Springwatch is back and better than ever. And with the amount of preparation that has gone in it should be the best one yet! We’re now on day four and there looks to be some fantastic sights in store (my favourite is the golden eagle nest). It started in 2005 and has gone from strength to strength since. It has really captured the imaginations of the British public and had become staple viewing for its three week run each spring. The show is all about showcasing the best that wildlife has to offer, which in spring when everything starts to really come to life and the colours are beautiful, isn’t hard to find. Returning this year are Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan and Martin Hughes-Games, presenting from their base at RSPB Minsmere.
A show of this scale is actually a huge undertaking, including a crew of 100 people and over 50 cameras, that’s before you even start to add in all the RSPB staff and volunteers! That makes them the BBC’s largest British outside broadcast event. Although with over 5700 species at Minsmere, they are still massively outnumbered! A lot of the cameras are in hidden locations to not disturb and try and get a snapshot of species acting as naturally as possible. There have been hints at what might be featured this year, including rabbits, stone curlew, avocets, bittern and marsh harriers, but with the unpredictability in filming nature, this can change at a moment’s notice. Our wildlife is not known for performing for the cameras when they’re wanted to! Last year’s celebrity turned out to be Simon the Stickleback, I wonder what this year’s run will bring.
As usual Springwatch is big on social media this year. A new hashtag for twitter is #DoSomethingGreat, this is to show what fantastic volunteering is already going on as well as providing opportunities to get involved. If you have been looking for a way to get into volunteering, this could be a fantastic opportunity. You can also follow Springwatch’s twitter @BBCSpringwatch for the latest news and photos.