News from the Field - January 2025
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“Being a year lister myself I always look forward to guiding this trip and it lived up to expectations! We cleared up on the local specialities - Crested Tit, Crossbill and Snow Bunting - on day one with the added bonus of watching a Bank Vole climbing a tree! We then spent a few days covering most of the key coastal areas including the Aberdeenshire coast, Moray and the Black Isle with excellent views of Long-tailed Duck at close quarters, Velvet and Common Scoter, Black-throated, Red-throated and
Great Northern Divers plus a couple of rarities in Red-necked Grebe and Snow Goose. Out on the west coast we watched an amazing interaction between a pair of Golden Eagle and an immature White-tailed Eagle with the former clearly escorting the latter out of their territory. Add in a day in the Cairngorms where we picked up Red Grouse, Black Grouse and Ptarmigan and it made for a fabulous week of Highland birding!”
Heatherlea Guide: Holly Page
“The Sri Lanka trip is at its halfway point, and already the group has
enjoyed a wealth of bird life (200+ species) across various habitats and altitudes, including many of the endemics, lots of mammals including three monkey species, Asian Elephant and a Leopard, plus colourful butterflies galore! The hotels and lodges have been flawless, the local food has been enjoyed by all, and there has even been cultural elements including visits to temples, dance shows, and the climb up Sigiriya Lion
Rock! Our two local guides have been excellent, and despite some late monsoon weather conditions, the action never stops - we are still to enjoy Sinharaja (the premier rainforest site in the country) and two boat trips as part of a whale watching extension. It really is an amazingly wonderful and hospitable must-see destination!”
Heatherlea Guide: Mike Coleman
" Teaming up with resident guide John, for our ever popular ‘Spain – birding and Lynx’ tour, we divided our time between the Coto Doñana and Sierra de Andújar National Parks, and it was in the former where our group struck lucky with a wonderfully close Iberian Lynx encounter. Also in the Doñana region, the wetlands, saltpans and estuaries served up great views of Greater Flamingo, Spoonbill, Black-winged Stilt and other waders, plus Ferruginous, Marbled and White-headed Duck. Good 
numbers of Booted Eagle and Black-winged Kite appear to be wintering this year, while the sight of a 1000 strong ‘murmuration’ of Glossy Ibis was a memorable sight and something we have never seen before! In Andújar, raptors featured strongly, with nice views of displaying Spanish Eagle, Griffon and Cinereous Vulture plus Eagle and Little Owl, Iberian Green Woodpecker, Blue Rock Thrush, Crag Martin and plenty more. Mouflon, Iberian Ibex and a family of Weasels went down well, as did early butterflies and some winter sun!"
Heatherlea Guide: Mark Warren