Possible bird list of 140 species. Maximum of 8 persons and two leaders.

Dates: 11-16 Apr; 9-14 May; 6-11 June

April and May are now full with 6 places left on the June holiday.

Hotel: The Coach House, Cardross and The Nethybridge Hotel, Speyside on a Dinner, packed lunch, Bed and Breakfast basis. 

Cost: £599.00 per person.

Friday afternoon - arrival in Glasgow. You will be picked up and transferred free of charge to the hotel. You will be met by the team and given a short presentation on your chosen birding holiday before retiring to the hotel for your evening meal and complimentary drink.

In the morning, we will explore Rob Roy Country. The Trossachs has a wonderful population of Ospreys and Golden Eagles and we will see some of central Scotland's special birds, Black Grouse and Hen Harrier.

The area has a healthy population of both species and every responsible effort will be made to see these extraordinary birds.

We will visit some of the largest and most active lek sites in the area, to witness their fantastic displays.

We will then join Dave Anderson of the Forestry Commission and Duncan Cameron of the RSPB for a Raptor Ringing Session and Red Kite radio tracking demonstration. This is a real highlight to the holiday and is the most memorable of experiences.

The picture on the left shows Dave ringing a brood of young Barn Owls during which he describes the breeding biology of this species.

We will then head north through scenic Perthshire stopping at a number of excellent sites for raptors. After lunch we will arrive in Speyside and enjoy views of Slavonian Grebe, Black and Red throated Diver, Osprey, Red Grouse and Golden Plover.

We will have a short walk to look for Crested Tit and other Caledonian pinewood specialities. The remnants of the ancient Caledonian Pine Forest form a truly remarkable environment, supporting a rich diversity of both animal and plant life.

During our stay in Speyside, we will make an evening visit to the forest to look for Owl species and Woodcock.

Whilst it can be chilly, dawn within the forest is a beautiful experience. With Red Deer and Red Squirrel moving quietly through the ancient pines, it promises to be a memory you will never forget. At this time we hope to see Capercaillie and Scottish Crossbill.

The forest is home to all three crossbill species, Common, Scottish and Parrot, and every effort will be made to find these three elusive species. Mid morning we will head to the Cairngorms aiming to see Ptarmigan, Ring Ouzel and Dotterel. Snow Buntings also live at these arctic altitudes we have an option of being led by our expert birder and hillwalker to take you on to the hill in search of these species. During our visit, we will pop into the Ptarmigan Restaurant for some light refreshments, and have the option of taking the Funicular Railway back down.

Alternatively, we can let the train take the strain, and board the Cairngorm Mountain Railway to the Ptarmigan Restaurant which is near the top of the mountain. Sitting on the terrace at nearly 4000 feet, with a tea or a coffee, we should still see Ring Ouzel and Snow Bunting. All that, with tea and Ptarmigan!

On the hill-walking option - At the top of Cairngorm, and Richard thanks Dave for a memorable day on the hills.

After a day in the Cairngorms with Wild Caledonia, amateur wildlife photographer Richard Sims said:  

"That was one of the best days of my life".

Some of Richard's wonderful images are showcased below. Our Speyside holidays are full of memorable birds, habitats and experiences. We hope these pictures give you flavour of this special birding break.

     Above: Dotterel; Slavonian Grebe; Crested Tit

Below: Ptarmigan; Ring Ouzel; Snow Bunting