In winter, the limestone cliffs of the beautiful Dordogne region are a regular haunt of Wallcreeper Robert Dolezal, birdwatcher.cz

Transcription

1 France THE DORDOGNE IN AUTUMN In winter, the limestone cliffs of the beautiful Dordogne region are a regular haunt of Wallcreeper Robert Dolezal, birdwatcher.cz 2018 Friday 9th - Tuesday 13th November (5 days) Single-centre, small group tour with David Simpson NEW! A 5-day, small group autumn birdwatching tour to the Dordogne, in southwest France, seeking Wallcreeper, Alpine Accentor and other wintering birds, Eagle Owl, woodpeckers and two species of kite. Designed and led for us by David Simpson, author of the books Birding Dordogne and the Crossbill (Wildlife) Guide Dordogne, and one of Dordogne s many English residents who visited - and, somehow, never left! Enjoy the autumnal colours in this picturesque region of southwest France, with its pretty, honey-coloured stone-built villages and imposing chateaux set amidst a rich and varied rural landscape. Autumn in the beautiful Dordogne region of southwest France A fine time for birding in Dordogne Wintering specialities include Wallcreeper, Alpine Accentor and Crag Martin Chance of Eagle Owl and 5 woodpeckers including Black, Middle Spotted and Lesser Spotted Common Crane, Stone Curlew and Red and Black-winged Kites also possible Easy-paced walks amidst lovely French countryside Based throughout at a small village hotel beside a river Small group tour - maximum of 7 participants Expertly led by resident Dordogne naturalist and author David Simpson What's Included? Tour Leader - David Simpson Return flights - London Gatwick to Bordeaux, nonstop with British Airways 4 nights at a cosy riverside hotel in sleepy Mauzac All main meals included - light lunches in restaurants to sample the local cuisine du terroir Minibus transport All excursions, entry fees, tour based tips and taxes LIMOSA HOLIDAYS, West End Farmhouse, Chapelfield, Stalham, Norfolk NR12 9EJ (UK) TEL: +44 (0) info@limosaholidays.co.uk WEB: limosaholidays.co.uk

2 Outline Itinerary Day 1: Morning flight London Gatwick- Bordeaux. Wetland birding en route to our village hotel. Mauzac (4 nts) Days 2-4: Three full days of birdwatching amid the fields, forests and riverine cliffs of the Dordogne Day 5: We look for Black-winged Kite and visit the Grand Marais de Bordeaux wetland reserve. Evening flight Bordeaux-London Gatwick Tour Overview Around 10 of latitude due south of the UK sits the landlocked Dordogne département, in southwest France. The landscape feels instantly recognisable to British visitors whilst the weather is warmer and with more chance of an Indian Summer. For the naturalist there are a wide range of interesting habitats including dry rocky hillsides, arable plains, heathlands and wetlands. However the area is dominated by oak forests set amongst mixed farmland with fine limestone meadows, cut through by the great Dordogne River itself beneath some impressive cliffs. Traditional farming and other land practices have left many wildlife habitats intact, making almost any location of interest. Autumn is a fine time for birding in the Dordogne. The region's winter visitors arrive, while its resident birds are still active and the climate can still be very comfortable. Wintering alpine birds are a regular but little known feature of the Dordogne, coming to the lower levels here to escape the harsh conditions in Europe's high mountains. If you know the sites, Wallcreepers can be relatively 'easy' to find on the cliffs and ancient buildings beside the main rivers - we have seen up to three birds in one day! Come November, a few Alpine Accentors often accompany them amongst the rocky ledges. Peregrines and Ravens are active in good weather, while Crag Martins - which only leave the Dordogne for a short period during the winter months - should still be cruising past the cliffs in the autumn sunshine. With its extensive forests, the Dordogne is rich in woodpeckers, with up to five species to be found in autumn. Green and Great Spotted are the commonest species, but we will also visit woodlands which harbour the majestic Black Woodpecker. With sharp eyes, we could spot the tiny Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (which has a penchant for thinner branches in the treetops) and, with luck, we may encounter the elusive Middle Spotted - surely Europe's most attractive woodpecker and always a delight to see. We have the chance of seeing Common Cranes - which migrate across this region in their thousands - and we will be present during the Red Kite autumn migration, as birds move south into Spain. We will also be visiting an interesting dry farmland area in search of Hen Harrier, Stonecurlew, Crested Lark, Rock Sparrow, Cirl Bunting and Corn Bunting. Local sites are home to the beautiful Black-winged Kite, now becoming established in this corner of southwest France. At the same time we will keep an eye out for wintering species, such as Water Pipit and perhaps some late migrants. There are other interesting locals to watch for on our travels, including Great White, Little and Cattle Egrets, Dipper, Crested Tit, Firecrest, Dartford and Cetti s Warblers, Hawfinch - and Eurasian Eagle Owl, if we are lucky. And if the sun smiles on us, there may even be the chance of finding a few butterflies perhaps the last of the year s Speckled Woods, Clouded Yellows, Red Admirals and Long-tailed Blues. Late flowers are another bonus with many species flowering well into the autumn here. Our guide David Simpson lives in the Dordogne and is author of the books Birding Dordogne and the recently published Crossbill (Wildlife) Guide Dordogne. He designed and led our first two tours to the Dordogne (in May 2012 and 2013), as well as our first trip for Wallcreepers here back in February all quickly sold out. He has continued to lead tours to Dordogne and this first November break will be our ninth visit to Dordogne with David. Set yourself up for the winter with this delightful late season tour to rural France! info@limosaholidays.co.uk

3 Daily Itinerary Day 1 FLY BORDEAUX, LIBOURNE MARSHES & DORDOGNE VALLEY WETLANDS Our autumn birdwatching tour to France begins with a morning flight from London Gatwick nonstop to Bordeaux, where guide David Simpson will be waiting to welcome us. It is about a two and a half hour drive from Bordeaux Airport to our riverside hotel in Mauzac, but we shall stop along the way for lunch and birding. We drive east for about an hour to the attractive bastide (fortified) town of Libourne for lunch. From here we go birding at Libourne Marshes, on the floodplain of the rivers Dordogne and Isle, by their confluence in Bordeaux vineyard country. White Stork and Fan-tailed Warbler are found here in autumn along with other wetland species and farmland birds. Continuing east, if time permits we ll call in on the gravel pits between Castillon and St Foy la Grande, searching for duck, grebes and waders as well as possible passerine migrants. Early evening arrival at our cosy riverside hotel in Mauzac, in the picturesque Dordogne, which will be our base throughout. If conditions are suitable we aim to take a dusk visit to an Eagle Owl site one evening during the holiday. Four nights Mauzac Day 2 WALLCREEPERS & MORE! We spend time today concentrating on getting good views of the incomparable Wallcreeper. Sometimes they will play ball, but patience is often required. The spectacular riverside cliffs of the Dordogne harbour wintering Wallcreepers, which desert their high mountain breeding haunts during the coldest months and can sometimes be seen here at close range. David s groups have enjoyed many superb views over the years, including particularly photogenic birds on the stone-tiled roof of a medieval church! There are plenty of other birds to enjoy: Ravens, Peregrines and Crag Martins should be about and, with any luck we might add Alpine Accentor and Water Pipit. Day 3 FOREST AND HEATHLAND DAY Until comparatively recently, the Dordogne landscape was a much more open landscape. However, since the 19th century progressive abandonment of traditional extensive grazing on the hills and marginal farming has led to a great increase in the area of woodland such that today nearly 50% of the département is classified as 'forest'. Indeed, to the visitor the overriding impression of the region is one of being largely wooded. Although we have other woodland opportunities during the trip, today is our main 'forest and heath' day. We'll spend time visiting a variety of woodland sites some dominated by pine, others by sub-mediterranean habitat of Downy and Holm Oaks - searching for resident birds such as Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Firecrest, Short-toed Treecreeper, Hawfinch and Crested Tit. We will keep an eye (and especially ear!) out for the mighty Black Woodpecker and its distinctive call. Middle Spotted and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers are quieter, but once known their distinctive calls help to locate them. Amongst scrubby patches of garrigue and heath, we hope to find Dartford Warbler and Woodlark. Checking the skies, the day may also bring our first encounter with kites, as Red Kites pass through on their way south - and perhaps a flock or two of migrating Common Cranes. In the evening, we return to our hotel in the village of Mauzac. Day 4 PLATEAU DE FAUX The Plateau de Faux is one of the best birdwatching areas in the Dordogne, an interesting landscape of fields, scrub, small woods and overgrown hedges, contrasting with the wellwooded majority of Dordogne. We start our search for resident arable farmland birds. Perhaps a ghostly male Hen Harrier will quarter a field, or a Crested Lark or small flock of Rock Sparrows might be seen rummaging on a recently tilled, stony field. In autumn, perky Stonechats, and Cirl and Corn Buntings are to be found perched along the scrubby hedgerows info@limosaholidays.co.uk

4 This area of the Dordogne has been blessed by a recently established population of Black-winged Kite, which are slowly colonising from Spain. We will spend time searching for one perched atop an isolated tree or hovering above an open field. There is even a chance of the localised Southern Grey Shrike on winter territory. Late autumn migration will still be underway so we may well find Black Redstart, Serin and perhaps the last Swallows. We will search for a regular pre-migration flock of Stone-curlew, which favour large fields in the area, as do the odd covey of Red-legged Partridges. If time allows, we will visit a local stream for Dipper and a reservoir for waterbirds including egrets before returning to our hotel for dinner. Day 5 BERGERAC & MARAIS DE BRUGES (BORDEAUX), FLY LONDON We leave our hotel at Mauzac after breakfast this morning and head back west towards Bordeaux. On route we will stop at the pasturelands near Bergerac, searching again for the elusive Blackwinged Kite plus Cattle Egret and Water Pipit. After lunch at Libourne, we head to the Marais de Bruges, which lies near the River Garonne at Bordeaux. It is one of the last remnants of the Grand Marias de Bordeaux and an important wetland Réserve Naturelle. Here we will have the luxury of hides to look for White Stork, egrets, duck, waders and passerine migrants as our French autumn break draws to a close. From here, we continue the short distance to Bordeaux Merignac Airport for farewells to David and check-in for our evening flight back to London Gatwick, where the tour concludes. Trip Information Group Limit Max of 7 participants & 1 leader Birds species Accommodation 4 nights accommodation at Hotel La Barrage - a small, fairly simple but cosy riverside hotel with good food in the sleepy village of Mauzac. All rooms are en suite. Meals All main meals are included in the tour price, commencing with lunch on Day 1 and concluding with lunch on Day 5. Breakfasts and dinners will be taken at the hotel. Lunches will usually be taken in auberges to sample the local cuisine du terroir. Please note that David will take lunches and evening meals with the group but as he lives nearby breakfasts will be 'sans David' - he will call by and pick you up from the hotel after breakfast each day. Walking Easy. The scenery around here is beautiful and the location perfect for easy, relaxed birding, much of it possible on foot. Stout walking shoes or lightweight boots with good, corrugated soles for grip recommended. Weather In mid-november, the weather in the Dordogne is typically changeable. However there are often sunny days, with afternoon temperatures in the range of 5-15C (41-59F). Some rainfall is likely at this season and frosts are possible overnight. Flights Return flights from London Gatwick to Bordeaux nonstop with British Airways. Ground Transport By minibus. Tour Cost 2018 (5 days): 1195 (inc flights from London) Land only cost: 1095 Deposit: 300 Single Supp: 125 Cost includes Services of our expert local guide Return flights London Gatwick-Bordeaux 4 nights hotel accommodation in France All main meals (with drinking water provided) Minibus transport All excursions, permits/entry fees to reserves, tour based tips and taxes Map and Limosa checklist of birds. Cost excludes Insurance, drinks, airport meals/snacks, in flight meals & other items of a personal nature info@limosaholidays.co.uk

5 About Your Guide David Simpson David has lived in France for fifteen years. He now lives and works in the Dordogne, where he has run a wildlife tour and holiday business for over ten years. Previously he worked for twenty years as a warden on various sites in northern England such as the Farne Islands, Ravenglass and the Sefton Coast. He has also worked in the Seychelles for the Nature Protection Trust of Seycelles and in Mauritius as island warden for the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation at Ile aux Aigrettes. He has published several articles in British Wildlife, wrote the book Birding Dordogne in the popular BirdGuides series and most recently (2018) penned the Crossbill (Wildlife) Guide Dordogne in the successful Crossbill Wildlife Guide series. David designed and led our first two tours to the Dordogne (in May 2012 and 2013), as well as our first trip for Wallcreepers back in February these quickly sold out and have since been regularly repeated. Our November 2018 tour will be our ninth visit to the Dordogne with David. Financial Security Limosa Holidays is a fully bonded Tour Operator and a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO). We hold an ATOL (Air Tour Operators Licence) granted by the CAA, providing for your protection in the event of Limosa Holidays' insolvency. Our licence number is ATOL For tours not including the cost of a flight from the UK or for holidays booked by you as Land Only, all payments made to us are fully bonded through the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT). Our ABTOT membership number is For details please see our brochure or website: Limosa Loyalty Discount We are proud of the number of loyal customers who travel regularly with us. As our way of saying thank you, we offer a Frequent Travel Discount. Under the scheme, everyone who takes four trips with us is entitled to claim a 5% discount on their 5th trip *1. Remember to request your discount at time of booking! *1 Please note: This offer applies to the basic tour cost only and excludes certain commissionbased trips, extras such as additional flights, private extensions and cancellations. Discounts cannot be given in lieu of tour deposits or off the cost of single room supplements. How To Book Check availability on our website or with our office. We are happy to hold Provisional Reservations for up to 7 days. After this, we do require a Booking Form and deposit to confirm your place on tour. Any unconfirmed space will be released. Book Online, by Phone or by Post You can book and pay the deposit simply and securely Online via our website, using the Book This Tour button on the relevant tour page or the Booking tab at the top of the page. Telephone bookings must be confirmed in writing by completion of a Booking Form (there's one tucked inside every brochure or as a PDF download from our website), which can be mailed to us in the time-honoured way. Be sure to read our Booking Conditions and General Information (found at the back of our brochure, on our website or available from our office on request) prior to booking. When to Book Early booking is advised since flights and accommodation are much more easily secured well in advance. To encourage early booking, we are pleased to offer an Early Bird Discount - see our current brochure or website for details. Our tours are limited to small group sizes. So they can fill up quickly - sometimes even before our new brochure comes out! Single rooms in particular can often be in short supply and among the first to go, so do try to plan well ahead if you definitely require one of these info@limosaholidays.co.uk

6 Last-minute Bookings: We inevitably receive a few unexpected cancellations over the course of a season so it is always worth enquiring about vacancies on any tour - even for those departing in just a few weeks! Payments Deposit: The amount of booking deposit per person is shown alongside every tour. We accept deposit payments by debit card, BACS (please ask for our bank details) or cheque (payable to Limosa Holidays and drawn on a UK bank in GB Pounds Sterling). For payment of booking deposits only we also accept Visa and MasterCard credit cards. Balance: Full payment of the tour balance is due not later than 12 weeks prior to departure (20 weeks in the case of certain tours such as cruises or those involving rail travel). We will send you an invoice before the balance is due. We accept balance payments (and interim payments) by BACS, UK debit card or cheque. Please note: Following a change in legislation, we are unable to accept balance payments (or interim payments) by credit card or overseas debit card after 31st December Payment by overseas customers must be in GB Pounds Sterling and may be made by transfer to our bank (please ask for our bank details). Please note we do not accept cheques on US Banks in US Dollars, or cheques in Euros or Eurocheques. Late Booking Payments: In order for us to guarantee your airline seats, hotels etc., full payment is required at time of booking for all late bookings (i.e. bookings made within 12 weeks of departure). Other Things You Need To Know Passports & Visas For UK passport holders, your passport must be valid for the proposed duration of your stay. Although no additional period of validity beyond this is required, when travelling anywhere overseas we always recommend that your passport has a minimum of 6 months left to run after your intended date of return home in case of unforeseen delay. VISA NOT REQUIRED by UK passport holders to enter France. Holders of non-uk passports should contact the nearest French embassy or consulate to enquire whether or not they require a visa. If a visa is required, you need to apply locally. If the embassy or consulate requires you to provide a letter confirming that you are booked on an allinclusive tour, please contact our office and we will be happy to provide one. Health & Vaccinations Compulsory vaccinations: None. Recommended vaccinations: For travel everywhere (even within the UK) however, we recommend you check you are up-to-date with protection against tetanus, polio and hepatitis A. The above information, together with that contained within our Travel Information sheets (sent to everyone who books), outlines health requirements for this tour. Please note that these details are given for guidance only - and are only for certain diseases - and you must consult your doctor in good time prior to travel as to what immunisations (if any) are needed for your chosen holiday. Visit your health professional at least 4 to 6 weeks before your trip to check whether you need any vaccinations or other preventive measures. Country specific information and advice is published by the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC), visit: travelhealthpro.org.uk/countryinformation/ and by NHS (Scotland), visit: Useful information and advice about healthcare abroad is also available at NHS Choices website: ad/pages/healthcareabroad.aspx info@limosaholidays.co.uk

7 Your Safety & Travel Advice An unavoidable aspect of travelling abroad nowadays is the risk it may pose to your safety and security. The best advice on current risks is provided by the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO). In order to assess and protect against any risks in your chosen destination we strongly recommended that you refer to the relevant FCO Travel Advice - both prior to booking and regularly before you travel. See It is standard Limosa policy for our office to send a copy of the relevant FCO Travel Advice about the tour to all participants along with their Final Letter (ca. 2-3 weeks prior to the trip). Travel Aware - staying safe and healthy abroad - is a travel safety campaign run by the FCO, and another useful resource. Go to: Travel Insurance Good travel insurance is essential before setting off on any overseas trip. In common with all responsible tour operators, it is a condition of booking that all clients are fully and adequately insured before travelling overseas with us. Be aware that some destinations may require you to produce proof of comprehensive travel insurance (e.g. valid insurance certificate) at immigration on arrival in the country, so you should carry your documentation with you. Your travel insurance should cover against cancellation, curtailment, missed departure, delay, personal accident, death, loss of baggage and valuables (see note below), personal liability and legal expenses. Most importantly, your insurance must cover you fully in respect of medical care and repatriation should you become too ill to continue with the tour, including the cost of emergency evacuation by helicopter or air ambulance should this be necessary. Note that passenger liability insurance covering the transportation that we hire, particularly in Third World countries, may be inadequate; it is therefore important that your insurance cover includes sufficient provision for your dependents in the event of an accident. We recommend that you obtain travel insurance as soon as possible after booking your holiday to ensure you are protected right from the word go in the event of unexpected cancellation prior to departure due to accident or illness. You must inform your insurers of any pre-existing medical conditions (including those of persons not necessarily travelling but upon whom your holiday may depend) that may require treatment during a period of overseas travel or might cause you to cancel the trip. Once you have arranged your insurance, please be sure to send us the following essential details: name and contact details of your insurance provider, your policy number, expiry date and your insurers 24hr Emergency Assistance number. Important Things to Note about Insurance Travel Insurance does not normally provide sufficient cover for valuable optical equipment, which is often best protected under your own household insurance policy. If in doubt ask your insurers for advice prior to travel. Most travel insurance policies limit the amount of cover, typically up to a maximum tour cost of 5000 per person. If the tour you are booking exceeds this amount, additional cover can usually be provided upon payment of additional premium. We recommend all travellers check their individual policy limit to ensure the full cost of their holiday is covered. Arranging Your Insurance: due to UK Government legislation, under Financial Services Authority (FSA) regulations, we are not allowed to offer or recommend travel related insurance to customers. Premiums can vary widely according to your age, needs, health, choice of destination and other factors, while many people nowadays have Annual Travel Insurance cover. For these reasons, we leave you free to shop around and pick your own policy, one best suited to your own individual needs info@limosaholidays.co.uk

8 General Information Our website gives easy access to detailed tour itineraries (Tour Info Packs), trip reports, trip photos and the latest Limosa News. Special Diets & Other Requests We pass on all such requests to the airlines, hotels and other suppliers, and do our best to ensure (but of course cannot guarantee) that your needs will be met. Please be sure to tell us about these (in as much detail as possible) at the time of booking, to allow good time to make the necessary arrangements. Smoking Almost all of our clients prefer a smoke-free environment. For the enjoyment and comfort of all, we ask that smokers refrain from smoking in proximity to the group and respect our NO SMOKING policy in the vehicle, at meal times and when watching wildlife. Any Questions? If you have any questions at any time, you ll find our office staff friendly, efficient, approachable - and just a phone call away, eager to assist you in every way. Our office is open hrs Mon-Fri, and can also be reached by . In the event we are unable to take your call, please leave a message on our answerphone (24 hrs) and our office will contact you as soon as we can. Thank you for your interest in our tours. We do hope that you will be able to join us - and we look forward to hearing from you again! revck info@limosaholidays.co.uk