Enjoy Great Birdwatching in North Wales with Alan and Ruth of The Biggest Twitch

North Wales is a wonderful location for birdwatching with a huge range of species and habitats packed into a small area. Having written the successful site guide 'Best Birdwatching Sites in North Wales' nobody knows more about birdwatching in North Wales than Alan and Ruth. As THE local birdwatching experts we know all about being in the right places to see the birds, but we know it's just as important to enjoy yourself at the same time. That's why we only take small groups and always spend plenty of time enjoying the views of all the birds we encounter. Find out more about our custom-made and small group tours to the best birdwatching destinations in North Wales. It's your chance to be guided by the world record-breaking birders. Email us on info@thebiggesttwitch.com for more information.

Testimonial from two visitors we helped enjoy great Welsh birding

Stop Press! Still spaces available on the following set departure day trips:

• The Very Best of Anglesey
  We tour this beautiful island visiting the very best birdwatching locations, including forest, estuaries, cliffs and lagoons, looking for the special birds and mammals each of these varied habitats has to offer. Our targets will include seabirds, waders, wildfowl, migrants and our local specialities, the charismatic Chough and Black Guillemot, and we'll also be looking for seals, porpoises and engaging red squirrels. Expect plenty of wildlife on this fun day on the island!
  £50 per person
  
  Friday 17th May 2013 - new date!
  Saturday 29th June 2013
  Wednesday 24th July 2013
  If you can't make these dates, custom tours can be arranged on a date to suit you
  
  
• The Very Best of North Wales
  The variety of habitats in this area enables us to visit lagoons, estuary, woodland, water meadows, coastal cliffs and seashore, all in a bird-packed day. Our target species may include Dipper, Pied Flycatcher, Redstart, Wood Warbler and Hen Harrier. We'll also be in touch with the very latest bird news so we can also look for any special birds in the area. Expect to see a lot of birds!
  £50 per person
  
  Friday 28th June 2013
  Tuesday 23rd July 2013
  If you can't make these dates, custom tours can be arranged on a date to suit you
  
  
• Day out on the Dee
  We'll visit a variety of different sites on both the north and south side of the vast expanse of the Dee Estuary, looking for waders, wildfowl and raptors and any other species we may encounter along the way! Just a few of the highlights could include Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit, Spotted Redshank, Little Tern and with luck, Great White Egret. The specific sites we visit will vary according to the tide levels on the day. Expect a huge variety of species!
  £50 per person
  
  Wednesday 22nd May 2013 - sorry this tour is now fully booked!
  Please email us on info@thebiggesttwitch.com to arrange a custom tour on a date to suit you
  
  
• Black Grouse and Uplands Special
  A very early start will be required as we will visit a beautiful moorland area to see the spectacular display of male Black Grouse soon after dawn. This wonderful iconic bird is one of nature's most dramatic creatures. If you have never seen a Black Grouse at its lek before, you really must come on this trip! And if you've been before, you really must come again! You can never see enough of a bird like this. We will also visit nearby upland areas in search of other wonderful species such as Great Grey Shrike, Goshawk, Crossbill and many more. We know you will have a truly memorable day! The price of this particular daytrip includes a large, full cooked breakfast after we have enjoyed the grouse displaying.
  £60 per person
  
  Monday 20th May 2013 - one space still available!
  If you can't make this date, custom tours can be arranged on a date to suit you
  
  
• Meres and Marshes
  Enjoy huge numbers of waders and wildfowl as well as returning geese, raptors and any other species we may encounter as we visit the wonderful reserves of WWT Martinmere and RSPB Marshside on this bird-packed day out. Expect to see a great bird spectacle!
  £55 per person for WWT and RSPB members, non-members may have to pay an entrance fee
  
  Sunday 15th September 2013
  If you can't make this date, please contact us on info@thebiggesttwitch.com for future dates.
  
  Unless indicated, all day trips are £50 per person based on a minimum of at least 2 people booking the tour. If you would like a custom-made tour for just you or your party, please email us on info@thebiggesttwitch.com for details.
  
  Price includes: full day’s guiding, transport in the Birdmobile, checklist, use of our top-of-the-range Leica telescopes and field guide. Price does not include food, snacks, drinks or any items of a personal nature. Booking essential!
  Most trips start at Conwy RSPB at 8am, but please contact us for more details as this may vary on certain tours. If you're interested in any of these daytrips, please email us on info@thebiggesttwitch.com for more information and to book your place.
  
  

  We also run the following weekend and longer birding tours:

  
  
• Shear Madness!
  
  This July we're running a special birding weekend to mid-Wales to enjoy the wonderful seabird spectacle occurring on the coast here. Last year thousands of Manx Shearwater massed just offshore and we'll be looking for this as well as enjoying close encounters with raptors including Red Kite and Osprey. For more information, please click on A birding extravaganza
  
  Friday 19th - Sunday 21st July 2013
  
  
• Norfolk Guided Birdwatching Trips
  
  There's nowhere better to enjoy some wonderful birding at any time of year than the North Norfolk coast. We run our popular 3-day trips all year round, so why not join us for a brilliant bird-filled holiday. Our autumn dates are
  
  Friday 6th - Sunday 8th September 2013
  Monday 23rd - Wednesday 25th September 2013 - new date!
  
  £415 per person for this 3-day trip on a B&B basis.
  
  Norfolk tours run throughout the year please ask for details. We can also a arrange a custom tour just for you.
  
  See Norfolk Birdwatching Holidays for more details about our guided Norfolk birding trips or click onto Norfolk Autumn Migration Week for information about our week long trip to Norfolk from Saturday 19th to Saturday 26th October 2013 to enjoy the very best of autumn birding. Email us on info@thebiggesttwitch.com for dates and more details.
  
  
  
• The best of the Scottish Highlands
  
  On our 5-day tour to this dramatic part of the world, we will visit some of the most reknowned bird- and wildlife-watching sites in the UK. We will visit the famous RSPB reserve at Loch Garten, the beautiful Findhorn Valley and the impressive Cairngorm Mountain amongst others. Our targets will include the best wildlife this region has to offer ranging from the Golden Eagle to the Crested Tit, the elusive Capercaillie and Ptarmigan, and charismatic mammals including Red Squirrel, Red and Roe Deer, Bottle-nosed Dolphins and maybe a glimpse of a Pine Martin.
  £850 per person for this 5-day trip on a fully-inclusive basis.
  Please see Guided birdwatching trip to the Scottish Highlands for more information or email us on info@thebiggesttwitch.com for more details.
  
  Our next Highlands tour will be Wednesday 9th October to Sunday 13th October 2013. If you would like more information on this trip or to discuss a custom tour on a date to suit you, please email us on info@thebiggesttwitch.com .
  
  
• Farne Islands & Northumberland coast
  
  Due to popular demand, we run this as a custom tour. If you'd like to enjoy the mind-blowing spectacle of the seabird colonies on this wild and beautiful coastline, do email us on info@thebiggesttwitch.com for information. If you've never visited this part of the UK before, you're in for a real treat. See Guided Birdwatching Tours in Northumberland for more details of our previous trips.
  
  
  If any of the dates above don't suit you, just get in touch with us and we can arrange a custom tour on a date that's perfect for you.
  
  For more details about any of these tours, please contact us on info@thebiggesttwitch.com
  
  There is no-one better to show you the wonderful birds of North Wales than Alan Davies and Ruth Miller of The Biggest Twitch.
  
  Alan is co-author of Best Birdwatching Sites in North Wales published in 2008 and he has over thirty years' experience of finding the very best birds. He runs Birdline Wales and Birdline North West, the successful information service established in 1990, run by birdwatchers for birdwatchers, so with access to up-to-the minute bird information, he is in a unique position to know just what birds are being seen and where.
  
  Ruth has written two walking/birding guides to North Wales and is currently working on new editions for her popular series “Birds, Boots and Butties”.
  
  Alan and Ruth are both former RSPB staff members: Alan was Site Manager at RSPB Conwy for six years prior to 2008, and Ruth was Head of Trading at the RSPB headquarters in Sandy,Bedfordshire.
  
  Together they undertook an expedition to break the world record for the number of bird species seen in a single year. Travelling the whole world in 2008, they set a new world record of 4,341 bird species, visiting 27 countries during their quest. Their birding knowledge is considerable, and they love nothing better than sharing great birds with others.
  
  
  
  
  
  They are based in Llandudno mid-way along the North Wales coast, an ideal location to base yourself to reach all the best birding sites. Here there is a huge choice of accommodation available to suit all budgets.
  
  Alan and Ruth are very experienced bird guides, having led for Tropical Birding, the American Birding Association, Shetland Wildlife, Celtic Bird Tours, as well as leading many private tours for small groups and individuals.
  
  Who better to show you the great birds and habitats of North Wales?
  
  
  North Wales provides great birding all year round. Here are just a few of the seasonal highlights we would love to show you.
  
  

  Resident

  Great Crested Grebe, Little Egret, Common Eider, Red-breasted Merganser, both Red and Black Grouse, Red Kite, Hen Harrier, Goshawk, Merlin, Peregrine, Lapwing, Black Guillemot, Short-eared Owl, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Dipper, Stonechat, Marsh Tit, Willow Tit, Red-billed Chough, Twite, Common Crossbill.
  
  
  
  

  Chough

  Winter – Divers, grebes, wildfowl, raptors including Red Kites and Hen Harriers at roost sites, Purple Sandpiper, gulls, Great Grey Shrike, Crossbills, Twite, Snow Bunting and in most winters, a rarity or two.
  
  
  
  

  Snow Bunting

  Spring – Divers and grebes linger often in breeding plumage, wildfowl, seabirds including Puffin and Pomarine Skua, raptors including an excellent chance of Goshawk, Red Kite, Hen Harrier, Merlin, and Osprey, Black Grouse will be displaying, just magic! Waders, terns, returning and passage migrants will be on your list, just anything can turn up.
  
  
  
  

  Black Grouse

  Summer – all the classic Welsh birds including Pied Flycatcher, Common Redstart and Wood Warbler. We can still see Black Grouse, and all the raptors mentioned above, while seabird and tern colonies will be in full swing, and enjoy seabirds including Manx Shearwater and everyone’s favourite, Puffins. Nightjars will be churring in upland forests. Raptors should include Osprey, Red Kite, Hen Harrier and Peregrine.
  
  
  
  

  Puffin

  Autumn – Enjoy seabirds, wildfowl, waders, raptors, returning migrants and rarities - at this time of year anything can, and does, turn up. Expect the unexpected should be your watchword. All resident birds can be found with dedication!
  
  
  
  

  Dunlin flock

  North Wales really has got it all: wonderful birds, beautiful scenery and the perfect guides to ensure you have a really outstanding birding experience!
  
  

  We offer

• Half day
• full day
• weekend
• week long
• or any length of itinerary to suit you.

Our tours can be custom made to your requirements. We can make our birding as leisurely as you like, or pick up the pace and squeeze every last minute from the day. The choice is yours.

Expect to see around 80 species in a full day out at a steady pace with plenty of time to really enjoy the birds.

As you can see a wonderful array of birds await you! One of the big advantages of running tours in North Wales is that the sites are all within easy reach of a central base. This means more time birding and less time driving. With the range of accommodation available in this popular tourist area, there is something to fit all budgets. We have a new seven seater people carrier, with large sun roof for on-the-raod raptor viewing, in which to transport you in comfort with excellent visibility. Packed lunches and or breakfasts in the field can be arranged.

Prices start from as little as £35 per person per day, based on a group of four sharing. Please contact us at info@thebiggesttwitch.com for the best value birdwatching tours. Customer care is our highest priority and we will do everything possible to make your tour a wonderful experience.

Should you have any questions or require further details please do not hesitate to ask, we are here to help make your birding the best it can possibly be! We look forward to birding with you.

Alan and Ruth.

Email info@thebiggesttwitch.com or Tel 07778 677141