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Birds Britannia 3 Nov BBC4 9pm (1 Viewer)

I gave up after 35 minutes tonight. Not enough birds and too many people, and the birds appeared to be limited to endless shots of G C Grebes and Bitterns.
 
Thought it was brilliant,it's ok to have 60 minutes of birds but this programme is more than just the birds themselves,it's about the history of birds etc
 
I really enjoyed it again. I can see it won't be to everybody's taste with too few birds and too many people but that is what the series is about: the relationship between British people and birds. It follows the change in attitudes from catching and eating them, to studying them and, finally, conserving them. There are countless other wildlife programmes with superb footage of birds but this was something different.

I enjoyed the archive footage of Sir Peter Scott and was amused by David Attenborough's contributions where he kept referring to him as Peter - living history. The finer details about the return of the Avocet and the creation of Minsmere were especially interesting to me and the history of the Loch Garten Ospreys was fascinating.

Each to their own but I think it is a brilliant series.

Ron
 
Agree with last thread. A good programme although I found one of the presenters [not one of the well known faces] a bit wearisome with his contributions. Can't remember his name, but he seemed the type you would want to reach for the off button if this was his own programme. That said, it was good to see the programme showed Sir Peter Scotts part in encouraging the publics awareness into the world of birds and I loved seeing the old black and white shots of the avocets return and those of the ospreys too.
Enjoyable apart from that one presenter.

Si.
 
Thank you for that, Andrew.


St Cuthbert and the eider ducks....very interesting.

" Cuthbert was so great a speaker and had such a light in his angelic face. He also had such a love for proclaiming his good news that none hid their innermost secrets from him."
The Venerable Bede. (taken from A Calendar of Saints byJames Bentley.)
 
Oh! I was also surprised last night on Kate Humbles take on Jarvis Cocker. A great voice??????????? Nah! 'fraid not Kate.

Si.
 
Having learned about the women who were instrumental in the creation of the (R)SPB (posh, pushy and high profile) the choice of Kate Humble as President seems entirely appropriate and in keeping with the history of the organisation, despite the protests in the long-running thread on this forum.

Ron
 
The sniper said:
Don't get what peoples hang up with Kate humble is???
Click to expand...
Neither do I. Every time I see her on TV she seems to be fervently promoting the work of the RSPB, which, I assume, is her role. I can't remember her predecessor doing the same thing. In fact, I can't even remember his name.

Ron
 
The sniper said:
Don't get what peoples hang up with Kate humble is???
Click to expand...




I
Kate is a lovely looking woman (which you have to be to survive Jay Hunt, apparently) but the problem I have with her is that she is oh so boring and heavy. She can be rather too gushingly- serious or, on the other hand, overwhelmed with laughter, which the viewer fails to share.

To me it all lies uneasily with what a good presenter should be.


"Headmistressy, as in addressing Infant children, Key stage 1" is how I would describe her manner.....

Enid Blyton -like?

(I speak as a teacher.)

That is not a complimentary term when the vast majority of viewers are adult.

I have tried to warm to her but I cannot but notice the over-emphasis of certain words and the tendency to take information from others and make it her own...jolly serious or jolly funny.

I thought last week's programme was oh so relaxed and with all participants genuinely amused or laughing.
That is what I, as an educated viewer, would like more of , please.
 
Well despite her odd taste in Jarvis Cocker, I like her. She makes a nice change to the usual dipsy,dimbo bimbo type presenters that pervade every channel these days.

Si.
 
Actually, tonight I take back what I've said earlier....


The programmes tonight were excellent and Ms Humble was very much easier to watch and listen to than previously when I had found her manner annoying.

I thought she was "spot on "tonight....and helped make 2 very interesting programmes.

However, after continuously watching BB , Autumnwatch and Unsprung I feel natured-out!
 
I also very much enjoyed last night's programme and am looking forward to the next programme on sea birds. I enjoy the comments from a range of worthy and distinguished contributors. It was interesting to see the beginings of the commercialisation of the RSPB, it went some way to explain the level of posers at places like Titchwell.
The programme forced me to reflect on my somewhat negative attitude to Sir Peter Scott,which was influenced by a friend's father who served with him during WW2 and thought him arrogant.
I was also amused to see Sir Peter wearing a RSPB tie with the old avocet logos, it prompted me to find mine.
Its made me think - should I wear the tie next time I visit Titchwell?
 
I've really enjoyed these programmes, very interesting histories of our involvement with birds and some lovely footage of the birds too.
 
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