Scottish Wildlife Holiday Offer

Glenloy Wildlife are based in the stunning Lochaber area of the Scottish Highlands and run all inclusive wildlife holidays in this area.

Guests stay at Glenloy Lodge for up to 7 days -all meals and transport during your stay is included - and enjoy the chance to see this amazing part of the Highlands and the wildlife that inhabits it, all lead by naturalists John and Angela Mercer.  There's a great 'taster video' on the Glenloy website showcasing this gorgeous part of Scotland and its wildlife.

Glenloy are currently holding 2011 prices for all 2012 holiday bookings, you just need to make your booking before January 31st to qualify!

Find out more at   http://www.glenloy-wildlife.org.uk/  and please mention Wild & Green Escapes if you make a booking with Glenloy! Thanks!

Watch Stars & Wildlife At Forest Park

Star Gazing Extravaganzas Help Chase The January Blues Away

We know we're all about wildife and nature watching but we couldn't resist mentioning the star gazing events being held in the Galloway Forest Park - this is a brilliant area for daytime wildlife spotting, Solway Firth for the birds, the Red Kite Trail in the hills, deer in the park itself - but the park is also gaining a great reputation as a top place to watch the night sky thanks to the low levels of light pollution in this part of south west Scotland.

So, if youy fancy discovering the night sky in the forest during this month and next, read on...

Anyone looking for a stunning way to get over the January blues is invited to join one of a series of night time trips to Galloway Dark Sky Park and be star-struck!

Forestry Commission Scotland's Galloway team says that although we're half way through the 2011/12 observing season (October to April), it's not yet too late to look skyward and experience something amazing - and profound.

Lucy Hadley, Recreation Ranger with the Commission's Galloway team, said:
"Winter on a clear night is the best time to go star-gazing because it gets properly dark early on in the evening. In a town or city, or even if you stay in a rural area that's not far from a big town or city, light pollution can really spoil darkness. But come into the forest where there's no light pollution and the night sky is really opened up to reveal things that you can't normally see.
It's an amazing sight to look up at the night sky and see light that has taken millions of years to cross space to reach your eye. It can be quite a profound and humbling experience but without a doubt it's the best lightshow you'll ever see!"

A number of events across January and February will help newcomers and experienced star-gazers to get the most out of a trip to the park. 

Stargazing For Beginners - Monday 23rd January 7pm
Go along to Kirroughtree visitor centre and join Forestry Commission Scotland staff on a visual tour of the Galloway Forest Park's Dark Sky.

Dark Sky Park Trip - Friday 27th January
Join Forestry Commission Scotland staff at Glentrool on a night focussing on the dark skies of Galloway. Transport will be laid on from Castle Douglas (5.30pm pick up) then picking up at Gatehouse, Creetown and Newton Stewart. Due to the limited number of places available at the venue booking is essential for this event. Reserve your place by calling 01671 402 420. Cost - £10 if making your own way there and paying at the door, £17 if making use of return transport.

Starlight Serenade, - Tuesday 14th February 7pm-8pm
Stuck for Valentines day gift ideas? Dazzle your darling and join Forestry Commission Staff at Kirroughtree visitor centre for an introduction to the UK's only Dark Sky Park and an evening under our bewitching night sky.

Stargazing For Beginners - Thursday 16th February 7pm
Join Forestry Commission Scotland staff at Kirroughtree visitor centre on a visual tour of the Galloway Forest Park's Dark Sky.

Anyone going along to the 23 January or either of the February events should wrap up very warm and bring a torch with a red filter if they have one. As a mark of appreciation for these events a £3 donation to Galloway Forest Park Astronomy Society would also be very welcome.

All events (except the Dark Sky Park Trip) are weather dependent. Check the Commission's Dark Sky Park webpage for updates before going along to an event just in case. http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/forestry.nsf/byunique/infd-8aul9p

Eco Friendly Escape In Wales

Lon Lodges, Nantmel, Rhayader, Powys

Ash and Sycamore Lodges are situated at The Lon, a family run hill farm, just four miles from the small market town of Rhayader. Both lodges have been sustainably built using locally sourced timber. Sleeping six people in each lodge, they offer luxury accommodation within the relaxing and beautiful countryside of Mid Wales.

Ash and Sycamore are great places to relax and unwind and perfect bases from which to explore central Wales. There are lots of wonderful walks, peaceful lanes to cycle and many mountain biking tracks.

Nature reserves, pony trekking, and fishing are on the doorstep and the area is a bird watchers' paradise. Fungi forays or guided mushroom hunts are a local speciality! Red kites fill the skies and The Gigrin Red Kite Feeding Station is nearby, just outside Rhayader. The reservoirs and the unique open moorlands of the Elan Valley are just a few miles away and are a joy to explore on foot, by bicycle or on horseback.
Discover more on the eco & wildlife friendly holiday website Wild & Green Escapes

Discounts At Eco Friendly Yorkshire B&B

Low Penhowe B&B, North Yorkshire

4 nights B&B at Low Penhowe - £88 per room per night (£44 per person per night) compared to £108 – this represents a 20% discount! Just mention Wild & Green Escapes when you make your booking.

It's always reassuring to stay at a bed and breakfast that has a good profile and has received fabulous reviews on TripAdvisor. Low Penhowe has won many awards for quality, service and a naturally friendly eco approach. Twice selected as Visit York's Guest Accommodation of the Year. Not forgetting the award winning Yorkshire Breakfast which will all be home-grown, home baked, or sourced locally within Yorkshire.

Low Penhowe has south facing bedrooms with en-suite and private bathrooms overlooking well kept gardens and paddocks. From the bedrooms you may keep an eye on the Highland Cattle and watch the chickens pecking around and laying the eggs for your breakfast!

Low Penhowe's eco friendly credentials include the Green Tourism Business Scheme Gold Award and various Alastair Sawdays awards.

Find out more on the eco and wildlife friendly holidays website Wild & Green Escapes

Wildlife Watching Events in 2012

Wild & Green Escapes lists details on a wide variety of wildlife watching events throughout the UK on its events calender on http://www.wildandgreenescapes.co.uk/  and we will shortly be launching our 2012 events list.

In the meantime we've just heard about the Shetland Nature Festival which is running a wide range of activities including guided walks, family days out and evening talks. The festival runs from 5th-12th July 2012 and details are still being finalised but you can keep up to date as events are confirmed by visiting:

* Shetland Nature Festival website
* Shetland Nature Festival on Twitter - details on their website
* Shetland Nature Festival on Facebook - details on their website

Escape to Exmoor With A Special Offer

Exmoor House January dinner bed and breakfast deal

How about a January break on beautiful Exmoor? You can enjoy a weekend dinner, bed & breakfast break (3 or more nights) at Exmoor House for the same price as midweek - i.e from only £174 per person for a 3-night stay. Please quote WGJanDBB when booking.

Exmoor House January bed and breakfast special offer

Bed and breakfast in the heart of Exmoor for three or more nights for only £42 per person. This offer is valid until 31st January 2012. Please quote WGJanBB when booking.

Call Exmoor House now on 01643 841432  to make your booking and please mention you heard about this offer from Wild & Green Escapes!

NB: all prices are based on two people sharing a double or twin-bedded room

Find out more about Exmoor House on the Wild & Green Escapes website

Wildlife Watch - Honey Buzzards

Camcorder To Rescue As Honey Buzzards Spread Their Wings

Bird experts have unveiled their latest weapon in a bid to shed light on the secret life of the elusive honey buzzard – a camcorder. The tree-mounted camcorder was moved between carefully selected sites by Forestry Commission Wales to track the movements and habits of the rare bird of prey – so-called because of its unique diet.

Forestry Commission Wales Conservation and Heritage Manager Rosalind Codd said, “Birds can change nest locations each breeding season and a camcorder is useful for recording previously ringed birds, for example, as it can be moved between nests. Our mobile nest camera project proved very successful in its first year, with a number of active nests found and filmed in detail. Footage such as hunting patterns, nest building, feeding behaviour, growth and activity of chicks was recorded, and we were able to begin identifying individual birds in each nest.”

Honey buzzards build their nests on branches of large trees and are usually found in areas where there are big mature forests, such as those in South Wales, but the exact location of their nests is closely guarded because of the threat from egg collectors.

The birds arrive from their wintering grounds in equatorial Africa in mid-May and the adults fly non-stop back to Africa in September. Migrating birds have been tracked using satellite transmitters funded by Forestry Commission Scotland, which also demonstrated the vulnerability of young birds on their first migrations.

The honey buzzard population is stable through most of Europe but is a rare breeder in the UK. It’s not known how many there in Wales, partly due to the inconspicuous nature of the bird.

Forestry Commission Wales has also been funding the ringing of a number of chicks which could be identified by the camcorder to establish their age and determine the range that birds are prepared to travel to find a mate and establish new nest sites.

The honey buzzard is best identified by its long head shape and distinctive two or three bars on its tail. It is usually silent, but can make whistling noises near its nest and is sometimes confused with the common buzzard.

Honey buzzards feed mainly on the nests, larvae, pupae and adults of wasps, bees, bumblebees and hornets. The birds follow flying insects to the nest and dig as deep as 40cm with their feet to reach their prey.
It has small, dense, scale-like feathers on the front of its face to help prevent it being stung by its prey, and powerful feet with thick scales and slightly curved claws of almost equal size for digging and walking, as well as slit-like nostrils to reduce soil blockage while digging.

When main prey is scarce, they will eat other insects, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, nestlings and eggs of birds, worms, fruit and berries. Its peculiar diet is also the reason behind its alternative name of “bee hawk”.