A quick one from our second School of Birding - based at the Grant Arms Hotel in the Scottish Highlands - which took place last month, with a class full of fine folk, great birding in a wonderful part of the world, and plenty of snow for the perfect wintry backdrop to our days in the field....
(Upcoming dates available - see here)
"We were lucky to have two such experienced and knowledgeable birders with so much enthusiasm for their subject." Jo Rooney
As with our inaugural School in November (see here), we were blessed with eager, passionate clients/students/graduates/guests, and our week-long combination of indoor interactive lectures and in-the-field application - as well as exquisite, waistline-challenging three-course dinners, way too many single malts to choose from, and a generally fine all-round craic - was a pleasure to deliver.
"You were both exceptional - informative, attentive & responsive to & tolerant of my expectations. Your styles & knowledge seemed complimentary to each other.
I thoroughly enjoyed my week & would happily join in the next 'grade'. Birding is far more integrated into my life" - Janet Townsend
Big thanks once again to our partners at Zeiss Birding, who supplied a full range of top-level optics for all our guests to enjoy - from binoculars and 'scopes to state-of-the-art thermal imaging devices (the latter particularly popular, and invaluable for picking out Mountain Hares on snowy hillsides....)
It seems we've hit upon something that everybody genuinely loves and benefits from, creating an environment and schedule that makes learning lots of fun, within a group dynamic that is supportive and full of enthusiasm.
"Thank you for a thoroughly enjoyable week of birding. It was a wonderful way to spend a cold winter’s week and although my waistline increased this was more than offset by a lower pulse rate, blood pressure, screen time and stress level!" Sarah Chaudhri
"It was great having the opportunity to try such lovely equipment. I have told so many people about the thermal scopes and the mountain hares!" Jo
Long-tailed Duck (above) and Glaucous Gull (below) Burghead
"Highlights were many - White-tailed eagle, Black Grouse lek, Long-tailed Ducks, Mountain Hares, Merlin, Glaucous and Iceland Gulls, Crossbills, Crested Tits, and many others!" Sarah Chaudhri
"You both had a wonderful repartee, good humour and camarardarie, I won't forget the acting out of the Lek and the entertaining daily reports!!" Janet Townsend
Long-tailed Duck (above) and Glaucous Gull (below) Burghead
