Naturetrek Wildlife Holidays

We're on Bluesky! For anyone unfamiliar with us, we're Naturetrek - one of the UK's leading wildlife tour operators since 1986! We look forward to connecting to you all on here and sharing some of our guest's favourite wildlife encounters from around the world! This week's #NewsFromTheField:

After a trip recent trip to Spurn I was pleased to be back on patch at RSPB Rainham Marshes today. 2 London ticks in the form of Glossy Ibis and Pectoral Sandpiper, which eventually showed decently! #londonbirds

Just back from a couple of weeks on the super Isles of Scilly (UK). For many the highlight was being close to a couple of Fin Whales feeding with other wildlife just south of the islands, made possible with a boat excursion courtesy of Joe Pender and team...🐋😊🐳🪶🦭 @naturetrek.bsky.social

Some more images from a short boat trip out from St Mary's on the Isles of Scilly a week ago. With Fin and Minke Whales working the waters for food and accompanied by Blue-finned Tuna and Common Dolphins, Gannets and other seabirds fed from above. All part of a @naturetrek.bsky.social tour...🐳🪶🦭

Continued our journey east in Southern Morocco with @naturetrek.bsky.social from Boumalne Dades to the Sahara edge. Lots to see with Pharaoh Eagle Owl, Lanner & Maghreb Wheatears at Imiter after Temmincks Thick-billed & Hoopoe Larks on Tagdilt track. Finished with Maghreb & Bar-tailed Larks nr Jorf

The day in the desert nr Erg Chebbi with @naturetrek.bsky.social is always special. Dawn arrived with Af Desert Warblers, then Larks, two Egyptian Nightjars, Spotted & Crowned Sandgrouse . Desert Sparrows & Fulvous Babblers were found around the camps. The day finished with Scrub Warblers - Magic

Twite, Minke Whale, Eurasian Otter, and Golden Eagle from Ardnamurchan! #Naturetrek #Birding #UKBirding #Scotland #UKWildlife @naturetrek.bsky.social

S Portugal 1 with NatureTrek @naturetrek.bsky.social @naturetrek_wildlife_holidays @essex_birdwatching

S Portugal 2 with NatureTrek @naturetrek.bsky.social @naturetrek_wildlife_holidays @essex_birdwatching

S Portugal 3 with NatureTrek @naturetrek.bsky.social @naturetrek_wildlife_holidays @essex_birdwatching

S Portugal 4 with NatureTrek @naturetrek.bsky.social @naturetrek_wildlife_holidays @essex_birdwatching

Excellent time on @naturetrek.bsky.social Vale of Mowbray day trip in lovely weather. Best were mega views of Bittern and Goldcrest

Great 2nd week in E Yorks with NatureTrek watching active migration 😊 @naturetrek.bsky.social @naturetrek_wildlife_holidays @essex_birdwatching

Barn Swallows, Manx Shearwater, European Honey Buzzard, and Pine Marten from Ardnamurchan! #Naturetrek #Birding #UKBirding #UKWildlife @naturetrek.bsky.social

Fabulous week in E Yorks with NatureTrek with visits to Spurn, Flamborough & Bempton & some great birds seen @naturetrek.bsky.social @naturetrek_wildlife_holidays @essex_birdwatching

Common Guillemots, Harbour Seals, Common Dolphins, and Common Tern from Ardnamurchan! #Naturetrek #Birding #UKWildlife #WildlifePhotography @naturetrek.bsky.social

... and finally, perhaps the highlight of the Naturetrek Gabon adventure... getting up close to this gentle giant, the silverback lowland gorilla. Happy days 🙂

Some of the smaller, yet equally impressive, species from Ardnamurchan. Golden-ringed Dragonfly, Common Lizard, Oblong-leaved Sundew, and Small Copper! #NatureTrek #UKWildlife #WildlifePhotography @naturetrek.bsky.social

Cetaceans included 320 Common Dolphins, 6 Risso's Dolphins, 7 Harbour Porpoise. Also Hummingbird Hawkmoth @naturetrek.bsky.social Data to @marinelife1.bsky.social

Epic Lyme Bay Pelagic from Brixham. Sabine's Gull, Sooty, 111 Balearic & 3000 Manx Shearwater, 2 Great & 5 Arctic Skua, 140 Common & 2 Arctic Tern, 8 Yellow-legged & 10 Med Gulls, 2500 Kittiwake, 1600 Gannet, 1200 Guillemot, Purple Sandpiper @naturetrek.bsky.social Data @marinelife1.bsky.social

The stonking, but surely inaptly named Black Bee-eater is relatively easily seen in Gabon. @naturetrek.bsky.social

Portland & Ferrybridge 30 Balearic Shearwater, Little Gull, 9 Yellow Wagtail, 9 Wheatear, 3 Willow Warbler, Whinchat, Knot, 4 Sanderling, Curlew (red ring), 150 Ringed Plover, 5 Adonis & 3 Chalk Hill Blue, 2 Wall, Autumn Lady's Tresses, Maidenhair Fern, Grey Seal @naturetrek.bsky.social

Many of the much sought after and rather glorious Grey Pratincoles on Naturetrek's Gabon adventure. @naturetrek.bsky.social

The much sought after, but elusive African Finfoot seems relatively common on rivers in Loango National Park, Gabon. @naturetrek.bsky.social

A Forest Elephant in Lope National Park, Gabon. Now considered distinct enough from the Savanna Elephant to be a separate species. @naturetrek.bsky.social

The adventure starts here... Two weeks leading a birds and mammals tour in Gabon, Africa's last eden. Stay tuned for African wildlife highlights, WiFi permitting! @naturetrek.bsky.social

Martin Down @naturetrek.bsky.social 14 Hummingbird Hawkmoth, Quail, Grey & Red-legged Partridge, Whinchat, Red Kite, 10 Yellowhammer, Adonis Blue, 120 Chalk Hill Blue, 15 Clouded yellow, 2 Dingy Skipper, 2 Brown Argus, Marsh Fritillary larvae, Bastard Toadflax, Saw-wort, Brown Hare

Portland/Ferrybridge Quail, Serin, Whinchat, 2 Wheatear, 5 Yellow Wag, 3 Little Owl, 5 Little Tern, 75 Ringed Plover, 4 Common Sandpiper (Bill), 2 Adonis Blue, 30 Chalk Hill Blue, 6 Wall, 2 Grayling, 3 Hummingbird Hawkmoth, Red-veined Darter, Maidenhair Fern Bastard Toadflax @naturetrek.bsky.social

Martin Down, @naturetrek.bsky.social Vestal, 5 Hummingbird Hawkmoth, Grey Partridge, Spotted Flycatcher, Corn Bunting, Adonis Blue, Dark Green Fritillary, 150 Chalk-hill Blue, Silver Washed Fritillary, Marsh Fritillary larvae, Bastard Toadflax, Dwarf Sedge, Saw,-wort, Brown Hare

Lovely walking & views around Buttermere @naturetrek.bsky.social @naturetrek_wildlife_holidays @essex_birdwatching

A few views from the Lake District from today around Keswick @naturetrek.bsky.social @naturetrek_wildlife_holidays @essex_birdwatching

Lyme Bay pelagic from Portland @naturetrek.bsky.social 96 Common Dolphin, 9 Harbour Porpoise, 3 Grey Seal, Ocean Sunfish, Storm-petrel, 2 Puffin, Yellow-legged Gull, 80 Guillemot, 4 Razorbill, 30 Gannet, 2700 Herring & 150 Med Gull. 3 species each waders & butterflies. Data @marinelife1.bsky.social

Fabulous butterfly week in Wengen, Switzerland with NatureTrek, amazing scenery @naturetrek.bsky.social @naturetrek_wildlife_holidays @essex_birdwatching

Just a few of the 80+ species of Butterflies we recorded in Wengen @naturetrek.bsky.social @naturetrek_wildlife_holidays @essex_birdwatching

New blog (this time with link!) The Wild Side of Essex: High Summer by the Stour Estuary for @naturetrek.bsky.social A hard slog in the hot sun, with slim pickings, but lots of fun nonetheless with the minutiae of life. www.chrisgibsonwildlife.co.uk/the-wild-sid... #NatureWriting

22/07/26 Lyme Bay pelagic from Brixham @naturetrek.bsky.social Data to @marinelife1.bsky.social Highlights included 15 Risso's Dolphin, Minke Whale, 300 Common Dolphin, 14 Harb. Porpoise, 3 Grey Seal, 18 Balearic & Sooty Shearwater, 4 Storm-petrel, 600 Guillemot. Sunfish, Moon & Compass Jellyfish

Cool news from the @naturetrek.bsky.social tour I’m on in the Camargue — we had a rare for France Black Pennant (Selysiothemis nigra) #dragonfly that Kelly Burgess found and photographed beautifully. Leader Jason Mitchell’s info following. Wow!! Great tour & super cool bug #invertebrates

Some birds from Valais last week with NatureTrek @naturetrek.bsky.social @naturetrek_wildlife_holidays @essex_birdwatching

Plenty of Butterflies too in Valais, another fabulous week with NatureTrek @naturetrek.bsky.social @naturetrek_wildlife_holidays @essex_birdwatching

An interesting day in North Yorkshire on @naturetrek.bsky.social day trip based around Wykeham. We had to invoke a wet weather plan. Still plenty of interesting sightings including Siskin, Crossbill, ducks, geese and damselflies

Great to see the local Lizard Orchids flowering, i counted 13 spikes & a coupke of good moths from the trap last night @naturetrek.bsky.social @naturetrek.bsky.social @essex_birdwatching

A Glaucous Gul taken during @naturetrek.bsky.social lceland in Spring photography special, a fiting #BirdOfTheDay for @robcrank68.bsky.social #PreenersAndStrechers #BirdsSeenIn2026

Excellent day leading a Dragonfly tour at Westbere Lakes. Highlights included 2+ Lesser Emperor, 30+ Norfolk Hawker and 30+ Scarce Chaser. 14 species seen in total. @naturetrek.bsky.social @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #KentDragonflies

Blog of my trip for @naturetrek.bsky.social on Friday looking (mostly) at the Heath Fritillaries of Hockley Woods, along with other insects, galls, plants, birds, and geology & social history that shaped the place. "A little bit of Heaven" www.chrisgibsonwildlife.co.uk/the-wild-sid... #NatureWriting

I’ve just returned from a week of exploring the magnificent peaks, valleys and immense cirques of French Pyrenees with @naturetrek.bsky.social. The mountains are home to a stunning array of butterflies and birds but for me, the flora stole the show.

The coastal element of @naturetrek.bsky.social Yorkshire Coast and Moors tour was a huge success today with a feast of seabirds and hundreds of seals

Three more shots for #BirdOfTheDay #birds #InFlight #photography from @naturetrek.bsky.social Iceland in Spring - Photographic Special with Sanderling, Red-throated Diver (Loon) and Red-necked Phalaropes, two females after one male #BirdsSeenIn2026 #IcelandBirds

18/06/26 Lyme Bay pelagic from Brixham @naturetrek.bsky.social Data to @marinelife1.bsky.social Highlights included juv. Minke Whale, 60 Common Dolphin, 4 Grey Seal, 2 Balearic & 700 Manx Shearwater, Great Skua, 6 Storm-petrel, 7 Puffin. Also Blue Jellyfish, House Martin, Swift, Painted Lady

We have been most fortunate on the @naturetrek.bsky.social Norway's Lofoten Islands tour to encounter Orcas, a lone Beluga, a Basking Shark as well as typical birds of the Arctic. Today was very special as we were in amongst an active and curious pod of Long-finned Pilot Whales...🐋😊 🪶#norwaywhales

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #RedBeaks, any bird with red on its beak, so I give you this menacing shot of an Arctic Tern taken on @naturetrek.bsky.social Iceland in Spring - Photographic Special. Also fitting for #SuperSeabirdSunday Happy Father's Day 📷

A Glaucous Gull making a risky manoeuvre to steal a Fulmar's egg - taken on @naturetrek.bsky.social Iceland in Spring - Photographic Special for #SuperSeabirdSunday #BirdsSeenIn2026 Happy Father's Day 📷