The key to a successful
holiday is a carefully planned itinerary giving the right balance between time
in the field, time spent travelling, free time and sightseeing. Furthermore, we
believe that holidays are about having a good time in friendly company, and in a
relaxed atmosphere. A lot of satisfaction can be had from pushing oneself to the
limits of one’s physical ability. However, that is not
what our holidays are about. Some companies take their clients 'twitching' from
dawn till dusk and simply ignore all non-bird 'distractions'. Others believe
that the most important factor in deciding where to birdwatch is the provision
of a coffee shop and having rolled up at 10am they stop for elevenses. There is,
of course, a wide range in-between these extremes and it is always important
before booking a holiday that you know exactly how it will be run.
We believe that we have got
the balance of our holidays just right, listening to the comments and
suggestions of our clients. The emphasis throughout the holidays is on birds
(not ignoring other wildlife), but when the opportunity presents itself the
leader will accompany you to a local place of interest. The key to it all is
flexibility and our leaders have great experience in judging what each group
wants. Pre-breakfast birdwatching is normally low key and optional. However, we
usually take breakfast quite early so that everyone is out in the field whilst
the birds are still at their peak of activity. Packed lunches or picnics are
generally the order of the day as they have the advantage of convenience and can
be enjoyed outside in beautiful scenery. Whenever possible, we will plan toilet
stops at visitors’ centres, service stations etc. However, this isn’t always
possible, so you should be prepared to use Mother Nature’s facilities on some
occasions!
No two destinations are
exactly the same with regard to the amount of effort required to join in all of
the excursions. For this reason we have given each holiday a paragraph or two
explaining the pace to be expected. This can be found at the end of each holiday
description.
The pace of the birdwatching
also varies from site to site within the same trip. Whenever possible we will
walk through an area, but, especially around large wetlands, this is not always
practical. In this case much of the day will be spent in and out of the vehicle,
but this type of watching is kept to a minimum. Most of the holiday is spent
walking through good areas at a sensible pace. Birdwatchers, by their nature,
are usually quite fit, and after a full day in the field the feeling is usually
of pleasant tiredness. Anyone with basic fitness, capable of taking regular
short to medium walks, including some gentle uphills, whatever their age, is
perfectly capable of joining in most of the activities on any of our holidays.
If a steeper walk is required to see a particular bird, this is clearly
explained. Of course, it doesn't matter whether you are an expert birder or a
complete beginner. We are happy to cater for all abilities on all our holidays.
A day's birdwatching will
normally finish about one hour before the evening meal to give you time to relax
and change. Dinner times vary depending on local custom but average around
7.30pm. On some trips when there is a chance of owls or nightjars we will bring
this forward an hour or so, and have a special trip out afterwards. These
evening trips can be very special indeed!
We differentiate clearly in
the brochure between those trips which can be described as tours (where there
are regular hotel moves) and those which are single or twin centre. In all
cases, we plan our itineraries to avoid unnecessary hotel moves. For those
people who do not want to 'live out of a suitcase' we try to find destinations
where a one or two centre holiday will provide a sufficiently wide range of
habitats to ensure a rewarding experience. By joining us you can be sure of
seeing lots of birds in a variety of habitats, at a pace which allows sufficient
time to appreciate and enjoy what you are looking at.
Of course, if you wish to do
something besides birdwatching there is absolutely no obligation to join the
group on every excursion.
Now that you know everything there is to know about us please read through our selection of exciting holidays. We look forward to seeing you soon!