Status | Starts | Group size | Leader | Duration/price Inc. flights from/to UK | Duration/price Exc. international flights | Single supp. | ||
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Available | Max. 7 | Mike Dilger | 4 days: £795 pp. | £175 | ||||
Available | Max. 7 | Mike Dilger | 4 days: £795 pp. | £175 |
Among Britain’s finest wetlands, the Somerset Levels abound with wildlife. Thousands of waterfowl and waders winter here, preyed on by marsh harriers and peregrines. Local populations of great egrets and reintroduced cranes grow each year. Starling murmurations here are unrivalled in the UK. Explore this magical wetland with TV naturalist Mike Dilger.
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- We meet in Wells in the early afternoon. Depending on weather and daylight we may then have time for some local birdwatching.
- Accommodation: Worth House Hotel, 3-nights on half board basis.
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- We have two full days to explore the abundant wildlife of the Somerset Levels with Mike Dilger. Historic wet grassland is drained by ditches, known locally as rhynes, which are the haunt of great and little egrets, bitterns and otters.
- The Avalon Marshes, which lie under historic Glastonbury Tor, are the winter home of thousands of wigeon, teal, pintail, lapwing, golden plover, curlew and other waterbirds. Watching them are the hungering eyes of peregrines, merlins, hen and marsh harriers and sparrowhawks. Much of our time in the Somerset Levels will be concentrated in these priceless marshes.
- The Somerset Levels are the home of the Great Crane Project which has successfully reintroduced the common crane to the southwest of England. With 23 pairs of cranes in the region in 2018, we will make a special effort to find a winter flock of these magnificent birds.
- The most famous of the Somerset Levels’ avian attractions in winter are its breathtaking murmurations of starlings. We will make every effort to witness this extraordinary spectacle during our two full days here.
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- We enjoy a final morning of birdwatching with Mike on the Somerset Levels, targeting any notable species we may have missed, before taking lunch at a pub and returning to Wells where the tour concludes.
All prices are per person and include:
- Services of the naturalist leader
- Accommodation
- Breakfast & dinner
- Guided activities
Accommodation
We stay at Worth House Hotel which is located in the Somerset countryside and offers comfortable en suite accommodation.
Meals
Breakfasts and dinners taken at the hotel are included. Lunches are taken at a pub in the Somerset Levels and are not included in the price.
Birds
In winter the Somerset Levels teem with teal, wigeon, pintail, golden plover and lapwing. These are preyed on by marsh and hen harriers, sparrowhawks and peregrines. Bitterns lurk in the edges of reedbeds and great egrets tower over ducks on scrapes and pools. At dusk vast, swirling clouds of starlings gather before dropping to roost.
- Bittern
- Bearded tit
- Great egret
- Peregrine
Scenery
Many of the most important sites for wildlife in the Somerset Levels are ancient peat diggings. Together these form the Avalon Marshes which lie in the shadow of historic Glastonbury Tor. They are surrounded by wet grassland, criss-crossed by drainage rhynes, and plantations of willow, in a landscape which has changed little in hundreds of years.
Photography
With ducks in crisp breeding plumage, shining in low winter light, this is the perfect time to capture them with a camera. This is also the best time of year to photograph the mesmerising gatherings of starlings which characterise the Somerset Levels in winter.
Walking
Easy walking, covering short distances on lowland nature reserves. Ground will be wet underfoot at some sites.
Ground transport
Minibus driven by the tour leader.