Green Holidays

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Did you know that it is illegal in the UK for you to take a close-up photo of a baby barn owl?

This little known law is part of the Wildlife & Countryside Act (1981) where there is a list of species that receive full protection of the law – and this protection includes reducing the disturbance of the nesting young or recently fledged young of all the species on it – and this includes Barn Owls.

It also includes other seemingly random species such as Brambling, Fieldfare, Firecrest, Kingfisher, Bewick’s Swan and even the little Crested Tit!

All these species are among the 80+ protected wild bird species that frequent the UK, which can be native or just passing through.

There is, of course, already a law to protect all wildbirds from being intentionally injured, killed or taken from the wild – and the same goes for their eggs – but there are some exceptions.

In the case of the Barn Owl and the Kingfisher – they are for greater protection; whereas in the case of the Mallard or Woodcock – it means lesser protection at certain times!

photo credit: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Northeast Region

These schedules also cater for captive-bred ‘wild bird’ species such as birds of prey and other more common species such as Magpies, Blackbirds and Goldfinches. And also the sale of wildbirds that have been killed legally and the rehabilitation of injured birds.

Game birds are not covered by these particualar laws however, but are covered under the separate Game Bird Act, which fully protects them outside of the Open Season.

The Bird Schedules:
There are 4 such catagories (which may have several parts) which cover those endangered birds to be protected as well as those species which can be killed or sold, and they lay out as follows:

Schedule 1: Full protection at all times (or during the close season for a specific 4 species). To get close to young, nesting or breeding birds in this list – you will need a licence (or you can visit them in specific reserves).

Schedule 2: Birds which may be killed or taken outside of the close season only – but not sold – basically to be killed to protect crops or other interests or to be killed for food or for sale as per Schedule 3.

Schedule 3: Birds which may be sold; either dead at specific times, or alive if captive bred and legally ringed. These include certain ducks and wood pidgeons to be sold dead; and siskins, song thrushes and other ‘garden’ birds that can be kept as ‘pets’ and displayed at bird shows.

Schedule 4: Captive Bred birds which must be registered and ringed if in captivity (mainly raptors). These birds need to be registered and you must have genuine proof of breeding and hatching. If you find an injured bird that happens to be listed on Schedule 4 – even if you intend to re-release it shortly – you should inform the appropriate authority as they may need to be registered.

photo credit: luc.viatour

Your Actions:
So next time you see the opportunity to photograph any nesting bird – think about what that means.

If they have made a law that specifically prevents human from getting close enough to a Schedule 1 species – as it would disturb them – think again for all birds and other wildlife!

If they think that getting that close could prevent birds from nesting at all or may make them to abandon existing young – then what harm are you doing being that close to any species?

Even with the fantastic zooms on cameras these days – you still have to be quite close to get a great shot – so what if you got a great shot of a nest, but after you left all the young starved to death after you had scared the parents off!

When trying to film or photograph nesting birds – or any birds really – it is best to set up a hide (or use one at a reserve). Birds get used to them and so aren’t so affected by all the keen photographers snapping away at them. And some reserves set up hides to be really close to the action just for this reason.

So, if you are going to enter a photgraphic competition with your nest shot – make sure it’s not a Schedule 1 species – otherwise they may ask to see your licence………. and I’m sure you don’t want the associated £5000 fine and accompanying prison sentence instead of first prize!

You know the first 5 inside-out do you? Good Stuff!

Let us move on then……

So now you come to some more common birds – but these ones aren’t so obvious at first glance. You may have to look at them for a bit longer than the first 5 – or have some binoculars to hand too!

There are 2 sets of pairs here; 2 sets of birds that look quite similar until you can pick out the obvious differences.

And then of course you need to remember which one is which!

So lets look at the next 5 species and see what you think…..

Blue Tit:
This tiny garden lover is very common on garden feeders, and is not so easy to tell apart from the larger (but also blue-bodied Great Tits) for beginners.

Although they have a solid blue ‘caps’ seperated from their body colour by a black line running through their eye – they move so fast that you can’t alwasy make it out – especially if there are several birds on the feeder.

photo credit: chapmankj75

In fact to begin with it’s easier to learn what a Great Tit looks like – as it has much bolder colours and markings – and then you know it’s not that, so it must be a Blue Tit.

Great Tit:
Easy markers for these larger tits is the fact that they have a very dark head and neck – and a large white cheek patch. They also have a clear solid black chest line from their chins to their underbellies!

Try to find a garden feeder with both Blue and Great Tits feeding to see these differences first hand. And of course the Great Tits are much larger as well when you see them side by side!

photo credit: Chris Isherwood

Moorhen:
If you are out on the water – then you will no doubt have seen a small black bird walking about the waters edge with large feet. It might be on the water trying to get away from you as fast as it can.

Now this is one of 2 birds; if it has a red bill it is a moorhen – remember ‘R’ as in Moorhen. It will also have big yellow feet if you take a look.

photo credit: brian.gratwicke

Coot:
If it has a white bill and face plate – it will be a Coot (just remember ‘Red’ for moo’R'hen – then you will know it is a coot!). These birds are much larger than moorhens, but you might not see them together to compare so just go by the face. They also have grey legs and feet too if you get a chance to look at them walking over weeds.

photo credit: shimgray

Starling:
These noisy little birds tend to hang around in groups and will raid any food source that they come across! They are mainly black in appearance, but it depends on when you are watching them. In winter on closer inspection, you will see that they are a mottled pattern of brownish feathers spotted with creamy-brown patches all over, wheras in the summer they sport a rather metallic appearance of shiny greens, blues and purples with only residual spotting on the upper back and lower underside.

photo credit: marlin harms

They can look like other birds from a distance in your garden, but their extensive vocal range and large numbers usually gives them away as not your normal garden bird.

Now you have the basics, lets move on to some garden specialists in our next installment!

If you took part in the recent RSPB garden count – you may well have started on your way to spotting the 270 birds commonly found in the UK.

So why not keep it up?

I have put together this series of informative posts to help you through all the easy species, first. Then there will be the ones that you need to go on a walk to see and gradually we will get onto the birds that you will have to seek out for yourself – like the elusive White-tailed Eagle or the niche dwelling Capercaillie!

There is nothing better sometimes than knowing what a bird is by just checking off 1 sign, like ‘it has a red stripe so it must be a ????’ or ‘it has yellow legs so will be a ????’ Sometimes once you know the general appearance of a bird ‘type’ like a sparrow, warbler or grebe, you can seperate the individual species by just 1 thing.

And these guides will not focus on all the latin names and scientific groupings etc; there will be no use of fancy ornithological words like ornitholigical, tertial tip or emargination. Just easy to use visual descriptions of the birds that you will see while out walking in the woods, wetlands or your own back garden!

But to start you off before we lose you in geese and gulls; we will list the top 5 birds that you may well have seen this week or have probably already seen at some point in your life!

Robin:
This one is easy to spot with it’s bright red breast – and you can easily pick them out in the snow as they are quite bold little birds and use human garden tools and furniture from which to spy their insect prey! And they will come close to humans too if you feed them…..

photo credit: fwooper

Blackbird:
Another common species that just loves to run around garden edges looking for food under leaves and garden waste. The males are black with orange or yellow bills and feet, where the females are browner in colour. You can spot them from their loud warning call as you scare them off…..

photo credit: Keith Laverack

Magpie:
A larger bird that has such distinctive colouring that you will know when you have seen one. Their black and white plumage and their flap-flap-flap-then glide flight pattern will have you ticking off this species in a flash!

photo credit: goingslo

Pheasant:
If you live near the countryside or walk your dog in the fresh air, then you will no doubt have seen a rather handsome brown bird with a perfect white collar around his neck, large red wattles and nice long tail feathers – this is your male pheasant. Females have the same long tail and also frequent large country gardens, footpaths and cultivated fields but don’t have the fancy head! They both fly off clumsily and noisily when you get too close!

photo credit: gerrybuckel

Mute Swan:
I used to live on a canal and could see these all day long – but if you live elsewhere they aren’t difficult to find on any large body of fresh water, like a river, canal, lake or in a local nature reserve. Out of all the swans in the UK, the Mute Swan is the easiest to identify by its bill alone (handy really as all 3 common swans are totally white); it is the only one that has an orange bill which has a large knob of black on the top where it meets the eyes.

photo credit: TossMyPancake

So, if you have already seen these ones, then join me for the next 5 real soon – and make sure that you have seen these all again outside and that you know them inside out – as many other birds look very similar to them but for one or two small details. So only when you know these well can you learn some of the others coming on the list!

Grab your camera and document your journey if you like – it can make your travels more memorable.

See you soon…..

And if you want to know more about the fancy terms and descriptions used to identify birds, please look for my Bird Identification Guides – Technical Data series.

Found something strange – or beautiful – but have no idea what it is?

As long as you have a picture of it, then there is a new way to find out what on earth you have just seen.

It could be something common that you just haven’t seen before where you are visiting – or it could be a species that is new to your area (through land use changes or seasonal migration) and you have been one of the first to spot it.

Basically, the Open University in the UK has set up a database of images of everything in the natural world – as well as people who can tell you what it is.

Rather than just asking a few friends, searching through your field guides or just admiring it for what it is – you can now find out for good.

iSpot:
Not another iPhone application as its name insinuates – but a whole nature database online that can sort out the clustered bonnets from the milky bonnets, the brown bear from the black bear and the large white from the marbled white.

Basically, you can upload your pictures and some basic information about it and leave it to others to identify. You can have a guess yourself, and others will either confirm or deny this – basically like a forum.

You can also help identify other wildlife for photographers as well. It may be that you have experience in fungi – but have taken a picture of a strange insect on that fungi. You can find out what the insect is in exchange for identifying some garden waxcaps or woodland earth star!

photo credit: Marek Komorowski

It is divided up into categories including: mammals, birds, fungi, fish, etc and you can just look at some great shots, see different colour variants of common species (like white deer and black squirrels) or just use the labels to find out where these animals were seen so you can go and look for them yourself.

In Addition:
There are also links on the sites for further reading, related surveys, tips on identification and links to other useful id and specialist websites.

The OU have also recently launched a short course to run alongside iSpot and for all those people who haven’t taken a degree or had experience in the field before.

It’s called Neighbourhood Nature and can take you as little as 5 weeks or as long as 5 months depending on your other commitments. It allows you the support to run your own local field study relating to any area that you have ready access to and a keen interest in like a local woodland behind the houses, a nearby nature reserve or even a disused railway.

Nature is everywhere – and by working alongside your tutors and the experts on iSpot, you can find out what is living there and why – and anything you can do to keep it there or improve the number and diversity of plants and animals there.

So, if you have been meaning to get qualified in something ‘outdoors’ or to help brush up on your basic skills before embarking on a longer or higher level course – then maybe this course could help you out.

Also You Might Like To:
Obviously, signing up to volunteer with nature-related charities in your area will also enable you to experience nature first hand, access some great habitats, learn from experts and it could always lead to a larger project or a permanent job somewhere down the line.

And if anything, get a camera with a good zoom and an even better macro – and practice observing things – or take a basic photography course. Trying out the different settings is one thing – but knowing what to look out for is another.

You might take a great picture of a striking plant – but then get home to find out that you needed to find the berry, scratch the bark or see what other plants were around it to get a 100% ID. But until you make those mistakes and get annoyed with yourself – you won’t get any better at identifications.

It’s alright relying on others for rare species and all those ‘barely indistinguishable’ lichens – but you should really start to build up your basic id skills in the field if you are planning any sort of career based on nature.

So grab your camera, field guide and waterproofs – and get outside!

This nature reserve is on the tidal waters of the River Arun, north of the historic town of Arundel and coastal town of Littlehampton on the south coast.

One of the most important wetlands in the south of England, this reserve has excellent facilities and is cram-packed with all types of wildlife.

This is also an education centre at certain times, and there is plenty of advice around the site for visitors.

Habitat Features:
The main feature is obviously the daily flooding wetlands off to the east of the river – filled with waterfowl, cattle and deerherd.

There is also some restored heathland, a small pine woodland, some grassland and sloping deciduous woodland as well as a hillfort and many footpaths and bridlepaths.

Famous for it’s visiting wetland birds, 50-strong ‘escaped’ fallow deer herd and ‘dancing adders’ – where the males twist around each other trying to pin each other to the ground.

The Reserve:
Quite a lot of the restored heathland and grasslands are accessible without passing through the main reception building – although at only £3 to pay anyway – it would be rude not to pay such a small amount to maintain and improve this reserve – after having had a great day out here yourself!

Heading through the main reception building takes you up a typical footpath bordered by old hedgerows and rabbit-friendly grassland.  This leads you a junction where you can head 4 ways really.  3 are within the reserve and form a dissected circle so you can get back to where you started with ease. 

The fourth way to the right takes you to a small hamlet with a delightful church and churchyard – filled with Orange Tip butterflies and meadow flowers crammed on every inch!  Ultimately this leads to the main road – so head back the way you came to get back onto the reserve itself.

Look on every leaf in the reserve as there are mini beasts all over the place – and we got some great close up shots of all sorts of invertebrates here.  And on the other end of the scale – don’t forget your binoculars as the woodland birds are all over too – and worth a look!

And you will need the distance to hunt for the huge herd of really chilled out deer that roam these wetlands – footprints show that they walk along the very footpaths you are standing on now, but you will more often see then in the distance, relaxing on the well gnawed grasses alongside the cattle and rabbits!

There are 3 hides here with totally different angles and depending on whether you are high or low tide you can see a whole range of wetland birds including migrants and rarities!  I saw mainly common species myself – I did get some great views of a very young grey heron and many of one of my favourites: shelducks.

I didn’t get to see the ‘dancing’ adders either although there were plenty of photos and stories about them in the reception area – along with other great information to get more out of your day – as if you would run out of things to interest you here!

There is even a kiddies play and learn area and education rooms as well.

Reserve Details:
Here is a general summary of the site for the visitor as in Spring 2010.

Cost:     The reserve is £3 (adults) to visit.
Hours:   The reserve is open all hours – but Reception as office hours.
Carpark:There is a carpark for about 100+ cars.
Shop:     There is a wetland-based retail shop on site.
Eating:  There is restaurant on site with indoor and outdoor seating.
Toilets: Toilets are open until 5pm each day.
Dogs:     Dogs should be kept on leads on the by-ways through the reserve.
Kids:      Families are welcome and there is plenty for young children to do.
Other     There is no playpark, however cycling/horseriding is permitted on bridleways.

Hello – and welcome to a one man/not many tigers Green Holidays Blog Carnival!

I chose this one post to use today as it really made me think about the whole ‘green’ and ‘eco’ travel ethos. And the fact that WWF are currently running a campaign to help save the tiger (still).

Time and again there is the ‘grey area’ that catches out so many people trying to ‘do the right thing’ on their vacations.

Should you/Shouldn’t you?

Sometimes it just isn’t so straight forward once you take into account all the alternatives as well as comparing experiences and events like for like – especially when you are traveling outside of Western Nations in countries with a whole different culture and belief system.

Take this article as a classic example: A Tiger Petting Zoo « Travels with a Nine Year Old – a blog I regularly read for the great pictures and the amazing discoveries this young lad is lucky enough to experience.

But this article shows both sides of animal tourism – as well as the choices that parents can make with their kids.

Should you deprive a young child of an amazing experience because it isn’t really ethical or should you allow them to do everything that kids find amazing regardless of the impact – but because it will be something that they may never get the chance to do again?

Read this boys parents struggling with those very questions and make up your own mind afterwards.

And, if you love Tigers – use one of these banners, Twitter backgrounds, wallpapers or phone apps to show your support and to share your thoughts with others.

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Visit a delightful little site at the foot of the South Downs with a historic water mill and stream.

This reserve is actually the SWT’s HQ as well, and is crammed full of old buildings and great habitats for you and your kids to explore.

Education groups are run here for schools and adults alike – with training courses run for countryside management and habitat surveys as well as general interest evenings and wildlife tours

Habitat Features:
The site is approximately 40 acres in size and is at the base of the chalk South Downs near Henfield.

It is mainly wetland pastures and grassland meadows, with a small area of dense bluebell woodland, a more open and coppice woodland and a variety of historic small waterways that used to power the mill itself (which is no longer in use).

The reserve is famous for its nightingales and has a huge number of newts living in its main dipping pond.  There are plenty of damselflies and dragon flies in the spring, as well as nesting kestrels and owls – and many overhead swallows and swifts!

The Reserve:
A walk around the reserve could take around 2 hours if you were just strolling with the family, but if you loved wildlife watching or photography, then you could easily be there double that time.

Woods Mill Sign Post

Entering the reserve is over the main water feed to the old mill where you can start seeing the insect life in flight – and you enter the main school group outdoor education areas (raised gardens, picnic tables, insect houses and main reception) -  but turning first left for a coutryside walk.

The main route is all weather and suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs and there are plenty of seats dotted along the way too.

This first path gives you a waterside walk where you will hear the famous nightingales singing in spring (good luck seeing one!) and brings you up to the reed beds.  Following on to the left is a grassland field where there are raptor nest boxes on the far side.

From here you can head out further along the raised waterway for long views over some wetland pastures and to connect with some wider footpaths and hiking trails outside of the reserve itself.  However, heading across the pastures you can walk alongside a small bluebell woodland – filled with stitchwort and other spring flowers – before heading into the coppice woodlands.

Expect to see common vetch, lords and ladies and cuckoo flower as you follow the woodland trails.  Log benches and willow sculptures can be found here – as well as some moss-covered ‘ruins’ throughout.  Thought to be from a demolished folly here many years ago – they certainly intrigue visitors as they lay where they were dumped all those years ago!

Overgrown Stone Ruins

The ponds are found here too, with larger ornamental ponds and a smaller dipping pond closer to the road.  Expect to see newt after newt rising to the surface here in spring – taking a gulp of air before heading back down to the murky depths! 

There is limited parking on site – but I always find a space!  Maybe check for training sessions at the site – which will usually attract more drivers as there is no train station close by and only a handful of buses pass by – and avoid those days!

Reserve Details:
Here is a general summary of the site for the visitor as in Spring 2010.

Cost:      The reserve is free to visit.
Hours:    The reserve is open all hours – apart from 2 weeks at Christmas.
Carpark: There is a carpark for about 50 cars max.
Travel:     There is a bus stop outside the reserve – but no train station near by
Shop:      There is no shop on site – villages 5 minutes drive each way.
Eating:    There is no cafe or restaurant on site.
Toilets:   In carpark – open until 5pm each day.
Dogs:      No dogs allowed in reserve.
Kids:       Families are welcome and there is plenty for young children to do.
Other:     There is no playpark, cycling or horseriding on the reserve.

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Is that beautiful picture of a tiger really so beautiful?

Were you aware that there are animal farms across the world where ‘wild’ animal are bred specifically for wildlife photography?

Did you know that there are places across America and Europe where tigers, pumas, wolves and foxes are kept in small cages specifically to look ‘wild’ for a paying customer?

It happens all the time apparently to ‘get a great close up shot’ for a magazine or website – but is it infact just a lie?

Is the shot ‘perfect’ because it is of a beautiful animal regardless of where the animal was just 10 minutes before the image was created – or should the best shots only be of wild animals?

The Problem:
There has only really recently been a heavy discussion about this ‘canned’ photography since the winner of the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2009 was proved to be a caged wolf that had been hired by the photographer and ‘made’ to jump the gate for the winning shot!

People were in uproar when it was discovered as it exposed the dark side of wildlife photography – and the lies of the photographer.

How many times he had made the wolf jump the gate to to get the right shot we will never know – but is the fact that he resorted to a captive animal good ethics anyway?

The Facts:
If you want to use caged animals for your photos that is your prerogative – and there are some really well maintained establishments that do this – but it really isn’t the way to get a ‘true picture of wildlife’ is it?

Knowing that the animals are caged – most of the time in sub-standard environments – should be enough to put nearly all true wildlife lovers off immediately.  But as these places still exist, we know that people have been using them an awful lot of the time and all over the world.

How many photos have you thought were amazing – but will never know that they were filmed in a ‘set up’ location with a totally unwild animal?  Shouldn’t these images be clearly marked when published?

Baited Scenes:
However, where do you stand on actual wild animals being lured in to a ‘shot’ with food?  Basically leaving out food to attract the animals to exactly where you want them to be.

We do it all the time for our pleasure with bird feeders and certain reintroduced species – but does it infringe on ethical photography?

Great Tit On Feeder

Should you sit around animal nests knowing that there are young inside – but potentially stressing the parents with your presence?

It all starts to get a bit confusing when you analyse the role a photographer plays in the landscape – as animals don’t just live where we see them – they live in the surrounding countryside, so you traipsing through it day after day to get a ‘good picture’ could actually be making different species move out of the area!  And feeding them could actually attract even more to the area.

But surely all wildlife photography isn’t that bad?

Well I say: stick to footpaths - and get a camera with an excellent zoom!

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It’s your chance to meet some inspirational people – and get your hands on some great equipment!

It’s not all about birds – but if you love birdwatching and great wetland landscapes – then I suggest you clear your diary for any day over the weekend of 20th to 22nd August 2010!

For only £10 entry – you could have the opportunity to ask Chris Packham for some wildlife-watching tips, listen to Mark Carwardine discussing endangered species and maybe watch a slide show of great wildlife moments from Simon King – not bad, eh?

The Show:
Basically, BirdFair is one of the biggest bird-watching and outdoor shows in the UK and is set in the most beautiful scenery to add even more to your day.

As with many great shows, there will also be the opportunity to visit the stands of all the local and international wildlife stands and ask questions about the work they do and how to become a supporter or volunteer.

Add to this stalls that are filled to the brim with the best photographic equipment to improve your photos and to increase your viewing range as digiscopes and binoculars of all shapes and sizes are on offer.  As well as a host of specialist manufacturers and users to help you decide on the best items for your needs.

Whether you are hoping to get some advice for starting out or whether you are looking to take the next step in your craft and hoping to increase your equipment collection to cover more wildlife and birds – it will all be there.

Using A Zoom Lens Can Get Great Images

And it’s not just about technical things – there will be a whole host of stalls selling outdoor clothing, camping goods, walking shoes, wildlife holidays, travel books, field guides, wildbird seed, nest boxes, wildlife art, and so much more!

And, to be ‘green’ the organisers are offering free transfer buses to the show from the local train station to save on all those cars on the roads!

Show Extras:
It’s not all about just being a show – there is so much more there than stall after stall.

For example, there is a grand auction selling a whole range of random goodies from paintings to one-off experiences – all donated to the show specifically to raise funds for this years fundraising targets.

There are also 3 different agendas for events and talks throughout each day and kids events as well for the little learners!  Bushcraft skills, art and education are the themes you can find here in the several big tents on site.

And, your entry ticket gives you free access to the nature reserves here too – so after you have brought that new camera you have been promising yourself – or upgraded to a better digiscope – you can get straight out there are try it for size!

If you plan to go for the day – make sure you get there early and plan to do a lot of walking, and you won’t regret it.  If you know you love this type of show then make sure you stay for the weekend as you might not get to see everything on just the 1 day!

And this only happens once a year!

Have you ever wondered where you can watch bats from your own front door?

Well, I have put together a short list of some bat watching holiday destinations where they virtually guarantee you a sighting or 1 or more species every night – and are working for the bats best interests!

Now, although you yourself will not be allowed to touch the bats or disturb their roosts, by going out on an adventure with a bat specialist you may well get to use highly specific equipment on your trip.

For example, the organisers may well lend out night vision goggles, bat detectors and know specific roosting or feeding sites that you can stake out from a distance. And of course – being experts – they will actually already know how to identify the species you see in an instant, making your experience even better!

1) In The UK;
Many of the buildings that are managed by the National Trust contain bat roosts – and many have had camera installed too. Dunster Castle and Arlington Court have both installed viewing and information for visitors – and even do late night bat events throughout the year.

And other nature charities like the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust and various Wildlife Trusts offer night-time events through the year. There are 18 species of bat found in the UK – although not all in the same place – some can be quite location-specific.

The Bat Conservation Trust also offers a range of free or paying courses to get you closer to bats and their habitats.

By offering up your time to train as a volunteer or if you pay for a introductory course – you will certainly get close up and personal to bats in their natural environment – and willl be taking a huge step forward in studying them and identifying bats day to day!

2) EcoTours Hungary Bat Tour:
If you are a bit more serious and want to really see a huge variety of bats, then maybe this bat watching holiday in the Bükk and Aggtelek National Parks in Hungary will impress you – with 26 bat species to choose from!

They virtually guarantee you will see 15-20 of these as standard – and that adding on a further 3 days and another location could help you see even more. You may also see beaver, lynx and wolves as well as many other unusual species along the way.

The tours offer all safety precautions for you and the bats of course, with a little waiting around sometimes to allow only small group to intrude into roosts at a time. Obviously disturbing the bats is the last thing they want!

There aren’t many great – or green – bat watching holidays, but there are plenty of ways to see some great wildlife without over-running their habitat or destroying the very things you went to see!