BIRDWATCHING MADE SIMPLE

FOR THE NEWCOMER TO BIRDWATCHING HOLIDAYS

Most people choose a UK destination as their first guided holiday, and where better than Scotland?! Our great variety of stunning habitats makes northern Scotland a super place to gain practical birding experience. Deep pine forests, extensive deciduous woodlands, rivers and lochs, wild coastal habitats and the open sea, moorland, hillsides and the grandeur of the Cairngorm mountain plateau, you will experience them all.

All Heatherlea holidays are relaxed and friendly, and our expert guides are here to help everyone with basic as well as more advanced knowledge and techniques. Any Heatherlea holiday will be great fun for the novice wildlife holiday maker. You don’t need any previous experience to join any of our holidays and feel right at home.  Relax with skilled and patient holiday leaders who just love to help you learn and see more birds. We spend time on identification, calls and behaviour, and watch birds in comfort with time to study each species carefully.

If you select the BMS option, we spend time with you on a one to one basis, to help you get the most from binoculars and telescopes. If you don’t know the difference between Blue Tit and Coal Tit song, or find it difficult to identify gulls or waders, choose this option and your guide will chat to you on the first morning. There is no charge for this extra service, we provide DVD identification guides and above all take you birdwatching! The holiday will be full of birds, we will send you home with a big selection perhaps including Capercaillie, Ptarmigan, Golden Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Black-throated Diver in summer plumage, Dotterel, Osprey, Scottish Crossbill and Crested Tit! We also search out any available rarities to take home on your lifelist.

Our style is relaxed, with early morning and late evening activity as an option in many cases. Our birding day usually lasts around eight or nine hours (days on Mull or Handa are longer), so you won't be expected to go birding from dawn till dusk. We like to leave time for comfortable relaxation in our hotel when you return, and we see mealtimes as important, enjoyable occasions.

Begin your birding holiday career in Scotland with Heatherlea and who knows, you might travel to see wildlife around the world!

'We are delighted to have Heatherlea as sponsors of our 'Birdwatching Made Simple' pages, and heartily recommend their holidays after many years' experience.' Kevin Wilmot, Editor Bird Watching magazine.

Just click on any of our Scottish holiday places and take your pick - we look forward to welcoming you to Heatherlea.

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