The full line-up of guest speakers has now been announced for Lancashire’s North West Bird Watching Festival, taking place at WWT Martin Mere on 17 and 18 October 2026.
Visitors attending over the weekend will have the chance to witness some of the season’s most iconic species, including pink-footed geese, wigeon, whooper swans and pintail, while enjoying a packed programme of expert talks and wildlife experiences.
This year’s guest speaker programme brings together leading voices in conservation, wildlife photography and natural history, including:
Saturday 17 October
William Costa, Lead Aviculturist at WWT - learn how the Welsh white-tailed eagle partnership led by WWT is aiming to restore this iconic species.
Lucy Lapwing, WWT Ambassador and Naturalist - taking a look at misanthropy in the conservation sector, as well as the two-sided coin of nature joy and nature grief.
Sacha Dench, Biologist and Conservationist - UK to Africa through the eyes, and challenges, of an Osprey, and the people working to save them.
Alasdair McKee, RSPB - The wildlife of the restored peat bog at Foulshaw Moss in Cumbria featuring its many birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and insects – especially dragonflies.
Sunday 18 October
Jack Baddams, ornithologist and naturalist - Behind the scenes of one of the nation’s most loved nature programmes, Springwatch.
Lucy Lapwing, WWT Ambassador and Naturalist - A look at our perceptions of what is beautiful, and what is weird, gross, and ugly when it comes to wildlife.
Terry Donnelly, Sony - Join Sony Imaging Ambassador, Terry Donnelly, for a compelling wildlife photography talk.
Leif Bersweden, writer & botanist - A fascinating journey through Britain and Ireland’s remarkable plant life, exploring the wildflowers, their stories, and the people passionate about them.
Talks across the full weekend
Visitors can also enjoy a series of talks running across both days in the Education Centre, featuring:
Roy Atkins, Speyside Wildlife - a personal account of how Roy got into birding and the changes he has witnessed over more than 50 years of birdwatching.
Rick Simpson, Wader Quest - Sharing some of the wader conservation successes from around the world.
Jon Carter, BTO - delving into the findings of the cuckoo-satellite-tagging project, and discovering more about these remarkable migrants.
Alongside the speaker programme, visitors will be able to browse a fantastic range of exhibitors from across the birdwatching, wildlife and photography sectors. Confirmed exhibitors include Sony, Fujifilm UK, Wilkinson Cameras, Wild Sounds & Books, Kerry Newell Wildlife Artist, Viking Optical, Wader Quest, RSPB, BTO and many others.
Sony will sponsor the festival’s activity programme, which features bird ringing demonstrations, wild bird feeds, guided boat tours and Sony Alpha Wildlife Photo Walks led by Sony Imaging Ambassador Terry Donnelly.
The North West Bird Watching Festival at WWT Martin Mere offers visitors of all ages a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of birds, conservation and nature photography, while experiencing WWT Martin Mere at one of the most spectacular times of the year.
For the latest information and full festival line-up, visit the WWT Martin Mere website.
