they play and feed close inshore. On our last tour this mother and calf showed well for over an hour, giving a dazzling performance as she taught her youngster to fish. We'll also look for Harbour Porpoise and Common Seal, and it's in this area that Red Kite has its Scottish stronghold.  Other birds here should include Red-breasted Merganser, Fulmar and a variety of terns, gulls and waders. with Osprey often fishing offshore.

One day will be spent exploring the high tops where our target will be the Ptarmigan; this much-prized member of the grouse family is a real arctic speciality and only occurs in the UK on these remote mountaintops. Other birds of note here may include Golden Eagle, Peregrine, Ring Ouzel and Raven, while Red Deer and Mountain Hare should be seen. Lower down in the many mountain valleys we'll look for Red and Black Grouse, Merlin, Hen Harrier, Short-eared Owl and Hooded Crow while on the mountain streams we should see Dipper, Grey Wagtail and Common Sandpiper. We'll also visit several lochs where Goldeneye and Slavonian Grebe breed and should be treated to good views of both, the latter in its beautiful breeding plumage rarely seen here in England. With a little luck we may even see osprey in action fishing.

DAY 5
After breakfast we'll leave Speyside and begin our journey west, again having the chance of Red Kite as we pass close to Inverness, and breeding Red & Black-throated Diver on the larger lochs. Once there we'll check in to our hotel before heading out on a privately charted wildlife watching boat trip where we have an excellent chance of seeing Common & White-sided Dolphins, Common and Grey Seals and Harbour Porpoise. The impressive White tailed Eagle are frequently seen from the boat, often showing down to just 5-7 metres as they come to feed on fish thrown overboard, providing probably the best views of this species anywhere in the UK.

DAYS 6 – 7
Will be spent on Skye, exploring this magical island with more opportunities for Golden & White-tailed Eagle. Other birds should include Eider, Red-breasted Merganser, Shag, Puffin, Black Guillemot, Great Skua and the chance of Great Northern Diver in full breeding plumage. It's also one of the best places in the UK to see the elusive Otter, which can often be seen along the rocky shorelines of the Sea-lochs.

One day we'll go on another private charter boat, this time, off the southern end of Skye close to the islands of Eigg, Muck and Rhum, where we'll spend 3 hours whale watching. The main attraction will be the Minke Whales that frequent the area during the summer months, with these inquisitive giants often coming to the side of the boat to look at us. Although no guarantees can be given our skipper has many years of experience finding these incredible mammals with a track record second to none. Other sightings regularly include large numbers of seabirds and more dolphins, porpoise and seals. Killer Whale, Humpback Whale and Basking Shark are also occasionally seen.

DAY 8
After breakfast we'll make a start back through the dramatic scenery for home, making several stops on the way, concluding this amazing tour.

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guidelines all flights are ATOL protected,
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