{"id":125318,"date":"2018-11-02T22:53:27","date_gmt":"2018-11-02T20:53:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/a-weekend-of-feathers-and-family-fun-at-this-years-wagtail-conservation-festival\/"},"modified":"2018-11-02T22:53:27","modified_gmt":"2018-11-02T20:53:27","slug":"a-weekend-of-feathers-and-family-fun-at-this-years-wagtail-conservation-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/a-weekend-of-feathers-and-family-fun-at-this-years-wagtail-conservation-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"A weekend of feathers and family fun at this year\u2019s Wagtail Conservation Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"

A weekend of feathers and family fun at this year\u2019s Wagtail Conservation Festival<\/a>: <\/p>\n

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Albert Froneman. Photo: Images: Supplied by Wagtail Conservation Festival<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The 2018 Wagtail Conservation Festival, running at the Amanzimtoti Sports\u2019 Centre from 9 to 10 November, is the perfect opportunity for KwaZulu-Natal\u2019s stunning Sapphire Coast to preen its feathers and show the rest of the country the natural beauty this region has to offer.<\/p>\n

Presented by Birdlife Port Natal and the Amanzimtoti Sports\u2019 Centre, the Wagtail Conservation Festival is following on from the hugely successful 2017 edition. This year\u2019s event will once again cater to all ages and interests, with a number of environmentally-themed talks and activities planned for festival-goers.<\/p>\n

\u201cLast year we welcomed some 2 000 visitors from across the province to the festival, which served to raise funds and create awareness about conservation while showcasing the beauty of the area,\u201d explained Romy Wenzel, Chairman of Sapphire Coast Tourism.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the province\u2019s largest conservation festival which caters to dedicated conservationists as well as those looking for a fun-filled day in nature. The event will see a number of new features and speakers, with an interactive play area for the little ones, as well as food and drink options throughout. It\u2019s a great opportunity to expose visitors to the numerous eco-tourism gems that the Sapphire Coast has to offer.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Wagtail Festival Dinner<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Wagtail Conservation Festival starts on Friday, 9 November with The Wagtail Festival Dinner welcoming special guest speaker, Faansie Peacock. This renowned South African birder and bird artist has co-authored six bird books and will be launching his first children\u2019s bird book, \u2018Faasie\u2019s Bird Book\u2019 at the festival. His talk, entitled \u2018Bird Brain – a comedic look at what makes birders tick\u2019 will appeal to both birders and non-birders alike! The evening will also include musical performances by the duo Tim Lewis Music and TONY. Tickets cost R165 which includes a welcome cocktail, buffet-style meal and entrance to the Wagtail Conservation Festival on Saturday, 10 November. Doors open at 6.30pm.<\/p>\n

Festival events<\/strong><\/p>\n

Visitors can look forward to a jam-packed Saturday which includes guided nature walks; an interactive kiddies\u2019 zone where children will have lots of fun while learning all about the environment; conservation stalls; food stalls; and a craft beer tent. There will be a number of retail and corporate stands featuring, among others, Cameratek, Bargain Books, Halls Nursery, and Thekwini Toyota Pinetown..<\/p>\n

The guided nature walks will take place throughout the day, with the first walk aimed at experienced birders, starting at 6.30am. From 8am there will be several walks, varying in length, all led by experienced conservationists, with a number of the walks planned for children. It\u2019s advised that walkers wear comfortable shoes and bring binoculars.<\/p>\n

Speakers and workshops<\/strong><\/p>\n

The festival will host a variety of eco-talks by renowned speakers covering a range of topics, including birds, snakes, insects and flora. All the talks will be in line with the underlying aim with the Wagtail Conservation Festival, which is to promote and create awareness of nature and conservation in the Amanzimtoti area, while highlighting the day-to-day work undertaken by local and national
conservation organisations.<\/p>\n

The talks include:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Faansie Peacock – The Kinky Love Life of Birds
\u2022 Henk Nel (developer of Birdlasser) and Ian Gordon \u2013 Atlassing using the Birdlasser App
\u2022 Nick Evans – snake talk and demonstration
\u2022 Nicolette Forbes \u2013 The St Lucia Restoration programme
\u2022 Dr Anthony Forbes – Trophic Cascades and effects on bird populations
\u2022 Gill van Wyk \u2013 Bringing Wildlife into your Garden
\u2022 Steve Davis \u2013 Basic Bird Identification
\u2022 Steve Woodhall – Butterfly talk
\u2022 Steve Woodhall and Steve Davis – Attracting Birds and Butterflies to your Garden
\u2022 David Allan – KZN\u2019s best birding spots
\u2022 Dr Jeanne Tarrant \u2013 Frogs, Freshwater & Family: a Day in the Life of a Frog Conservationist
\u2022 Helen Bruigom \u2013 Bats<\/p>\n

There will also be two workshops at a cost, however the price of the talk does include entrance to the event.<\/p>\n

These include:<\/strong><\/p>\n

– Albert Froneman, one of South Africa\u2019s leading bird and wildlife photographers will be doing a bird photography workshop from 10am to 1pm. Froneman will cover various aspects of bird photography demonstrating with practical examples and spectacular images. The cost of the talk is R250.<\/p>\n

– Faansie Peacock, one of South Africa’s leading bird speakers, is offering a three-hour workshop entitled \u2018Wade Watchers\u2019. This interactive course incudes a waders\u2019 booklet. The ticket price is R150.<\/p>\n

The Wagtail Conservation Festival is truly a one-stop festival for all things related to nature and conservation. The main festival events take place on Saturday, 10 November, from 8am to 5pm. Entrance tickets cost R20 for adults, R10 for pensioners and children, and can be purchased at the gate. Tickets for the dinner and the paid talks are available at any Pick n Pay or at www.webtickets.co.za. For more information contact Adam on 061 485 3625 or rwagtailconservationfestival@gmail.com<\/p>\n

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