Wise Birding Holiday Latest News

AUGUST 2026
Borneo Mostly Mammals & Birding Tour Reports now online: Click on the Bornean Peacock Pheasant & Bornean Orangutans below to view.

JUNE 2026
Thailand 2026 Tour Report now online: Click on the Blue Pitta below for report.

Blue Pitta, Thailand by Peter Alfrey

Namibia, Botswana & Zimbabwe Tour Report now online: Click on the Red-necked Falcon below for report.

NOVEMBER 2025
We have just returned from a wonderful tour to Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe where we saw well over 400 species of birds and 50 species of mammals. Highlights were many and included numerous Southern African Endemics and specialities like Ludwig’s Bustard, Namaqua and Burchells’s Sandgrouse, Burchell’s Courser, Slaty Egret, Monteiro’s Hornbill, Rosy-faced Lovebird, White-tailed Shrike, Gray’s Lark, Dune Lark, Rockrunner, Rufous-eared Warbler, Souza’s Shrike, Rufous-bellied Tit and much more! This is a fabulous tour which visits 3 countries with ease and we end the tour at Victoria Falls and a boat cruise on the Zambezi River. We only have 2 places remaining for 2026, so come and join us! https://www.wisebirding.co.uk/namibia-botswana-zimbabwe-2026-birding-walvis-bay-to-victoria-falls/

Chestnut-banded Plover, Walvis Bay by Chris Townend

Dickinson’s Kestrel, Kavango Region by Chris Townend

Damara Tern, Walvis Bay by Chris Townend

Dune Lark near Walvis Bay by Chris Townend

Gray’s Lark, Swakopmund by Chris Townend

Herero Chat, near Uis by Chris Townend

Karoo Long-billed Lark, near Uis by Chris Townend

Lions in Etosha by Chris Townend

Ludwig’s Bustard near Uis by Chris Townend

Marsh Owl, Etosha by Chris Townend

Pel’s Fishing Owl, Botswana by Chris Townend

Rufous-bellied Tit, Kavango Region by Chris Townend

Red-necked Falcon, Etosha by Chris Townend

Rosy-throated Longclaw, Chobe floodplains by Chris Townend

Racket-tailed Roller, Bwabwata NP by Chris Townend

Male Sitatunga, Bwabwata NP by Chris Townend

Souza’s Shrike, Kavango Region by Chris Townend

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe side by Chris Townend

SEPTEMBER 2025
New NW INDIA, GEORGIA & ARMENIA & POLAND Trip Reports online: See Trip Reports

Plus some highlights below from our recent Mostly Mammals Bolivia Tour – We still have a place left on this tour for 2026 HERE

Puma

Jaguar

Ocelot by tour participant Gill Hollamby

Jaguarundi by tour participant John Bruce

A very confident male Puma!

Red Howler

Southern Three-banded Armadillo

White-eared Titi Monkey

Pale Titi Monkey

Night Monkey

The critically endangered Blue-throated Macaw

Hoatzin

JUNE 2025
New BRAZIL & ALASKA 2024 Trip Reports online
Brazil: Emas and South Pantanal July 2024 Trip Report : Click on Puma below

Alaska: Nome, Seward & Barrow June 2024 Trip Report: Click on the Tufted Puffin below

MAY 2025
Another successful tour to Georgia and Armenia has recently returned with just some of the tour highlights below.
This is one of our favourite tours with a real mix of great birds, wonderful scenery, food and an excellent team of local guides. Come and join us in 2026 – We hvae just 1 tour left on both departures. See HERE

Wallcreeper, Georgia by Dave Astins

White-throated Robin, Armenia by Dave Astins

Semicollared Flycatcher, Georgia by Dave Astins

Asian Crimson-winged, Armenia Finch by Dave Astins

Radde’s Accentor, Armenia by Dave Astins

Guldenstadt’s Redstart, Georgia by Dave Astins

Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Armenia by Dave Astins

Caucasian Snowcock, Georgia by Dave Astins

Menetries’s Warbler, Armenia by Dave Astins

Eastern Rock Nuthatch, Armenia by Dave Astins

Grey-necked Bunting, Armenia by Dave Astins

Two new trip reports just added:
SENEGAL: Jan 2025 – Photo of Temminck’s Courser and chick by Wise Birding leader Dave Astins

MONGOLIA Feb 2025: Photo of two Snow Leopards by Lee Chin Pong

APRIL 2025
We have been far too busy watching fantastic wildlife with our small groups and as a result our latest news has been very delayed!
So, finally here are some photo highlights of all our tours from earlier this year…….

SENEGAL JAN 2025
Another great tour with a number of specialities seen very well and a perfect short trip for some winter sunshine and a an excellent selection of Sahelian speciality birds in this very safe and welcoming country. Join us in 2026

White-crested Tiger Heron by Dave Astins

Sennar Penduline Tit by Dave Astins

Scissor-tailed Kite by Dave Astins

Scissor-tailed Kites by Dave Astins

Female Little Grey Woodpecker by Dave Astins

Cricket Warbler by Dave Astins

Allen’s Gallinule by Dave Astins

SOUTHERN SPAIN JAN 2025
This short break is always a favourite of ours and as always it did not disappoint, with some fabulous views of Iberian Lynx and a great selection of other birds. Join us in 2026

Female Iberian Lynx, Sierra de Andujar by Chris Townend

Red Fox, Sierra de Andujar by Chris Townend

Common Cranes, Laguna Fuente de Piedra by Chris Townend

White-headed Duck, Laguna de Fuente de Piedra by Chris Townend

Female Iberian Lynx, Sierra de Andujar by Chris Townend

NW INDIA FEB 2025
This new tour was a great success with a good number of high quality birds as well as mammals and we are already looking forward to next year’s tour! This tour explored the wild regions of Rajasthan and Gujarat where we enjoyed many endemic and range-restricted birds, such as Great Indian Bustard, as well as spending time seeing many of the iconic mammals such as Asiatic Lion and Striped Hyena.
Join us in 2026

Crab Plovers by Sujan Chatterjee

Demoiselle Cranes by Sujan Chatterjee

Great Indian Bustard by Sujan Chatterjee

Asiatic Lioness by Sujan Chatterjee

Asiatic Lioness by Sujan Chatterjee

Indian Spotted Creeper by Sujan Chatterjee

Hypocolius by Sujan Chatterjee

MONGOLIA FEB 2025
Another favourite tour of ours and for our third consecutive winter we enjoyed fabulous views of Snow Leopards as well as a number of other great mammals. Although, primarily a mammal focused tour, we also saw a nice selection of birds too! Join us in 2026

Snow Leopards by Lee Chin Pong

Snow Leopards by Lee Chin Pong

Argali by Colin Bushell

Siberian Ibex by Colin Bushell

Prezwalski’s Horse by Colin Bushell

Henderson’s Ground Jay by Colin Bushell

Daurian Partridge by Lee Chin Pong

Snow Leopards by Colin Bushell

GHANA Feb 2025: Another favourite of ours and a lovely small group of just 4 people where we enjoyed many wonderful sights and sounds of the Upper Guinea Forest and the savannah areas to the north in Mole National Park and right up to the Burkina Faso border. A very memorable trip with so many highlights, literally from Egyptain Plover to Yellow-headed Picathartes and many more in between! Join us in 2026

Yellow-headed Picathartes by Chris Townend

Akun Eagle Owl by Chris Townend

Greyish Eagle Owl by Chris Townend

Black-casqued Hornbill by Chris Townend

Red-throated Bee-Eater and Northern Carmine Bee-Eater

Oriole Warbler by Chris Townend

Egyptian Plover by Chris Townend

West African Potto by Chris Townend

Rosy Bee-Eater by Chris Townend

White-faced Owl by Chris Townend

Violet Turaco by Chris Townend

DECEMBER 2024
It has been a while since our last update and we have recently returned from 3 Oman trips: 1 Birding Tour & 2 Mostly Mammals Tours.

The birding tour to this exciting country was full of highlights and the star bird of the trip simply had to be the Omani Owl! This species was only discovered in 2013 by The Sound Approach Team. therefore it was real privilege to see it so well on our first night of the tour in the impressive Al Hajar Mountains in the north of the country. Other highlights closely followed with great views of both adult and juvenile Sooty Falcons at their breeding island, Arabian Red-billed Tropicbird, the spectacle of hundreds of Crab Plovers on Masirah Island, plus other numerous waders including Greater Sandplover and Tibetan Sandplover, Great Knot, Broad-billed Sandpiper and Terek Sandpiper. Further south we enjoyed four species of Sandgrouse, Verreaux’s Eagle, and numerous Arabian specialities such as Arabian Eagle Owl, Arabian Scops Owl, Arabian Sunbird, Arabian Warbler, Arabian Partridge, Yemen Serin and more! We recorded a total of 219 species.

Our two back to back Mostly Mammal tours were new tours and we worked hard into the night to get results, but they eventually paid off.
The clear highlight species included Caracal, African Wildcats, Honey Badgers, Arabian Wolves, Arabian Gazelles, Indian Crested Porcupine, Common Genets, Arabian Shrew, Indian Humpback Dolphins. Plus three species of Turtle and a selection of Geckos and small lizard species. We recorded 16 species of mammal over the two tours.

These are just some of the highlights from all the tours…..

Male Arabian Wheatear, Oman by Chris Townend

Arabian Warbler, Oman by Chris Townend

Clamorous Reed Warbler, Oman by Chris Townend

Crab Plovers, Masirah Island, Oman by Chris Townend

Crab Plovers Masirah Island, Oman by Chris Townend

Yemen Serin, Oman By Chris Townend

Bridled Tern, Oman By Chris Townend

Masked Booby, Oman by Chris Townend

Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse, Oman By Chris Townend

Juvenile Sooty Falcons, Oman By Chris Townend

Adult Sooty Falcon, Oman By Chris Townend

Jouanin’s Petrel, Oman By Chris Townend

Persian Shearwater, Oman By Chris Townend

Flesh-footed Shearwater, Oman By Chris Townend

Forbes-Watson’s Swift, Oman by Chris Townend

Verreaux’s Eagle, Oman By Chris Townend

Arabian Eagle Owl, Oman By Chris Townend

Arabian Scops Owl, Oman By Chris Townend

Sunset on the Arabian Sea and Dhofar Mountains, Oman by Chris Townend

African Wildcat, Oman Oman By Chris Townend

African Wildcat, Oman By Chris Townend

Arabian Gazelle, Oman by Chris Townend

Common Genet, Oman By Chris Townend

Arabian Wolf, Oman By Chris Townend

Arabian Shrew, Oman By Chris Townend

Loggerhead Turtle, Oman by Chris Townend

Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin, Oman by Chris Townend

Dhofar Fan-footed Gecko, Oman by Chris Townend

SEPTEMBER 2024: Poland Trip Report now online:
https://ww w.wisebirding.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/POLAND-May-2024.pdf

AUGUST 2024: Emas National Park and South Pantanal just returned
We have just returned from another Mostly Mammals tour of Emas NP and the Southern Pantanal where we recorded over 40 species of mammal. Highlights included nine separate Maned Wolf encounters, 3 Pumas, 3 Jaguars, 1 Ocelot, 4 Lowland Tapirs Giant and Neotropical Otters, Southern Tamanduas, Giant Anteaters, Collared and White-lipped Peccary, Crab-eating Fox and Crab-eating Racoon, Black-and-Gold Howlers, Hooded Capuchins, South American Coatis, Striped Hog-nosed Skunk, a minimum of 12 bat species and much more!!
Once again, similar to last year’s tour, most wildlife sightings were completely alone with no other tourists!
The Jaguar sightings in particular were free from other boats and a very much quieter experience compared to the Northern Pantanal.
We also saw a great selection of birds too, with over 200 species recorded and these included a number of range restricted species such as White-winged Nightjar, Blaze-winged Parakeet, Yellow-faced Parrot, Bearded Tachuri and more!
So if you fancy visiting a hugely biodiverse country to see some fabulous mammals and a great selection of birds, with very few other tourists, then come and join us in July 2025! Below are just some of the tour highlights:

Giant Anteater, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Giant Otter, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Neotropical Otters, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Neotropical Otter, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Lowland Tapir, Emas NP by Chris Townend

Lowland Tapirs, Emas NP by Chris Townend

Ocelot, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Ocelot, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Female Puma, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Female Pumas, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Female Puma, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Jaguar on the Miranda River, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Jaguar on the Miranda River, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Jaguars on the Miranda River, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Yellow Armadillo, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Seven-banded Armadillo, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Nine-banded Armadillo, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Black-and-Gold Howler, Aquidauana River, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

South American Coati, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Marsh Deer, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Azara’s Agouti, Emas NP by Chris Townend

Maned Wolf, Emas NP by Chris Townend

Maned Wolf, Emas NP by Chris Townend

Maned Wolf, Emas NP by Chris Townend

Pantaneiro Cattle Ranchers, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Toco Toucan, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Pink Ipe Tree, Miranda River south Pantanal by Chris Townend

White-winged Nightjar, Emas NP by Chris Townend

Laughing Falcon, Emas NP by Chris Townend

Blue-and-Yellow Macaws, Emas NP by Chris Townend

Band-tailed Manakin, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Scissor-tailed Nightjar, Emas NP by Chris Townend

Roseate Spoonbill, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Great Rufous Woodcreeper, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Yellow-faced Parrot, Emas NP by Chris Townend

Jabiru, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Sunset, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Greater Rhea, South Pantanal by Chris Townend

Sunriset, Miranda River by Chris Townend

Female Jaguar, South Pantanal July 2024 from Wise Birding Holidays on Vimeo.

Snow Leopard Tour Report from our amazingly successful Private Feb Tour now added including some fab videos.
We still have some places for next year. Have a look at the report HERE

JULY 2024: Wow Alaska!
We have just returned from a fantastic tour to Alaska and it is certainly one that we very much look forward to running again and again! Quite simply, a huge unspoiled wilderness packed full of top quality birds and mammals that needs to be on everyone’s bucket list! Just some of the highlights included Spectacled Eider, Steller’s Eider and King Eider, Bristle-thighed Curlew, Emperor Goose, Aleutian Tern, no less than 11 species of Alcid, including Tufted and Horned Puffins, Kittlitz’s, Marbled and Ancient Murrelet, Parakeet Auklet and Brunnich’s Guillemot. Plus fabulous breeding plumaged waders including Red and Red-necked Phalaropes, Pectoral Sandpiper, American and Pacific Golden Plovers, Western Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, wonderful views of both Long-tailed and Pomarine Skuas on the breeding ground, all 5 species of Diver, Gyr Falcon feeding young on the nest, Emperor Goose, American Three-toed Woodpecker, Spruce Grouse and Boreal Chickadee, Varied Thrush, Pine Grosbeak and so the list goes on! These are literally just some of the amazing highlights on this fantastic tour.
Then of course there were the 23 species of mammals including Black, Brown and Polar Bears, Canada Lynx, Wolf, Killer Whale, Dall’s Porpoise, Moose, Muskox and more! A special thanks must go to our brilliant local guides (Aaron 1 and 2 😃) and fabulous ground agents too!

Join us in 2025 as places are filling up!
www.wisebirding.co.uk/alaska-2025-arctic-birding-in-nome-kenai-fjords-and-barrow

Tufted Puffin, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Marbled Murrelet, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Kittlitz’s Murrelet, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Parakeet Auklet, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Ancient Murrelets, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Tufted Puffins, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Horned Puffin, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Tufted Puffins, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Brunnich’s and Common Guillemots, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

“Red” Phalarope, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Red-necked Phalarope, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Drake Long-tailed Duck, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Steller’s Eider, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Spectacled Eiders, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

King Eiders, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Drake Harlequin Duck, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Greater & Lesser Scaup, Barrow’s Goldeneye and Redhead, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

American Golden Plover, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Pacific Golden Plover, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Pectoral Sandpiper, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Aleutian Tern, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Pomarine Skua, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Long-tailed Skua, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Red-necked Stint, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Semi-palmated Sandpiper, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Bristle-thighed Curlew, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Red-faced Cormorant, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Varied Thrush, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Lapland Bunting, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Lapland Bunting, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Red-necked Grebe, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Trumpeter Swans, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Emperor Goose with Black Brants, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Glaucous Gull, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Red Phalaropes and Sabine’s Gull, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Cliff Swallow, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Townsend’s Warbler, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Snow Bunting, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Orange-crowned Warbler, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Blackpoll Warbler, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Northern Hawk Owl, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

North-Western Fjord, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Orcas, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Brown Bear, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Polar Bear, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Black Bear, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Moose, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Muskox, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Brown Bear, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Brown Bear “stand-off”, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

Group enjoying views of Spruce Grouse, Alaska June 2024 by Chris Townend

MAY 2024
We have just returned from a wonderful 4 night break to Abruzzo National Park in Italy where we had fabulous views of three different bears and five different Wolves! Of course we also enjoyed plenty of birds including Collared Flycatcher, Western Bonelli’s Warbler, Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Red-backed Shrike, Rock Bunting, Golden Eagle, Short-toed Eagle and many more. Just a few photo highlights below and all this great wildlife is just 3 hrs drive from Rome!   Following this tour we will be donating £300 to our friends at Save the Marsican Bear
Join us in May 2025

Fabulous Abruzzo Landscape by Chris Townend

Marsican Brown Bear 17th May 2024 by Chris Townend

Male Red-backed Shrike, Abruzzo NP by Chris Townend

Western Bonelli’s Warbler, Abruzzo NP by Chris Townend

Marsican Brown Bears, Abruzzo NP by Chris Townend

Pescasseroli, Abruzzo NP by Chris Townend

Male Collared Flycatcher, Abruzzo NP by Chris Townend

Wood Warbler, Abruzzo NP by Chris Townend

Barrea Lake, Abruzzo NP by Chris Townend

Apennine Wolves, Abruzzo NP by Chris Townend

Apennine Wolves, Abruzzo NP by Chris Townend

Gioia Vecchio Sunset by Chris Townend

Our Senegal Birding Trip Report from January 2024 is now online here: trip-reports

MARCH 2024
A few highlights from our 2nd consecutive winter tour to Mongolia to see Snow Leopards – It certainly did not disappoint!
Join us in Feb 2025- Last places!