Here is some fantastic news for birders worldwide: the much-awaited Global Bird Fair 2022 is taking place in Rutland, UK, this 15-17 July and after a two-year wait, it is happening again.
It has been my lifelong dream to attend this bird fair for over ten years now, and some say dreams come true. For those in Malaysia or anywhere in this part of the region, if you are heading to the U.K. during mid-July, do make it a point to attend this amazing bird fair, which is the largest in the world.
Global Bird Fair 2022
There has been a massive growth in birders in Malaysia since Covid 19 hit worldwide. Many people were locked down in their homes where they sought something to pass the time, and birdwatching was one of them.
Backyard birding suddenly became a trend among many through social media channels like Facebook and Instagram because of the many hours spent on social media platforms. This resulted in a massive growth of birders and photographers, which numbers to the high hundreds.
Malaysia then opened its domestic borders in October of 2021 and finally opened the international borders in April 2022, and now, this new group of birders and bird photographers are beginning to explore out of their backyards.
Bird fairs and shows in this part of the world are not many, but some notable ones in Malaysia are taking off again from mid-year 2022. However, the Global Bird Fair is one to attend as birdwatchers, birdwatching tour companies and avian academics from around the world will be there.
List of Exhibitors at Global Bird Fair 2022
There is a considerable amount of participants for this year’s bird fair, and the list is too long for me to highlight here; therefore, you can visit the official website to see the complete list of exhibitors for the Global Bird Fair 2022.
And to highlight that the Sabah Tourism Board from Malaysia is also one of the exhibitors for this year’s bird fair in Rutland. It is incredible to see our local state tourism board participating as they have for the last decade. So, if you are there, drop by the STB booth during the bird fair and say hello.
From the main list, you can see many different optic companies, bird tour companies and several tourism boards from around the world participating.
Sabah Tourism Booth at Global Bird Fair 2022
The Sabah booth is located at N43 Nightingale Marquee, and there will also be a special 20-minute presentation about “Birding in Sabah Malaysian Borneo” done by Gary Albert, the president of the Sandakan Borneo Bird Club;
Date: 15th July 2022
Venue: Plover Theatre Tent, Global Bird Fair
Global Bird Fair 2022
- Date: 15, 16 & 17 July
- Time: 9.00 AM to 5.30 PM
- Venue: Rutland Showground, Oakham, United Kingdom
- Tickets: One Day Pass £12.50, Three Day Pass £35.00
- Under 18 Years: Free
- Website: Global Bird Fair
How to get to Global Birdfair
For anyone planning to visit this prestigious bird fair in Rutland, here is some basic information on how you can get there with various modes of transport.
- On foot: Rutland Showground is a 25-minute walk from the centre of Oakham.
- By Shuttle Bus: A shuttle bus is available between Oakham Railway Station and the Global Birdfair site at Rutland Showground. First Shuttle around 8:30 AM is from Oakham Station – running on 15, 16 and 17 July.
- By Bicycle: Bicycles can be ridden to an allocated area near the Showground entrance, where they can be left during your visit to Global Birdfair. Bicycles are not permitted on the event site.
- By Car: There is ample free car parking at Rutland Showground, including forward parking for those with Disabled badges and those who require mobility assistance during the event. A BP petrol station is situated opposite the site.
- By Train: Oakham Railway Station is 1 mile from the Global Birdfair event site. We hope to run a shuttle service between the station and the event. Watch for details.
- By Bus: There are several bus services running through Oakham. Please see the Rutland Council website and search for Oakham for details of services.
- By Taxi: There will be a taxi drop-off and collection point near the main entrance to the Showground – a short walk to the Global Birdfair site.
- By Plane: Nearest Airport East Midlands – a 1-hour drive from the site. There are trains direct to Oakham from Stansted Airport and train transfers from Birmingham Airport. London Heathrow Airport and Gatwick Airport are accessible by train via Peterborough and Leicester.
Addirional Information
Previously, this event was called the Rutland Bird Fair or British Birdwatching Fair, and it was held every July in the U.K. from 1989 to 2019 until it was forced to cancel in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Then in November 2021, the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust (LRWT), which ran the event, said it would no longer host the festival.
Tim Appleton, Birdfair’s founder, announced that he is relaunching (and rebranding) the event and that it will be held in July 2022 in the county of Rutland in the centre of England. The festival is now known as Global Birdfair.
Conclusion
For birders from around Southeast Asia planning any holidays in the U.K. this coming July, I highly recommend you include the Global Bird Fair 2022 in your itinerary as it is one birding event not to be missed.
The Global Bird Fair is also the largest birding event worldwide and sees thousands of visitors worldwide. Again, it is a life mission and a dream for me to attend this event eventually to do coverage for Bird Watching Asia, and I hope that dream comes true soon.
Nice activity
Hi Chung Ming, thank you very much! Happy Birding!