Spring Tours
Booking: To book any of the following tours please contact Steve on 01870 620241 or 07733 026 663. Alternatively you can email me on steveduffield@hebrides.net
All pre-booked tours will be met at your port of entry to the Uists, whether you come by air or sea. You will be taken to your comfortable lodgings to relax and gather yourself whilst having the opportunity to meet some of the other guests and local characters. All tours include the cost of breakfast, packed lunch and dinner (drinks are not included). All travel on and between islands is also arranged and paid for to make your stay as relaxing as we can and allow you to enjoy the wildlife.
Dates: April – one week all inclusive tours
Diver Tour
Dates: 19th to 26th April 2008
Expected Wildlife Highlights: This tour goes from one end of the Outer Hebrides to the other taking in the dramatic scenery of Harris and the rugged coastline of the Butt of Lewis and its charismatic lighthouse. The southern isles by contrast have low lying ground to the west and a hilly east side. Much of this low lying terrain is machair where Lapwing will be displaying and huge numbers of Golden Plover and Black-tailed Godwit will be on the move. We may also witness movements of wildfowl with masses of geese heading back north when conditions are right. This is an excellent tour allowing you a taste of what the major islands have to offer with some superb birds and the chance of some superb wildlife. We should see around 100 species of birds including four species of diver, all in summer plumage.
Itinerary: This tour will take us to all the major islands in the Western Isles from the very tip of Lewis to South Uist in the southern isles. We will start in the Uists where we will spend the first day birding and getting our feet, followed by an early start for the trip up to Lewis to search for White-billed Diver. We will stay overnight in Lewis in case we need a second go at the divers before returning to the Uists via Harris. An excellent tour taking in the best the islands have to offer.
Short list of species: White-billed, Great Northern, Black-throated and Red-throated Diver; Slavonian Grebe, 8 species of raptor including both White-tailed and Golden Eagles, Hen Harrier, Peregrine Falcon and Merlin. Greenland White-fronted Geese, Barnacle Geese, Pink-footed Geese, Common Scoter and possibly Surf scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Eider, Black-tailed Godwits, Purple Sandpiper, Short-eared Owl, Snow Buntings, Corn Bunting, Twite. Red Deer, Grey and Common Seals, Otters, Belted Beauty. On the later tour we have a chance to see Corncrake too.
Dates: May – one week all inlcusive tours
Corncrakes and Skuas
Dates: 3rd to 10th May 2008
Expected Highlights: There’s a very good chance of seeing Corncrake on this trip as the birds are newly arrived back from their wintering grounds in Africa and looking for a mate. The vegetation is still pretty short and birds can be seen scuttling from one iris bed to another and occasionally sitting right out in the open advertising their presence with their characteristic “crex crex” call. If conditions are right we may also see all four species of skua including the elegant Long-tailed Skua, which can sometimes be seen virtually overhead so don’t forget your camera. All this excitement with the added bonus of eight resident species of raptor plus hordes of Short-eared Owls quartering rough grass and moorland. There’s also the chance of something really unusual at this time of year as rarities are frequently seen; anything could happen.
Itinerary: The tour will concentrate on the southern isles and make the most of the prevailing weather. If we experience windy weather from the north-west to west we have a good chance of experiencing a good skua passage and will make for the headland of Aird un Runair. This trip will take us from Berneray where we will see Common Seals at their regular haul out, to Eriskay (famous for the tail of Whisky Galore). We will spend the majority of our time exploring the main islands of North Uist, South Uist and Benbecula, which support a great diversity of species in a relatively small area.
Short list of species: Great Northern, Black-throated and Red-throated Diver; Pomarine Skua, Long-tailed Skua, Arctic skua, Great Skua; Corncrake, White-tailed and Golden Eagle, Hen Harrier, Merlin, Peregrine, Short-eared Owl, Little Tern, Arctic Tern, at least 18 species of wader including Whimbrel and Black-tailed Godwit, Sedge Warbler, Corn Bunting, Twite, Red Deer, Grey and Common Seals, Otters. If the weather’s calm enough we will set a moth trap to have a peek at some of the local night life. There’s still a chance of Belted Beauty in early May.
Corncrakes and Phalaropes
Expected Highlights: This tour is likely to collect all the island specialities with a very good chance of seeing Corncrake, Red-necked Phalarope and White-tailed Eagle amongst others. Its an excellent time of year for picking up unusual species and experiencing migration as waders that breed in the far north use the islands as a staging post. The beaches can be thronged with Dunlin and Sanderling in fine summer plumage with the odd red Knot mixed in. Coupled with the large assemblage of breeding waders the islands appear to be over run with these long distance travellers. Seabirds also pass by and this week is peak time for Long-tailed Skuas. Fast moving depressions can sweep hundreds of these birds close inshore with parties passing overhead at times. They’re often joined by other skuas and we’re likely to see the odd Pomarine Skua with their fine spoon-shaped tails. In recent years Arctic Skuas have lingered around Aird un Runair in spring to make the most of the wader passage, hunting the flocks like a bird of prey and coming in low like fighter planes often working in pairs to catch feeding waders. Other residents will also be obvious at this time of year as display is in full swing. The agriculture methods here have also allowed birds to survive here that have all but died out in many areas with the jangling song of the Corn bunting still ringing out on the machair and Twite setting up home on the lower hill slopes with some remarkably in coniferous plantations. The islands also have a very healthy Skylark population making the machair a tremendous place to be early in the morning.
Itinerary: The tour will concentrate on the southern isles and make the most of the prevailing weather. If we experience windy weather from the north-west to west we have a good chance of experiencing a good skua passage amongst other seabirds. In calmer weather the phalaropes often show well busily picking flies from the water surface as they whirl around. This trip will take us from Berneray to Eriskay (famous for the tail of Whisky Galore). We will spend the majority of our time exploring the main islands of North Uist, South Uist and Benbecula, which support a great diversity of species in a relatively small area.
Short list of species: Long-tailed Skua, Pomarine Skua, Red-necked Phalarope, Whimbrel, Corncrake, Golden Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Hen Harrier, Peregrine, Merlin, Short-eared Owl, Red-throated, Black-throated and Great Northern Divers. Black Guillemot, Arctic Tern, Little Tern, Corn Bunting, Twite, plus many more. Red Deer, Grey and Common Seals, Otters. If the weather’s calm enough we will set a moth trap to have a peek at some of the local night life.
The Diver Tour will cost £750 all inclusive
Both the Corncrake and Skua Tour costs only: £699 all inclusive
A weeks guided tour without food and accommodation is available for £300. Group discounts are available.
