BBC Breakfast's weather report came from the London Wetlands Centre this morning. Reports of Bittern and Waxwing being present as well as a couple of Swallows still hanging about this week.
Paul Hurst said
Fri Nov 9 4:08 AM, 2012
Just seen 'Richard Hammond's miracles of nature' on the Iplayer. There's a nice episode on how Great Spotted Woodpeckers protect their brains from the impact of their beak on the wood (a few nice slow motion shots of it hammering away). Funnily enough, at 34 minutes, we see a short clip of what I can only conclude to be a White-Backed Woodpecker !! (Which I expect is quite a rare bird to be found in the forest of Dean) You only see its head attacking a trunk, but after going through 'Collin's bird guide' and the 'Advanced bird ID guide', I can't see how it could be anything else (unless its an aberrant juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker of some obscure sub-species). I spent 5 minutes trying to pause the clip exactly so I could properly see the head! Anyway, I hope I'm right, otherwise I think I'll have to go over all the other woodpecker's I've seen recently to check if I identified them correctly...
Mike Chorley said
Fri Nov 9 2:37 AM, 2012
Catching up on Iplayer today I also clocked The Sound of Music, Terms of Endearment and The Last Emperor. Maybe if he wasn't spending as much time doing this he wouldn't have translocated Uganda into the middle of the Congo in the piece on Swifts!
Tony Coatsworth said
Sat Nov 3 8:06 PM, 2012
Driving Miss Daisy (one of the Beaver cubs)
Nick Isherwood said
Sat Nov 3 3:57 AM, 2012
Chris Packham appears to be inserting film titles into this evenings Autumnwatch. Already had Hurt Locker and Forrest Gump.
Doc Brewster said
Wed Oct 17 5:32 AM, 2012
The Peregrine diet film was shown. Corncrakes as a prey item was the most mindblowing for me!! I think it was in Exeter. Daftest comment was when they found Knot as a prey item in Derbyshire, Mike Dilger said "I bet no Derbyshire birders have seen a live Knot". I presume he meant in Derbyshire - because I am sure many Derbyshire birders visit the coast!! Even if he meant Derbyshire then the big reservoirs get passage Knot every year (classified in the Derbyshire list as scarce - c.10 birds annually)!!
Charles Farrell said
Mon Oct 15 9:50 PM, 2012
Via Facebook
Fulham and Barnes Peregrines
There should be a piece on Peregrines and their diet on BBC's One Show tomorrow night (postponed from a few weeks ago)
That's tomorrow - Tue 16th Oct
UPDATE: Looks like it won't be broadcast tonight either as Matt and Alex will be interviewing Art Garfunkel instead. :(
-- Edited by Charles Farrell on Tuesday 16th of October 2012 05:56:10 PM
Mike Chorley said
Wed Sep 12 2:32 AM, 2012
Roger Baker 3 wrote:
They must have had a great time ...... you can't beat a bit of gore and depravity ! Better than watching telly.
Roger.
The Romans.......................or the guys making the programme?
I thought the Redstart's timing was impeccable
Roger Baker 3 said
Tue Sep 11 5:19 AM, 2012
They must have had a great time ...... you can't beat a bit of gore and depravity ! Better than watching telly.
Roger.
Mike Chorley said
Tue Sep 11 4:53 AM, 2012
well that's two of us watching it then, Roger
Roger Baker 3 said
Tue Sep 11 4:39 AM, 2012
Guest appearance by a Black Redstart on a ruin during "The Treasures Of Ancient Rome" on BBC 4.
Roger.
Martyn Jones said
Wed Aug 29 6:37 AM, 2012
Mistle Thrush on pitch at Old Trafford on Saturday against Fulham. Mark Schwarzer had to shoo it off.
Geoff Hargreaves said
Sat Aug 25 5:47 AM, 2012
I,ll just pop this in Radio 4 The Alien Birds Have Landed, listen on catch up etc,thought provoking and best listened to in one session whilst in the garage and the wife,s managing the grandkidsranges from Ruddy to Eagle Owl,enjoy
cheers geoff
Nick Isherwood said
Wed Aug 22 5:27 PM, 2012
Springwatch Guide to Seabirds on BBC2 at 9.00pm on Thursday 23rd August.
Nick Isherwood said
Sat Aug 4 4:58 PM, 2012
A Coot this morning desperately trying to get out of the way of the Triathlon swim in The Serpentine.
Rory Newton said
Fri Aug 3 10:36 PM, 2012
Cormorant on Eton Dorney lake during the Mens single sculls final today.
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Jun 7 8:41 PM, 2012
And here comes the boring, miserable killjoy
This thread has gone way off topic now everyone and has currently nothing to do with birds of television what so ever I'm afraid. Let's get it back on track.
Rory Newton said
Thu Jun 7 8:28 PM, 2012
Matt Potter wrote:
Tony Darby wrote:
"The Jean Genie" and "Rebel Rebel" nicely inserted by Mr Pakham this evening.
I heard them too! How he does it and keeps his face straight!
The pure genius of the BBC!
JOHN TYMON said
Thu Jun 7 7:44 PM, 2012
Dave Thacker wrote:
Mr Packham is one of the reasons why I watch Springwatch with the sound turned down.
And one of the reasons I don't watch it at all
Dave Thacker said
Thu Jun 7 7:34 PM, 2012
Mr Packham is one of the reasons why I watch Springwatch with the sound turned down.
Matt Potter said
Thu Jun 7 4:13 PM, 2012
Tony Darby wrote:
"The Jean Genie" and "Rebel Rebel" nicely inserted by Mr Pakham this evening.
I heard them too! How he does it and keeps his face straight!
Tony Darby said
Thu Jun 7 5:56 AM, 2012
"The Jean Genie" and "Rebel Rebel" nicely inserted by Mr Pakham this evening.
Tony Coatsworth said
Tue Jun 5 4:48 PM, 2012
"All the Young Dudes" last night
Joe Wynn said
Thu May 31 4:08 PM, 2012
Paul Wilson wrote:
Seems that after a season of Cure songs, followed by a season of Damned songs, Chris Pakham has moved on to Bowie songs in this seasons Springwatch.
So far i've heard his say "Be my wife" and "Let's dance".
Didn't he do Manic Street Preachers one year? Seem to remember 'if you tolerate this' and a couple of others!
Paul Wilson said
Thu May 31 3:26 AM, 2012
Seems that after a season of Cure songs, followed by a season of Damned songs, Chris Pakham has moved on to Bowie songs in this seasons Springwatch.
So far i've heard his say "Be my wife" and "Let's dance".
Joey Eccles said
Thu May 24 2:25 AM, 2012
One of Worsley's Grey Herons had a brief cameo on tonight's North West Tonight this evening
Tony Coatsworth said
Sun Apr 22 8:47 PM, 2012
Mastermind now on iPlayer. 10:00 minutes in for Owls.
I only got 10 :(
Phil Panton said
Sat Apr 21 2:52 PM, 2012
Take a look at the link to this programme from Norway, its all about the White Tailed Eagle. Stunning stuff, am slowly working my way through the previous episodes, they certainly know how to make a nature programme, & you don't really need a commentary, the filming speaks for itself.
http://www.nrk.no/nett-tv/klipp/840799/
Mike Chorley said
Fri Apr 20 8:04 PM, 2012
Currently: Mastermind BBC2 One of the specialist subjects for tonight: British Owls
I got 11 out of 13
Quite a few birding questions scattered through the general knowledge as well.
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Friday 20th of April 2012 08:26:01 PM
Rob Thorpe said
Fri Apr 20 3:59 AM, 2012
Fairly sure I could hear a Great Spotted Woodpecker calling on Albert Square in tonight's Eastenders.
Also, the first question on tonight's Pointless was on ducks.
Tony Darby said
Wed Apr 4 12:51 AM, 2012
.... and Radio. On Radio 4 this morning, the 'Nature' programme entitled 'Drumming Down' was about the serious decline in Lesser Spotted Woodpecker numbers. Interesting, informative stuff. I also learned from this programme that a Starling will boss a Great Spotted Woodpecker in a nest hole dispute; that surprised me, and is well worth knowing On BBC Radio 4 iPlayer.
Chris Harper said
Mon Feb 27 5:17 AM, 2012
Some great footage of birds on Winterwatch last week (Wed BBC 2), including a nice few shots of Short Eared Owls. Still on i-player.
Tony Coatsworth said
Wed Feb 1 5:53 AM, 2012
Collared Dove singing on Birdsong - a mega for 1912 France !
Bill Myerscough said
Tue Jan 31 11:32 PM, 2012
Joey Eccles wrote:
Excellent footage of the cranes being attacked by the eagles and peregrines too. You have to wonder if lone birds usually associated on flocks(such as the lone pink footed goose seen at Rumworth a few days ago) have had similar experiences i.e. attacked by peregrines and forced to land and are waiting for the next geese skein to come over so it can resume it's journey. I have heard reports of peregrines taking geese before so it wouldn't be too far fecthed an explanation would it?
Hi Joey,
That's an interesting and thought-provoking observation. I personally have seen Peregrines attacking skeins of Pink-feet in GM on two occasions. Firstly, in conjunction with another observer we watched as one attacked a skein over the Rochdale/Calderdale Moors at Light Hazzles on 31/12/03. This sighting is documented in the County Report of that year. I have also observed this once over the Piethorne Valley (again Rochdale moorland) but I can't quickly lay my hands on the date. In my opinion, it is always worth having a second look at skeins that seem to become suddenly and seriously fragmented and disorganised. I guess that there wouldn't be much "logic" in Peregrines bringing down geese over our more heavily built up areas but over quieter moorland areas it might make more "sense", where they could then feed on any kill undisturbed?
This is one of those instances where it would be of interest to try to look at trends. Has the frequency of birds seen "down" increased as the Peregrine population has recovered somewhat?
Best wishes,
Bill.
Joey Eccles said
Fri Jan 27 7:48 AM, 2012
Excellent footage of the cranes being attacked by the eagles and peregrines too. You have to wonder if lone birds usually associated on flocks(such as the lone pink footed goose seen at Rumworth a few days ago) have had similar experiences i.e. attacked by peregrines and forced to land and are waiting for the next geese skein to come over so it can resume it's journey. I have heard reports of peregrines taking geese before so it wouldn't be too far fecthed an explanation would it?
sid ashton said
Fri Jan 27 5:41 AM, 2012
Just watched Earthflight and was amazed by the amount of grain that the villagers of Khichin put out for the Demoiselle Cranes.
If I heard correctly and doing the sums they said 5000kg per day = 11,000 lbs = about 5 tons
The birds stay from August to March = 8 months = c.240 days
So 240 X 5 = 1200 tons - blimey that's a lot of grain - wonder where it all comes from .
JasonAtkinson said
Wed Jan 25 2:10 AM, 2012
Probably on a TV (Sky) some time soon will be 'The Big Year' starring Steve Martin, Jack Black and Owen Wilson about 3 'birders' attempting the US year list world record. Crammed with loads of birds and is actually an entertaining 90 minutes, even the wife enjoyed it.
I notice in the narration that many of the locations are not named.
The scenes of the very high concentrations of Scarlet Ibises, Egrets, Jabirus, Wood Storks, Jacanas, Capibaras, etc. to which you refer, is an unbelievable spectacle and would be shot in the llanos of Venezuela; it looked exactly like Hato Cedral, (a working ranch which floods seasonally), which caters for birding visitors.
Tony Coatsworth said
Sun Jan 22 7:01 PM, 2012
Agreed - I don't think the Harpy Eagle was even filmed in the same country as the Parrot lick ! (I recently went to Napo in Ecuador which is where I think the lick was, and they hadn't had Harpy Eagle there for a few years )
Amazing to see the Condors all together - we were lucky to see 2
Rick Hall said
Sun Jan 22 5:59 PM, 2012
Earthflight: South America...
Why oh why do producers of nature programmes have to make everything into a dramatic storyline? The photography was awesome enough. Harpy Eagle taking a baby spider monkey was simply breathtaking. But the stupid narrative about the parrots having to find another salt lick fast or suffer the consequences of a poorly tummy was simply rubbish. Why can't nature programmes just deliver facts anymore? The fact is that they take on the clay to settle their stomachs. There is simply no point in dramatising it. Especially when it's David Tennant's smug face the words are drivveling out of.
Anyway, great photography, but if you're going to watch it, I suggest watching it on mute.
There was one scene of a wetland somewhere near Rio I think where the whole frame of every shot was crammed with all sorts of waders, herons, storks and raptors (including some stunning Ruby Ibises). I honestly think that if there is such a thing as heaven, that's what it will be like.
Paul Heaton said
Tue Jan 10 10:00 PM, 2012
Never watched it and do not intend to start now, but the Radio times write up..
A RARE BIRD. A row between birdwatchers over the reported sighting of an African species in Midsomer-in-the-Marsh turns nasty when the president of their society is found dead. Patrick Morgan apparently met his end while hoping to sight the rare bird....
Now thats a shame I hope he saw it before he died.
Still not going to watch it.
Keep birding
Chris Harper said
Sat Jan 7 7:29 PM, 2012
Midsummer Murders next week is all about murder amongst jealous twitchers apparently. Wonder if Lee is in it?
JasonAtkinson said
Sat Dec 31 7:10 PM, 2011
Re: Earthflight. Great photography, that's all that's going for it! Awful narration from David Tennant coupled with a terrible musical score and quite probably 15 minutes to long. Undoubted highlight were the flying rays, amazing.
Cheers Jason
Martyn Jones said
Sat Dec 31 12:57 PM, 2011
Nice little programme called Earthflight about bird migration, behaviour and other stuff on BBC 1 at 8.00pm on Thursdays for six episodes. Lots of views from the birds' point of view using birdcams as well as close ups of birds in flight (probably using trained birds following a microlight).
Series started last Thursday (29 Dec) - I missed it live so I watched it on iPlayer where it can still be seen. This was about North America with eagles, snow geese and brown pelicans being featured as they crossed the US. The next programme is about Africa.
I managed to catch half of the 40 year twitch whilst working so I missed quite a bit,nice informed content and humerous (for radio 4) although it,s a nightmare end senario.
cheers geoff
Paul Heaton said
Wed Jun 8 7:07 AM, 2011
Mr Woosey I do it on purpose to annoy the literalist nit pickers amongst you
Although a small amount of scottish highland water had been consumed,
Take care and Keep Birding.
Geoff Hargreaves said
Tue Jun 7 11:10 PM, 2011
Also available on Radio 4 Saving species,well worth a listen this weeks edition included the BTO cuckoo tracking project,get it on catch up or podcast etc,i,ll have to. the valve on my radiogram went halfway through.
chears goeff
Tony Darby said
Tue Jun 7 10:20 PM, 2011
A 'resin', is a French 'raisin' Thanks for the tip- off Paul, I missed that one on my TV/radio guide
Anyway, I hope I'm right, otherwise I think I'll have to go over all the other woodpecker's I've seen recently to check if I identified them correctly...
That's tomorrow - Tue 16th Oct
UPDATE: Looks like it won't be broadcast tonight either as Matt and Alex will be interviewing Art Garfunkel instead. :(
-- Edited by Charles Farrell on Tuesday 16th of October 2012 05:56:10 PM
The Romans.......................or the guys making the programme?
I thought the Redstart's timing was impeccable
Roger.
Roger.
cheers geoff
This thread has gone way off topic now everyone and has currently nothing to do with birds of television what so ever I'm afraid. Let's get it back on track.
The pure genius of the BBC!
And one of the reasons I don't watch it at all
I heard them too! How he does it and keeps his face straight!
Didn't he do Manic Street Preachers one year? Seem to remember 'if you tolerate this' and a couple of others!
So far i've heard his say "Be my wife" and "Let's dance".
10:00 minutes in for Owls.
I only got 10 :(
Stunning stuff, am slowly working my way through the previous episodes, they certainly know how to make a nature programme, & you don't really need a commentary, the filming speaks for itself.
http://www.nrk.no/nett-tv/klipp/840799/
I got 11 out of 13
Quite a few birding questions scattered through the general knowledge as well.
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Friday 20th of April 2012 08:26:01 PM
Also, the first question on tonight's Pointless was on ducks.
On Radio 4 this morning, the 'Nature' programme entitled 'Drumming Down' was
about the serious decline in Lesser Spotted Woodpecker numbers. Interesting,
informative stuff. I also learned from this programme that a Starling will boss a
Great Spotted Woodpecker in a nest hole dispute; that surprised me, and is well
worth knowing
On BBC Radio 4 iPlayer.
Still on i-player.
Hi Joey,
That's an interesting and thought-provoking observation. I personally have seen Peregrines attacking skeins of Pink-feet in GM on two occasions. Firstly, in conjunction with another observer we watched as one attacked a skein over the Rochdale/Calderdale Moors at Light Hazzles on 31/12/03. This sighting is documented in the County Report of that year. I have also observed this once over the Piethorne Valley (again Rochdale moorland) but I can't quickly lay my hands on the date. In my opinion, it is always worth having a second look at skeins that seem to become suddenly and seriously fragmented and disorganised. I guess that there wouldn't be much "logic" in Peregrines bringing down geese over our more heavily built up areas but over quieter moorland areas it might make more "sense", where they could then feed on any kill undisturbed?
This is one of those instances where it would be of interest to try to look at trends. Has the frequency of birds seen "down" increased as the Peregrine population has recovered somewhat?
Best wishes,
Bill.
If I heard correctly and doing the sums they said 5000kg per day = 11,000 lbs = about 5 tons
The birds stay from August to March = 8 months = c.240 days
So 240 X 5 = 1200 tons - blimey that's a lot of grain - wonder where it all comes from .
Cheers
Jason
Earthflight
and also the BBC Radio programme 10 Rare Men
10 Rare Men
Earthflight
I notice in the narration that many of the locations are not named.
The scenes of the very high concentrations of Scarlet Ibises, Egrets, Jabirus, Wood Storks, Jacanas, Capibaras, etc. to which you refer, is an unbelievable spectacle and would be shot in the llanos of Venezuela; it looked exactly like Hato Cedral, (a working ranch which floods seasonally), which caters for birding visitors.
(I recently went to Napo in Ecuador which is where I think the lick was, and they hadn't had Harpy Eagle there for a few years )
Amazing to see the Condors all together - we were lucky to see 2
Why oh why do producers of nature programmes have to make everything into a dramatic storyline? The photography was awesome enough. Harpy Eagle taking a baby spider monkey was simply breathtaking. But the stupid narrative about the parrots having to find another salt lick fast or suffer the consequences of a poorly tummy was simply rubbish. Why can't nature programmes just deliver facts anymore? The fact is that they take on the clay to settle their stomachs. There is simply no point in dramatising it. Especially when it's David Tennant's smug face the words are drivveling out of.
Anyway, great photography, but if you're going to watch it, I suggest watching it on mute.
There was one scene of a wetland somewhere near Rio I think where the whole frame of every shot was crammed with all sorts of waders, herons, storks and raptors (including some stunning Ruby Ibises). I honestly think that if there is such a thing as heaven, that's what it will be like.
A RARE BIRD. A row between birdwatchers over the reported sighting of an African species in Midsomer-in-the-Marsh turns nasty when the president of their society is found dead. Patrick Morgan apparently met his end while hoping to sight the rare bird....
Now thats a shame I hope he saw it before he died.
Still not going to watch it.
Keep birding
Great photography, that's all that's going for it!
Awful narration from David Tennant coupled with a terrible musical score and quite probably 15 minutes to long.
Undoubted highlight were the flying rays, amazing.
Cheers
Jason
Series started last Thursday (29 Dec) - I missed it live so I watched it on iPlayer where it can still be seen. This was about North America with eagles, snow geese and brown pelicans being featured as they crossed the US. The next programme is about Africa.
Here's a link on the BBC Website: Earthflight
informed content and humerous (for radio 4) although it,s a nightmare end senario.
cheers geoff
Although a small amount of scottish highland water had been consumed,
Take care and Keep Birding.
the BTO cuckoo tracking project,get it on catch up or podcast etc,i,ll have to. the valve
on my radiogram went halfway through.
chears goeff
Thanks for the tip- off Paul, I missed that one on my TV/radio guide