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Winterwatch 2015. (1 Viewer)

I thought Nick had settled down substantially this time, but I still think they should just swap him and MHG round: Martin is quite capable of doing Unsprung, and the little outdoor things they let Nick do demonstrate how superior to MHG he is in that environment!

Interestingly Chris seemed in a foul temper the second half of the week (I think the roosting thing really annoyed him). In some ways it did me, but he's getting paid to present!

Finally I thought Michaela's contribution much better than in previous series. My only complaint would be about the camerawork with the wild eagle: stupid two-second cuts and a pointless series of attempts to get the back of Michaela's head (not her best side) in shot with a dot of an eagle. Smack the cameraman/director/producer and make them write out a thousand times "I will hold shots of wildlife doing stuff for as long as they are doing it and not do stupid things that look naff."

John
 
All right. Consider:

Pine Martens are currently expanding their range. They are hard to see even where present (though easy to attract to places where they can be seen.) If this expansion is to continue, (and I think all of us would like to see that?) then they are going to need public support. The public supports what it can see.

Otters do get quite a lot of coverage, and if you want to see them its relatively easy even in Southern England. However, the general public has neither the skills nor the patience: their experience of Otters is limited to TV. Anglers, fisheries managers and goldfish pond owners are among people that don't necessarily share our enthusiasm for the species. Insert-season-here-watch does a good job of keeping Otters where they belong, in the public eye, and footage like the one rolling round in front of the camera helps with Otters' public image.

I have no real issue with the species selection for Winterwatch. Springwatch, yes. Small bird nests are frankly boring - unless an Adder or Weasel tries to predate them! Ospreys are done to death, lets have Goshawks and Hen Harriers and a huge expose on the swine that persecute them. In fact, lets have an undercover sting programme: Springcrimewatch!

John
 
After ten seasons of Springwatch, ten of Autumnwatch, and four Winterwatches (plus various specials), it's not surprising that they have to keep returning to the same species. Unfortunately, while the invertebrate world has untold species, I don't think would be popular enough to carry the series. It's also clear that they don't want it to be too dominated by just birds, hence the slim pickings of mammals that we have. It'd be a lot easier if we had the size and geographical diversity of North America. Springwatch Europe would appeal to me, but sadly I don't see that happening. However, I agree with Farnboro John that even if we find certain species repetitive ("the red deer rut again!") it has a function in keeping important species in the mind of the public (live ratings in the 8pm slot were 2-2.6m).

As to the hope they'll move on from Mar Lodge: SW has followed a strict three year rotation, so I expect two more years of Minsmere. AW and WW has tended to vary a lot more both in format and location so it's harder to predict what they intend to do location-wise. Given that they seem to have finally settled on having AW and WW as shorter forms of SW, I could see them also moving to three year cycles. So I'd lean towards a return visit to Leighton Moss later this year. Whether we see a third return to Mar Lodge, I guess will depend on if they lump in Aigas as 'three years of the Highlands'.

Code:
        WINTER      SPRING       AUTUMN
2005                Fishleigh    (one-off)
2006                Fishleigh    Martin Mere
2007                Fishleigh    Martin Mere
2008                Pensthorpe   Brownsea Island
2009                Pensthorpe   (roving)
2010   (one-off)    Pensthorpe   (roving)
2011                Ynys-hir     Westbirt & Slimbridge
2012   (one-off)    Ynys-hir     Aigas
2013   Aigas        Ynys-hir     Leighton Moss
2014   Mar Lodge    Minsmere     Leighton Moss
2015   Mar Lodge
 
I think we can be a little unfair in our criticisms of SpringWatch and its derivatives. BirdForm members have, I assume, above average knowledge and experience of nature, and therefore view it from their own perspective. Martin gets much criticism for his various antics but which audience is he performing to? Certainly not grizzled BirdForum old timers. Every series will attract new viewers hopefully youngsters and perhaps their parents watching the programme for the first time, surely we should acknowledge this.
I have been birdwatching for over 40 years and on balance enjoy all the "seasonWatches", more importantly my wife a non committed birdwatcher enjoys the programme.
The three main presenters appear to work well together, much better than previously and maintain a good balance. I too also feel "Unsprung" a bit chaotic but maybe that is the nature of the beast.
If there is a weakness it's the absence of a female equivalent of Chris and Martin in terms of qualifications to demonstrate that women also "do science". This is not intended as a criticism of Michaela's presentation skills but of the overall balance of the team, including Nick.
 
I think we can be a little unfair in our criticisms of SpringWatch and its derivatives. BirdForm members have, I assume, above average knowledge and experience of nature, and therefore view it from their own perspective. Martin gets much criticism for his various antics but which audience is he performing to? Certainly not grizzled BirdForum old timers. Every series will attract new viewers hopefully youngsters and perhaps their parents watching the programme for the first time, surely we should acknowledge this.
I have been birdwatching for over 40 years and on balance enjoy all the "seasonWatches", more importantly my wife a non committed birdwatcher enjoys the programme.
The three main presenters appear to work well together, much better than previously and maintain a good balance. I too also feel "Unsprung" a bit chaotic but maybe that is the nature of the beast.
If there is a weakness it's the absence of a female equivalent of Chris and Martin in terms of qualifications to demonstrate that women also "do science". This is not intended as a criticism of Michaela's presentation skills but of the overall balance of the team, including Nick.

Mmm... I agree up to a point, but they have Martin doing things that add nothing to the programme - except the snow burial, that actually made some sense!

As for a scientific female presenter, I'm not sure the BBC has an effective one at Springwatch level, I certainly don't want to see that awful Liz Bonnin join the team. There's the awesome Dr Alice Roberts, but she's a bit grown-up for Springwatch. Answers on a postcard please, with cv and photo....

John
 
They have several female specialist presenters who help out with features on Spring- and Autumnwatch. Chris Packham seems in awe of Maya Plass, the marine biologist, and the 'fox lady', whose name I cannot recall, went down rather well. I am sure there are several others.

Ron
 
Good choice John, is Miranda President of the RSPB, who took over from Kate Humble? Tried to check on RSPB website, there is no easily accessible "Who's Who".
 
What was that about? I must have missed it...

They had a scene where Michaela and Martin mimicked roosting (as per Long-tailed Tits in a row - hm, surprisingly apposite simile....) one leaning on the other and then onto Chris, who clearly didn't find the idea amusing at all and looked like he wanted to leap up and run off.

Later in the week he was distinctly sitting apart from them, and when Nick deliberately wound him up by offering him a hug (almost chasing him across the studio) I admit his discomfort was a treat for me.

John
 
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