A SEVEN-DAY bird watching festival based in the Highlands has been postponed due to “unforeseen circumstances”.
The Festival of Feathers is hosted by The Grant Arms Hotel, Grantown-on-Spey, and is described as not a week entirely focused on feathers, but instead celebrating the creatures “that wear them best”, birds.
The week-long festival was due to run between October 18 to 24 and offered a “special full package” for £1295 per person.
Festival of Feathers offered punters how to get the “best out of your birding”, by offering identification skills, interpreting behaviour and songs and calls, use of equipment, and local conservation stories and projects.
It also included speakers, guides and the company of like-minded bird watchers to offer a week of “informative fun in the highland home for wildlife holidays”.
According to the event's description, bird watching encompasses more than just identifying them.
It read: “While naming a bird can create a sense of achievement and even an intimate connection—after all, when introduced to someone new, their name is the first thing you learn—but there is so much more fascinating information to uncover about that person, beetle or bird, beyond just a name.”
The event description added: “If you’ve ever wanted to elevate your birdwatching skills and learn techniques that extend just a bit further than what you might discover in a book, then this might be the week for you.”
However, the organisers of the festival announced on Tuesday that the event will be postponed until 2026.
In a statement, one of the festival organisers said: “We were very excited to announce our Festival of Feathers, originally scheduled for October 2025.
“However, due to unforeseen circumstances, we regret to inform you that the festival will be postponed until 2026.
“Please keep an eye on this space for further updates.
“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your understanding.”
