New, improved Unsprung programme for Autumnwatch 2009
Post categories: Tim Scoones
| 18:44 UK time, Monday, 21 September 2009
You really liked Springwatch Unsprung, our little 15-minute post-show, informal-to-the-point-of-slightly-bonkers, audience-led, interactive live discussion programme, which followed the main Springwatch show on BBC Red Button. That's what you said when we asked you for your thoughts and ideas at the end of Springwatch 2009.
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Well, the powers that be at the BBC liked it too. They were particularly impressed by the way you, the viewers, made the show yours with your excellent questions and thought-provoking messageboard discussions and blog comments.
I'm therefore delighted to announce that Autumnwatch 2009 is going to have its own "Autumnwatch Unsprung", this time - as you requested - on BBC TWO (not Red Button) and for a full half hour. Congratulations - you've got yourself a re-commission! That's people power .....
Autumnwatch Unsprung now forms a permanent part of the new, re-shaped and re-formatted Autumnwatch 2009. For those of you who didn't catch any of the "Springwatch Unsprungs", Martin Hughes-Games chairs as our presenters answer audience questions, give more in-depth analysis on current themes, and reveal more of what goes on behind the scenes.
The success of Autumnwatch Unsprung relies entirely on the quality and volume of your questions, observations and contributions, so please join in right now.
Each week we'll have a special blog where you can post your questions direct to the team. There's even an easy short-cut link to this on our homepage and index pages.
Martin and the team will also be monitoring what's going on on the messageboards and keeping and eye out for the best of your Home Movies and autumn photos, uploaded to our Autumnwatch Flickr site.
So please get posting, debating, asking, filming and photographing so we get the first Autumnwatch Unsprung off to a flying start ..... it's all yours.
Tim Scoones is the Executive Producer of Autumnwatch
Autumnwatch 2009
Fri 2nd October - Fri 20th November
9-10pm every Friday night on BBC TWO
(followed by Autumnwatch Unsprung 10-10.30pm on BBC TWO, plus
a repeat of the main show for family viewing on Saturday afternoons on BBC TWO)... and across the BBC on regional TV, local radio, on the web... and where you live
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~01~RS~)
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Awesome, cannot wait!
WFA
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Do the presenters get Autumn/Winter migrant visitors to their gardens/feeders, if they do; what are they?
Wildlife Filmer Adam
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** Is already hopping around with impatience **
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Ooh I can't wait for this. Even more Unsprung interaction. Thanks! :)
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Thanks to the BBC for listening to us. We really do love Unsprung!
Power to the people! Hurray!
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Can Autumn watch or any member tell me if the Hornets we now regularly receive (only for about the last 3 years) are killing all the honeybees. My flowering ivy that I encourage for late foraging was smothered in honeybees 2 days ago - 2/3 hornets appeared and now no honey bees. I know Hornets kill bees to get the larvae but can they be this voracious so quickly? I live in the countryside, I am not only a plantswoman but a garden designer and my garden of an acre is filled with nectar/fruit/wildlife friendly plants - I would be keen to know if the increase in the hornet population is helping to cause the demise of the honey bee population (there are of course other factors such as virus and possibly mobile phone masts) and why is there an increase in the hornet population?
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Skulls are, we think, a)fox, b)badger c)otter
Any Good?
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Love the new show and format - but why is it on so late? My children love watching the shows but are too tired to stay awake for whole show and have missed unsprung altogether. Is there a repeat at an earlier time for younger children?
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Hi all, i had to add a blog ( my 1st) as I had to advise Kate to watch out for slugs with her dog. When my dog was young he ate slugs and he nearly died, as they caused a problem like lung worms. He even had to have a blood transfusion!!!
Be very careful
xx
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My wife and I were in Bowness on Windermere a couple of weekends ago and there were Two large flocks of trying to settle in the trees near the lake, there were hundreds of them
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Above comment should have mentioned Jackdaws
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Simon clearly needs to come back to civilisation and get some professional help!
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Can the team answer a question please? Why do migrating birds fly in a V formation? I've often wondered about this.
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Tonight, the question of rescueing wildlife cropped up. Wildlife rescue opens the door to educate people about what they have found. Yes, it should be done responsably but human nature says help it first. Concequences later. I am a Licienced bat worker and run East Dorset Bat Rescue and Rehabilitation.People do not expect to have an encounter with a bat until it happens and most know they are protected by law and want to help the bat. I am not able to release all the casualties due to the nature of their injuries, and hard decisions have to be made.However, what a privilage to be able to release a bat back out to it's colony area as a fit individual for a second chance at life. Right now I have a Natterers, Whiskered ( cat attacks ) and a Brown Longeared ( flypaper ) all recovering for release with the clock ticking as Autumn sets in.
Battysally
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Just heard on the local Anglia news that a captive reindeer has attacked someone and has been put down. Am I the only one who thinks this is wrong
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loved the informal relaxed feel of the Autumn watch Unsprung,keep it coming with the quizz,s
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love it keep it coming....
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last week saw migrating birds in a v shape-why do they do this formation?
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Hi
I love conkers: hanging on, tumbling, eyeing you from their split caskets. Tell us about conkers? What feeds on them? Aa a youngster I strung them up and beat their skulls in,safe violence, and now every year collect a bowlful to display their pristeen loveliness.
Please string this poem to your programme. Yes... it concerns conkers.
The Conquering Wind?
The wind breathed unhurriedly
Autumn would prevail
Though one conker held on tightly
Determined not to fail.
One conker dug its heels in
Refused to hear the call
Would not budge one millimetre
Determined no to fall.
“Just let go,” the wind said,
“Your finest hour is near.”
“Shan’t!” said the conker
“I can see so much from here.”
“Come now,” said the wind,
“You can’t succeed… young pip.
“I shall simply blow the harder
Until you lose your grip.”
“Won’t,” said the conker
Holding tighter still,
“This is not about your power
It’s about my stronger will.”
“Stay calm, don’t panic,” said the wind
It’s not so big a deal
Simply relax and plummet
That’s not so much to feel.”
“Panic me? Never!
When I gaze out on this scene
Panic is not the term to use
The word you want’s serene.”
“Relax!” soothed the wind
With a haunting voice
You’re nervous as a yellow leaf
And youalso have no choice.”
“Have too!” said the conker
“And I’ve decided that I’ll stay
I’ve taken up residence
So you can… just blow away.”
“On your own? I understand.
It really is time to move.
You’ve lasted longer than the rest
You’ve nothing left to prove.
Come on! It can’t be much fun
No one to share a doubt.
Nothing to do but nothing
Doing nothing but hang about.”
“Ah… but I can close my eyes
Knowing as I do
That when I open them again
There’ll be this endless view.”
“Give in,” said the wind
Falling is your destiny
Your letting go in autumn
Is like blowing is to me.
You tumble. I gust;
It was always so.”
“But,” said the conker, maybe
There’s room for difference to grow.
Why can’t I be different?
Why can’t there be a twist?
Every tornado is unique
Maybe my unique is to resist.”
The wind sighed… then huffed
“Be it on your own head then
Make ready for the storm
After I count to ten.
One: Let me tell you
Two: I am an entity of might
Three: That can toss you just a little way
Four: Or hurl you out of sight.
Five: Let me warn you
Six: Without going round and round
Seven: That a wind can pluck you gently
Eight: Or hurl you to the ground.
Nine: And smashed, you’ll be defenceless
Ten: Before a dozen kinds of rot.”
The conker countered quickly
“But you’ll never shift me from this spot.”
The wind screeched, the wind screamed
Howled to sink a battleship
Would conker capitulate
Would conker lose its grip?
“You’ve done well, stubborn nut
But look! All the leaves have gone.
Now you have no shelter
To depend upon.”
“Canopy or open sky
No matter how you blow
Not even in a hurricane
Will I let go.”
The wind roared, the wind battered
Bellowed up a bombard blast
That could snap the sturdiest tree.
The conker shook and swung but held fast.
The wind shifted suddenly
Into its mightiest gear
Rising to a thunder clap
That even mountains fear.
The conker road the tempest
Stuck firmly to its station
Clinging by sheer guts
And sheer determination.
Then the wind dropped to catch its breath
From blast to gale to squall
And in that momentary lapse
The conker chose to fall.
“You caught me out while my back was turned,”
The wind pouted with bad grace
The conker was feeling comforted
By its landing place.
The conker lay snug and cosy
The fall had been a joy
The impact: just a bounce or too
Leaving the wind a harmless toy.
The conker lay snug and cosy
Amidst a leafy bed, a haven resort
And the leaves tickled comfortingly
Which tickled an amusing thought:
“I can see so much further now,” the conker called,
Laying there so fancy free,
“You shouldn’t have used brute force, silly wind
You should just have tickled me.
But no! When persuasion faltered
You resorted to assault and battery
You attacked… but I conquered
That’s because I’m from a ‘conkering’ tree.”
David Lockyer (Poem finished: 02/10/09)
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hi martin
really enjoy this unsprung malarchy!!
so this strong west wind will bring migrant birds here from america!
how far will a strong east wind bring migrants? russia? china??
and does anyone know if these 'lost' birds ever get to where their supposed to go??
i bet packham knows! he's 'knowledge johnson'
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Was very disappointed last night when they said that in Wales we would have to wait until 11.15 to watch unsprung!!! That's not fair,11.15p.m. was just too late. Great programme though.
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Looks like its going to be a really great series but I too thought it was on far too late 'til I realised that it was repeated on Saturday at 6.15 - great. I'm sure that more than "quite a few" folk have asked after Bill as Martin mentioned. Personally I think he's a great miss but I do like Chris also. Please can you repeat the answers to the skull quiz? we were unable to hear the first 2 answers for the noise from Martins "fan club". Also does Simon ask to go away from the others for his stint? He seems to be left out of the Unsprung apart from one or two visits to him. It's obviously going to be the best programme on the box this autumn and it's great to see it back. Congratulations to Kate on being made RSPB president. Well done.
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I don,t like the new format and Unsprung is just the presenters showing off. Having the audience taking is down grading at best
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I don,t like the new format and Unsprung is just the presenters showing off. Having the audience taking is down grading at best.
The only person i like on the show is Simon
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I'm so enjoying this evening's programme and in particular the siting of the small mammal boxes in the orchard.
How can I send you a very amusing Spiderman image which is actaully an Araneus quadratus (Female) but looks just like a Spiderman?
Patricia Kreyer
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I was wondering if anyone on the Autumnwatch team can help clear up a very important matter. I did not realize that Kingfishers are protected species and that you have to have a license to take photographs of them. I also know that Smooth snakes, Night jars are protected too.
Is there anywhere that I can download a full list all of the species that are protected and that you need a license for?
Thank you.
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How do I upload photos to this website??????
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Heard a cuckoo at 09.00 this morning.Can't remember ever hearing one in October before.
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A pair of ring necked doves are nesting (their 3rd batch) in an apple tree in my garden - they have been their for about 3 weeks! This must be very late - they successfully reared the other 2 clutch of chicks. Does anyone else have any similar nestings?
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Hi guys - love the new look show - you all seem to get along really well - bet you guys end up in the pub after the show!! We have heard chiff chaffs down in Bournemouth this week. Also found 2 knotgrass caterpillrs on local heathland in Dorset this week feeding on bramble. Keep up the great programme!! chiff chaff lady x
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Yes - me again - how can you upload photos to this website??
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im sure there are people who love and people who hate the show - I think its great as its not too complicated after a hard week at work to watch!!! and Unsprung is hilarious - makes us laugh so much!! chiff chaff lady
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Wasps - advice needed please. There is presently an active nest under the eaves of my house. Been there all summer. It has been a real nuisance as the wasps are finding their way into my and my neighbours bathrooms. I wanted to seal up the entrance to the nest once it becomes inactive. I wonder if, come the spring/summer, a live nest will then be trapped or will it remain empty. The last thing I want to do is seal it up and then new wasps hatch but are trapped. Can someone enlighten me please - maybe Chris can help?
Thank you for any advice you can give me.
p.s any advice on detering wasps?
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Does anyone have advice on constructing swift nest boxes at the apex of a roof gable end? We have had a pair of swifts nesting under the peak of our roof in Totnes for several years and I would like to provide help for more.
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RE Question from Happysringflower: By flying in a V formation, migrating birds can fly in one another's slip-stream. This allows them to cover greater distances with less effort. If you watch closely you'll see that the position at the head of the V changes regularly, as they take turns to do the hard work up front.
Rgs
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What's the cue for ladybird hibernation. We've got clouds of them descending on the house right now, as they've done for a few years now. Is it day/night temperature ratio, day length, what? They all seem to come in the space of a few hours.
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I Love the format of Autumn Watch unsprung, its so informal and welcoming, but can we also have more of simon,he seems a bit left out. Although i love the programme could we have a it less " studio like".... Thanks again. Looking forward to this weeks show !!
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i have fox that comes and does a circuit around my house and area everynight however i have noticed that as its been getting darker earlier the earlier the fox has been coming out. i was wondering why tht was? also i was wondering if i should feed it and if so is there enything i shouldnt feed it? like dogs cant have chicken bones is it the same for foxes? from alex in brixham aged 13 :)
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Sorry, I did not explain myself too well! I meant that although it is getting darker earlier the fox is coming out before dusk. It used to come out as it was getting dark, not whilst it was light. The other question about food is explained properly I think. Thanks from Alex in Brixham aged 13 :)
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Re Painted Lady sightings....1 on Cley beach on Tuesday 6th October,hope this helps....Gallinago
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We haven`t had much mention of plants in Autumn yet. In Bedfordshire I had wild primroses blooming in my garden in late september.Some years they bloom in November even in the frost.I also heard a chiffchaff at this time.Please can we have less background music, it drowns out the natural sounds, such as geese,and those wonderfull stags on Rum,which we have tuned in to appreciate and is very irritating. The unsprung questions are excellent,providing much food for thought.
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Hi - saw 4 Painted Lady butterflies on our verbenas today and one yesterday. They look in good condition too. Thanks for a lovely programme - oh I'm in North Devon forgot to say!
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Just to let you know that I am heading up a team at Filey Bird Observatory in North Yorkshire, training bird ringers and we have had a mass movement of Redwings/Blackbirds/Song Thrush over the past six days but hardly any Fieldfare (11!!) Also trapped first Hawfinch, and over 600 birds. It is open for the public as part of the BTO 100 anniversary and completed this Sunday (18th) although had to stop today (Friday) because of high winds. Could do with a good forecast on autumnwatch tonight.
Peter
p.s. there are three pictures on flickr (jay, Redwing, hawfinch)
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Hi everyone
Saw huge flocks of starlings this evening coming into roost on the Somerset Levels. We spotted a kestrel and other birds of prey in the area which meant there was no displaying - the starlings came swooping in very low and dropped straight down into the reedbeds. Still quite a spectacle though given the numbers of birds flying overhead.
My daughter, Tilly (who's 10) has a couple of questions - how long do the starlings chatter for after they've settled in the reeds, and why do they do it? They were still chattering away, making an enormous racket, when we left, yet it was pretty dark and no more starlings were coming in to roost. It was a beautiful bright and clear evening. Does that make them more talkative?!
We're loving Autumnwatch and Autumnwatch Unsprung. Please can we have more of Simon's theatrics!
Thanks!
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i think red kites are beautiful animals, i have got one in my area and you really get to know the bird, however i have chickens in my garden and when they see it soaring above the dive for cover, but will the red kite hunt the chickens? or is it too big?
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Loving unsprung, watching it with my kids. A great way to end the week.
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I love Autumnwatch, but feel the previous format of every night of the week was much better. Friday night is so often the the night one is out socialising, thus missing this magical programme. please return to the old format for Springwatch. thankyou.
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I have just come back from Snettisham in Norfolk where are all the geese are they later this year
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i too had a duck egg which had another duck egg inside. i cooked and ate both eggs - delicious.
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Loved the footage of the fox cubs on the trampoline!
One of the interesting things about this behaviour is that it is completely innate. Many years ago we raised a small group of cubs from very young (as part of the Fox Project fox rescue scheme) and watched them grow prior to release back to the wild.
As they developed we saw them start to use this hunting technique in the garden where they had a run. No adults had taught them this.
Incidentally, where possible we fed them on roadkill and it was REALLY interesting to see how they reacted to different animals. The grey squirrel we tried became more of a plaything that got nibbled from time to time, at no point did they seem interested in it as proper food.
However, when it came to birds, they went completely nuts (remember these are wild cubs raised without parents). Something inside was telling them that here was a food item worth fighting over.
A wonderful few weeks before we had to say goodbye and release them (eventually) back to the wild. Thoroughly recommend it!
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whilst at Calke Abbey Derbyshire this weekend, I was treated to some spectacular deer rutting, with 2 obvious staggs watching each other for some time in close proximaty, turning and what amounted to fencing with antlers before going into full lock.
the looser of this round taking flight. Eventually the 2 stags met up and walked side by side at a distance of about 3 metres appart. Without warning turned to face each other and went straight into a ferrocius lock. To my surprise a third stag appeared from nowhere and immediately charged in leaving all three locked together. After about 1 minute all released with the dominant stagg chasing the others away
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I'm writing this on behalf of my mother Jennifer Goldring.
A few questions:
1.How heavy are antlers? Could we have the answer in pounds and ounces please!
2.How soon after the rutting season are the antlers shed?
3.How long does it take a new pair to grow to maturity?
I think Autumnwatch is a wonderful programme-full of sex,violence,comedy and tragedy-much better than any soap opera.
Congratulations to all of you-keep it up!
Jennifer-Hertfordshire
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looking forward to fridays show
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Hello Everyone
Can you help? Do gulls migrate in large numbers around this time of year? as I have counted over 2000 in one evening of what looked liked gull shaped birds.some people have sugested they may be greylag geese but I am not so sure has they did not look like geese.While flying overhead they made very little noise and were in small groups of around ten and fifteen birds.Hope you could help me out on this?
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Love the show & enjoying Unsprung v much. We love watching many varieties of birds feed on our various feeders & watching them bath in the pools of the waterfall to our fish pond, we'd noticed goldfinches enjoying this & a relative advised us to buy thistle seed to encourage them. We now have up to 9 goldfinches regulary feeding from dawn to dusk. They are quite characters when feeding, they all seem to take seed then glance around & carry on, sometimes forming queues on the surrounding branches waiting to feed. They are really beautiful birds & wonderful to watch. Amazing as well how quickly they found this seed!
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Prefer the nightly shows like Springwatch - Fridays and Saturdays are often difficult watching nights. PLEEEEASE also may we in future have Unsprung in all regions straight after the main programme? Here in Wales we have to wait till 11.15 so it isn't "live" and it's rather late.
In spite of the niggles - a brilliant programme, thank you
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Hello,
Whilst in Devon in early October (in the Kingsbridge area) we came across a pair of Little Egrets and managed to photograph one of them looking for food, is this common for this area?
Also spotted were Bittern (Slapton Ley), Heron (same location) and Buzzards near Strete.
regards
Peter
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I just wanted you to know, yesterday we saw a female mallard duck with 8/9 fluffy little babies! How late is that! Thanks for an awesome programme
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Last night had me on the edge of my seat, I so envied you the feeling when the knot went over. For the last 2 years we have been to windsor Canada to stay with my son. W have sat in the garden and watched the black squirrels, humming birds,seen huge amount of geese in the field beside the garden, had eagles overhead and seen possums and purcpines. When visiting a friend who had a bungalow a huse flock of canada geese went over the top like a squadren of planes, to quote them it was awsome.... excitedly calling my husband our friend said its only canada geese. I said that I did see them twice a year in scotland, but a minute V in the sky far up calling to each other. The programme should never end its the best of the week, such superb photography. Well done everyone.
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i would like to know why there are so few blackbirds in my garden so far this year.last year i had by now and had some that fed near me.i live in west sussex.
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Please could the team explain when we go to North Norfolk we notice at dusk the geese seem to fly inland not as we seem to hear that they roost on the coast JJ-BARNOWL-Nch
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I have been looking at an RHS gift book issued for Christmas and came across two items I thought strange. One was a container to hang out toasted bread for birds (I thought bread wasn't good for them) and the other was a blackbird caller, said to enable the user to "join in the fun" when a blackbird was singing. Do they not realise that he is doing this to announce his territory and the use of this caller may well distract him and use his precious energy in looking for the unseen rival? Perhaps the RHS need reminding that birds are not just a fashionable accessory to "Wildlife" gardens?
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Love the new format of Autumnwatch. spotted some Harlequin Ladybirds in Surrey- Has anyone else seen albino squirrels? Seen the odd one during the last 5 yrs here in Surrrey.
Can we have more of Simon on the show?!
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I posted a blog earlier today and ended up as "you" do I have to include my name for it to appear on my blog or was there a glitch?
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I think the answer is yes - I do have to include my name!!!!
Quarkbird
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Nerd alert!! Was watching recording of one of the earlier episodes and realised Chris's "nerd" session about why we have seasons had a mistake.. Haven't seen anyone else post on this unless it's hiding somewhere.
THe idea that we have seasons because we are either closer to of farther from the sun is wrong - the sun is 93million miles away so a tilt of a few thousand doesn't make much difference. Real answer is because, when "we" tilt in towards the sun, the earth's surface is about 90degreess to the incoming light so it falls on a minimum area. As we then tilt away in winter, the same light hits the surface at an angle and so is spread over a wider area (try it out with a sheet of card and a pencil torch...)
Also explains why winters tend to be colder the further north you go - earth is not flat like that sheet of card but curving away at ever steeper angles...
Keep up the great stuff!! PS has anyone ever gone to Montrose Basin to see the birds...
BJtheProf
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We have a peacock who turned up in June this year and has stayed with us. What can we do to help him through the winter? We feed him peanuts, birdseed, mealy worms and dried fruit, and he helps himself to our vegetables!
He roosts in the highest horse chestnut tree which provides good protection but when the leaves fall will he be too exposed?
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Can anyone tell me if they have seen a blackbird, or other bird taking newts? Over the last 3 years we have had a blackbird, I am not sure it is the same one, stand on the edge of our pond. When a newt comes up for air it swoops across the water taking the newt with its beak.
Then spend the next 5 minutes beating it to death. In the 3 years it seems to have cleared our pond. - jim norman
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Can anyone tell me if they have seen a blackbird, or other bird taking newts? Over the last 3 years we have had a blackbird, I am not sure it is the same one, stand on the edge of our pond. When a newt comes up for air it swoops across the water taking the newt with its beak.
Then spend the next 5 minutes beating it to death. In the 3 years it seems to have cleared our pond. -
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I have found 11 newts in my greehouse this morning what should I do to help the through the winter?
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On 29th Oct I was surprised to see a quail running up and down my garden chirping away. He (I think) did not run off but happily munched on the wild bird seed I put out for him. Looking on internet and in bird book he should not even be here now. I live in Derbyshire but not need woodlands only a very small park at the end of the road. Where did he come from!!
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We have loads of swans in the sea near us - I thought swans were found in fresh water not salt
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We have pipistrelle bats at the end of our barn. They moved in many years ago before the waney-edge boards were finished off. We think it's about time we completed the job but don't want to disturb the bats. They mostly fly out from the top but some come out of the bottom, probably because there are so many of them now. Their guano falls out the bottom where the unfinished cladding leaves a gap.
(1) Will the banging disturb them during the day or even harm them?
(2) If we seal the bottom will the build up of their guano eventually force them out?
(3) If the base is sealed will they adapt to only using the top edge to come and go?
(4) Does the colony keep expanding until there is no more room or do they regulate their population according to their space?
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I really loved un-spung last night , learning about wildlife and nature has just become more fun.And seeing the skunk and waiting for something to happen...sorry kate no offence....haha.
Now for a question.Ive got a bird box that a few different types of tit have had a nose at but havent taken lodgings yet.I dont suppose because a sparrow hawk whooshed through my garden the other week and got a pigeon had anything to do with it ????
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We were walking yesterday and saw a chaffinch with heavily feathered lower legs and feet. The feathering appeared to be a slight problem when he was hopping along the ground. Has anyone seen this in a chaffinch before and is there an explanation?
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Reply to janelinus (comment 71): hi there - your quail in the garden sighting in Derbyshire may have been an escaped bird from a farm where they breed them - since it was so tame and came to bird seed. Alternatively we now know that some wild quail do pass across the UK in autumn at night, unseen by bird watchers. How do we know? Because we have been studying the prey of a pair of peregrines that nest on Derby Cathedral (put 'derby peregrines' into a search engine to see live web cams and read the blog) and a couple of years ago we found the feathers of a quail! Quail are also recorded at other urban peregrine nests, along with an amazing range of birds (the list is now over 100 species taken by peregrines!).
In Derby the prey list now numbers fifty species including an amazing record of an arctic tern which had a Swedish ring on its leg, 11 species of wading bird, sveral duck, thrushes, swifts, magpoies, jays and even a waxwing!
Hope that helps......
earthstarnick
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Two weeks ago at Mugdock Country Park we saw a number of lovely hairy caterpillars - a rich brown colour and about 1 and a half inches long. Do you know what they were?
Do tell us more about Royston and let us see more of him.
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please can someone please give martin hughes-games a hair clip?
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What's with Chris' Blade Runner t-shirts? Is it the owl?
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My Grandad used to mix bread and milk for garden birds everymorning, is milk ok for them?
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Chris,
What's with the 'Bladerunner' T Shirts? you knew someone would notice!
Regards
Graham
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Chris's comment on Autumnwatch 6/11/09 that black squirrels are found in Cambs - well they are found in Hertfordshire in Baldock, Hitchen and Stevenage - we have seen them regularly in our firend's gardens
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Is there anyway to see if I can get hold of Chris Packham's cue card with Adam Ant on the back from the Friday Show that he used right before the Unsprung show?
I am a huge Adam Ant / Autumn Watch fan and am involved in the official Adam Ant web site. We have a forum post up about seeing the Adam Ant card on TV. I would like to donate some money to Children in Need if I can get hold of the card if possible? Just don't know where else to ask?
Cheers for reading.
Kith
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I live on the moors of Exmoor and we have been watching a pair of hen harriers on a regular basis recently. I dont think they have young but there are, i am sure two seperate pairs looking at the markings and colouration on the male bird....I understand these are quite rare now.
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Love the Autumnwatch format, especially Unsprung, any chance of doing this for Springwatch next year? I know Spring changes quicker but 2 shows per week for 6 weeks would be great, again with 30min of Unsprung.
Just seen a Sparrow Hawk chase a Kestrel away from a dove it had just caught and killed, is this common?
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Can you help? This year fron June until now I have had 8 or so great tits with avian pox. the rspb said it is highly infectious so why haven't other species on the bird feeders caught it?
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I love the programme, but what irritates me a little is the reference to Scotland as if it were a foreign country rather than part of the UK. Last week there were references to "over to Simon in Scotland" for example, with no mention of where in Scotland he was. Then "back to Bristol". I noted the same issue in Springwatch earlier this year when presenters referred to "Simon in Wales" without specifying where. I am not Scottish or Welsh, but let's see the English presenters be more aware of the geography of the UK and be less Anglocentric. And, yes, I am aware that Kate lives in Wales.
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A friend of mine recently found the pet rabbit in the back garden dead with no head and so far been unable to find the head. A neighbour of theirs has stated that there is 'an animal' living under their garden shed, ? a stoat. The garden is surrounded by 6ft fencing, is it possible that this could have been predation by an animal or is hooliganism the cause?
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WE LOVE THE PROGRAMME, BEST EVER, UNSPRUNG IS THE ICING ON THE CAKE! PLEASE LET'S HAVE MORE! MICHAEL AND I FOUND A TAWNY OWL IN THE GUTTER, DURING A RAIN STORM, WE RESCUED HIM AS HE WAS SUFFERING FROM HYPOTHERMIA. THE VET SAID WE DID THE RIGHT THING, HE (OGLET!) WOULD DEFINATELY HAVE DIED. HE IS NOW FLOURISHING IN HORSHAM IN A SANCTUARY, UNTIL HE GETS BACK TO FULL STRENGTH. WE LOVED SEEING YOUR TAWNY CALLED BASIL, SEEING THEM SO CLOSELY IS A VERY MOVING EXPERIENCE. IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND CONFIDENCE THROUGH AUTUMNWATCH, TO BE ABLE TO HELP. THANKS, MELANIE JAGO X
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What do the oil-workers do when there's sick or injured birdlife found on our oil-rigs? Is there any aid given or set proceedure followed for the recovery of those birds found (for they surely must have some awful cases out there, it being so entirely exposed to the elements)?
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please bring back the two week format and if possible the great Bill Oddie in some capacity,we really dont need the boss lady of the rspb making weak jokes about knots alongside the rest of the comedy presenters,this year its a great series ruined.
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Hi we watch the programme ever week and love it so do our children wish it was on longer.
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I go walking regularly and see a lot of wildlife. However, I was out walking a few weeks ago and saw something that really took me by surprise! It looked like something from another planet, in the way it both looked and moved. I identified it as a Scorpion Fly which belongs to an ancient group of insects which both Moths & Butterflies are thought to have evolved from. Its feeding habits are also strange as it sometimes steals food from spiders webs with its strange beak-like mouth. Its totally harrmless even though its tail looks like a scorpion! I just wondered if you had ever seen any footage of this strange insect, or could possibly discuss it in the future?
Cheers.
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I love the contributions made to the programmes by Gordon Buchanan. His genuine enthusiasm, natural manner, pleasant voice, all make him my favourite presenter. Last year, his filming of the fox family in Glasgow, and this year, the whales around our shores, were real highlights. More of Gordon please; in fact, give him his own programme!
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could anyone advise ,a beautiful wood pidgeon has been coming into our garden for quite some time , he comes to feed and had become quite relaxed with us , he had not been in for a while but came back the other day and his neck looks swollen , he still come to feed but was struggling to get much down ,he also will not let you too near , is it best to leave him as i dont want to stress him or try to catch him and see if i can get help for him , i dont want him to suffer over the winter or do i let nature take its course , it could be somthing minor i dont know , any ideas would be appritiated thankyou .
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I just wanted to say I love the the show, I have always been interested in the great outdoors. Growing up in Missouri USA with my grandmothers farm of 2,000 acres and all the animals that come with it! After moving to Scotland I love the propect of being able to take long walks on a summers eveing without the fear of coming across rattlesnakes, Osage Copperheads, Timber rattlesnakes, Bullsnakes and Prairie King Snakes. Missouri is a beautiful state with very diverse animals,(Cottontail rabbits, Racoons, skunks, bobcats, opossum,bats,and wood chucks,) but we do get our fair share of snakes.
I love the show's format very personal and welcoming, especially the unsprung show fun and yet always educational.
Thanks for opening an American's eyes
Holly Kilday
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Fantastic show this autumn, however I am gutted that it has become a weekly weekend show. When it was 4 nights in the week I watched nearly every one but this autumn I have only seen two, due to weekend commitments. Please return to your wonderful 4 nights in the week next year.
Thanks for all your hard work.
Nigel in Bristol
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On Novermber 18th I sww tow swallows flying very low over the ground. Some of our spring flowers are already in bloom.
co limerick, ireland
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This morning I found a pile of frog spawn on a sodden patch of a friends lawn I have put it in my pond as they do not have a pond.
i have never seen frogspawn at this time of year
we live in the forest of dean gloucestershire and it gets cold early here it is also at present very wet.
have other people seen frogspawn and do the eggs stand any chance at all
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