The Virtual Birdfair is now live. Visit the REGUA stand here:
Please note that if you want to donate to REGUA and help to support our project in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest you need to do this via our website here. Your money will go towards land purchase, tree planting and the restoration of the area, creating vital corridors between fragmented forest.
The donate buttons on the Birdfair site will go to this year’s BirdLife International project to protect the Helmeted Hornbill in Indonesia from illegal poaching and trading.
We hope you will enjoy the new virtual Birdfair experience.
REGUA are delighted to be able to attend the Virtual Birdfair which is taking place online this year. So although travel throughout the world is disrupted the Birdfair will still be there, just a click away. REGUA will be present, and the UK team will be with you all in spirit throughout the weekend. Once live we will publish a link to bring you closer to our “stand”.
All the usual favourites will be there with live and pre-recorded talks, films, a photography competition and the familiar auction. The full Birdfair programme of lectures and events will be fully operational from 18-23 August, but until then you can follow the link to the Virtual Birdfair here to take a look at the first Virtual Birdfair.
The Birdfair was in full swing this time last week, and REGUA had an amazing time. Many friends came along to find out the latest news of the project and we kept in touch here in Brazil via messages and photographs. Our UK team received vital help over the weekend, so a big REGUA “thank you” to Alan, Sue, Stuart, Ken, Tracy, and Ian, who gave their time.
Everyone who visited our stand showing continued interest and support in the project really makes a difference and keeps us pushing forward with new impetus to protect and restore more land. Without our amazing team of workers, volunteers, visitors, donors and support from so many people across the globe we would not have been able to achieve so much in so short a time. You are all playing a vital role in continuing to build the reputation and success of REGUA.
In only two weeks the Birdfair will be in full swing, and our stand (marquee 8, stand 12) will show the amazing journey REGUA has travelled. Come along and meet the UK REGUA team from 16-18th August.
For the 13th year, REGUA will have a stand at the British Birdfair at Egleton Nature Reserve, Rutland Water, Leicestershire. Why not come along and catch up with all the latest news from the reserve. We will be in different Marquee this year, marquee 8, stand 12, so make sure you don’t miss us!
A conservation project of this dimension is not possible without constant support from a whole team. In REGUA’s case some of our team are based in the UK. The UK team, led by Alan Martin, include Lee Dingain, Rachel Walls and Sue Healey. They have been a pillar of strength to this project. All volunteers, they started by visiting REGUA to see birds and were smitten by the REGUA bug; a desire to get involved and ensure the continuation of this project. It seems only yesterday we first met them and within a couple of days they were asking how they could help. With zillions of contributions, Alan with his experience in business administration, Lee with website skills, Rachel who runs our Volunteer Programme, and Sue with her communication skills, this incredible team has helped increase the capacity of REGUA to promote its work.
Today these efforts are responsible for its international success. The team have also been promoting REGUA and our steady progress over the last twelve years at the British Birdfair, so go along and see the latest updates at this years fair at Rutland Water, Leicestershire, Marquee 8, Stand 12 from 16th to 18th August 2019. You can follow the progress of our project here on our website, or follow the links below to our Facebook page and Twitter feed. Every visitor is welcome at REGUA and your time here contributes to its perpetuity. All of us at REGUA wish to thank the volunteer team who have devoted so much time to this project and continue to shine in every respect.
This was the 12th year in a row that REGUA has attended the British Birdwatching Fair, and what a successful Birdfair it was!
Held each year at Egleton Nature Reserve at Rutland Water in England, the Birdfair is the world’s largest conservation fundraising fair and this year (the 30th Birdfair) is helping to fund the creation of the Ansenuza National Park in Argentina.
Our stand was once again organized and manned by our dedicated volunteers, Rachel Walls, Lee Dingain and Sue Healey, with assistance from Alan Martin, and Ken Sutton and Stuart Housden also both helping out for a day. It was good we had so many people helping because we had a large number of visitors to the stand, new faces, past visitors and volunteers and volunteers signed up to our volunteer programme.
REGUA is now well and truly on the birdwatching map and we are a firm believers that international birdwatching tourism is crucial in helping REGUA carry out our urgent conservation work protecting the Atlantic Forest of the Guapiaçu valley.
A huge thanks to everybody who visited our stand and also to all the Birdfair volunteers for making the event run so smoothly. We would also like to give a special thanks to Guto Carvalho of Avistar (the Brazilian Bird Fair) for mentioning REGUA in their excellent talk, and to Rachel Walls for all her hard work behind the scenes organising the REGUA stand each year and for baking her amazing cakes!
We look forward to seeing some of you at REGUA soon! If you have any enquiries about visiting REGUA then please drop us a email.
Last Friday to Sunday, tens of thousands of birders and wildlife enthusiasts descended on Egleton Nature Reserve at Rutland Water in the UK for the annual British Birdwatching Fair.
This was the 11th year in a row that REGUA has been represented at this internationally important event and our stand was once again organized and manned by our dedicated volunteers, Rachel Walls, Lee Dingain and Sue Healey. Past volunteer bird guide Ken Sutton was also on the stand on the Friday and Saturday and did a great job helping out the team.
The Birdfair is the ideal place for us to spread the word about the excellent birdwatching at REGUA and how international birdwatching tourism is crucial in helping REGUA carry out the important conservation work protecting the Atlantic Forest of the Guapiaçu valley.
Once again we had a huge amount of interest from birders and tour companies alike, and it was great to catch up with many past guests and supporters, as well as with our friends at the World Land Trust and Serra dos Tucanos.
We’d like to say thank you to everybody who came by our stand and for helping to once again make Birdfair such a special event for us. It gives the whole REGUA team, both in Brazil and the UK, such a boost to receive so many compliments and encouragement. Also, we’d like to give a special thanks to Mr and Mrs Lee for making such a generous donation towards our land purchase and tree planting.
If you have any enquiries about visiting REGUA then please drop us a email. We look forward to seeing some of you at REGUA soon.
It’s that time of year again – the annual British Birdwatching Fair, better known simply as the Birdfair, returns to Rutland Water in the UK next weekend.
This huge event attracts over 20,000 people and raises thousands of pounds for nature conservation every year. The Birdfair is the perfect place for us to spread the word about the excellent birding at REGUA and on our excursions in surrounding Serra dos Órgãos mountains and beyond, our beautifully situated bird lodge, and also to demonstrate how birding tourism is helping REGUA to conserve and restore one of the best preserved areas Atlantic Forest remaining in Rio de Janeiro state.
REGUA has had a stand at the Birdfair since 2007 and this year it will once again be manned by Rachel Walls, Sue Healey and Lee Dingain, along with past volunteer bird guide Ken Sutton will also be on the stand on Friday and Saturday. All of our publications will be available to buy (with a special Birdfair discount) and you’ll also be able to grab some free RAW Baking goodies from Rachel including her now legendary “Bristlefront Brownie” and “Fruitcrow Flapjack”!
If you are going to the Birdfair then why not drop by the REGUA stand and say hello at stand 37, marquee 1. We look forward to seeing you there!
The Birdfair will be taking place at Egleton Nature Reserve, Rutland Water, UK, from Friday 18th to Sunday 20th August 2017.
It is always a pleasure to meet up with friends and especially REGUA’s past volunteers who have contributed so much to the project. This gives us the special feeling that we mutually benefited from opportunities at an important point of time.
In the case of Henry Cook and Ian Loyd, nothing could be more agreeable than seeing them at the British Birdfair this year. Both had stayed at REGUA in 2013 to help guide visitors at REGUA and both are phenomenal birders and lovers of nature.
Henry is currently working at a nature reserve in North Wales and Ian is now working for a wildlife tour company. We wish them all the deserved success and thank them for having spent time with us.
Birdfair team 2016 – (from left): Alan Martin, Sue Healey, Lee Dingain, Rachel Walls, Raquel Locke and Nicholas Locke (Photo by Edson Endrigo)Past volunteer bird guide Ken Sutton (right) also helped out on the stand (Photo by Lee Dingain)Nicholas gives a talk in the Anglian Water Marquee on 19th (Photo by Lee Dingain)
Raquel and I attended the British Birdwatching Fair that took place from 19th – 21st August at at Egleton Nature Reserve, Rutland Water, UK, to mark REGUA’s 10th anniversary at this globally important event.
Organized by REGUA volunteers, Rachel Walls, Lee Dingain and Sue Healey, with the additional support from Alan Martin, the stand offered a formidable team to meet the public with their interest and enquiries.
The Birdfair is one of the best venues to present REGUA’s conservation efforts and results to date as well as showcase the great birds whose habitat it seeks to protect.
Considering this was our first time at the Birdfair, both Raquel and I found it of overwhelming proportions given the number of marquees, stands and visitors present.
So many visitors passed by the REGUA stand to say hello and we were touched by the compliments received from all those who had visited REGUA over the last few years.
On behalf of the REGUA project and all those who work here, we wanted to thank everyone who came by to meet us or to say hello, but above all to especially thank Lee, Rachel, and Sue for their passion and zeal in the Birdfair preparation for what we thought the best stand ever, and to Alan and Ken Sutton for their attentive support in caring for so many visitors at the stand. Also, thanks to Ken Coppleston for carving a number of beautiful wooden toucan napkin holders (that we use in the lodge) for us to sell on the stand.
This year’s Birdfair coincided with the end of the World Land Trust Olympic Forest Reserve Appeal to raise £40,000 to purchase 221 ha of primary Atlantic Forest in the upper Guapiaçu valley and protect this as a reserve to celebrate the Rio 2016 Olympics (more on this shortly).
We were fortunate enough to have our Wildscreen film shown on the huge screen in the food court, and also for the first time REGUA gave two lectures at the Birdfair, both of which were very well attended.
Thank you to everyone who came and supported us. We look forward to seeing some of you at REGUA soon.
The British Birdwatching Fair, most often known simply as the Birdfair, is an annual event for birdwatchers that has been held each August since 1989 at Rutland Water in England. REGUA has been represented at the Birdfair by our British volunteers Rachel Walls and Lee Dingain since 2007, when we were invited by our partners, the World Land Trust, to use part of their stand.
To celebrate our tenth year at the Birdfair, Nicholas and Raquel have flown to the UK to take part. Nicholas and Raquel will spending time with our regular volunteers Alan Martin, Sue Healey, Rachel Walls and Lee Dingain on the stand.
Nicholas will also be giving two talks (sponsored by the World Land Trust) in the Anglian Water Birdwatching Centre:
In addition, our Wildscreen film, narrated by Michael Palin and produced by Verity White/Five Films, will be being shown regularly in the food marquee.
If you coming to the Birdfair, make sure you come by and visit us in marquee 1, stand 37. We look forward to seeing you.
The British Birdfair is almost upon us and once again we’ll be exhibiting on all three days at Rutland next weekend. Our volunteers Rachel Walls, Lee Dingain, Alan Martin and our fantastic lodge co-ordinator for 2013, Sue Healey, will be on hand with full details about the birding at REGUA and the other wildlife that can be seen here, our extensive trail network, excursions, the lodge, our expert guides, our conservation work, and lots of exciting new developments. Rachel will be able to answer any questions about our volunteer opportunities, and will be baking a selection of goodies for those long talks about REGUA and the Atlantic Forest.
Come and visit us in marquee 5, stand 35 from Friday 16th to Sunday 18th August. We look forward to seeing you there!
REGUA was first represented at the UK Birdfair in 2007, when volunteers Rachel Walls and Lee Dingain were invited by the World Land Trust to use part of their stand. Proving very successful, we teamed up with the World Land Trust for the next three years, until last year when we shared a stand good friends Rick and Elis Simpson. This year we successfully applied for our own stand, and this has been a huge success.
The stand attracted a large number of people interest in the birds, wildlife and conservation work at REGUA, and several more tour companies expressed an interest in adding REGUA to their tour itineraries. It was great to meet new people and see so many past guests stopping by the say hello, many of which wish to return to REGUA again to see how the reforestation and wetland reclaimation is progressing.
Volunteers Siri and Richard White created two small guides to butterflies and bugs that we were popular, and our new Checklist of the Birds of REGUA sold well (with all proceeds going direct to our conservation work). Rachel’s home made Bristlefront Brownie, Forest-Falcon Flapjack and Sharpbill Shortbread also proved extremely popular – encourging many to return to the stand several times! Check out Rachel’s baking blog here.
Many thanks to Rachel Walls and Lee Dingain for their hard work organising the stand, and to Sue Healey, Alan Martin and Richard Robinson for giving up their time to help man the stand. Thanks also to everyone who came by to show support and say hello. We look forward to seeing you at REGUA soon.
We are excited to announce that this year, for the very first time, we will have our own stand at the UK Birdfair! Volunteers Rachel Walls and Lee Dingain will once again be manning the stand, along with our friend Sue Healey and Alan Martin of the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest Trust. We’ll have all the very latest news from the Reserve, including details of some exciting new developments at the lodge, and Rachel will once again be encourging everyone to come and visit REGUA handing out free cake. We would really love it if you come and say hello and find out more about REGUA and the excellent birding to be had here. We are in marquee 5, stand 35.
The Birdfair takes place at Egleton Nature Reserve, Rutland Water, UK, from Friday 17th to Sunday 19th August.
Our competition on the stand at the Birdfair this year to win a membership of the Neotropical Bird Club proved to be very popular. All you had to do was name the Critically Endangered bird species that can be seen on our Cabo Frio excursion. The answer is Restinga Antwren. We are pleased to announce that the winner selected at random is Jenny Kingsland from Sheffield. Many congratulations!! Your Neotropical Bird Club membership pack is in the post on its way to you. Many thanks to everyone who entered.
If finding out all about the fantastic birds and the amazing conservation work going on here at REGUA wasn’t enough to get you to the UK Birdfair this weekend, then how about the chance to win a membership of the Neotropical Bird Club? Or perhaps some free cakes courtesy of RAW Baking to keep you going, such as Bellbird Brownie, Spadebill Shortbread and Bananaquit or Fruitcrow Flapjack! Come and visit us in marquee 5, stand number 35.
REGUA will once again be at the UK Birdfair. REGUA supporters Rachel Walls, Alan Martin and Lee Dingain will be manning the stand which we are sharing with our friends Rick Simpson and Elis Simpson of the Ubatuba Birdwatching Centre. We will have full details about birding at REGUA, our excursions, the lodge and the latest developments at the Reserve. Come and visit us in marquee 5, stand number 35. The Birdfair will be held at Egleton Nature Reserve in Rutland from the 19th to 21st August.
REGUA volunteers Lee Dingain and Rachel Walls will once again be representing REGUA at the British Birdwatching Fair this year. Come and visit us on the World Land Trust stand (marquee 4, stand nos. 14 and 15) and find out about birding at REGUA, the latest sightings, the improvements to the lodge and progress our crucial conservation work. The Birdfair will be held at Egleton Nature Reserve in Rutland from the 20 to 22 August.
REGUA will once again be represented at the British Birdwatching Fair at Rutland in the UK – 21 to 23 August. Volunteers Lee Dingain, John Harris, Martin Smart and Rachel Walls will be on the World Land Trust stand (marquee 4, stand nos. 14 and 15) with the very latest information on our conservation work, birding at REGUA, visiting the reserve and volunteering opportunities. Please come by and see us. For information about the Birdfair click here.
The REGUA stand at the British Birdfair (© Lee Dingain)
