Arriving on Tuesday afternoon settle into your room in the Stunning Grant Arms Hotel, Grantown on Spey, Home of the BWWC,  before enjoying your exquisite evening meal in the beautiful dining room prior to perhaps a few nightcaps in the Hotels “Capercaillie” bar.

Be sure to get a good nights sleep though as the tour starts early tomorrow morning!

Wednesday

The Moray Coastline

The beautiful Bowfiddle Rock

Today we spend on the picturesque Moray Coastline in search of lingering winter sea-ducks, waders busily building up fat reserves for their imminent migration and early summer migrants such as wheatear, Sandwich Terns and of course, the bird all the local birders await the return of, the magnificent Osprey!

Starting at the East of the area we will be scanning over the water for flocks of Long Tailed Duck, in 2024 we had hundreds of birds just offshore and quite a few in the local harbours, many showing in their Summer plumage, not a sight you see often in the UK.

Summer plumaged Long Tailed Duck

This area also is thee best place to pick up the elusive White Billed Diver, a very scarce visitor to UK waters and this stretch of coastline has become a bit of a hotspot over the last few years.

Wheatears, Sandwich Terns and Sand Martins should be (migration weather permitting) in the area newly arrived from their winter quarters and as these summer visitors arrive our winter birds that have entertained us over the dark cold months will be heading North. Flocks of Knot and Bar tailed Godwits will be preparing for their long flights and give some excellent views as they feed and rest prior to departure.

Red Knot (the left hand bird showing how they get their name!)

We end the day on the estuaries to the West of the area, and here we may be lucky enough to encounter a speciality bird, the Osprey.  We are so lucky to have these birds in our area, and in feeding areas away from nest sites so we can view in complete confidence we are causing zero disturbance to their breeding season.  We can get some jaw dropping views of these birds dramatic feeding dives!

All in all a great day out filled with Super birds, stunning scenery and lots of tea, coffee and biccies!

Accessibility: Todays tour  involve a walk of around 1 mile over rugged and uneven ground and paths at times near to cliff edges and drops.

Pick up 0800 – Drop Off 1630

Thursday

Highland Birds

Black Throated Diver

This is a “must do” trip when you visit the Highland of Scotland!  The day starts off with a visit to a traditional Black Grouse Lek, whilst at the same time the “Go Back! Go Back! Go Back!” calls of its Red Cousin fill the air.

Next it is off to a beautiful classic Scottish Loch, complete with ruined castle in search of newly arrived Black and Red Throated Divers, these birds are right at the Southern edge of their breeding range and a real delight to watch.

Slavonian Grebe

Calling in at the hotels very own superb hide we will check up on another  Highland speciality, that being the colourful and charismatic Slavonian Grebe, after hopefully watching these beautiful small Grebes from the comfort and safety of the hotels own private hide we then head “up up and away” to a high altitude car park in search for yet another special summer visitor, the Ring Ouzel.

We finish the day in a what has to be one of the most beautiful valleys in Scotland, and it is here we will search for two of the “Big Ones” they are White Tailed and Golden Eagles.  This area is probably the most productive sites in this part of Scotland to see these iconic birds, and the reason they are here?  Herds of Red Deer roam the hillside, Britain largest land mammal is very common as its it smaller relative the Roe Deer, we may even stumble across the secretive Sika deer. Mountain Hare, Brown Hare, Feral Goats and Red squirrel are also often encountered.

Great Birds, great Scenery and fantastic experiences it really is a day not to be missed.

Todays tour may involve a short steep walk on inclined uneven gravel paths.

Pick up 0815 – Drop off 1700

Friday

Give yourself a treat!  Enjoy a long lie before you head down for your last breakfast at the Grant Arms. Sit back and enjoy the memories of the past two full days birding in the glorious Scottish Highlands, and start planning your next trip North!

***All this for only £570 per person!***