NEW!  Birdwatching in the Azores in conjunction with Birdwatch Magazine - MIGRANTS, VAGRANTS and ENDEMICS

An isolated archipelago of nine main islands and many smaller islets in the North Atlantic, the Azores are at the most westerly limit of the Western Palearctic. The endemic Azores Bullfinch and the range-restricted Atlantic Canary are the star landbirds, although the phenomenal track record that these islands have established for American vagrants – both passerines and waterbirds –means that we should expect the unexpected during our autumn visit. Add to that some exciting seabirds, and this island-hopping tour offers a unique new dimension to birding in the region.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Depart London Heathrow at 0830, flying via Lisbon to Terceira, arriving 1425 and transfer to hotel. Terceira is the wader hot-spot of these greatly underwatched islands, with the quarry pools at Cabo da Praia frequently hosting wayward strays from North America among the more expected European species. Although the site has been partly developed in recent years, productive habitat remains and the pools have provided autumn refuge for as many as 10 American species in a single visit. These have included flocks of White-rumped and Semipalmated Sandpipers and multiple sightings of many other Nearctic shorebirds, including Short-billed Dowitcher.

Day 2: Today we will return again to Cabo da Praia and closely check all shorebirds at this superb location. Semipalmated Plover has regularly been detected among Ringed Plovers here, but almost anything could turn up. We will also visit other sites on the island, checking gulls, terns and wildfowl for possible vagrants and spending some time looking offshore for Cory’s Shearwater – an abundant breeder in these waters – and other seabirds. Quail is another possibility, though it will most likely be heard rather than seen.

Day 3: If tides and time permit we will call in briefly at Cabo da Praia for a last check for interesting waders before heading to the airport for our mid-morning flight to Corvo. This remote outpost is the smallest and most northerly of the main islands and has recently produced the most notable vagrant American passerines. In the exceptional autumn of October 2005 these included White-eyed Vireo – a first for the Western Palearctic – as well as Black-throated Blue, Hooded and Tennessee Warblers, Buff-bellied Pipit, Scarlet Tanager, Philadelphia and Red-eyed Vireos, Tree Swallow, Chimney Swift and White-crowned Sparrow. While would be lucky indeed to find as many extreme vagrants, the potential of the island is proven and we will look hard in some of the likely spots for sheltering migrants and vagrants. Nights on Corvo.

Day 4: We have a full day’s birding on Corvo, where migrants will continue to be our main focus. This ‘Fair Isle of the Azores’, as it has been described, offers almost unique potential for our group to find its own vagrants, and if the wind has been in the west the birding experience could be exceptional.

Day 5: We will spend our final morning on the island searching the more productive migrant traps before taking an early afternoon flight back to Terceira. We will have time for a  visit to Cabo da Praia, as new shorebirds are certain to have arrived since our last visit.

Day 6: Our last visit to Cabo da Praia before our early afternoon flight to Sao Miguel. Transfer straight to Serra da Tronqueira to search for the rare Azores Bullfinch, the islands’ endemic speciality. Night in Ponta Delgada.

Day 7: After an early breakfast, we will either return to Serra da Tronqueira if our quarry eluded us the previous afternoon, or visit Mosteiros for a chance of Roseate Tern. We will also call in at Terra Nostra Park, where a male Wood Duck has been resident in recent years, and check Lagoa das Furnas for any Nearctic vagrants that may be present. We should also see Atlantic Canary and some of the distinctive forms of species familiar from home, including Common Buzzard, Chaffinch and Goldcrest, as well as ‘Atlantic’ Yellow-legged Gull. Our last night in these enchanting Atlantic islands.

Day 8: The tour is not over yet as we’ll have a full final morning’s birding to continue looking for our last migrants and vagrants or for any ‘mopping-up’ required before returning to the airport for our mid-afternoon flight back to Lisbon with connection onto London Heathrow arriving back at 2145.

Holiday Information

Dates:   6^th – 13^th October 2007               

Leader: Dominic Mitchell

Cost: £1449 per person sharing a twin room with private facilities.

Single Supplement: £149            

Deposit: £200 per person

Group size: The maximum number will be 8 plus the leader.

Price includes: Economy class air travel as per itinerary, all pre-paid airport and departure taxes, ground transport by minibus, hotel accommodation with en suite facilities and breakfast, services of Birdwatch/WildWings tour leader, WildWings pre-tour information pack and day-to-day bird checklist.

Price excludes: Optional birding excursions, travel insurance (from £29.32 per person), lunch and dinners (allow £10-20 per day), drinks, laundry, souvenirs and other items of a personal nature.

The autumn 2006 recce report will be available on our website from late 2006.