Hogmanay Birding Extravaganza

Many of you ask for something special over New Year, so come to the beautiful Highlands for a wonderful Hogmanay (we usually have snow on the mountains), and see special birds before and after the New Year. The holiday starts as you join us on arrival day for dinner. Birding begins the next morning, and we seek a selection from Golden Eagle, Black Grouse, Ptarmigan (weather permitting!), Crested Tit and Scottish Crossbill during the last few days of the year with a day at the coast too, and after ‘The Bells’ we head out for a full day of birding to get your new birdlist off to a flying start. You may have many birds for two yearlists! We have at least a day to visit the Moray Coast, where winter bird lists often reach 60 species, or the Black Isle, where wintering passerine flocks can number into the hundreds, and round up rarities such as Ring-billed Gull, Surf Scoter, Great Grey Shrike, Snow Goose and many other northern surprises. We will have our finger on the pulse to show you any rarities within reach, and daylight allows us a good seven hours or so birding every day. We reasonably expect around 90-100 bird species on this holiday.

Hogmanay is a time of great celebration in the Highlands, and on the night itself guests will have the opportunity to visit a nearby party, which could typically involve live music and dancing. Held in the open air, this is entirely subject to vagaries of the weather, so wrap up well! For those who prefer to stay indoors we will clear a space in our restaurant and celebrate ‘The Bells’ in the warmth. Breakfast is usually slightly later on the morning of 1 January, though with a brand new birdlist to begin you may wish to be up early!

Come and enjoy a Highland Birding Hogmanay with Heatherlea!

KEY MOMENTS at our round-up - which will be yours?

• Wildfowl and seaduck in their hundreds off the Moray Coast
• New Year's Day Birding and the chance to start your year list off with Highland specialities such as Crested Tit.
• That special rarity. Great Grey Shrike, an American duck or wader?... could be anything!
• Memorable Hogmanay celebrations here in the Highlands.

Day 1: Saturday 28th December 2024
Arrival, Dinner and welcome.

Days 2 - 4: Sunday 29th - Tuesday 31 December 2024
We enjoy a day birding for specialities in the local area, including Black Grouse, Crested Tit and Scottish Crossbill. Common and Parrot Crossbill occur in our forests too, posing a real identification challenge. Capercaillie are also present though are increasingly scarce and we no longer actively look for them. Any sightings should be seen as incidental. Birdlife adjacent to our Hotel might include flocks of Brambling, Siskin, Goldfinch and Redpoll, with Waxwing frequently present, and perhaps a single Great Grey Shrike. Weather permitting we may head to the mountains to look for Ptarmigan and Snow Bunting or try a local glen where Golden Eagle will be a top target. Another day we visit the coast, where birding is always fascinating at this time of year, with seaduck in large numbers including Long-tailed Duck, both Common and Velvet Scoter, and Red-breasted Merganser. Rarities in recent years have included Smew, American Wigeon, Surf Scoter, Snow Goose and many more; you never know what to expect in northern Scotland at this time!

New Year's Eve  Dinner will be a little bit special, informal as always. Later we celebrate the New Year with mulled wine. Hopefully the weather will allow village fireworks to entertain us. Listen for the sound of gunfire as locals mark the passing of the old year and the beginning of the new! If local villages are throwing a party, we will give the option of attending.

Days 5 - 7: Wednesday 1st - Friday 3rd January 2025
Get your birdlist off to the best start with a cracking first day of the year. We will look at the weather carefully, and plan an exciting day. Targets might include Iceland and Glaucous Gull, and of course another chance for key specialities including Black Grouse, crossbills and Crested Tit. Time in the glens gives us excellent chances for Golden Eagle, Dipper, Goosander and other upland raptors which may include Peregrine, Goshawk or Hen Harrier. Red Deer and Mountain Hare should also show well in stunning Highland scenery.

If weather allows we head to the West Coast on another day to give our New Year list a real boost with top targets including Great Northern and Black-throated Diver, Black Guillemot, Hooded Crow and Golden and White-tailed Eagle. There is a real chance of Otter too in some of the most stunning scenery in Scotland. We also round-up on the Black Isle or Moray Coast to see a good range wildfowl, waders, gulls, farmland species and perhaps a rarity or two.

Day 8: Saturday 4th January 2025
Breakfast and depart.

This holiday can be combined with:

MAINLAND SCOTLAND
New Year Birdlist Booster

What's included in your holiday price

• Seven nights comfortable accommodation at The Mountview Hotel, VisitScotland rated 3 Star. All rooms are en-suite, with TV and hospitality tray. There is no single supplement, and guests are never expected to share. Single guests may be upgraded to double room accommodation at no extra charge.
• Full Scottish breakfast, a substantial packed lunch, and a delicious dinner.
• Six full days wildlife watching.
• Guidance from a professional Group Leader.
• All transport by comfortable minibus. Access to estate grounds.
• Transport to and from nearby Hogmanay celebration on Dec 31, subject to availability.
• A checklist specifically prepared for your holiday to record your sightings and notes.
• Courtesy bus service to transport in Aviemore.

What's not included in your holiday price

• Insurance, drinks and other items of a personal nature.

More holiday information

Accommodation at Mountview Hotel can be seen here. All accommodation is en-suite unless otherwise advised before your booking is confirmed.
Food There is a choice of evening meal, and vegetarian, vegan and other diets are welcome. Breakfast may be chosen from a full Scottish menu. You don't need flasks for hot drinks.
Walking will be moderate, although optional mountain walking for Ptarmigan is strenuous, depending on the snow level.
Weather Expect a wide variation in weather conditions, though cold winds and snow are likely. Bring waterproofs, walking boots or shoes and warm clothing. Wellies not required!
Biting insects are not expected.
Group size maximum 7 clients per guide.
Optics. Telescopes will be useful, and you should bring binoculars. We have a limited number of top quality Swarovski binoculars, which you may borrow at no charge (subject to availability). A camera would be useful too!

Getting here is easy!

BY CAR Travel north to Perth. Take A9 signposted Inverness to exit north of Aviemore. Follow signs northeast through Boat of Garten to Nethy Bridge (ten miles). In Nethy Bridge, drive through the village, over the River Nethy, and you will see our sign 200 metres ahead on the right.

BY RAIL Don't forget our courtesy collection service from Aviemore on Saturdays at 16:30 and 19:30, but please let us know at least 48 hours in advance! The best train to Aviemore is the ‘Highland Chieftain’ on the East Coast Line. This leaves London Kings Cross at 12.00, arriving Aviemore at 19.28. We recommend you connect with this service if possible. Our pickup also works well with the 16:19 arrival from Edinburgh. In general, rail travel via Edinburgh is easier than via Glasgow, where a trip across the city between stations is needed, often followed by a change at Perth. Return trains leave Aviemore at 07.25, 08.29 (fast train to London –recommended), 09.24. 10:27 and 11.23. However, we can only make 2 journeys to Aviemore on Saturday morning, so you may be taken to Aviemore a little earlier.  Rail enquiries: 0845 7484950, www.nationalrail.co.uk.

BY AIR Flights to Inverness are becoming available all the time, for latest info call our office. Currently direct flights to Inverness are available from: Belfast, Dublin, Amsterdam, Birmingham, Jersey (all Flybe), London Gatwick, London Luton and Bristol (all Easyjet). A new service has just been launched with daily service to London Heathrow with British Airways. Guests arriving in Inverness airport can then take a taxi to Nethy Bridge, or take the Airport Flyer bus to Inverness, from where they can take the train to Aviemore where we can collect you. Our courtesy collection service is on Saturdays at 16:30 and 19:30, but please let us know which at least 48 hours in advance! We will be able to meet the 15:51 and 18:46 trains departing from Inverness that arrive at 16:34 and 19:24 respectively.