OBSERVATIONS
Rain, hail and thunder couldn’t stop Global Birdfair being a big success, and projects to preserve endangered species and habitats stand to benefit…
You meet the nicest people standing in the rain in the queue for the toilets! Where else but at Global Birdfair in Oakham would you be standing in a muddy field in a torrential downpour chatting enthusiastically about bird art, birding travel plans or new optics? Also, the queue for the loo is a great place to bump into people.
I have been going to Birdfair for years, in both its old and new incarnations, and during this time there have been hot Birdfairs and cold Birdfairs. This year fell into the wet and windy category. Saturday lunchtime was particularly dramatic, with firstly the fierce winds meaning that the roof of the open-sided catering area had to be removed, leaving diners safe but exposed to the elements. Then, the rain started, and people gradually drifted away to shelter in the marquees. A few stalwarts lingered under darkening skies, as we recorded our podcast in the Whinchat Podcast Station. But, when thunder rumbled and lightning flashed overhead, we all decided that being out in the open and under an aerial wasn’t a clever idea, and ran for shelter. Hailstones rattled down on a Biblical scale, obliterating our view of the outside world. Time for someone to start building an ark, perhaps?
Of course, this was the perfect opportunity to visit more stands inside the marquee. We always make a list of the people we want to see, but we never manage to catch up with everyone. There is simply too much to see and do. If it’s shopping you’re after, there are book stalls, optics stands, bird food and more bird-related gizmos than you can shake a stick at. And let’s not forget our favourite birdwatching magazine represented there, too!
There is an entire art marquee where you can marvel at people’s artistic talent, and hopefully take home a piece of unique bird magic. If you want to plan your next birdwatching trip, countries and regions are well represented, with information on the best birding locations, while bird tour operators for every letter of the alphabet offer tempting trips with a mouthwatering bird list. If you prefer to sit and listen, you can visit a lecture marquee and enjoy the variety of talks by wildlife experts on species, regions, or conservation projects.
Ah yes, conservation. There are those who question worldwide travel today in light of global warming and our carbon footprint. Is it still appropriate to plan trips to far-flung countries? Should we be holding an event that is attended by people travelling from all around the world? Should we even be encouraging people to go out into the countryside here at home and potentially disturbing the very wildlife they have gone to see?
My answer to this is simply yes, yes, an
