Otter mini-Safari 15/05/2014
Thanks for a great evening! We were very impressed that you managed to find the otter. We wouldn’t have been able to find it ourselves (if we would have known where to go to find them in the first place….)
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Thanks for a great evening! We were very impressed that you managed to find the otter. We wouldn’t have been able to find it ourselves (if we would have known where to go to find them in the first place….)
Thank you so much for a really enjoyable mini-safari on Friday morning. The things we enjoyed were the amazing number of birds you showed us, particularly of course the brambling, the purple sandpiper and the mediterranean gull; the beautiful scenery and weather; and especially the informal and very informative commentary you provided. It was great to be in the area with someone who knows it so well and who wears his immense knowledge so lightly. It was a really interesting and good fun morning, and we would certainly recommend your tours and would hope to join you again.
I would thoroughly recommend this trip. It took nearly 4 and a half hours and it was a spine-tingling experience to watch the otter hunting at dusk right at the end of the evening. Despite this there was no sense of rush, it felt like we could have spent the whole week there without being moved on. Clearly driven by a passion for sharing his knowledge of wildlife, it would be a pleasure and a privilege to spend more time tapping Martin’s excellent knowledge of the fauna. An inspiring trip of discovery yet this was all slap-bang on the doorstep of normal life. He’s not paying me, but go and spend your money on one of these delightful quests into the fantastic creatures of this ancient Shire and beyond. Turnstone and Gadwall will guide your way …
Hi Martin, we enjoyed out day with you very much. I can't think of anything I didn't like, we want guides to be knowledgeable re both birds and area, and enthusiastic, and you were. Food was delicious. And the starlings performed to order at the end. So thanks, and good luck. Next time we come north we will hopefully see you again!
Although we had booked for the Cheviot Valley experience, the weather was so appalling - cold, wet and windy, Martin suggested that as we would be unlikely to see any wildlife in the Cheviots it would be a better bet to visit various birding sites on the Northumberland coast. This turned out to be an excellent suggestion, as we were able to see, with Martin's expert knowledge, many, for us, new species. The weather helped us, as many that may have been further out to sea, obligingly came much closer to the coast. The day finished in the sun, as we were able to watch a marsh harrier looking for his supper. All in all a great day out.
We would like to thank Martin once again for a really great day and add some of the other highlights of the 57 varieties we saw that day; such as spotted flycatcher, nuthatch, yellowhammer, goldeneye, goosander and also the song thrush on the nest to name just a few. We are looking forward to our next trip.
My kind brother-in-law organised a surprise safari with Martin for our young family. Not knowing what we were in for, we all thoroughly enjoyed our day. With a 4 yr old, 2 year and a 4 month old, I'm not sure that Martin knew what he was in for! However, he tailored the safari to suit our needs perfectly and he made sure that we were all involved in the wildlife spotting. We all loved the bumpy boat ride out to see the seals on the Farne Islands and then a spot of beach combing and rock pool dipping for beach wildlife. A tasty picnic to suit all ages and then a trip up the coast to sample the varied birdlife. Thanks Martin and we will certainly recommend you to others.
We had a great day out with Martin, whose knowledge and enthusiasm was second to none and really enhanced our visit to Lindisfarne and coast. Martin’s keen eye and ability to get us to look in the right direction, at the right time, certainly helped us to see a lot more than we normally do. We will never forget Martin’s reaction on hearing and then seeing the male Ring Ouzels, (which we are ashamed to admit we had not heard of, let alone seen, prior to this visit!). It made our day and we will never forget our first visit to Lindisfarne. Thank you, Martin.
Martin,
Thank you for such a memorable day. We learned a lot, enjoyed your company and loved spending quality time in such a beautiful part of the country. Whilst seeing the Otter was a treat, the whole day was very special.
We had a magical day! All of us enjoyed ourselves immensely. Althogh we had planned to visit both priory and castle as well as look at the wildlife, there was so much wildlife to see (or rather: Martin showed us so much) that we only managed to visit the priory. The more reason to come back. The trip was just perfect!
We had a great holiday, superb accommodation and excellent food. Martin was a great host on this 1 to 1 holiday, and certainly knew his birds! All his efforts were for my benefit, and he could not have been a better guide. Talking to him in the car, it was obvious that he knew enormous amounts about birds, dolphins and whales and their migrations and movements. The second day is what I have dubbed “The Day of the Storm”, when the River Tyne burst its banks in the city centre of Newcastle, roads were flooded and the winds were 90mph or more – the worst storm for 50 years. High spring tides and severe offshore gales contributed to a storm surge which we witnessed the effects of at first hand. It was a superb day to be out, with alternating sessions of complete grey cloud cover, hailstones and high winds, and then, within minutes, brilliant, low sunshine, great shafts of light and almost completely clear blue skies. Photographic heaven! We were glad that Martin had decided not to be on Holy Island that day!! I am thinking about my next expedition with Martin.
Had a great day with Martin! Very competent, informative guiding and successful as well since my target list was completed :-). Fanastic to watch black and red grouse from close distance. Beautiful creatures! The Ring Ouzel was amazing too. I also really enjoyed the rough scenery despite the "dynamic" weather conditions.