“Beginners Masterclass”

with Birding Ecosse and The Speyside Hotel.

Friday 21 to Tuesday 25 February 2025

The cosy and intimate Speyside Hotel

Welcome to “Beginners masterclass” by Birding Ecosse. Have you wanted to start Bird Watching but really don’t know where to start? Confused about what equipment you really need? And we mean really need! Then this is 100% the tour for you! Here we will, over four nights and three days, tutor you in the very basics of Bird Watching, or as we call it “Birding”

Arriving on Friday 21 March 2025 and after you have settled into your room we will meet for an evening meal in the hotels sumptuous dining room before having our first “classroom” session in the conservatory. Here we will go over the format for the next three days and get to grips with some of the equipment you will be using.

Your beginners pack contains a reference book (yours to keep after the course) Two Check lists, one for in the field and one to keep for good, Notebook, Pen and Pencil and a loan pair of binoculars for the duration of the course (see special offer at end of this page)

Saturday

Today we will stay fairly local getting used to using your optics, how to take field notes, basic field craft and most importantly what birds we are expecting to see.  At this time of year the smaller birds will be in their winter flocks and coming to local feeders, an ideal opportunity to cut your teeth in the fantastic world of Birds.

Blue Tit or Great Tit?  Find out on todays “classroom in the wild”

What’s this funky little bird? Clue – it is a local speciality!

Sunday

On today’s outing we head we head north to Inverness and the amazing local reserve of Merkinch and then onwards to the mystical Black Isle. Here we enter the magical world of Ducks, Waders, Geese and Grebes.

A Saint Cuddies Duck

 A Grebe in Winter plumage, but which one?

A bird smoking a carrot, but what is it?

Monday

Day three of three see’s us on the beautiful Moray Coast looking for Divers, More Ducks, Waders and Gulls. A short drive inland takes us to a small RSPB reserve where we will search for small birds on the feeders and for freshwater birds on the loch, a varied and bird filled day

A diver, using your new ID Skills you will be able to tell what species

A beautiful Wintering Duck, we will see 100’s of these birds on day three.

Not your normal Gull even though it looks like one!

Your three days will be carried out in a small group with a maximum of 4 people on your trip, no rushing from place to place, we will take time to stop, listen, watch the birds and take notes, there will be very little technical jargon (mainly when we are speaking about the binoculars) and we will have time to answer any of your questions. And even though this is a Birding tour there will be plenty of other beasts to keep you entertained, Red Squirrel, Red Deer, Roe Deer are all regularly seen with Otter and Dolphins also putting in cameo appearances.

Four nights Full board (Dinner, Bed and Breakfast)

Delicious packed Lunch on Saturday, Sunday and Monday

Tea/Coffee morning and afternoon Saturday, Sunday and Monday

All transport on birding days

All guiding fees.

UK Bird ID reference book

Notebook, Pen and Pencil

 2 x Complimentary Checklists

Use of binoculars if required.

What’s not included:

Travel To/From Hotel

Drinks at hotel

Personal insurance

Travel Insurance (Recommended)

Items of a personal nature

 

***Special Offer***

We are pleased to offer the Superb “Natureray” Trailbird 8 x 42 Binoculars, this lovely, lightweight pair of binoculars have been tried and tested by us on various fieldtrips in all sorts of weather and we have been very impressed by the quality of the optics and the robust build of the binoculars. We can offer these fantastic new optics at a low cost of £200.00! Unbelievable value!  Why don’t you order a pair and they will be ready and waiting for you to start your “Birding School”

Interested?  Then please feel free to contact Birding Ecosse for more information or to book your place.