The race is on to find a bird which best symbolises Britain.  A national poll has been created to select from a shortlist of 10 birds with the vote being closed on Election Day (7 May).  The RSPB have welcomed the initiative saying the lack of a national bird for Britain is a 'glaring omission'.

The Robin has emerged as an early favourite, closely followed by the blackbird but a surprise contender is one of the country's rarest birds, the Hen Harrier.

The shortlist includes, the Mute Swan, Red Kite, Hen Harrier, Puffin, Barn Owl, Kingfisher, Wren, Robin, Blackbird and Blue Tit.

And, whilst on the subject of feathered friends, Ramblers Worldwide Holidays has its own shortlist of best bird watching holidays combined with guided walks.   These include:

Trinidad and Tobago  - a thirteen day three centre bird watching and walking holiday on these two vibrant Caribbean islands offering, arguably, the best diversity of birdlife in the West Indies.   Highlights include:  On Trinidad, whilst exploring mountain trails, lowlands the Atlantic coast and forest tracks, a great opportunity to see Red-Bellied Macaws, Yellow-Crowned Parrots, Agami Heron, Channel-Billed Toucans, Bearded Bell Birds – all to the accompaniment of Howler Monkeys !

On Tobago, after a day's walking in the mountain rain forest and coastal trails one can take a glass bottomed boat to little Tobago to view nesting sea birds like the Red-Billed Tropic Birds and Brown Boobies.

Price from £2,520 per person includes return flights, transfers, half board accommodation, lunch at the Asa Wright Nature Centre and the services of a dedicated naturalist leader.  Departures from 14 January 2016.

Southern Morocco – a 12 day holiday in the richest birding region in North Africa with habitats spanning desert, wetland and mountains.  Highlights include, Marrakech and the High Atlas where one can see Crimson-Winged Finch, Rock Sparrow, Alpine Chough, Barbary Partridge and Lammergeier;  the Tizi 'n' Tichka Pass, where one can enjoy Sandgrouse, Wheatears, Larks, Warblers and rare species like the Pharoah Eagle Owl, Egyptian Nightjar and Desert Sparrow; the

Ouarzazate Reservoir and the wetlands of Souss Valley and Souss Massa National Park where one might spy the critically endangered Northern Bald Ibis.

Price from £1,155 per person includes return flights, transfers (airport and between centres) and half board accommodation and the services of a dedicated birding tour leader.   Departures from 13 March 2016.

Estonian Bird Watching Adventure – a one week, three centre holiday combining walking and exploring the spectacular avian life along the Baltic coast in Spring.  

Price from £1,476 per person includes return flights and half-board accommodation.  Departures from 25 April 2015.

www.ramblersholidays.co.uk

01707 33 11 33

Orkney Islands – a one week holiday exploring these World Heritage rugged and remote islands with a fascinating history that stretches back to 4,000BC.  Highlights include birdwatching with the RSPB having more reserves here than anywhere else in Britain, huge colonies of sea birds nest on its cliffs and moors, wetlands and crofts; Puffin, Gannet, Guillemot, Razorbill, Eider Ducks, Short Eared Owl and Hen Harrier are favourite residents and visitors and Skara Brae – the best preserved stone age settlement in Europe.

Price from £955 per person includes return flights from Edinburgh, transfers, half board accommodation and the services of a dedicated tour leader.  Departures from 2 May 2015.

Scottish Highland Birding - a 6 or 7 night holiday for birding enthusiasts spotlighting the Spey Valley in the glorious Scottish Highlands.  Highlights include, the Cairngorm Massif in Britain's highest mountain plateau combined with sub-alpine tundra; species regularly encountered include the Golden Eagle, Ptarmigan, Dotterel, Ring Ouzel and Snow Bunting.  The surrounding ancient woodland of the Caledonian forest also includes birdlife like, Black Grouse, Scottish Crossbill, Common Crossbill, Osprey, Black-Throated Diver, Goldeneye, Pine Martin and Slovenian Grebe.

Price from £799 per person includes half board accommodation, all transport necessary to and from walks and the services of a dedicated birding tour leader.  Departures from 1 May 2015.

www.ramblerscountrywide.co.uk  01707 386800

• Award-winning Ramblers Worldwide Holidays have been established since 1946 and are the experts in guided walking adventures.

• The company now operates to over 140 destinations in 60 countries.

• Ramblers Worldwide Holidays offer a range of graded walks from leisurely to challenging.

• Alongside its traditional guided walking proposition, Ramblers Worldwide Holidays provide independent UK walking adventures via its Load Off Your Back programme www.loadoffyourback.co.uk

• The operator is a not-for-profit company and contributes monies to the Ramblers Holidays Charitable Trust which supports environmental projects both here and abroad.

• Their portfolio also includes specialist holidays linked to walking such as, cooking, cruising, birdwatching, rail journeys, photography and flora.

• Ramblers Worldwide Holidays provide a fully protected service as members of ABTA, AITO & ATOL scheme.

• Ramblers Worldwide Holidays is the Walking Holiday Partner of the Ramblers and has launched The Walking Partnership -an initiative which champions walking at the 'grass roots' level by providing funding and support to walking groups and clubs throughout the UK http://www.thewalkingpartnership.org.uk 

For further information please contact grahamross1@btconnect.com 01255 670661