ORIOLE BIRDING TOUR CALENDAR 2019 - For small group, great value holidays call NOW on FREEPHONE 0800 999 3036 www.oriolebirding.com ...
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ORIOLE BIRDING TOUR CALENDAR 2019 For small group, great value holidays call NOW on FREEPHONE 0800 999 3036 www.oriolebirding.com info@oriolebirding.com
Editorial
Semipalmated Sandpiper by Ashley Saunders
What sets Oriole Birding aside from other
birding tour companies?
We have always prided ourselves on keeping
our groups small and our service personal,
but the value of an Oriole trip runs deeper
than just that.
We believe in creating the best possible
experience for our clients, and that’s why we
choose the right people to lead our holidays.
Our track record for discovering the
unexpected is high, and whether it is the
nervous excitement of piecing together
Europe’s first Siberian White Wagtail in
Cyprus, identifying the island’s 3rd ever
Blyth’s Pipit [both on the same tour!] or the
in-field fun of finding this stunning
Semipalmated Sandpiper on a beach in the
Outer Hebrides, you know that with us, you
can always expect the unexpected!
Hi Everyone,
Welcome to our 2019 Tour Calendar!
Here at Oriole Birding our ethos is simple-small groups guided by experienced personable leaders to top destinations.We blend the
professionalism and security of travelling with a larger company, with the small business touches that make your wildlife tour
experience the best available. Above all, we aim to make it fun! Birding tours can become overly intense where a tick list becomes
more important than client comfort. That is not the Oriole Birding style! We break that mould by offering superb wildlife
encounters which give you the opportunity to learn and improve your field skills, while remembering the reason you came in the
first place—to go on holiday! We take our birding very seriously, but we understand too that people want to learn and enjoy wildlife
in a relaxed atmosphere, and we think that our unrivalled breadth of destinations offers just that—glance through our tour resume
and you will find a mix of far flung destinations alongside familiar UK hotspots and everything in between. You won’t find this mix
of destinations with any other company.
Our website has been designed to make it as easy as possible to find the birding holiday you are looking for, and has a wealth of
information for each destination we visit. You can view tours alphabetically, by season or in date order, and there is also a built in
search facility to help you find what you are looking for. Our tour reports are comprehensive, perhaps more so than any other
company on the web, and you will find them saved as PDF files which you can download or print, often going back many years.
Please take the time too to read the many testimonials sent to us by our clients, to hear for yourself why our tours are so popular!
Then follow the link to the booking page and away you go! Don’t miss our popular news blog, the Birding Diary, to be found on the
Latest News tab of our website, for daily updates, pictures and video clips direct from our leaders in the field. We are constantly
adding attractive and innovative destinations to our ever-expanding portfolio and we look forward to welcoming you on board very
soon!
Oriole Birding is undergoing an exciting chapter, as Neil Donaghy steps down from a full time role after eight years at the helm
alongside Ashley. We will still benefit from his considerable experience as a consultant moving forward and would like to take this
opportunity to wish him all the very best for the future. New director Nick Parsons is enjoying his new role with us and continues
to help develop and progress the business, while our new staff leader Jason Moss has slotted seamlessly into life on tour, and already
has our clients coming back for more! Finally, we are delighted to announce that Paul Roberts, who many of you will know well
from his freelance guiding role with us over the last decade, joins our team on a full time basis from January 2019. Welcome Paul!
We do hope you decide to join us in 2019 and continue the ‘Oriole’ journey.
Good Birding!
2019 Tour Calendar 2 www.oriolebirding.com
Oriole Birding Team
Ashley Saunders - Owner and Tour Leader
With seven years of running his own company before helping to form Oriole Birding, and vast
experience in tour leading in the UK and abroad, there is no-one more skilled and enthusiastic to
lead your birding holiday than Ashley. As a major shareholder in the company, Ashley oversees
tour logistics and itineraries, and looks after our website when not guiding tours. Ashley leads all
our Norfolk tours, plus the majority of our UK based holidays as well as several trips overseas, and
has birded in France, Germany, Spain, Greece, Mallorca, South Africa, Costa Rica, Florida, Israel,
Cyprus, Panama, The Gambia, Holland, Romania, Morocco, Cuba, Honduras and Trinidad.
Finding rare birds is Ashley’s great passion, developed through a lifetime of birding remote
east coast locations during the spring and autumn migration. Ashley joins the Norfolk Rarities
Committee in July 2017, an accolade which arrives as a result of many years of high quality rarity
submissions at both county and national level. He lives in the Norfolk market town of Fakenham
with his partner Lucy and 5 year-old daughter Lily and enjoys supporting Norwich City in his
spare time.
Nick Parsons - Owner
Nick is delighted to be coming on board as a shareholder and Director of Oriole, giving him the
opportunity to combine his business background with his love of the natural world. Nick’s
interest in birds started as a child, but like for so many others until relatively recently his career
and family kept him away from my first love, birding. Nick and his family, Jane and Amelia divide
their time between Nottingham and Norfolk, where their Great Ryburgh home will become the
centre of operations for Oriole Birding. Nick is a firm believer in putting something back when it
comes to nature and he has been a trustee of the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and the
Sherwood Forest Trust for many years. Locally, he is also an active committee member of the
Ryburgh Wildlife Group. When work and family commitments allow Nick is usually to be found
out in the field in Norfolk putting in the effort to find his own birds, ever hopeful of unearthing
something impossibly rare. He is a seasoned birder overseas and has birded in China, the United
States, Spain, Mallorca, Cyprus, Israel and South Africa. His other interests are cricket (Yorkshire
CCC), football (Liverpool FC), history and archaeology.
Jason Moss - Staff Leader
We are delighted to welcome Jason on board as a staff leader with us in 2018. Our search for a new
guide to come and work for us on a full time basis led us to Jason, who immediately impressed us
with his people and birding skills, the two most important aspects of being a tour leader! Jason
has had a passion for birds and nature conservation for as long as he can remember. However
the hobby became more of a profession after completing an undergraduate degree in Biology at
Portsmouth University, when he began working as a warden on a wide variety of UK nature
reserves, beginning with Blakeney Point in Norfolk. Working closely with both sea and migrant
birds led to a strong passion for both, and a keen interest in bird ringing, leading to further work
on similar seabird and migration hotspots, such as the Farne Islands in Northumberland, Fair
Isle in Shetland and Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire, where he recently worked as seabird warden.
Living in these remote hubs of bird migration has meant that Jason has been fortunate to witness
many stunning days of migrant arrivals and falls, whilst also finding numerous British rarities and
scarcities including Britain’s second Magnolia Warbler. Jason has also travelled extensively on
birding trips, including Argentina, Israel, Southern Africa, mainland Spain and Mallorca, where he
recently spent several winters.
Paul Roberts—Staff Leader
We are delighted to welcome Paul on board as a staff leader at Oriole Birding in 2019, having
spent the last decade working for us as a freelance guide. Paul is an excellent naturalist, and
guides overseas tours to a variety of destinations as well as our summer wildlife tours in South
Wales and Northern Italy. Hailing originally from the north west of England, Paul is now lives
with his wife and children in South Wales, and after two decades there reckons that he almost
qualifies as a native! Paul is very active on the local birding scene, serving on various committees
and is involved in a number of biodiversity projects. He is a dedicated patch worker, never happier
than when finding his own birds. He has had a curiosity with the natural world for as long as he
can remember, but only caught the birding bug relatively late, following an earlier passion for
plants. Paul also enjoys studying dragonflies and butterflies, but has yet to succumb to the allure
of moths! Photography has been a long-standing interest, expressed recently through a growing
interest in digiscoping. Having worked as an ecological surveyor, Paul is now excited to be joining
our team full time and we are sure you will enjoy his company on our tours - if you are lucky, he
might even bring his ukelele!
2019 Tour Calendar 3 www.oriolebirding.com
2019 Tour Calendar
7TH - 12TH JANUARY
NORFOLK - WINTER WILDFOWL SPECTACULAR with Jason Moss
Tour Cost: £799.00. No Single Room Supplement. Deposit: £100.00. Group Size: 8 [min 2]
Winter is a wonderful time to enjoy Norfolk at its best. Nowhere else in Britain can match the variety of habitats and species, the numbers of
wintering wildfowl, and the number of scarce over wintering and resident species that are difficult to find outside this magical county. With a
knowledgeable local guide, visit places off the beaten track and see the best birdlife that the region has to offer. We can expect to see upwards of 125
species and walk 4-5 miles per day.
Key Species: Shore Lark, Snow Bunting, Common Crane, Rough-legged Buzzard, Taiga Bean Goose, Great Bittern, Marsh & Hen Harriers, Merlin,
Twite, Brambling, Hawfinch, Common Crossbill, Northern Goshawk, Water Pipit, Velvet Scoter.
Outline Itinerary:
Day 1 - Evening arrival and orientation meeting
Days 2-5 - Exploring the Norfolk coastal marshes and reed beds, including reserves at Titchwell, Cley and Holkham NNR, plus full day visits to
Breckland and the Norfolk Broads.
Day 6 - Birding until mid afternoon when the tour concludes.
What’s Included: Five nights 4 star graded en suite accommodation at the Blue Boar Inn Great Ryburgh, all meals from dinner on day one to lunch on
day six, minibus transport on tour, services of leader and reserve entrance fees.
12TH – 23RD JANUARY
COSTA RICA – JEWEL OF THE NEOTROPICS with Ashley Saunders & local guide
European White-fronted Goose - Steve Cale Tour Cost: £4499.00. Single Room Supplement: £500.00. Deposit: £1000.00. Group Size: 8 [min 5]
When birders think of the Neotropics, then Costa Rica tends to be the first country that springs to mind - colourful birds, a wonderful diversity of
habitats in a small area, and a well developed tourism infrastructure. But there is more to it than that, and to discover why it is such an amazing place
for birds requires an appreciation of the bigger picture. Vast areas of protected land, a blanket ban on sport hunting, and a keenness to educate its
young people on the importance of conserving wildlife are just a couple of reasons why this is such a great country to visit. Join us with our friends
at Cotinga Tours who will guide us around their wildlife-rich country on this diverse and bird-filled itinerary. Our tour offers the chance to visit all
the main habitats on both the Caribbean and Pacific slopes, from the high mountain ‘paramo’ to the lowland primary forests. The itinerary is
comprehensive, but not rushed, and we have included two nights in most of the key lodges to give us time to enjoy each location. You can expect to
see in excess of 350 species of birds plus a wide variety of reptiles, amphibians and mammals. The terrain is mainly easy, with walking on good quality
paths and seldom of more than one mile in length, making this a tour suitable for most levels of physical fitness.
Key Species: Resplendent Quetzal of course! Plus a huge variety of tanagers, toucans, motmots, antbirds, flycatchers, warblers, raptors, parrots,
woodpeckers, woodcreepers and hummingbirds.
Outline Itinerary:
Day 1 - Fly London/San Jose via Madrid. On arrival in San Jose we will be met by a driver and guide, and transferred to Hotel Bouganvilla[forty
minutes] for overnight.
Day 2 - Bouganvilla gardens, two hour transfer to Paraiso de Quetzales in central mountains. Afternoon looking for quetzals and mountain birds.
Overnight Savegre River Lodge
Day 3 - Birding in central mountains around Savegre. Overnight Savegre River Lodge.
Day 4 - Transfer to Pacific coast [two hours] birding along way. Overnight Hotel Villa Lapas.
Day 5 - Birding Carara National Park. Boat trip on Tarcoles River. Overnight Hotel Villa Lapas
Day 6 - Birding Carara National Park. Transfer north [two hours] to La Ensenada Hotel for overnight
Day 7 - Birding Solimar wetlands. Transfer [two hours] to Arenal Observatory Lodge for overnight.
Day 8 - Birding trails at Arenal. Overnight Arenal Observatory Lodge.
Fiery-throated Hummingbird
Day 9 - Birding Arenal, transfer to Selva Verde [two hours] for lunch. Birding & overnight Selva Verde Lodge.
Day 10 - Birding at La Selva Biological Station, overnight Selva Verde Lodge.
Day 11 - Birding near La Selva, followed by transfer [two hours] to San Jose for flight.
Day 12 - Arrive back in the UK where the tour will conclude.
What’s Included: Return economy class flights to San Jose via Madrid and specified luggage allowance, ten nights en suite accommodation in eco
lodges/hotels of a good standard, all meals from in flight on day one to in-flight on day twelve, ground transport, services of leaders, boat trip and
reserve entrance fees. Tips for guides and staff are not included, but essential. Allow $100 per person.
21ST – 26TH JANUARY
NORFOLK - WINTER WILDFOWL SPECTACULAR with Jason Moss
Tour Cost: £799.00. No Single Room Supplement. Deposit: £100.00. Group Size: 8 [min 2]
A repeat of our early January tour
14TH – 19TH JANUARY
SOUTH WALES – SECRETS OF THE SALTMARSH with Paul Roberts.
Tour Cost: £699.00. Single Room Supplement: £100.00. Deposit: £100.00. Group Size: 8 [min 2]
A wide variety of habitats await us on this tour, as we explore large areas of totally unspoilt salt marsh, coastal wetlands, beaches and bays of the
Bristol Channel Coast and the upland forests of Glamorgan. You’ll be surprised at how much this under watched area has to offer all levels of birders
as we make the most of your leaders local knowledge. Expect to see approximately 115 species and to walk 4-5 miles per day.
Key Species: Great Bittern, Great White Egret, Hawfinch, Slavonian Grebe, Red-billed Chough, Northern Goshawk, Purple Sandpiper, Dipper,
Hen Harrier, Merlin, Peregrine, Red Kite, Great Grey Shrike, Short-eared Owl, Brent Goose, Common Eider, Red-breasted Merganser, Common
Black Redstart - Gary Thoburn
Greenshank.
2019 Tour Calendar 4 www.oriolebirding.com
2019 Tour Calendar
Outline Itinerary:
Day 1 - Lunchtime arrival and birding until dusk.
Days 2-5 - Exploring the coast and forests visiting North & South Gower, Swansea Bay, Kenfig NNR, Ogmore Estuary & Heritage Coast, Cardiff Bay
and surrounds.
Day 6 - Birding until lunchtime when the tour concludes.
What’s Included: Five nights en suite accommodation at WTB three star graded Atlantic Hotel, all meals from dinner on day one to lunch on day six,
ground transport on tour, reserve entrance fees and service of leader.
28TH JANUARY – 1ST FEBRUARY
EXTREMADURA – WINTER IN THE SPANISH STEPPES with Paul Roberts
Tour Cost: £999.00. No Single Room Supplement. Deposit: £200.00. Group size: 8 [min 4]
Winter is the best time of year to get to grips with the speciality birds of Extremadura, when resident species form flocks in the rolling steppes and
cork oak dehesa. A relaxing tour based at beautiful rural accommodation, this tour offers the perfect combination for an overseas birding trip among
some superb scenery. We can expect to see upwards of 140 species and walk 1-2 miles per day.
Key Species: Great Bustard, Little Bustard, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Black-shouldered Kite, Purple
Swamp-Hen, Black Vulture, Azure-winged Magpie, White-spotted Bluethroat, Alpine Accentor, Thekla Lark, Calandra Lark and large flocks of
Common Cranes.
Outline Itinerary:
Day 1 - Early morning flight Gatwick-Madrid. Three hour transfer to accommodation, birding on route.
Day 2-4 - Birding in the steppe and dehesa of Extremadura, including the Monfragüe National Park, Sierra las Villuercas, Caceres-Trujillo steppes Alpine Accentor - Paul Roberts
and reservoirs and rice fields of Madrigalejo.
Day 5 - Short birding stop in the morning en route back to Madrid for late afternoon flight.
What’s Included: Four nights en suite accommodation of a good standard at Vin alas Torres, return flights London/Madrid with budget airline, 20KG
luggage allowance, all meals from lunch on day one to lunch on day five, minibus transport on tour, services of leader, wine tasting session and wine
with dinners.
28TH JANUARY – 3RD FEBRUARY
ROMANIA – WILD GOOSE CHASE! with Jason Moss
Tour Cost: £1675.00. Single Room Supplement:£120.00 Deposit: £200.00. Group size: 8 [min 4]
The Danube Delta is a popular spring and summer birding destination, with many itineraries available to explore the waterways and wetlands at that
time of year. Indeed, we have been travelling to Romania at this time of year ourselves for many years. But what of the winter months? Well it can be
very cold of course, but there are some spectacular avian delights on offer here during this season. Top of the list are the regular wintering flocks of
Red-breasted Geese, and we have timed our tour to maximise our chances of connecting with this diminutive and beautiful winter visitor. With a
strong supporting cast of raptors and plenty of waterbirds too, then you have the makings of an excellent winter break. Our friends at Ibis tours will
provide the ground arrangements, transport and local guide for this tour, and we will use their own hotel in Tulcea for the first part of the trip. Join for
an exciting new adventure in 2019! You can expect to see around 120 species and walk 2-3 miles per day.
Key Species: Red-breasted Goose, Rough-legged Buzzard, Saker, Greater Spotted Eagle, Smew, Pygmy Cormorant, Grey-headed, Black and Syrian
Woodpeckers, White-tailed Eagle, Long-legged Buzzard, Long-eared Owl.
Outline Itinerary:
Day 1 - Fly UK/Bucharest arriving early afternoon. Five hour transfer to Tulcea, dinner and overnight Ibis Guest House.
Day 2-3 - Birding the Dobrugea Plain for geese, woodpeckers and raptors. Overnights Ibis Hotel Tulcea.
Red-breasted Goose - Gary Thoburn
Day 4 - Exploring the Danube Delta by motorboat. Overnight Ibis Hotel Tulcea.
Day 5 - Exploring the coastal plain to Constanta. Overnight at a guest house in Constanta.
Day 6 - Lakes and coastal habitats around Vama Veche. Overnight Constanta.
Day 7 - Transfer to Bucharest for afternoon flight back to London.
What’s Included: Six nights en suite accommodation of equivalent 3-star standard at Ibis Guest House in Tulcea and a guest house in Constanta,
return flights London/Bucharest with budget airline, 20KG luggage allowance, all meals from dinner on day one to lunch on day seven, minibus
transport on tour, services of leaders, boat trip and reserve entrance fees.
3RD – 8TH FEBRUARY
ISLAY – HEBRIDEAN WINTER WILDLIFE with Ashley Saunders
Tour Cost: £950.00. No Single Room Supplement. Deposit: £250.00. Group size: 8 [min 4]
With our tours to the Hebridean islands of Mull and the Uists proving so popular, we are pleased to again be offering this tour packed full of
wonderful winter birding in typically dramatic Scottish West Coast scenery. Quite different to the other islands, Islay is distinctly more populous
and bustling, no doubt aided by its nine distilleries which attract visitors from across the world. It is also more wooded and low lying, and has a great
variety of habitats on offer. It is perhaps best known for its geese, and watching flocks of Barnacle and Greenland White-fronted Geese will certainly
be a major focus as we search for rarer species that can include Cackling Goose or Snow Goose from across the Atlantic. In fact we can view geese
from the sun room of our fantastic accommodation near Port Ellen in the south of the island, where we hire two self-catering houses for the tour and
enjoy a house party experience which is perfectly suited to this holiday. You can expect to see around 100 species and walk 2-3 miles per day.
Key Species: Golden Eagle, Chough, Barnacle Goose, Greenland White-fronted Goose, Pale-bellied Brent Goose, Merlin, Glaucous & Iceland Gulls,
White-tailed Eagle, Dipper, Black Guillemot, Twite, Black-throated & Great Northern Divers, Long-tailed Duck, Greater Scaup, Slavonian Grebe, Hen
Harrier, Otter.
Common Eider - Gary Thoburn
2019 Tour Calendar 5 www.oriolebirding.com
2019 Tour Calendar
Outline Itinerary:
Day 1 - Travel to Carlisle and meet at Premier Inn for overnight stop [included]
Day 2 - Drive to Kennacraig for 1300 ferry to Port Askaig on Islay. Transfer to accommodation at Port Ellen.
Day 3 - Short North-west Islay, Loch Gruinart and Bruichladdich. Overnight Port Ellen.
Day 4 - The Oa Peninsula and laphroig whisky distillery tour. Overnight Port Ellen.
Day 5 - Bunnahabhain, raptor watching and the Loch Indaal roost. Overngiht Port Ellen.
Day 6 - 0945 ferry from Port Ellen to Kennacraig and onward transfer home.
What’s Included: One night en suite accommodation at Premier Inn Carlisle, four nights accommodation in self catering houses near Port Ellen [ask
about en suite facilities], return ferries Scotland/Islay, all meals from dinner on day one to breakfast on day six, wine with dinner at Balaclava Croft,
minibus transport on tour, services of leader.
11TH – 16TH FEBRUARY
NORFOLK - WINTER WILDFOWL SPECTACULAR with Jason Moss
Tour Cost: £799.00. No Single Room Supplement. Deposit: £100.00. Group Size: 8 [min 2]
A repeat of our January tour
23RD – 27TH FEBRUARY
POLAND – BIG MAMMALS & WINTER BIRDS with Neil Donaghy & Mateusz Szymura
Tour Cost: £1099.00. Single Room Supplement: £50.00 Deposit: £200.00. Group Size: 7[min 4]
Join us for a chance to encounter some of Europe’s most sought after big mammals and wintering forest birds on this new mini tour. We will need
Twite - Gary Thoburn good fortune to find all of these shy species but with many now beginning their courtship routines, it is the best time of year to visit and our
experienced guides will have the latest information on movements of the most wanted species. Our cosy guest house accommodation has en suite
rooms, open fires, a comfortable lounge and a well equipped bar – delightful!! You can expect to see approximately 75 species and to walk
approximately five miles per day.
Key Species: European Wolf, European Bison, Wild Boar, Red Deer, Roe Deer, Beaver, Pine Marten, possibly European Lynx and Otter, Eurasian
Pygmy Owl, White-tailed Eagle, Three-toed, White-backed, Black, Grey-headed, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Crested & Willow Tits, Spotted
Nutcracker, Hazel Grouse.
Outline Itinerary:
Day 1 - Fly UK/Modlin with budget airline. Transfer to Bialowieza arriving in time for dinner. Overnight Dwor Wejmutka
Day 2-4 - Mammal and bird watching in Bialowieza National Park & Kosy Most and surrounding area. Overnights Dwor Wejmutka.
Day 5 - Following breakfast, we have time to try and catch up on any missing species before transferring to Modlin for the late evening flight to UK.
The tour will conclude upon arrival.
What’s Included: Return flights UK/Modlin on budget airline, 20KG luggage allowance, four nights en suite accommodation in comfortable guest
house, meals from dinner on day one to lunch on day four, ground transport in Poland, services of leaders and reserve entrance fees.
25TH FEBRUARY – 2ND MARCH
THE PYRENEES—WALLCREEPER & DUPONTS LARK with Jason Moss & Carles Oliver
Tour Cost: £1150.00. Single Room Supplement: £50.00. Deposit: £250.00. Group Size: 7 [min 4]
A late winter short break designed to connect with two key target birds at the optimum time of year, which offers a whole lot more besides! We have
a well-planned itinerary to get the most of our time in the mountains and plains of Catalonia and Aragon, and use charming small hotels throughout.
Expect the weather to be extremely variable, from freezing in the mountains to warm on the plains. There are several long drives on this tour and you
can expect to walk up to two miles per day, including one or two steep walks on narrow, stony paths. Over 120 species are possible.
Wolf - Mateusz Szymura
Key Species: Wallcreeper, Dupont’s Lark, Moustached Warbler, Alpine Chough, Snow Finch, Citril Finch, Lammergeier, Black Vulture, Lesser Short-
toed Lark, Black-bellied & Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Great and Little Bustard, Eurasian Griffon & Egyptian Vultures, Black Wheatear, Alpine Accentor,
Thekla Lark, Spectacled Warbler, Golden & Bonelli’s Eagles, Lesser Kestrel, Purple Swamp-Hen, Black Woodpecker, Rock Bunting, Blue Rock
Thrush & migrating Common Crane flocks.
Outline Itinerary:
Day 1 - Morning flight from London Gatwick to Barcelona. Birding at Llobregat Delta. Two hour transfer to accommodation near Balaguer in Catalan
Pyrenees. Overnight La Guspira.
Day 2 - Birding around Boumort reserve and Lleida. Transfer to Arbanies. Overnight Casa Oliban.
Day 3-4 - Birding in the Aragonese Pyrenees including Hecho Valley, Jaca and Oroel, Astun, Vadiello, Embalse de Sotonera and Montearagon.
Overnights at Casa Oliban, Arbanies.
Day 5 - Transfer south through Los Monegros steppe, birding en route, to Lecera. Overnight Rincon del Cierzo.
Day 6 - Early morning session at El Planeron for Dupont’s Lark. Three hour transfer to Barcelona for flight back to London, where the tour will
conclude.
What’s Included: Five nights en suite accommodation in small rural hotels of a good standard, return flights London/ Barcelona on budget airline,
20KG luggage allowance, all meals from dinner on day one to breakfast on day six, transport and services of leaders.
4TH – 15TH MARCH
CUBA—ANTILLEAN ENDEMICS with Andy Mitchell & local guides
Tour Cost: £3499.00. Single Room Supplement: £125.00 Deposit: £1000.00. Group Size: 8 [min 5]
Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean and in area is not much smaller than England. Like all the Antillean islands it arose from the ocean due to
tectonic activity rather than by splitting off from existing landmasses. All the flora and fauna therefore arrived by either air or sea resulting in there
Wallcreeper - Ashley Saunders
being no large mammals on the island but also, over millennia, high levels of endemism. Cuba has between twenty six and twenty eight endemic bird
2019 Tour Calendar 6 www.oriolebirding.com
2019 Tour Calendar
species & our tour is specially designed to ensure that you have the best chance of seeing all of them, including the smallest bird in the World - the Bee
Hummingbird. You can expect some very long drives & long days in the field, walking up to 2 miles per day & seeing in excess of 150 species of birds.
Key Species: Cuban Tody, Cuban Nightjar, Zapata Wren, Fernandina’s Flicker, Cuban Solitaire, Cuban Grassquit, Cuban Palm Crow, Blue-headed
Quail-Dove, Bee Hummingbird, Cuban Blackbird, Cuban Trogon, Yellow-headed Warbler, Olive-capped Warbler, Cuban Green Woodpecker, Cuban
Parrot, Oriente Warbler, Cuban Vireo, Cuban Black Hawk, Cuban Parakeet, Giant Kingbird, Cuban Pygmy Owl, Red-shouldered Blackbird, Cuban
Screech Owl, Cuban Martin, Key-west Quail Dove, Bahama Mockingbird, Antillean Nighthawk, & throngs of American migrant passerines & waders.
Outline Itinerary:
Day 1 - Fly London/Havana. Arrive early evening and make the two hour transfer to San Diego de los Banos. Overnight Hotel Mirador.
Day 2 - Birding the limestone hills west of San Diego. Overnight Hotel Mirador.
Day 3 - Long drive east to Cayo Coco, with one birding stop en route at a large lake for waterbirds during lunch. Overnight Hotel Sol Cayo Coco.
Day 4 - Full day birding on the island for migrants and endemics. Overnight Hotel Sol Cayo Coco.
Day 5 - Birding Cayo Peredon Grande. 3hr transfer to Camaguey City. Overnight Finca la Belen.
Day 6 - Full day birding at La Belen. Overnight Finca la Belen.
Day 7 - Transfer 6hrs to Zapata Swamp and Hotel Playa Larga. Evening birding walk by hotel.
Day 8-10 - Birding around Zapata Swamp. Overnights Hotel Playa Larga.
Day 11 - Transfer two hours to Havana. Walking tour of the city and evening meal. Transfer to airport.
Day 12 - Arrive back in London where the tour will conclude.
What’s Included: Return economy class flights London/Havana, specified luggage allowance, transport in air-conditioned minibus with local driver,
all meals from lunch on day one to breakfast on flight on final day, services of leaders and local guides and reserve entrance fees. Accommodation is in
a variety of hotels of different standards, all with en suite rooms. These vary from excellent tourist standard to very basic. Havana walking tour is also
included and all main gratuities.
Cuban Green Woodpecker - Andy Mitchell
5TH – 8TH MARCH
NORFOLK – BRECKLANDS & COASTAL with Jason Moss
Tour Cost: £499.00. No Single Room Supplement. Deposit: £100.00. Group Size: 8 [min 2]
This short break has the emphasis on some difficult to find forest species, as well as lingering winter visitors and early spring migrants. We explore
the riches of Breckland, a dry region of south Norfolk typified by pine forest and sandy heath, and our local knowledge is critical in finding the
trademark birds. On the Norfolk coast, we cover dunes, marshes and shore and can expect to walk up to five miles per day on flat terrain and on good
paths, seeing in excess of 115 species of birds.
Key Species: Northern Goshawk, Hawfinch, Firecrest, Common Crossbill, Woodlark, Dartford Warbler, Mandarin, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker,
Brambling, Lesser Redpoll, Stone Curlew, Snow Bunting, Bearded Tit, Rough-legged Buzzard, flocks of wildfowl, waders and early migrants.
Outline Itinerary:
Day 1 - Evening arrival and orientation meeting at the Blue Boar Inn, Great Ryburgh.
Day 2-3 - Full days exploring Breckland and coastal regions.
Day 4 - Coastal birding until mid afternoon when the tour concludes.
What’s Included: Three nights 4 star graded en suite accommodation at the Blue Boar Inn Great Ryburgh, all meals from dinner on day one to lunch
on day four, minibus transport on tour, services of leader and reserve entrance fees.
11TH – 15TH MARCH
THE FOREST OF DEAN & THE SOMERSET LEVELS with Paul Roberts
Tour Cost: £699.00. Single Room Supplement: £100.00. Deposit: £100.00. Group Size: 8 [min 5]
Stone-curlew - Gary Thoburn
This exciting tour covers two of England’s premier areas of relict habitat, starting in the ancient woodlands of Gloucestershire’s Forest of Dean and
finishing in the vast marshes of the Somerset Levels, an area recently benefitting by increased habitat preservation and management which has really
put it on the birding map as a top destination. Its network of relatively new reserves will hopefully safeguard large tracts of this important wetland
habitat for many generations to come. We recommend using public transport for this tour. You can expect to see 100+ species and walk approximately
4 miles per day on mostly good paths.
Key Species: Hawfinch, Northern Goshawk, Peregrine, Marsh Tit, Mandarin Duck, Great Grey Shrike, Firecrest, Great Bittern, Bearded Tit, Great
White Egret, Marsh Harrier, Cetti’s Warbler, Pied Avocet, Sand Martin, Garganey, Common Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Common Starling.
Outline Itinerary:
Day 1 - Lunchtime arrival in The Forest of Dean. Birding until late afternoon at various sites. Overnight Speech House.
Day 2 - All day birding in Forest of Dean at various sites. Overnight Speech House
Day 3 - Birding at Goldcliff Lagoons. Transfer to Somerset Levels. Check in to hotel before birding until dusk. Overnight Meare Manor.
Day 4 - all day birding around the Somerset Levels at various sites. Overnight Meare Manor
Day 5 - Depending if we are missing any target species birding on Somerset Levels or if all targets have been seen, birding at Chew Valley Lake,
Greylake RSPB or Steart WWT depending on what species are about. Tour concludes at lunchtime.
What’s Included: Four nights en suite accommodation at ETB four star graded Meare Manor Guesthouse & four star graded Speech House Hotel, all
meals from dinner on day one to lunch on day five, ground transport on tour, reserve entrance fees and services of leader.
12TH – 15TH MARCH
NORFOLK – BRECKLANDS & COASTAL with Ashley Saunders
Tour Cost: £499.00. No Single Room Supplement. Deposit: £100.00. Group Size: 8 [min 2]
A repeat of our earlier March tour
Brambling - Gary Thoburn
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2019 Tour Calendar
12TH – 23RD MARCH
MOROCCO – DESERT, MOUNTAINS & COAST with David Gosney
Tour Cost: £1799.00. Single Room Supplement: £200.00. Deposit: £350.00. Group Size: 8 [min 5]
Every European birder should visit Morocco. Apart from being a fascinating place with truly awe-inspiring scenery it is home to many species of birds
that are difficult or impossible to see anywhere else. The variety of habitats from stony deserts [hammada], sand dunes, lakes, rivers, estuaries and
the immense Atlas Mountains gives it one of the most interesting avifauna in the Western Palaearctic. But this is not all about the birds... Situated in
North West Africa, Morocco has for centuries drawn travellers in search of adventure and the exotic...This will add an extra dimension and help to
ensure the best possible holiday to this exotic and vibrant corner of Africa. Expect to see approximately 180 species and to walk two or three miles or
less per day. The terrain is mostly easy but the day in the mountains has one or two inclines though these are not strenuous.
Key Species: Desert Sparrow, Houbara Bustard, Egyptian Nightjar, Pharaoh Eagle Owl, Thick-billed, Greater Hoopoe, Bar-tailed and Temminck’s
Horned Larks, Seebohm’s, Maghreb, Black, White-crowned Black, Desert & Red-rumped Wheatears, Tristram’s & African Desert Warblers,
Fulvous Babbler, Crimson-winged Finch, Audouin’s Gull, Plain Martin, Levaillant’s Woodpecker, Moussier’s Redstart, Black-crowned Tchagra,
Black-shouldered Kite, Crowned & Spotted Sandgrouse, Cream-coloured Courser, House Bunting and Northern Bald Ibis.
Outline Itinerary:
Day 1 - Fly London/Agadir. Afternoon birding around Oued Souss. Overnight Hotel Le Tivoli
Day 2 - Tamri, Essaouira and Cap Rhir. Overnight Hotel Le Tivoli
Day 3 - Oued Massa and Souss valley. Transfer to Taroudant. Overnight Riad l’Arganier D’or
Day 4 - Transfer to Boumalne du Dades, birding en route. Overnight Kasbah Tizzarouine
Day 5 - Tagdilt Track and Gorge du Todra. Overnight Kasbah Tizzarouine.
Day 6 - Catch up on Tagdilt Track for any missing species. Transfer to Merzouga, birding en route.
White-crowned Black Wheatear Andrew Dodd Day 7 - Off road desert birding in the Sahara with local guides. Overnight Auberge Mohayut.
Day 8 - Another full day birding around Merzouga & Rissani. Overnight Auberge Mohayut.
Day 9 - Transfer to Ouarzazate, birding en route. Overnight Kasbah Zitoune.
Day 10 - Transfer to Ouirgane, birding en route. Overnight Ouirgane.
Day 11 - Full day birding in the Atlas Mountains. Overnight Hotel Mogador Opera Marrakech.
Day 12 - Transfer to Marrakech airport for the lunchtime flight to London where tour concludes.
What’s Included: Return flights London/Agadir/Marrakech/London with budget airline, 20 KG luggage allowance, transport in minibus and 4 x4
vehicles with drivers, all meals from lunch on day one to breakfast on final day, services of leaders and reserve entrance fees.
14TH – 19TH MARCH
ESTONIA – STELLER’S EIDERS & TAIGA FORESTS with Jason Moss & Tarvo Valker
Tour Cost: £1399.00. Single Room Supplement: £150.00. Deposit: £300.00. Group Size: 6 [min.5]
Few places in Europe can match Estonia’s amazing birdlife at almost any time of year. The most important wintering area for Steller’s Eider, Europe’s
most endangered sea duck, is off the coast of the biggest island, Saaremaa. These eye-catching birds arrive in December and can congregate in flocks of
300-400 birds here at this time of year. Our trip is times to see the birds before they depart, without visiting during the coldest [and shortest!] months
of the year. Estonian Western Taiga forest has an extraordinary richness of species, even though they are not always easy to find! Spring in Estonia
begins in late March when woodpeckers start their drumming and all the swamps and bogs resound with displaying Black Grouses at sunrise. We
will make dawn and dusk visits to the forests, looking for its elusive specialists, and we have a good chance to find owls and woodpeckers, plus tracks
of elusive big mammals [Elk, Wolf, Brown Bear, European Lynx & Racoon Dog] and maybe sightings! Accommodation has been carefully selected by
our ground agent and may well excel expectations, with superb food [especially the lunches] to boot. You can expect to walk around 1-2 miles per day
on this tour, but wrap up warm - it could be as cold as -15C with snow on the ground. You can expect to see approximately 80 species.
Key Species: Steller’s Eider, Ural, Northern Hawk & Eurasian Pygmy Owls, White-backed, Three-toed, Black,Grey-headed & Lesser Spotted
Woodpeckers, Spotted Nutcracker, Black Grouse, Capercaillie, Northern Goshawk, Rough-legged Buzzard, White-tailed Eagle, Bewick’s & Whooper
Thick-billed Lark - Jane Spick
Swans, Taiga & Tundra Bean Geese, Great Grey Shrike, Bohemian Waxwing, Smew, Long-tailed Duck, Velvet Scoter, Northern Bullfinch, Northern
Long-tailed Tit, ‘borealis’ Willow Tit, Common Crane, Hawfinch and Hazel Grouse.
Outline Itinerary:
Day 1 - Fly London/Tallin and transfer to hotel. City tour of old town. Overnight Hotel PK Ilmarine.
Day 2 - Journey to Saaremaa Island for ferry crossing with birding stop en route. First try for Steller’s Eiders in afternoon and an owling session.
Overnight Loona manor Guest House.
Day 3 - Steller’s Eiders then ferry back to mainland. Birding Põõsaspea coast and forests with another owling session. Overnight Roosta Cabins.
Day 4 - Birding heaths and forests of Western Estonia, before travelling to the North-east for overnight at Art Hotel.
Day 5 - North-east Estonia and Alutaguse Forests. Overnight Art Hotel.
Day 6 - Early morning forest session before return to Tallinn for afternoon flight back to London.
What’s Included: Return flights London/Tallinn with budget airline, 20KG luggage allowance, five night’s accommodation in very comfortable
traditional hotels with en suite rooms, meals from dinner on day one to breakfast on day six, ground transport, ferry crossing, services of leaders and
reserve entrance fees.
18TH – 21ST MARCH
NORFOLK – BRECKLANDS & COASTAL with Ashley Saunders
Tour Cost: £499.00. No Single Room Supplement. Deposit: £100.00. Group Size: 8 [min 2]
A repeat of our earlier March tour
Steller’s Eider - Jari Peltomaki
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2019 Tour Calendar
22ND – 29TH MARCH
SOUTHERN CYPRUS – MIGRANTS & ENDEMICS OF APHRODITE’S ISLE with Jason Moss
Tour Cost: £1350.00. Single Room Supplement: £100.00. Deposit: £400.00. Group Size: 8 [min 4]
Our tour will run at the peak of the spring migration to coincide with the best that this superb migration hotspot has to offer. Cyprus has long
been recognized as an outstanding place to see migrants as they move through the Eastern Mediterranean basin, and one only has to look at its
geographical location to see its obvious potential. Our hotel is at the edge of the beautiful Dhiarizos Valley, which runs north towards the foothills
of the Troodos Mountains. Just a few kilometers along the motorway is the tourist destination of Paphos, where a headland juts out into the
Mediterranean and provides a sparsely vegetated refuge for tired migrants arriving from Africa - regular early morning checks, especially after
showers, can produce spectacular birding. Heading east from our base, we find wetlands brimming with waders, herons and reedbed species, and to
the North-west, we know some great spots to find migrants massing along the coast prior to their departure towards Turkey. The terrain is mostly
easy with short walks and you can expect to see approx. 150 species.
Key Species: Cyprus Warbler, Cyprus Pied Wheatear, European Roller, Great-spotted Cuckoo, Black Francolin, Ruppell’s, Eastern Orphean,
Eastern Subalpine and Spectacled Warblers, Lesser Grey and Masked Shrikes, Red-throated Pipit, Bimaculated Lark, Little & Baillon’s Crakes,
Little Bittern, Squacco Heron, Long-legged Buzzard, Bonelli’s Eagle, Pallid Harrier and Booted Eagle
Outline Itinerary:
Day 1 - Fly London/Paphos or Larnaca and transfer to hotel. Overnight Vasilias Nikoklis Inn.
Day 2-7 - Exploring the south coast of the island birding around Paphos and Akrotiri, and also visiting the Akamas Peninsula and Troodos
Mountains. Overnights Vasilias Nikoklis Inn.
Day 8 - Transfer back to the airport for the onward flight to London.
What’s Included: Return flights London/Paphos or Larnaca with budget airline, 20KG luggage allowance, seven night’s accommodation in very Greater Sand Plover
comfortable traditional hotel with en suite rooms, meals from dinner on day one to breakfast on day eight, ground transport, services of leader and
reserve entrance fees.
23RD – 30TH MARCH
SOUTHERN ISRAEL – SPRING IN THE ARAVA VALLEY with Ashley Saunders & Gary Elton
Tour Cost: £1850.00. Single Room Supplement: £250.00. Deposit: £500.00. Group Size: 8 [min 4]
The Southern Arava Desert is quite simply one of the world’s best migration hotspots. Besides the impressive numbers and variety of birds present,
mid March is an amazing period to visit southern Israel as the weather is great, the desert is still in bloom and the prospect of rare and enigmatic
species is real. Situated on one of the most important flyways in the Western Palaearctic, southern Israel offers birders a magical migration
experience. Our trip is timed to coincide with huge numbers of migrants, making their way through the region to their northern breeding grounds.
Whilst the itinerary will take in all of the sites mentioned, it will be as flexible as possible, to ensure that time in the field is maximised. We will
visit all the main habitats in and around Eilat and the Negev Desert, returning to those that are most productive. One of the most memorable sights
in Israel is that of thousands of raptors flying overhead and given the correct conditions this will be one of the highlights of our tour. To offer a real
taste of Israeli life, we have chosen to base ourselves at two different Kibbutz’s, following our enjoyable stays on previous tours. This uniquely Israeli
experience is ideally situated to cover all of the best birding sites in the area and has good birding on site. The walking is generally easy and averages
three or four miles per day. Early starts will be necessary for some species and late finishes for others. You can expect to see 150 – 175 species.
Key Species: MacQueen’s Bustard, Crowned, Spotted and Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse, Nubian Nightjar, Dead Sea Sparrow, Graceful Prinia, Yellow-
vented Bulbul, Palestine Sunbird, Egyptian Nightjar, Pharoah Eagle Owl, Asian Desert Warbler, Scrub Warbler, Arabian Babbler, Steppe Eagle,
Arabian Warbler, Blackstart, Sinai Rosefinch, Fan-tailed Raven, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Sociable & White-tailed Plovers, Little Green Bee-eater,
Barbary Falcon, Desert Finch, Pallas’s Gull, Western Reef Heron, Clamorous Reed Warbler, White-crowned Black & Hooded Wheatears, Bar-tailed,
Desert, Hoopoe, Thick-billed and Temminck’s Larks, Sand Partridge, Namaqua Dove and many migrants!!
Outline Itinerary:
Blackstart - Andrew Dodd
Day 1 - Fly London/Tel-Aviv and transfer south to Eilat. Overnight Kibbutz Eilot.
Day 2-3 - Exploring the Southern Arava Valley. Overnights Kibbutz Eilot.
Day 4 - Birding the Dead Sea region. Overnight Kibbutz Eilot.
Day 5 - Eilat mountains and Arava Valley. Overnight Kibbutz Eilot.
Day 6 - Transfer to Negev Desert. Overnight Kibbutz Gvulot.
Day 7 - Early start for birding at Nizzana and western Negev. Overnight Kibbutz Gvulot.
Day 8 - Morning birding around Gvulot. Transfer to Tel-Aviv for flight back to London.
What’s Included: Return flights London/Tel-Aviv with budget airline, 20KG luggage allowance, seven night’s accommodation in kibbutz’s with
en-suite rooms [basic but comfortable], meals from dinner on day 1 to lunch on day 8, ground transport, services of leader & reserve entrance fees.
31ST MARCH – 18TH APRIL
THE BEST OF SOUTH & CENTRAL VIETNAM with Oriole Birding leader & Local Guides
Tour Cost: £4250.00. Single Room Supplement: £325.00. Deposit: £1000.00. Group Size: 7 [min 4]
Vietnam; a nation that for a generation was associated with suffering, has risen phoenix-like from the ashes of war to become one of Asia’s dynamic
rising tigers. The economy is booming and travellers from around the world are discovering the ancient cultures, picturesque countryside, deserted
beaches, delicious cuisine and friendly, smiling people, as well of course as the fantastic birding on offer. Our exciting tour takes in the very best
of Southern and Central Vietnam and includes many cultural aspects, as well as traditional cuisine and comfortable, en suite accommodation
throughout. Anybody with a reasonable level of fitness can enjoy these tours, but to get the most out of your tour requires a modest amount of
physical activity. There may be walks of up to ten kilometres on some days and temperatures can climb as high as thirty Celsius by the late morning.
Birds in tropical climates are most active in the cooler periods of the day from dawn to mid-morning and from late afternoon to dusk so early starts
are required to maximize our chances of finding our target birds. We will visit a wide variety of habitats and will take our time to fully explore with-
out rushing from site to site and you can expect to see approximately 250 species, several of which are endemic or near endemic to Indochina along
with a nice selection of mammals and primates.
Vietnamese Greenfinch - John Barkla
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2019 Tour Calendar
Key Species: Vietnamese Greenfinch, Germain’s Peacock-pheasant, Green Peafowl, Orange-necked Partridge, Scaly-breasted Partridge, Woolly-
necked Stork, Lesser Adjutant, White-bellied, Great Slaty, Pale-headed, Red-collared Black-and-buff and Heart-spotted Woodpeckers, Grey-faced
Tit-Babbler, Chestnut-eared, Black-hooded, Red-tailed, White-cheeked and Orange-breasted Laughing Thrushes, Black-crowned Parrotbill,
Vietnamese Cutia, Blue & Rusty-naped Pittas, Grey-crowned Tit, Mekong Wagtail, Alexandrine & Blossom-headed Parakeets, White-rumped
Pygmy-falcon, Rufous Treepie, Pale-capped Pigeon, Rufous-faced Warbler, Pale Blue Flycatcher, Black-crowned Barwing, White-winged Magpie,
Anman Partridge, Indochinese Wren-Babbler, Sooty Babbler, Northern Brown Hornbill, Limestone Warbler, Indochinese Cuckooshrike, Indochinese
Wren-Babbler, Green Cochoa, Indochinese Green Magpie.
Outline Itinerary:
Day 1 - Fly London/Ho Chi Minh City. Overnight on board the aircraft.
Day 2-5 - Arrive Ho Chi Minh, meet our guide and transfer to Cat Tien National Park. Overnights Cat Tien National Park.
Day 6 - Transfer Cat Tien to Di Linh with birding at Deo Suoi Lanh. Overnight at Mai Khanh Hotel Di Linh.
Day 7 - Transfer from Di Linh to Dalat with birding at Ta Nung. Overnight at Dreams Hotel, Dalat.
Day 8-10 - Birding in and around Dalat including Mount Lang Bian & Ho Tuyen Lam. Overnights at Dreams Hotel, Dalat.
Day 11 - Transfer from Dalat to Yok Don National Park. Birding in Yok Don Forest and along the Srepok River. Overnight at Yok Don National Park.
Day 12 - Transfer Yok Don to Mang Den with later afternoon arrival and some birding. Overnight Mang Den.
Day 13 - Full day exploring Mang Den. Overnight Mang Den.
Day 14 - Early morning birding before transfer to Lo Xo/Kham Duc. Overnight Lo Xo.
Day 15 - Morning at Lo Xo before transfer to Bach Ma National Park arriving late afternoon. Overnight Mach Ba National Park.
Day 16 - Morning at Bach Ma before afternoon transfer to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park arriving in time for dinner. Overnight Phong Nha-Ke
Bang National Park.
Day 17 - Full day in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. Overnight Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.
Day 18 - Transfer to Hue for internal flight to Ho Chi Minh City. If time permits we will have a city highlights tour before farewell dinner and transfer
White-shouldered Ibis - Jonathan Eames to the airport for the flight back to London. Overnight on the aircraft.
Day 19 - Arrival in London where the tour concludes.
What’s Included: return, economy class flights London/Ho Chi Minh City with standard luggage allowance, internal flight, two nights on board
aircraft, seventeen nights’ accommodation in medium standard hotels and lodges, all meals from breakfast on day two to dinner on day eighteen, in
flight meals on days one and nineteen, ground transport in Vietnam, services of leaders, entrance fees and drinking water in Vietnam.
5TH - 12TH APRIL
CAPE VERDE ISLANDS - JEWEL OF THE WESTERN PALEARCTIC with Jason Moss
Tour Cost: £2295.00. Single Room Supplement: £150.00. Deposit: £700.00. Group Size: 6 [min 4]
The Cape Verde islands, situated 450km off the west coast of Africa, are one of the most remote and enigmatic birding outposts of the Western
Palearctic region. A beautiful archipelago of volcanic islands, they offer exciting birding opportunities, with a suite of endemic species, important
seabird populations and a variety of species which are otherwise very difficult to see within the Western Palearctic. With some possibilities for
seeing vagrant species from Africa and across the Atlantic added to the mix on a set of islands very few European birders have set foot on, it’s a
mouth-wateringly exciting location! The trip will involve a stay on Santiago, which is by far the most habitat, and therefore avian rich island of the
archipelago, boasting mountains, desert, wetlands, beautiful coastlines and areas of agriculture, all offering good birding opportunities. Additionally,
we will visit the smaller mountainous island of Sao Nicolau, which will be our gateway for our boat trip to the amazing Raso Island. Here we will
seek to encounter the most range-restricted lark in the world; the endemic Raso Lark, while also enjoying the islands impressive seabird colonies.
Additionally, the crossing should produce several encounters of seabirds which can be seen in few other locations in the world. One or two other
pelagic trips will be conducted during our time on Sao Nicolau to maximise our chances of seeing the key seabird species, and also in the spirit of
discovery, as these waters are little-explored and could hold surprises! Some land-based seawatches will also be conducted during this part of the
holiday. The walking here is mostly easy, though occasionally moderate on dirt tracks. The days are warm and dry, with rain very unlikely, though
strong winds can be a feature, especially at the coast. You can expect to see around 55 - 60 species.
Key Species: Cape Verde Shearwater, Boyd’s Shearwater, Cape Verde Storm-petrel, Fea’s Petrel, Bulwer’s Petrel, Red-billed Tropicbird, Brown Booby,
Brown Booby - Jason Moss
White-faced Storm-petrel, Magnificent Frigatebird, Raso Lark, Cape Verde Buzzard, Cape Verde Swift, Cape Verde Cane Warbler, Iago Sparrow,
Helmeted Guineafowl, Brown-necked Raven, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Black-crowned Sparrow-lark, Hoopoe Lark, Intermediate Egret, and the
following distinctive subspecies: Bourne’s Purple Heron, Neglected Kestrel, Alexander’s Kestrel, Cape Verde Peregrine & Cape Verde Barn Owl.
Outline Itinerary:-
Day 1 - Fly London-Lisbon-Praia. Midnight arrival and transfer to hotel.
Days 2-3 Birding the deserts, mountains and wetlands of Praia. Overnights Hotel Oasis Atlantico.
Day 4 - Morning birding on Praia followed by internal flight to Sao Nicolau.
Day 5 - Day trip to Raso by boat.
Day 6 - Ribeira Brava Beach and afternoon pelagic
Day 7 - Morning seawatch & local birding, then internal flight to Praia. Evening meal in local restaurant followed by flight back to London via Lisbon.
Day 8 - Arrival back into London where the tour will conclude
What’s Included: Return, economy class flights London/Lisbon/Praia with standard luggage allowance, internal flights, six nights accommodation,
[plus one night partly spent onboard aircraft], all meals from in flight meals on day one to dinner on day seven, ground transport and local guide in
Cape Verde, services of leaders, entrance fees and all boat trips and pelagics. Our accommodation on Santiago will be a comfortable modern hotel in
Praia, while in Sao Nicolau we will enjoy the local hospitality in a more simple but clean and comfortable local guesthouse.
7TH – 13TH APRIL
SCOTLAND— EARLY SPRING IN SPEYSIDE with Ashley Saunders
Tour Cost: £999.00. Single Room Supplement: £50.00. Deposit: £150.00. Group Size: 8 [min 5]
Early spring is a glorious time to enjoy the wildlife of the Scottish Highlands. We visit at a time when many of the resident species are beginning their
breeding routines and summer migrants are starting to arrive. In particular, our tour is timed to coincide with the lekking of the forest grouse and
aerial acrobatics of displaying raptors. This is also a time when coastal bays are thronged with extensive flocks of migrating wildfowl and secluded
Raso Lark - Jason Moss
bays and lochs resound to the haunting calls of displaying divers. Add to this the magical atmosphere of the tracts of native Caledonian forests,
2019 Tour Calendar 10 www.oriolebirding.com2019 Tour Calendar
dramatic mountain vistas and wide open skies and the gushing waters of the mighty River Spey and its many tributaries for an unforgettable
experience. The weather can be very cold in the mountains, and you can typically expect to walk up to two miles per day on good paths and see
upwards of 120 species.
Key Species: Capercaillie, Black Grouse, Crested Tit, Rock Ptarmigan, Golden & White-tailed Eagles, Scottish/Parrot Crossbill, Slavonian Grebe,
Red-throated, Black-throated & Great Northern Divers, Black Guillemot, Great Skua, Velvet Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Dipper, Goosander, Red
Grouse, Osprey, Red Kite, possible White-billed Diver and White-winged gulls.
Outline Itinerary:
Day 1 - Lunchtime arrival in Dunfermline at Premier Inn. Check in followed by afternoon birding at RSPB Loch Leven reserve. Overnight Premier Inn
Dunfermline.
Day 2 - Morning birding at Largo Bay, Fife. Afternoon transfer to Carrmoor Guest House, Carrbridge.
Day 3-6 - Birding Speyside including Cairngorm Mountain Railway trip plus excursions to Moray coast and Gruinard Bay. Overnights Carrmoor
Guest House.
Day 7 - Departure after breakfast when tour will conclude.
What’s Included: One night at Premier Inn and five nights at STB three star graded Carrmoor Guest House all in en-suite rooms, all meals from
dinner on day one to breakfast on day seven, ground transport on tour, reserve entrance fees, Cairngorm Mountain Railway trip and services of leader.
14TH – 20TH APRIL
SPRING IN CORNWALL – THE BEST OF THE SOUTH-WEST with Jason Moss
Tour Cost: £950.00. Single Room Supplement: £100.00. Deposit: £100.00. Group Size: 8 [min 4]
The south west of England is an excellent region to enjoy migration at any time of the year, but our spring tour of Cornwall offers the opportunity
Rock Ptarmigan - John Anderson
to encounter birds literally just arriving from the near continent. Weather will play an important factor in the exact species we see, but these are
excellent dates for a wide variety of species to make landfall as we search the secluded valleys and headlands, as well as coastal habitats. Given the
right conditions, this could involve species overshooting their Mediterranean breeding grounds, adding a large dose of the unexpected to our birding.
Key Species: Red-billed Chough, Ring Ouzel, Garganey, Dartford, Cetti’s & Grasshopper Warblers, Mediterranean Gull, Sandwich Tern, Northern
Gannet, Great Northern Diver, Purple Sandpiper and possible scarce migrants that regularly include Common Hoopoe, Red-rumped Swallow,
Woodchat Shrike, Black-winged Stilt, Purple Heron, Kentish Plover, Montagu’s Harrier & Black Kite.
Outline Itinerary:
Day 1 - Meet at Accommodation at noon. Pre-dinner birding.
Day 2-6 - Birding at sites including The Lizard, Marazion Marsh, Lands End, Nanquidno, Cot & Kenidjack Valleys, Porthgwarra and Hayle Estuary
Day 7 - Morning birding to catch up with any new arrivals or missed species. The tour concludes at lunchtime for the onward journey home.
What’s Included: Six nights in Visit England four crowned en suite accommodation at Bosavern House, meals from dinner on day one to lunch on day
seven, ground transport on tour, services of leaders and reserve entrance fees.
15TH – 18TH APRIL
NORFOLK – SPRING MIGRATION with Ashley Saunders
Tour Cost: £499.00. No Single Room Supplement. Deposit: £100.00. Group Size: 8 [min 2]
Spring in North Norfolk is an exciting event, as thousands of birds hurry northward to their breeding grounds as far away as the Arctic Tundra. This
action packed mini break sees us birding along the acclaimed North Norfolk coast visiting the full range of habitats and observing a vast spectrum of
migrants from warblers to shorebirds, with the chance of course to pick out something extra special from the throng! With a full day exploring the
bird-filled heaths and forest of Breckland too, can you really afford to miss out? Expect to walk up to 5 miles per day on flat terrain and see 115 species.
Ring Ousel - Gary Thoburn
Key Species: Ring Ouzel, Garganey, Bearded Tit, Northern Goshawk, Marsh Harrier, Pied Avocet, Great Bittern, Eurasian Hobby, Little Tern, Wood
Lark, Common Crossbill, Firecrest, Stone Curlew, Tree Pipit, Common Redstart, Barn & Little Owls, Ruff, Wood Sandpiper, Eurasian Spoonbill,
Great White Egret, Dartford Warbler and Turtle Dove. Over the years, we have seen many rare or uncommon migrant birds on these trips too!
Outline Itinerary:
Day 1 - Evening arrival and orientation meeting
Day 2-3 - Exploring the Norfolk coastal marshes & reed beds, including reserves at Titchwell, Cley, Holkham NNR, plus a full day visit to Breckland.
Day 4 - Coastal birding until mid afternoon when the tour concludes.
What’s Included: Three nights 4 star graded en suite accommodation at the Blue Boar Inn Great Ryburgh, all meals from dinner on day one to lunch
on day four, minibus transport on tour, services of leader and reserve entrance fees.
15TH – 21ST APRIL
EXTREMADURA – LAND OF THE CONQUISTADORS with Paul Roberts
Tour Cost: £1375.00. Single Room Supplement: £175.00. Deposit: £350.00. Group Size: 8 [min 4]
Extremadura is the secret wilderness of real Spain, and set in the heart of this diverse country we will find huge rolling expanses of prime steppe,
miles of cork oak woodland and rugged mountain scenery, brought alive by some of the most spectacular birds in Europe. With traditional methods of
agriculture and a distinct lack of tourism pressure, birdlife thrives in this beautiful place, and from our base near the historic town of Trujillo, we will
see why this area is so good as both an introduction to European birding, and an example of Iberia’s special birds. Expect some long days in the field
and 3-4 hour transfers, walking up to one mile per day with one steep climb to the Castillo de Monfragüe [optional]. You can expect to see up to 150
species of birds.
Key Species: Great Bustard, Little Bustard, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Black-shouldered Kite, Purple
Swamp-Hen, Black Vulture, Azure-winged Magpie, Thekla Lark, Calandra Lark, European Bee-eater, European Roller, Lesser Kestrel, Booted,
Bonelli’s, Golden & Short-toed Eagles, Rock Sparrow, Black Wheatear, Collared Pratincole, Black-eared Wheatear, Montagu’s Harrier, Great Spotted Great Spotted Cuckoo
2019 Tour Calendar 11 www.oriolebirding.comYou can also read
