Tours are run at a relaxed and leisurely pace. With an absolute maximum of 5 clients, ideally everyone gets an intuitive personal service. We will observe birds in their natural habitat and recognise how to identify regular species by sight as well as their calls and songs. Quite often we encounter more uncommon and scarce species providing an interesting comparison.
The locations we typically visit on the coast include: Snettisham, Holme, Titchwell, Thornham and Holkham, whilst inland sites include Flitcham, Wolferton and Roydon. These incorporate a variety of habitats from coastal estuary, beach and marsh to areas of heath, woodland and farmland.
Tours run every Tuesday and Friday and allowing for some flexibility are usually based on a half or a full day's birding. Half day tours can be taken either in the morning or afternoon and each lasts approx. 3 hours. Our usual morning tour begins at 8.30am and the afternoon at 1pm.
Full days usually involve visiting two localities enabling clients to observe a more varied amount of bird species from different habitats. The day includes a break of approx. 1 hr 30 mins between trips. This allows clients to take lunch (a packed lunch is recommended), and to re-locate for the afternoon. Therefore, a full day's birding will last approx. 6 hours, plus the lunch break in between. I will be carrying a flask or two of hot soup to share on those cold winter days!
Sometimes it can be more productive to begin a morning tour at dawn, for example to observe skeins of Pink-footed Geese leaving their roosting site on a winter's day or thousands of shorebirds moving off the incoming high tides, performing their acrobatic aerial displays. Therefore, times can vary enabling clients to get the best from their trip.
At certain times of the year, shorter trips for specific species are available, lasting for approx. 2 hrs. For example, during spring and early summer we visit heathland sites in the evening until dusk to try and locate breeding Nightjars.
Itineraries are planned in advance for all tour dates and maximise the natural conditions available (eg. high tide times). Tours can also be based around an individual or group's own requirements, please contact me to discuss and plan your trip.
As there are a limited number of spaces for each tour, bookings operate on a 'first come, first served' basis.
For details of tour itineraries, dates and times, please view the Coastal Birding Tours blog by clicking on the 'latest news' page from the website's menu or alternatively contact me for more information.