LATEST news

18 April 2008
Birding from Speyside to Spitsbergen, from Inverness to India!

It's been a busy old spring so far here at Heatherlea, we have been birding Scotland since early February, and overseas we are in full swing too. Here are just a few of the wonders we have seen this year so far - our thanks to Heatherlea's guides for these images.

14 February 2008 Scotland with Heatherlea - what a cracking birding destination!


The birding year has hardly started, but Heatherlea are already in full swing and we have holidays every week from now until late November. Whatever you want to see in Scotland, whenever you want to come, we have something for you that will be very hard to beat. Take a look at our Scottish pages, they are packed with wildlife.

Here at The Mountview we are spotting exceptional birds every day, and already our guides are snapping the birds to show you in our next round of brochures and newsletters. This sleepy Ptarmigan and very wide awake Capercaillie were photographed by Heatherlea guide Ian Ford just this week. Come and see for yourself!

14 February 2008 Heatherlea Sponsors British Birdwatching Fair (again!)

JOIN US 28 June - 5 July and help us to save endangered species!

Heatherlea are once again proud to be a sponsor of the British Birdwatching Fair in 2008. We will again be sponsoring one of the Lecture Marquees, and hosting talks on each day - more details coming soon!

As an extra way of helping, we are pleased to make a donation to the Birdfair of 10% from each holiday we sell for week commencing 28 June. This means that you can contribute to the efforts of the British Birdwatching Fair, and it won't cost you a penny! Heatherlea will fund the entire donation from your holiday price. Please take a look at our Eagles, Divers and Dotterel page for full details, the link is below.

http://www.heatherlea.co.uk/birdwatching-holidays/scotland/eagles-divers-and-dotterel.htm

This year's 'good cause' is endangered species around the globe, and we are delighted to contribute in this way. So if you don't have anything else happening that week, why not join us? You will have a great holiday secure in the knowledge that you are also helping a very worthy cause.

22 January 2008 SCOTLAND and HEATHERLEA
- the perfect combination!

We have been incredibly busy over the last few weeks talking to many of you about holidays here in Scotland. Bookings are flooding in, and we thought it worth pointing out a few of the things we are saying to our guests;

* Because we own our hotel in Nethybridge there is no danger of your holiday being cancelled - we guarantee all dates will run as advertised. Not many birding holiday companies can match such a guarantee.
* We have a wealth of professional awards which means you can be sure of quality. A proper three-star hotel, a four-star wildlife experience, two AA rosettes for fine food, and a PCV Operators' Licence, supplemented by advanced drivers in our large mobile hides.
* Green Tourism award for sound environmental practice.
* Locally-based guides with unbeatable on-the-ground experience. All the birds and exclusive private estate access.
* Holidays from £750pp, fully inclusive and we even collect you from transport links in Aviemore.

Heatherlea means tremendous quality and value - if you want to bird Scotland this is the way to do it! Just check our great holidays, look at our hotel and facilities, then get in touch by email or phone - your fantastic Scottish birding week is just minutes away!

6 January 2008 HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM HEATHERLEA

May we take this opportunity to wish all our friends and customers a very happy New Year full of wonderful birding and wildlife. Here at The Mountview Hotel in Nethybridge our birding year is already underway, and there were smiles all around on 1 January, as our 'Last and First Birds of the Year' group saw Capercaillie on their first trip out of the hotel. Naturally we had breakfast a little later than usual on the first morning, but after starting the bird list in our hotel grounds, it was off to the forest in the minibuses. Before we arrived, two adult female Capercaillie were spotted standing in the track, and a little later we collected Black Grouse too - what fabulous birds for the Year List on the first morning! By Friday night we had 88 birds on the group list for 2008, including Crested Tit, Golden Eagle, Purple Sandpiper, and a big variety of northern specialities; a great start to what we hope will be another great year.

28 December SPITSBERGEN for singles

Because of cancellation we are pleased to now offer single birders the opportunity to join Heatherlea in Spitsbergen this summer with no single supplement. This brilliant adventure takes us into the high arctic to see Polar Bears, Walrus, King Eider, Ivory Gull, Grey Phalarope and much more. Prices begin at only £2995, and we can offer places to both male and female single guests. You will be in a shared cabin, and the price includes return international flight from London and all meals during the voyage. This really is a great chance for single birders to visit this tremendous destination, but there is very little space available, so please see our Spitsbergen page for full details.
Our cruise (Tues 17 June - Wed 25 June 2008) is nearly full, with just a couple of en-suite and non-suite cabins remaining.With the prospect of Polar Bear, Walrus, Arctic Fox, Ivory Gull, Little Auk, Brunnich's Guillemot, possible Beluga Whale, Sabine's Gull and much more, this promises to be a real treat. As you might expect from Heatherlea, we have used the popularity of the holiday to invite a couple of extra guides to join us, giving our guests even better service. We welcome Heatherlea guide and top birder Peter Cosgrove to the holiday, together with returning Heatherlea guide and cetacean expert Dylan Walker. This means that this Heatherlea voyage will now have six guides, including Kevin, Caryl, Dave Pullan and author/broadcaster Kenny Taylor. With long summer sunlight hours stetching deep into the evening, we hope to have someone on hand whenever wildlife calls!

We are very much looking forward to a truly spectacular experience, so if you want to see the fabulous wildlife of the Arctic on an exclusive cruise with outstanding guides, come and join us!

20 December SCOTLAND - number one for British Birders

Scotland is the number one birding destination for British birders, and Heatherlea have more birding holidays here than anyone else. Our guiding skills are legendary, and our own 3-star hotel is a fabulous base for a great holiday.

You can join a holiday any month of the year, visit the remotest islands as well as all key Highland places, and of course target any Scottish species you want to see. Please roam this site to see all our 2008 holidays, or call 01479 821248 to speak to Amanda, Emma or Kevin. We look forward to showing you the wildlife!

16 October Looking forward to YELLOWSTONE and GRAND TETON

28 July - 12 August 2008

Checking around, it seems that many alternative itineraries don't explore the Grand Teton range the way this holiday does; it really is a dual holiday including the geothermics of Yellowstone AND the delights of the Teton range. Another key element is the visit to some key wildlife refuges very much away from the throngs of tourists encountered at major sites.


Please take a look at the Yellowstone page for full details of two whole weeks exploring the magnificent wildlife and scenery of the American west, and/or ask for an Extra Pack for all the info.


Our friend and expert local guide Peg has organised a relaxed itinerary with tremendous mammal and birding content, and Heatherlea can confirm the holiday is now filling, so join us here in 2008 for birds, mammals and wonderful geothermic scenery.

7 September Welcome back to DYLAN WALKER

Back in the 1990's, Dylan Walker joined Heatherlea for a season, before moving on to become widely recognised as one of the most experienced marine mammal observers in Europe. Dylan has spent much of the last decade at sea studying cetaceans and co-authored several field guides, including Whales and Dolphins of the European Atlantic and Whales and Dolphins of Great Britain. Dylan is passionate about all aspects of natural history, and his enthusiasm and energy make him a highly popular guide. We are pleased to confirm that Dylan will be working closely once more with Heatherlea, beginning in Spitsbergen next year (June 17 - 25). We are planning several more trips on the ocean wave with Dylan, watch this space!

22 August HEATHERLEA BROCHURE 2008

Out now! Full of great holidays in Scotland and overseas, the 2008 Heatherlea brochure is available right now - just click the link on our homepage and read all about it. Request extra packs, ask for more information, and join hundreds of other birders already booked with Heatherlea for 2008 - we look forward to your company!

27 August Pine Martens on our 'Highlands and Mull' holiday

Many of you join our 'Top 30' holiday in summer with Pine Marten high on your wish list, and this year I think we are right in saying that every single guest on every week has seen the animals. Because the martens have been so obliging, we have been able to extend our viewing into the next holiday 'Highlands and Mull' also. We are not charging a fee for this additional evening excursion, we prefer to add value to your holiday instead. These cracking pics were taken last Monday 20 August by Heatherlea guest David Blurton, to whom we send our thanks.

Pine martens tend to move around, and can easily desert a particular site. Their natural tendency as top predator is to move on, and even regularly baited sites can suddenly be without martens. Because we have local contacts where the martens are most populous in Scotland, we have been able to track them consistently all through 2007, and we are delighted to include Pine Marten watching for free in late August. You can book with us now for holidays in November 2007 and most months in 2008 beginning February to see these gorgeous creatures, just call us on 01479 821248 or visit our Scottish pages on this site for details.

22 August MIKE HAVING FUN IN THE HIGHLANDS

‘After a hugely successful Top 30 season, the new Highlands and Mull holiday began on Saturday 18th August, and within the first 3 days guests had seen close-up Parrot Crossbills destroying pine cones, both Red and Black-throated Divers and Slavonian Grebe in summer plumage, great prolonged views of Otter and Pine Marten and a final count of 8 WT Eagles and at least 6 Goldies in the clear blue skies overhead on the fabulous West coast. The piece de resistance was a trio of second-year Sea Eagles flying in a line about 100 feet above, giving the perfect view of their imposing shape and plumage details. With migration underway, the remaining days will be spent along the coasts looking at skuas and waders, and in our private estate enjoying autumn Capercaillie, which have proved to be very obliging of late.’

Heatherlea guide Mike Coleman enjoying himself, Aug 2007.

22 August JUST BACK FROM THE BIRDFAIR

Another great Birdfair, and we managed to speak to hundreds of you, not least at Kevin's talks which were attended by over 320 people. Our first year as sponsors of the Lecture Marquee was a great success, and we will be pleased to repeat this contribution next year.

Our donation of a holiday with Heatherlea here in the Highlands again raised many bids, eventually producing the second highest amount to birdfair funds of any Lot in the auction. Thanks to everyone who took part. We also donated a holiday to Wild Scotland, and saw dozens of people collecting stamps at the various Scottish stands around the exhibition including our own. Congratulations to the winners!

Another feature of the Birdfair is the wonderful range of exhibitors, and we chatted to friends from Trinidad and Costa Rica to Spain and Finland. A great experience! Above all it was lovely to see so many of you, our valued guests, our only regret being that the event was so busy we couldn't speak to everyone for as long as we wished.

On the final day the heavens opened, though no-one was downhearted and the endless patience of the volunteer organisers was wonderful. Our special thanks to the young lady in pink wellies who gave us a push out of the mud at great personal cost - what a star!

We love the Birdfair and can't wait till next year. We will have more holidays to show you and of course our famous homemade shortbreads and flapjacks once again. Next year we will have to bake more - they all disappeared very quickly this year!

5 July HEATHERLEA - A FOUR STAR WILDLIFE EXPERIENCE

We believe strongly in meeting the highest standards, so were delighted recently to welcome VisitScotland, who wanted to grade a day out in the Heatherlea minibus. Here is what they said when awarding us FOUR STARS:

'A very good four star award has been achieved. From the interested novice to the keen birder, Heatherlea can offer a day trip to suit. High standards of customer care and a genuine passion for birding and wildlife make this day tour a most rewarding experience.

Very good guiding and presentation skills.  A well paced day tour which brings together a variety of Scottish landscapes and habitats to enhance the experience for any birder.’

COME AND SEE FOR YOURSELF!

+ =

Quality, value and a very rewarding holiday.

23 June Where will YOU go birding in 2008?

Our holidays are now in place for 2008, and we find more and more of you are booking well ahead. Here at The Mountview some exciting new itineraries are planned, and we will have more GO FURTHER! holiday extensions than ever before. New overseas holidays will take us to Spitsbergen, Ecuador/Galapagos, Estonia, Romania, Finland/White Russia and more.

Most pages on this site are now updated with details for next year, and here in Scotland you can take advantage of our 'EARLY BIRDER' discounts. Use the enquiry form on this site to get more information, including a comprehensive EXTRA PACK for overseas and GO FURTHER! itineraries. You can also download our latest Newsletter - just press the 'June 2007' link. We are always available on 01479 821248 - please just ring!

Where will you go birding in 2008? Let Heatherlea help you decide! We look forward to welcoming you.

19 June Minister visits Heatherlea

We were delighted to welcome Mr Fergus Ewing, Minister for Community Safety in the Scottish Parliament and our local MSP, to the Mountview Hotel recently. Mr Ewing wanted to see Heatherlea for himself, and spent around an hour talking to Kevin and other members of staff, including Amanda, Johnny, Kirsty and John, seen here with the Minister.

Mr Ewing said ' I welcome the efforts of Heatherlea as a flagship Tour Operator, helping establish the Cairngorms National Park as a world class tourist destination. I would call on all lovers of wildlife to visit this beautiful area and enjoy our magnificent scenery and special flora and fauna. I hope Heatherlea continue to go from strength to strength'.

The Minister left with a copy of our brochure and restaurant menu - we hope to see him again soon!

Quality standards at Heatherlea HQ in Nethybridge

Here at Heatherlea we are always pleased to support quality standards. Look through this website and you will find more evidence - we now offer our guests;

* VisitScotland three stars for The Mountview Hotel here in Nethybridge, directly owned by Heatherlea.
* VisitScotland four stars for our Wildlife Daytrips here in Scotland from Mountview Hotel.
* AA two stars for The Mountview Hotel
* Two AA rosettes for food
* Investors in People award
* VOSA Minibus Operators' Licence
* Advanced Driver status (Kevin, Ian, John, Jonny and Mike all hold this qualification)
* Accredited use of the new Cairngorms National Park brand
* Full ATOL licence for overseas holiday flights
* Members of 'Wild Scotland'

We also personally check other hotels, bird observatories, boat trip operators and individual guides employed in our holidays around Scotland.

Heatherlea wiill continue to support the best available quality standards and pass the benefits to you our customer - please bear this in mind when planning your Scottish wildlife adventure. Holiday time is valuable and you deserve the best from your visit to Scotland - let Heatherlea help you plan a memorable trip!

4 May LONESOME GEORGE

According to the Guinness Book of World Records 'Lonesome George', a native of Pinta, an isolated northern island of the Galápagos, is the ‘rarest living creature.’ By the late 1960s, it was noted that on this island visited only occasionally by scientists and fishermen, the tortoises had dwindled close to extinction. In 1972 only this single male of the species Geochelone abingdoni was found. Lonesome George was immediately brought into captivity at the Charles Darwin Research Station on the island of Santa Cruz where he is housed with two female tortoises from a species found on the neighbouring island of Isabela.

‘Even after 35 years, Lonesome George seems uninterested in passing on his unique genes and has failed to produce offspring,’ said Michael Russello of the University of British Columbia Okanagan who began working with the tortoises as a postdoctoral fellow at Yale. ‘The continuing saga surrounding the search for a mate has positioned Lonesome George as a potent conservation icon, not just for Galápagos, but worldwide.’

Here at Heatherlea we like the sound of George, and want to see him on our holiday in the Galapagos next year, so we asked about him when we spoke to our friend Cris, and she said;

'Hi Kevin, yes George is still alive, I saw him two years ago and he still lives at the Charles Darwin Research Station - he is the sole remaining Pinta Island tortoise. Here are some pictures of him. He weighs approximately 90 kilograms and measures over 100 centimetres across his carapace. His exact age is unknown, but is predicted as between 60 and 90 years, and although we have to consider that these tortoises live more than 100 years I think that maybe you will be one of the last groups that will have the opportunity to meet Lonesome George.'

We hope George is still around in autumn 2008 when we go to see him - to join us please click our Galapagos link for more information. EXTRA - Please note we have launched a second date for this extraordinary adventure because the first one is full. The holiday also includes birds of the Ecuadorian cloudforest, Condors in the high Andes and a few days down the Amazon. Read all about it on the Galapagos page!

25 April MOROCCO with Heatherlea

What a great time we had, and with the Trip Report just coming out we thought you might like to see some of our holiday snaps. Some of the birding highlights included;
- Bald Ibis and Barbary Falcon virtually side by side
- all the wheatears and larks including difficult species such as Mourning Wheatear and Bar-tailed, Thick-billed and Hoopoe Lark.
- key warblers including Tristram's and Desert, with Olivaceous, Spectacled and western Bonelli's too.
- Houbara Bustard at close quarters. With our contacts, we went straight to the bird.
- beautiful and increasingly rare Desert Sparrows at the nest. Female doing all the work!
- Crimson-winged Finch, excellent views.
- Levaillant's Green Woodpecker for as long as we wanted.
- lots of Cream-coloured Courser, they seemed to be everywhere!
- four sandgrouse including Spotted right next to us.
- many more key birds including Moussier's Redstart many times.

We also found time to visit a Saharan village and meet the people, walk around the souk and outdoor market in Marrakesh, get stuck in a sand dune and (nearly) meet the King of Morocco! If you fancy a memorable birding treat in Morocco, click the link and contact us to read the story. Booking now for 2008! Remember, the pics here were all taken on this year's trip - our thanks to Rob Skinner for them.

16 April CAMBERWELL BEAUTY in Nethybridge

This delightful butterfly is a real rarity in central Northern Scotland, so imagine our excitement on Friday 13 April when one showed up in Nethybridge! Not much gets past our guides, and John Poyner spotted the deep violet wings with a distinct cream fringe at around 3pm. Within minutes Kevin was there, and although the butterfly disappeared around 3.25pm, Ian Ford saw it briefly the following morning. Quick thinking by John, and his photograph is becoming quite famous, featuring in local press and also on the BBC website! A brilliant addition to our list for Nethybridge!
Kevin says; We think this butterfly must have hatched in summer 2006, overwintering and emerging in the very warm weather of early April here in Nethy. A good indicator is the 'cream' marginal border, which on this individual was white, indicating some weathering over time. The interesting question is whether it overwintered in Scotland or made its way from the continent - since there were lots of Red Admiral around on the same day the latter is more likely though the butterfly wasn't telling! Unfortunately it was not seen again, but nevertheless provided us with a very interesting record for the Scottish Highlands.

11 April NEW! Self-catering in Scotland with Heatherlea

A great new way to enjoy wildlife in Scotland - self-catering with Heatherlea! Our cottage is right next door to The Mountview Hotel, sleeps six and backing onto Scots Pinewoods is in the perfect place for you to enjoy the Highlands. You can set your own wildlife watching itinerary, or perhaps join Heatherlea for days in the field. If you want a special treat in the evenings, our two rosette restaurant is next door!
At only £525 per week, the new Heatherlea cottage is superb value - contact us on 01479 821248 to book now for 2008 dates.

6 March Just back from the PYRENEES in WINTER!

Well, someone has to do it! We had a great time, and Heatherlea guest Roger Collier has kindly sent this report to us today, due for publication in the Leigh Ornithological Society newsletter.

"It is hard to know where to begin, the first sighting of a Griffon Vulture, a Wallcreeper on four consecutive days, a flock of Citril Finch feeding under a tree, the Bonelli’s Eagle chasing away vultures from its nest site on three separate occasions, the Lammergeier dropping a bone on rocks for thirty minutes until the bone had been fully consumed or the eerie call of Dupont’s Lark before dawn or could it just possibly be the sighting of the roosting Eagle Owl?

Yes all this happened on my recent holiday in Spain with Heatherlea. The holiday was sold as “Spanish Pyrenees - Winter Specialities”, but this was much more. Initially based just south of the pre-Pyrenees, our trips included the high Pyrenees and the Zaragoza Steppes. In all we saw three species of vulture, two species of eagle, four falcons, accipitors, seven species of lark not to mention Pintailed and Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Little and Great Bustard.

During one trip we were all watching Wallcreeper as it searched for grubs in the cliffs around which Griffon Vulture, Lammergeier and Peregrine soared when we were treated to one of the highlights of the week. Calling in the distance were a party of cranes. As they reached us they wheeled around until they had gained enough altitude to get them over the high Pyrenees, and this stage one would take over as leader and off they went in “V” formation towards France. This went on for ages. Our local Spanish guide was in contact with the conservationists monitoring this migration who estimated 6000 to 8000 birds passing during the day. Absolutely fantastic, the sky was just full of cranes.

In all during the week we saw more than 120 different species. These included previously unmentioned birds such as Penduline Tit, Red-legged and Alpine Chough, Stone Curlew, Black Wheatear, White Stork, the list just goes on.

This was an excellent birdwatching holiday in an area which I have never visited before. The area is vast and I do not believe anyone travelling on their own initiative would find half the birds we found, or the tracks we found. I can only thank Kevin for a fantastic week." Thanks to Roger and everyone else who joined us - watch out for 2008 details on this site soon!

9 February JUST BACK FROM COSTA RICA!

What a great time we had, nearly 400 tropical birds, mammals including 3 monkeys and 2 sloths, crocs, lizards and fabulous habitats from active volcano nights to days by the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Do you want to see the wildlife of the fabulous mangrove mosaic which abuts the pristine Caribbean coastline? That's where this holiday has its climax after two fantastic weeks of easily accessible wildlife. Not strenuous in any way; optional early and late trips, breaks in the heat of midday, very good accommodation and food, the very best leadership - this could be yours next January! Click the Costa Rica link to see why this holiday is already filling for 2008. Here are a few pics hot off the press, taken by our client Wendy Hooson, who we thank for making them available to us. Most were taken on this holiday in 2007 - there really is a huge amount of wildlife to see!

8 February Snow, snow, quick quick snow

We hear it is snowing in England and Wales, hope your travel is safe and your day is not disrupted. Here in Nethybridge it snows regularly in February, as you can see. Our feeders are full, our new pond has already been covered, and our new self-catering cottage could be a picture for a box of chocolates. The birds don't mind too much!

9 January MAGIC MOMENTS...

Our expert guides Mike, Ian, Jonny and John have compiled a selection of favourite moments from our memorable 2006 season. These are now on our '2006 Highlights' page on this site. As a taster, here is a snippet from early in the season...

HIGHLAND WINTER BIRDING, MARCH
‘The first White tailed Eagle was only seen by half the group. A rather tense half hour was spent, hoping the bird would reappear, our patience was rewarded, and everyone got excellent views of the bird in flight. However, we need not have worried, because at our next stop, there was an immature White tailed Eagle perched on a skerry barely 250 yards away! Then two pairs of Golden Eagle were seen wheeling in the distance. We drove on with one of the buses noticing at least another pair of White-tails flying just overhead, so we stopped. Whilst the first bus waited ahead, to their complete amazement they realised they had parked underneath a whole flock of eagles. Between them, the guides counted up to ten eagles, more than either of them had ever seen up in the air all at the same time! One guest said she had counted eleven eagles, which would make sense, as it would appear that five of the birds were White-tailed, which eventually bunched together and were shepherded away by the Goldies, perhaps pairs guarding their territories from intruders. At lunch time, we continued to be entertained, with Golden Eagles flying above us, and two birds perched, so that guests could study the birds on the ground. At least 25 eagles were seen during the day, at least ten of which were the mighty sea eagle!’

Take a browse through these little vignettes, and get a flavour of just how great a Heatherlea day in Scotland can be!

14 December SPECIALITY SIGHTINGS UP IN 2006!

Having collated all the Heatherlea sightings for our successful 2006 season, we can now reveal that we had tremendous success with key species. As an example, only 3 groups from 41 missed Golden Eagle, and 39 of 41 groups saw Capercaillie - success levels of well over 90%!

Choose Heatherlea and increase your chances of seeing all the key birds!

12 December MAGICAL MULL!

Everybody loves Mull, land of eagles and otters. Did you know that with Heatherlea you can see all the wildlife of Mull AND the Scottish Highlands in a single week? A very time-effective way of visiting Scotland and you save money too! See our holiday pages 'Spring into Scotland' and 'Highlands and Mull' for full details, but don't wait too long. These holidays are nearly full for 2007!

........

12 December Heatherlea - the Birder's choice in SCOTLAND!

Heatherlea are birding Scotland all the time, that's one reason why our guests see so many birds every week. Last week we saw four male Capercaillie at close quarters, three Golden Eagles in the air together, two drake Surf Scoter, single Little Auk, Jack Snipe and all the other specialities. Oh yes, and two American Golden Plover, Lots of Parrot Crossbill, Crested Tit bathing in a puddle, six Great Northern Divers in summer plumage, Ptarmigan for both our standard group and also our 'Easy Walking' option guests, Little Stint, Black Guillemot, Red-necked Grebe, plus Minke Whale, Bottle-nosed and Risso's Dolphin and much more. Our Aberdeenshire group also added King Eider and more Surf Scoters. All this without 'twitching' or forgetting that your holiday also includes comfort, good food and lots of fun.

Heatherlea - the Birders' choice in Scotland!

Our guests said ......

“First of all I want to say ‘Thank you very much to our guides and to all the hotel staff for giving us such a great time.’ We don’t have so much opportunity to go out bird watching, so it was a great privilege to be on this holiday. I saw 103 bird species, although I know that the group as a whole saw more. I know that it may seem strange to some here, but my highlight was the field of Golden Plovers, where we also saw the American Golden Plovers. They were magnificent!” K.C.

“My highlight was finding the Crested Tit bathing in the puddle on the track so unexpectedly. Also the Parrot Crossbills that we saw today.” H.C.

“The boat trip was really special with three Minke Whale sightings. All the effort to find the Ptarmigan eventually paid off, and today finding the Little Auk was a great excitement.” S.S.

“I had 5 new ticks on this holiday, which were Crested Tit, American Golden Plover, Little Auk, Parrot Crossbill and Surf Scoter. I could not really pick a highlight. They were all so good.” D.S.

“I had no real highlights. It was overall a very good holiday. I had three lifers, which were Jack Snipe, Surf Scoter and Little Auk.” J.S.

“Thanks to our guides Ian and Jonny for another excellent week and for your patience. I don’t think I have very much to say, but my highlight was the puddle, where the Crested Tit was bathing, most especially when the Goldcrest came for a bathe and fluffed up his gold crest! The Parrot Crossbills today, and the walk for the Ptarmigan, - oh, the Minke Whales!” K.M.

Ian Ford “For someone who had very little to say, you ended up saying quite a lot!”

“For me seeing three Golden Eagles in the scope at the same time had to be my highlight. We had excellent views of Surf Scoter. On Thursday as we drove up the mountain on the west coast, the views back down were awe inspiring.” P.B.

“This has been my third trip with Heatherlea, and this group has been the best company ever! The effort to see the Ptarmigan was really worth it. The Little Auk turning up was really brilliant.” J.T.

“I am not a birder, so I was a little apprehensive before I came, but it has been an amazing experience, and I think I could get into this a lot more. The Bottle nosed Dolphins today was my highlight.” J.C.

“It has been a great experience. I was really moved by the Ptarmigan on the ‘Easy Walking’ option; that here they were, living in this cold and hostile environment. The scenery has been stunning.” G.C.

“Thank you everyone, including the guides, and all those people who shared their scopes with us, and for all your knowledge. I think the highlight for me were the Golden Eagles.” M.W.

“I think this holiday has really highlighted to us how important it is to have really good optics. When you have a good scope, you don’t just see the bird, you are able to study it in detail, just as you can see it in the field guide. It was great to see so many of the Scottish specialities, and for me I really enjoyed searching out ‘The Lost World of the Ptarmigan’! J.W.

“My highlights were the five Golden Eagles and the Ptarmigan without walking. I have had three lifers on this trip.” B.P.

“Like Ken, my best highlight was the field of Golden Plover - the American Golden Plovers were a bonus. Another highlight was seeing the Ptarmigan, and then the spectacular drive round to Shieldaig.” P.L.

“Watching ‘Crestie’ bathing in the puddle, the Great Northern Divers and sea ducks, the walks, the scenery, the Parrot Crossbills feeding in the sunshine was all heavenly.” S.D.

“Like John, I like a good stretch of the legs from time to time, so I really appreciated the walk up for the Ptarmigan. I was also very impressed with seeing the size of the sea duck flocks. It was as good as going to the tropics!” P.D.

Seeing Crested Tit in the puddle on Wednesday morning - the best views we have ever had of this very elusive species. Seeing and identifying Parrot Crossbills in the pine woods on Friday morning - again very good views and a "lifer" for both of us. We have both seen Common Crossbill and are not sure about the Scottish variety! MS and BS

17 October TURTLE DOVE in NETHYBRIDGE

We usually have to travel a bit further for our rarities than .... Mike Coleman's back garden! Our intrepid guide woke one morning to find a Turtle Dove just sitting there. Not a rarity in British terms, but certainly a bird of note in the north of Scotland. Two of our groups enjoyed great views of this finely scalloped specimen before it disappeared. Mike now has both Great Grey Shrike and Turtle Dove on his garden list - a good birding spot!

16 October SCOTTISH CROSSBILL - a new species at last?

Have you ‘got’ Scottish Crossbill yet? If you saw Crossbills when in Scotland, are you sure of their species? A lengthy and detailed study released by the RSPB in August 2006 has confirmed Scottish Crossbill Loxia scotica as Britain's only endemic bird. Scottish Crossbill is best identified from its excitement call, and has been observed responding to taped lures. According to the study, Scottish Crossbills have a 'chup chup' excitement call with a 'fluty' quality. Although the call is distinctive, it is best to confirm identify from a sonogram (sound picture). Here at Heatherlea we are working closely with the scientists and their latest findings to reliably identify Scottish Crossbill in the field for the benefit of our guests, so that everyone is sure of the bird in view. This is particularly important because Scottish, Common and Parrot Crossbill can all be found breeding in the same piece of woodland (eg Abernethy Forest), and there is no single location where Scottish can be said to be the only species present.

The theoretical justification for declaring Scottish as a separate species is that the three different types of crossbills in Scotland (Common, Parrot and Scottish) almost always mate with birds with similar bill sizes and calls, which are distinctive for each. By being reproductively isolated, they can be regarded as species. Occasional mis-matching accounts for the lack of genetic differentiation.

In 2007 we expect to spend time on this fascinating subject during all our holidays based in Nethybridge. As ever Heatherlea will be fully up to date with recommended ID techniques perhaps including lure tapes and sonograms to give you maximum confidence, and you can also read the published reports when you join us. If you travel independently you won’t be able to rely on field sightings, however close the bird. Here are a couple of holiday snaps taken in 2006 by our guides to whet your appetite!

13 October CAPERCAILLIE – the elusive ‘Horse of the Forest!’

Ask any birder to name one bird they want above all others in Scotland, and they will probably say 'Capercaillie'. This large, shy grouse is very difficult to see well unless you know what you are doing, yet here at Heatherlea we have been finding Capercaillie for people for years and years and years. Here are just a few of the photos taken from our trips, all from inside our minibuses. Let us be the first to say that these are not great photographs, but they give a real feel of the sightings we enjoy – close to the birds and unmistakeable views - available throughout the year.

Relying on information in books and websites can often be disappointing. The birds change their habits and locations with the passing of the seasons, and bird hides up and down the country are full of stories of ‘missed’ Capercaillie. Here at Heatherlea you really do have a great chance of seeing the bird on any of our scheduled holidays from the Mountview here in Nethybridge. In 2006, we are again heading for over 90% success seeing Capercaillie so come to Heatherlea to see the Big Grouse!.

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18 September            PO DELTA and VENICE

A great week in the Po Delta and Venice, where we enjoyed four days birding (Caspian Tern, Pygmy Cormorant, Marsh Sandpiper) from the rural charm and comfort of our high quality hotel in the Po Delta, together with three full days in Venice, a magical experience. Ask for our trip report, and join us next year for a wonderful combination of birding and sightseeing - a really unique holiday!

Fantastic food at our hotel in Po Delta       A trip on the Adriatic with friend Menotti

Off down the Canale Grande - watch out for that gondola!

31 August      HEATHERLEA BURSARY IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE

We are delighted to announce the creation of the Heatherlea Bursary in Biological Sciences at Lancaster University. Our initiative will help support someone in need of financial assistance to become a student in the Department during academic year 2006/7. Courses eligible for the Heatherlea Bursary are MSc Ecology & Environment, and MSc Science of the Environment. In return the University will endeavour to include a UK wildlife-based option in its curriculum for postgraduate study.

Vice-Chancellor Paul Wellings said ‘It is through support such as yours that the University can continue to move from strength to strength’. Kevin Shaw of Heatherlea commented that ‘we are very pleased to make this small contribution to the cause of Environmental Science, and thank all our friends and supporters who choose Heatherlea for their holidays – it’s good to know we are putting something back into the environment!’

30 August    Heatherlea raises £490 for Rutland Birdfair appeal

The recent Rutland Birdfair auction raised just over £15,000 to help save the parrots of the Pacific. We are pleased to say that our own donation of a holiday in November this year raised £490, and we are delighted to make this contribution to the cause. Thanks to everyone who was good enough to bid for the holiday, we noticed a flurry of bidding as the closing time approached! If YOU would like to visit us in November, see below!

22 August  Just back from the birdfair!

Thanks to all of you who visited our stand at the Rutland birdfair. It was great to chat with so many hundreds of you, and our apologies to those we couldn't spend more time with - our stand was flooded with visitors for several hours each day. Please email or ring us on 01479 821248 if you would like more details of any holiday, we are here to help you.

Emma, Kevin and Caryl                                           Mike and Emma

All our 2007 holidays are now available on this website, and we came away from Rutland with lots of ideas for new holidays; - here is just one of them!

EMMA SAYS  'See Bears with Heatherlea' !

Emma McBride

Emma is working hard on a new holiday in Finland and Russia to take place in summer 2008, featuring all the birds, Beluga Whales and Brown Bears. Emma has a soft spot for bears, and this is the first of several holidays she will be organising which feature them. Having seen this print of a baby Brown Bear at the birdfair, Emma has put this holiday at the top of our list, so if you fancy reading further details, please send us an email from this website and we will keep you in touch!

11 August        Fabulous Summer Wildlife with Heatherlea

Our Top 30 holiday is rightly renowned for the sheer range of birds and mammals it contains, and we are having a splendid time this year. Our Pine Martens are particularly co-operative, and whilst it can be painstakingly difficult to attract them into bait, the views make the effort worthwhile. Martens are notorious for 'moving on' to new sites, but here at Heatherlea we move on too, making your chances of seeing them the best possible.

This year Basking Sharks have been much more in evidence than in previous years, and we are seeing them virtually every week.

If you want to read more, have a look at our trip report! Just click the link below.

4 July KEVIN IS 50  

Guests on one of our Eagles, Divers and Dotterel holidays woke to this banner today, not that it interfered with their birding too much! This picture just 'appeared ' on our Guest Computer, so credit goes to John Bruce (we think), though the perpetrator is lying low, as is Kevin.

29 June PICS FROM FINLAND

Just back from leading our holiday in Finland, Heatherlea Guide Dave Pullan supplied us with some fantastic photos from the holiday. If you want to see the full trip report, just visit the Finland page and ask us. For now here are some very beautiful birds exactly as Heatherlea found them. Pygmy Owl, Tengmalm's Owl, Siberian Jay, Little Gull, Great Grey Owl, the landscape around Valtavaara and standing on the Finland - Russian Border, you could be here next summer!

10 June

High Season in the Highlands, 3 – 10 June 2006

A few comments from our evening round-up on Friday;

"I was told that my target of a Pine Marten for this week was unlikely to be
achieved, so to see one minutes into my holiday was my greatest highlight!
All the rest was a bonus. A fantastic week." JT

"I am probably the only person here who is not a birder, but I thoroughly
enjoyed the week. However, seeing the Pine Marten, Dotterel, and the baby
Red Squirrel were my wildlife highlights. But it was great to experience the
outdoors, most especially the mountain and Handa." LC

"I had up to twenty-one lifers this week, which included Golden Eagle. But
the highlight of my week was the really close up Wood Warblers with their
beaks full of insects." SL

"Climbing the Cairngorms was a great feat, but to see that Ptarmigan on its
rock was my highlight. Couldn't help thinking that Jonny had some kind of
remote, whereby he was moving it ever so slightly. I could hardly believe my
eyes; it was such a stunning bird. I saw four lifers." JB

"Seeing the Dotterel run up so close to the chap who was sitting on the
ground was so amazing!" MC

"The company on this holiday has been so good, and everyone has been so
helpful to each other. The guides have been great too. I have had four
lifers. The Dotterel and Ptarmigan were my highlights." DH

"This is the first time I have been on a group holiday and the company has
been really good, but I can't say the same about the jokes! I have had four
lifers this week and it has been thoroughly enjoyable." BS

"My highlights were the baby Dippers seen from Dulsie Bridge and the Red
Squirrel, which was a lifer with Crested Tit. Even though I had worked as a
volunteer for the R.S.P.B. up here many years ago, I did not get to see
them. Now I know where to come when I want to see any wildlife! Mountview
Hotel has been an absolutely brilliant place to stay. It's so laid-back and
relaxed. When we have come back up here we have tried to find some of the
places that are good for birding, but kept getting lost. Now that we have
been with you we are so grateful to you for showing us so many excellent
places to go." MH

"The exquisite plumage of the baby Dippers." OL

"We have been with Heatherlea before, but I have never had such excellent
sustained views of Ring Ouzel as we have had on this holiday. Neither have I
ever seen Scottish Crossbill so stunningly well in his orange burnished
livery." RL

"It was a great achievement to see Ptarmigan again after twenty years. My
other highlight has to be such excellent views of the Black Throated Divers."
RJ

"I would have to agree with Ray that my highlights were the Ptarmigan and
the Black Throated Divers. However, I should like to add, that it was with
some apprehension, that I came on holiday with Heatherlea, not having been
on a group holiday before, and after having come through quite a rough time
personally, but I can honestly say that this holiday has done me a power of
good." PS

"My son, being a Munro bagger has been giving me a really hard time, telling
me that I should climb mountains so that I could see Ptarmigan and Dotterel.
It is with an air of great satisfaction that I can now tell him that I have
at last seen them!" MW

"I had many birds that I very much enjoyed seeing, but Dotterel was right up
there at the top, the Crossbills, Mealy Redpoll, the Goldeneye with
ducklings, the young Dippers from Dulsie Bridge, and also the Divers right
up at the top too." JC

"The Ptarmigan was a great achievement after the toil up the mountain to get
to them. I so much enjoyed the historical interludes which helped to
introduce us to the area and enrich the experience. It is the first time we
have been on a group holiday and it won't be the last. We will be back."
RB

"Thank-you so much for encouraging me to go that little bit further to see
the Dotterel. It was really worth it. The cock Ptarmigan was really
beautiful and so were the Slavonian Grebes." BS

"The Ptarmigan was a lifer for us. Thank-you for helping Betty and I up the
mountain." GS

11 May

BILL ODDIE GOES BIRDING WITH HEATHERLEA

We were delighted to welcome Bill Oddie to Heatherlea today, as a competition prize organised by visitScotland. Pictured outside The Mountview Hotel with lucky winners Rosie (aged 8) and Annie (aged 5), Kevin and Bill enjoyed local birding on moorland, in pinewoods, along the River Spey and at a couple of carefully chosen lochs.

We saw Black Grouse, Black-throated Diver, Slavonian Grebe, Osprey, Red Grouse, Kingfisher (a rarity here) and spent a long time watching Dippers trying to drive away a very big first-brood chick so they could nest again. Our sincere thanks to Bill for making the day extra special for the winners, and also to visitScotland for choosing Heatherlea to organise the day. Great fun and lots of laughs all round!

21 April

SPRING IS HERE!
The sun is beating down on Nethybridge today, and yesterday's Capercaillie and Blackcock displaying prove that spring is in the air. We still have migration in full swing, and here is a beautiful male Brambling photographed in our grounds; we have lots of these delightful finches at the Hotel feeding station this year - I think everyone has seen at least one Brambling. We are so far north, many of the males are in breeding plumage, and we often stop work in the office just to watch them - lovely birds! Kevin

1 April

ANOTHER NEW MINIBUS!
The latest addition to our top-notch fleet of buses here at Heatherlea was delivered on 1 March, ready for our new season. We take our investment in high quality vehicles very seriously, and this second brand new 15-seat minibus replaces our faithful old 'V' bus. Our seating capacity in PCV minibuses for the 2006 season will again be thirty, though our group size in two buses can be as low as twelve, giving you as much room to spread out as we can. With a third brand new bus coming soon, we offer the maximum in comfort, safety and customer care.

Please compare us with any competitor and ask others about bus licencing before you choose your holiday provider. You might also like to check your personal insurance if you intend to book with an operator who uses private vehicles or unlicenced minibuses - you might not be covered!

24 March

HEATHERLEA collects GREEN TOURISM award!

All of us who love wildlife want to travel responsibly when on holiday, and Heatherlea are delighted to announce our membership of the Green Tourism Business Scheme. Our membership has been initially awarded at SILVER level, for measures we already have in place, and we will be working hard to achieve the ultimate GOLD level of award. Measures in effect here at The Mountview Hotel which impressed ‘Green Tourism’ include;

• Strong association of Mountview Hotel with wildlife ecotourism.
• Public service vehicle licence holders.
• we grow lots of our own produce, including vegetables, salad items and herbs.
• we recycle glass (including all glass from the bar), ink cartridges and paper.
• Heatherlea sponsors a local footpath as part of our community green initiative.
• our well-established composting system.
• Efficient water, lighting and heating systems.
• Use of paper from sustainable sources for brochures and Newsletters.

If you join Heatherlea here at The Mountview Hotel, you can be secure in the knowledge that you are doing your bit for the environment whilst on holiday – go green, go Heatherlea! As the Green Tourism organisation says……

‘You can be sure that if you visit or stay with one of our members you will not only receive high quality service, but you will also be making a valuable contribution towards improving the environment……As a consumer, ultimately it is you that makes the difference by choosing businesses that are committed to you and the environment, and we hope that in choosing a Green Tourism Business Scheme Member you will pass on your experience to others and encourage them to do likewise.’

The Green Tourism Business Scheme (www.green-business.co.uk).

Our 'GREEN GRADING AWARD' notes the following;

'Wildlife and Landscape - Excellent, Best practice'.
'Excellent Guest information including specific bio-diversity reports. Excellent wildlife/nature library'.
'Brochures etc printed on sustainably managed papers'.
'All Scottish and much local meat and fish'.
'Blankets sent as part of local effort to Pakistan'.
'Sponsor local path plus local walks leaflet in room pack'.
'Many examples of good environmental management on site'.

17 MARCH

MORE NEWS FROM FINLAND!

'Dear Kevin, Here is further info regarding Owls: OULU 11 March One Ural Owl hooting One sighting of Short-eared Owl, 12 March 3 GGO´s and  two Ural owls, one Eagle Owl and one Tengmalm´s Owl hooting, One sighting of GGO, Hawk Owl and two sightings of Long-eared Owls, 13 March 4 Ural Owls and 2 Tengmalm´s Owls hooting, Harri Taavetti saw 7 different Hawk Owls and two Great Grey Owls last weekend with a British group! KUUSAMO 13 March - Pine Grosbeak 1.

Looks still very promising!'

Come and join us for a feast of Finnish birds in June!

DAVE PULLAN

11 February

NEW HOLIDAY - 'The LAST and FIRST Birds of the Year'

Many of you ask if we can do something special over the New Year holiday, so here it is. We ran this holiday for the first time over the New Year just past, it was a great success, and we are repeating the fun in 2006/7. Beginning on Friday 29 December, and lasting a full week, you can add Black Grouse, Capercaillie, Crested Tit, Scottish Crossbill and (weather permitting!) Ptarmigan to both your 2006 and 2007 lists, plus winter birds and rarities at the Moray coast. You will also be with us over a Highland Hogmanay, and we often have snow in the village to give a real traditional feel to the occasion. If you fancy a very different birding New Year, don't delay- this holiday is already filling. Price £775 including our Hogmanay special dinner!

6 February

Just back from our CAMARGUE holiday, where highlights included

* Eagle Owl in full view in the half-light, looking right down our telescope!
* 16+ Little Bustard at reasonably close quarters.
* 11 Pin-tailed Sandgrouse flying over us and landing.
* Wonderful Greater Spotted Eagle in the evening light.
* Bluethroat perched in full view
* Both Bonelli's and Booted Eagle.
* Glimpsed Snow Finch.
* Good views of Wallcreeper (patience required!)
* Cracking Alpine Accentor right up to our feet.
We also collected unseasonal Ortolan Buntings, Hoopoe, Blue Rock Thrush, Crested Tit, more Crossbills than we could count, over 40 Hawfinch, numerous Citril Finch, White Stork, Black Stork and lots more besides.

Kevin and John enjoyed the birds, Amanda came with us and enjoyed the Black Bulls, White Horses, Coypu and above all the herd of Wild Boar we saw running across the reserve - adults, babies and a huge Boar to the rear! Greater Flamingo in their hundreds also met with her approval.

You can request our trip report for this holiday by clicking CONTACT US above. We found the birding so good that we will be extending this holiday for a couple of days next year. Key European species in a wonderful setting - a great trip!

                              
                                                 Eagle Owl in the Camargue, Jan 06

8 November

'TOP 20' AUTUMN WILDLIFE WITH HEATHERLEA
As usual when the clocks go back and the days get shorter, it seems to get colder here in northern Scotland. There are fewer insects, and wildlife responds by using the daylight hours to gather essential food. Our feeder station is covered in small birds, the occasional Crested Tit visible from the warmth of our Dining Room amongst the flocks of Chaffinch and Greenfinch. Red Squirrel and Siskin are also more regular visitors.

Black Grouse are active at lekking sites as they sort out the pecking order in advance of next spring's mating season, and Capercaillie are showing at our private estate.

At the Moray Coast we are now seeing all three scoter species including both male and female Surf Scoter, and many hundreds of Long-tailed Duck. All three divers are in, and a day sea watching is very rewarding at this time of year.  

Our 'Top Thirty' holiday takes us west, where we have baited sites for both eagle species, and the birds are reliable at the moment. Pine Marten are also reliable and showing well, and Otter are giving prolonged good views at favoured locations.

Autumn in Scotland? Surely difficult to beat anywhere in the UK! If you fancy something different for the New Year, please see our brand new 'First and Last Birds of the Year' holiday below. Limited spaces available.

28 October

EAGLE-EYED HEATHERLEA GROUP FINDS MISSING SEA EAGLE

In September this year one of our groups was treated to extremely good views of a young Sea Eagle, close enough indeed to identify the wing tag. We contacted the RSPB, and were delighted to hear back from them recently. Apparently the bird was a fostered chick from poisoned parents, reared in 2002. Officers had been looking for the bird for a long time without success, and were coming to the reluctant conclusion that it had died before we spotted it. Our find confirms the bird is healthy, and monitoring can now continue. Thanks to everyone on the holiday who helped.

15 October

SCOTTISH HOLIDAY NEWS
We have just finished a cracking 'Specials and Migration' week featuring Great Snipe, Surf Scoter, 'dark' Snow Goose, Capercaillie, Black Grouse, Grey Phalarope, Ptarmigan, Ring-billed Gull and many more. If you go to 'Holidays in Scotland' on the toolbar above and then 'Easy Walking' you will catch a flavour directly from our guests!

Our plans for Heatherlea here in Scotland for 2006 include another new minibus, internet access for guests (not sorted yet, but soon we hope), optional upgrade to meals in our two-rosette restaurant and much more. Please visit often, we will keep updating this page and many others!

24 September

SEPTEMBER BIRDING AT HEATHERLEA
We are currently enjoying some of the best birding of the year here in Scotland. Recent sightings include Capercaillie (lots of them, males and females this month), Black Grouse at the lek, Cresties and good numbers of Scottish Crossbills in the forest, and Ptarmigan on the hills. Both Golden and White-tailed Eagles are being seen regularly, and our migration watching is producing Leach's Petrel and Sooty Shearwater as well as all four skuas and the more usual Manx Shearwater and Storm Petrel. We had Baird's Sandpiper and pale morph Snow Goose recently (the goose is still with us), Surf Scoter and on North Ronaldsay American Golden Plover, Buff-breasted Sandpiper (found by our holiday group), Barred Warbler, 'Greenland' Redpoll, Lapland Bunting and White-rumped Sandpiper. White-winged gulls are back with us, Iceland being the commonest at the moment, and tomorrow a new Heatherlea birding week begins - who knows what they will find!

ARCHIVE - SOME NEWS FROM THE PAST!

New Minibus We are always investing to give you the best, and in March took delivery of a very smart, brand new Ford minibus. We hold a Bus Operator’s Licence and all our guides in Scotland are advanced drivers. For comfort and safety in the field you can’t beat Heatherlea.

Mountview Hotel wins second AA Rosette for food Regular Heatherlea guests know all about the quality of food here at The Mountview, and in March we were absolutely delighted to be awarded a second rosette from the AA. The Inspector recognised our continued improvement, and also said ‘mention should also be made of the hospitality, which was sincere, warm and friendly at all times’. Our extra rosette doesn’t mean changes in the Heatherlea kitchen! We still serve the traditional food you love, with a distinct taste of Scotland. Firm favourites still include venison, haggis, salmon, pork, beef and imaginative vegetarian dishes. We won’t be increasing our prices to reflect our second rosette either; the only thing going up as a result of this award is Heatherlea value!

NEW! Blackcock Stout is an award-winning Scottish beer, available from May 2005 only at Heatherlea. This rich, dark beer complements our ever popular Old Henry and Ptarmigan Lager favourites. Cheers!

New feeding station In March the first part of our new wildlife feeding station was installed, and we will add lots more over the coming months. With special attractions for woodpeckers and red squirrels, and seed and nut feeders everywhere, we are already noticing a huge increase in wildlife through our grounds. The new station can be watched directly from our front door, and even through the windows of our dining room. We expect this brand new attraction to be very busy over the coming months and years!