I enjoyed it! I always enjoy it.
1. Henry the Hen Harrier
I wasn’t sure about Henry when the idea was first mooted – all sounded a bit silly to me. But it has worked very well in practice – I should have had more faith, or more imagination, or more of both.
At the Game Fair people scurried away from Henry as though they couldn’t look him in the eye.
At the Bird Fair people rushed up to him and embraced him as a friend.
Both audiences knew exactly who was this strange fellow and that tells us a lot. Henry has been noticed and Henry has raised awareness of the plight of Hen Harriers.
Imagine your feelings if Henry ‘disappeared’ suddenly now…
2. Too many blokes
There are too many blokes of around my age doing things at the Bird Fair. This isn’t because they have been chosen in preference to the equally numerous and equally talented women of around my age. It’s because there aren’t enough successful women in birding, ornithology and nature conservation.
I guess, but I’m not entirely sure, that there will be a much more even split in 10 and 20 years time. Do you think so too?
3. Not enough debate
The Bird Fair is a little too much like a place to spend money rather than a place to meet like-minded people. To some extent that is bound to be true, but the pendulum is swinging slightly, and it is the grassroots campaigns of Chris Packham, BAWC and myself who are swinging the pendulum.
When will the two major conservation organisations who run the Bird Fair treat the weekend as a way to energise the conservation community as well as an opportunity to take money out of our pockets.
Where are the debates? Where are the politicians being impressed by the weight of feeling of ordinary birders? Where are the moments where people were moved to action?
More later, probably…
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I guess you might have been pleased money was leaving pockets? Sad to have missed you yet again Mark, perhaps next year we might catch-up. I must admit I hadn’t thought of the lack of any meaningful debates at Birdfair. I am sure Tim et al would be very receptive to the idea. What about the Great Hen Harrier Debate next year? There’s a thought for you.
Too many blokes?
Certainly my experience is that there are increasing numbers of women showing an interest in birding. Even 10 years ago a woman in a hide was a rarity, then they started to appear accompanied by a man, then by a female friend, now many appear to be unaccompanied. Nature reserves are seen as safe places to enjoy the natural environment. I hope this spreads to young women determined to reach the top in nature conservation.
Not enough debate?
I’m sure you are right but my concern is that we need to focus on memberships or supporters to show that our view carries democratic weight. 1 million members is still only 1/64 of population, why should we be taken seriously?
Roger – thanks, but if those million aren’t energised to do anything it won’t make any difference if there are 5 million more of them not doing anything too.
Agreed, energising is the key. but membership is a start, £50+ a year is a commitment, 1000s of members volunteer practically, pushing for that extra effort to become vocal and political seems to be that bit more difficult – why?
I cannot understand why your own campaign is not supported by 100% of members of NGOs
I suspect many of us are dispirited to have gone through an election where even the Green Party failed to make the natural world an issue.
Agree
Agree
Agree
I enjoyed the Bird Fair too, as always. I love the celebrity lectures and the rush to get my books signed afterwards. I fit as many ‘serious’ lectures in as I can too. I felt there was slightly less of a buzz in the marquees this year, I wandered round without being badgered to buy raffle tickets or dragged in to look at holidays I can’t afford and I kind of missed it. Maybe I’m not the target market as I am one of those elusive middle aged women?? I think Simon King and Chris Packham are great at offering the ordinary person a way of making a difference … spend the pound in your pocket more wisely, join a protest rally … but all too often we are given a vivid description of things that are wrong and no steer as to how to take action for change. Lovely to see the ‘Young Conservationists’ being recognised though. One little gripe, if I had only attended on Sunday I would have felt short changed as many people in the marquees were either glazed over or starting to pack up soon after 3pm (apart from the ever busy Art marquee.) I know the rain didn’t help and I know it’s a huge amount of work but really, no-one should be clearing out before 5pm. I work in a shop and if I closed as soon as trade dropped in an afternoon I’d soon be packing my bags! Otherwise, a tremendous weekend as always.
Sunday did seem quieter than I ever remember it being. I too felt that stall holders were less energised than they should have been. I know most of us already belong to one or more organisations but in the course of an hour or so I deliberately poked around several organisation’s stalls, I had some lovely conversations but rarely did that develop into the question of membership (some delightful exceptions) or support. If people are frightened of being rejected here what chance have we got away from the Bird Fair?
I too enjoyed the bird fair. I didn’t focus so much on the holidays (did some of the promoters look a little tired and jaded?) and the products [although I did buy more books than I thought and found the art very tempting].
Lectures
I aimed to visit as many of the conservation based lectures as I could and it was nearly possible to spend all weekend doing it. I did feel that the Birdlife International lecture was buried away in Satuday’s schedules. Wasn’t it the main source of the funds raised? I also thought that A Focus On Nature could have done with the main stage. However, the BTO presents with Packham and the 3 young birders was a very good idea even if I didn’t catch all of it. So yes, there should be more debate. Prof Goulson’s lecture and that of Sir John Lister-Kaye challenging agriculture were illuminating and inspiring. They deserved bigger audiences. Would either of them been allowed to speak at the CLA Game fair I wonder?
The food.
Well, the hot food didn’t display any environmental credentials did it? Not exactly the ideals expounded by Goulson, Simon King and others. The small amount of local food was good [although the fudge was a little too cloying..]I thought this was supposed to be near the capital of food? I was imagining some of the variety of organic, locally sourced food sold from Stroud [in Gloucestershire] on the site. Now that would sell well. However, it’s not a food festival. But should that be an excuse?
A national festival of nature?
I think the time is right for something bigger, clearly representing all wildlife. Bristol have a festival of nature as do other places. It could feature the vast majority of those who were at the bird fair as well as other organisations who weren’t such as Greenpeace and BIAZA [association of zoos]. The debates could then occur; perhaps featuring a ministerial representative from DEFRA. (Has Rutland’s MP ever turned up at the Bird Fair?) It would in essence encourage more people who think it’s ‘just for birders’.
So yes, a very good bird fair despite the rain with potential for more. Oh and I saw some birds as well. Highlights included: a Great White Egret, waders including a Greenshank, Common and Green Sandpipers plus 4 Ospreys.
Rob – welcome! Good comment. And well done for seeing some birds!
Thanks Mark. I felt I had to share my thoughts with a bigger crowd! I wasn’t being over-critical and I believe it’s more than a trade fair.
Helen Roy’s talk ending proceedings in the main tent also deserves a mention. Not least because she was championing biological recording [she works for the BRC]. Passing round ladybirds to people several rows back in a sparsely filled auditorium made it even more memorable!
Bird fair can evolve but it shouldn’t move too far from it’s origins. There really has to be a national festival of nature that attracts everybody with an interest in wildlife.
Maybe someone’s developing the idea right now?
As a birthday treat I got to spend 2 days at Birdfair this year instead of 1! Best bits were Iolo Williams – he insults the non-Welsh with such style; the Friday evening discussion – Nick Baker, Simon King and Chris Packham exchanging embarrassing anecdotes and the 3 young conservationists (2 of them girls so your prediction may be right, Mark).
It’s more of a trade fair than a conservation event
And a networking opportunity for people in the “industry”
How much is there on living a more sustainable lifestyle? Or the steps people can take to reduce their impact on the environment? Pretty much zero. Here, buy the latest new and improved bins… you just have to have them.
Nice day out though.
Steve – if you attend, it is whatever you make of it. Apart from a few coffees and meals, I can’t remember spending any money at the Bird Fair for years. For me, it’s always been a gathering.
But I agree it could be much more of a conservation event than it is – particularly considering that it is run by two conservation organisations.
The current model clearly works – loads of people turn up every year! More and more each year. But that doesn’t mean that things couldn’t be even better.
As always, a wonderful weekend at Birdfair.
Rob Curtis – thanks for your comment about A Focus On Nature 🙂 We’re growing our presence every year with the support of Birdfair who are truly generous to our cause.
Mark – a note about the insinuation (or maybe I misread it) about the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust (a small, local organisation with only around 15,000 members) and the RSPB – the two organisers – and how they apparently ‘take money out of pockets’. This is unfair and untrue. Both organisations, but LRWT especially, put one hell of a lot of work into organising Birdfair: three staff (employed for less than half a year) and hundreds of volunteers pull the whole thing together. In return, all of the money that they raise goes to an independent charity: BirdLife. Neither LRWT nor the RSPB get any of that money.
There are more controversies on the Birdfair stage every year – there used to be none – but many of the events and talks are edgy, funny and educational. They remind us that we mustn’t always to purporting the ‘bad news’ stories: Birdfair has done more for conservation, awareness-raising and fundraising than was ever anticipated (Derek Moore famously said in year one “It’ll never catch on”).
BirdLife also did a bang-up job with some extremely powerful, and emotional, interpretation all around the site, relating to illegal bird killing in the Eastern Med. A friend from Australia commented on how no matter where you were on site, you never forgot what the message was this year.
On a side note, next year, if you’re offering, I’m sure I can find a few successful female nature conservationists, ornithologists and/or naturalists to have your slot? 😉
Here’s to next year x
Lucy – thanks.
A little too sensitive perhaps?
Read what I wrote again and you’ll see that you and I agree, pretty much, I think.
Interesting comments about more women at the Bird fair, in our house hold I am the bird watcher, having been watching birds for the past 40 years! It is a long running joke when we attend the bird fair, my partner will get stopped by various bird watching tours, asking if he would like to see Babblers or Drongo’s etc while I happily walk past without ever been asked! We have been attending for about 10 years and this has always been the case. Attitudes need to change! And they might get to
sell a tour!