Date
Cost
Availability
Deposit
Single Supp
| 04 Oct - 11 Oct 2025
£2795.00
4 Spaces
£500.00
£400.00
Book Now
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| Day 1 | Ferry from Penzance to St Mary’s and transfer to hotel.
7 nights at St Mary’s Hall Hotel. |
| Days 2-7 | Normally 3 days spent exploring the different parts of St Mary’s, the main island and 3 day trips to other islands, usually Tresco, St Agnes and Bryher, but the occurence of unusual birds will determine the exact itinerary. |
| Day 8 | Return ferry to Penzance. |
| Walking | We shall be on foot most of the day taking medium length walks between stops on easy paths and roads over even ground, but on occasion we may walk on slightly rough coastal paths. We shall cover an overall distance of about 3 to 5 miles during the day. Walks are always optional and guests can return to the hotel early if they prefer. |
| Weather | The weather can vary enomously in the autumn. The Isles of Scilly can be wet and windy, however we may also expect some warm weather as well! During a typical week in this season we would expect to experience mixed sun and showers, with temperatures in the range 10-25ºC. |
| Insects | Biting insects are unlikely to be a problem. |
| Meals | All included from lunch on Day 1 to lunch on Day 8. |
| Accom | Double, twin and single rooms all ensuite. |
| Boats | We shall take short boat trips to the smaller islands from St Mary’s |
| Group | 6 |
Famous for scarce birds, we return to this scattering of tranquil islands on the south west limit of Britain, at the best time of year for the greatest variety of migrants to turn up!48uep6bbph|00000E4E|Spey_BESQL3|HolidayTypes|Subheading 48uep6bbphidval|SCILLIES
| * Scarce bird migrants from all points of the compass
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| * Walking quiet lanes amidst sub-tropical plants
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| * Dazzling seascapes and a patchwork of little fields
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| * Following up all the latest news each day
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| * Inter-island boat trips
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| * All from a small hotel on the main island of St Mary’s
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| * Excellent local knowledge from our guides
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| Day 1 | We meet together in Penzance at the
harbour before taking the ferry out to
Scilly. Birds and wildlife will be apparent from the
moment we leave the bay, with several species
of seabird on the 28 mile crossing to the islands.
Gannets and Fulmars cruise the open waters, along
with a really good chance of seeing the rare Balearic
Shearwater, which move into these British waters
in late summer. Common Dolphins are increasingly
common here and we hope to have some good
sightings from the ship. Landing on St Mary’s
we can walk the short distance to our island hotel.
The rest of the first day we are likely to explore
the main island of St Mary’s, with its diverse habitats
of woodland, farmland and coastal trails.
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| Days 2-7 | The islands have recorded over 400
species during their birding history,
having a reputation as being a must visit place for all
British birders. Autumn migration will be in full swing
“It’s fascinating that each of
the islands has different
individual characteristics, both
in habitat and birdlife, so on
top of the wildlife, it’s a great
experience just walking around
exploring this beautiful part
of our country.” Simon Eaves
as we arrive, with the last of the common
species passing through such as Redstarts,
Chiffchaffs, Wheatears, with swallows and
martins still occurring at this time of year. Along
with these common migrants and depending
on the preceding weather and wind directions, we can
hope for rarities. If transatlantic low pressure sweeps
in we may see something arrive from America, whilst
easterly winds may produce birds from Europe such
as Wryneck and Bluethoat. In the right conditions,
eastern rarities from even further afield in Asia
such as Yellow-browed Warbler and Dusky Warbler
can appear. It’s impossible to give a firm itinerary
- let’s just say that our guides will take you to where
the best birds are! Migrants can turn up anywhere;
on the south pointing Peninnis Head, on grassy
airfields, golf courses, sheltered coves and the shelter
belts which protect the bulb fields - and indeed
on any of the islands. Any boat trips we need to make are included in the holiday. This is prime
time for scarce birds such as Short-toed Lark,
Wryneck and Red-backed Shrike, but expect the
unexpected, as Scilly is famed for attracting vagrant
waders, ducks, warblers, pipits and even birds
of prey from all corners of the compass, which
rarely occur elsewhere in the UK. Anything can turn
up - birds we have seen include Wryneck, Redeyed Vireo, Red-backed Shrike, Short-toed Lark,
Red-throated Pipit (among other things).
During our trip we shall alternate between
exploring the main island of St Mary’s, with days out
to visit two or three of the other inhabited islands
using the colourful little inter-island boats. Even
St Mary’s is only 2.5 by 1.75 miles, so exploring on foot
is easy, wandering between the different habitats
of tiny bulb fields sheltered by tall pittasporum
hedges, maritime heath and boggy moorland, with
muddy freshwater pools, rocky headlands and sandy
coves that pepper the coastline. The unique mild
maritime climate has created a fascinating landscape,
with special plants adapted to this environment
The Scillies are made up of around 150 islands
with just five of the largest islands being inhabited.
All of these five offshore islands are distinctly
different in character and habitat. We shall almost
certainly visit Tresco, the second largest, which
is famed for its exotic Abbey Gardens created
in 1834 around the remains of the 12th century
St Nicholas Priory. Its sweeping sandy beaches and
rocky tidal bays attract waders, gulls and terns and
the dense vegetation and wooded areas provide
shelter and feeding for common migrants and rarities
alike, as they pause to refuel on their long journeys.
The Great Pool almost divides the whole island,
offering the chance of some wildfowl, with regular
rarities such as Ring-necked Duck and Spotted
Crake turning up in some years. St Agnes, the most
south-westerly of the inhabited islands, is in the prime
position for first landfall of any transatlantic migrants,
so it is another island we are likely to visit. It has
a rugged southern coastline and more sheltered
bays in the north. Its narrow winding lanes and
tiny fields give it a totally different feel to the
other islands and with Wingletang Down - an area
of open scrub and gorse which stretches down
to the Atlantic coast, it’s an island of contrasts
in a tiny area.
Rare birds can turn up on any of the other islands,
with visiting birders searching all over. We shall try
to see as many as we can, so depending on where
the birds are found, we may visit St Martin’s,
a long thin island with beautiful white sandy
beaches, downland and a small farming community.
Alternatively, we may visit Bryher, which shelters
Tresco from the Atlantic and is home to Hell Bay,
where there is nothing between us and the eastern
seaboard of America!
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| Day 8 | We can spend the morning birding, then after
lunch we board our ferry for the sea crossing
back to Penzance, with a chance of more seabirds
and cetaceans on the way.
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Just some of what we hope to see..
| Gannet | Spotted Crake | Red-backed Shrike |
| Manx Shearwater | Black Kite | Wryneck |
| Balearic Shearwater | Short-toed Lark | Rose-coloured Starling |
| Storm Petrel | Yellow Wagtail | Common Rosefinch |
| Pectoral Sandpiper | Richard's Pipit | Ortolan Bunting |
| Buff-breasted Sandpiper | Red-breasted Flycatcher | Little Bunting |
| Lesser Yellowlegs | Subalpine Warbler | Red-eyed Vireo |
| Other American waders | Yellow-browed Warbler | American warblers |
| Dotterel | Firecrest | |
"The perfect view of an Olive Backed Pipit at the end of the day as it "strolled"across the open track after spending an extremely long time at the beginning of the day endeavouring to peer through dense foliage to just about see its head !"
Roger Rooke
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"The islands themselves were a true highlight of this trip. Particular birds for me were the Wryneck and the Olive Backed Pipit! The ferry crossings allowed for some great sea watching including some real close encounters with dolphins - while holiday was a joy and we would love to go back again"
Elaine George
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"Spectacular views of a Merlin and a Short-eared Owl"
Susan Dukes
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"On the ferry journey I would have been delighted to have a good view of one Great
Shearwater instead we had a fantastic flock of 40-50, not to mention excellent views of
other sea birds including Balearic and Cory's Shearwaters and Gannets"
Susan Ripley
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"Enjoying the cheeky sparrows clustering round every cafe looking for crumbs. Marvelling at the aerobatics of the gulls and gannets. And then a pod of Common Dolphins appeared right up next to the Scillonian just as we neared Penzance harbour - a lovely finale to our holiday"
Heather Graham
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"The highlight was watching two different Wrynecks which were a first for me, it was good to see one of them acting naturally feeding on ants and interacting with House Sparrows trying to muscle in on the food. Despite many attempts I didn’t catch a glimpse of the Rosefinch in the infamous Sycamore but seeing very good views of the active Long-tailed Duck thanks to the cooperative captain of the inter-island ferry was a bonus. I enjoyed my walk around the Abbey gardens on Tresco especially seeing the Red Squirrels and the amazing sight of around ten Song Thrushes feeding on berries in a tree, Song Thrushes seemed to be plentiful on the IOS as well as the friendly House Sparrows which liked to share lunch. Getting soaked on the walk back from Cromwell's Tower wasn't so good! Oh, I forgot to mention the Yellow-browed Warbler, Little Bunting and Jack Snipe, all in all a very successful holiday"
Brian Wheeler
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"We had an excellent time with a great group of people and 2 informative and entertaining guides. Simon and Craig looked after us well and we thoroughly enjoyed our first trip to the Isles of Scilly. The islands were beautiful"
Lesley and Peter Clarke
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"Seeing a Dotterel & Golden Plover incredibly close on Tresco. Could pick out all the detail on the Dotterel and the plover glowed in the sun. The obliging Woodchat Shrike which glowed white from the bush it sat in. Walking along the beach on St Martin's and seeing the saline especially Snakelocks Anemone. The stunning colours on the edges of the Portuguese-man-of-war. Fantastic views wherever you looked: lunch at Innisidgen was my place of the trip but there was strong competiton from Little Bay on St Martin's. Got to mention the chocolate mousse and the roast beef dinner, oh and the croissant for breakfast!!"
Steve Foster
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"A tame Song Thrush joining us for lunch."
Barbara Keville
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"Well, team Speyside have scored again. No ferry so straight on a helicopter. SIMPLY BRILLIANT. Very well done guys"
Tony Keville
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"Highlights - Hmmm, how long have you got?! The beautiful patterning on the Spotted Crake as it probed for food close enough to touch. A small flock of Goldfinches picking seeds from a tall blue flower, the colours of bird and flower shone and contrasted in the sun. Watching a couple of Firecrests on Tresco, when suddenly one tilted its head right at me and gave a spectacular view of the bright red crest. Lunch at Carn Leh, feeling the warmth of the sun on my face, sitting and watching the birds drifting over the sea and the porpoises swimming across the bay. Troy Town geranium ice cream (yep that's right). While on food: meal of the trip braised steak, sweet of the trip, the ice cream sundae - and there was some stiff competition, in both categories. Seeing a Red-backed Shrike, a bird I'd wanted to see for a long time. Stunning views of Red-eyed Vireo and Wryneck."
Steve Foster
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"Seeing a Dotterel at the airfield on St Mary's, and a Red Qquirrel on Tresco (Gillian). Seeing the Wryneck so clearly (David)."
Gillian & David Smith
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"Every year we read reports of the birds that turn up on Scilly in October. A regular record is 'Buff-breasted Sandpiper on St Mary's Airfield', having only previously seen this bird in the USA, it was wonderful to finally catch up with this transatlantic vagrant after a beautiful walk round the coast and finding it feeding at the end of the runway with two Golden Plovers. We were able to compare these two species for a while until the Sandpiper was chased off by a Black Labrador......never to be seen again. Other highlights were fantastic views of Jack Snipe and of a very showy Greenish Warbler. Special mention has to be made of Duncan's duet with Grey Seals, we would never have believed it if we hadn't heard it! Thank you to you all for another terrific Speyside holiday, its a real shame about the disruption, but we had an excellent trip."
Maggie & John Tester
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"Standing/sitting on a boardwalk, watching a Spotted Crake just a few metres away, for half an hour."
Liz & Roger Ackroyd
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"The off island days - Tresco, St Martin's and St Agnes. Good mixture of birding and looking at the scenery."
Jillian & Robin Martin
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"The whole experience of being able to visit a series of islands within a small area. Each having their own identity, plus the adventure of seeking out visiting bird rarities. From the masses of Goldcrests we encountered and a very obliging Firecrest to diving Gannets offshore, the unobliging Spotted Crake! The delightful Isabeline Wheatear, flitting Yellow-browed Warblers and white sandy beaches, all contributed to a holiday which gave a balance of birding, great walks/views, boat trips, good food and good company - is all what a Speyside Wildlife holiday is about."
Sue Bradshaw & Christine Parkin
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"We had wonderful views on St Marys of a pair of Firecrests. We also had very good views of a Cedar Waxwing and an American Golder Plover like those which have just appeared in Novembers Bird Watching."
Charles Gordon
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"Thursday on St Mary's in beautiful sunshine was super, as were the jolly meal times with the fun and laughter at the table, Simon and Duncan are good raconteurs!"
Maureen & Ted Cawley
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"Red Squirrels on Tresco were good, as were various birds like the Lapland Bunting, Jack Snipe, Water Rail and Black Redstart, and I still can't believe that I was the only person who actually saw (albeit very briefly) the Yellow Browed Warbler in the final day. The beaches and headlands were stunning and it was nice to see Elm trees too. But nothing could beat my first ever view of Firecrests in Carreg Dhu Garden - utterly delightful little birds who hopped around most obligingly in front of us, close enough to get good views of their brilliant coloured heads. I could have watched them all day!"
Sue Pargeter
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"Many highlights I could talk about. Obviously the excitement of seeing a new species is memorable, particularly if it has been an effort to track down - the Yellow-browed Warbler reached almost mythical status on the trip!! However the memories that remain the clearest are of the more common birds: the truly stunning flash of Firecrest's red crest especially as it was viewed through binoculars; the Blackbird that was just a few feet away and sang a quiet sub-song (seemingly to himself); watching the group of Turnstones on the beach feeding intently and sending sand flying over each other."
Steve Foster
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