Destinations far & wide
I also lead trips further afield as a freelance guide for other tour companies such as Bird's Wildlife & Nature, Wings and Oriole Birding.
Some may be to far flung places while other short breaks may be closer to home
2024 Adventures:
It has been a great year so far for Blue Eyed Birder and I have had the privilege to guide in the UK, Europe and much further afield. Below are the links to my blogs for these amazing trips that I undertake for Bird's Wildlife & Nature and Oriole Birding. As you will see there is still more to come. I hope some of you will join me soon.
The Trip Reports:
Somerset Levels & the Forest of Dean with Oriole: March 2024
Winter out west is always exciting
Day 1 , Day 2 , Day 3 , Day 4 and Day 5
Sri Lanka with Bird's Wildlife & Nature: March 2024
It was spectacular! 237 species of bird with all 34 endemics seen, 19 mammals with three Leopards, 50 Asian Elephants, Water Buffalo and a Fishing Cat, 19 Snakes, Lizards and such like, 56 Butterfly and 28 Dragonfly species, amazing scenery, tasty food and the friendliest people I have ever met.
Day 1 , Day 2 , Day 3 , Day 4 , Day 5 , Day 6 , Day 7 , Day 8a , Day 8b , Day 9 , Day 10 , Day 11 , Day 12, Day 13 , Day 14 & 15
Lesvos: April 2024
We had a fantastic week on this most magical of islands. Anyone interested in next spring?
Day 1 , Day 2 , Day 3 , Day 4 , Day 5 , Day 6, Day 7 , Day 8
Hungary with Bird's Wildlife & Nature: May 2024
This short break was a perfect introduction to the wonders of Hungary. The steppes of the Kiskunság take you a step back in time to a non-intensive farmland while the unspoilt Bükk Hills give you a taste of primeval forests.
Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7
Estonian Summer with Oriole Birding: June 2024
A trip to remember with special summer breeding warblers, tricky woodpeckers and owls, dancing Great Snipe, Corncrakes, Eagles, Moose and a host of butterflies
Day 1-2; Day 3; Day 4; Day 5; Day 6; Day 7; Day 8.
The Scottish Highlands in early summer with Bird's Wildlife & Nature: 2024
The weather made things a little challenging at times and we managed to connect with most of the target species. Eagles soared, Divers serenely swam, Crested Tits churred and Ospreys fed their young at the nest. There were plenty of good inverts too and some sunshine brought out the local specialities while Badgers and a Pine Marten performed on the last evening.
Day 1; Day 2; Day 3; Day 4; Day 5; Day 6;
Uganda with Bird's Wildlife & Nature: July 2024
I ran out of superlatives. It was an incredible two weeks touring sites across the western half of this amazing country from Shoebills in the swamps near Entebbe to Gorillas and Broadbills in the deep jungle of Bwindi, big game in Queen Elizabeth NP, Chimps at Kibale and savannah species in Mburo and Muchison. We saw almost 500 species of bird and 41 mammals. Can't wait to go again.
Day 1; Day 2; Day 3; Day 4; Day 5; Day 6; Day 7; Day 8; Day 9; Day 10; Day 11; Day 12:
Hampshire & Dorset Summer Wildlife with Oriole Birding - August 2024
A few days spent searching the New Forest and Dorset coast for Butterflies and Dragonflies was made more challenging by the British weather but we did very well in the end with Lulworth and Silver Spotted Skippers, Chalkhill Blues and Dark-green Fritillaries and Lesser Emperors, Scarce Blue-tailed and Southern Damselflies and Beautiful Demoiselles as well as Woodlarks, Dartford Warblers and even Honey Buzzards.
Norfolk Autumn Migration with Oriole Birding - October 2024
The weather was a little challenging at times but we stuck to the task of searching for incoming winter visitors and autumn waifs and encountered several Yellow-browed Warblers, Barred, Greenish and Wood Warbler, cute Snow Buntings, flights of Pink-footed Geese, Cattle and Great White Egrets, bugling Cranes, Pallid and Marsh Harriers, soaring Red Kites and a ghostly Barn Owl as well as some good late insect including nine species of Butterfly, three Dragons and the rare Sea Aster Mining Bees along the coast.
Day 1; Day 2; Day 3; Day 4; Day 5; Day 6:
Costa Rica with Bird's Wildlife & Nature - November 2024
Once again the weather was sent to try us but we had a magnificent two weeks in a figure of eight tour that took us through different habitats at vastly different elevations with over 400 species of birds encountered along the way. There were so many more butterflies this time and we even got lucky with Baird's Tapirs too! I will post my blogs as I write them.
Day 1; Day 2; Day 3; Day 4; Day 5; Day 6; Day 7; Day 8; Day 9; Day 10; D
Japan- Cranes, Eagles & Snow Monkeys with Bird's Wildlife & Nature
4th-15th February 2025 - The trip of a life time. Full and good to go
To visit Japan in winter is a unique and wonderful experience. Tens of thousands of Cranes of at least 5 species can be seen dancing and displaying on the snowy fields or flying into roost against the backdrop of glorious sunsets. As well as the highlight of seeing these cranes, we will also get to see the awesome Steller’s Sea-Eagles and hordes of seabirds, and winter ducks on Hokkaido.
Our stay at Rausu will give us opportunities to see the highly sought after Blakiston’s Fish-Owl and we will take the famous Bullet Train to see the ever popular and famous Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani as they entertain us in their hot thermal pools.
Among the many special birds here we will look for Japanese Accentor, Baikal Teal, the very difficult Copper Pheasant, plus a short boat trip to see Japanese Murrelet near their breeding grounds. This trip will be filled with stunning scenery, and many photographic opportunities, which will include many very special birds.
For more details and booking information please visit here:
Pic of Steller's Sea Eagles - Paul Manning
Forest of Dean & Somerset Levels with Oriole Birding
9th-13th March 2025
A trip of two halves - winter forest birding with Goshawks, Hawfinches and Dippers before experiencing the spectacles of wildfowl, Cranes and Egrets across the Levels.
For more details click here
Lesvos - week one with the Blue Eyed Birder
20th-27th April 2025
Join me in my happy place for a week of migration wonders along with breeding specialities like Krüper's Nuthatch, Rüppell's Warbler, Cretzschmar's and Cinereous Buntings. Butterflies, Dragonflies and some stunning botanical delights will keep us busy.
I use the Jet2 package option to run this trip and stay at the Pela Hotel. For more details please email me here:
Lesvos - week two with Oriole Birding
27th April - 4th May 2025 Guaranteed departure
Outer Hebrides - Corncrakes & Skuas Oriole Birding
11th May - 17th May 2025 Guaranteed departure
The Outer Hebrides is known as the last remaining stronghold for Corncrakes in the UK and we have timed our visit with the arrival of the majority of the population but we shall also be spending time watching the seas at Aird an Runair headland at Balranald for the famous passage of Long-tailed and Pomarine Skuas along with a host of breeding plumaged shorebirds, raptors (including both Eagles), seabirds and scarce resident breeders.
For more details click here:
And yes this is a White-tailed Eagle - I don't have any good Skua or Corncrake pics yet!
The Birds & Orangutans of Borneo - Sabah
(+ Borneo Rainforest Lodge Extension) with Bird's Wildlife & Nature
3rd - 13th June 2025 with extension 13th - 17th June.
Guaranteed departure but still places available.
The Malaysian state of Sabah occupies the northern part of the tropical island of Borneo and is famous for the country’s highest peak Mount Kinabalu. This rainforest-cloaked island is one of the richest natural places on our Earth and a must visit destination for anyone interested in birds and wildlife.
We will be concentrating on the northern state of Sabah, which harbours large remaining tracts of lowland and montane rainforest and is home to vast array of wonderful birds including over 40 endemics. This is a birdwatchers and naturalists heaven, where we can search for birds such as brightly coloured Pitta’s and Broadbill’s, the extraordinary Great Argus, Bornean Bristlehead, Whitehead’s Trogon, Storm’s Stork, plus exciting reptiles, unusual plants and sought-after mammals that include Proboscis Monkey and incomparable Orangutan.
Starting off in the Rafflesia Reserve in the Crocker Mountain Range for our first endemics we will then move to the famous Mount Kinabalu and it’s National Park. After several very exciting days here we will visit Poring Hot Springs before descending into the lush forests around Sepilok and then Kinabatangan for some river birding.
For those that wish we are offering a short extension to the famous Borneo Rainforest Lodge at Danum Valley. This is a luxury lodge set in a private area of bird rich forest with many incredible and desirable species.
And do not forget an enviable list of other magnificent creatures while in the hands of our fantastic local guide. It will undoubtedly be a highlight of our 2025 tour diary. Join us on yet another trip of a life-time.
For more details and booking information please visit here:
Pic of Rufous Collared Kingfisher - Steve Bird
Mull & Iona – Midsummer Magic with Oriole Birding
29th June - 5th July 2025 Guaranteed departure
Rugged scenery and long summer nights epitomise the romantic Western Isles of Scotland. Our tour to these evocative and wild places captures the true spirit and tranquillity of the islands . It will not just be about Eagles, Corncrakes, Auks and Otters but all a host of Wildflowers and insects and after fifteen years of visiting these islands, Oriole know the best spots well. Join us for an island odyssey and see for yourself why this trip is so popular!
Click here for more details
The New Forest – summer birding with Oriole Birding
7th - 11th July 2025
This New Forest wildlife tour is designed with the budding entomologist in mind. The New Forest offers opportunities to see some of Britain’s rarest damselflies, including Small Red, Southern, Scarce Blue-tailed and White-legged, Beautiful Demoiselle and Golden-ringed along with a host of fantastic Butterflies too if the weather is kind to us with Dark Green Fritillaries, Silver Studded Blues and Purple Emperors.
There will be other entomological delights and some excellent botany too. Oh and of course the New Forest is a top location for some of our most iconic heathland and old forest birds.
Click here for more details
Hampshire & Dorest – summer insect fest! Oriole Birding
4th - 8th August 2025
A short break, with the butterfly- and dragonfly-enthusiast particularly in mind, where we are based once again in the delightful New Forest town of Lyndhurst for this Dorset & Hampshire wildlife tour.
We have timed this holiday to optimise the chances of seeing some of Britain’s most localised, and scarcest, butterflies, such as Chalkhill, Silver-studded and Small Blue, Brown Hairstreak, Grayling and Lulworth and Silver-spotted Skipper. A supporting cast of Silver-washed Fritillary, White Admiral, Wall Brown and Purple Hairstreak may also be available should the season be slightly late.
The rarer Odonata will be represented by Small Red-eyed Damselfly, Southern Damselfly, Small Red Damselfly, Black Darter and Beautiful Demoiselle. At this time of the year, birding should also be very interesting in the New Forest. Honey Buzzard and Northern Goshawk will now have young on the wing, and we also stand a good chance of finding Dartford Warbler, Woodlark and Firecrest.
Click here for more details
Mallorca & Cabrera - Balearic Birding in the Autumn with Oriole Birding
16th - 23rd September 2025 - note slight date change
This autumn migration holiday is based from a tranquil countryside hotel on a working ecological estate in the south-east of the island. Our holiday offers a relaxed pace, excellent birding and a true taste of what this tried and tested birding destination has to offer during the less well-watched peak of autumn migration.
This tour is designed to operate at a relaxed pace, as we spend our days visiting some of the best birding sites on the island and our evenings enjoying a superb Mallorcan dinner, all this to the sound of calling Stone Curlews and European Scops Owl around our accommodation! An excellent destination to cut your European birding teeth, the island offers unrivalled opportunities for studying migrant birds, but also has its own list of specialities such as Eleonora’s Falcon, Balearic Warbler, Balearic & Scopoli’s Shearwaters, Audouin’s Gull, Black Vulture, Thekla Lark, Moustached Warbler and the Balearic form of Woodchat Shrike.
Very special features of this holiday are the visits we make to the islands of Cabrera and Dragonera; both premier sights in Spain for observing migration. We will spend the day on the beautiful Cabrera, allowing us to really soak up the atmosphere of this beautiful archipelago, while also putting us in the best position for observing migration.
For more details and booking information please visit here:
Estonia in the autumn - a private tour with Oriole Birding
1st - 6th October 2025
Most birders visit in the late winter, spring and early summer but this private tour will give us the chance to experience the magic of Baltic migration in full flow. Perhaps it will be a trip for the future? I will report back!
Autumn Birding in Norfolk with Oriole Birding
13th - 19th October 2025
In the autumn almost anything is possible along the Norfolk coast. Pink-footed Geese will be foraging in the fields, autumn thrushes and hopefully Snow Buntings & Shorelarks will be around and there is always the chance of an eastern waif lurking in the bushes.
Click here for more details
South Africa - best of the Western Cape with Oriole Birding
29th September to 10th October 2025 - led by Gary Elton - still spaces
10th-22nd November 2025 led by me - Fully booked
This magical tour around South Africa’s south-west corner is a feast of stunning scenery, great birding and once in a lifetime wildlife experiences, starting in the southern peninsular of the beautiful Western Cape. Boulders Beach and its African Penguin colony is close to our hotel, and we can expect stunning views of these charismatic (if not a little smelly!) birds along with a host of endemic local species.
Our exciting pelagic trip to the continental shelf south of Cape Point gives us an amazing opportunity to see Albatrosses and many Petrels along with many Cetaceans.
The Cape Mountain Fynbos holds the fantastic Cape Rock-jumper and Cape Rock Thrush and many other birds prefixed with Cape! Some of the more elusive birds of western South Africa – including Swee Waxbill, Fiscal Flycatcher, Bar-throated Apalis, the endemic Forest Buzzard and the inconspicuous Protea Canary can also occasionally be found nearby at the delightful Harold Porter reserve.
North of Cape Town, the wheatlands of Philadelphia can add a variety of Larks, Pipits, Bishops and Weavers as well as South Africa’s National bird – the Blue Crane. The West Coast National Park’s Langebaan Lagoon provides shelter to visiting shorebirds. The strandveld here supports many local specialities including the Southern Black Korhaan and the superb Black Harrier before we head eastward through the mountains to the remote Tanqua Karoo hosting thirty five Southern African endemics! From here we visit the Grootvadersbos State Forest where we hope to find the stunning Narina Trogon and Knysna Warbler. Finally we spend a day birding the Agulhas Plains on our way down to the Indian Ocean where the Damara Tern colony rounds off our fabulous exploration of this stunning country.
Click here for more details
Brazil – Atlantic Rainforest Endemics with Oriole Birding
2nd - 11th December 2025
For our foray into this endemic-rich region, we will be based throughout at the delightful Itororo Eco-lodge, set within the 58,000ha Tres Picos State Park in the heart of the Atlantic rain forest, south-east Brazil. The lodge sits at an altitude of 1200m, tucked away in its own private valley of 50 acres and offering not only excellent birding opportunities in its own grounds, but with easy access to all of the other key birding spots in the area. In the fifty acre grounds of the lodge over 180 species have already been recorded, of which 60 are Atlantic forest endemics!
Your tour leader will be Howard Vaughan who will be working throughout with Andy Foster, an expert in the birds of the region who has been guiding tours to the Atlantic Forest region since 1995. You can expect to see approximately 270 species of which 80 are endemic.
Click here for more details
Bulgaria & Romania -
Red-breasted Goose special with Bird's Wildlife & Nature
7th - 13th February 2026
We offer one of the most exciting winter tours in Europe. From Northern Bulgaria to some of the best birding sites along the Black Sea Coast and Danube Delta of Romania. This tour aims to bring you as close as possible to thousands of wintering Red-breasted Geese and as they are very dependent on weather conditions and occupy the border area, we shall spend a week following the feeding flocks between the two countries, There will of course be plenty of other birds to look for including most of the woodpeckers, owls, wintering raptors and even a chance of Wallcreeper, both Pelicans, Pygmy Cormorants and even Great Black-headed Gull.
For more details and booking information please visit here:
Pic of Red-breasted Geese - Iordan Hristov
Costa Rica with Bird's Wildlife & Nature
March 2026 - dates to be confirmed
We will visit a variety of bird rich hotspots in central Costa Rica, staying at some of the country’s very best lodges offering superb value for money and the chance to see nearly half the country’s birds in just one trip!
From the Caribbean lowlands, to Pacific coast and then the forested highlands we offer the opportunity to experience a wealth of differing habitats that all hold their own special birds. Zipping Hummingbirds can be seen coming to feeders alongside colourful Tanagers, absurd Oropendolas, toucan-like Aracaris, Honeycreepers and Euphonias.
We have three fantastic boat trips takes us along a bird filled estuary and into the mangroves, and also two slow flowing rivers where countless species allow close approach and ideal photo opportunities. We can expect Sungrebe, Pinnated Bittern, kingfishers, crakes and much more. In the highlands we will look for one of the world’s most beautiful birds, the Resplendent Quetzal along with other cloud forest specialties.
With huge butterflies, dragonflies, lizards, several monkeys, sloths, and forests laden with orchids and flowers this is a must visit destination for anyone with an interest in wildlife. Rest assured that Bird's Wildlife & Nature are envied for setting up and running Costa Rica’s very best birdwatching tours with itineraries that work.
The Ultimate Northern Greece Tour with Bird's Wildlife & Nature
16th - 25th April 2026
Northern Greece is one of the most beautiful and scenic regions of Europe and couples wonderful landscapes with diverse birds and wildlife and of course fantastic food!
We shall start this superb tour around Lake Kerkini which is more reminiscent of the great lakes of Africa with hordes of Pelicans, Cormorants, Herons and Waders before heading up into Vrondous mountains with its soaring raptors, Rock Partridges, eastern Warblers and a wealth of Woodpeckers. Wallcreepers are a possibility before we drop back down to the marshes around Porto Lagos and then to the Dadia Forest in the north west where Vultures soar and a host of new woodland and dry country specialities can be found.
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