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Optics Events 2021 (1 Viewer)

pete_gamby

Birds? What Birds?!
Yes, that's right - field testing days are back on the agenda and we're starting to book dates for the coming months!

So the list doesn't look too depressingly short, I've included everything that our reps have managed to schedule so far this year. As other reserves open up, In Focus and the RSPB will no doubt add to the list in time.

In the US, Redstart Birding have been running a series of local events (see link below) but most of the major festivals are still running virtually for the time being.

UK & Ireland
Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve, Fareham, 24/4
Chesil Beach Centre Dorset WT, Portland, 15/5
Lockley Lodge, Haverfordwest, 29/5
Lockley Lodge, Haverfordwest, 3/6
Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve, Fareham, 26/6
Spurn Bird Observatory Migfest, Easington, 10/9
College Lake Wildlife Centre, Tring, 19/9
Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve, Fareham, 25/9
Chesil Beach Centre Dorset WT, Portland, 27/11
College Lake Wildlife Centre, Tring, 5/12


US



Enjoy!

Cheers, Pete

P.S. Any chance a mod can make this a sticky thread thingy please?
 
First casualty of the still uncertain venue opening plans - Titchfield Haven event for the coming weekend (24th and 25th April) is CANCELLED :-(

But on a brighter note there are now some UK events planned at Attenborough Nature Centre:

Saturday 15th May
Saturday 26th June

with four others later in the year.

Cheers, Pete
 
Another update as we continue to add more dates and venues back into the schedule:

UK & Ireland
Attenborough Nature Centre, Attenborough, 15/5
Chesil Beach Centre Dorset WT, Portland, 15/5
Potteric Carr Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Doncaster, 20/5
Lockley Lodge, Haverfordwest, 29/5
Lockley Lodge, Haverfordwest, 3/6
Potteric Carr Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Doncaster, 12/6
College Lake Wildlife Centre, Tring, 13/6
Chesil Beach Centre Dorset WT, Portland, 19/6
Attenborough Nature Centre, Attenborough, 26/6
Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve, Fareham, 26/6
Lockley Lodge, Haverfordwest, 3/7

RSPB has re-started some events:


US


 
STOP PRESS! New list of events for May and June from our friends at In Focus just in. Some dates still TBC so please check with them before you travel:

Portland Bird Observatory, Portland, 16/5
Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory, Sandwich, 23/5
Blashford Lakes, Ringwood, 25/5
Stanpit Marsh Nature Reserve, Christchurch, 13/6
Chesil Beach Centre Dorset WT, Portland, 19/6
Portland Bird Observatory, Portland, 20/6
Blashford Lakes, Ringwood, 29/6

Cheers, Pete
 
Last edited:
Back to the old routine of posting updates every two weeks.


UK & Ireland
Potteric Carr Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Doncaster, 20/5
Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory, Sandwich, 23/5
Blashford Lakes, Ringwood, 25/5
Lockley Lodge, Haverfordwest, 29/5

US


 
Well, OK it wasn't two weeks but anyway here's an update:

UK & Ireland
Chesil Beach Centre Dorset WT, Portland, 19/6
Portland Bird Observatory, Portland, 20/6
Attenborough Nature Centre, Attenborough, 26/6
Idle Valley Nature Reserve, Retford, 27/6
Warnham Local Nature Reserve, Horsham, 27/6
Blashford Lakes, Ringwood, 29/6


US


 
Quick update on events coming in the next couple of weeks:

UK & Ireland

Portland Bird Observatory, Portland, 18/7
Hauxley Nature Reserve, Alnwick, 25/7
Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory, Sandwich, 25/7
Blashford Lakes, Ringwood, 27/7

The event at Hauxley is now booked for every Sunday for the remainder of the year.

The RSPB events page doesn't show any demos at the moment but I'll keep the link in the thread in case that changes


US

Some of the US festivals are now returning to having an in-person element and optics demos.

Southeast Arizona Birding Festival, Tucson, AZ, 8/11-15

The Redstart Birding tour dates for the fall are not yet booked but as with the RSPB I'll keep the link here.


 
Next batch for you:

UK & Ireland

Blashford Lakes, Ringwood, 27/7
Hauxley Nature Reserve, Alnwick, 1/8
Hauxley Nature Reserve, Alnwick, 8/8
Warnham Local Nature Reserve, Horsham, 8/8

RSPB still not listing any equipment demos.

US

Southeast Arizona Birding Festival, Tucson, AZ, 8/11-15

Redstart Birdings fall event list is yet to be published.

 
Next batch for you including the Spurn Migfest this weekend.

UK & Ireland

Potteric Carr Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Doncaster, 9/9
Spurn Bird Observatory Migfest, Easington, 10-12/9
Hauxley Nature Reserve, Alnwick, 12/9
Hauxley Nature Reserve, Alnwick, 19/9
Portland Bird Observatory, Portland, 19/9
College Lake Wildlife Centre, Tring, 19/9
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust Brandon Marsh, Coventry, 22/9

RSPB still not listing any equipment demos.

US

Redstart Birdings fall event list is yet to be published.

 
Good to hear Pete that the company is still making every effort to exhibit and offer the public a traditional old fashioned service coupled with new products. I recall with much fondness the regular visits by Neil, when I was at CleySpy, and at Birdfair - optics, cakes and gardening. A great character and always around if needed. Good luck.
 
Check out 2018-10-12 AK count
That was truly an amazing day.
 
And we're back with the next little lot

UK & Ireland

Warwickshire Wildlife Trust Brandon Marsh, Coventry, 22/9
Attenborough Nature Centre, Attenborough, 25/9
Idle Valley Nature Reserve, Retford, 26/9
Hauxley Nature Reserve, Alnwick, 26/9
Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory, Sandwich, 26/9
Blashford Lakes, Ringwood, 28/9
Hauxley Nature Reserve, Alnwick, 3/10

Still no listings for RSPB events

US

Perkiomen Wildlife Festival, Green Lane Park, Green Lane, PA, 9/25


 
Still not a huge list but we're getting there!

UK & Ireland

Potteric Carr Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Doncaster, 9/10
Hauxley Nature Reserve, Alnwick, 10/10
Stanpit Marsh Nature Reserve, Christchurch, 16/10
Attenborough Nature Centre, Attenborough, 16/10
Hauxley Nature Reserve, Alnwick, 17/10

RSPB events still not published

US

Redstart On The Road at Red River National Wildlife Refuge, Bossier City, LA, 10/8-9
Cape May Fall Festival*, Cape May, NJ, 10/14-17

* Optics vendors attending: Celestron, Kowa, Leica, Opticron, Swarovski, Vortex

Lots more info on the Cape May event on the registration page - Summary - 2021 Cape May Fall Festival

https://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/bwdsite/explore/festivals/finder.php?date=10&location=All&festivalsearch=Find%20festivals
 
Ooops. Forgot to post last week! Here are the events for the coming week:

UK & Ireland

Brandon Marsh, Coventry, 24/11
Hawk Conservancy Trust, Andover, 25/11
Nene Wetlands Visitor Centre, Rushden, 26/11
Chesil Beach Centre Dorset WT, Portland, 27/11
Hauxley Nature Reserve, Alnwick, 28/11
Blashford Lakes, Ringwood, 30/11

US

Redstart Birding has now stopped selling optics.

https://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/...11&location=All&festivalsearch=Find festivals
 
Back on schedule again!

UK & Ireland

Blashford Lakes, Ringwood, 30/11
Attenborough Nature Centre, Attenborough, 4/12
Hauxley Nature Reserve, Alnwick, 5/12
College Lake Wildlife Centre, Tring, 5/12
Stanpit Marsh Nature Reserve, Christchurch, 11/12
Hauxley Nature Reserve, Alnwick, 12/12
Brandon Marsh, Coventry, 15/12

US

Lehigh Gap Nature Centre Holiday Open House, Slatington, PA, 12/4

 
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