Heatherlea re-opens here in Scotland on Saturday February 7 with the first of our ‘Top 20′ birds and mammals holidays, and we just can’t wait. Every season is the same, but this year we really can’t wait to get going. So much economic doom and gloom, but the wonderful Scottish countryside and its fabulous wildlife [...]

There are nine woodpecker species in Europe, plus Wryneck, and of these only four can be seen in the UK. Here in northern Scotland, only Great-spotted is a common bird, with Green Woodpecker a rare resident and Wryneck a very rare breeder.
On the continent however, woodpeckers can be the source of very absorbing birding, and [...]

Last & First Birds of the Year
The Last of the Old Year
We had two days local birding with stunning scenery in a frosty landscape before we bade farewell to 2008. With overnight temperatures falling to –15C and creeping up to about –4C by midday we didn’t venture too far from the relative warmth of [...]