Birding holidays in Andalucia

[neillcc]

Hi everyone a few days ago I announced that we were starting a birding holiday company in Andalucia, well the website is now up and running
www.twitchingspain.com
please take a look and any comments will be most welcome
Neill

[Colin Key]

Hello Neill,

I think that you have entered a very difficult market, more so because of the current GBP/€ exchange rate which has decimated tourism in Iberia very rapidly in the past few months.

I know several professional guides working out of El Rocio (Cota Donãna) who are having a very difficult time at the moment. But, I wish you all the best and hope that you succeed. I think that your website needs some attention with a lot more visual content - the linked gallery in Flickr is not very good.

Maybe we will meet some day.

Um abraço,

Colin

[Bobolink44]

Hi Neil, roof terrace views look great. Hope to see more of your photos but like Colin says, you might need to upgrade the picture quality to help sell it. Do you have stake outs for difficult to see species or a generic list of species you might get with a week with you? Best, Bob

[neillcc]

Hello Neill,

I think that you have entered a very difficult market, more so because of the current GBP/€ exchange rate which has decimated tourism in Iberia very rapidly in the past few months.

I know several professional guides working out of El Rocio (Cota Donãna) who are having a very difficult time at the moment. But, I wish you all the best and hope that you succeed. I think that your website needs some attention with a lot more visual content - the linked gallery in Flickr is not very good.

Maybe we will meet some day.

Um abraço,

Colin

Hi Colin,
Thanks for your comments all taken on board. The flickr Galley is temp aswe are formating the website at present.

[neillcc]

Hi Neil, roof terrace views look great. Hope to see more of your photos but like Colin says, you might need to upgrade the picture quality to help sell it. Do you have stake outs for difficult to see species or a generic list of species you might get with a week with you? Best, Bob

Hi Bob,
thanks for your comments
the list is being formulated over the next 3 months as we travel from location to location doing our home work on all the different areas, as for stake outs we have access to areas that most people cannot go thanks to my large list of Spanish contacts and family. we are also having two 4x4 vehicales adapted, with camo paint and large pop up hide several small pop hides and in certian places have permanant hides. As you can see we are not going into this lightly. We want to make this a success for everyone and really do appreciate all you comments.

[john c]

Hi everyone a few days ago I announced that we were starting a birding holiday company in Andalucia, well the website is now up and running
www.twitchingspain.com
please take a look and any comments will be most welcome
Neill

Good luck with your venture, Neill. As others have already commented it's a tough market, but that doesn't mean it can't be done. As work-in-progress I think your webpage stands up very well, but needs a little polishing (beware overdosing on the apostrophe 's'!)

I agree that some sort of list what can be seen locally (i.e. not the detailed Andalucian list I recently sent you!) is a must. Similarly, 'staking out' speciality species would be helpful too. However, I also think that you have to strike a delicate balance between us 'nutters' who'll be willing to go to some trouble to get that 'special bird' and those who want a more relaxed saunter around the more immediate vicinty of your base. Here, I think your splendid views will be a great asset. I see that you understandably restrict your activities to spring/early summer and autumn, but I think you shouldn't ignore the possibilities of winter trips to the area (predictably to Cadiz province in particular!). There are still many good birds around then and many Brits like a winter trip to remind themselves what the sun looks like!

Good luck! John

[Colin Key]

However, I also think that you have to strike a delicate balance between us 'nutters' who'll be willing to go to some trouble to get that 'special bird' and those who want a more relaxed saunter around the more immediate vicinty of your base.

Good luck! John

Could not agree more with what John says here; the "nutters" are mean and want most birds at least cost - the "average birders and birdwatchers" are the ones who are prepared to pay for what they see (and, they are usually much nicer people!).

Best of luck,

Look forward to seeing how your website develops,

Colin