Autumnwatch 2013 Returns 29th October (1 Viewer)

Like most programs autumn watch is set with a budget, if you do the maths for 3 presenters ground crew camera team and the rest I bet it's a small fortune. They did a spell of one screening a week for 4 weeks which works out the same air time. Now they split the the budget to cover winter watch which I think is better instead of 2 weeks of autumn watch, whether they do it from Leighton moss I'm not sure, but the moss is very scenic in winter when it freezes.

Paul Jarvis said:

Like most programs autumn watch is set with a budget, if you do the maths for 3 presenters ground crew camera team and the rest I bet it's a small fortune. They did a spell of one screening a week for 4 weeks which works out the same air time. Now they split the the budget to cover winter watch which I think is better instead of 2 weeks of autumn watch, whether they do it from Leighton moss I'm not sure, but the moss is very scenic in winter when it freezes.

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I asked on the RSPB Forum whether Leighton Moss would be the destination for Winterwatch. The answer I'm afraid is no, as Winterwatch is going to be based somewhere in Scotland.
Ian.

Paul Jarvis said:

Like most programs autumn watch is set with a budget, if you do the maths for 3 presenters ground crew camera team and the rest I bet it's a small fortune.

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Yep agree with Paul, also worth considering that the BeeB are out in Africa with Kate, they did a farming harvesting and food outside broadcast this year, Chris did the burrowers, so they have stretch the budget around a bit.
I've enjoyed all the programmes this year as it has been so diverse.
I would like more, I would like them to be on for longer, but I'm happy with what's served up.

I heard that about the Ibises too, wonder where or was he getting muddled with GWEs etc?

Cheshire Birder said:

Did anyone else notice that throughout the final program, Chris was walking around with a piece of cake in his hand?

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:-O I had hubby Neil in stitches when we were watching that episode (a few days later as I'd recorded it on the Sky box) as they'd done nowt but rave about the various drizzle cakes in the LM café yet in that last programme none of them so much as ate a crumb!!!!! I'm sure they were doing it deliberately because they know us Slimming World members ain't allowed cake......especially not great big wodges like they all had!!!! :eek!:

As to the series itself......loved the brief shots of Bearded Tits and the Red Deer and John Aitchison's short films :t: Bored to tears with the otters!!!! :C Enjoyed the fox study clips :t: Starling murmurations were good in that THREE people I know, who have previously not been at all interested in nature, have gone to watch a starling roost in the past week :t: As to estuary shots.....I'm afraid my spirit sinks as I know that YET AGAIN we will be shown huge flocks of Knot :smoke:
Having the whole series over four consecutive nights is rubbish!!!! The first (?) series where they had it on Friday night for eight weeks was SO much more interesting as you saw the seasons changing and could properly follow the migration of various species. Plus, if I remember rightly, I'm sure that particular series started in a pretty hot Indian Summer but by the last programme they were all wrapped up in woollies because there'd been the first falls of snow.
Can't comment on the Unsprung programme yet as I've still to watch it but for AutumnWatch itself I'd give it a very poor score of 4 :-C

I've watched it all again and am sorry to say that, for myself, it wasn't good.

It seemed to me to be under researched, and under rehearsed (the presenters I mean). The whole thing seemed to be rushed. But I at times felt that that was what they were getting across - making it exciting (and rushed).

I was a bit bemused when they entered read beds in the dark, with night cameras, and there goes the presenter shouting in his excitement.

The BBC can do far better than this. IMO.

I went to Leighton Moss yesterday and it was quite busy however I was told by volunteers that records were broken on Sunday just gone in terms of visitors. C combination of a beautiful place which surprisingly not every in Lancashire knows about, a nice day and BBC coverage. Stay away from the cafe on a nice day. I am sure many people will visit again.

No orange drizzle cake yesterday although 2 slices of Lemon were left. I opted for a Victoria sandwich. My favourite cakes the orange drizzle and date and walnut. The lady who bakes the cakes used to deliver twice a week now she delivers twice a day.

There appeared to be more people yesterday than usual. An excellent day for wildlife too with a Long Tailed Duck, Firecrest, very good views of Bearded Tits away from the grit trays as well as Otter and 3 Scaup in one scope. Other wildlife highligts were Chiffchaff, Goldeneye, Marsh Tit, Green Woodpecker and the 14 pointer stag.

It is a shame that a brilliant reserve like Leighton Moss was not chosen for Winterwatch and cannot be used for Springwatch. It is a brilliant place in Spring, very alive. Maybe they need to go in a partnership with another place which can host the technical equipment nearby - another wildlife reserve, a national trust site? They could even go in partnership with Brockholes a Lancs Wildlife trust Site which must have enough space in their visitor centre.

You could not go wrong with Leighton Moss but sadly they did. They rushed the migration and I cant even remember much about it.

Martin shouting in the reed beds was enough to scare away the wildlife.

AlanTh said:

I've watched it all again and am sorry to say that, for myself, it wasn't good.

It seemed to me to be under researched, and under rehearsed (the presenters I mean). The whole thing seemed to be rushed. But I at times felt that that was what they were getting across - making it exciting (and rushed).

I was a bit bemused when they entered read beds in the dark, with night cameras, and there goes the presenter shouting in his excitement.

The BBC can do far better than this. IMO.

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Himalaya said:

...and the 14 pointer stag...

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Is he still limping? Can't remember if they mentioned it anymore on the programme?

When I found out a few weeks earlier that they were doing AW from Leighton Moss I thought 'Brilliant!'' as it's one of my favourite reserves which I unfortunately haven't been able to visit since 2009 :smoke: But, sadly, they somehow managed to make it seem dull!!!! :eek!: Perhaps that's just me though as I know how fabulous the reserve can be :t: It obviously hasn't put visitors off (and folk who know that cakes should be EATEN, not carried around!!! ) so if it gets even one person interested in the natural world then that's great :t:

There is a budget but it is badly used I feel. They do not need 3 presenters and then those guest roles. Why do they need Nick, Chris, Michaela and Martin, not to forget Iolo? The problem with too many presenters is that they do end up losing the plot a bit and discussing other non-related or trivial issues. They started having jabs at one another. I know its not an in-depth programme but I have for sure at least learnt something from every programme.

They could space out the programme for four weeks to cover October. The 8 week format was brilliant and gave you time to enjoy the series. They should space Winterwatch out as well. I even feel that before Springwatch they should show a programme every week from April because like Autumn, Spring is a season of change.

I am glad they try to make it friendly to the masses who have a brief interest in nature if that but they do not need to be patronising about it.

Paul Jarvis said:

Like most programs autumn watch is set with a budget, if you do the maths for 3 presenters ground crew camera team and the rest I bet it's a small fortune. They did a spell of one screening a week for 4 weeks which works out the same air time. Now they split the the budget to cover winter watch which I think is better instead of 2 weeks of autumn watch, whether they do it from Leighton moss I'm not sure, but the moss is very scenic in winter when it freezes.

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Himalaya said:

There is a budget but it is badly used I feel. They do not need 3 presenters and then those guest roles. Why do they need Nick, Chris, Michaela and Martin, not to forget Iolo? The problem with too many presenters is that they do end up losing the plot a bit and discussing other non-related or trivial issues. They started having jabs at one another. I know its not an in-depth programme but I have for sure at least learnt something from every programme.

They could space out the programme for four weeks to cover October. The 8 week format was brilliant and gave you time to enjoy the series. They should space Winterwatch out as well. I even feel that before Springwatch they should show a programme every week from April because like Autumn, Spring is a season of change.

I am glad they try to make it friendly to the masses who have a brief interest in nature if that but they do not need to be patronising about it.

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I think you,ve raised a valid point re. number of presenters - reminds me of the proverb "Too many cooks spoil the broth" 3

I too preferred the 8 week format - it enabled everyone to make more sense of the progress of Autumn.

We go on a weeks holiday twice a year to stay within a few miles of Leighton Moss. When we saw they were going and realised it was the week before we were due to go our first thoughts were "it will be stowed out" sure enough it was.

It did not do Leighton Moss and justice to how lovely it is. It seemed as if they only had too few cameramen [Looks like they sent them all to Africa with Humble]. They barely covered any of the reserve and the varied wildlife around it, the Bearded Tit just to say got a few mins, more time taken up with what they were wearing!. NO Bitterns on film, yet twice during the week we saw one opp where there mini studio was. Why was that Martin [ who's voice seems to try and make everything sound such a crisis is happening] allowed to go out in the reeds in the dark, it brought nothing to the show at all and probably disturbed the birds etc for no good reason.

I think Leighton Moss were a bit taken aback with how popular they were and only twice during our numerous visits there did we see any of the volunteers in the hides helping people new to birding with ID [ yes there were quite a lot and we helped some of them], they seemed more bothered about giving you those stupid plastic tags which half the time you end up losing [and are they any help to wildlife and the enviroment] Cant they just do like they do at Saltholme and note them down on a sheet.

Must admit I have had the Lemon cake in previous years and thought it wonderful, but didnt even attempt the cafe as we could see how busy it was.

And finally what did the foxes have to do with migration, to me it looked as if they had this planned way in advance and put Leighton Moss daytime footage at the bottom of the pile

Foxes, Otter, Deer Ruts, Peregrines (but not this year) and Badgers get a lot of coverage. The waders should have had a massive slot not a little stint considering they talk of how important Morecambe mud is!

Excellent pun

I honestly did not know what I had written if I did I would have found a larger wader to fill massive slot lol

BD344 said:

Excellent pun

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