North West Bird Watching Festival

Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 October 2025

Experience Autumn's best highlights

The North West Bird Watching Festival celebrates the migratory species that visit our Lancashire wetland centre during the Autumn and Winter. Along with the pink-footed geese, the mere fills with thousands of pintail, shoveler, gadwall, and pochard.

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What's on

From guest speakers and exhibitors to photography workshops and guided walks.

Exhibitors

Chat to a whole host of exhibitors specialising in everything from artwork and books to wildlife holidays.

Guest Speakers

Learn from the expert birders and nature lovers, from Charlie Bingham to Conor Jameson.

Activities

Enjoy bird ringing and photography workshops or witness up to 20,000 pink-footed geese on the mere.

From dawn till dusk

Open from 8am, watch the spectacle of thousands of geese leave the roost before heading for breakfast in Mere Side Café. We'll then be open until 7pm on Saturday to welcome them back.

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Useful Information

Those finer details to help you plan your trip.

: For the North West Bird Watching Festival, the reserve will be open from 8am and the grounds and visitor centre will be open from 9am. The site will close at 7pm on Saturday and 6pm on Sunday. Last admission is at 5pm.

WWT members - if you’re a member of WWT, then entrance to the centre during the festival is included in your membership. If you want to attend any of the talks or additional activities then you must purchase tickets at the ticket desk when you arrive. Tickets for talks and activities will be sold on a first-come first-serve basis. Some talks and activities are free and some are paid.

Non-members - if you’re not a member of WWT, you’ll need to purchase admission tickets to the centre. These can be purchased on the day you visit. If you want to attend any of the talks or additional activities then you must purchase tickets at the ticket desk when you arrive. Tickets for talks and activities will be sold on a first-come first-serve basis. Some talks and activities are free and some are paid.

The North West Bird Watching Festival is a great day out for groups. We have groups rates admission prices for group visits of 12 or more people, plus a dedicated coach car park.

We’re keeping our popular 15% group discount this year to make sure that your group has an unforgettable group day out at a great price.

For full details check out the Group visit page.

If all the exploring of our beautiful grounds and reserve makes you peckish, head to our Mere Side Café for a delicious bite to eat and enjoy the stunning views of Swan Lake from the veranda. Before you leave for home, make sure you check out our shop selling a wide range of gifts, books and souvenirs. Best of all, every penny you spend supports conservation.

Mere Side Cafe (open 9am - 4pm) - our café serves freshly prepared hot and cold food. Start your day with a choice of hot breakfasts, from toast to a full English breakfast. We offer a wide range of delicious lunch items, from hearty soups to tasty paninis.

Gift shop (open 9am - 6pm) - our shop is bursting with gorgeous gifts and souvenirs, as well as the latest wildlife books, garden must-haves, outdoor accessories, and wildlife-watching essentials. Open all day long, pop along and browse the shelves to see what goodies you can find.

If you’d like to make a weekend visit to the North West Bird Watching Festival, there are plenty of local B&Bs and hotels within easy reach of the centre.Here are a couple of our recommendations – book early to avoid disappointment!

Briars Hall, Lathom - originally an 18th century country manor house, the Briars Hall hotel offers olden charm with modern comfort and service. Beautifully located in 5 acres of mature gardens and woodland, it is the perfect setting for a weekend getaway and just 3.4 miles from the centre. Find out more.

The Rufford Arms Hotel and Restaurant - offers top quality accommodation. The hotel has an excellent restaurant known as Alexander’s Brasserie which offers a wide & varied choice of menu to suit all occasions and is 3.6 miles from the centre. Find out more.

Manor House Farm, Rufford - an historic location, the property was completely restored and refurbished in 2004 - upgraded to an exacting standard with oakfloors and fittings throughout. This bed and breakfast is a great base for a weekend and is just 2.9 miles from the centre. Find out more.

Slightly further afield from the centre is the local town of Southport which has a number of hotels and B&Bs. Find out more on Visit Lancashire.

Prices below are shown for walk-up prices. Book in advance to enjoy 10% off your admission tickets.

Walk up prices:

Do I have to pay for parking?

Ticket	With Gift Aid	Without Gift Aid
Adult	£19.95	£18.10
Junior (3-17 years)	£12.95	£11.75
Family (2 adults and 2 children, 3-17 years)	£56.00	£50.90
Concession (65+, full-time student and unemployed)	£18.10	£16.45
Children (under 3 years)	free	free
Carers assisting disabled visitors	free	free

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We are WWT, the charity for wetlands and wildlife.

In a world full of challenges, we’re on a mission to restore wetlands and unlock their power. Because when wetlands thrive, so do we.