Intro
Every now and then an invitation lands on your phone that you simply can't say no to, even when it clashes with one of your other biggest passions.
I can't remember the exact WhatsApp message, but it was something along the lines of:
"Fancy joining us at Global Birdfair for the live Wild X Podcast? There'll be camping and a BBQ."
The message came from my good friend Andy Green, one of the co-hosts of the Wild X Podcast.
The answer was always going to be yes. However, there was one small issue…
A logisitical challenge
That small issue goes by the name of Goodwood Festival of Speed.
As logistical challenges go, this was entirely self-inflicted. Two of my favourite things in the world (cars and wildlife) had somehow decided to occupy the same weekend in completely different parts of the country.
I've been captivated with cars for as long as I can remember, long before wildlife photography entered my life. Photography and birding may have become something of an obsession in recent years, but fast cars, loud engines and anything with wheels have been part of my DNA since childhood.
So when I realised Goodwood Festival of Speed and Global Birdfair were happening on the same weekend, there was only ever going to be one solution.
Do both.
Yes, it was impractical. Yes, it involved a ridiculous amount of driving. Yes, it cost more than making a sensible decision.
But sensible decisions rarely make memories, do they?
So Friday was spent heading south to Chichester for a day at Goodwood with my good friend Reuben, surrounded by everything from historic racing cars to modern hypercars. By the time I arrived home that evening, most people would probably have been thinking about putting their feet up.
Instead, I was unpacking one bag, packing another, loading camping gear into the car and getting everything ready for an early start the following morning.
A few hours later I was back on the road again, this time heading in the complete opposite direction towards Rutland to meet the Wild X crew at Global Birdfair.
It wasn't exactly the most efficient weekend I've ever planned, but life provides plenty of opportunities to stay at home, save money and get an early night.
Opportunities to spend one day surrounded by some of the world's greatest cars and the next surrounded by wildlife photographers, conservationists and friends at one of the UK's biggest nature events don't come around very often.
Besides, memories last forever.
You can sleep when you're dead.
Now, this isn't a blog about Goodwood Festival of Speed... but it would be rude not to show you a few photographs.
Anyway… Global Birdfair
After all that driving, getting lost and questioning whether I'd completely lost the plot, I eventually made it to Global Birdfair.
If you can connect it to wildlife in some way, it will appear there.
For those unfamiliar with it, Global Birdfair is one of the biggest wildlife and conservation events in the UK. Held annually at Rutland Water, it brings together birdwatchers, wildlife photographers, conservation organisations, tour operators, artists, outdoor brands and nature enthusiasts from all over the world. Whether you're interested in birds, photography, wildlife travel, conservation, optics, art or simply spending time with like-minded people, there is genuinely something there for everyone.
What I particularly love about Birdfair is you can spend the day listening to top-tier speakers, chatting to conservationists, testing the latest camera gear, planning future wildlife adventures, or simply wandering between the stands seeing what catches your eye. Not to mention the number of wildlife creatives and familiar faces from the wildlife world you can bump into while wandering around the show.
And if all that sounds a bit too wholesome, don't worry. There is also an outstanding selection of street food vendors, plenty of places to grab a drink, and more than enough opportunities to sit in the sunshine with friends while discussing wildlife, photography and whatever random subject the conversation inevitably drifts towards.
I highly recommend going at least once, and having made the slightly ridiculous journey to get there, I already knew what I wanted my weekend to look like: the live Wild X Podcast, eating far too much BBQ food, drinking a few ciders and spending as much time as possible chatting with some genuinely brilliant people, whilst attempting to minimise the damage to my bank account caused by all the new and very cool photography gear on display.
So, with the priorities firmly established, it was time to get stuck in.
If you decide to go in 2027, good luck!
The wild x podcast - Live
What can I say? Adam, Andy and Mike were absolutely brilliant, engaging with the crowd and making the whole live recording feel like we were a part of the conversation. I've listened to every episode so far, and it's become one of my favourite things to put on during a long drive; it's basically like sitting down the pub with your mates while they chat about everything wildlife, conservation, photography, being outdoors and, importantly for a lot of people, mental health.
If you haven't listened to it yet and fancy giving it a go, click the link below.
The BBQ
If you want to see how cool the BBQ was check out Simon Owen’s short video here.
The People
My favourite part of Global Birdfair, without a doubt, was the people. The familiar faces, the new ones, the conversations, the laughs and, strangely, the fact that a few years ago I probably wouldn't have even considered going to an event like this, surrounded by people I didn't know, let alone walking up to them for a chat or asking for a selfie.
Life can change, and sometimes it changes for the better. I'm incredibly grateful to be part of this community, and I owe a huge amount of that to Andy Green for introducing me to so many wonderful people and helping me find a place where I genuinely feel at home. From a mental health perspective, that means more to me than I ever imagined when I first picked up a camera.
So, thank you mate.
Anyway, this was only meant to be a short blog, so I'll stop rambling. Here are some of the amazing people I met, caught up with and managed to get photos with along the way.
See you next year!
