winters, now quite common in its specialised heathland habitat. This cheeky little bird, with its dark magenta plumage and cocked tail, is always a treat to see.
It was time to go. For one brief moment I had shared the life of a bird. In some strange, indefinable way, I had also shared the experience with every other birdwatcher that has ever seen a Dartford Warbler. And with one other special person, whose being there made the evening one I shall never forget.
The Birdfair
AUGUST 1998
For many birdwatchers, including myself, the coming weekend sees the highlight of the birding year: the British Birdwatching Fair at Rutland Water. For three days, thousands of birdwatchers from all over Britain will converge on this tiny county in the heart of England. Theyâll be joined by visitors from as far apart as Israel and Costa Rica, Uganda and Trinidad & Tobago, united by one simple thing: their shared love of birds and birdwatching.
So what will they find there? Well, there are huge marquees with stalls selling everything from binoculars to exotic foreign holidays; lectures and quizzes; artists and photographers; and all sorts of local and national conservation groups. And when youâve had enough, thereâs even a beer tent!
In the unlikely event of becoming bored, you can always go off and watch the birds. For the Birdfair, as it is usually known, doesnât take place in some vast, cavernous hall by a motorway junction, but on a really excellent bird reserve. By late August the autumn migration is well under way, and the place will be packed with birds: ducks and geese, grebes and Cormorants, and the tamest Tree Sparrows Iâve ever seen. At this time of year, almost anything can turn up: perhaps even an Osprey stopping off on its long journey south from Scotland to Africa.
The Birdfair has become so much a part of todayâs birding scene that it seems to have been going for ever. Yet the whole thing began only a decade ago, when two local conservationists, Tim Appleton and Martin Davies, came up with a bright idea. It started small, but just kept on growing, and this year marks the tenth annual fair.
Their second bright idea was to donate the profits from the Birdfair to conservation projects around the world. Over the years, more than £300,000 has been raised for projects in places like Poland, Spain, Morocco and Ecuador. This yearâs fair supports a project with a difference: the BirdLife International Threatened Birds Programme, which aims to create survival action plans for the worldâs II II endangered bird species, as well as raising awareness of the plight of the 10 per cent of the worldâs birds currently threatened with extinction.
But although itâs a good thing that the Birdfair supports such worthwhile causes, thatâs not what makes it such fun. For me, the most important element of all is the human one. When I went to my first Birdfair, back in 1992, I only knew a handful of people there. In those days, birdwatchers tended to keep themselves to themselves, and there were few opportunities to socialise and get to know each other.
To a large extent, the Birdfair has helped to change all that. It has created a focal point: a place where any birdwatcher, however inexperienced, can chat to other enthusiasts, get advice, and above all âhave a goâ. Every year now, I meet people whoâve just taken up watching birds, yet who can come along to the fair and rub shoulders withexperts such as Ian Wallace, Bruce Pearson and Bill Oddie, getting the benefit of their vast knowledge and experience.
Itâs great for children, too. This year Iâm taking along my son James, who has heard about the fairâs delights from his big brother David, and now wants to see for himself. Where else could you let an eight-year-old child wander around on his own, enjoying his freedom without the risk of danger? And where else can a child spend three whole days and still not
It was time to go. For one brief moment I had shared the life of a bird. In some strange, indefinable way, I had also shared the experience with every other birdwatcher that has ever seen a Dartford Warbler. And with one other special person, whose being there made the evening one I shall never forget.
The Birdfair
AUGUST 1998
For many birdwatchers, including myself, the coming weekend sees the highlight of the birding year: the British Birdwatching Fair at Rutland Water. For three days, thousands of birdwatchers from all over Britain will converge on this tiny county in the heart of England. Theyâll be joined by visitors from as far apart as Israel and Costa Rica, Uganda and Trinidad & Tobago, united by one simple thing: their shared love of birds and birdwatching.
So what will they find there? Well, there are huge marquees with stalls selling everything from binoculars to exotic foreign holidays; lectures and quizzes; artists and photographers; and all sorts of local and national conservation groups. And when youâve had enough, thereâs even a beer tent!
In the unlikely event of becoming bored, you can always go off and watch the birds. For the Birdfair, as it is usually known, doesnât take place in some vast, cavernous hall by a motorway junction, but on a really excellent bird reserve. By late August the autumn migration is well under way, and the place will be packed with birds: ducks and geese, grebes and Cormorants, and the tamest Tree Sparrows Iâve ever seen. At this time of year, almost anything can turn up: perhaps even an Osprey stopping off on its long journey south from Scotland to Africa.
The Birdfair has become so much a part of todayâs birding scene that it seems to have been going for ever. Yet the whole thing began only a decade ago, when two local conservationists, Tim Appleton and Martin Davies, came up with a bright idea. It started small, but just kept on growing, and this year marks the tenth annual fair.
Their second bright idea was to donate the profits from the Birdfair to conservation projects around the world. Over the years, more than £300,000 has been raised for projects in places like Poland, Spain, Morocco and Ecuador. This yearâs fair supports a project with a difference: the BirdLife International Threatened Birds Programme, which aims to create survival action plans for the worldâs II II endangered bird species, as well as raising awareness of the plight of the 10 per cent of the worldâs birds currently threatened with extinction.
But although itâs a good thing that the Birdfair supports such worthwhile causes, thatâs not what makes it such fun. For me, the most important element of all is the human one. When I went to my first Birdfair, back in 1992, I only knew a handful of people there. In those days, birdwatchers tended to keep themselves to themselves, and there were few opportunities to socialise and get to know each other.
To a large extent, the Birdfair has helped to change all that. It has created a focal point: a place where any birdwatcher, however inexperienced, can chat to other enthusiasts, get advice, and above all âhave a goâ. Every year now, I meet people whoâve just taken up watching birds, yet who can come along to the fair and rub shoulders withexperts such as Ian Wallace, Bruce Pearson and Bill Oddie, getting the benefit of their vast knowledge and experience.
Itâs great for children, too. This year Iâm taking along my son James, who has heard about the fairâs delights from his big brother David, and now wants to see for himself. Where else could you let an eight-year-old child wander around on his own, enjoying his freedom without the risk of danger? And where else can a child spend three whole days and still not
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