the top twenty in Winter

The best of Highland wildlife in WINTER

7 Feb– 14 Feb, 14 Feb– 21 Feb, 21 Feb– 28 Feb 2009

EARLY BIRDER PRICE £825pp, no single supplement.

The Early Birder catches the lowest price at Heatherlea. Our prices may increase as time goes by, but if you book and pay your deposit now, you get this Early Birder price. If you have ‘Been Before’, you can take a further £25 from the price shown here. There is no single supplement, and singles are never expected to share at The Mountview Hotel.

‘Worldbird’ guests can save a full£100pp – see 'Special Offers' for details.

The latest of our popular two-centre holidays in summer and autumn, this new winter wildlife holiday combines  key mammals and birds with the stunning scenery of the Highlands and the West Coast. Beneath the crystal clear winter skies, wildlife is highly active during the shorter days, and with less human disturbance at this time of year, Otter, Pine Marten, both eagles, Crested Tit, Capercaillie and Black Grouse are easier to find, and Ptarmigan and Red Deer are at lower altitudes to avoid the icy hilltops. This is the time to see the real Scotland - unspoilt, undeveloped and unbelievable wildlife. A genuine winter wonderland!

KEY MOMENTS at our Friday round-up - which will be yours?

* Pine Marten coming to bait at our private site

* Pure white Ptarmigan and Mountain Hare on the snowy mountainsides

* Black Grouse lekking during the crisp, still morning light

* Otters and eagles in stunning remote terrain on the West Coast

ITINERARY

Day 1 (Saturday)

Arrival, welcome, dinner and briefing. Don’t forget our courtesy collection service from Aviemore.

Day 2 (Sunday)

Our award-winning hotel is right in the middle of the best birding habitats, and we start in the nearby Abernethy Forest to look for Red Squirrel and Roe Deer. Crested Tit and Scottish/Parrot Crossbill are found here, and during this time of year we often see Capercaillie too. A trip to the Black Isle should produce Red Kite, wintering divers and ducks including overwintering Pintail, Scaup, Tree Sparrow and Greylag, Barnacle and Pink-footed Goose. Perhaps today will include rarities such as Red-breasted Goose, Snow Goose, Green-winged Teal or American Wigeon. There is often something about locally!

Days 3/4 (Monday/Tuesday) WEST COAST WILDLIFE EXPERIENCE

We leave early after breakfast, watching out for Black Grouse, Hooded Crow, Slavonian Grebe, Common Seal, Black Guillemot and possible Iceland and Glaucous Gull as we travel. Once across the Corran Ferry, west of Fort William, we spend the day targeting both Golden Eagle and White-tailed Eagle over the barren, rocky hillsides and in the long, winding glens of the desolate west coast. In quiet, isolated sea lochs and bays, we keep an eye out for Otter either fishing or playing on the rocky foreshore. In the evening we look for Pine Marten in secluded locations, before dinner and an overnight stay. Next day, we drive across the wild and lonely hills in search of more Golden and White-tailed Eagles. Otter, Common and Grey Seals can be seen in the undisturbed lochs and waterways, and Red Deer strut majestically in the valleys. Return to Nethybridge on Tuesday evening in time for dinner.

Day 5 (Wednesday) - Day 7 (Friday)

Capercaillie! We may visit exclusive private estate woodlands or other favoured spots depending on where birds are showing. Staying inside our large minibus, we have an excellent chance of seeing this large grouse at their most active. Later we search for moorland specialities including Peregrine, Red Grouse, Raven, Mountain Hare, and scan the flocks of passerines for Twite and Brambling amongst the commoner buntings and finches. Most years there is the possibility of Waxwing or Great Grey Shrike in the area too.

We head to the hills for Ptarmigan, and rarely fail to find the birds in winter, when both the birds and mountains can be pure white. Ptarmigan tend to forage at lower elevations during this period, allowing us good opportunities to see them without venturing too far. The hills support few other species, but look out for Snow Bunting, Reindeer and the white Mountain Hare. After visiting the mountains we may head back to the birds of forest or moorland.

Birding along the Moray coast is very rewarding in winter, and a wide range of species, should include geese, Whooper Swan, Common Eider, Goosander, Red-breasted Merganser, Common and Velvet Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Great Northern, Black and Red-throated Divers, Glaucous Gull, Iceland Gull, Stonechat, and lots of winter waders including Purple Sandpiper, Turnstone, Bar-tailed Godwit, Knot, Dunlin and Ringed Plover. Watch out also for farmland specialities including Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer and Grey Partridge, all still found on this fertile northern coastline. We will also search for any rarities within reach, often including Surf Scoter and King Eider.

Day 8 (Saturday)

Breakfast and departure. Don’t forget our courtesy return service to Aviemore.

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