Springwatch is back (1 Viewer)

[JTweedie]

Did anyone see the short segment about Blue and Great Tit clutch numbers showing a small decrease when they were getting food from feeders? One of the things that people learn about natural selection is that for the most part more young are born than can possibly survive.

So with that in mind, could another explanation be that with the birds having a guaranteed source of food that they can afford to have smaller clutches because they know that all (or most of them) will survive?

 

[bluechaffinch]

Good grief, I nearly choked on my chaffinch sandwich. Quote of the day from Mr. Iolo Williams: "You have Bob the Barn owl; We refuse to name these owls". Bless you, Iolo. Sense at last in an insane world.

Are you listening Springwatch???

On a different note, is there not something of the Frankie Howerd in MHG?

 

[bluechaffinch]

Did anyone see the short segment about Blue and Great Tit clutch numbers showing a small decrease when they were getting food from feeders? One of the things that people learn about natural selection is that for the most part more young are born than can possibly survive.

So with that in mind, could another explanation be that with the birds having a guaranteed source of food that they can afford to have smaller clutches because they know that all (or most of them) will survive?

I imagine the short answer is yes. Blue tits on the Atlantic islands have normal clucthes of 3-5 eggs, presumably due to the abundance of food available in an ecosystem where there are few competitors for the 'small, inquisitive forager' niche. If your food is on tap, why struggle with so many eggs?

 

[bongofury]

I would love to see them try and film Wood Warbler.

I hope you were watching tonight:t:

 

[Gary Coulburn]

Id like to see Tony Soper back on the box...I remember when it was called 'nature watch 'and it was on different times of the day.

 

[JTweedie]

They showed a video last night of the surf, here's the original video:

http://vimeo.com/14074949

And here's the version shown on the BBC, edited in a quite different way:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/natureuk/2011/06/mickey-smiths-homage-to-the-oc.shtml

 

[Monahawk]

It's good to see some different birds are being aired in this series. Redstarts, pied flycatchers, red kites, grasshopper warbler, but perhaps the most amazing of all, short eared owl. Great footage of a rarely filmed owl species. Skomer is a great place. I'd love to visit there again sometime. The last time was way back in 1973!
Also it's great see other elements of nature being shown. Those scenes of the power of waves from a surfers perspective the other night, were stunning. It adds I think, a new dimension to the programme which if it is not careful could be in danger of 'becoming tired around the edges'. Overall I try not to let the silliness cloud my viewing and I have enjoyed this series so far, apart from the beaver presenter last week.

Si.

 

[NoSpringChicken]

It's good to see some different birds are being aired in this series. Redstarts, pied flycatchers, red kites, grasshopper warbler, but perhaps the most amazing of all, short eared owl.Si.

Alas the Pied Flycatcher chicks are no more.:-C I had a quick look at the Springwatch messageboards and see that there is the inevitable thread about whether the Springwatch team should have tried to save the chicks!

I think the programme has been very good this week. Nice to see the breeding Ospreys and the Grasshopper Warblers are a great addition. Last night I especially enjoyed Chris Watson's piece about recording the Eider ducks. There is a man who really loves his job.

Ron

 

[Monahawk]

Alas the Pied Flycatcher chicks are no more.:-C I had a quick look at the Springwatch messageboards and see that there is the inevitable thread about whether the Springwatch team should have tried to save the chicks!

I think the programme has been very good this week. Nice to see the breeding Ospreys and the Grasshopper Warblers are a great addition. Last night I especially enjoyed Chris Watson's piece about recording the Eider ducks. There is a man who really loves his job.

Ron

I can just picture tonights offering over the demise of the flycatchers brood. KH very concerned and close to tears, MHG going all lovey dovey and CP doing his utmost to convince us viewers that is what happens in nature. A mixture of emotions I think. Hope they don't go OTT on this one.

Si.

 

[pstraughan]

Much better last night. More birds and some interesting analysis. Skomer is slightly in danger of being overdone - it was featured on Countryfile recently. I enjoyed it nevertheless. I'm getting much more of a feel for the area where the series is set now.

Pat

 

[bongofury]

I can just picture tonights offering over the demise of the flycatchers brood. KH very concerned and close to tears, MHG going all lovey dovey and CP doing his utmost to convince us viewers that is what happens in nature. A mixture of emotions I think. Hope they don't go OTT on this one.

Si.

I think you've summed it up quite accurately there. Once they've done that bit, it will be "Now, have a look at this..."

In fact they should rename the programme "HavealookatthisWatch".

 

[JTweedie]

Last night I especially enjoyed Chris Watson's piece about recording the Eider ducks. There is a man who really loves his job.

Ron

It's just a shame that when they were asking us to listen to the Wood Warbler song that it was so faint. It was the same the night before with the Grasshopper Warbler as well. Chris Watson is a great sound recordist but I'm afraid the Wood Warbler song wasn't his best example (although that may have been down to the way it was presented in the programme).

 

[IAN JAMES THOMPSON]

I'm very disapointed that they hav'nt shown any live pictures of the Little Egrets as their is a colony at Ynys-hir and it is a relatively new UK breeding bird. I keep hoping that they will, because the Radio Times said they would be one of birds shown, during the three weeks of the programe.
Ian.

 

[Himalaya]

I hope you were watching tonight:t:

I watch it on iPlayer and it was good to see them but they should have showed us more.

 

[Himalaya]

A bit of an overhaul this week. It has improved but still would love to see more wildlife and less of the presenters. Why put a cam on a nest and show us only 2 minutes of it?

 

[Andrew Rowlands]

I'm very disapointed that they hav'nt shown any live pictures of the Little Egrets as their is a colony at Ynys-hir and it is a relatively new UK breeding bird. I keep hoping that they will, because the Radio Times said they would be one of birds shown, during the three weeks of the programe.
Ian.

Little Egrets breed a little later than Grey Herons. We're only at the halfway point of the series.

 

[NoSpringChicken]

The Wood Warblers' nest has been on the Springwatch webcams this morning, with some great close-ups of both parents feeding the nestlings. I imagine they will feature the nest a bit more on the coming programmes but there is not much point when people can follow it anyway if they wish to without interruption from the presenters.

Ron

 

[palval147]

I am enjoying the SW programmes. The presenters are not being as zany as they usually are, they are acting more grown up.|=)| Even in Unsprung & the different variety of birds & the other programme content seems more interesting than previous SW programmes.:t:

 

[palval147]

The Wood Warblers' nest has been on the Springwatch webcams this morning, with some great close-ups of both parents feeding the nestlings. I imagine they will feature the nest a bit more on the coming programmes but there is not much point when people can follow it anyway if they wish to without interruption from the presenters.

Ron

I guess because not everyone has internet access, is the reason they show the web cam nests & the progress of the chicks on the programme.

 

[JTweedie]

I've been impressed with Iolo, his presentation is very understated and he simply reports the facts without having to fluff them up.