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"Hebrides - islands on the edge" BBC (1 Viewer)

Back in September I was on holiday in North Uist and went to a talk advertised at the local Natural history Society. This talk was by the producer of this series. The snippets he showed were superb. I look forward to this programme.

Edit. That's a pity, just looked the trailer and it is only showing in Scotland.
 
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What a stunning looking programme and here I am not going to be able to watch it because it is only on BBC Scotland. Something wrong here. Always iPlayer I suppose.

Dave
 
Good news if you are on "Freesat" its channel 960. Thanks to my dear wife for informing me, just hope it doesn't interfere with the ****** snooker!
Had two wonderful family holidays there in the mid 90s great places and lovely people.
Would love to visit St. Kilda or the islands comprising that group.
 
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Excellent programme,great photography,well made and well narrated.Looking forward to next Monday's one and have a feeling,that birds shall feature more,as It Is about Spring and Summer.
 
I found it extremely irritating. A massive opportunity missed; it looked like a 1 hr tourist video. Lots of pretty pictures but no substance. Even more lightweight than Springwatch.
An unispired commentary delivered in monotone by Ewan Macgregor and some pretty naff backing music. Best watched with the sound turned off.
 
I agree with Graham, this show has been hyped up by the BBC in Scotland on both TV and Radio - all day yesterday! I found the commentary to be extremely dull. The footage was pretty but nothing that we have not seen before. The exception being a flock of Twites and now rarely seen bird and what we got was bout 15 seconds of them. I also cannot abide story lines like the baby seal, with the impending doom scenario when it was obvious they would not show anything bad happening to this, nor the young otter nor the swallows. All very sweet and sugary and not for me.
 
drmanage said:
I agree with Graham, this show has been hyped up by the BBC in Scotland on both TV and Radio - all day yesterday! I found the commentary to be extremely dull. The footage was pretty but nothing that we have not seen before. The exception being a flock of Twites and now rarely seen bird and what we got was bout 15 seconds of them. I also cannot abide story lines like the baby seal, with the impending doom scenario when it was obvious they would not show anything bad happening to this, nor the young otter nor the swallows. All very sweet and sugary and not for me.
Click to expand...

.......... and I think they had pinched some of the deer footage from Springwatch...

Sandra
 
It didn't live up to my expectations although some of the photography was stunning. The commentry was dour and if anything off putting. It dwelled on the negative too much, rather than the positive. Rather than dwell on the demise of the barnacle goose it could have remarked about a well deserved meal for the raptor.
I was annoyed that some good footage of birds were not identified such as the red breasted mergansers and a flock of birds which I couldn't identify ? little auks.
Presumably the late swallows would have been a second or perhaps a third brood?
I also wondered about the red deer footage, it looked vaguely familiar.
No more than 3 stars (out of five).
 
I must admit, I got a bit confused at the end. I thought I had just been watching an episode set in Autumn, but then in the trailer for the next episode it was talking about Spring. So what did I miss there?
 
JTweedie said:
I must admit, I got a bit confused at the end. I thought I had just been watching an episode set in Autumn, but then in the trailer for the next episode it was talking about Spring. So what did I miss there?
Click to expand...

Must agree with you. I wonder if filming on the Outer Hebrides in winter is too unpredictable unless you actually stay there for the duration? I was thinking of the weather, short daylight hours plus the ferry schedules or contracted transport which can be seriously affected. Monty Hall a few years ago, stayed on one of the Uists for several months making a TV documentary which I very much enjoyed.
Also would there be much to film, in the short day light hours with typically high winds and rain? Yes I know there can be some absolutely idyllic winter days in the Hebrides but you have to be on site to capture them.
Hopefully the next episode will be more encouraging for this fabulous environment.
Incidently my favourite Islay whisky is the Lagavulin 16yo which I prefer to the cask strength.
 
Had a preview of this series at the RSPB members weekend. Well worth getting a big flat panel LED TV to appreciate it fully.
 
graham_t said:
I found it extremely irritating. A massive opportunity missed; it looked like a 1 hr tourist video. Lots of pretty pictures but no substance. Even more lightweight than Springwatch.
An unispired commentary delivered in monotone by Ewan Macgregor and some pretty naff backing music. Best watched with the sound turned off.
Click to expand...

I get what you mean. I'll watch them all because at the end of the day it's the Heb's. and I can't get enough of them. However, I was starting to count the crashing wave scenes, and it was a bit doom and gloom instead of really rejoicing in the wildlife.

Having said that it is so much better than 99% of the dross we are served up.
 
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