The 2027 Autumn Tour!

With Birding Ecosse

Thursday 07 to Tuesday 12 October 2027

(5 nights -4 Days)

   **** 4 spaces available!!! ****

 

The magnificent Grant Arms Hotel, Grantown on Spey

Join Birding Ecosse for a long weekend at the luxurious Grant Arms Hotel situated in Grantown on Spey, deep in the Scottish Highlands.

This is a very special time of year to visit the Highlands, Moray and Nairn and taking advantage of our fantastic and varied habitats this tour will concentrate on any migrants hitting our shores.

With this in mind the itinerary below is purely a guideline, so expect short notice alterations as we “chase the rarities” a very exciting couple of days are in the offing and a great way to increase your year and life list!    

Thursday

Arriving on Thursday afternoon why not treat yourself to a couple of “local brews” in the hotels stunning Capercaillie bar, prior to you enjoying your evening meal in the beautiful dining room.

Friday

Red Castle the Black Isle and RSPB Udale Bay

A stunning Red Kite.

After breakfast we head North over the Kessock bridge, and work our way along a beautiful stretch of hedge and tree lined coastal roads in search of Wintering Thrush and Finch Flocks and Wildfowl on the estuarine marsh edges, this location has turned up some early Brambling for the last three years, as we have our coffee stop at a lovely little sheltered car park we will scan the shallow bays for Pintail and lingering Greenshanks. Then it is on to the mystical Black Isle with target birds such as Divers, Grebes, Ducks (in particular Scaups by the hundred’s) and Waders. We then visit one of the best hides in the area to watch skeins of Geese flight in for their evening roost. A lovely day out in a truly beautiful part of Scotland.

Target birds for the day: Slavonian Grebe, Scaup, Divers and Red Kites

Pick up 0800 – Drop Off 1630

A Frosty Fieldfare

Accessibility: No accessibility issues on this tour.

      Saturday

        Highland Birds

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, and at the same time the “Go Back Go Back Go Back” calls of its Red Cousin fill the air.

Red Grouse

The Highlight at this time of year for many people are the fantastic views we get of Crested Tit.  In extreme cold they have even been known to come down and feed off your hand! It is not uncommon to have three or four individuals hopping around your feet, whilst the more common Coal Tits have no such reservations and will fight and clamour all over you to get to the seed, it is a magical experience, and no matter how many time I do this it always gives me a buzz!

Crested Tit

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 one of 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. White Mountain Hare, Brown Hare, Feral Goats and Red squirrel are also often encountered and provide lots of food for the above raptors.

Golden Eagle

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

Accessibility: No accessibility issues on this tour.

Pick up 0815 – Drop off 1630

Sunday

Portmahomack, Balintore and Nigg Bay

The Mermaid of the North wearing a Rock Pipit “fascinator”

Today we head North to the migrant hotspots of Portmahomack, Balintore and Nigg Bay.

The remote location of these areas are a magnet not only to Skuas, Diver and Grebes, but also for any passerines passing through as it provides a quick fuelling station after their long flight over the North sea.

Winter plumaged Slavonian Grebe, a regular in the area.

Recent Highlights included Five individual Yellow Browed Warblers!  What will 2026 reveal?

Target birds for today?  Yellow Browed Warbler, Arctic Skua and Velvet Scoter.

Accessibility: Todays tour may involve walking on uneven gravel and mud paths.

Will your visit coincide with a Waxwing year?

Pick up 0800 – Drop off 1730/1800

Monday

The Moray Coast

The Moray coast, as yet a much undiscovered and unexplored Gem in the Highlands of Scotland’s bird watching scene. Beautiful fishing villages perched right on the coastline, historic castles steeped in local folklore, Typhoon Jets from the RAF giving a bit of excitement and of course lots and lots of Birds!

This area can host an amazing 25,000 Long Tailed Ducks, Rafts of Common Scoter with their scarcer cousins the Velvet Scoter being seen in double figure numbers. Red, Black and Great Northern Divers are all relatively common and White Billed Divers are becoming more and more regular.

A beautiful Male Eider (aka St Cuddies Duck!)

Waders are another draw to this stunning coastline, Purple Sandpipers are seen on nearly every trip, Turnstones, Sanderlings, Redshanks and Knot are all common.

Roosting Sanderlings

Now the Moray coast is not all Sandy and Rocky Beaches, oh no! it has amazing estuarine habitats, fresh water Lochs and plenty of Farmland, woods and scrub to keep us fully occupied on this full day Birdwatching Tour, and it can produce some great passerines as well. 2017 saw the arrival of a Shorelark, a species not at all common up here in the North, Twite and Snow Bunting are regular and Corn Bunting and Tree Sparrow are easy to find, if you know where to look! All in all a great place to visit and with an expected 60+ species list for the day it is a brilliant way to bring on your bird identification skills along with your year list.

Accessibility: No accessibility issues on this tour.

Pick Up 0800 – Drop Off 1700

                                               

*** 5 Nights Full Board, 4 Days fully guided Birding Trips all for just £1100 per person***

So what is included?

5 nights Full board at the Grant Arms Hotel, Grantown on Spey.

4 Full days Birding.

Delicious packed Lunch on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday

Tea/Coffee morning and afternoon on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and  Monday

All transport on outings

All guiding fees.

Use of binoculars if required.

Complimentary Checklist.

What’s not included:

Transport to and from the Grant Arms Hotel

Drinks at hotel

Personal insurance

Travel Insurance (Recommended)

Items of a personal nature