Destinations
2025
- Morocco
- Extremadura
- Crete
- Menorca (April)
- Lesvos
- South of Salamanca
- Picos de Europa
- Algarve & Alentejo
- The Gambia
2026
Holiday reports
We hope these reports of previous Honeyguide wildlife holidays give a good feel of the style of our holidays and the wildlife to be enjoyed on them. They are listed in alphabetical order in each year, rather than in date order.
Included here are reports from some destinations not in the current Honeyguide programme. These may return to the programme in a future year, or could be arranged for RSPB local groups, natural history societies or other groups. Please contact the Honeyguide office for more information.
Most reports are in PDF format which needs Adobe software to enable you read, download or print reports. You can download this from here.
Reports from local walks with Honeyguide from 2020 onwards are on the Honeyguide blog. They are listed in the right hand column.
2024
Bulgaria's Western Rhodopes June-July
Crete April
Danube Delta & the Carpathians (Romania) May-June
Extremadura February
Falsterbo September
Lesvos April
Kruger October
Picos de Europa June
Spanish Pyrenees October
Valencia March
2023
Algarve & Alentejo November
Corsica May
Crete April
Extremadura March
Menorca October
Morocco March
Mull June/July
North Norfolk break October
Picos de Europa June
South of Salamanca May
2022
Crete April
Extremadura March
Iceland June
Falsterbo September
Lincolnshire Wash June
Menorca October
Mull, July
North Norfolk break February
North Norfolk break October
The Gambia December
Picos de Europa June
2021
Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall, September/October
Norfolk break (mostly the Broads), May
Norfolk break (mostly the Broads), May/June
Norfolk break (mostly the Broads), September
North Norfolk break May
North Norfolk break October
Wild Essex (an extended blog by Chris Gibson) May
Wild Essex (an extended blog by Chris Gibson) October
2020
Norfolk break no 1 September
Norfolk break no 2 September
Norfolk break no 3 September
Norfolk break no 4 September/October
South Africa's Garden Route January-February
Valencia March
2019
Algarve & Alentejo November
Camargue May
Crete April
Danube Delta June
Dordogne September
Estonia June
Extremadura March
Falsterbo September
La Mancha May
Morocco March
Picos de Europa June
Serranía de Ronda February
2018
Bulgaria The Western Rhodope mountains, June
Crete 10-17 April
Crete 17-24 April
Dordogne May
Fuerteventura March
The Gambia December
Istria May
Latvia May
Madeira October
Menorca April
Namibia November
Poland May
Spanish Pyrenees May
Valencia March
2017
Algarve & Alentejo November
Cévennes May/June
Crete April
Danube Delta & Carpathians (Romania) June
Estonia June
Extremadura March
French Pyrenees September
Fuerteventura March
Hungary May
La Mancha May
Pantanal Brazil Oct/Nov
Poland May
Slovenia May
South Africa's Drakensberg Mountains & Zululand Jan/Feb
Tarifa & Morocco Feb/March
2016
Bulgaria June
Crete April/May
Dordogne May
Estonia June
Extremadura September/October
Hungary May
Menorca October
Morocco March
Northeast Portugal partly Salisbury & District Natural History Society, May
Peloponnese April
Poland May
Spanish Pyrenees June
Valencia February-March
Wallcreeper break Istria, March
2015
Algarve & Alentejo October/November
Bulgaria The Western Rhodope mountains, June
Camargue May
Crete partly Salisbury & District Natural History Society, April
Extremadura February
French Pyrenees June
Fuerteventura March
Istria May
Italy/Slovenia 'From the Alps to the Adriatic',
September
Latvia May
Namibia November
South Africa's Southwest Cape October
Tarifa & Gibraltar March
2014
Bulgaria The Western Rhodope mountains, June
Central Portugal partly Salisbury & District Natural History Society, April-May
Cévennes May-June
Crete April
Danube Delta (Romania) June
Extremadura March
French Pyrenees September
La Mancha October
Latvia May
Spanish Pyrenees April-May
Tarifa & Gibraltar March
2013
Algarve & Alentejo November
Camargue May
Crete April
Danube Delta (Romania) June
Dordogne May
Extremadura March
French Pyrenees June
Hungary June
Istria May
Languedoc partly Salisbury & District Natural History Society, April-May
Menorca October
Namibia (plus
Namibian safari) September
Peloponnese April
South Africa's Garden Route November
Spanish Pyrenees April
Tarifa & Gibraltar February
2012
Bulgaria The Western Rhodope mountains, June
Central Portugal April
Crete April
Danube Delta and the Carpathians (Romania) June
Dordogne May
Extremadura February
French Pyrenees September
Fuerteventura March
Kruger National Park, South Africa October
Madeira November
Peloponnese, Greece and Peloponnese plant record April-May
Picos de Europa June
Tarifa & Gibraltar September
2011
Bulgaria June
Camargue May
Cévennes mostly Salisbury & District Natural History Society, June
Crete April
Danube Delta and the Carpathians June
Dordogne May
Extremadura March
French Pyrenees June
Istria May
Madeira November
Menorca April
Poland May
South Africa's South Western Cape October
Spanish Pyrenees private group holiday, April/May
Tarifa & Gibraltar September
2010
Bulgaria June
Central Portugal April
Cévennes June, and additional photos here.
Danube Delta and the Carpathians (Romania) U3A Cambridge Bird Club, June
Dordogne May
Eastern Greece Salisbury & District Natural History Society, April/May
Extremadura March
Kruger National Park, South Africa October/November
Lesvos
September
Madeira February
Menorca May
Poland May
2009
Algarve March/April
Bulgaria
September
Cévennes June (two reports in one)
Crete U3A Cambridge Bird Club, April
Danube Delta and the Carpathians (Romania) May/June
Dordogne May
Eastern Greece May
Extremadura March
French Pyrenees partly Salisbury & District Natural History Society, June
Lesvos April
Madeira February
Menorca April
South Africa's Garden Route October/November
2008
Crete April
Danube Delta and the Carpathians
(Romania) May/June
Dordogne Salisbury & District Natural History Society, May
Eastern Greece U3A Cambridge Bird Club, April/May
Extremadura March
Istria May
Madeira
February
Madeira
March
Menorca April
Northern Cyprus April
South Africa's Western Cape October/November
Spanish Pyrenees May
2007
Algarve Salisbury & District Natural History Society
Camargue May
Crete April
Dordogne May
Eastern Greece May
Extremadura March
French Pyrenees June
Italy / Slovenia June (wildlife checklists)
Lesvos September
Menorca U3A Cambridge Bird Club, April
South Africa's Western Cape October/November
2006
Algarve March
Crete April
Danube Delta (Romania) June
Dordogne May
Eastern Greece
Extremadura March
Hungary
–
June Salisbury & District Natural History Society
Hungary
–
September
Italy / Slovenia June
Lesvos April
Menorca April
Spanish Pyrenees May
2005
Algarve March
Crete April
Danube Delta (Romania) June
Dordogne U3A Cambridge Bird Club (mostly), May
Extremadura (1) March
Extremadura (2) Colchester Natural History Society, May
French Pyrenees June
Hungary September
Lesvos April
Menorca April
Italy / Slovenia Salisbury & District Natural History Society, June
South Africa's Western Cape September/October
2004
Crete April
Danube
Delta (Romania) June
Dordogne
(1) Cambridge RSPB Local Group, May
Dordogne (2) May
Eastern Greece May
Extremadura March
French Pyrenees June
Lesvos (1) April
Lesvos (2) Salisbury & District Natural History Society, April
Menorca April
Spanish Pyrenees May
Earlier holiday reports: click on the link for an additional web page. Holiday reports 1991-2003
Report archive
This web page has holiday reports since 2004. Older reports are here: Holiday reports 1991-2003
Lammergeier (Chris Knights)
The best place to see these
magnificent birds of prey is the Spanish Pyrenees or the French Pyrenees.
2020/21: coronavirus
Ten years on from 'missing reports' noted in the year of volcanic ash, we had two more thin years for holidays and reports.
The six days of volcanic ash now seems like a minor disruption compared with the long lockdown on account of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Valencia group in March left Spain as it was locking down, shortly followed by the UK's lockdown. Ten holidays between April and October were cancelled.
The disruption continued throughout 2021, with no holidays overseas for the first year since Honeyguide started in 1991. UK breaks partly filled the gap, plus local (Norfolk) activities (see blogs, below.)
Overseas holidays started again with Extremadura in March 2022.
‘Fight for the right’, spoonbills by Daniel Petrescu in the Danube Delta.
To see more of Daniel’s pictures, visit www.daniel.petrescu.ro
Blogs about Norfolk events
All are links to the Honeyguide blogspot. There is also a list on the news page, which includes blogs that are not events. Gaps in November 2020 and early 2021 are on account of coronavirus lockdowns. There are fewer events recently (from 2022) since overseas holidays have resumed.
2024
From Down Under to East Anglia: Broads & Suffolk coast 13-16 October
Plumstead and Holt Country Park, 8 August
2023 x 9
Whitlingham Country Park, 15 December
2022 x 7
Holkham, 15 July, with Rob Lucking.
Buxton Heath and Holt Country Park, 1 July.
Potter Heigham Marshes, 22 January.
Whitlingham Country Park, 14 January.
Silver-washed fritillary, Holt Country Park, July 2022.
2021 x 25
Broadland Country Park, 17 November.
Buckenham Marshes, 14 November. Outing organised for local Honeyguiders with our South Africa guide, Geoff Crane.
A November afternoon at Hickling, 8 November. Guest blog by Geoff Morries.
Broadland Country Park and Buxton Heath, 23 September.
Snettisham and Dersingham, 13 September.
Potter Heigham Marshes and NWT Hickling, 1 September.
Southrepps Common and Pigneys Wood, 23 August.
Two days in north Norfolk, 17 & 18 August.
Warham Camp & Stiffkey Fen, 21 July.
Foxley Wood and Sculthorpe Moor, 9 July.
Buxton Heath and Holt Lowes, 2 July.
West Runton and Beeston Common, 23 June.
Kelling Heath and water meadows, 5 May.
Rain stopped play, Ranworth, 30 April.
Burnham Norton and Holkham 16 Aoril.
2020 x 6
Breydon Water, Great Yarmouth and Buckenham Marshes 3 November
Potter Heigham Marshes, 12 October
Other reports, including recce visits to holiday destinations
2023
La Brenne, September 2023
Chris Durdin
2019
Salamanca recce February 2019
Chris Durdin
Dordogne, July 2019
Wildlife notes from a
family holiday/recce,
Chris Durdin
2018
The Camargue, May 2018
One Honeyguider's lone visit after the group didn't arrive.
2017
Aragón 'fam' trip, Nov 2017
Chris Durdin
2016
Italian Dolomites, June 2016 recce
Chris Durdin
2015
Estonia June 2015 recce
Chris Durdin & Ivan Nethercoat
Kruger, March 2015
A private tour for two Honeyguiders with Geoff Crane.
Menorca 'fam'/recce trip, October 2015
Chris Gibson
Northeast Portugal May-June 2015
recce
Chris Durdin & Domingos Leitão
2014
Latvia, David Collins,
April 2014
A private visit.
2013
La Mancha November 2013 recce
Chris Durdin
and Pau Lucio
Latvia May 2013 recce
Chris Durdin & Rob Macklin
Languedoc January 2013 recce
Chris Durdin, Rob Macklin & Derek Moore
2012
Menorca October 2012 recce, by Chris Gibson
Camino de Santiago, Spanish Pyrenees September/October 2012
Kiskunság National Park, Hungary recce, June 2012
2011
Picos de Europa
recce October
2010
Peloponnese (Greece) recce, November
2009
Poland recce September
Central Portugal recce February
2008
Portugal nature tourism workshop
Bulgaria recce September
Cévennes recce October
Istria recce March
South Africa's Western Cape October/November, a private tour for two Honeyguiders with Geoff Crane.
2007
Madeira recce Nov
Two colour variants of Orchis boryi on Crete. Photos by Ivan Nethercoat and Chris Durdin.
Crete Bird Reports
There is an archive of Stephanie Coghlan's Crete Bird Reports since 1986 here.
Black-winged stilt on Crete.
2010: volcanic ash, strikes and 'missing' holiday reports
Volcanic ash: in 2010 there is no Crete holiday report, for the first time for many years, as this holiday was called off when flights were cancelled due to volcanic ash.
For the same reason, the Menorca holiday was postponed from April to to May. The Central Portugal holiday report for April 2010 includes an account of the group's return overland, via the Dordogne.
There was no French Pyrenees holiday or report, for a holiday scheduled to run in September 2010, as it was cancelled due to air traffic control strikes in France.
There is no Danube Delta report for 2007 as the holiday was block-booked for a group, which then didn't happen.
Italy/Slovenia in 2007 isn't a full report, the only gap in the archive, with wildlife lists and highlights circulated only.
Blue rock thrush (Steve Fletcher). A bird that can be seen on many Honeyguide holidays in Europe, including Extremadura and Istria.
What is a PDF? It stands for Portable Document Format, a document that can be sent, viewed or stored independent of varying computer software and operating systems. So PDFs don't get mangled over the internet like the formats of Word documents and emails sometimes do.
| Often you see the logo on the right to indicate a PDF you can click on, but it's not necessary and they would certainly clutter the list of reports to the left. |  |
Wallcreeper (Svetoslav Spasov) in Bulgaria . Or read more on our wallcreeper page.
How many reports?
This page has 250 holiday reports covering 251 group holidays (one report, Cévennes 2009, is for two holidays that ran back-to-back).
Add in the reports on the page for 1991-2003 and there are 342 reports for about 351 holidays (there are several reports for the Lot, France, combining two groups/weeks, and one for Danube Delta). These include 18 UK breaks in and since 2020.
There are also 21 reports of recce or familiarisation ('fam') trips; three reports with Honeyguiders overseas with Honeyguide leaders; one workshop report; two reports from Honeyguide leaders not with our groups but in one of our destinations; three very old (pre-Honeyguide) RSPB holiday reports (on the page for 1991-2003 reports); plus one Honeyguider's report when there was no group or guide on account of an air traffic control strike (The Camargue, May 2018)
The first year when all reports are all colour is 2009, plus a few before then.
(This count goes to October 2024. It excludes blogs about guided walks.)
