Images from Steve Adams
The first Pensthorpe Bird and Wildlife Fair was held on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 May 2019 at Pensthorpe Natural Park, near Fakenham, and attracted around 2,500 visitors.
Celebrating Norfolk as the birdwatching capital of the UK, visitors were treated to talks, guided walks, demonstrations, book signings and around 50 exhibitors being in attendance.
Highlights included guest appearances from nature and wildlife experts including Simon King OBE, known for his work on Big Cat Diary and Springwatch, and Mike Dilger, The One Show wildlife reporter and presenter on Nature’s Babies.
Simon King OBE said: “The natural world is a constant source of inspiration and Norfolk is prolific as being the most amazing county for birdwatching and nature as it is buzzing with wildlife. Pensthorpe really is the hub for that and May is a busy time for migrating species so the Fair was held at the perfect time of year. I’ve enjoyed a great weekend celebrating nature in the county.”
Mike Dilger said: “What an amazing event! I’ve absolutely loved meeting everyone and learning about the incredible work that Pensthorpe Conservation Trust is doing. I’ve been to Pensthorpe before filming the Operation Turtle Dove project and Norfolk is just an amazing county for birds and wildlife, and this event is great as it is shouting about the nature and wildlife it attracts. How lucky Norfolk is to have this event on its doorstep and I hope that it returns here every year.”
Bill Oddie OBE, who has presented TV programmes including Springwatch and Autumnwatch, also entertained the crowds on both days with a talk on his fascinating career.
The Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT) was the charity beneficiary of the event and a percentage of the proceeds will go to enhancing and protecting local wetland areas in the Broads National Park. This figure will be announced shortly.
Chief Executive of Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Pamela Abbott said: “It was fabulous to see so many people enjoying the wonderful array of talks and exhibitions in the wildlife-rich setting of Pensthorpe Natural Park. We are delighted to be the charity beneficiary of the Pensthorpe Bird and Wildlife Fair and the funds raised will make a valuable contribution to the management of Norfolk Wildlife Trust globally significant wetlands.”
NWT Wildlife Evangelist, Nick Acheson, who spoke at the event and led guided walks said: “It was a joy to be part of the first Pensthorpe Bird and Wildlife Fair. At a time when wildlife and the environment are under terrible strain, it is hugely heartening to see so many good people and organisations sharing the experience they’ve gained protecting nature and helping people build a relationship with the wild. I can’t wait to attend the event in 2020.”
Organisers have announced that the Fair will return on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 May 2020.
Bill Jordan, owner of Pensthorpe Natural Park said: “This was the first ever Pensthorpe Bird and Wildlife Fair and we have had great feedback from visitors over the weekend. Our aim
was to celebrate Norfolk as the birdwatching capital of Britain, showcase all the extraordinary species we attract here and talk about conservation issues, and I think that we have done just that. Simon King OBE, Mike Dilger and Bill Oddie OBE had packed talks over the weekend, with visitors spilling out of the marquee to hear them.
“We also had speakers like Nick Acheson and Joe Harkness in attendance, plus special habitat walks, butterfly walks, pond dipping sessions and bird identification sessions. What was also lovely to see was how it attracted experienced wildlife enthusiasts, as well as people who just enjoy feeding their garden birds and families who want their children to be inspired and learn about some of the amazing wildlife that calls Norfolk home.
“I would like to thank everyone who worked so hard in making this event a success and this year’s sponsors Cley Spy, Norfolk Cottages and WildSounds & Books. We hope that this event will become a permanent fixture on the calendar and are pleased to announce that it will return to Pensthorpe on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 May 2020.”
For more information about the Pensthorpe visit pensthorpe.com or call 01328 851465.
Members of Pensthorpe’s Junior Board, and their siblings, were the first to try out Pensthorpe Natural Park’s new mud kitchen and trial some of the activities for its new summer event, Nature’s WILD Tribe.
The outdoor mud kitchen is the latest addition to WildRootz and the 4.3 feet wide kitchen was built onsite by the team in four days. Featuring four bowls, utensils such as spoons and whisks and a tap, it is made from recycled materials, including an old wheelbarrow and uses some of the reserve’s old signage as blackboards.
Kelly Lovick, Play Manager at Pensthorpe Natural Park, came up with the idea of the mud kitchen and comments: “Messy play is not only important to support with the development of fine motor skills, but is also a fantastic sensory experience and great for imagination and role play. It also creates nostalgia for adults, so all ages, including mum and dad, can join in the muddy fun! When I was young we didn’t have the technology that children do now, so I was always making mud pies and getting dirty in the garden. That’s why we wanted to build our own mud kitchen and it is such a simple and fun thing that adults can enjoy with the children.”
Pensthorpe Natural Park has added one of Britain’s best-known birders, Bill Oddie OBE, to its programme of guest speakers at the Pensthorpe Bird and Wildlife Fair on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 May 2019 and announced an exciting programme of talks at the two-day event.
Wildlife presenter and conservationist Bill Oddie OBE, who has presented popular TV programmes including Springwatch and Autumnwatch, will join well-known TV naturalists Simon King OBE and Mike Dilger, along with other bird and wildlife experts, at the event, which aims to highlight the county’s credentials as a birding and wildlife hotspot.
Visitors can look forward to both male and female experts from the world of television, conservation and birdwatching giving talks on both days. Highlights include speakers from the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, the RSPB, Joe Harkness of Bird Therapy, who recently appeared on Winterwatch with Chris Packham talking about the healing power of birds, as well as wildlife photographers sharing their tips on capturing incredible footage.
With the chief executive of the Environment Agency recently announcing that England is set to run short of water within 25 years, the importance of this valuable resource, how to conserve it and educating the next generation is vital. That’s why Pensthorpe Conservation Trust is showcasing the importance of water by making it the theme of its annual Wild About the Wensum event when it returns to Pensthorpe Natural Park, near Fakenham, on Sunday 12th May 2019.
Wild About the Wensum, now in its thirteenth year and taking place from 10am to 5pm, aims to encourage people of all ages, especially families who often don’t get the chance to be outdoors, to enjoy the beautiful Wensum Valley, and understand its importance, within which Pensthorpe Natural Park is located.
It is hoped that the breeding fortunes are on the up for a group of Greater Flamingos at Pensthorpe Natural Park, near Fakenham in Norfolk, which has welcomed 20 new birds to join its resident flock of 29.
The new birds, which have come from Slimbridge Wetland Centre, near Gloucester, take the Pensthorpe flock beyond the ‘magic number 40’ which, according to experts, can help to boost breeding rates amongst the birds.
Flamingos are notoriously social birds that enjoy living in colonies of sometimes over 100. The larger the flock, the more likely the birds are to mate.
The new birds, which are in excellent condition, range from two to 30 years old, and have settled well into their new surroundings at the Norfolk nature reserve.
12 of the new birds are female whilst eight are male, taking the gender split of the entire flock to 24 males and 25 females.
Pensthorpe Natural Park, near Fakenham, has unveiled the team of young nature-lovers who have been selected to help the reserve motivate the next generation to connect with nature and look after the environment.
The 12-strong group, aged between nine and 11, are the latest recruits for Pensthorpe’s Junior Board, an initiative which has been in place since 2015 to offer passionate young people an opportunity to help influence ways in which the Norfolk attraction can better engage with young people.
The latest intake, which will be in place until June 2020, has been selected from a host of entries submitted by budding nature lovers from across the county.