Come and visit us at Birdfair 2016!
The birding world is gearing up once more for the world's biggest nature festival, with the 28th annual Birdfair set to open its doors at Rutland Water on Friday 19 August.
Birdwatch and BirdGuides will again have a major joint presence at the event, and the birding public are invited to meet members of the team on stands 97-100 in Marquee 2 throughout the three-day event. Visitors will not only be able to take advantage of our fantastic magazine subscription offer of five issues for just £5, we will also be offering an exclusive gift for all subscriptions purchased at Birdfair. Gifts include a choice of birding DVD's and CD's worth up to £25. You can also save 30 per cent on BirdGuides news services. There will be plenty of bargains and discounts among our book selection, including up to 20 per cent off the recommended retail price of all titles, and the September issue of the magazine will be on sale for a mere £3 before it hits the newsstands.
Other attractions include our book-signing sessions, which will feature expert bird authors, including Mark Avery and Rob Hume, inscribing their latest volumes, and competitions to win a signed copy of Mark Avery's Remarkable Birds and some Vanguard Espod Tripods.
Mark Avery will be signing his books at the Birdwatch Birdfair stand this year; check on our website for further details and times as the date approaches (Photo: Mike Alibone).
This year's Birdfair takes place from Friday 19 to Sunday 21 August at the Egleton Reserve, Rutland Water, and will be raising funds to help protect Important Bird Areas of Africa, a continent that holds hundreds of unique bird species, many of which are threatened with decline and extinction. Birdwatch is an Associate Sponsor of the event and a major contributor of funds for conservation, having raised tens of thousands of pounds in recent years.
The magazine is also publisher of Birdfair's official programme, which is available free with the August issue (currently on sale at all good newsagents), or with the digital download via www.pocketmags.com/birdwatch.
As ever, the event — commonly referred to as 'birdwatching's Glastonbury' — will be a non-stop rollercoaster of fascinating talks, product demonstrations and fun things to do, with hundreds of stands selling the most up-to-date wildlife-watching equipment, along with cameras, books, artwork and eco-holidays. There will be many engrossing talks from popular wildlife personalities, including broadcasters Nigel Marven, Simon King and Mike Dilger, telling tales of their travels while filming and nature-watching experiences. Hands-on sessions to choose binoculars and telescopes and try out cameras will be ongoing, while the inspiration of birds and nature will be shown in the creations of some of Britain and the world's finest wildlife artists.
Birdfair is anticipated to attract even more than the record 20,000 birding enthusiasts who visited last year, and tickets are available from www.birdfair.org.uk/buy-tickets — book early to receive a 10 per cent discount. Birdwatch and BirdGuides can be visited at Marquee 2, stands 97-100; you can also follow @TheBirdfair on Twitter using the hashtag #Birdfair, and 'Like' British Birdwatching Fair on Facebook for news and updates.
