Winterwatch 2022 (1 Viewer)

[Himalaya]

They have done from spring to winter now at Wild Ken Hill? There was that location where they stayed a year and they stayed 2 springs ....a national trust site in Gloucestershire or Somerset?

 

[Farnboro John]

They have done from spring to winter now at Wild Ken Hill? There was that location where they stayed a year and they stayed 2 springs ....a national trust site in Gloucestershire or Somerset?

You can even make a case for that: no two Springs are alike, and contrasting two makes for additional interest and education. A change will definitely be good after that though. Where would you suggest?

John

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Bempton could be worth a visit. Skye would be great but similar to Mull.

Rich

 

[Farnboro John]

Bempton could be worth a visit. Skye would be great but similar to Mull.

Rich

OK, but what is there at Bempton apart from seabirds and Tree Sparrows (what have the Romans done for us? )

John

 

[Mono]

I think Covid has a part to play in staying at Wild Ken Hill. It is a private site, the production team can control who is on site and where they are. On public sites that is much harder. I visited Leighton Moss when Autumnwatch was there, the public and crew were all mixed up. People with clipboards and cameras left, right and centre.

 

[Himalaya]

You can even make a case for that: no two Springs are alike, and contrasting two makes for additional interest and education. A change will definitely be good after that though. Where would you suggest?

John

In that case no season is ever the same and they could stay at one place forever.

I was told they couldn't film a Springwatch at Leighton Moss because of technical reasons.

The production needs space - in the North West the only places that could possibly manage the set would be Brockholes Nature Reserve near Preston, Martin Mere or Burton Mere Wetlands?

What about the North East - that would be a nice change - never been Washington but could that be a base?

Wales - Newport Wetlands?

A controversial choice but I would love them to spend 1 year in London at the Wetland Centre with lots of attention on nature reserves in and close to the capital.

 

[Mono]

Old style pre-Covid Springwatch was a big operation, the temporary production set up is about half a football pitch. The only available space at Leighton Moss was the old back carpark which visitors had to walk through or the current carpark which would mean no parking for visitors and the cables would all have to go over the road. ( I was friends with the centre manager when Autumnwatch came from LM, they tried very hard to make Springwatch work.)

 

[JTweedie]

I wouldn't mind if they based themselves at the same location for each of the 'watches as long as they continue to have the "roving reporters" out at different locations. The live parts are good when they're getting stuck in to some scientific topic, but I think the best parts of the programme is still the recorded films that they air. These films have been subject to editing and scripting and are the strongest aspect of the programme.

The two main presenters (Chris and Michaela) if they were interested in further afield places could film segments in advance of the series, but then they could present the show live from one place.

I know it's supposed to be about British wildlife and I think the majority of it should stay focused on that, but I wonder perhaps if Michaela Strachan could ever do some segments from her home in South Africa. It might give just that extra sparkle to the series.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

OK, but what is there at Bempton apart from seabirds and Tree Sparrows (what have the Romans done for us? )

John

Barn Owls Might not be good 4 seasons though. Somerset levels could be very good.

 

[JTweedie]

Dumfriesshire would be a good multi-season location. Mersehead, Ken-Dee, Caerlaverock, Wood of Cree all top notch reserves. Estuaries, uplands, freshwater rivers, lochs, forests, marine.

 

[Himalaya]

Old style pre-Covid Springwatch was a big operation, the temporary production set up is about half a football pitch. The only available space at Leighton Moss was the old back carpark which visitors had to walk through or the current carpark which would mean no parking for visitors and the cables would all have to go over the road. ( I was friends with the centre manager when Autumnwatch came from LM, they tried very hard to make Springwatch work.)

Would it not have worked if they split the operation with LWT Brockholes or WWT Martin Mere?

 

[Himalaya]

Dumfriesshire would be a good multi-season location. Mersehead, Ken-Dee, Caerlaverock, Wood of Cree all top notch reserves. Estuaries, uplands, freshwater rivers, lochs, forests, marine.

Would they have the right amount of space for the production team?

 

[JTweedie]

I'd imagine so. I believe that during lockdown they had to slim down their operation quite a bit and they showed they could pull it off. I don't think it's quite as big an operation as it once was in the early days. They also tend not to kit out an indoor studio either these days, so that's one thing they can chalk off the needs list.

 

[Robert Wallace]

Parts are quite good but parts are dire. I agree about the rat and all the nonsense about the Kinks. I’m not keen on giving animals human traits and conversations either. However, I appreciate it is probably a light entertainment programme rather than a serious nature one.

Slightly harsh about light entertainment, the programme does inform.
It is however aimed at a broad audience so showing common birds such as oyster catchers is arguably more relevant than some of the less common species.