Spring & Early Summer Bird & Wildlife Watching
The following is a suggested timetable but it can be adapted to your specific requirements.
Groups are welcome simply contact the hotel by email.
Shortly after booking you will be contacted by your guide Barry Embling to discuss and agree your watching preferences.
Day One
From 2.00pm arrive and check in to your room. Place your order for packed breakfast.
Table d'hote dinner from 6.30pm in The 'Old Spot' Country Restaurant.
Over night stay.
Day Two
Meet up with your guide, Barry Embling at 7.30am at your agreed location and, hopefully, track down your favoured birds and wildlife until 12.30.
You may choose to have a snack luncheon on your return to the hotel rather than a packed breakfast.
Select your choices for dinner to expedite serve for the evening meal.
6.00pm dinner is served.
7.00pm meet up with Barry again until 9.00pm.
Due to the early start please settle the hotel account. Place your order for packed breakfast.
Over night stay.
Day Three
Meet up with Barry at 7.30am at your next agreed location until 12.30.
Prices for Mid-Week Stays - Sunday to Thursday
Single Room - £330 per room.
Double or Twin Room - £450 per room.
Four Poster Room - £500 per room.
Wildlife Watching in the Forest of Dean
The Forest of Dean & Wye Valley
Skirted to the west by the River Wye and the Severn estuary to the east, the large mostly wooded area of the Forest of Dean is geographically isolated from both Wales and the rest of England. The area therefore has a unique and unspoilt feel, with extensive good quality natural habitats that host some scarce wildlife, including notable populations of woodland birds.
Bird highlights include goshawk, pied flycatcher, wood warbler, firecrest, redstart, tree pipit, nightjar, willow tit, crossbill, all three species of British woodpecker and the elusive hawfinch. Many of these declining woodland birds are difficult to observe elsewhere in the UK, but are generally holding their own in this area, but still can sometimes be typically elusive.
The contrasting soil types, relatively lower levels of human disturbance and varied land forms mean that there is a wealth of other wildlife to observe with possibilities of seeing boar, deer, peregrine, scarce and unusual plants and interesting geological formations.
Spring and early summer birdwatching tours
April to mid July
Two days guiding, exploring the Forest of Dean area, primarily looking for specialist birds, as this is the best time to see and hear the scarcer summer breeding migrants.
Day 1 Early morning start 7.30 to 12.30 & evening 7 to 9pm
Day 2 Early morning start 7.30 am to 2pm
General year-round wildlife tours
The choice of one or two days of wildlife guiding, looking for wildlife highlights according to the time of year. We will be looking for species' such as fallow deer, badger, dipper, nightingale, general woodland and water birds, as well as looking for rare plants and trees plus rare butterfly species that occur in the area. Naturally, people can discuss with the guide in advance of their visit what is it that they would specifically like to see.
Remember that nature is often very secretive and does not always give up its secrets easily, and wildlife viewings cannot always be guaranteed.
Your guide
Barry Embling is a qualified Ecologist, and has been living in the Forest of Dean working in nature conservation since the 1990's. During this time, he has built up an extensive knowledge of the local wildlife. Barry is very much in his element in the field showing people wildlife, tracking down and searching for the more elusive species. Previous experience has involved wildlife viewing all around the world, particularly enjoying forest and wilderness habitats.
He is now the Manager for the RSPB Forest of Dean
If you would like to register your interest and receive details of our special breaks as soon as they are available, please fill out the short form below:
Our privacy statement |
