Better Birding with Nick Patel

Join expert wildlife guide Nick Patel for this engaging and informative workshop, perfect for anyone interested in learning how to spot and identify birds — whether you're a complete beginner or simply looking to refresh your birding skills.

Focusing on birds commonly seen in late summer into the autumn season, the session begins in the Heal Somerset farmhouse. Here, Nick will share essential tips and techniques for identifying birds by their calls, flight patterns, habitats, and behaviour.

Through a step-by-step approach, Nick will help you build your birdwatching confidence, including practical advice on making the most of binoculars and other equipment.

The workshop concludes with a one-hour guided walk around the site, where you'll have the chance to apply your new skills and discover how rewilding efforts are helping to support bird populations.

About your workshop leader, Nick Patel:

Nick is a tour guide, conservationist, naturalist and birder and is passionate about helping to protect, create and maintain British wildlife. A lifelong birdwatcher, and former nature reserve warden, Nick has devoted his life to shouting about how amazing our native biodiversity is and just why we should care for it.

Nick says “I am really pleased and super excited to be working with Heal and looking forward to showcasing some of the amazing work they are doing at the Heal Somerset site. It’s truly inspiring and you can already feel an abundance of nature, which I am excited to share with people though my tours”.

LOCATION

Heal Somerset is in a very rural location, a few miles from Bruton, Frome, the A303 and the Wiltshire border, at Lower West Barn Farm, Bindon Lane, Witham Friary, BA11 5HH. Directions will be sent in a confirmation email.

TIMINGS

5.30pm: Meet at Heal Somerset farmhouse for welcome and refreshments

7.30pm: Walk around site to put learning into practice

8.30pm: Workshop ends

CLOTHING AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

We recommend you bring binoculars for this workshop, if you don't have any you could use, please let us know ahead of the day.

It may be wet underfoot so we recommend that you wear wellingtons or sturdy waterproof shoes or walking boots suitable for rough, uneven ground. If the forecast is wet, bring a waterproof jacket and a hat and dress warmly.

[We give this level of detail to encourage wider participation in our events by people who may be unfamiliar with being out in nature and we hope this is useful for them as well as a reminder to those already aware.]

ACCESSIBILITY

The site is not yet wheelchair-accessible, but we do have one all-terrain mobility scooter available. If you would like to use this, please let us know ahead of the event.

If you use an assistance dog, your dog will be welcome.

If you have any additional questions about accessibility please email events@healrewilding.org.uk.

OTHER THINGS

Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel this workshop and either refund you or book you into an alternative date. This would be due to a very poor weather forecast or illness and will be avoided unless absolutely necessary.

Please note, tickets are non-refundable unless the event is cancelled.

Children and babies

Children over 14 are welcome at the workshop as are babies in slings (the site is not pushchair-friendly in a lot of areas). Please contact events@healrewilding.org.uk for more information about bringing children.

Dogs

We welcome assistance dogs but you can't bring a pet dog or any other pets to the site.

Supporting Heal

Please note, up to 50% of your ticket price will go towards supporting the work of Heal.

You'll also have the chance to become a Friend of Heal and to donate to support our work.

Special ticketing

If you are unwaged, a student or living on a very low income and the cost of attending is prohibitive, please email events@healrewilding.org.uk as we may be able to support your attendance. Please note this may not always be possible.

Local accommodation

We have camping at Heal Somerset which you can see more about here and there are lots of places to stay in and around Frome and Bruton.

Transport

The remote rural location means that travelling here by car is the most practical option and there will be car parking available for all workshop participants. We do have a minibus for station pick ups where needed so contact events@healrewilding.org.uk for more information about that.