BirdGuides

www.birdguides.com World of Birds • 2023 5 JOSH JONES Where in the world? O ur World of Birds reader tour programme is long-established and popular. Working in association with a select group of specialist birding tour operators, we o er destinations and departures with the promise of some fantastic birding and, importantly, excellent value for money. With travel easier again, we have put together another exciting schedule of holidays for the next year. An early spring eight-day tour starting on 25 March to western Sweden should bring the memorable sight (and sound) of many thousands of Common Cranes and Whooper Swans, as they stage in the area before dispersing to breed. We have several days to soak in the impressive spectacle, before we move further north to explore the old-growth forests in search of Scandinavian specialities such as Eurasian Eagle-Owl, Ural, Great Grey, Eurasian Pygmy and Tengmalm’s Owls and Black, Grey-headed and Eurasian Three-toed Woodpeckers. Then, 29 April-8 May sees us head to Bulgaria for some classic spring birding. Dividing our time between the mountains and the coast, we will search for breeding Wallcreeper in a spectacular gorge and should also encounter a wide range of raptors, including Cinereous Vulture and Levant Sparrowhawk, as well as tracking down newly arrived breeders such as Semicollared Flycatcher, Barred Warbler and Masked Shrike. Moving on to the coastal wetlands, we will be treated to a host of waterbirds, including several heron species, Pygmy Cormorant and both Great White and Dalmatian Pelicans. Our tour to beautiful Herzegovina from 14-25 May is a guaranteed departure and based in the historic town of Mostar. A wide range of di erent habitats are within easy reach of our comfortable accommodation and the spring birding will be fantastic at this time. Leisurely days in the field should reveal flocks of European Bee-eaters, Golden Orioles, shrikes and a fine array of warblers, as well as special resident species such as Rock Partridge, Sombre Tit and Western Rock Nuthatch. This holiday is fully inclusive of all meals and GREAT DESTINATIONS READER HOLIDAYS Fancy a bird- lled trip to West Africa, Eastern Europe or Scandinavia? Look no further than our World of Birds reader tours for 2023! BOOK WITH PEACE OF MIND WE work in partnership with professional specialist companies to offer itineraries led by experienced guides – at prices that offer excellent value for money. All partner companies are fully bonded and comply with the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018. ■ ■ If you’d like to nd out more about any of the tours above, full itineraries and details on how to book can be found at: www.birdguides.com/articles/travel/world-of-birds-holidays MORE INFO local wines and is superb value on many levels. Our nine-day tour of the West African country of Senegal in October features a wide range of avian possibilities. In addition to encountering many new and exciting bird families, we should also see good numbers of the more familiar Palearctic migrants that make the Sahel region their home during the northern winter. Arabian and Savile’s Bustards, Goliath Heron, Saddle-billed Stork, Scissor-tailed Kite and Cricket Warbler have all been found regularly on previous tours, as has the rare and elusive Golden Nightjar. This tour also boasts a pelagic trip to search for the range of seabirds that are found in the deep coastal waters. Further tours will be added as the year progresses, so check in regularly to see our latest o ers. ■ OUR EXCLUSIVE PROGRAMME OF READER HOLIDAYS The highly desired Golden Nightjar is one of the key targets of our Senegal tour, which runs in October.