London Wild Bird Watch
Tuesday 17th April 2012
Kestrel by Steve Waterhouse
Heading towards town for some twitching may not be the norm, but that’s just what Londoners are invited to do at London Wild Bird Watch.
The Wildlife Trusts’ stand is the perfect place to start the search for the capital’s wild creatures, with information on our owl prowl, kestrel count and more.
London Wild Bird Watch (Friday 20 – Sunday 22 April) is a wildlife-themed event taking place at the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust’s London Wetland Centre in Barnes. It aims to create a blend of ‘Shop, Learn and Do’ for everyone who has an existing or growing interest in bird and wildlife watching. Celebrity speakers include The Wildlife Trusts’ President Simon King OBE and Kate Humble.
The Wildlife Trusts and London Wildlife Trust will be on stand 129, offering visitors the chance to find out more about wildlife and conservation both within London and around the UK. On Friday, there will also be live demonstrations of how to build a bird box.
Bird-loving city dwellers can engage with two surveys aimed at conserving some of the city’s most iconic birds of prey. Through Kestrel Count, London Wildlife Trust is collecting sightings in order to help establish the numbers and whereabouts of the current kestrel population. And Londoners are encouraged to report if they hear or see owls in the capital as part of London Wildlife Trust’s Owl Prowl survey.
Nigel Doar, Head of Development for The Wildlife Trusts, said: "More than 80% of us now live in towns and cities. We can often feel isolated from wildlife and nature, but there’s plenty of fun and inspiration on offer when we know where to go and what to look out for. Experiencing wildlife outdoors can relieve stress, provide us with exercise, and be an opportunity to make friends and meet like-minded people in our local communities.
“We hope London Wild Bird Watch Live will open people's eyes to some great opportunities to discover wildlife on their doorsteps, whether it’s through attending an event, volunteering, or becoming a member of The Wildlife Trusts as we celebrate our centenary.”
Carlo Laurenzi OBE, Chief Executive of London Wildlife Trust, said: “We are delighted to be involved in this fantastic event celebrating the capital’s amazing nature. We look forward to meeting you at our stand and hope as many people as possible will take part in our city-wide owl and kestrel surveys.”
There is still time for members of The Wildlife Trusts to benefit from discounted entry to London Wild Bird Watch. Simply add promo code TWT1 when buying online at
http://www.speeddata.co.uk/Forms/Default.aspx?FormRef=WBW42Public.
More information
For more information on London Wild Bird Watch visit www.londonwildbirdwatch.co.uk.
Visit London Wildlife Trust's website to find out more about owl prowl and kestrel count.
2012 is The Wildlife Trusts' centenary year - details of our celebrations can be found at wildlifetrusts.org/100.
