A TWO-DAY Walney wildlife festival with activities for the whole family is being put on next month.

The first Walney Wader Festival is being celebrated at South Walney Nature Reserve and Foulney Island on Saturday November 5 and Sunday November 6.

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The free festival, which is being organised by Cumbria Wildlife Trust, will give people the chance to paint the local wildlife, learn about grey seals and develop wading bird identification skills.

The event is on from 11am to 4pm each day and will celebrate the stunning winter wildlife that can be found at the reserve, in particular the magnificent array of wading birds which can be seen on the beaches at this time of year.

Festival organiser Hayden Hurst, trainee marine and coastal conservation officer at Cumbria Wildlife Trust, said: "Saturday will be a great day for all the family – you can just turn up and get stuck into the wildlife activities and painting competition.

"We're also offering guided walks around the reserve and a fun-filled seal workshop.

"To keep our keen birdwatchers occupied on Saturday, we're running a 'Stranded on Foulney Island' event, which will involve being cut off on the island by the tide, so you can see the vast flocks of wading birds coming in to roost. It should be a really immersive, dramatic experience.

"On the Sunday, we'll be treating wildlife enthusiasts at South Walney to a rare insight into wader observation and conservation."

Activity schedule

Saturday at South Walney Nature Reserve - 11am to 4pm:

- Opening ceremony

- Kids painting competition with prizes (all day)

- Guided reserve walks

- Activities, arts and craft

- Seal family fun workshop (Booking needed, places limited) - 1pm to 3.30pm

Saturday at Foulney Island - noon to 4pm:

- 'Stranded on Foulney Island' (Booking needed, places limited)

Sunday at South Walney Nature Reserve - 11am to 4pm:

- A series of talks on waders from experts, including the South Walney Warden, NW Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority, Wader Quest, and the RSPB.

- Guided reserve walks

- Photography competition (prize, Opticron binoculars worth £99)

- Wading bird identification workshop (Booking needed, places limited) - 1pm to 3pm

* Attendance at the seal, wading birds and Stranded on Foulney Island workshops must be booked by ringing 01539 816300 or emailing mail@cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk.