spring Birding Bonanza

 3 NIGHT PACKAGE

UPCOMING DATES 23 - 26 April and 30 april - 3 May 2025 Price £635.00 £90.00 single supplement

Overview

The Avalon hide at RSPB Ham Wall on a breezy afternoon offers great views of hunting hobbies chasing dragonflies; marsh harriers perform their sky-dance and great white egrets drop in like ghostly pterodactyls. If we’re lucky a bittern will lift off and drift over the reeds in sight of the hide. Whitethroats sing from the blackthorn bushes, Cetti’s warbler erupt into an impossibly loud call and reed and sedge warblers fill the fresh air with their liquid song.. 

Somerset’s coastline is often overlooked by birders, but not on this trip, with a visit included to the wonderful reserve at WWT Steart Marshes always packed with interesting and varied birdlife, with nesting avocets and perhaps little ringed plover often observed close to one of the hides.

In addition the ‘western oakwood trio’ of pied flycatcher, wood warbler and redstart and the serene atmosphere as we walk through the unique woodland habitat of a Quantock Combe is the stuff of birding dreams.

‘nuff said..

Your itinerary

Day 1

Arrive Walls Farm from 12.30pm to settle in to your comfortable cottage accommodation.

After a cup of tea you will be free to do a spot of birding around the large garden, pond and orchard at Walls Farm feel free to bring your own packed lunch.

At 2.00pm Graeme will take guests out for a short introduction to the Somerset Levels by visiting a local birdwatching spot and Somerset Wildlife Trust’s flagship reserve at Westhay Moor.

Welcome dinner with canapés and wine prepared by Kay and served in Walls Farm, where we will discuss our planned birdwatching excursions.

Day 2

Breakfast in your cottage – fresh eggs, cereal, muesli, yoghurts, bread, with home-made preserves will be provided in your accommodation for you to prepare.

Nothing beats the Somerset levels on a fresh spring morning.

RSPB Ham Wall will be heaving with birds. Hawking hobbies will be chasing dragonflies, egrets will have started nesting, and if we get lucky we may see a bittern give a fly-past over the car park!

Somerset will be dripping with warblers and the Avalon Marshes will be best place to get our tally started.

A light pub lunch will be included as part of the afternoon plans.

Possible afternoon visits include Aller Moor and the wonderful RSPB woodland reserve at Swell Wood.

We will return to Walls Farm early in the evening in time to relax and debrief the bird sightings we have seen.

Dinner will be served in Walls Farm from 7.00pm

Day 3

Breakfast is again in your cottage – fresh eggs, cereal, bread, muesli, yoghurts home-made preserves all provided.

Birdwatching all day  We will head to Steart Marshes overlooking Bridgwater Bay where we will expect to see many wading birds including avocet, redshank and egrets. Later will pop to the coast at Wall Common for curlews and other wading birds along with any spring migrants passing through.

A light pub lunch is again included.

Afternoon woodland walk in the beautiful Quantock Hills offering a wider range of birdlife including our target birds of the ‘western oakwood trio’ of wood warbler, redstart, and pied flycatcher.

Return to Walls Farm by about 5.00pm in time to relax and discuss the bird sightings we have seen.

Dinner with canapes and drinks will be served in Walls Farm.

Day 4

Breakfast is in your cottage – fresh eggs, bread muesli, yoghurts, home-made preserves all provided.

Morning birdwatching to Graeme and Stephen’s local coastal ‘Patch’ and riverside habitats, followed by a last visit to the Somerset Levels at Catcott Lows reserve, another wonderful reserve cared for by Somerset Wildlife Trust.  Return to Walls Farm by 12.30 when it will be time to depart and head for home. (lunch not included)

Dates

Wed 23rd - Sat 26th April 2025 - Price £635.00 per person £90.00 single single supplement

Wed 30th April - Sat 3rd May 2025 - Price £635.00 per person £90.00 single supplement

Things to remember

Additional single rooms are available at a neighbouring farmhouse bed and breakfast, 100 yards from Walls Farm. All dinners will be taken with the main group.

While most of our bird walks will be on good paths, sometimes we will go ‘off-piste’ or go through wet grass, so please bring suitable footwear (hiking boots or wellies). Wet weather gear is essential – a waterproof jacket and over-trousers. It is unlikely that any one single walk would be more than a couple of miles.

Please bring your own binoculars (8x32 are ideal) we have some spare pairs however please advise if you require use of these. It is not essential to have a telescope. Both Stephen and Graeme have top of the range Swarovski telescopes and where appropriate we will set one or both up if we want to zoom into a particular bird or flock. In many ways it can be more of a hindrance if our whole party is fiddling with telescopes and not enjoying the moment.

Cameras and telephoto lenses again can be cumbersome however this is very much up to the individual to carry and look after themselves, but please note this is not a photographic holiday.

Walls Farm has a lovely heated indoor swimming pool, if you would like to use it please ask if it is convenient and understand that the pool is never supervised and is used at the individuals own risk.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

• Expert ornithological guiding throughout

• Accommodation

• 3 Dinners at Walls Farm

• 2 light pub lunches

• Breakfast baskets

• Teas/coffees and additional refreshments as stated on your confirmed itineraries

• Entrance to all birdwatching sites

ornithological guides

On all tours it is expected that Stephen Moss or Brett Westwood will be the expert Ornithological guide ably assisted by Graeme Mitchell also an experienced birdwatcher and tour guide

booking POLICY

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