• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

When does Autumnwatch 2017 start on the BBC? (1 Viewer)

Autumnwatch starts on 23rd October live in the Cotswolds. They are in the same area they were at in Springwatch.
 
Are urban foxes regarded as pests? Should SpringWatch/AutumnWatch pander to the "fluffy bunny" brigade? Why do people encourage urban foxes by feeding them, when there are copious amounts of "fast food" left on our streets?
Does leaving food out for "desirable" animals also encourage the less desirable, e.g. rats?
Should there be a more balanced approach? On I personal note I am against driven grouse shooting but have no objection to deer hunting in the highlands of Scotland.
 
Enjoyed the Bee eaters footage, gutted there's no Unsprung
There was no unsprung on Autumnwatch in 2016 and Winterwatch in January of this year for the first time and there are now no live webcams all day behind the red button on the BBC on Autumnwatch and Winterwatch for the last 2-3 years approx. Both items now just appear on Springwatch now. Probably the reasons are because of the general cuts at the BBC because of that freeze on the TV Licence for 5 years and wildlife programmes are now being affected by cuts like lots of other programmes at the BBC.
Ian.
 
There was no unsprung on Autumnwatch in 2016 and Winterwatch in January of this year for the first time and there are now no live webcams all day behind the red button on the BBC on Autumnwatch and Winterwatch for the last 2-3 years approx. Both items now just appear on Springwatch now. Probably the reasons are because of the general cuts at the BBC because of that freeze on the TV Licence for 5 years and wildlife programmes are now being affected by cuts like lots of other programmes at the BBC.
Ian.

Just an idea but maybe get out and see some stuff for real?

John
 
Are urban foxes regarded as pests? Should SpringWatch/AutumnWatch pander to the "fluffy bunny" brigade? Why do people encourage urban foxes by feeding them, when there are copious amounts of "fast food" left on our streets?
Does leaving food out for "desirable" animals also encourage the less desirable, e.g. rats?
Should there be a more balanced approach? On I personal note I am against driven grouse shooting but have no objection to deer hunting in the highlands of Scotland.

Many people do consider urban (+ rural) Foxes as pests, but equally a similar number of people enjoy seeing them. I have Foxes in my suburban garden + occasionally breed under my shed + enjoy seeing them. I don't specifically put food out for them but do have several bird feeders, but the garden provides cover + food for a wide variety of creatures.

I don't have a problem with people feeding them though consideration of neighbours who may be less keen on them may have to be borne in mind.

I don't see what's unbalanced about people enjoying a relationship with their local wildlife when it is a programme for wildlife enthusiasts. The Watches haven't shied away from controversial issues such as Badgers + TB, deer culling,etc.
 
Are urban foxes regarded as pests? Should SpringWatch/AutumnWatch pander to the "fluffy bunny" brigade? Why do people encourage urban foxes by feeding them, when there are copious amounts of "fast food" left on our streets?
Does leaving food out for "desirable" animals also encourage the less desirable, e.g. rats?
Should there be a more balanced approach? On I personal note I am against driven grouse shooting but have no objection to deer hunting in the highlands of Scotland.

Our local foxes are not regarded as pests. Indeed they perform a valuable service keeping the reservoir of rodents that is Cove Brook under some control, along with the local cats (to whom I am more kindly disposed than I used to be!) The local humans are well aware of this, not least because I point it out to them.

I feed some of the foxes in a barter arrangement for photographic modelling services. Food is not however left out for them: I feed them individually from the front door of my house. If I'm not there Marion substitutes. If we are away they seem to manage! Occasionally I see one or other of our near neighbours watching events, and in conversation they are amused at the amount I spend on chicken for the foxes and also quite appreciative of the views they get from their own houses. It seems to me that unless there is a particular reason not to, people generally like foxes.

Currently there is one main player, a vixen, White Tip. There is a dog fox as well but months after his first appearance he remains wary, unlike his predecessor. Whereas White Tip will happily consume a chicken leg within ten yards of us, Big Whitey prefers to dash in, grab one and trot off out of sight with it. I have names for each of the regulars. The names tend to be based on the physical individualities by which I identify them: Black Notch, Double Top, White Tip. I find ear fringe fur patterns very useful for separating otherwise similar animals.

None of the foxes trust any humans but me and Marion. Noise or movement from anyone else and they vanish. That is as it should be.

We have had rat trouble in the gardens over the last three summers. It is down to an aged couple three doors down who over-feed the birds, depositing huge amounts of seed not only on a bird table but also directly on the ground (they've been told about this by several people but I suspect it's water off a duck's back). I've had to resort to kill traps and on two occasions had to kill injured rats in the traps with a stick, which I obviously hated. On one occasion I was also roped into taking the aged couple and their aged dog to the emergency vet after it was slow catching a rat in their garden and got itself bitten - not the Sunday afternoon I had planned!

In the circumstances, all fit carnivores welcome....

John
 
Farnboro John

I agree. we regularly had foxes around our street as we live opposite a large public park and playing fields. However, this year I have seen none around and we have suddenly starting getting a large rat beneath our bird feeders (I do not put food on the ground, this is purely overspill - have you ever seen the amount of seed dropped by goldfinches, they must the messiest eaters around).

We regularly get a mouse infestation in the garage over the winter months as they come in from the park looking for shelter but we have never had rats before. I am sure that the local foxes probably kept them away. Unfortunately this rat is getting very bold and I found it on the threshold of the open kitchen patio doors the other day and am sure it would have come into the house had I not shooed it off.

I hate killing any wild creature but am now seriously thinking of getting a trap from B&Q. (I did think of borrowing the neighbour's cat but it couldn't catch a cold on a wet day).
 
I wouldn't worry about it Paul. Foxes come into our garden every night yet over the years single rats under the feeders have come and gone. There are 101 things out there waiting to kill it, and my guess is it'll suddenly disappear. Now if you do get it in the house or if several rats come to the feeders, obviously that's different.
 
I thought this was a pretty decent series of Autumnwatch. Very much enjoyed the section with Ian and Richard Lewington the other night - it seems to me they don't get celebrated by the general public and probably should (more so than Emin and Hurst, anyway!)

John
 
Warning! This thread is more than 6 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top