What did you think of Springwatch? (1 Viewer)

[s. james]

BTW, there is a chap in Hampshire who could be the new David Attenborough. His name is Darren Naish. 8-P

He just written about playing in birds in his blog. I just realized: how much did Springwatch show birds, or mammals, at play? Would be interesting to watch!

I agree. There's quite a few scientific papers on play in birds available online. I posted links to some on a thread here one time but can't find it.

I've seen a hooded crow repeatedly dropping and catching an object (probably a stick) in flight- this behaviour is found in corvids, raptors, gulls and terns at least and now seems to be generally described as "drop-catch play". There was an excellent study done of the behaviour in herring gulls that more or less confirmed that their behaviour was true play.

Drop-catch behaviour is play in herring gulls, Larus argentatus. See link below...
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6W9W-45BC8DN-BK&_user=10&_coverDate=02%2F28%2F2002&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=browse&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=1f68c6209928ce891f82e6408f41042a

I've also on more than one occasion seen both single swallows and groups of swallows (and once an attendant house martin) dropping and catching feathers in flight. This behaviour in hirundines is sometimes regarded as play (particularly if juveniles are involved) but can also be a form of competition over nesting resources.

Other forms of play are well documented in corvids and parrots. There were some great anecdotes on the thread on here which included juv. starlings picking up a feather and running around chasing eachother and herring gulls on a roof-top colony throwing sticks to eachother!

Sorry for the ramblings, bit off-topic, but such behaviour would be nice to see on film.

 

[NoSpringChicken]

I predict that on tonight's programme Chris Packham will be granted his wish to look for the ring from the deceased Lapwing chick. Why do I think this? Well, I was watching the webcam and there was suddenly a lot of noise and muttering about ladders. A voice then said "It's awash with them" and "There's a lot of poo in here". A gloved hand then appeared and started removing objects. A few seconds later the webcam switched off. I think they forgot about the webcam.

Ron

 

[palval147]

Brilliant observation, Ron, I missed that.:t:
I think SW is a super programme. It has certainly caught on with millions of T.V. viewers (including me)& that can't be bad for wildlife in this country.

 

[balvert]

Polecats? Zzzzz.

 

[pie]

On the plus side, I think SW has been more bird focused this year which is a definite thumbs up.
but....I am finding Kate Humble increasingly difficult to watch. She is so emphatic about everything and quite highly strung.
Mind you, I could be biased since I watched her hysterical outbursts toward tribal traditions a few months ago.
Bring back Bill! |=)|

 

[jacksnipe]

The only good thing about Chris Packham,is his house,Kate humble as turned in to a giggling schoolgirl,Simon King excellent and Mr.buchanan,bring back Bill,when he is better.imho.

 

[javva]

I didn’t think it would work with Chris Packham taking over Bill O’s place in the show but I’m pleased I was wrong. He’s great.
There’s great chemistry between him and Kate, and I love the 15 minutes of ‘Red Button’ time after the main show too.
What a laugh!


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[palval147]

I thing the Unsprung part is brilliant as well, Javva.

 

[Pam_m]

A thoroughly enjoyable series!:clap:

 

[Farnboro John]

Top marks BBC. More like that please!

John

 

[Thing]

It may have been useful for them to specify that it is against the law to approach some of the nests that they have without license (schedule 1 species). We need to encourage people to get into wildlife but close investigation of every nest that is found is not necessarily the best idea.

Other than that, I reckon they have it about right.

 

[Raptor 01]

I always enjoyed Springwatch when Bill Odiie was involved and have enjoyed the latest series with the new presenters even more.

Geoff. |=)|

 

[Himalaya]

So far so good! I have watched upto episode 10 and it appears this is the "wildest" springwatch so far.

Im glad we have had skylark, goshawk, dipper, polecat, linnet and have loved the little sections on nightjar, the bustard news, merlin ,marsh harrier, the kite footage, the sea bird footage, redstarts, reed warblers, whitethroat, cuckoo too name but a few.

Would have liked to see more herring gull at the nest footage. Im glad they chose Wales too.

I do wonder if Foxes, Otters, Badgers, Swallows, Wrens will be featured every year LOL. I wish they would focus on some others but can never ge bored of them.

I love their insect/creepy crawlie sections - i find them areal eye opener. I was not interested much in the tiny things that much but i am inspired to make some homes for them too.

I wish they stop using big gardens as examples and show how we can create eco-friendly backyards, for those living in terraced houses.

Am I the only one who does not mind Kate? Maybe she is honest and does not know about wildlife as much as we think she does? i think she plays her probing part well - most watching the show are probably arm chairnature fans. I have not missed Bill and I find the show more focused now.

 

[Himalaya]

i disagree with one part of the show and thats when they let that dipper fledgling drown. when a living thing needs your help and you are in the position to help it - you help it! i dont believe in that not interfering with nature in that argument. Now if one of the chicks was being predated then you dont interfere as it is being put to good use. However, letting it die, knowing full well you can help it is a sheer act of stupidity. That birds life was wasted. humans and nature are intertwined and we should always play that positive role withi the natural world.

 

[JTweedie]

I think it's hard to get the right balance when it comes to intervening. It was strange that Simon King talked about their no intervention policy, and then immediately they tried to help the chick. As we watched the chick swimming in the water, several times it appeared to be just about to get up onto a rock, so it was never clear until the very end that it was in real trouble.

You mention predation is a different story, but the body of the chick will probably have been picked up by a scavenger, perhaps a Carrion Crow or a Common Buzzard, or maybe a Stoat, so at the end of the day, even what appears like a wasted death might benefit some other animal.

 

[Pam_m]

i disagree with one part of the show and thats when they let that dipper fledgling drown. when a living thing needs your help and you are in the position to help it - you help it! i dont believe in that not interfering with nature in that argument. Now if one of the chicks was being predated then you dont interfere as it is being put to good use. However, letting it die, knowing full well you can help it is a sheer act of stupidity. That birds life was wasted. humans and nature are intertwined and we should always play that positive role withi the natural world.

In agreeance with you! My conscience would not allow me to watch if I could possibly assist and as you say if a chick was being predated then certainly don't interfere!

 

[Marmot]

I enjoyed the first week, really took to Chris think his knowledge is an asset...but Kate Humble got on my nerves with her "great,super, fantastic ...[it was like Jim Bowen on Bullseye] and her fawning over Chris depth of knowledge. As the second and third week went by I just kept dipping in and out the programme and changed over when she was on.

Bring Bill back and get rid of her. Perhaps they could have her as the roving reporter next year....I didn't really take to that Martin bloke.

 

[Roger P]

i disagree with one part of the show and thats when they let that dipper fledgling drown. when a living thing needs your help and you are in the position to help it - you help it! i dont believe in that not interfering with nature in that argument. Now if one of the chicks was being predated then you dont interfere as it is being put to good use. However, letting it die, knowing full well you can help it is a sheer act of stupidity. That birds life was wasted. humans and nature are intertwined and we should always play that positive role withi the natural world.

Apart from the food chain argument there's the evolutionary one:

That bird may well have inherited the combination of genes that led its parent to nest in a less than suitable spot, for the benefit of 'dipperkind' it's better that it moved on to dipper heaven and its DNA provided nutrition to a scavenger.

 

[javva]

Chris Packham and bill Oddie co-presenters?
It’d never work.
I’d like to see Bill doing more of those nature programs he does on his own.

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[javva]

This ‘Dipper chick debate’ has been rambling on across at the BBC Springwatch forum site and for a time I thought war might be declared, such was the passion some people were showing.
I feel sorry for the crew who were down by the water’s edge. They seem to be the villains now.

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