(Image by SkyArts)
We are delighted to hear that RSPB Arne will be hosting BBC Springwatch this year, airing next week (from Tuesday 29 May) – it's been ten years since the Watches first visited RSPB Leighton Moss but our team still look back on it with fond memories. If you cannot wait to watch our southern sister site in the spotlight, then fear not! Leighton Moss has got its very own moment of glitz and glamour (and Chris Packham action) available for your viewing this evening, Wednesday 24 May, at 9pm on SkyArts (Freeview Ch011).
Jim Moir is a household name in comedy (and if not a familiar name to you, then perhaps “Vic Reeves” might be?) Until recently, few people knew about his love for birdwatching and his talent for painting. At the end of 2022, “Birds” hit the shelves – a collection of one hundred whimsical watercolours of British birds, accompanied by a fun fact about each species. On Wednesday 19 April, a new series premiered on SkyArts; Painting Birds with Jim and Nancy Moir follows the husband-and-wife duo as they travel around the UK seeking out some of Britain’s most iconic birds, and meeting friends and experts along the way. But this isn’t just televised twitching – Jim and co also paint some of the landscapes in which these birds inhabit. Previous episodes are available to watch on NOWTV – catch up and watch Choughs in Cornwall, Eagles in the Outer Hebrides, Gannets at RSPB Bempton Cliffs and more.
Jim and Nancy were keen to get Bearded Tits on their list, and where better to look than North Lancashire and Morecambe Bay? (Photo by Beth Fox)
The production team recce’d RSPB Leighton Moss on a sunny, September afternoon. Evidence of Bearded Tits was minimal on their visit, but we reassured the team that the grit trays at Leighton Moss on an October morning offered Jim and Nancy as good a chance as any of seeing these elusive birds.
Jim and Nancy arrived at the reserve in late October, and their mission began with an introduction to the man who knows the most – John Wilson. As the first Warden at Leighton Moss, John discovered the first breeding Bearded Tits in the North West, here in 1973, and his life-long studies on this species have earned him a place as an authority figure on Bearded Tits. Pioneer of the grit trays seen here at Leighton Moss, and at other reserves around the country, John observed Bearded Tits taking grit from the paths as they transitioned their diet in the Autumn months from insects to seed. Installing grit trays enabled the Bearded Tits to take grit without being disturbed, but also gave visitors the opportunity to reliably see this otherwise secretive species. Visitor Experience Manager, Jon Carter, then briefed Jim and Nancy on the importance of the reedbed here at Leighton Moss, and why this species success is dependent on this scarce habitat.
Equipped with their newfound knowledge, and with a help of an expert guide in the form of Chris Packham, they headed out early to (hopefully) catch the worm. Visitors to the reserve hadn’t anticipated adding celebrities to their spotting list, but there were murmurs and excitement as the trio waited in anticipation on the Causeway. Visitor Stuart Parker tweeted after his visit: “What a fabulous day today at @RSPBLeightonM. Red deer, otter, bittern, long-tailed duck, bearded tit, goldeneye and Jim Moir!” (@StuartMParker, Twitter)
But did Jim and Nancy get so lucky with Leighton Moss’s wonderful wildlife? Tune in tonight on SkyArts (Freeview Ch011) at 9pm, repeated tomorrow, Wednesday 25 May, at 8pm and again on Saturday 27 May at 2pm. Watch the duo exploring Lancashire, meeting local artists and experts, getting their easels out and doing a great bit of birding! (Photo by David Mower)
It was a pleasure to host Jim, Nancy, Chris and the team; we cannot wait to watch the show! Beth