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The Outer Hebrides

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The Outer Hebrides THE OUTER HEBRIDES “After over 22 years of leading trips to the Outer Hebrides, the sheer beauty of the landscape and incredible wildlife these islands hold is as special to me as the very first time I visited all those years ago. Every new visit just makes me appreciate the unique and fabulous wildlife and birdlife of the islands even more. I can’t wait to get back out there!” Craig Round Dates Fri 6 - Sat 14 May 2022 Corncrakes rasp from fields and Snipe drum overhead, Price £2,295 in a watery landscape that the modern world has passed by, Deposit £450 Single Supp £300 on these timeless low-lying islands at Britain’s Atlantic edge. Leaders Craig Round and Sally Nowell Successful Corncrake watching every time, on over 40 trips! Weather Though usually quite dry, these islands Nesting waders in farmland that’s vanished elsewhere can experience all the seasons during Mile after mile of unspoilt white beaches and azure seas one trip and can be windy (5°-20°C) Wonderful for raptors, rare skuas and Short-eared Owl Walking Coastal walks on uneven terrain of up to 2 miles. Walking boots recommended Summer plumage Great Northern and other divers with trainers suitable on some occasions. White-tailed Eagle, Dotterel, Pomarine Skua and Otter Collapsible/telescopic walking poles could be useful for this trip. With our own two expert guides to the Western Isles Meals All included from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 9 We overnight on Friday in Inverness, by wind-blown shell sand and in the evenings the 1-2 to give us an early start for our journey sunset from the hotel can be truly beautiful, with Insects Biting insects are unlikely to be a problem down through the Great Glen and across the Isle of a backdrop chorus of ‘drumming’ displaying Snipe Accom Double, twin and single rooms Skye to Uig, before catching a ferry to Lochmaddy and calling Redshank overhead. all ensuite on North Uist. The Uists are one of the last strongholds for one Group 12 The crossing gives us a chance to do some of Britain’s rarest breeding birds, the Corncrake Just some of what we hope to see: sea-watching, with a great diversity of seabirds and newly arrived territorial males can be seen to be seen as we make our way across the Minch, before the vegetation grows tall, as they give their Corncrake Black Guillemot including Arctic Tern, Puffin, Guillemot, Razorbill, incredible rasping calls from open cover. Here too Golden Eagle Rock Dove Kittiwake, Gannet, Great and Arctic Skuas, Manx Twite feed, Skylark sing and Corn Bunting still give Hen Harrier Eider Shearwaters and various cetaceans, even before their jangling songs from rusty fences. Merlin Arctic Skua we reach the islands! Arriving on North Uist the Short-eared Owl Great Skua Cultivated ‘machair’ at Stilligarry and Rubha Ardvule, White-tailed Eagle Pomarine Skua bustle of modern life seems far away. Peregrine Long-tailed Skua sown with oats and potatoes, is alive with waders Long-tailed Duck Manx Shearwater Our hotel on North Uist has glorious in the spring, all vigorously displaying, including Great Northern Diver Red-necked Phalarope 3-7 views out to the west and over Baile numerous Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Red-throated Diver Greylag Goose Sear ‘machair’ dunes and meadows - formed Ringed Plover and Dunlin. Beautiful freshwater Great Northern Diver Greenshank Whooper Swan Golden Plover Whimbrel Otter Purple Sandpiper Grey Seal Arctic Tern Common Seal Little Tern Dolphins Julian Sykes: Corncrake Christine Maughan: Hebridean landscape, Corn Bunting, White-tailed Eagle Craig Round: Machair Tim Drew: Great Northern Diver, Otter [email protected] | 01479 812498 www.speysidewildlife.co.uk “Spring on the Outer Hebrides is quite simply breathtaking. Corncrakes rasp from meadows full of wildflowers and the air is filled with the sounds of displaying waders, an incredible soundscape sadly lost from much of mainland Britain these days. The beautiful deserted white shell sand beaches can be alive with thousands of migrant waders, as Arctic Terns sweep over-head, whilst the mountains and moorland is home to stunning Hen Harrier, Short-eared Owl and both Golden and White-tailed Eagles.” Craig Round lochs stud the landscape. All have beds of sedge Subalpine Warbler, Grey-headed Wagtail, Hoopoe and flowering bogbean and Flag Iris alive with and Dotterel - the latter almost annually. nesting Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Curlew and Redshank. A few elusive Red-necked Phalaropes Eastward, the land sweeps up from sea level arrive in mid-May and birding is always full to moors, peaty pools and soaring mountains. of surprises - perhaps a summering Whooper Red-throated Divers give their mournful wail and Swan, or displaying Ruff or Wood Sandpiper. truly wild Greylag Geese nest at Loch Druidibeg, joined by Common Sandpipers and Greenshank. Around the beautiful, unspoilt shell sand beaches and tidal bays, Common, Arctic and Little Tern The islanders stack peats to dry, where Dunlin can be seen. They also hold large numbers and Golden Plover display alongside Red Grouse of passage waders bound for the Arctic. and Wheatear. Golden Eagle, Buzzard, Peregrine Most are in stunning summer plumage at this time and Raven soar together over the dramatic of year and include Whimbrel, Dunlin, Sanderling hills. Hen Harrier, Merlin and Short-eared Owl and Purple Sandpiper, whilst closer scrutiny may commonly hunt the wild moors and we have reveal a hidden gem such as Curlew Sandpiper a very good chance of seeing that most or Little Stint! magnificent of predators, White-tailed Eagle. Outline Itinerary On rocky headlands there are Black Guillemot, Our last morning gives us a chance Shag and Rock Dove, with Red-breasted 8-9 to once more experience the sights Day 1 Meet in Inverness for overnight stay Merganser, Eider, Long-tailed Duck and Great and sounds of the ‘machair’ and wonderful 1 night at Premier Inn Northern Diver offshore - the latter in breeding coastline, before catching a midday ferry back Day 2 Travel down the Great Glen and across plumage. There’s a healthy Otter population and to Skye and making our way back to Inverness Skye before catching ferry to Lochmaddy we regularly see them, plus Grey and Common for our final overnight stay. and making the short journey to our hotel Seals and dolphin species. 6 nights at Temple View Hotel On Saturday morning, after breakfast, we say Days 3-7 Birdwatching and wildlife exploration Optional early morning sea-watching from our goodbyes. around North and South Uist and Benbecula Aird an Runair is renowned, but dependent Day 8 After morning birdwatching, we catch on weather, for the passage of rare Pomarine and a ferry from Lochmaddy to Uig, journey Long-tailed Skuas, plus Manx Shearwater, Gannet back across Skye and make our way and Arctic and Great Skua. We have also recorded back to Inverness other unusual migrants including Snowy Owl, 1 night at Premier Inn Great White Egret, Glaucous and Iceland Gull, Day 9 After breakfast we say our goodbyes Woodchat Shrike, Garganey, Golden Oriole, www.speysidewildlife.co.uk 01479 812498 | [email protected].
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