Springwatch 2024 (5 Viewers)

[Farnboro John]

Same, it was fascinating footage of something I've never seen before, with plenty of thorough and serious warning beforehand to look away if you didn't want to see. Imagine if they'd said 'We saw something very unusual happen, and filmed it start to finish, but we're only going to show a brief clip because it's not very nice, you can't have the rest!' - that's not the way nature documentaries should treat the film they get.

We see plenty of predation in nature programmes in general, as well as in Springwatch itself, and I find it curious how the bias toward one type of animal makes this footage and discussion a contentious inclusion in the show - obviously I like birds, but I want to see and learn about snakes too, and don't find myself 'taking sides' and being fine seeing a bird eating a snake, but against seeing a snake eat a bird.

I think Chris gave a similar trigger warning about the Buzzard waxing the Blackbird chicks.

I believe such warnings are wrong because nobody should be in any doubt that predation happens and it's perfectly OK: there isn't anything in predation scenes to protect people from because it's all normal and people need to recognise and accept that. All people, all ages, full stop the end. Doesn't matter if it's a Robin with a fly, an Adder envenomating a Reed Bunting chick or a Stoat with a Rabbit.

John