14-18 July 2026
£1,199 per person, £200 single supplement
BOOK NOW.
Call Oriole Birding on: 0800 999 036, or go to www.oriolebirding.com
Join us on a superb summer New Forest readers’ holiday, expertly guided and run by Oriole Birding, and targeting amazing insect life as well as birds. It’s designed to sample the broad cross-section of wildlife on offer among the heaths, bogs and woodlands of Hampshire.
A wide variety of wildlife can be expected, with about 75 species of bird, including Nightjar, Dartford Warbler, Wood Lark, Firecrest, Honey Buzzard and Goshawk. Howard Vaughan will lead this holiday and you can also expect to see upwards of 20 species of butterfly and 20 odonata, including some of Britain’s rarest damselflies, such as Small Red, Southern, Scarce Blue-tailed, White-legged, and perhaps our most spectacular species, the Beautiful Demoiselle. The majestic Golden-ringed Dragonfly and the inquisitive Downy Emerald may be seen, plus Purple Emperor butterfly along with White Admiral and Silver-washed Fritillary. Perhaps the Scarce Forester moth, a metallic green day flying rarity, might also be sighted, and both Adder and Slow Worm are often seen.
Itinerary
DAY ONE: Meet at accommodation around 5pm for check-in and briefing, pre-dinner.
DAY TWO: First stop at Upper Crockford Stream – species of interest here are Southern Damselfly, Small Red Damselfly and Golden-ringed Dragonfly, with White Admiral and Silver-studded Blue butterflies also present. Beautiful Demoiselle is common, and further upstream Golden-ringed Dragonfly and Keeled Skimmer are easily seen. Surrounding habitat is good for Dartford Warbler and Hobby. After lunch, you’ll head to Hatchet Pond and search for Downy Emerald, with Emperor and Black-tailed Skimmer also likely. Calling at Denny Wood, you’ll look for White Admiral, Silver-washed Fritillary, and woodland birds like Marsh Tit and Redstart.
DAY THREE: Acres Down is a premier birding spot. Honey Buzzard is very difficult to connect with, though Goshawk is quite common and easy to see. Wood Lark, Redstart and Crossbill are often seen from the watchpoint while Southern Hawker, Broad-bodied Chaser and Keeled Skimmer should also be found. A woodland walk will allow us to search for Firecrest, as well as woodland butterflies. After lunch we head along to Mill Lawn Brook, where we might find the very rare Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly. Finally at Ober Water, we’ll search for White-legged Damselfly.
DAY FOUR: At Martin Down we’ll look for Small Blue, Marbled White, Dark Green Fritillary, Large Skipper and maybe even Adonis Blue! Orchids abound, too. Corn Bunting and Red Kite are among the birds often seen here. In the afternoon you’ll head to Blashford Lakes HWT reserve. Kingfisher, Reed Warbler, Common Tern, Little Gull, Little Ringed Plover and common ducks, grebes and waders should be seen. Brown Hawker should be here as well as a sea of Common Blue Damselflies. After dinner, we’ll take a walk to look for Nightjar.
DAY FIVE: Your final morning is spent at the superb butterfly site that is Bentley Woods in Wiltshire. The woodland glades here host Purple Emperor, Silver-washed Fritillary and White Admiral butterflies, with the main clearing normally holding good numbers of Marbled White. Honey Buzzard is present at the site and sometimes can be seen over the woodland glades, and a series of forest ponds hold Southern Hawker and sometimes Downy Emerald. The tour concludes at about 2pm.
What's included:
Four nights’ dinner, bed and breakfast in en suite rooms at Ormonde House, Lyndhurst, services of leaders, packed lunches, minibus transport throughout, and reserve entrance fees.
What's not included:
Transport to and from rendezvous points, travel insurance, drinks and any items of a purely personal nature.
Public transport: Brockenhurst
Group size: Maximum of 12 participants
BOOK NOW.
Call Oriole Birding on: 0800 999 036, or go to www.oriolebirding.com