LESS FRENETIC AND MORE RELAXED - GLOBAL BIRDFAIR MAKES A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL DEBUT

RSPB president Miranda Krestovnikoff addresses a Global Birdfair audience

MUCH more  'relaxed' than previous birdfairs. 

That comment from the birding peer, Baron Randall of Uxbridge - a former MP and ornithological consultant to the Government - was echoed by others who attended last weekend's Global Birdfair.

Held at the Rutland Showground outside Oakham, it was a much more sedate affair than its sprawling, frenetic predecessors held at nearby Rutland Water.

With fewer exhibitors, guest speakers and visitors, this year's event  had the feeling more of a garden party in the country than a trade fair.

A few said there was "less atmosphere", but most thought it was more "compact", "friendlier" and "more intimate".

As in the past, the organisers-in-chief were Tim Appleton and Penny Robinson - but this time acting independently rather than under the auspices of the Leicestershire & Wildlife Trust.

The trust's executives had claimed that they lacked resources to continue.

Just to put a guilt trip on attendees, the trust maintained the fair was a contributor to global warming.

The public snub may have had an impact.

The event was boycotted by sister wildlife trusts and by their umbrella organisation's president, Simon King, who historically used to hire a whole marquee to promote his photographic wares.

Other high-profile absentees, whose presence might have been welcomed, were author and blogger Mark Avery and broadcaster Chris Packham.

What is more the economic crisis, the war in Ukraine, political turmoil at home and the sweltering weather may have sapped the public mood and discouraged prospective visitors from making the trip.

Sadly, veteran birder Bill Oddie apologised for his absence, through fragile health, but his friend and former BBC colleague, Stephen Moss, provided a well-received tribute act in the form of a sequence of clips from the former's TV broadcasts of yesteryear.

Both the RSPB and the BTO had a diminished stand presence, compared with previous years, but teams from four journals, Bird Watching, British Birds, British Wildlife and BBC Wildlife, were flying the flag as vigorously as ever.

There were also cameo appearances from the likes of RSPB chief executive Beccy Speight, Natural England chairman Tony Juniper and birding commentator and travel expert Keith Betton.

Covid, too, still cast a shadow. Some visitors wore masks as did exhibitor Martin Kelsey who was promoting the birding tours he hosts in mid-Spain's Extremadura region.

But the underlying mood was definitely one of cheerfulness and optimism. 

Times may be tough, but they won't last for ever.

Let's get on with life, renew old  acquaintances, make new friends . . . and enjoy our birding.

That was the spirit - and long may it prevail!

     

It was good to see secondhand book specialists Pandion back at the fair 

The team from Speyside Wildlife are always welcome

 at the event

Penguins going walkabout - art in action 

Where better for a short break than the Grant Arms Hotel?

                                                      

Wildlife and the city - another artist at work

As ever, the art marquee was particularly busy

The silhouette studies of Sandra Vick (left) attracted particular attention

The team from Azerbaijan were impressive newcomers to the fair

Also making a fair debut was the go-ahead Lincolnshire Bird Club 

David Lindo hosted a Q&A panel with (from left) Mya Bambrick, Celina Chien, Kabir Kaul and Indy Greene

 All the big optical companies were represented including Zeiss who provided much-appreciated binoculars servicing

Not the nicest task, but someone's got to do it - emptying the loos

And so, farewell until next year