We have been guiding birders in Bohemia and Moravia since 1989. We usually run tours in April as the grouse, owls and woodpeckers are all active at this time & wildfowl passage is underway. Indeed, we regularly find all ten European woodpeckers: Grey-headed, Green, Black, Great Spotted, Syrian, Middle Spotted, White-backed, Lesser Spotted and Three-toed and Wryneck in April. The main areas we vist are the Sumava Mountains, the Trebonsko Basin & the Palava Hills. All three are outstanding areas for wildlife, habitat diversity & scenery. In each area we have local guides whose "staking out" in advance means there's a real chance of some otherwise difficult nocturnal species like Eagle, Tengmalm's and Pygmy Owls.

Our first two bases are in Bohemia. Firstly, in the Sumava Mountains where there are Pygmy and Tengmalm's Owls, White-backed & Three-toed Woodpeckers, lekking Black Grouse, Hazel Grouse, Firecrest, Crested Tit, Ring Ouzel, Dipper, Nutcracker & other upland and coniferous forest species. Our second base at Trebon offers more chances of Pygmy Owl, plus White-tailed Eagle, Black-necked Grebe, Spoonbill, Garganey, Red-crested Pochard & other ducks, Collared Flycatcher, Bluethroat & roding Woodcock.

For the Palava Hills and adjacent wetlands, we base ourselves in small towns in the heart of the Moravian vineyard region. Vast wetlands with reedbeds and riverine woods combine with rocky slopes and broadleaved forested hills to produce highly productive bird habitats. Here we should again find a variety of woodpeckers, with Syrian now available to complete our set. We also know of reliable Eagle Owl sites here and can thus add Europe's largest owl to a list that includes the smallest. i.e. Pygmy Owl.