Springwatch 2010 starts here...
| 11:13 UK time, Monday, 10 May 2010
Springwatch is back! Once again, we'll be celebrating the best of the UK's wildlife, bringing you all the news, views and action from across the country live, and as it happens. And we're hoping you'll join in and get involved as in previous years - your input makes the Springwatch season all the more special and rewarding for us.
All the usual Springwatch live telly gets going for three weeks from 31 May - now in glorious high definition! And this year, the wider "Springwatch Wild Season" is bigger than ever, with a huge range of broadcasts and public events all over the country.
The season begins with three themed one-hour Springwatch Specials on BBC TWO, from 8-9pm on 17, 19 and 20 May - three real TV treats to get you in the mood.
Springwatch Signs of Change - Chris investigates one of the biggest issues of the day - how is climate change affecting the UK's wildlife?
Springwatch City Living with Simon King - Simon uses his field craft skills in our cities, to explore the wildlife in the urban jungle.
Springwatch High Seas with Gordon Buchanan - Gordon discovers the marine riches of our seas, including his dramatic encounters with killer whales in UK waters.
On the weekends of the three weeks of Springwatch (particularly 5/6 June) look out for our "Springwatch Wild Days Out" - Family fun days full of natural delights happening somewhere near you. Visit the event finder to put in your postcode and find out what will be going on near you.
And, new for 2010, we are proud to announce the Wild Night In on BBC TWO on
20 June - a big and exciting new idea, and the grand finale of the Springwatch Wild Season 2010. Springwatch will be raising money for the BBC Wildlife Fund, supporting conservation projects both in the UK and across the globe as they help the world's threatened wildlife and wild places. We're asking everyone to get involved and help us to raise as much money as possible. Why not get going right now, and get your family, friends, and neighbours to join you? The world's wildlife desperately needs your help.
SPRINGWATCH - LIVE ON BBC TWO AND ON RED BUTTON
Chris and Kate in the wilds of Norfolk
It's our third year in Norfolk and there's still so much to discover in this wildlife hotspot. Besides delving into the consequences of this year's extraordinary winter, and keeping you up to date with a range of animal family stories on our webcams, Chris and Kate will be out exploring the Norfolk beyond Pensthorpe from the iconic Broads to the stunning coastline. Here they'll unearth the local wildlife and introduce you to exciting new animal characters.
Simon King heads to Dorset on an exploration of Britain's diverse habitats
Simon will be based in this beautiful county, known to have amongst the most diverse range of wildlife and wild places. He'll be using his incredible field craft skills and hi-tech equipment to share the treasures of this amazingly wildlife-rich region. Simon will take us on a journey from spectacular chalk downland through gin-clear streams, via our rare and fascinating lowland heathlands, to the dramatic Jurassic coast and finally beneath the waves to meet some mysterious marine creatures.
Martin is on the road again taking Springwatch out to meet you
Travelling around the country Martin will be meeting some of you, our viewers, to hear your stories and find out how you can get involved in your own local areas. He'll be answering your nature questions and solving some of your wildlife mysteries.
Gordon's mission: to discover truly weird and wonderful creatures
Gordon is back from his high seas adventures and on another mission for Springwatch to find weird and wonderful creatures around the country. He's discovered the rare, the strange and the downright hilarious.
Our resident geek Chris celebrates all things geeky
Chris is out and about meeting pioneering scientists and members of the public who have had amazing revelations about animals, all thanks to their passion for the natural world. Bringing UK wildlife science to you through clear and simple geek speak.
And then there's you - our Springwatchers!
We're relying on you to be our eyes and ears where the cameras can't reach: across our cities, towns and villages, and in our parks, gardens and local nature reserves. We'll be looking at your photos, answering your questions, asking your opinions on hot wildlife topics, surveying what you've seen in your local patch and encouraging everyone to get involved.
Every year you are so active and send in such wonderful stuff, so we've created three (yes three!) TV/red button shows just for you. Springwatch Unsprung is back, with its own slot on BBC TWO and we're proud to announce two new shows on Red Button, straight after the main show - every Tuesday night will be Springwatch Pub Quiz night (you can play along at home with your remote control) and every Wednesday we'll be getting together with our Springwatch Photo Club to celebrate all our amazing photographers in the Springwatch Flickr group.
Springwatch starts here. We can't wait to get going and we hope you'll be joining us.
Comments
Its been a long long wait - great to see you back!
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Brilliant! Decent family TV at last, can't wait!!
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from Wildlife Filmer Adam:
Woo! Awesome.
I cannot wait! Excited!
I know it's going to be fab!
Cheers.
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BRILLIANT!
Can't wait,so much to do so much to see...bring it on!
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I am looking forward to the new series.
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I am new to this but the program is excellent. I would like help on the following. Yesterday I was working in the garden and found a nest on the ground with 5 small pink eggs in. I left everything be, but today looked from a distance and it a Robin coming in & out. But the eggs are pink not blue. Any advice or comments welcome
cheers Andy
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Hurrah, its been a long time, cant wait. When will be know where Martin is going to be?
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This all sounds very exciting - can't wait to see you all again! The specials sound great too.
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Really looking forward to the forthcoming shows. My school along with many others in Kent and elsewhere has been part of a Birdbox Project with Nestcams. I'm really proud of some our videos - try the Birdbox Project and watch a variety of Blue Tits and Great Tits as they lay eggs, incubate them, hatch them and then feed. My class are so excited about the prospect of seeing them fledge.
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!!! I am ridiculously, unashamedly excited by the return of Springwatch 2010 (especially the pub quiz idea!!) It seems bigger and better than ever!
So glad there was the decision to return to the original live format
I LOVE this show, I've been watching it ever since it was "wild in your garden" in 2003. I was 11, and I'm now 18. It first sparked off my love of nature and has nurtured and developed it ever since. Long may it last.
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Cant wait for the new series, although it will be the last at Pensthorpe (my local!!) its been a pleasure and joy to have the team based in Norfolk for the last 2 years.
I will certainly be watchinh the extra programmes before, during and after the series, and hopefully maybe have one of my photos mentioned!
Keep the amazing work the team does going
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Thank goodness...we are now at the countdown stage. It's been a long time...(well it seems that way!!)
Good luck to everyone for the new series.
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When Spring arrives, this time of year is very beautiful and I count the days until Springwatch is on the telly. last year's programs
were very enjoyable thank you.
So far I have seen 5 or 6 different kinds of butterflies and they were quite amazing.
How is Bill Oddie?
I hope he is much better.
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Looking forward to Springwatch this year as my husband and I are going to Norfolk in June for a week, hopefully we will find out all the best places to see Wildlife!!
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great to see you back..! can we have pictures of a buzzard's nest site, (i know chris thinks they're common !) and bullfinches...i don't remember either on previous shows.
keep up the good work.
ps best wishes to bill.
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You won't believe it, but we refuse Cable Service Providers who don't offer BBC here in the Netherlands, even if they are a lot cheaper, because then I would miss "my" yearly Springwatch. Can't wait!!!
Marion from the Netherlands
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I still think you should send Chris and Gordon to investigate my garden. Not that there's anything unusual about it...but it'd be nice to have them visit - I might even make cakes...
Oh all right, bring Kate and Martin and Simon too...
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Great to have you all back-can't wait for the first programme!!
I've got a duck nesting in my rockery in front of the house. It has been sitting on fourteen(14) eggs for the past three weeks-what is the incubation period for eider ducks, as I would like to get into the rockery to tidy it up!!!
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I've just spotted blue tits entering a small hole in my neighbours fascia board with caterpillars in their beaks so must be feeding young. Shouldn't the 'live' Springwatch programme be on now?
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Andy your message number 6 about the Robin's eggs - very interesting scuttled off to look it up. This is what I read:-
'The smooth, non-glossy eggs are white or pale blue with reddish spots, and about 20 mm by 15 mm'
Perhaps your eggs have many 'reddish spots' which are joining together to give a pink appearance.
Lucky you! What a wonderful find.
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You're back at last, something to look forward to. Just for info after a bad year last year for Cuckoos have heard my first one early this morning.
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Should have remembered to put this in previous message. We've had a family of Robins successfully reared on a shelf right by our front door, what a treat to watch their progress we feel very honoured to have had the opportunity. Butterflies have been around but appear to have thought better of it during the last week with bitter NE winds. They'll be back when the Buddlias bloom if not before. Have kept up the feeding throughout an awfully long, cold and dreary winter to be rewarded with a wonderful dawn chorus every morning, what more could you want.
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My children are all in bed by 8pm! Yet again children have not been considered. Once upon a time there was a springwatch on CBeeBies to compensate, but not anymore!
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I had blackbirds nesting in my gutter, there were 4 babies but they seem to have left the nest too early, the last we saw of them was hopping around the garden a couple of days ago with the parents feeding them...lucky if any survived, there was also an egg left in the nest so could have been five!
then...we also had bluetits nesting in our box but this morning I found half the nest strewn across my garden and a new hatchling (dead)on the ground under the box, what went on there?
It all seems very sad.
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Given that all the nesting birds in my garden will have fledged their young by the 31st Springwatch will provide a welcome extension to the season.
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It all sounds wonderful, I can hardly wait. In the meantime we have a cam in a nest box for the first time and our blue tits chose to nest there this year - Yippee. The chicks hatched the day before yesterday and we are thoroughly enjoying watching this magical spectacle. In fact we are so glued to it that not much else is getting done around here at all!
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Great to hear the progamme is back. Maybe this will change the weather.
Saw quite a few ladybirds in Norfolk a couple of weeks ago, sitting in mother in laws garden and they seemed to be loads.
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I am glad to be signed up in your site.
I regret though that i can not se the video's on the site.
My wife and I are enjoing your programs and look forward to see the next series comming up.
Hubert
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Hi, it seems like a late start for spring watch, my camera box has 8?(its difficult to count them, they started with ten eggs) coal tits growing up quickly, theyv'e been hatched about a week now, the previous years occupants blue tits showed some quite obvious differences in behaviour, the coal tits seem very careful to feed equally, sadly the weather is against them at present.
Im only six miles from Pensthorpe so if they get short on footage!!(sadly black and white)maybe you may see them, Geoff.
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Hi -We have blue tits nesting in the garden,when do the babies fly the nest.
Looking forward to Spring Watch, keep up the good work.
Diane
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Seems so long since Autumnwatch, great to have you back! Look forward to watching SW and SW Unsprung!
Roll on 31st May!
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Ready and looking forward to this years shows.
Here,s an idea for the city slickers amongst us.
I live in a terraced house with a small back yard , the houses behind
have a small gardens 20ft square.
Take the veiw from your front and back doors and allowing 50 paces
in any direction from your house go on a wildlife hunt with your
camera perhaps.
Everything counts from the Moss on the wall to the Robins that sing
in the bush in the neighbouring garden and even those Gulls that
fly over each evening.
Once you,ve got your "eye in" you,ll be amazed at how much you see.
I number Grey Squrrels, Bats (not sure which),Robin, Gold Finch and
all usual garden birds amongst my wildlife, assorted wild flowers
and an urban Fox that lives a couple of roads away that I hear quite
regularly in the night.
Looking up from the back yard door I get the Gulls, Geese in winter,
occaisional small raptors and in summer the screech of swifts every
day.
NOT BAD from a terraced house in Liverpool, so why not get out and
see who your city wildlife neighbours are.
You might be amazed at what you find.
P S dont forget the bugs and beetles, they count as well.
GOOD HUNTING !!
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It would be great if Springwatch could run a special report on the plight of Swifts. More awareness needs to be raised of the serious concern of swifts losing their nest sites due to new houses being built without providing nesting space in roofs, and due to work to refurbish existing roofs of houses, both old and new.
This year we have noticed that since work carried out on our roof last May 2009, the swifts which were nesting above our kitchen window did not return this year, and the sky is poorer without their amazing screaming parties whirling around the house.
We live in a first floor flat of a 4-storey Victorian house. Swifts were nesting and feeding young on a nest accessed through a hole under the roof eaves just above the kitchen window. We then went away for 2 weeks and suspect that the nest site was either destroyed whilst work on the roof was being carried out, or access was blocked off. All we know is that scaffolding was erected and the adults did not return to the nest site. Being tenants, we have no say in how the landlord carries out roofing work, but we have found out that work should not have commenced whilst the swifts were nesting and that it is illegal to destroy nest sites.
On the Swift Conservation website, it says that swifts are now on the RSPB ‘amber’ list for conservation concern. (Their website is www.swift-conservation.org). Apparently, swifts rarely nest in post 1944 buildings and work to refurbish and replace roofs can often leave them without sufficient nesting space. Contrary to popular belief, swifts are clean birds and do not damage roofs like pigeons
We realise that it is probably too late for our swifts, and that nest-boxes cannot be erected or holes provided now that the scaffolding has been taken down, but we are still hoping that perhaps the roofers left sufficient space for the swifts to nest. They only need a very small gap in which to enter the roof and we are assured they cause no damage. We hope they may return, but it doesn’t look likely. I only wish we could have saved them sooner, but think we may be too late. :(
So... this is a heartfelt plea to any home-owners or developers who are planning roofing work where swifts are nesting - PLEASE remember swifts - they are in trouble and need our help!
Thanks for reading this message.
Sue
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great to see you back couldn't wait. could you tell me sparrows have taken over our house martins nest and they have not taken over the nest, will they ever come back.or have they disappeared for good.
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If anyone knows about ducks could you take a look at this photo on the Flickr group and tell me if it's a Mallard? http://www.flickr.com/photos/91969677@N00/4615599394/
I assumed she (daughter has decided to assume female until we find out otherwise) was because obviously it's the most common duck and we found her just walking along the side of the road all on her own. However she's done a couple of things that I didn't associate with Mallards. Full scale diving (swimming pond lengths under water) and catching and eating a small frog. Are those a perfectly normal Mallard behaviours?
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Watching Sings of Change.
Am I missing something - Did I see Chris with someone opening a Great Tit nest box and poking the eggs during nesting season? I thought going near nest was off limits once a nest was present?
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re.chris packham and white hare may 17 springwatch.he seemed to imply that the hare was aware that it was the ''wrong ''colour for the season [if that makes sense]. is this a fact and if so how do we know?
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re my question above; im new to this,can i expect an answer or do i have to go elsewhere?
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@ Stanley Conroy
" At 9:03pm on 17 May 2010, stanley conroy wrote:
re my question above; im new to this,can i expect an answer or do i have to go elsewhere? "
You might get an answer here; depends on who checks out the Blog page - but next week (I think) the message boards will be back up and running and you'll definately get answers to practically any question there!
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Chris gave a very convincing argument on global warming, but sadly as with all advocates of this theory he missed the greatest problem. World population.
At the turn of the 20th century world population was about 1.5 billion people and had been fairly constant for centuries. It is currently about 7 billion, if this continues then by the 22nd century there will be 35 billion of us.
If we don't curb our growth soon then all other efforts will be wasted.
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re.naturedeidre; many thanks. do i use the messageboards in the same way as the blog?do i have to register seperately to use them?
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
@Stanley Conroy
You log in with the same user name you have now. It is somewhat similar to the blog in that you post messages. It's divided into general Spring/Autumn Watch and the Webcamscontaining individual discussions/threads. The most recently updated thread is closest to the top of the page so popular topics tend to stay visible.
You can actually get a look at the message boards from the past shows just so you can have an idea of what goes on - here's the link http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbsn/
The Message Board is great and brings together such a diverse mix of people all of whom have a common interest in Nature - Enjoy!
nD
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Hi everyone
Thanks for all your comments.
Stanley - As natureDeirdre says we do our best to answer these comments when possible but we can't spot all of them. Fortunately many Springwatchers are excellent at answering one another's questions - much like natureDeirdre has helped you out here :)
With regard to the hares they change colour with the season - in summer they are brownish and perfectly camouflaged with the heather on the mountainside, and in winter they moult to their white coats to be camouflaged against the white snow. Chris's point is that now the spring is arriving earlier the snow clears up before the hares have a chance to moult back to brown leaving them exposed on the hillside.
Does that help?
NatureDeirdre - Thanks again for helping Stanley. Chris was with an expert phenologist who is experienced at ensuring minimal impact on the birds. These birds are also somewhat accustomed to these gentle and carefully timed intrusions as the scientists check their nests regularly. You are of course correct though, we certainly don't want
to encourage people to disturb nests!
It's lovely to hear your spring stories everyone!
Sam :)
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Great programme, and great to raise awareness of the perils of climate change. But, for an ignoramus like myself please attach an identity caption to all the shots of wildlfe that you show. When we walk out with friends and family we do want to demonstrate our increased awareness of the fauna we see.
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The Springwatch climate change show last night was very thought provoking and raised lots of interesting issues. The musical score was rather splendid too......had not heard The Cure for a while! On the back of the show I have registered with the Woodland Trust to record my back garden wildlife activity. Am the proud owner of my first ever back garden! Is a big learning curve!!
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I have two birdboxes in my garden and in one a family of bluetits the box is on the wall just outside my backdoor. The birds don't mind that i'm in out of that door all day. IS this normal, Enjoyed last nights show
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Great that Springwatch is back. The team are great and I feel Chris is a great presenter.
Go Springwatch!!
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I'm so excited - Spring Definately starts here for me!
My Blue Tits have begun hatching!!! 5/9 so far this morning. www.youtube.com/mrandmrsbird
I've seen them often on SpringWatch and on the internet but nothing compares to seeing your own hatch live infront of you.
I'd advise anyone who is interested in Nature to invest a nestbox with camera. Mine is colour with great sound.
Also @Sam_web_researcher thanks for comments above.
natureDeirdre
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Welcome back Springwatch team!
Glad to see some quality geek TV back on our screens..
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springwatch was a wonderful programme to watch, however it is now a platform for the BBC promoting climate change, along with Countryfile. The earth has always cooled and warmed. how did it manage it before mankind? There has NEVER been proof or evidence that if there is climate then man is to blame through co2 emissions. And there is not overwhelming support from scientists for this. More and more scientists are questioning the valididty of the claims. Stop the innuendos lies and brainwashing. It will come to pass eventually that the worry and fears created will be groundless. Stick to presenting wild life as it is.
PS. If the BBC is that concerned, stop flying and driving too many uneccessary staff around the world. How many are flying to the world cup?
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I like dontholdyourbreath am still a climate change sceptic - despite the BBC treating us as 'Flat-earthers'!
Couple of thoughts / questions about 'Signs of Change'
So we have earlier springs overall - maybe not this year! But what about length of summer does anyone measure first 'signs' of winter! Chris suggested seasons where 'moving' are they just getting earlier or earlier & longer? If just earleir should we not look at why? If longer too what effect will longer growing season have on CO2 levels?
I am struggling with a 0.7 C average rise in temp as stated moving Spring forward by 11 days! Such a small change to have such a large effect? Have we really studied why 'spring' events are getting earlier or just conveniently 'assumed' it is global warming?
While we are considering the BBC being a Global Warming Platform - does anyone else think how ironic it is that the BBC produces programs about science which covers other 'mavericks' such as Copernicus, Darwin to name but 2 who where against the consensus of their day!!! Surely the BBC should be reporting the 'maverick' views on Global Warming and not censoring them!!!!
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This is our first year using CCTV in a bird box; I recommend it to everyone. We have a family of blue tits getting on well now; some tragedy along the way - eight eggs laid but one failed to hatch and we may have lost two hatchlings - only five are visible now - probably due to the recent cold spell. We hope that the warming trend will help the parents who are working their socks off.
Apropos tawny owls, looking back to Autumn Watch - Several years ago, whilst in the TA, I was taking part in a night exercise, using an image intensifier, to observe the area of a wood, with open ground to my right.
I saw several tawny owls, (maybe 4-5 - a family group?), sitting on branches under the eaves of the wood. There was a certain amount of movement, to and fro, amongst the birds but then I saw two of them fly out over the open ground.
I have seen recordings of pairs of raptors flying claw to claw and spinning about a common centre and this was explained as either a contest between males or a means of bond reinforcement between mated pairs, by passing a food offering in flight.
I am uncertain which of these might have been taking place, because the distance was too great to be sure, but that is what these tawny owls appeared to be doing and it lasted for approximately four to five seconds. I wonder whether this behaviour has been observed at night before?
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Does anyone else have any swift observations, or is it just blue tits we're interested in?! Surely someone has something to say about the plight of swifts.. We are bereft of swifts now that our landlord has ensured the roof has no access space for them to nest. Surely Springwatch can save our swifts? - Chris could do a Save Our Swifts (SOS)special report!
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I really enjoyed watching Chris Packham on BBC2 on Monday evening, and the quite spectacular footage of Black Grfouse displaying in Wales by Simon King. Are these birds still declining around UK, or will they make a comeback ?
Also I have to question Chris comments about Climate change affecting our Spring dates. This Spring has been remarkeably late, and even now some plants have not yet fully appeared in their "scheduled" slot, and a few migrant birds have not yet arrived in this part of Sussex. Why???. It is interesting to hear from the Daily Express "Birdman", Stuart Winter, who has just returned from a trip to Hungary, where during a stroll near his hotel, he observed many songbirds, including yellowhammers, turtle doves and corn buntings, aswell as Red-backed Shrikes and Wrynecks (now extinct in UK). all apparently numerous in Hungary. As Chris Packham observed in his programme yesterday, intensive farming has impoverished the wild habitat, thus reducing our bird numbers drastically. Also as UK is an island, wildlife numbers are more confined to certain areas, where intensive farming and new housing estates are gobbling up what remains of undeveloped land. this has to be reversed and soon. we cannot afford to lose any more wild habitat, and our new Coalition must take account of this as a priority after the financial crisis measures are implemented,
Robert382
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Great to see the team back. Just like to say I heard my first cuckoo on the 1st May and saw my first swallow on the 26th April. To answer swiftlover10, we have got around 6 swifts gliding around our rooftops at the moment but usual end up with about a dozen each year. At the moment I have been watching a daddy blackbird feed 2 youngsters for the past 3 days and a pair of robins, one feeding the other[no it was not a youngster].
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Hi Jenniferjinks, Thanks for your comment about swifts. Great to see you have 6 gliding around your rooftops! ... Look after them, check out where they nest and then don't let anyone dare to drive them out with roof renovations! I'm on a mission to SAVE OUR SWIFTS(SOS) Watch this space ....
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To Robert382, Totally in agreement with your comment about intensive farming and development gobbling up remaining greenbelt land. This has to be stopped! What sort of life are we going to be subjecting ourselves to without biodiversity and green spaces? It has been proven that people need this to survive. It goes back to the beginning of time.
I made an earlier comment along the lines of people only being interested in blue tits on this blog - as an afterthought, I believe that to be a little unfair. After all, blue tits are living creatures too. BUT.. if ALL we have are blue tits and not a lot else, then where is the biodiversity? We need something of everything to ensure continuance and survival of all species. It is imperative to our existence.
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I have been watching tonights programme and Simon said that there was a decrease in house sparrows. In our graden over the last 2 year we have seen an increase from 1 to 12. Do they have individual markings that i could look to see if i can notice them?
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I was just beginning to think that the Beeb had axed the show. Thank heavens I was wrong - so glad to have you back. So is my cat.
She loves Springwatch ( and the other nature programmes ) and watches
the TV avidly as soon as it starts, She is especially fond of the birds. She doesn't ever catch them ( she never catches anything - even the pigeons ignore her in the garden) but she sits in front of the TV as soon as she hears birdsong. Do I have the only twitcher cat in London?
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PS. Have just read swiftlover's blog. I can report hearing my first swifts over this part of South London last week. A couple of years ago I counted c. 40 of them circling overhead, but have noticed a sharp decline last year and the year before. Haven't had a chance to try to count how many are here this year but will do so asap.
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if a swan loose all it's young do they mate again ?
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To guiatur, thank you for counting the Swifts in your area. There is certainly a sharp decline and it is mostly due to roof renovations denying them access to nest. Springwatch needs to report this as I think it is vital to get as many people as possible aware of this problem and this in turn might mean that consideration will be given to swifts in future when carrying out roofing work. See this website for more info... http://www.swift-conservation.org/
Thanks again.
Swiftlover10 (Remember SOS - SAVE OUR SWIFTS!!)
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We've had some wines and we're discussing Lee's joy that Springwatch is returning next week. However, we would just like to say (Lee in particular), how we so miss the LEGEND that is..................Bill Oddie! no diswespect to Cwis - we wemember you from the wheely wild show, with tewwy nutkins and michaela stwachan and you were gweat (and still awwwwww) - but, for us, bill oddie WAS Springwatch and we can't help but feel a lump in our throat that he's not there, sat next to Kate, discussing ducks gangbanging and other such delights. Bill Oddie....you are missed, and you will always be...My Spring watch. God bless you Bill Oddie. Xxx
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Hertfordshire spots:
21st May first Damselfly. This week also Mayflies. Cuckoos still calling (except when they seem to have a comical sore throat!)
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Well I don't miss Bill Oddie at all on these programmes why well he is Great at doing programme on his own with his own imput, the way I like him.
But with others he seems a bit out of joint.
So please keep this crew together as they play off each other and get across nature subjects how it is intended better than ever.
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I am looking forward to the new Springwatch series.
Will there be a message board this time? There has been no mention of it here, by any one in authority & it is usually open before the programmes start?
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I'm looking forward to your return too ,though shame it's only 3 weeks :(...
But i have a question .
When i was in my garden 2 days ago ,i noticed ,what looked like small
honey bees ,coming in and out of a drill hole in a brick wall ..
there wasn't any sign of bees within the confines of the wall ,,so they must have been within the small cavity in between the bricks themselves.
I thought no more of it ,though i felt it was quite a small area to have a nest at the begining of the summer,,next day i noticed a bee working on something at the hole entrance.
Now a day later (our hottest day/weekend so far this year) the hole
is completely sealed with quite a tough material,almost matching in colour the mortar that it is surrounded by ....and no sign of the bees.
I'm intrigued by this so i thought this could be the best place to mention it ....love to u all ,chris
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Hi Team,
It's great that the show is back again, really looking forward to seeing it. I love the show and Springwatch unsprung, I'm sure you could produce hours of footage but only have a short time to fit it all in.
I saw my first swifts on Friday 21st May, just four of them in Croxley Green, Hertfordshire.
Thank you for all your hard work
Jackie
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Please tell us about swifts. We have about 8 pairs nesting in our house and I would like to know more about them. When they arrive they push out some of the starlings, but do not touch the sparrows.
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Hi there. Can you tell me whether it is against the law to destroy a seagulls nest? I emailed you a few days ago and told you about our seagull nest and the doves that came to observe it. Well, I was looking out of the window this afternoon and a man was leaning out of his window with a big, long stick destroying the nest!!! The mum was going crazy. I know that seagulls can be noisy, but haven't they got as much right to be on this earth as we have! Incidentally, the doves were all lined up on the roof as if they were in mourning.
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Yay! I finally got in to BBC Id! Nice to see you all back and I can't wait for the messageboards to open tomorrow! :D Really looking forward to seeing what you've all got for us this time!
One question. I have seen probably 30 House Martins flying around all together recently and they stayed around for 2 weeks but have now dispersed. Is that usual? I guess they were all feeding up after migration?
Secondly, perhaps Geek Chris could answer this question. I know he's explained how the birds fly in formation without banging in to each other. However, one question.. Do all the birds know where they're are going or is a massive game of follow the leader? Surely if they didn't all know they would never get anywhere!
Lastly, I am massively enjoying having blue tits nesting in my sister's bedroom roof. Unfortunately she isn't! They seem to be fairly relaxed and I've got really close without them being bothered. They're bringing all sorts of food in, those babies are eating better than me!
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Btw these House Martins, Swifts and Swallows all turned up within a day or two of each other starting on the 10th ish of May and I'm in Gloucestershire, so presumably one of their first stops?
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I always look forward to Springwatch, I find it inspiring and uplifting to know there are those like you committed to celebrating and protecting our wildlife and wild places. Choice Viewing!! Can't wait, been lookin forward to this for weeks!
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Hello. I've posted several times but no reply.
We have a kestrel nest box on our house with a sitting female and five eggs. Hatching should be during the first week of Springwatch. We'd love to see our gorgeous bird make it onto the tv and can give you free acess to the live video feed. All our friends and neighbours love watching it but it would be great to share it with your viewers.
Thanks
Rachel
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Reply to Chris-Elliott question...
You have probably see mason bees rather than honey bees emerging from the joints in your wall. Hope that helps.
Rachel
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Yes thanks Kestrel_cam , I also put my query on http://www.ispot.org.uk/node/34723 forum ,and received the same suggestion ,and yes your right.
I was fascinated to read the life cycle of the red mason bee and i'm looking forward to the emergence of the offspring next spring..
thanks again..:),
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So happy it is spring again, all my babies swallows redpolls and the rest to follow, cannot wait.
So looking forward to the new series
Thanks in advance guys!!!!!
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That's a strange place to have a sofa, did the council come along and take it away after the photo shoot or is that where Martin sleeps? Joke! :o| ;o) So good to see you all back!
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Hello Springwatch team. An avid lover of the natural world I notice things that are unusual or "out of place". Yesterday in the busy market place in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, my husband and I saw a bright red moth/butterfly (we're not sure which)which we have never seen before. The wingspan was about 1 1/2 inch across. The wings were bright scarlet red with no other markings other than a fine black edging. The small round head was completely black. It fluttered up from the pavement then settled again at the side of a shop. I have just looked on the Wild About Britain website and discovered other people have seen this species in different areas and no-one knows what it is. There have been some suggestions, but none that match this moth/butterfly's description. I presumed it was a small moth as it rested with its wings down showing the full colour, which was what attracted my attention. I'd love to find out what it was. Perhaps the team will know. Keep on watching! Regards, Petajane.
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We noticed during the winter that our great tits have been affected by what we think is Avian Pox ?? It seemed to go away for some months, perhaps the birds died, but in the last few weeks there has been a significant re-appearance. Any idea if this is widespread ?
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Hello fellow Springwatchers, been waiting so long for the new series! Can't wait.
We've photographed a male Greater Spotted Woodpecker flying in and out of the tree with grubs for his babies. We're hoping to catch them when they fledge, if we're very lucky!!! Also we have had 3 lots of sparrows nesting in our eaves, all the nestlings have fledged now, we have had a wonderful few weeks watching the gorgeous fledglings pulling their lovely fluffy 'coats' off.
Its a great time of year. Can't wait for Monday! Bring it on.
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We are in Hertfordshire and in previous years have had our fair share of magpies parading around and creating a great deal of noise. This year, we notice the magpies have been replaced by crows! We have crows nesting in nearby back garden trees that have not been seen there before. They are rather large, but much less intrusive than magpies. We also were entertained by a theatrical incident where our neighbour's cat was hanging out of the upstairs bedroom window, clearly frustrated because he couldn't get to the crow, who was trying to bait the cat from the safety of the telephone wire or out of site in the gutter of the roof above the cat! Have the crows moved in on magpies' traditional spaces?!?
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for the last 4 years the same blackbird who we have named REG has been in our garden and he spends most of his day trying to fly through the mirrors which my wife Yvonne has placed at the bottom of our garden.it has given us hours of pleasure watching him up to his antics and we are keen to know if this is a usual habit.we hope he stays with us for many years to come because he now feels like a part of our family...has anyone had a similar encounter
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My name is Keith Herber and I run the North Norfolk Farmland Study and Ringing Group. The Group produce a quarterly newsletter, the last issue Jan - March 2010 includes a snap-shot concerning the possible effects of the recent hard winter on our birds. I would stress that this is only a local snap-shot and we will be looking more closely at our local bird populations during the present breeding season, particularly with respect to both numbers of pairs and productivity, along the lines of the BTO CES scheme.
I would like to get a copy of our newsletter to the springwatch team as it may be of interest. The newsletter is available in an electronic format, so can be e-mailed to the team, but I cannot locate an address to send it to. Can you please advise how best this can be done.
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Hurrah - four Blue Tit chicks successfully fledged today (Sunday 30th) and begging food in the garden. Rosie, my Labrador bitch, found one on the lawn -sat there wagging her tail and breathing all over it - I picked it up and placed it in the hedge out of cat range - it seemed totally unworried and just asked me for food!
Swift numbers appear to be slightly down but, thankfully, all the local nest sites seem to be taken. The inevitable Hobby has appeared as well - last year we observed one taking a young swift immediately above our garden.
Our resident Sparrow Hawk creates alarm and despondency every day but its success rate is low -appears to be no more than 5%. The main predator/robber around this garden, is a Jay.
Butterflies - plenty of Orange Tips and likewise small blues (not sure which).
Masonry bees are busy digging holes in my walls but we'll wait until next year to re-point.
We have had a good crop of slow-worms - one being well over a foot long - our garden operates on the basis of benign neglect and so they flourish amongst the foliage and cobble-stone walls. We have not yet seen the lizards, which have lived near the back door and the geranium patch for the last two years, likewise the grass-snakes that hang out near the compost heap; plenty of time for them to show up.
Looking forward to the start of Spring Watch
All the best, Halebrass
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Could someone please advise whether it is normal to have a wren helping a blue tit to feed its young in a nest box?
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Hi,my neighbour has a nestbox and has a strange family nesting there,ie a Great Tit and a Blue Tit,my question is,is it common for birds to cross breed?Looking forward to the new series tonight.
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Good Evening -We are the proud parents of collared doves and Ble tits in our garden -although we have not seen them fledge as yet,but really looking forward to seeing this-Diane Hull
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Bitterns
we have been lucky to see bitterns at Minsmere. Once for 45 mins -beautiful. We have seen them flying. Two springs ago there were three in formation. They took off together and landed together
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Brilliant show. Has Chris started his song titles again - The Cure- Boys Don't Cry ?
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THIS EVENING JUST BEFORE THE SERIES STARTED THERE WAS COMMOTION OUTSIDE WITH A COUPLE OF MAGPIES,WHEN WE LOOKED OUT IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE ONE AT CAUGHT A SMALL RAT OR A MOUSE IT HAD IT FIRMLY IN ITS BEAK PECKING IT FURIOUSLY.IT THEN FLEW OFF WITH IT. SEEN THEM ATTACK SMALL BIRDS BEFORE BUT NEVER ANYTHING LIKE THIS
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Loads of webbing on spindle covered in sawfly larvae in Wiltshire - literally thousands of webs and very active spotty larvae - NOT BROWN TAILED MOTH - any ideas why such an epidemic this year? Wendy from Bournemouth
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Springwatch Poem - Flight
The Summer air was dizzy with swallows
or was it house martins?
I could lean from the mullioned window
and gaze upwards to their mat of mud
spittle-streaked curve of perfection
where gaping veiny beaks
snapped at evening starry insect life .
In the barn , double doors wide
dusk already stood arms akinmbo
my Father's car ticking
with slow meatal settling
a snuffle of dust motes
bird - song pear- smell
the apple store awaiting refilling.
A cat was mating beneath my bedroom window
interrupting my story telling
my cosied brother's haloed eyes .
Together we'd watch those swallows ,
tail- bright jewel - red
petrol - winged
and wish for flight
no , dream of flight
across the floor that tilted
to the window seat.
So a dizzying pattered footfall
toook us like ships of sail
beyond the gated garden.
Year after year they returned
Mr.Jacobs the gardener
commanded by my Mother
to climb the Autumn ladder
break off their nests
with his treacherous broom ,
but still they returned
and still we hoped for them
we hoped for flight
GFH
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Great to have the programme back! I am particularly interested to see what will be happening to the blue tits - we had great tits nesting in our birdbox with some gorgeously lively chicks (Brent, London). It was a pleasure to see and hear them growing. They fletched only yesterday, while we were out running the Dover half marathon. Came back to a very, very quiet garden. Watching the programme and now the webcam, gives something back. Thanks.
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To Lizzie: I note your comment about wanting to know more about swifts - well you've come to the right place! I am campaigning to SOS - Save Our Swifts. They are amazing birds but sadly are on the decline and are on the RSPB Amber list of conservation concern. The decline is mostly due to roof renovations denying them access to nest. It is great to hear you have so many in your roof though!
See this website for more info... http://www.swift-conservation.org/
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for the last couple of weeks starlings have been ripping pieces from the lavender bushes and a pot of mixed herbs . you mentioned the same thing on yesterdays show . i would be interested if anyone had an explanation for this
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Jean, They maybe using them to 'clean' their nests and repel parasites.
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Please can you identify for me an insect I saw feeding on a cotoneaster which is trained up a south facing wall on my patio? The wasp-like looking insect was dwarfing the bumblebees also feeding on the flowers. It was nearly the length of my thumb approx two and a half centimeters long, shaped like a huge wasp, predominantly yellow, hardly any black markings, with chestnut coloured short hairs covering its middle and a yellow face. When it flew away, its flight was slow and it emitted a low droning sound.
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Great to have you back on our screens.
Looking forward to seeing how the programme unfolds. good luck with the hunt for the Black fox, Have a bumble bee nest by the front door, its wonderful watching them come and go,.
Kate, Any news on Humble the lamb, the country needs a up date,
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This afternoon I heard the first call of the cuckoo in the Gomersal area of West Yorkshire. It is many years since I last heard a cuckoo,
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please could the team tell me the answer to the following question, the people next door were pulling out there wallflowers in the garden , and discovered a partridge nest with 9 eggs in it, he covered the nest back , but will the bird come back and sit out the eggs
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Hi twas a good to see the bees on the program tonight (Tues 1st June) To my surprise this last weekend on both days when I went to top up the bird bath I found 8+ bees just lying around, almost like they were sunbathing! The bees were just nestling along the side. Never seen that before.
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Hi could anyone help me ive had a blu tit box up now for 4 years and never had any blu tits nesting, i had a blu tit 2 years ago go in but never actually nested just used it as a chill out place am i doing anything wrong? I get blu tits everyday in my garden but they dont seem intrested ive seen them go to the box and go in but never have nested. many thanks gary
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Good work on The Cure songs Mr Packham :-) Splendid music geekery. Spotted A Forest, Boys Don't Cry, Birdmad Girl, Never Enough, The Caterpillar & The Upstairs Room so far. Hope i didn't miss any while making Mrs Hellboy a cuppa. You missed a trick towards the end of last night's show though (i think you were talking about woodpeckers), could've slipped The Loudest Sound (from Bloodflowers) in there!
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LOVED the quiz after last night's show! We scored 7 (out of 10?). Hurrah! But still no mention of swifts! (although we were pleased to see the swallow's nest on camera). Swifts need our help more than ever. Please remember to SOS - Save Our Swifts! Go to www.swift-conservation.org/ and www.rspb.org.uk/thingstodo/surveys/swifts/
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To Gary: I have come across this before with a box put up on a tree trunk. Blue tits certainly seemed interested in the box, but never went as far as to start nesting in it. I think what discouraged them was the fact that the box was too low for them as the nestlings would be susceptible to disturbance by cats, etc. So, where exactly is your box located? Also, the direction your box is facing is very important - if it is facing the direction of the midday sun, the birds will not nest in it for fear their chicks will over-heat and die. All things to consider!
Good luck.
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To ChasF, sorry, a bit late in posting! Just wanted to say I whole-heartedly agree with you re. the over-population prob. Not relating to wildlife I realise, but I simply couldn't believe what I was watching when on the One Show last night they were discussing people being able to choose the sex of their children!! These were couples with 6 kids already! 6!! Isn't two children enough? In fact, why can't people stop at one? - maybe then the world would be better able to cope. The world does not have sufficient resources to sustain a future population of 35 billion! Where does it end?
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Cuckoos are back in town!! This evening we have been listening to the cuckoo across the field from our garden in Tattenhall, Cheshire. Today I heard a cuckoo whilst out riding in Bridgemere, Cheshire and last week there was another in Cholmondeley, Cheshire.
Last year we heard none!
Any more cuckoo reports?
Can anyone tell me why they make the cuckoo call?
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Thankyou so much for the feature on bats last night. We do bat survey work for Dorset Wildlife Trust and use our heterodyne detector and recordings through Batscan sonograms to ID the bats - such a wonderful thing to see - in fact - during the programme a bat flew in front of the windows but by the time we got the batbox and recorder out it had gone!! Keep up the good work.Wenjoy from Bournemouth
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show is great the subject sells itself, however chris and kate tend to be trying too hard and are sounding like eamon holmes and holly willoughby on steroids . please, less like "gmtv does spingwatch" just chill a bit and remember a picture paints a thousand words . peace
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When on duty as asst warden on Skomer Island in the '60s and '70s on several occasions I found rabbits buried and 'inhabited' by Sexton beetles! I would have thought that an adult rabbit would be similar in size to a young fox cub??? Ian, in Birmingham
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before we hit Autumnwatch, please, please can someone sort out the BBC server? it is getting utterly, distractingly ,frustrating to spend your entire time, when trying to submit to the message boards, facing the 'too busy' or Error 500 notices!
the kit is not up to the job.
please do something!
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with regard to rural foxes, I have been walking my dogs in some woods behind my house in rural France for 5 years now; the other day there was a fox on the path close to where we enter the wood; the dogs gave chase (both rescue dogs, one small terrier the other a 'fox like' collie type); they disappeared round a corner out of sight so I blew the whistle to which they always respond. They both came back, but followed by the fox!!! I have never seen anything like this before. The dogs sat for their treats for returning, the fox kept its distance (about 20 yds) then wandered of, rather reluctantly I thought, back into the undergrowth casting a rather wistful look over its shoulder. Has anyone had a similar experience. This was definitely a wild rural fox, but probably used to our perambulations in its teritory. Any ideas? I think it just wanted to play, .
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Please tell Chris to wind his neck in and step back into the real world we dont all live in a perfect world like he does using Photoshop to improve his type of his photography images which sometimes is something to be desired Otherwise whats the point of us lesser mortals submitting photos for your gallery.To be shot down in flames never to be seen again. ( plonker )
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Glad to see you back
At LAST!!!!!!!
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Dear Springwatch,
I have a picture of a very large moth aken in my garden. This animal is approx 1.5" long of an off-white colour with blackish bars on its wings and similar coloured spots on its head. Its feet seemed enormous. Any idea what it might be? Could I send in the picture for identification.
Yours,
deepgee
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I was driving through the Bath countryside today and noticed 2x 1 metre-long patches of webbed hedgerow - it was if someone was dressing the hedge for Halloween. Does anyone have an idea what kind of spider made this very woolly web?
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Really enjoying the show.The Bluetits have now all gone from my birdbox. They fledged while i was pegging out washing and didn't mind me beening in the garden
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Hi just thought I would tell you about the springwatch events in our garden. We live in the countryside of Northumberland and have our garden fenced to prevent the rabbits eating our plants. My husband left the gates open when he cut the lawn so the following morning I closed them. I later noticed a hare in the garden which could not get out, so we opened the gate again to let it escape. The next day my husband found what we thought was a young rabbit but after looking it up on the internet we found it was a leveret (baby hare) and that its mother would be back to feed it morning and night.
In the evening we heard a lot of sqealing and dicovered the leveret out in the open on the drive, the mother hare was frantically running around banging her feet as hard as she could. This was to cause a distaction as there was three tawny owls, two in the trees outside our bedroom window and one swooping over the leveret and landing on the garden bench. The lereret slowly moved across the drive and hid under our car tucking its self against the inside of the tyre.
Good news, they were in the garden the following evening safe and sound. One lucky leveret with a vigilant mother.
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Hi folks,
A question - we have robin chicks that recently fledged in our garage and even through yesterday two were with the parents in the garden, one was still inside cheeping regularly from the shelving. I got up on a ladder to get a look at it and the cheeping seemed to come from the other side of the garage. I then went there, only to find it coming from a third direction, and so on... I spent half an hour in a relatively small space unsuccessfully trying to spot the chick, which seemed to have advanced powers of voice projection. The cheeping was as regular as clockwork, so it seemed to be coming from the same bird. Am I going mad, or have young robins developed ventriloquism skills?
Really enjoying the show, particularly the Raptor Identification strand, Hugh Miles fish slot and Simon in Dorset. Truly excellent programming - makes me happy to pay the licence fee.
Cheers and thanks!
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And one more thing.
Martin, your hair is beautiful but it is really becoming distracting. When you read from your cards there are cries and groans on our sofa at the continual sequence of: Brush Hair Away, Pull Glasses Down, Brush Hair Away, Push Glasses Up, Brush Hair Away etc. etc. etc.
It's meant to be about the wildlife, Martin, but in our household at least there's a grisly fascination with your personal grooming choices which is really getting in the way. Why not pin it back, wear an alice band or JUST GET IT CUT!!!
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This is a must watch programme. Chris Packham has slotted into his role like toast in a rack. Kate provides a perfect foil for his depth of knowledge and his geeky moments. Educating and entertaining many viewers would keep watching all year round. I am looking forward to "Summerwatch". It just has to be done.
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I am new to this blog and I have really enjoyed reading everyone's comments. I like Martin's hair, a lot of men go bald, so he should enjoy his crowning glory for as long as he can! Anyway, something really odd happened in my garden the other day. There was an enormous amount of noise and excitement from the crows. They were going mad and invaded my Silver Birch tree, I couldn't believe that there were so many of them. When I looked in the tree there was a large heron being attacked by all of them. Then the magpies (opportunists) joined in the foray. This went on for about five minutes until the heron managed to get away. The crows chased it, leaving the magpies to make as much noise as they could. The crows returned, but were still really unsettled for ages, crowing and standing guard on the chimney stacks. All I can think of was that the heron had tried to raid a nest, but I thought that herons preferred fish. Any ideas out there?
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Hi
Someone said House Sparrows were rare, but I could not understand this as they live in my attic and bathe in the dust on my drive, feed on my bird-table and play in my hedges, I must have at least 1 doz or more, after watching tonights Springwatch I feel very privileged as my bird table is just outside my living room window and being able to watch them feed and play - I am very honoured.
I also must say why is Spring/Autumn Watch are always in the south, I live in the Goyt Valley in the Peak District and we have loads of wildlife and scenery. It would be good to show this end of the country sometimes.
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I am new to this so apologise if my previous message was abit awry
But I agree about Martin's hair, it can be alittle aggrevating.
Does anyone ever wish these professional cameramen could come and film the creatures in your garden to get a proper look at what you have - maybe thats another programme - big brother eat your heart out - this would be better viewing.
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Have really enjoyed Springwatch series again. Could we have some Autumn Watch cover in Northern Ireland though. Its been reported by the local BBC in N.I that there is currently a pod of 40 dolphins off the north coast by Giants Causeway and Portrush. Also a Basking Shark has been reported by the local Coleraine newspaper. There is an abundance of wildlife here, seals, lobsters, sea horses, crabs, birds of all description and yet never seem to get so much as a mention by Springwatch! WHY????
I did report during the Autumn Watch programme we had up to 18 Goldfinches at one time in our garden,we still regularly get a regular flock of these birds visiting our garden.
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I cant find anywhere else to put this...
we have been recording the programme and catching up when we can
RED KITES - UNUSUAL SITING??
At Easter we went to wathc the drag racing at Santa Pod ( nr Northampton ) our friend's 5 year old son suddenly asked "what's that?" Circling above the 20,000 strong crowd, listening to the 120 decible roar of the "top fuellers", was the unmistakable sillhouette of a red kite! later that day we saw him plus a friend as the spectators were wending their way home. when we went back for the late may bank holday, we spotted him again. Obviously one scavenger with a taste for discarded beefburgers and chips!! and totally unphased by the number of people or the noise!
Debby
Whaley Bridge
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Well, I have to say Springwatch was a total triumph! Someone told me swifts were given a mention but must have missed it. Oh well, at least they were on the prog! As 'TheThingThatNods' mentioned, Martin's hair can be annoying, but having those different characteristics is what makes us all unique and special, Martin included. I mean, just look at Chris! LOVED the Poo Hunters - but sorry, I'm not planning on bidding for the infamous Poo Bag! (or even Owl Pellet earrings if they come up!) Might be tempted to go for the deluxe sofa though - it makes our holey saggy thing look like a upmarket DFS speciality! Chris - I was hoping you'd get a chance to air your pie/bar chart knowledge - maybe on Autumn Watch?? Will your controversial T-shirt '90% off all British Wildlife' be in the auction? Might be tempted to bid for that one.
Anyway, loved the show guys, thank you, and looking forward to Autumm Watch.
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Do you think that Autumn Watch or Spring Watch could be programmed from up north say the Goyt Vally in Derbyshire, coincidently where I live, we have our own wildlife and it would make a pleasant change from it all being done from down South and we also have history in Films being made around the area - Lyme park was Brideshead revisited and Stanage Edge was in Pride and Prejudice with Kiera Knightley
My vote to Derbyshire.
Shirl
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We really enjoyed the last series of springwatch programs, you have a team of presenters that express the love and enthusiasm they have for the wonderful wildlife that we are so fortunate to enjoy in this beautiful country of ours.
We have had a very successful year in our garden, with blue tits and robins breeding, the robins have been most successful with three broods, 3 from the first, 5 from the second and we are waiting to see the results from the 3rd brood.
We are a little concerned though as the female robin has gone AWOL, is this usual with the last brood, or is it more likely that she has been taken by a predator.
We continue to support our lone father robin with mealworms and hope to see his youngsters soon, it would be appreciated if someone could let us know if the female disappearing is unusual especially whilst the chicks were still in the nest.
Keep up the great work and see you in the Autumn.
Francie
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