FAQ

Help and tips on getting the most out of Springwatch - the TV show and the website

  • When and where was Springwatch 2013?

    Springwatch 2013 was broadcast on Monday 27 May - Thursday 13 June on BBC Two. The programmes came live from Ynis-hir in mid-Wales.

     

    Springwatch Unsprung and Springwatch in the Afternoon started the same week. A live web-chat 'Springwatch Extra' was broadcast over the webcam each Mon-Thurs.

  • Who were the presenters of Springwatch 2013?

    Our anchor presenters were Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan and Martin Hughes-Games.

     

    Springwatch in the Afternoon was presented by Nick Baker.

  • What should I do with the baby/injured animal I've found?

    Springwatch is not a welfare organisation. We do not take in animals. There are many organisations who can better advise you on the best course of action in these situations. BBC Nature has some advice on what to do in a wildlife emergency.

     

    In general our advice would be to please avoid disturbing baby animals, even if found alone. Many parents will leave their young for significant amounts of time while they go off to forage. By touching or approaching a young animal you may cause its parent to abandon it. So avoide this unless the animal is in immediate danger. Read the RSPB's advice on baby birds.

     

    If you have rescued an animal we recommend you contact a local wildlife rescue or rehabilitation centre for advice and assistance. You can search for hospitals and centres offering emergency wildlife care on the RSPCA's website.

     

    Wildlife Aid (based in Surrey) also has a 24 hour emergency helpline (50p per min) and UK Safari have a good list of wildlife hospitals across the UK.

  • Can Springwatch help me identify an animal or plant?

    We're always keen to hear about interesting sightings of wildlife in the UK, but unfortunately we can't identify animals or plants that you have spotted. There are however a number of forums and sites who maybe able to help.


    You could upload pictures to our Facebook and Flickr groups, where other Springwatch fans maybe able to help.

     

    There are also a number of active wildlife forums, run by other organisations and enthusiasts, who may also be able to help.

     

    The RSPB and British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) have good resources to help you identify birds.

  • How do I ask the team or the presenters a question?

    The best place to ask a question is on a relevant blog post. You'll need to have a BBC ID to do this. 

     

    We’re also on Facebook and Twitter and you can also email us or send a letter to:

    Springwatch

    BBC Natural History Unit


    Broadcasting House


    Whiteladies Road


    Bristol BS8 2LR 

     

    Please do note that while we try to read every correspondence we cannot reply or respond to all of them.

  • How do I comment on a blog?

    You'll need to register for a BBC ID first. There is more information and help on how to do that here. Then once you're set up, just log in and you can comment away.

     

    The blog can be found here.

  • How do I send in a photo?

    We've set up a group on the photo-sharing site Flickr for all your photos of the season's UK flora and fauna. Flickr is owned by Yahoo.com and is not run by the BBC.

     

    It's one of many places where you can showcase your wonderful photographs with other Springwatch fans and the nature-loving community.

     

    If you use other photo sharing sites, post us a link on the Facebook, Twitter or our blog to let us know. You can also send us photos at the postal address above. But please note we cannot send them back or respond to all of them.

     

    To join the group, you need to be a member of Flickr, or sign up – it's free. Flickr's FAQ section is a good place to get more information about how the site works.

  • How do I make a complaint about the show or the website?

    We hope you enjoy the show and the website but we will take any complaint you make seriously. To make a complaint visit the BBC Complaints website.

  • How do I send in a wildlife video?

    We love seeing your wildlife videos. Please post them online and send us a link to the address via Twitter, Facebook or email (several providers such as Vimeo allow you to restrict access).

     

    If you want to you can post your video to the address above. We're sorry, we can't return any tapes or discs you send us.

  • When will the webcams start?

    The Springwatch 2013 webcams ran from Sunday 26 May until Thursday 13 June. They are now closed.

  • Why can't I play the live web streams?

    There are a number of reasons why this might happen. First check that you have JavaScript enabled on your browser (see the help file for your browser to find out how to do this). You should also check that any popup blocking mechanisms you have installed on your computer aren't set to deny popups launched from BBC Online pages.

     

    Media player plug-ins are sometimes not available if you have installed or upgraded your browser since installing your chosen media player. In this instance, reinstalling the latest version of your preferred media player and restarting your computer may help.

  • Why aren't my videos playing smoothly?

    To play video smoothly, your computer needs to receive the sound and picture data at a steady, high rate. If you use a dial-up or mobile connection, or you have a slow internet connection, this will severely affect the quality of the video. Your internet connection limits the amount of data you can receive per second to a given 'bandwidth'. That bandwidth has to supply not just the video data but anything else your computer is doing at the same time.

     

    Downloading large files or using peer-to-peer applications will take up bandwidth and may prevent you from receiving enough data to maintain a constant video stream.

  • Will it cost me money to watch the webcams and view videos?

    The BBC does not charge for this service, but your broadband service provider may charge you for the data used for viewing any live webcams or video files online.

     

    Streaming video is a data-intensive service. Some broadband Internet Service Providers (ISPs) offer bandwidth capped broadband services, where they impose a monthly usage allowance.

     

    If you watch a lot of online video content, from the BBC or elsewhere, you may quickly reach the limit of your monthly allowance. Please check with your ISP if you are unsure.

     

    We recommend accessing the live webcams and video content via a flat-rate data tariff. The longer you watch the webcams the more data you use and the more it could cost you.

     

    If you are concerned about cost, we recommend that you do not use this service unless you have an unlimited data package.

  • Can I watch the webcams on a mobile?

    We hope the webcams will be viewable on iPhones and iPads this year, but some smartphones may not play them, and potentially only for viewers in the UK.

  • Mobile cost information

    The BBC does not charge for this service, but your mobile operator may charge you for the data used.

     

    Streaming video is a data-intensive service. Access via Wi-Fi or using a flat-rate data tariff is advised. The longer you watch the webcams the more data you use and the more it could cost you.

     

    If you are concerned about cost, we recommend that you do not use this service unless you have an unlimited data package, and/or Wi-Fi access.

     

    If you use a Wi-Fi enabled phone and access the video through a Wi-Fi connection, you should be able to watch this video without paying extra. Check that both your mobile's browser and media player settings are configured to connect via Wi-Fi. For advice about how to do this, contact your handset manufacturer.

     

    If you have an unlimited data tariff, you should be able to watch this video without paying extra. However, please be aware of your operator's 'fair usage policy', particularly if you watch for long periods, or are a heavy user of the internet through your mobile device. Watching video over the mobile internet is data intensive.

     

    If you are outside the UK, it will be very expensive to watch the video as your operator will charge international roaming data rates, even if you have an all-inclusive data tariff in the UK. Please contact your network operator for details.

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