Our year began in Devon, where Mike Symes introduced a group of travellers to the winter delights of his home county. There were plenty of birds on offer, including local speciality the Cirl Bunting, along with some close encounters with seals.
In March, after a two-year hiatus, Philip set off with our first overseas group since March 2020, to get re-acquainted with the amazing orchids of Cyprus.
April took Philip to Almeria in Andalucia to take in the spring wildlife of the mountains and coast, and make plans for a future Wildlife Travel holiday.
Philip headed for the Mediterranean once again in May, and the Greek island of Lesvos, where there was plenty of wildlife on offer for our group to enjoy, among the olive groves and rocky hillsides.
A mid-summer jaunt to Norfolk saw James showcasing his home county, finding some great wildlife along the way, including a fine spread of moths with a number of Breckland specialities.
Setting out from St Pancras, Philip and Kieron took a group to the flower-filled meadows of the Cevennes, where several species of burnet moths added a fiery splash to their days.
In June, Phil and Laurie visited the wild flower clad hillsides of the Vercors, where our travellers were wowed with a dazzling array of butterflies, including the magnificent Apollo.
Closer to home, July saw Laurie and Kelly exploring the coast, heath and chalk downs of Sussex, along with a visit to the well-known Knepp Wildland Project, where our group got to meet a few of its ‘mega herbivores’.
Philip and Laurie travelled in Mongolia during the late-summer to plan a new itinerary. Recces don’t get much better than this, and they saw a wealth of mammals, birds and plants, including some truly iconic species.
Mike Russell led a relaxing visit to the Algarve in September, a perfect time to enjoy a wide range of birds on land and at sea.
In September Phil and Laurie explored the scenery and wildlife of Purbeck in southern Dorset. The holiday included visits to Durdle Door and Portland, along with a trip across Poole Harbour to the island of Brownsea.
As we wound down to autumn, Laurie and Philip made a welcome return to Morocco in October, where their group enjoyed several exciting species of autumn bulb in flower on the dry hillsides around their hotel.