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Springwatch 2014 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Euan Buchan
- Start date
Farnboro John
Well-known member
I really enjoyed the bittern booming in view. Now I want to photograph it....
John
John
AlfArbuthnot
Well-known member
I agree, that was really amazing. Something you'd never otherwise get to see, and quite unexpected. After my initial reservations I've been impressed with it again this year. Not quite as jaw-dropping as last year, but again some really novel stuff. The Bitterns and Nightingales, for example. And the update on the tagged cuckoos and the foxes was really good stuff. But I really could do with less badger setts! Though the badger predation on the scrape islands was fantastic footage. It's impressive in the last few years at how they've pulled the show out of the doldrums and I think replacing Oddie with Packham has made a big difference there.
Farnboro John
Well-known member
Adder predating Goldfinch.... wildlife watching really doesn't get much better than this!
John
John
NoSpringChicken
Well-known member
I watched an Adder doing just that to a Whitethroat nest at Minsmere a couple of years ago. The adult birds were calling frantically. Amazing footage tonight.
Ron
AlfArbuthnot
Well-known member
22 nests cleaned out in 19 minutes, I think it said. Plus the multiple nests it predated on the other occasion. No doubt it will be back so long as birds are nesting. Let's be frank, if it was a fox which was repeatedly getting onto the scrape islands like that then the RSPB would have a marksman on the case. Badgers aren't rare (about 300,000 of them), and they are increasing. Avocet is relatively rare (1500 pairs) and Black-headed Gull is more common (130,000 pairs) but is Amber-listed.
Considering that fences and water haven't stopped it, should occasional Badger control be on the table?
The joke by Chris about exaggerating a certain part in Martin's anatomy at the end of last week...was a bit risque. He drew Martin out somewhere with a rather big middle bit and today you had the joke about Hazel's undertail coverts which he emphasized. How suitable is it for a family show? Makes me wonder if he is not coming back after this series and just saying what he wants within limits of course!
Martin's comment about hoping the Parakeet on his shoulder was a girl with a grimace might be taken as a bit homophobic by some? That was at the end. I watched it on IPlayer and had to rewind it a little bit because I could not believe I had heard that and just sounded a bit anti-equal opportunities to me.
Martin's comment about hoping the Parakeet on his shoulder was a girl with a grimace might be taken as a bit homophobic by some? That was at the end. I watched it on IPlayer and had to rewind it a little bit because I could not believe I had heard that and just sounded a bit anti-equal opportunities to me.
It is good but sadly not much footage seen on the Nightingale and Whitethroat nest which were never going to be easy. They have not even shown footage of the two singing even. Where did the Stone Curlews go?
I assume next year they will try the Marsh Harrier and possibly even Nightjar? No BOP's except the Tawny Owl. It would be nice to have a nest on a Magpie or Crow nest as well.
I assume next year they will try the Marsh Harrier and possibly even Nightjar? No BOP's except the Tawny Owl. It would be nice to have a nest on a Magpie or Crow nest as well.
Fozzybear
Ich bin ein Vogelbeobachter
It's possible they could show more on Stone Curlews in the remaining time; I hope so as they are such a notable bird of that area and seem to be doing very well from my experiences there. I'd hoped they would feature Nightjars too, or Dartford Warblers since those are found on the heath, or the Terns. They've had some excellent stuff on there though (labyrinth spider was great) and the footage of the ospreys was quite something!
Robert Wallace
Well-known member
I have no doubt that an earlier warden of Minsmere a certain Bert Axell, would have sorted the badger predation not to mention the foxes. Of course when he was warden there were only two avocet breeding sites in the UK, Minsmere and Havergate Island. I rather think Mr Axell designed the scape.
I have fond memories of meeting some of the East Anglian reserve wardens who not only knew their job but were real countrymen, great characters such as Bert Axell, Billy Bishop, Ted Eales and Bob Chesney to name but four.
The problem with controlling predators is then it becomes a bit of a zoo. Avocets are an increasing species in this country - how much help do they need? There are so many different ways to look at this issue. At least some of the Gulls were going to give it one last go.
TwoDipsfromAmsterdam
Anything About?
I don't think anyone has mentioned Chris Packham's "cryptic references" this year. Presumably to honour BBC2's 50th anniversary there have been innumerable references to comedy shows such as Blackadder, Fawlty Towers, Hi-de-Hi and last night he even managed Only Fools and Horses. Of course, many of these were on BBC1 but who cares?
David
David
AlfArbuthnot
Well-known member
You're saying that Minsmere isn't already a zoo?! It's an artificial pond, designed by a draughtsman, created from nothing, with the water controlled by pumps and sluices, and a (supposedly) predator-proof fence around it! They already control other predators (hundreds of corvids, foxes and gulls at various reserves).
Yes, Avocets are increasing, but so are Badgers (very large increase). But Black-headed Gulls are Amber-listed becasue they are declining. So they do need any help they can get.
If there's no argument for controlling that badger (the birds 'don't need it'), then is there any argument for controlling any other predator (foxes) at Minsmere or other reserves, or having the fence or the scrape at all?
But if there is an argument for controlling foxes or crows to limit predation, then wouldn't that argument apply to that individual Badger too, which is a member of a common and increasing species and was emptying nests of Amber-listed birds at the rate of one per minute? If not, I'd be interested to hear why...
