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Explore this superb wetland with TV naturalist Mike Dilger. In winter, the Levels host some of the UK’s most spectacular starling murmurations as well as huge numbers of waterfowl.

In winter, visitors to the Somerset Levels cannot help but be amazed by the sheer numbers of birds here. Waterfowl, including wigeon, pintail and teal, crowd ponds and lakes, large flocks of lapwing and golden plover feed on wet grassland, and each evening mesmerising flocks of starlings, sometimes hundreds of thousands strong, loop and swirl over reedbeds before dropping to roost. Among the most celebrated sites for these murmurations are RSPB Ham Wall and Shapwick Heath NNR in the Avalon Marshes. 

Typical Itinerary

  1. Day 1: Meet in Wells; local birdwatching

    We meet in Wells in the early afternoon. Depending on weather and daylight we may then have time for some local birdwatching.

    Accommodation: Worth House Hotel, 3-nights

  2. Days 2-3 : Wildlife watching in the Somerset Levels with Mike Dilger

    We have two full days to explore the abundant wildlife of the Somerset Levels with Mike Dilger. Historic wet grassland is drained by ditches, known locally as rhynes, which are the haunt of great and little egrets, bitterns and otters.

    The Avalon Marshes, which lie under historic Glastonbury Tor, are the winter home of thousands of wigeon, teal, pintail, lapwing, golden plover, curlew and other waterbirds. Watching them are the hungering eyes of peregrines, merlin, hen and marsh harriers and sparrowhawks. Much of our time in the Somerset Levels will be concentrated in these superb marshes.

    The Somerset Levels are the home of the Great Crane Project which has successfully reintroduced the common crane to south-west England. With 23 pairs of cranes in the region in 2018, we will make a special effort to find a winter flock of these magnificent birds.

    The most famous of the Somerset Levels’ avian attractions in winter are the breathtaking murmurations of starlings. We will make every effort to witness this extraordinary spectacle during our two full days here.

  3. Day 4: Morning birdwatching; depart Wells

    We enjoy a final morning of birdwatching with Mike on the Somerset Levels, targeting any notable species we may have missed, before taking lunch at a pub and returning to Wells where the tour concludes.

Key info

  • Duration and price excluding international flights: 4 days from £795 pp
  • Single supplement: From £175
  • Trip type:
    Group Tour
  • Group size: 7
  • Group Departures:
    Make a booking request.
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  • Included in the price/package:
    • Services of the naturalist leader
    • Accommodation
    • Breakfast & dinner
    • Guided activities
  • Activities available:
    • Nature drive

Expert leader

Mike Dilger

Photo of Mike Dilger

Mike Dilger has been an obsessive naturalist since childhood, equally at home either identifying wild flowers in the British countryside, or surveying the Amazon for hummingbirds.

With degrees in Botany and Ecology, Mike’s obsession with the tropics began when studying moths in the South American Andes. This then led to over five years carrying out research work in the tropical forests of Ecuador, Vietnam, Tanzania and Peru.

Finally emerging out of the bush and returning to Britain to find a job in television, Mike is probably best known as the wildlife expert on the BBC’s The One Show. Pontificating about everything from bumblebees to basking sharks, Mike has racked up over 450 appearances during his 15 years on the show.

His main job now is as a professional plate spinner, which involves intermingling TV commitments, tour-leading, writing and giving talks. Mike leads trips for Wildlife Worldwide from the Somerset Levels to the Scottish Highlands in the UK, while abroad he takes guests to Ecuador and Madagascar.

A columnist for BBC Wildlife Magazine, Mike has also written eight nature-themed books, with his most recent being One Thousand Shades of Green - A Year in Search of Britain’s Wild Plants

View all tours led by Mike

Featured location:

Somerset Levels

The Somerset Levels’ rich biodiversity makes them of national and international importance. They are home to seven species of heron, including breeding bitterns and little bitterns, common cranes have been successfully reintroduced here, and the insect life and lowland wetland flora is also superb. Find Out More about {acc:title}

  • Where: South-west England
  • Ideal for viewing: bittern, great egret, common crane, four-spotted chaser, marsh harrier