Chris Packham - famous for presenting TV nature programmes The Really Wild Show and Springwatch - is coming to Macclesfield.

The 61-year-old is going to be at Hen Harrier Fest - a festival dedicated to hen harriers, an under-threat species of bird.

It will be held on July 24 at Adlington Hall and Gardens, and will be the first in-person Hen Harrier Fest in three years.

The day will be filled with talks, events, discussions and entertainment.

Hen Harriers can be up to 20 inches long with a 48 inch wingspan. (Image - CC 2.5 Andreas Trepte Unchanged bit.ly/3uHjvlZ)

"Once a year we get together and share our enthusiasm to protect these endangered birds." said Packham.

"We've got some great food, some great speakers. It's going to be a celebration as well as campaigning and therefore it's for all the family,"

"Our hen harriers have been in deep trouble. Since 2019 we've lost 49 of them, suspected of being illegally killed and since 2018 the number is 70."

"Our wildlife is in deep, deep trouble. You don't need me to tell you we've got to do something about it."

A Hen Harrier in the UK. (Image - CC 2.0 Isle of Man Government Unchanged bit.ly/3ccSMaP)

"Please come and join us to add your strength to our campaign."

The event is free to attend (donations welcome) but if you wish to do so you need to register, which you can do here.

It has been organised by Wild Justice, a non-profit organisation that takes legal cases in the name of species and advocates for conservation of nature.

The organisation was formed by Packham, along with Mark Avery and Ruth Tingay, fellow conservationists.

The TV naturalist will visit Adlington Hall on Sunday July 24, which is six miles from Macclesfield town centre. (Image - CC 2.0 Unchanged Jo Garbutt bit.ly/3uKxZBY)

"We wanted to make a difference, and we've made some differences," Packham explained

"One of the things that we started to do was run Hen Harrier Day."

It will be held at Adlington Hall and Gardens, Mill Lane, Adlington, Macclesfield SK10 4LF from 10:30am to 4:00pm.

Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome, and you can bring your own food if you take your rubbish home.

Macclesfield: For more info on the five-and-a-half-hour event, please click here.

This news comes just days after Packham spoke out against plans to build almost 1000 houses on the fringes of the Danes Moss Nature Reserve in Macclesfield.

Last month, he posted a viral Facebook video opposing the proposed housing development.

The site is home to a very important resource - peat, which is a natural carbon sink. 

"Peat is very important for supporting specialist biodiversity of animals," stated Packham last month. 

However the impact of continuous burning of Peat, which releases carbon emissions, is detrimental to the climate crisis. 

"Danes Moss is being threatened by developers wishing to build 950 houses on it," he continued.

Packham encouraged the 46,000 viewers of his Facebook video to sign a petition created by members of the local community, who treasure the natural beauty of Danes Moss. 

The petition had 9,000 signatures before Packham's video, but it now stands at 17,000 backers and counting. You can sign the petition here.

Macclesfield Nub News contacted Packham's agent as to whether he will visit Danes Moss during his visit down the road in Adlington. 

Danes Moss campaigners are also set to speak at the Adlington Hall harrier event.

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