MUSINGS FROM THE BOWER 13

On Saturday I went to the Birdfair, held every year at Rutland. Thousands and thousands of birdwatching and wildlife enthusiasts gather here from all over the country – and from many other lands too. It’s a place where you can hear experts give talks about their birding and wildlife experiences, browse hundreds of stalls which fill several marquees, and take part in pond dipping, bat walks or cruises around Rutland water. Lots of well known wildlife media people attend too, and many give talks or host quizzes. People such as Bill Oddie, Chris Packham, Simon King, Mike Dilger, Nick Baker and Johnnie Kingdom can often be seen, and they are always willing to stop for a chat. This time I met Mike Dilger, who presents the natural history slot on the One Show, and he was so friendly, a pleasure to talk to.

With the lovely Mike Dilger!



Birdfair, jointly organised by the Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust and the RSPB, raises funds each year to help major international conservation projects. The exhibitors come from all over the world; you can find optical equipment, wildlife books, bird feeding products, bird tables and hides, eco-tourism holiday information and representatives of many wildlife organisations. One huge marquee is devoted to wildlife art in the form of paintings, sculptures and photographs. Another must-see are the demonstrations of bird-ringing – naturalists can gain so much knowledge from the tracking of birds, and I watched in fascination as small warblers were ringed, checked, weighed and released again. As well as the attractions, I go to the fair to meet up with friends – I’m a member of a wildlife forum and we arrange a meeting place and have a great reunion! Many Twitter friends come along too. It was wonderful to see everyone.

A Reed Warbler ready to be released after ringing

The next day, I was out again, this time at the Redwings Horse and Donkey Sanctuary near Nazeing, Essex. I met up with some more internet friends here, and we had a lovely time until an unexpected mini-thunderstorm curtailed the visit. The sanctuary does sterling work, it is part of the Redwings group which has rescued thousands of horses, ponies and donkeys over the years. At the Nazeing sanctuary you can meet fifty or so rescued equines, and it is well laid out with smooth paths with horse-filled fields either side. Many swallows were swooping overhead – they nest in the stables – and there is a gift shop and café that serves light refreshments. Some of the donkeys and horses can be adopted by members of the public for a small fee which goes towards supporting the charity. In return they receive a ‘nosebag’ adoption pack with photos and certificate – children, especially, love this. When my children were young, they adopted a donkey from one of the other Redwing sites. The children of my internet friends had done the same, and were excitedly seeking out ‘their’ horses at Nazeing; they knew all their names and their histories.

Changing the subject completely, now the excitement of the Olympic Games is over, it all feels a bit flat, and seems strange not to be urging on out favourite athletes or studying the medals’ charts. However, soon we can get excited all over again, because the Paralympics are drawing ever closer – they begin on the 29^th August. This will be the fourteenth event; the very first was held in 1948, the brainchild of neurologist Sir Ludwig Guttman who was working with World War II veterans with spinal injuries at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury. He began incorporating sport into the rehabilitation programmes of his patients and, as the London Olympics were taking place that year, decided to set up a competition with other hospitals.

Over the past few weeks, gold post boxes have been appearing across the country as a tribute to our gold medal winners. The post boxes, one from each of the medal holders’ hometowns, are proving quite an attraction, with many people taking photos as an Olympic memento. I went to see our local gold box recently, which was painted in honour of cyclist Laura Trott, winner of two gold medals. Let’s hope that Royal Mail will paint boxes for the gold medal winners in the Paralympics too.

Finally, it has been oh so hot in the bower this week, but at night, when it cools down, it has been delightful – and the view around the pond, all lit with solar lamps, is really pretty.