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| Included | Wildlife guide on an exclusive basis for you and up to 6 friends or family members. Transport for the day in a comfortable 8-seater minibus or car and we shall pick you up from your accomodation within Badenoch and Strathspey. If you are staying outwith the area, the distances from a meeting location by car, are as follows;
Inverness is approx 40 minutes
Perth is approx 2 hours
Aberdeen is approx 2 hours and 30 mins
Edinburgh is approx 3 hours
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| Leaders | We match your specific day guiding needs to the skills of our guides, to ensure you have the best day out possible. We therefore have a pool of guides that we use, each with specific knowledge and interests. You can book a standard day – 9am-5pm – or an extended day. Extended days can start early or finish late, depending on the species you would like to see. The full details on the itinerary tab tell you which days out work best as extended days. Your guide will suggest the best start time. It will be dependent on the time of year and the main species you would like to look for.
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| Logisitics | Please provide a mobile phone number on the booking form, so that your guide can get in contact with you two or three days before your due day out, to ensure all details in place. For extended days booked, this will include a suggestion of the best start time. You guide will provide tea and coffee but please ensure you have your own picnic lunch for the day. Please bring your own binoculars and telescope if you have one. Attached to your booking confirmation will be a ‘what to bring’ document, giving you handy hints of clothing etc., to make your day out more comfortable.
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| Hygiene | Our guide will be carrying hand sanitiser and disinfectant spray to be used if and when they see fit in any circumstance.
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| Cost | From £250 Standard day if booked online / £300 if booked manually via office. Max 8 hours
From £325 Extended day if booked online / £375 if booked manually via office. Max 10 hours
Actual start time to be agreed between you and your guide (either day out includes transport for you and up to 6 companions).
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| Walking | Most walks will be on wide sandy tracks, except in the Cairngorms, where terrain is more steep and uneven, so walking boots are essential. Your guide will discuss walking options with you beforehand.
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| Photography | All the photographs used on our website have been taken by guests and guides and demonstrate the images that can be possible during holidays and days out. As photographers know however, days out purely for photography require a completely different approach to being out birdwatching and we’ll always put birdwatching first. That’s what our guides are skilful at, they aren’t professional photography guides, but we can take you to places which we know are frequented by certain species. We do have a specific unguided photographic hide for Badgers, with room for 1-2 people, which is available to be booked on an exclusive basis, but we don’t routinely use ‘hides’ during our Guided Days Out and therefore photographers may find that the wildlife is not as close as they’d like.
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| Access | As part of our suggested itineraries, we offer an 'All Abilities Cairngorms National Park'. This tailored day will ensure where possible, that everyone in your group can experience the scenery and wildlife that our National Park has to offer. In addition, for a small extra charge, we can provide all-terrain wheelchairs for adults and children alike, so opening up even more of our National Park to those who need that extra bit of help to get around.
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| Weather | Weather varies from cold to warm and sunny (-5° to +25°C), with less rainfall than much of Scotland but snow possible in the mountains.
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| Insects | Biting midges occur in some places during the summer.
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| Options | All Abilities Cairngorms National Park - We’ll tailor the day so you can experience the best that our National Park has to offer
Our Cairngorms National Park – our most popular day out and allows great flexibility as to where you go
Summer Wildflowers in the Cairngorms - the Cairngorms is host to a variety of special species. Only available mid-Jun to mid-Jul.
Pine Forest – best in spring and autumn – autumn is a good time to look for Capercaillie
Cairngorm Mountains – works well in the summer but requires a degree of fitness, as walking will be on mountain tracks
Moorland and Moray Firth – good for raptors and moorland grouse species in the summer and seaduck over the winter
Highland Glen – good in summer and autumn when raptors and their young are on the wing
Woodland Walks – can be tailored easily for half days
River Spey Walk – can also be tailored easily for half days
Loch Fleet - seals all year, Osprey and terns in spring and summer with waders, wildfowl and dune flowers in autumn and winter
Black Isle - one of best places in UK to see Bottlenose Dolphins but fabulous birding too especially in the autumn and winter |
| * Our expert guides have a wealth of knowledge about the wildlife of Scotland
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| * Book your own guide and comfortable minibus for you and up to six companions
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| * Target the species you want to see in the Cairngorms National Park and wider area
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| * Collection from your accommodation or location of your choice
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| * Combine this with an evening at our wildlife watching hide
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| * Ideal for families, small groups, couples or individuals
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| * Perfect gift for birthdays, anniversaries, retirement etc
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| The Cairngorms National Park is home to some of our most iconic but elusive species of wildlife. Finding them in this vast and spectacular landscape can be a real challenge, especially if you have limited time or are unfamiliar with the area. Our expert local guides know the area intimately, so can take you to the best locations to help you find the species you’d most like to see. They can help you identify those species, recognise different bird calls, show you how to use fieldcraft and read animal tracks and signs. They can tell you about the behaviour and general biology of the species that you find in the Highlands, but most of all they will ensure that you have an exciting, fulfilling and rewarding day out. On the day, we’ll judge the weather and decide where the wildlife can be found.
Two days before your day out, your guide will contact you to discuss what you’d like to see and any specific requests that you may have. If you are staying in the Grantown-Aviemore-Kingussie area then they will collect you form your accommodation, if not they will arrange a meeting point with you.
To help you choose the best day, we’ve given you our suggested itineraries, showing the habitat you’ll visit and some of the species that can be found there. These are our favourites, but if you’d like to do something different, then please email us and we would be very happy to advise if it is possible given the current restrictions and health and welfare regimes.
Our Cairngorms National Park - If you’ve never been before and you want to see what makes this place special, from the landscape to the wildlife, then just leave it to us. We know all the nooks and crannies in the Cairngorms and the best time of year to visit them. We’ll make sure we target the Scottish specialities and leave more than enough room to drink in the scenery and marvel at the landscape. Golden Eagles in the glens, Red Deer on the hills, Ptarmigan on the mountains and Crested Tits in the forests; we can decide what’s best for you. Our guides will discuss any preferences you have when they contact you before your day out. The day will be spent walking at a gentle pace and can incorporate different close habitats reached in your own vehicle.
All Abilities Cairngorms National Park - This tailored day will ensure where possible, that everyone in your group can experience the scenery and wildlife that our National Park has to offer. We shall visit places that require little walking, so it may mean some of the day involves more travelling by vehicle than other itineraries, but some short walks or lookout hides will be utilised and the guide will structure the day to best suit your needs. In addition, for a small extra charge, we can provide all-terrain wheelchairs for adults and children alike, so opening up even more of our National Park to those who need that extra bit of help to get around. The wildlife you experience may include Dippers, Red Squirrel, raptor species such as Red Kite and eagles, grouse and Roe and Red Deer. The scenery of the Cairngorms will be a big focus as we drive through different environments and experience their beauty. Please note we use 8-seater minibuses; these have not been adapted for all abilities, but steps for easy access are available.
Pine Forest - Visit the ancient Caledonian Pine Forest for Black Grouse, Crested Tit, crossbills and other woodland birds. Mammals may include Red Squirrel and Roe Deer. This itinerary involves a degree of walking on good tracks and trails through the forest. Wildlife can be found year round, but the best seasons can be autumn, winter and early spring. Autumn and winter can be some of the best times to look for Capercaillie.
Summer Wildflowers in the Cairngorms - The Cairngorms National Park is host to a variety of special dragonflies, butterflies and flowers of the Highlands, all set within a range of habitats such as marshland; meadows; mountain and of course pine forest. Twinflower carpets the forest floor and is one of our more famous species, but there are many other interesting plants flowering at this time including Small White, Fragrant and Northern Marsh Orchid; Alpine flowers such as Starry Saxifrage, Dwarf Cornel and Globe Flower and the berry bushes; Bog Bilberry, Crowberry, Bearberry and Cloudberry. If the sun is shining, we might hope to see butterflies such as Northern Brown Argus, plus Heath and Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary on the wing and the pine forest contains bird specialists such as crossbill and Crested Tit. This itinerary is only available between mid-June and mid-July.
Cairngorm Mountains - Walk into the Cairngorms for Ptarmigan, Snow Bunting, Dotterel and Ring Ouzel. During the summer months there is access to the top of the mountain by Funicular Railway and you can purchase your tickets on the day, however, a good fitness level is needed for the walk into the mountains and walking boots and suitable clothing are required. Wildlife can be seen on the higher tops year-round. Ptarmigan, Snow Bunting and Mountain Hare are present all year; Ring Ouzels arrive from mid-March onwards and Dotterel are present from May until the end of August. A longer walk into the Cairngorms on lower tracks can also be taken dependent upon levels of fitness.
Moorland and Moray Firth - Explore vast open
moorlands and windswept lochs for divers, Merlin,
Peregrine, Red Kite and Red Grouse, before
heading to the Moray coast for Osprey (during the summer), seaduck (winter), waders and
terns. Dependent on tide times, there’s a chance
of Bottlenose Dolphin. Divers can be found on
freshwater lochs during the breeding season from
April through to the end of September, when
they relocate to the coast and winter on the sea.
The winter months on the Moray Coast can be
excellent for seaduck.
Highland Glen - Visit a spectacular local glen for Golden Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Peregrine, Merlin, Ring Ouzel, Red Deer, Mountain Hare and Wild Goats. Travel through spectacular scenery into the heart of the mountains and then take a low level walk further into the glen on good gravel tracks. A broad range of wildlife, including the eagles, can be found all year. The Red Deer rut takes place from late September through October.
Woodland Walks - Local woods provide a tranquil location to look and listen for Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher and other woodland birds. Peregrine breed on the crags and Ospreys are regularly seen throughout the spring/summer. We can walk to the viewpoint if you wish, to get stunning views across to the mountains and surrounding glens. This itinerary does require a reasonable degree of fitness. The best time to visit for migrant birds, is from late April through to August. We’ll combine this location with another lowland wood further along the Strath.
River Spey Walk - During spring or early summer the famous ‘River Spey’ will be teeming with birdlife; Dipper, Goosander, Grey Wagtail, Goldeneye, Common Sandpiper and feeding Swifts, Swallows and martins with a chance of Otter. In summer the riverbanks can be good for butterflies, including Dark Green Fritillary. In winter, the river provides a calm and tranquil place for Red-breasted Merganser, Goldeneye and other resident birds.
Loch Fleet - Slightly further afield, but close for those staying around Inverness, lies the vast expanse of Loch Fleet. In summer we’ll watch fishing Ospreys and terns while the dunes hold a myriad of beautiful flowers. Nearby woodlands have rare flowers and breeding crossbills and as summer progresses into autumn more waders arrive along with large flocks of wildlfowl. At any time of year you can enjoy close views of basking Grey and Harbour seals on the sandbanks. The walks along the dunes are not strenuous and at any time of year there is plenty of wildlife variety to enjoy.
The Black Isle - Just north of Inverness lies the Black Isle, almost surrounded by water and visited by large numbers of waders, ducks and geese as autumn approaches and through the winter. Peregrine Falcons may dash through sending birds skyward - all viewable from a large comfortable hide. Scaup, Long-tailed Duck, divers and grebes spend the winter here and in autumn passing skuas and auks add to the excitement as we visit one of the best vantage points for Bottlenose Dolphins in the UK. We can also include a visit to nearby woodlands for crossbills and Crested Tits, plus dragonflies and butterflies in the summer.
Capercaillie Policy
Capercaillie can be found in the forests of the Cairngorms National Park, but they are, for whatever reason, a declining species that are easily disturbed. We minimise any disturbance at crucial times to help protect the birds, by adhering to the following policies:
We won’t take guests into known Capercaillie habitat during the lekking period (1 March - 31 May). Outside these dates, when going into potential Capercaillie habitat, we always stay on marked tracks and paths and never go off these. When there is an alpha male (also known as a ‘rogue’ bird) in the area we won’t go to see this bird. They are part of the lek, so we would be ‘knowingly’ disturbing them.
Through the autumn and winter months, young birds will have fledged and dispersed into the forests, however, to conserve energy, Capercaillie are active for as little as four hours a day, so if we do encounter them we shall stay still, quiet and let them move off by themselves.
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Just some of what we hope to see..
| Red-throated Diver | Black Grouse | Red Squirrel |
| Black-throated Diver | Dotterel (mid May-June) | Mountain Hare |
| Slavonian Grebe | Guillemot | Otter |
| Red Kite | Razorbill | Red Deer |
| Golden Eagle | Black Guillemot | Sika Deer |
| White-tailed Sea Eagle | Puffin | Roe Deer |
| Osprey (April-mid Sept) | Dipper | Mountain Goat |
| Merlin | Ring Ouzel | Bottlenose Dolphin |
| Peregrine | Crested Tit | Common Seal |
| Red Grouse | Crossbills | Grey Seal |
| Ptarmigan | Snow Bunting | |
"Obviously the scenery, especially the loch drive, seeing Red Grouse, Crossbills, Sand Martins at an old bridge! Loved the villages we stopped in too."
Karen and Andy Paul
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"Seeing Mountain Hare and Red Grouse close up. Watching a Black Grouse lek from a distance. Seeing Slavonian Grebes. Enjoying a lovely day out with an expert and friendly guide"
Jenny Craddock
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"The entire Guided Day Out was a highlight! On our guided day out we were able to locate over 50 different bird species, over half of which we were Lifers for me. Some of my favourite species from the trip include: Pied Flycatcher, Black-Throated Diver (Arctic Loon), and Red Grouse."
Nick Foster
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"Highlighs were the Scottish Crossbill and Slavonian Grebe."
Ruud Koopmans
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"Ailie's enthusiasm, personal skills and wildlife knowledge. Sightings of; Black Grouse, family of Red Grouse, Lapwing chicks, various Warblers, Meadow Pipits, Seeing both male and female Osprey through the scope, Slavonian Grebes The anticipation of looking at lots of birds that we could hear. "
John and Clare Cooper
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"Seeing multiple birds including Golden Eagles and tour of a local nature reserve."
Doug and Caryn Woodburn
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"Highlights included; Golden Eagle, a pair of Peregrine, Red Squirrel, Osprey and Slavonian Grebe."
Wendy Owen
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"Our highlight was the amount we learned throughout the day and being in a stunningly beautiful forest for the morning with someone who could explain what we were seeing. And lovely to have my son spot a Golden Eagle - he will always remember that!"
Lisa Thomas
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"Seeing a Highland loch at dawn, with so many birds gathered together. The Lapwings and Redshanks were so sweet! Then going to a Glen to see Golden Plover, and spotting an Golden Eagle off in the distance!"
Nina Elliot
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"Our highlights were the Velvet Scoter, which was exciting to see for the first time, Bar-tailed Godwit, Little Grebe, Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrows. We are total beginners actually but feel we’ve leaned a lot!"
Libby and Donald MacGregor
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"There was not one single highlight, as the whole day was a highlight. It would be unfair to pick one out. Seeing wildlife was spectacular but seeing the forests, lochs and countryside was also lovely. If I had to pick one out seeing close up and listening to the Red Grouse was amazing. Also the possible Golden Eagle. But the whole day was exceptional."
John Attwood
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"Watching a Red Squirrel prance around the Scottish pines was pure magic, and the peaceful walk through the nature reserve was breathtaking. We also loved observing blue tits and great tits at the feeders—such lively little creatures!"
Ashish Lakhara
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"The sight and sound of 4000 Pink-feet coming in to land on the Black Isle will live long in the memory, and it was also brilliant to see Minke Whale feeding offshore. As birders, seeing nearly 300 Scaup on the sea was impressive, as was watching three Black Grouse fly across the road directly in front of our vehicle."
Alex, Jessica and Tom Rafinski
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"Seeing the Red Deer grouped up on the hill tops was great. Seeing and knowing that Eagles appear to be doing ok is good."
Mark Hampton
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"We were very lucky with the animals we could observe. And really impressed by how quickly Ailie spots them!"
Sophie Havette
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"Highlight was the walk in a beautiful pine forest looking for Black Grouse."
Christine Powell
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"The day was discussed with us beforehand, the pace was just right for us, the places we
went to were all productive, and at the end of the day we were very happy!
Thanks, Ailie, for a great day."
David and Gill Smith
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"Our number one target experience was to see a Golden Eagle. Ailie delivered three viewings.
The scenery was gorgeous, we had plenty of opportunity to enjoy Scotland and we saw a lot
of wildlife; highlights incleded Red Deer, Crossbill, Red Squirrel, Red Grouse and Red Kite."
Graham Langley and Karen Hinson
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"Really enjoyed the whole trip. Saw birds unique to the UK, which was great. Ailie was a font of information about all the birds, and great at helping us spot. We really enjoyed the day."
Lisa and Dan Labella
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"We had great views of a Roe buck and also of a doe ( in a different place). Other highlights were Slavonian Grebe, a group of mature Red Deer stags relaxing, an Osprey with two fully fledged chicks on the nest and a small covey/ family party of Red Grouse out in the open."
James and Teresa Martin
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"We saw the following animals ; Black throated diver, Red grouse an Osprey nest with three young, a lot of interesting information about how the land is managed and the landscape"
Karel Ryde
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"Highlights included Ailie our guide, the beautiful scenery and of course the Red squirrels, Ospreys, and Brown hare. Ailie was absolutely amazing. She planned the day with so much thought, including accessibility issues for my father. She even chose a perfect scenic lunch spot! She was so knowledgeable about conservation, wildlife, flora, etc. I learnt so much from her! Thank you! This is the highlight of our trip!"
Jade Sui
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"During the last stop of the tour, we observed a family of Ospreys, which was a fantastic experience. We witnessed the three large chicks being active in the nest, their mother defending them from an intruding Osprey, and finally their father bringing a large fish for the family to share. Ailie provided us with a lot of information about Ospreys and their behaviors."
Sonia Tsang
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"Five Ospreys! Both adults and three chicks. Marsh Harrier and Hen Harrier. Door to door pickup from our hotel was excellent."
Gary Collins
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"On our day spent with Ailie we had a trifecta of chicks: Oyster catcher, Lapwing, and Red grouse. All species we have seen before but never close up views of chicks. We wanted to see Roe deer, as it is a "different" deer for us. Not only did we have several doe and a buck sighting, we had a Roe doe perfectly framed in a field of wild flowers. One for the memory bank. Sharing the day with a local, very knowledgeable guide was so worthwhile for us. We would highly recommend scheduling a tailor made day to anyone wanting a more in depth experience. Grateful that Speyside is very concerned/involved with habitat/wildlife conservancy."
Ann Hendrickson and Bill Otto
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"Watching an otter for 90 minutes was very special."
Dave and Jon Pons
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"The whole day was memorable. We wished for at least two sites, and had four which was excellent - even if it meant a bit of driving, of the animals - Harriers with prey, Osprey feeding female at nest; Red squirrels for my wife at start of day."
Simon Kennedy
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"Grouse parents with their chicks playing in the heather. A joy we would never have experienced if not for Ailie’s sharp eye."
Maragret Ferguson
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"Red grouse sightings, Black grouse sightings, Black-throated divers, Slavonian grebes, the walk looking for the Golden eagle & Mountain hare were all Highlights!"
Theirry De Bock
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"Our highlights were seeing Red squirrels for the first time, also the Osprey!"
Sarah and Ron Fox
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"We loved seeing Eagles in flight, Red squirrels in their natural environment gathering material for
dreys and watching both male and female grouse popping their heads up and down!"
Liz Pilkington
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"The slow pace which really allowed quality observation of bird species we never previously
knew about. The extremely wide knowledge of all the wildlife and botanical species was
very impressive."
Donald and Libby Macgregor
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"I saw otter for the first time!"
Christine Drury
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"Hard to pick any standout moments as the whole day was so good, but we particularly loved seeing Mountain hares, Red deer, a Golden eagle, and other raptors in a beautiful valley."
Charlie Hall
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"Our highlights were spotting Red deer in the snow, Bullfinches posing in a tree in front of us and Red grouse photobombing when I was looking at Goldeneye ducks through the binoculars…"
Louise and Ian Masters
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"The guide's patience and knowledge of local places and wildlife was exceptional. We had the most wonderful time and are so grateful! Thank you!"
Kim Skavaril
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"Highlights were the variety of birds, watching a Crested Tit eat a spider on its web. The spider was almost as big as the Tit! Buzzards,Kestrels, Red Kites, even a Stoat.Also the scenery. A wonderful guide, thank you Ailie."
Fran Morton
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"We did the Cairngorms general tour, and we had the amazing chance of being followed by a duck and her ducklings towards our lunch spot, so we could have the teenage ducklings next to us begging for a little treat. The weather was really good, and so we could enjoy the dragonfly pond, with some dragonflies resting very near us so we could have a great look at them.The animals were great, but so were the actual locations and landscapes, it is a beautiful place to go to and visit. David our guide was also great at explaining things and storytelling, and it was a pleasure to have him with us for the day, really made the tour so fantastic."
Maria Calvo
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"Sally shared her local knowledge with us throughout the day and was able to take us to places we would not have known to visit ourselves. We really enjoyed spending the day with her. Highlights were the Black throated divers, as I have never seen one before."
Heather Easton
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"The best parts of the experience were; the pristine landscapes of peat in the highlands covered in heather; the River Spey; the sighting of two Golden Eagles; watching a pair of Ospreys on their nest, spotting Red Deer."
Chiara Ovidi
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"This was a birthday gift for my wife and she was delighted to spot Crossbills, Meadow Pippets, Woodpeckers, Spotted Fly Catchers and Red Squirrel all in one location, all from the car."
Gerry Burke
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"I would like to give a special mention to our guide David. He was extremely knowledgeable and great fun to spend a day walking and birdwatching with. He allowed us to travel at a pace that suited us and gave us as much time to study each bird or other wildlife for as long as we wanted. Sometimes the company of your guide makes a trip as memorable as watching the nature, so thank you David for a wonderful day and hope to see you again in future. Our aim was to see two species of bird we had never connected with before, dotterel and ptarmigan. Our guide had advised us that this couldn't be guaranteed and that luck would have to be on our side. Within the first hour on the plateau we had a male dotterel with 3 well grown chicks cross the path in front of us, closely followed by a female ptarmigan with 8 chicks. Stunning, lengthy views of both species, perfect weather conditions and the wonderful company of a knowledgeable and friendly guide. A day we will never forget. Thank you Speyside Wildlife!"
Keith Allan
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"We had two guided days with Ailie and she planned these well by taking us to the best areas to maximise the chances of us seeing all our species of interest across the two days. Ailie also kindly offered to give us an early start to improve our chances of seeing the birds of interest.There were so many - but particularly having close views of both Ptarmigan and Dotterel, each with chicks, at the top of a mountain. We were undoubtedly very lucky to see these (especially as we weren't in the best season for viewing these species), but this was also down to Ailie's local knowledge and great planning to maximise our chances. We also had fantastic views of a Golden Eagle flying right above us, and were very lucky to see several Mountain Hares - a species which is sadly now in decline. We had two absolutely brilliant days packed full of wildlife, and would definitely recommend Speyside to others."
Helen Swift and Tom Forester
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David was an excellent guide.He has excellent local knowledge and knowledge of all types of wildlife.
He ensured we had the opportunity to see all types of wildlife and nature and focussed on our requests.
He took us to locations where we had the opportunity to see a variety of wildlife and habitats.Highlights included seeing Peregrines and Hen Harriers. Beautiful and some rare dragonflies and an
unscheduled appearance of a 10 point stag at the side of the road!"
Anne Maynard
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"David is a wonderful guide. His enthusiasm and huge knowledge were an inspiration for us. We enjoyed every minute with him!"
Van Damme family
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"Ailie was a fantastic guide! We appreciated her expertise and birding guidance - we saw several interesting species we never would have known to look for without her help, and she gave so much interesting information about all of the locations we visited. Her passion and enthusiasm for her work was infectious! We saw 33 species of bird, and multiple mammals (including an elusive Red squirrel!). The highlight of the trip was definitely a rare sighting of multiple raptor species: Buzzard, Kestrel, Marsh harrier, Osprey, and Hen harrier."
Resmina William
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"The highlights were good sightings of three Pine Martens in broad daylight; completely unplanned and chance encounters while looking for plants and butterflies...Seeing several endemic orchid species at the meadow!"
Andrew Forbes
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"Ailie was super knowledgeable and I was always impressed with how she could identify birds from such a distance, as well as all the flowers and insects. She kept me informed throughout the day of where we were going and what we could see so I could keep an eye out. I really liked how Ailie got me involved and taught me various tips on spotting and identifying species. Her sense of humor and enthusiasm for wildlife added to a wonderful experience! Highlights included the wild goats that we walked by were so characteristic and charming popping their heads up to watch us walk by, seeing the size difference of an Eagle compared to the other smaller birds of prey we saw earlier in the day was amazing.Especially when we saw them in the sky together with the telescope and watching a Cuckoo through the binoculars with such close up detail was wonderful!"
Billie McDonald
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"Seeing a spotted flycatcher was great. Having some time with a pair of ospreys nesting was great. Bullfinches were amazing up close. But as much as I liked spending time with the birds, just generally having a guide show us around and telling us about the Cairngorms in itself was the highlight of our trip. Ailie was fantastic. Very knowledgable, very much looking out for our best interest and just a fun person to be around for a day. Couldn't have wished for a better guide"
Johan van Ettinger
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"It's tough to choose one highlight! I loved seeing the Ospreys, the Slavonian Grebe & Red Grouse in particular. I enjoyed learning about spotting Spotted Flycatchers in the trees, learning the call of Redpolls and Crested Tits."
Samantha Merrett-Williams
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"Couldn’t ask for more. Informative, relaxed, just the right amount of information, good depth in answers to all our questions! Simon clearly loves his job and loves to share his passion with others. Visited so many different habitats in one day making the range of wildlife seen exceptional. Pace worked great for a mixed group of 30 to 75 years olds! Highlights included, right at the end of the day, just as we were about to pack up, we heard a raptor, so patiently scanned the hillside
until we finally spotted a Peregrine feeding a chick on her nest! Then spotting a second Peregrine circling nearby. First ever sighting of Red grouse, a whole family! The huge variety of wildlife spotted, from Falcons to Pippets, Common sandpipers to Cuckoos, Sand martin colonies, a heronry with 4 youngsters, Mountain and Brown hare, Red and Roe deer, even some feral goats!"
Hollie Capel
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"Our guide was fantastic, he gave us full itinerary, was very careful to check regularly if everyone was ok and to offer options. I was amazed at the range of his knowledge and all the things he explained throughout the day.I had hoped to see a Golden Eagle and that happened before we left the car park. Viewing the Ospreys through the monocular was amazing."
Cindy Anderson
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"Excellent. David had put in a tremendous amount of effort to ensure that all my requirements were met. He very clearly explained the plan for the day. He was informative and was at pains to make sure that I was alright all through the day.I just felt that David had gone above and beyond to make sure that I had a really lovely day. He had reconnaissanced the area on the Saturday (trip on the Monday) to make sure that the Dotterel were there. He was very professional, very well prepared; he even had a timings sheet to make sure we were making the correct amount of progress throughout the day!"
Tracey Solmon
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"Simon couldn’t have been better. He was unbelievably knowledgeable and informative, helpful, great with our kids, and helped us see so many more species than we otherwise could have! Highlights include Red Grouse, Black Grouse, Dippers, Red Squirrel, Crested Tits, Slavonian grebe, Little grebe, beautiful lochs, Kestrel, Wheatear, Curlew, and more!"
Britney Fox and Robert Hover
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"Ailie was a fantastic guide. Knowledgeable and enthusiastic which really made the trip. She really wanted us to see everything and planned the day out perfectly, taking into consideration that we had time in the Cairngorms before and after the trip - so she went to places that we weren’t going to go to on our own.Seeing the Black Grouse at the start of the day was fantastic.Golden Eagles were definitely a highlight. The main highlight has to be visiting a hidden gem and we just sat and observed the Ospreys, as the area was so quiet and peaceful."
Joanna Rushe
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"Highlights include the Common gull nesting area, seeing Kestrels, the scenery of the valley, the variety of birds on the river and having a captive wildlife expert to hear talk with great enthusiasm and answer all our question."
Miriam Barber
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"Kate was a wonderful guide; really knowledgeable and friendly. She kept us updated on plans for the day. Highlights included seeing the wild goats, Red Grouse and Golden Eagle."
Sorrel Griffiths
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"Perfect. We are not birders so having Ailie and Wayne describe the characteristics of the birds we were seeing made the day out very interesting. When we had seen all there was to see at a particular site, we moved on and made the most of the short days of December. Two things stand out from our day out; we spotted a Red Kite standing on a rock eating it's prey! Also, seeing the Woodcock foraging near the roadside was an added highlight. The guides were very accommodating, making sure we were comfortable, they were very knowledgeable, very friendly and easy to talk to. Highly recommended."
Patrick and Alison Weirs
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"I thought it was magical to see Swans flying in a V formation overhead.I loved being a passenger, whilst driving through the beautiful countryside. I enjoyed having a cup of hot coffee with Allie after being outside. Going into a hide to view the waterfowl was really so much fun. I loved the Red Deer and the Red Squirrels. It was all amazing. So much wildlife!"
Tina Starcevic
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"Highlights were Crested Tit, great views of Red Grouse and an unexpected life bird in the White-throated Dipper. My guide Olly was very friendly and told me where I could go for birding, the next day."
Margaret Walton
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"Highlights included a sighting of a Golden Eagle, watching the Pink-footed Geese arrive, seeing the Red Grouse on the moor."
Jan and Martin Dixon
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"We booked the tour as a birthday present for our daughter and her partner, they live in Edinburgh and he hasn’t seen much wildlife. On our trip we saw the following that he had never seen in the wild before, Red Deer, Red Kite, Red Grouse, Stonechat, Dipper, Crested Tit, Goldeneye, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Treecreeper, Long-tailed Tit, along with the more common ones he had seen before, Buzzard, Kestrel, Blue Tits, Coal Tit, Great Tit and Heron. The highlight for him was the Lady Amherst’s Pheasant. Overall it was an excellent day."
Sheila Taylor
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"Highlighs inclded; the Osprey, spider webs, 35 Goosanders,Treecreeper and Red Squirrels. In fact, all 32 bird species seen on the day."
Liz Lea
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"Wayne was fantastic. Such a knowledgable, professional and friendly young man. We saw llots of wildlife including Red Deer, Eagles, Crested-tit."
Sarah Brackenridge
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"Absolutely fabulous!! Friendly and informative, we had such a good time. Seeing 6 different raptors was pretty amazing! Kate was great!"
Jo Delrée
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"It was a really special and wonderful day. We were lucky to have amazing once-in-a-lifetime views of white tailed eagles flying over, and so much more. Our guide was really kind and structured the trip to give us the best possible chance of seeing our target species. We saw Crested Tits, Crossbills, Slavonian Grebe, Black Throated Diver, Osprey, Red squirrels etc. It was a nice relaxed atmosphere and some of the most special moments were when we were out in beautiful landscapes just quietly scanning the surroundings with our binoculars. It was my mum's birthday, and she described it as the best birthday ever! Thank you so much. No luck with the Golden Eagles but I guess we have a reason to come back."
John Horton
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"Ailie is highly professional and personable, flexible, and truly a fount of information about the animals and plants. She is friendly, relaxed, and so very kind and helpful! She was able to show us Osprey and Grouse. Ailie adapted the tour very well to the wide differences in age and health of our group! The mountain trail was so scenic! It was enjoyed by all the able-bodied, and our disabled family member and 2-year-old got a much-needed nap while the rest walked."
Glenda Tolliver
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"Olly was excellent. He told us exactly what he was planning throughout the day. He was informative, very personable. He is, of course, extremely knowledgeable and was very willing to answer as many questions as we threw at him! His enthusiasm for his subject is apparent but this was a bonus. He has a natural ability for these trips and made for a truly amazing and very pleasant way to spend a day. When taken to a spot we spent exactly the right amount of time to assess the wildlife, use the telescope and find as much of the wildlife there as possible. The pace was perfect. Relatively short drives between locations, plenty of time to watch for wildlife but making the most of the time available to find as many different and 'high profile' species as possible."
Nicole Waldock
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"Excellent information and bird-spotting. Some absolutely lovely views. The views of Black-throated Divers feeding chicks were fantastic. The guide picked out Short-eared Owls and we were able to see the yellow of his eyes. Even a family of Red Grouse were great and had exquisite plumage. The day ended with the gifts of crossbills flying over, which was a target species. A great day out!"
Paul Boyd
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"He was lovely, very informative and flexible when showers started. He was good company too, and let us just be quiet some of the time. He explained that you can never guarantee an eagle, but we knew that from watching Springwatch. We saw a red squirrel on the edge of a wood, running around and up and down trees, there was a good view of a tree-creeper and the scenery was spectacular."
Mrs Mary Rooks and Alan Rooks
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"Our guide was very knowledgeable and informative. She was a very likeable girl and we enjoyed spending our day with her. We were very lucky to see some dolphins and the Osprey. A highlight also was the beautiful walk to Fairy Glen."
Terri Wood
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"Kate was knowledgeable and informative throughout the day and happy to answer our many questions. The day moved along seamlessly without too much driving between locations. We never felt rushed to move on from place to place. Our highlight of the day has to be our lunch stop. There was a profusion of birds along the river and the Dippers were busy feeding their young. To see them close-up, collecting food was wonderful."
Lin Truin
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"Both guides were excellent - very knowledgeable, lovely people, day felt tailored to what we wanted to see and we were kept informed throughout. So many highlights… listening to the bubbling sound of Black Grouse, seeing Mountain Hares as well as Brown Hares and Rabbits, excellent view of Osprey behaviour, which we watched for a good 30mins, a view of a beautiful Black-throated Diver as well as seeing both Golden and White-tailed Eagle in the sky at the same time! Absolutely fantastic day out!"
Andy Clifton
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"Wayne was excellent, prompt, thoughtful, informative and took care to make sure we were comfortable throughout the day. Rest stops, lunch etc. We appreciated that he kept modifying the itinerary to accommodate the energy levels in the group. It was perfect, our 14 yo son has ASD and had copious questions for Wayne on all manner of topics. He was cheerful, thoughtful and kind to him - making sure he stayed informed and calm all day. Often people with ASD can be overwhelmed if there are too many 'surprises'. The structure was great, we saw new wildlife or scenery at each location"
Andrew Ferris
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"Absolutely fantastic- both Ollie and Wayne were so knowledgeable"
Julie McIlwaine
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"Oliver was clearly knowledgeable on birds very aware of the different calls. Wayne was a mine of great knowledge of birds and mammals and consulted us throughout the day on locations. He kept in mind our focus on photography and told us what we were to expect at each location. Great ambassador for your business"
Peter Glover
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“Thank you very much indeed for organising the Guided Day Out with Darren in early March. I had such a great time and we saw so many interesting birds – not least the Black Grouse and the Golden Eagles”
Catriona Smart
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“Just to say thank you for allocating us to Kate today. We had a wonderful day and were very fortunate to have Kate’s skills at our disposal. She found several birds which we would not have seen on our own including a golden eagle. She was a lovely companion as well as being very knowledgeable. We are very grateful”
Judith and Andrew Male
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"Excellent - our guide went above and beyond to make sure that we saw all that we could throughout the day. She regularly checked in to make sure that we were happy with the day's plan and made us part of the decision-making process. Incredibly friendly,professional, and knowledgable"
Cheska McGovern
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"Excellent guide, very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. We much appreciated the variety ofhabitats and locations visited leading variety of wildlife"
Lynn and Adrian Tranter
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"Our guide was brilliant, engaging and friendly. She explained everything clearly, and she wasknowledgeable and enthusiastic about the wildlife. It was a delight to spend the day with her"
Maria Bierbaum-Williams
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“Four red kites wheeling above us. Red squirrels seemingly posing. Engaging and enthusiastic guide. Very happy photographer husband took 1600 shots!”
Helen and Roger Green
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“Our highlight Has to be the Golden Eagle sighting. Seeing a Mountain Goat on the tops was very amusing! Good photos of Red Grouse will be a lasting reminder”
Christine Drury
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“Our guide was fantastic very understanding of our family needs. Extremely knowledgeable and made our day feel very special. Communication was excellent with a phone call the day before backed up by email”
Iain Graham
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“Guide was great. Very enthusiastic, knowledgeable and tried her best to make the day interesting and personalised for us”
John Foulger
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“Our guide was fabulous, extremely engaging, very knowledgeable, interested in us and always keen to make sure she was meeting our needs. She had clear excitement and delight in everything we came across.”
Neil Palmer
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"I do rate your guide Holly very highly, I particularly enjoyed discussing our mutual passion for “habitats”.
Yves Gisseleire
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"Our day’s guiding was brilliant and although we didn’t actually see a Capercaillie we couldn’t have seen more evidence – dust bowls, feathers and poo. Our evening visit to the Evening Mammal Hide was brilliant too – all so impressive and our guide was a mine of information."
Mary and David Penton
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"Hollie was great. Really enthusiastic and full of energy. She was brilliant."
Ivor and Kaytlin Phillips
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"Kate was very confident we'd get Ring Ousel at the base of the funicular. Minutes after we arrived she said she could hear one (the wind was howling at that point!) and my "doubting-Tom's" hat was getting readied. But very soon after one duly appeared on a fence, very close by, and started singing its heart out for us. Wonderful!"
Bob Longhorn
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"Seeing a Capercaillie, if only for a few seconds - they are such a rare sight and David took us to the perfect habitat for us to see one. We loved the Uath Lochans location as well, the beautiful calm lochs were stunning. Learning lots from David about all the wildlife and plants that can be found in the cairngorms was a real plus, he was keen to answer all our question in detail which was great!"
Camilla Zerr
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"We loved exploring the glen chosen by Kate as we would never have found it ourselves and it felt very special."
Jen Ireland
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"The animals spotted by Sally were great! Finding them and showing us was excellent as we didn't see them on our own!"
Mark Kellaway
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"Seeing the beautiful area. Peter's friendly company throughout the day and the way he was great with our children as well as us."
Robert Gill
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"Saw 48 species of life birds in 1 day. Son got to photograph Red Grouse up close with chicks. Getting to see a Black-throated Diver, Golden Plover."
Pam Borderieux
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" It was amazing to see and hear birds we have only heard about - Lapwings, Slavonian Grebes in breeding plumage, Curlews, Red-tailed Kite, even Rooks. The song and flight of a Skylark and the call of a Cuckoo were unforgettable. Our Speyside Wildlife outing provided an immersive, yet easily paced introduction to birds and other wildlife in the Highlands. Although I am a fairly active birder in the States, this is something I could never have accomplished in Scotland on my own."
Martha Johnston
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"43 species of birds, Ospreys, Stags, Happy days"
Debs White
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"Snow Bunting, Ring Ouzel, Slavonian Grebe. We had a fabulous day nature watching with Speyside Wildlife, it was a great prize and we would not hesitate to recommend Speyside Wildlife to all nature lovers. Thank you very much from the Lemon Family - Carolyn, Ally + Hannah."
Lemon Family
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"Highlight was the wildlife and finally seeing target species of Golden Eagle. Mountain Hares also a great spot. Kids loved seeing both Red and Black Grouse especially up really close."
Craig Grant
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"Our whole day was a highlight. We learned so much from Duncan from identifying bird sounds, poo, mushrooms, plants and our conversations with him. We appreciated all the knowledge about the natural world that he shared with us."
Yana Pocklington
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"An awesome day out with such a well informed and engaging guide. Would not have seen many of the species on the day without the guide. An excellent experience and one I would certainly consider repeating at some point in the future."
"Sally is an excellent guide with fantastic local knowledge and a really nice manner. Having the minibus for the day with all that space was great for keeping the group engaged and allowed us to travel around the area searching for the wildlife that we stated we wanted to capture. It could not have been a more bespoke trip as we determined "live" really where we wanted to go next. A great trip which was well organised and as flexible as you wanted on the day."
"Sally was a very knowledgeable, approachable and accommodating guide. The day was well planned covering everything we’d asked to see with options to manage the varying weather and road conditions. It was such an enjoyable day I’d do it again and recommend it to others."
Billy McCourt Group
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"Duncan was incredible. Even prior to the holiday he chatted at length with myself and my wife to ensure he knew exactly what we wanted to see and do. On the day he couldn't have been more accommodating and put up with us chewing his ear off and asking silly questions. His enthusiasm was infectious and knowledge knew no bounds. Genuinely what a top bloke and a great representative of your business. Best bit was he was personable and made us feel important. Being taken to spots you would never find without local knowledge. Finding Caper poo! Learning so much. Even with no sightings, seeing all the signs and being with an expert who translated their skills and knowledge to amateurs meant it was an awesome day, one to be repeated!"
Toby Sansome
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"The day was a pearl string of highlights. The Roe Deer, the Squirrels, Partridges and Pheasants. Of course the Dippers, and the Mountain Hares basking in the sun. The Red Grouse browsing the heather, and a beautiful Red Deer buck on the rivers edge. Big day to remember!"
Anne-Mary & Axel
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