If you are a birder and haven’t been to the Bird Fair then you are really missing a treat. It’s the perfect place to check out cameras, scopes and bins, research that next foreign trip or browse for a book or DVD and of course meet old friends, complete with the knowledge that you are contributing to bird conservation just by being there.
As we wanted to be in Derby on the Saturday, for the first time ever we went on Friday, hoping, in vain, that it would be less crowded. The fair just seems to get bigger every year. The journey from Poole takes about 3.5 hours (allowing 20 mins for the mandatory getting lost on the Northampton ring road!). We took the grandchildren this year and they had a great time, going pond dipping with the RSPB, blagging freebies off various stands and almost getting a free invite to Brazil!
After the Fair we continued on to my brother’s house in Duffield, just north of Derby.
Book signing at the Wild Sounds stand
'Pandion giganticus'
Of course I visited the Birdquest / Wild Images stand and discussed plans for 2012. Linda Kilby, Hannu Jannes and Mark Van Beirs.
Rene Pop (aka Austin Powers) at the Dutch Birding / Sound Approach stand
Austin Powers and Mo Constantine - Dutch Birding / Sound Approach
'and they really are this big in Holland...' Kate and Matt on the Dutch Birding / Sound Approach stand.
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