Day 1:

Start: Aberdeen. Arrive and settle into your accommodation. Welcome, evening meal and an introduction to the weeks activities. 

Day 2:

Today we will head west into the Cairngorms, hoping to start the day with displaying Black Grouse before shifting our focus to Caledonian Forest. With a backdrop of the central massif of the Cairngorms we will search some incredible woodlands for Scottish, Parrot and Common Crossbills, and may find Red Squirrels scampering along the boughs. Torrents of water descend from the peaks through dramatics clefts and one cannot help but be awed by the landscape which is undergoing a transformation as large swathes are rewilded. Golden and White-tailed Eagle can both be found in the area as well as Peregrine and Goshawk, whilst Tree Pipits and Redstart should be in full song. We may also encounter Green Woodpeckers which are surprisingly widespread in this area.

This evening we will visit a Pine Marten viewing hide and with luck other local residents may also put in an appearance, such as Badger. 

Day 3:

In stark contrast to the previous day we will head east to the coast, home to hundreds of thousands of seabirds stacked in an impressive seabird city. Common Guillemot, Razorbill, Fulmar and Kittiwake cram the ledges full and we will look out for Puffin as well. All along the coast we will keep our eyes peeled for Common and Grey Seal as well as the resident pod of Bottlenose Dolphins and maybe even Harbour Porpoise. 

Moving north we will explore an exceptionally rich estuary, dune and farmland area where we can hope to see a variety of wading birds, thousands of breeding Sandwich, Common, Arctic and Little Terns and a large haul out of Grey and Common Seals. Eider breed in large numbers and are occasionally joined by a King Eider. The estuary can hold impressive numbers of wading birds all heading north to breeding grounds in the Arctic and at this time of year many will look very smart in summer plumage. The agricultural areas along the coast are home to Corn Bunting, Tree Sparrow and Grey Partridge whilst the sand dunes should be alive to the sound of Skylarks. 

Day 4:

Today we journey to the western reaches of the Cairngorms where extensive marshes and lochs are home to the highly evocative Red- and Black-throated Diver. These two stunning species call out in the most haunting manner during spring. Slavonian Grebes and Goldeneye as well as Whooper Swan may well be found in the wetlands whilst returning waders, especially Curlew, Lapwing, Redshank and Snipe will all be actively singing away. Osprey will have returned from their African wintering grounds and we should encounter these regularly.

We will explore the extensive forests of Rothiemurcus and Abernethy, home to Red Squirrel and Crested Tit. Here we will keep a listen out for the distinctive ‘chip chip’ call of Crossbills and we may find Common, Parrot and Scottish Crossbill, the latter endemic to Highland Scotland. We will also take a break at the remarkable Lynbreck Croft, a small Highland Farm which not only produces very tasty food (you will get to try it!), but also farms with nature in mind.  

Day 5:

Herds of Red Deer graze the hillsides whilst in the valley bases we should find Roe Deer. As we ascend towards Glenshee we will search for Red Grouse, Mountain Hare, Ring Ouzel and a number of Arctic-alpine plants. If conditions are suitable we will endeavour to reach an area where Ptarmigan and occasionally Dotterel can be found. In the late-afternoon we will explore the fringes of the southern side of the national park where Eurasian Beaver have taken hold and with any luck we will see them out foraging.

Day 6:

We will head out in search of woodland birds such as Green Woodpecker, Redstart, Tree Pipit, Cuckoo, three species of Crossbill. Dippers and Grey Wagtails can be found along the rivers and we may also find more Black Grouse on the forest edge where Whinchats can occasionally be seen. Adders may be found basking in open glades and weather permitting we hope to find Kentish Glory and Emperor Moths.

Day 7:

Following breakfast this tour will conclude in Aberdeen.

Capercaillie Need Our Help

Capercaillie are rapidly declining in Scotland and one of the biggest pressures they face today is simply disturbance. This is easy to avoid so Wild Discovery does not go searching for this bird on any of their tours.

If you are thinking of going looking for Capercaillie please don’t. If you visit woodland please stick to the paths and if you have a dog please make sure they stay on the lead. Let’s do our bit to give these magnificent and iconic birds a chance.