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Archives for April 2011

Spring bird migration highlights - 28 April

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Jeremy Torrance web producer Jeremy Torrance web producer | 15:40 UK time, Thursday, 28 April 2011

The wind's finally moved out of the south and into the north/north-east so it's been a much quieter week for migration.

But there's exciting things to come. During the next day or two we can expect the mass arrival of swifts, according to the 's Paul Stancliffe. Their arrival is surely one of the highlights of spring migration. As he says : "It seems that all of the UK's swifts arrive on the same day, or two." The only thing that might stop them, he thinks, "is if the northerly winds become too strong." Let's hope for a calm one then.

swift by The Real Oldboy

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Spring in Pictures: Stunning bluebells

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Jeremy Torrance web producer Jeremy Torrance web producer | 10:17 UK time, Wednesday, 27 April 2011

This week's Spring In Pictures is dedicated to that most iconic of spring flora, the bluebell. I wrote last week about how the Easter weekend was going to see them at their finest and judging by these beauties from the , it looks like you were out in force enjoying them...

Bluebell glade by Kevin Wakelam

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Audio slideshow: Sounds of Spring episode 2

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Jeremy Torrance web producer Jeremy Torrance web producer | 18:22 UK time, Thursday, 21 April 2011

Naturalist and broadcaster returns for another audio exploration of the sounds of spring on the Somerset levels. Click play to hear him talk us through the calls of bitterns, reed warblers and a host of other wetland birds.

It’s all set to a selection of some of the finest, loveliest spring images from the .

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Bill Oddie blogs about Springwatch

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Jeremy Torrance web producer Jeremy Torrance web producer | 15:25 UK time, Thursday, 21 April 2011

Bill's written a wonderfully 'Bill' blog post for Saga about the early days of Springwatch, learning to love the internet and...erm... Harry Hill. Here's an excerpt:

...Back in the early years we were only just beginning to embrace digital technology. Or rather everyone was except me. It became something of a running gag that I didn't even own a computer, let alone know how it worked. I even claimed that my lips were physically incapable of saying 'www' 'forward slash' or even 'dot com'. I insisted that if there were to be any references to 'websites' Kate Humble would do them...

Read the full post - it's well worth it.

Watch Bill explain how to use the internet to enhance your wildlife watching on the Springwatch Easter Special, at 8pm Easter Monday on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Two.

Don't miss the bluebells this spring

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Jeremy Torrance web producer Jeremy Torrance web producer | 15:57 UK time, Wednesday, 20 April 2011

It's been a bumper season for the bluebells so far this year and, in the south of the country at least, this Easter weekend will see them at their finest. So with the weather forecast looking unseasonally splendid now really is the time to get out and enjoy Britain's favourite flower.

According to the , bluebells are now flowering right across England and Wales and are just starting to burst into life north of the border. In comparison, last year, says the National Trust, the season was the latest for 15 years.

bluebell by Fabio Veronesi

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Spring bird migration highlights - 15 April

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Jeremy Torrance web producer Jeremy Torrance web producer | 14:45 UK time, Friday, 15 April 2011

The exciting migration we had the week before last stalled this week. At least it did on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

hoopoe by Pete Vincent

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Freshwater photo favourites

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Jeremy Torrance web producer Jeremy Torrance web producer | 10:41 UK time, Thursday, 14 April 2011

This week is all about freshwater as The Animal's Guide to Britain kicks off tonight on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Two at 8pm with ospreys, dragonflies, water voles, trout and that great Springwatch favourite, the beaver.

Here to celebrate the start of the series are some of our favourite freshwater photos from the Springwatch photo group.

Frog croaking by Nigel / thecoffeenut

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Audio slideshow: Sounds of Spring episode 1

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Jeremy Torrance web producer Jeremy Torrance web producer | 16:27 UK time, Tuesday, 12 April 2011

Here's something a little bit different for the blog... Naturalist and broadcaster takes us on an audio exploration of the sounds of early spring in the Mendip Hills. It's all set to a selection of some of the finest, loveliest spring images from the . Hope you enjoy...

Chris will be back for the next episode of Sounds of Spring really soon.

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Springwatch Easter Special: Your spring sightings

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Stephen Moss Stephen Moss | 16:20 UK time, Tuesday, 12 April 2011

What an amazing spring it's been! After the coldest December on record, many people thought we were in for a really hard winter, followed by a late spring - similar to last year. In fact this has been a very warm spring, with temperatures in early April soaring into the low 20s. If this warm weather continues into May, then spring 2011 may well turn out to be one of the warmest on record.

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In pictures: this spring's exotic visitors

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Jeremy Torrance web producer Jeremy Torrance web producer | 12:14 UK time, Monday, 11 April 2011

On Friday I blogged about the rather special migrants that last week overshot their usual summer homes and arrived in the UK instead. You can see a more extensive list there. It's not every week we get so many exotic visitors, so here are some of the best in pictures.

bee-eater copyright Sue Gough/BTO

Bee-eater © Sue Gough/BTO

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Spring bird migration highlights - 8 April

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Jeremy Torrance web producer Jeremy Torrance web producer | 11:35 UK time, Friday, 8 April 2011

The stunning spring weather across most of the UK in the last few days has brought with it a stunning array of Mediterranean overshoots. And the weekend's going to be every bit as interesting...

black stork copyright Neil Calbrade/BTO

Black stork © Neil Calbrade/BTO

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Do you need Springwatch to solve your wildlife mystery?

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Martin Hughes-Games Martin Hughes-Games | 11:57 UK time, Tuesday, 5 April 2011

Help!

Something moved in under your shed? Is your garden being torn apart by creatures unknown? Weird noises in the attic?

Who you gonna call?... SPRINGBUSTERS! Or... er... me...

Do you keep seeing a big cat prowling across the allotment every other evening? I know I do... okay, we can all dream!

Seriously folks, if you have a wildlife mystery to solve, our special Springwatch cameras and big chest of electronic gizmos may be able to help.

This year the team has decided to kick me out of the office occasionally - and let me come and visit you, to try to film your unusual furry or feathered visitors in all their glory. Can we come to you and help solve some mysteries and perhaps share the weird and wonderful things going on in your neighbourhood with the rest of the world?

Springbusters are standing by...

All I need now is to hear from you!

Do please get in contact, by commenting below, by email or, if you prefer, by letter to us at Springwatch, Ö÷²¥´óÐã Bristol, Bristol BS8 2LR.

Spring bird migration highlights - 1 April

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Jeremy Torrance web producer Jeremy Torrance web producer | 16:21 UK time, Friday, 1 April 2011

Spring migration waits for no one but it does wait for the wind. The latest migration report from Paul Stancliffe at shows how all the comings and goings of spring are affected by the weather. (Read Monday's update here.)

This week, Paul reports, the weather has fallen into a pattern. "Conditions during the early part of the week were better for the arrival of migrants than in the middle part of the week," he says. "The strong west/south-westerlies put the brakes on for anything trying to make a move."

sand martins copyright Paul Farnfield

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