TOUR INFORMATION We start our journey on board the Scillonian III from Penzance to St Mary’s.  You can park for free at our HQ and we can transport you to the boat for FREE! Our birding week starts as soon as we board the boat, immediatley picking up birds like Eider, Shag, Cormorant, Rock Pipit, Turnstone, Purple Sandpiper etc in the harbour at Penzance before heading out along the Cornish Coast. We may see Peregrine, Fulmars, Manx Shearwaters and Sandwich Terns on this part of the journey, then we are on the look out for more ocean going birds as we enter open water off Land’s End and head for Scilly. Great, Arctic and Pomarine Skuas, Manx, Cory’s, Great, Sooty and Balearic Shearwaters may all be seen! Keep an eye out for Whales and Dolphins too!……..

• Once on St Mary’s we will be straight out birding. Our bags will be delivered to the Hotel by courier and that cost added to your room bill at the end of the week. (Its very cheap!) Unless something rare has already turned up on another island, we shall spend the day exploring some of the birding hotspots on St Mary’s.
• The rest of the week is generally governed by the birds and the weather! We will visit Tresco and St Agnes (price includes two inter-island boats) but may find ourselves visiting other islands or back on St Agnes or Tresco if a rarity turns up! (Boats are £12 return, so budget for maybe 4 additional journeys!)
• We stay at The Bell Rock Hotel during our week and Daniel and his team always look after us and give us a warm welcome. The food is excellent, all rooms are en-suite and there is a small swimming pool should you wish to use it.
• Our planned days are taken at a leisurely pace and there are very few steep inclines on the islands. We do tend to walk some distance often without realising it!  We only pick up the pace when a scarce or rare bird is found!
• We will take a boat trip out to see returning PUFFINS! These charasmatic birds give close views as they return to the islands to breed, a photographers dream! We may also see returning Manx Shearwaters, Gannets. Fulmars, Guillemots and Razorbills.
• Lunches are not included during the week. There are cafes on St Mary’s and Tresco that we will visit for lunch or we may pick up a pasty or sandwich at the local shop to carry with us. Our day on St Agnes WILL culminate with a visit to The Turks Head pub, for a local pint of ale while we wait for our boat back. It’s a tradition we are not willing to break and I’m sure you will enjoy the amazing views from the outdoor seating area.
• Please pack for the weather. It can be very unpredictable in April with rain and wind or tropical sunshine! Stout walking boots are essential, for your comfort of course, but occasionally some paths can get muddy after rain.
• Our last day will again be spent on St Mary’s after checking out of the hotel. The boat leaves at 4.30pm and we get back to Penzance by 7.15pm.
• Spring on Scilly can be fantastic and birds seen here in previous Aprils include Marsh and Montagu’s Harriers, Black Kite, Osprey, Dotterel, Ring Ouzel, Short-toed Lark, Turtle Dove, Wryneck, Golden Oriole, Red-backed and Woodchat Shrikes, Stone Curlew, Cuckoo, Garganey, Little Bittern, Squacco Heron, Night Heron, Purple Heron, Red-rumped Swallow, Subalpine Warbler, Little Ringed Plover, Great Blue Heron and Belted Kingfisher!!!

Included in the Cost:

• Parking and lift to Penzance Harbour
• Return boat to Scilly on board the Scillonian III (alternative travel by plane from Land’s End can be arranged)
• Accommodation, Bed, Breakfast and Evening Meal at The Bell Rock Hotel
• Two inter-island boat tickets
• All guiding Fees

Whats NOT included:

• Lunches
• Extra inter-island boats (£12 return per trip)
• PUFFIN Boat Trip
• Travel Insurance
• Drinks and other refreshments
• Meal at the Atlantic Hotel on the Wednesday night

For further information and to book please contact Paul at [email protected] or 07794559881 for an informal chat.