Visit ZEISS at the Global BirdFair

15th - 17th July 2022, Rutland Showground

Get hands-on with ZEISS Optics at Global BirdFair

Optics Marquee, Stand Falcon 1

ZEISS are proud to be sponsoring the first Global BirdFair, being held at the Rutland Showground in Oakham, UK. Visit the ZEISS stand to experience our wide range of optics for nature observation; including binoculars, spotting scopes and thermal imaging technology.

Scroll below to see some of the product highlights, including our brand new SFL binoculars.

NEW! ZEISS SFL

90% Light transmission | Ultralight and Compact Design | Perfect Ergonomics | Two models available

Optimized to be as lightweight and compact as possible, the SFL binoculars are a perfect addition to the SF family.

ZEISS DTI 3

ErgoControl Concept | High resolution HD-LCOS display | Precise Zoom | Two models available

Thermal imaging with the ZEISS DTI 3 Family opens up exciting new possibilities in nighttime birding and nature observation – producing detailed images for an unforgettable experience at night.

ZEISS Victory SF

92% Light transmission | SmartFocus concept | Perfect ergonomics | Four models available

Light-weight, unique ergonomic design and fast-focus feature. The ZEISS Victory SF allows for hours of relaxing nature observation without fatigue.

Plus much more from our Nature Observation range

Binoculars | Spotting Scopes

With legendary optics designed to last generations, discover the full range of binoculars and spotting scopes from our Victory, Conquest and Terra lines.

ZEISS Global BirdFair Show Offers

Available through Viking Optical

In collaboration with our trusted partners Viking Optical, we are excited to be offering some unmissable offers across our full range of nature optics - including the brand new SFL binoculars, DTI thermal imaging camera and cutting-edge spotting scopes. Visit Viking Optical in the Optics Marquee at Global BirdFair to find out more about the offers available at the show.

What's on at Global BirdFair

ZEISS Talks

15th - 17th July 2022

ZEISS are proud to be part of the main lecture programme at Global BirdFair – below are some of our highlights we think you might be interested in. There’s no need to pre-register for the sessions – simply turn up at the specified time, sit back and enjoy!

Young Birders ID Masterclass (under 18s) - Saturday 16th July, 14:45 – 16:00, ZEISS Stand

Synopsis

Jury members for the ZEISS Young Birder Awards will be hosting a Bird Identification Masterclass on taking notes and offering bird identification tips. The workshop will be free for anyone aged 18 or under and not connected to a submission for the ZEISS Young Birder Awards! Anyone who is interested in joining should please meet at the ZEISS stand in the Optics Marquee (Stand Falcon 1) at 14:45.

Speakers

Stephen Menzie, James Lidster & Debby Doodeman

Hen Harrier Ringtail Ageing & Sexing Simplified - Saturday 16th July, 15:00 - 15:20, Avocet Theatre

Synopsis

Resting and flying Hen Harrier ringtails are difficult to age and sex. This fact reveals an important problem when behavioural principles need to be analyzed for further conservation measures on this endangered species. The author of two special editions on field ornithology explains the basic rules on how to proceed in the field and which features to look for.

The first edition contains illustrated progress on age and sex determination of the Hen Harrier, while the second edition deals with detailed aspects of the hunting and territorial behavior of this species.
The first two editions on the Hen Harrier can also be downloaded for free here.

Speaker Bio

Dr. Gerold Dobler; ZEISS Product and Market Specialist 

Dr. Gerold Dobler, Product and Market Specialist at ZEISS, has played a significant role in the development of top binoculars and spotting scopes for decades. In his role he is able to perfectly combine his two passions "Birds & Binos". Living not far from one of the biggest Hen Harrier winter roosts in Europe at Federsee in southern Germany, he always had a somewhat close relationship with this species and wrote two comprehensive scientific elaborations including new findings.

ZEISS Young Birder Awards Ceremony - Saturday 16th July, 17:30 - 18:00, Osprey Events

Synopsis

ZEISS, BBRC, Cornell and the Cameron Bespolka Trust will be awarding the most successful entries of the ZEISS UK Young Birders content, with winners sharing their best birding moments.

Speakers

Christopher Wood, Cornell / Richard Porter, Paul French, BBRC / Stephen Menzie, British Birds / James Lidster, Debby Doodeman

Free Guided Tours

With Rutland Guides and Ambassadors

Zeiss

Join us on a free and exclusive guided tour on the species diversity of the Rutland Nature Reserve and take the chance to test the newest ZEISS optics in the field! The tours will be held by guides from our ambassadors, who will share their broad knowledge and expertise.

Register early to avoid disappointment of missing out.

15th July 2022

18:00 - 19:30

SOLD OUT

Register for waiting list

16th July 2022

07:00 - 08:30

SOLD OUT

Register for waiting list

16th July 2022

18:00 - 19:30

SOLD OUT

Register for waiting list

17th July 2022

07:00 - 08:30

Register for Tour

 

ZEISS UK Young Birder Awards

Apply now for the chance to win!

The ZEISS UK Young Birder Awards is a celebration of young nature enthusiasts and birdwatchers, aiming to create a network of young ornithologists for sharing skills and experiences, in collaboration with our partners.

Apply now for your chance to win one of the fantastic prizes – including ZEISS birding packages and a Scholarship at the 2023 Cornell Young Birders weekend in Ithaca, New York!


Meet the ZEISS Ambassadors

Joining us at Global BirdFair

Stephen Menzie

Born and raised in Liverpool, England, Stephen now lives and works in Malmö, Sweden. He is Editor of British Birds and manages Falsterbo Bird Observatory.

A birder since a young age, Stephen holds a particular interest in moult, ageing and identification. He has travelled widely across the Western Palearctic, including annual trips to Morocco and Oman. He is a member of the British Birds Rarities Committee, a tour leader for WINGS, a ZEISS Ambassador, and gives talks on a variety of subjects.

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James Lidster

James Lidster has worked as a professional ecologist and in the eco-tourism industry for over 20 years. The latter as a senior leader for Sunbird and WINGS birding tours. He is bilingual (Dutch and English) and specialises in bird identification and has served on both the Dutch and British rarities committees. His years of experience with bat and reptile/amphibian surveys make him a much desired field ecologist in the Netherlands.

He has excellent aural and visual identification knowledge of all European bird species, and this ability has rewarded him with positions on the national rare bird committees of both Great Britain and the Netherlands.

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Debby Doodeman

Debby Doodeman is a professional birder and founder of FOGOL, organising all things birds and nature from excursions by sailing boat to the national birding week in the Netherlands and other events.

She is an active field ecologist specialising in bird and bat surveys and has just written her first book about birders. By understanding who these birders are she hopes to inspire more people to go birding, the more birders the more support for the natural world?

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Paul French

Paul has been birding since he was about 8 years old. He started his career working for conservation charities, firstly as assistant warden at Fair Isle Bird Observatory and then specialising in the creation and management of wetland habitats for the RSPB. He then became a freelance ornithologist, doing various bird surveys and leading tours for Sunbird to destinations such as Georgia, Mongolia, Central Asia and Ghana.

He is now a senior ornithologist at HiDef Aerial Surveying and the Chair of the British Birds Rarities Committee and spends much of his time birding his local patch around Spurn Bird Observatory.

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Richard Porter

Richard is a British ornithologist and ecologist, widely travelled in the Middle East. His conservation career, covering six decades, started with RSPB where he became head of species protection. Moving to BirdLife International he launched their Middle East conservation programme for which he is still adviser.

Author of several books, including Birds of the Middle East, Richard is also a council member of the World Land Trust, a past member of the BBRC and has recently retired as a trustee of the journal, British Birds.

Toby Carter

Toby Carter is hugely passionate about conservation and encouraging people to explore their local patch. Toby is currently working for Rare Bird Alert as a member of their news team. Having graduated from Bangor University in North Wales with a degree in Environmental Conservation he has always been a keen birder with an interest in other aspects of the natural world from a young age onwards.

He thinks back to a childhood spent very much outdoors. A visit with his grandparents to the Titchwell Marsh RSPB nature reserve on the Norfolk coast really sparked his interest, cemented further back to the present, he is now an avid birder and recent graduate who is hugely passionate about conservation and encouraging people to explore their local patch.

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Meet the ZEISS Partners

Supporting Global BirdFair

Birdability

Through education, outreach and advocacy, Birdability works to ensure the birding community and the outdoors are welcoming, inclusive, safe and accessible for everybody. We focus on people with mobility challenges, blindness or low vision, chronic illness, intellectual or developmental disabilities, mental illness, and those who are neurodivergent, deaf or hard of hearing or who have other health concerns. In addition to current birders, we strive to introduce birding to people with disabilities and other health concerns who are not yet birders so they too can experience the joys of birding.

Learn More

BirdLife International

As a Birdlife Species Champion, ZEISS supports the Spotted Greenshank (Tringa guttifer), which is listed as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List, with the remaining global population estimated at approximately 1,500 individuals. It currently faces an ongoing decline, driven principally by habitat loss and degradation, at unprotected non-breeding sites.

The goal is to increase the number and area of protected sites and, in doing so, bring them all under conservation management, whilst strengthening the engagement of communities living in and around their locations.

Learn More

Learn more about Global BirdFair

Book your tickets and plan your visit

The first Global BirdFair will be taking place on 15th – 17th July at Rutland Showground in Oakham, UK. If you haven’t already booked your tickets, make sure you join us to help make Global BirdFair THE future of conserving nature worldwide.