Visitors to the British Birdwatching Fair listening out for unusual song may not expect to hear the call ‘two little ducks’ but it’s likely they will, if they visit The Wildlife Trusts’ stand at Rutland Water this weekend.
Wildlife film-maker Simon King, will host a special wildlife-themed ‘Bingo’ session at 3.15pm on Saturday (Marquee 3, stands 40-44). As The Wildlife Trusts celebrate being 100 this year, an outbreak of ‘Happy Birthday’ might be on the cards too. Families are encouraged to come along and join in the fun.
Other reasons to visit The Wildlife Trusts’ stand include:
- Joining in with The Wildlife Trusts’ Centenary celebrations
- Going back in time to 1912, with a conservation timeline display
- Watching short films in a unique ‘garden shed cinema’, including 100 Years of Nature Conservation featuring Sir David Attenborough and Simon King
- Finding out how to help The Wildlife Trusts achieve Living Seas
- Creating craft butterflies and dragonflies to take home
- Plenty of stickers, postcards, colouring-in on offer
- Making your ‘wish for wildlife’ with the chance to win a luxury food hamper
Those interested in hearing about The Wildlife Trusts’ history are encouraged to visit Marquee One on Friday 17 August for 4:30pm and listen to Chief Executive Stephanie Hilborne OBE talk about The Wildlife Trusts: 100 Years of Nature Conservation.
In May 1912 Charles Rothschild held a meeting to discuss his radical idea about saving places for nature. This lead to the formation of the Society for the Promotion of Nature Reserves – known today as The Wildlife Trusts – signalling the beginning of UK nature conservation as we know it.
Simon King is also The Wildlife Trusts’ President. He said: “Over the past 100 years, we have seen phenomenal changes take place in the UK. The spark of Rothschild’s idea took a while to kindle but the spark was sufficient to burn brightly. There is still work to do.
“Our seas are rich in surprising and alien species – fearsome wolf fish, drifting manes of sea kelp studded with blue-rayed limpets which gleam sapphire, technicolour sea slugs in scarlets and pinks. Coming to see The Wildlife Trusts at Birdfair is the perfect chance to find out more about this fascinating world and how we can all help to protect it.”
The British Birdwatching Fair takes place on Friday 19 August – Sunday 21 August at the Anglian Water Birdwatching Centre on the Egleton Nature Reserve, Rutland Water, 9am-5.30pm daily (5pm on Sunday). It is jointly organised by Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust and the RSPB and has something for everyone, with hundreds of stands offering the latest products from binoculars to books to bird food, clothing to country crafts, and much more.
Tickets cost from £12.50 for adults (16 or over) and children go free. This year’s ticket prices are: one-day £12.50, two-days £22, three-days £30. On Sunday, RSPB and/or Wildlife Trust members can enter for just £10 on Sunday. After entry, all entertainment is free, including lectures, quizzes and games hosted by TV celebrities and workshops.
