We're finally here

We're finally here! After months of planning, endless meetings and the odd sleepless night, the Autumnwatch team has arrived on Brownsea Island. And once again, the weather is absolutely perfect - this morning dawned cold, bright and clear, and the view across the harbour as we chugged across on the early morning boat was simply breathtaking.

It's hard to describe just how relaxing this place is - as soon as you step off the boat it's like going back in time, to the sort of island you always wanted to visit as a child. But we need to be careful not to get too relaxed - with just five days before we go live on air we need to focus on getting everything up and running. As Lord Baden-Powell, who ran the world's first ever scout camp here a century ago, would have said: "Be Prepared!"

Outside our makeshift production office there's a hive of activity, as cables are laid, trucks are put into place and editors work out how to get their machines working in the back of a van! Because Brownsea is an island, we can't have the usual production village we have on Springwatch. So Portakabins and huge trucks are out, and the technical team is having to squeeze a quart of facilities into a very small pint pot.

Meanwhile, away from the frantic comings and goings here at the production village, the wildlife carries on as usual, preparing for the winter to come.

Out on the lagoon, things have subtly changed since I was last here a couple of weeks ago. Many of the global travellers such as the knot and curlew sandpipers that were feeding in front of the hide then, have now headed off south, to spend the winter somewhere along the west coast of Africa. Other birds - those that will spend the winter here feeding on the rich pickings to be found in the mud - have built up their numbers. Avocets and black-tailed godwits are the dominant species, and others such as grey plovers, and dark-bellied brent geese, have now arrived.

As I looked out of the hide yesterday evening I was pleased to see at least two dozen greenshanks, feeding alongside their commoner cousins the redshanks.

Greenshanks are truly beautiful waders: pale, long-legged and long-winged, with a delicately upturned bill which they use to filter marine invertebrates out of the mud and water. In flight they show their elegance o ff to the full, as they whip across the sky calling as they go.

On our way down to the hide we disturbed a small group of sika deer. Like so many of our 'wild' creatures they were brought in by the owners of stately homes in the 19th century; and like so many of these non-native animals they have now become a bit of a pest. Nevertheless it was still a magic moment, as the deer stared at us from their hiding-place in the reeds.

The island's most popular creature, the red squirrel, is much more welcome! Almost as soon as I got off the ferry I saw one of these charming little animals, which promptly shinned up a tree and sat watching me from a safe distance. I'm sure red squirrels will be the stars of a very packed show next week!

In the meantime, do tell us what's happening in your neck of the woods. The past week has seen a noticeable change in the weather, and the colder nights remind us that autumn is now well and truly with us. Check out the Messageboard to find out what the rest of the Autumnwatch viewers have been up to, and don't forget you can send us still pictures and video footage of any wildlife you've been seeing!

Talk soon - Stephen

• Bookmark with:
• del.icio.us |
• Digg |
• Newsvine |
• NowPublic |
• Reddit
• - What's this?