Visit ZEISS at the Global BirdFair

14th - 16th July 2023, Rutland Showground

Get hands-on with ZEISS Optics at Global BirdFair

Optics Marquee

ZEISS are proud to be sponsoring 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 30 binoculars and our range of thermal imaging devices

NEW! ZEISS SFL

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

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

ZEISS DTI Range

ErgoControl Concept | High resolution HD-LCOS display | Precise Zoom

Thermal imaging with the ZEISS DTI 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.

With a visit from Nick Baker to the stand

Tours and Talks

Nick Baker will be on the ZEISS stand throughout the show, with the opportunity to join his free nature tour, fun for all of the family.

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

14th - 16th July 2023

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 15th July, 14:45, ZEISS Stand

Synopsis

Guided workshop on site at the Global Birdfair on taking notes, as well as offering bird identification tips from experienced ornithologists. The workshop will be free for anyone aged 18 or under.

Meeting point is at the reception of the ZEISS stand on Saturday 15th of July, 14:45.

Speakers

Stephen Menzie, James Lidster & Debby Doodeman

ZEISS UK Young Birder Awards Ceremony - Saturday 15th July, 16:00, Osprey Stage

Synopsis

ZEISS, BBRC, Cornell and the Cameron Bespolka Trust are awarding the most successful entry of UK young birders describing their best birding moment

Speakers

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

Migration Chats with Mark James Pearson - Saturday 15th July, 14:00 - 15:00 & Sunday 16th July, 10:00 - 11:00,  ZEISS stand

Synopsis

Meet ZEISS Ambassador Mark and ask him about the new ZEISS-supported School of Birding, as well as anything migration-related - seawatching, vismig, nocmig, or any-mig! Mark is also the Co-founder of the new ZEISS-supported School of Birding.
Just drop in at the stand and he'll be happy to give advice and inspiration, and have an informal chat, whatever your level or area of interest.

Speakers

Mark James Pearson

Free Guided Tours

With Rutland Guides and Ambassadors

Zeiss

Want to test the latest and put the latest optics to the test when out in the field? Join ZEISS on their walks around the Rutland Water Egelton Nature Reserve, see what Rutland Water has to offer from waterfowl and dragonflies around the lagoons to singing warblers and butterflies in the bushes and reedbeds, with a high possibility of seeing one of the infamous Ospreys that are the star bird of the site.

Register early to avoid disappointment of missing out.

Nature Tour with Nick Baker

We’re proud to have one of the UK’s top naturalists and television presenters, Nick Baker leading tours for ZEISS. Join Nick each day as he shows us the wonders of bugs, butterflies, and dragonflies. This is a great walk for family groups with children who want to explore and see the world under your feet in a new light. Meet at the ZEISS marquee for 11am and head to the reserve via a minibus, this tour will last 2 hours (including travel time).

14th July 2023

11:00 - 13:00

Register for Tour

15th July 2023

11:00 - 13:00

Register for Tour

16th July 2023

11:00 - 13:00

Register for Tour

© Nick Wilcox Brown

Bird ID Tour with Toby Carter

We’ll also have our own nature expert & ZEISS employee, Toby Carter leading guided bird walks around Rutland Water. The aim of these tours will be immersive yourselves in the bird life around the reserve, spotting and identifying birds from sight but also sound. We’ll be going through top tips on how to identify species and what to expect with the season, these walks are for all abilities from a new to experienced birder. Join Toby and see what you can find around the reserve. Meet at the Egelton car park at 8am for the morning tour and 2pm for the afternoon tour.

14th July 2023

08:00 - 10:00

Register for Tour

14th July 2023

14:00 - 16:00

Register for Tour

15th July 2023

08:00 - 10:00

Register for Tour

15th July 2023

14:00 - 16:00

Register for Tour

16th July 2023

08:00 - 10:00

Register for Tour

16th July 2022

14:00 - 16:00

Register for Tour

ZEISS UK Young Birder Awards

Apply now for the chance to win!

With the ZEISS Young Birders Awards, we would like to reward young nature enthusiasts and birdwatchers and encourage them to share their skills, creating a network of young ornithologists in collaboration with our partners.

Apply now in your age group for a chance to win one of the great prizes such as a ZEISS Birding package or the Cameron Bespolka Scholarship to Cornell Young Birders weekend in Ithaca , New York, USA in 2024

eBirder of the Global BirdFair

Joining us at Global BirdFair

On Sunday 16th July, at 15:30 at the ZEISS stand in the Falcon Marquee, a single grand prize winner will be drawn from all eligible eBird submissions, and will be awarded a ZEISS SFL30 binocular.

How to play:

Report bird sightings with eBird

Every eligible eBird checklist in Rutland County during 14-16 July 2023 gives you one chance to win: the more lists, the more chances to win.


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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Mark Pearson

Mark has been lucky enough to spend plenty of my time enjoying birds and wildlife. He is based on the Yorkshire coast, on the western seaboard of the North Sea where he grew up, and returned to several years ago. Among other things Mark is a field ornithologist, nature writer, speaker and guide, comms specialist for conservation causes and a musician / songwriter with Morning Bride.

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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

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

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

eBird

eBird is a project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and a powerful online
database that collects real-time data on the distribution and frequency of
birds around the world. eBird thus provides a basis for a wide range of
scientific questions and plays an increasingly important role in research,
activities, we incentivize the participation in this citizen science project.

ZEISS has been a sponsor of the eBirder of the month for many years now.

Report bird sightings with eBird during Global Birdfair and win a brand new SFL 30 binocular!

Every eligible eBird checklist in Rutland County during 14-16 July 2023 gives you once chance to become the eBirder of the Global Birdfair and be awarded a ZEISS SFL 30 binocular. The prize will be awarded on Sunday, 3:30 pm at the ZEISS stand in the Falcon marquee.

Learn More