The 2026 Autumn Tour!
With Birding Ecosse
Thursday 01 to Tuesday 06 October 2026
(5 nights -4 Days)
**** Only 1 Space Remaining! ****
And
Thursday 22 to Tuesday 27 October 2026
(5 nights -4 Days)
**** Only 2 Spaces remaining! ****
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
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
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RSPB Loch of Strathbeg – Cairnbulg and Fraserburgh.
Loch of Strathbeg Visitors centre – our first stop of the day
Today we head off to one of Scotland’s flagship RSPB reserves main hide, RSPB Loch Of Strathbeg, hotspot at this time of year for migrants big and small! Recent Autumns have seen the amazing spectacle of Pectoral Sandpipers, Temmink’s Stint, Greenshank, Common Cranes, Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs. Add to that the resident Waders, Swans, Ducks, Tree Sparrows and Marsh Harriers it really is a place to visit (plus we get to use a bird hide, quite a rarity up here!) After seeing what is at the Starnafin Farm visitors centre at Strathbeg we head to a nearby tiny harbour, a rocky shore environment strewn with mounds of sea weed, a fantastic area for gulls, waders and pipits, then a final stop at one of the premier sea watching spots on this part of the coast it can turn up the unexpected, like this Bonaparte’s Gull seen in 2025 along with Ross’s Gull in recent years, a varied and entertaining days birding
Accessibility: No issue on todays tour.
The view from the main hide.Pick up 0800 – Drop Off 1800
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
