Now that spring has arrived it feels a long time ago that we were tackling four inches of snow during the shooting of Snow Watch. The cold snap was a real challenge for wildlife, the long period of freezing temperatures and severe frost and ice outbreaks meant animals were dealing with a lack of food as well as the chilly temperatures.
We asked a few experts about how the cold winter had affected wildlife on their patch. But what about you? Have you noticed anything unusual about this spring's wildlife that our cold winter might have caused?
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Have you ever tried ringing birds? Terrifying! An enormous pair of pliers and a tiny stick-like bird's leg. Oh dear... what a combination! But ringing is actually crucial work to monitor what's happening to bird populations. I was lucky enough to try bird ringing as part of a short run of volunteering films we have made for this year's Springwatch.
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The hobby is such a fast and agile bird we've been using a special high speed camera to film them. I'll be talking more about this on tonight's show. This clip from Springwatch two years ago gives you an idea of what to expect from this amazing camera.
Over 20 years ago I was tipped off about an incredibly rare black fox in southern England and was lucky enough to film it. I have not seen one since...
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We've been filming on the heathland in Dorset over the past week, trying to track down some of the unsual creatures that live here. And they don't come much stranger than the nightjar - a nocturnal, insect-eating bird, with long thin wings and a gaping maw, that nests in the scrubland of the Isle of Purbeck.
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Did you try our ladybird quiz If not try it now (and no taking a sneaky look at the answers first).
It was a toughie. No one got all 10 questions correct, so have a go and let us know how you score.
Well done to Naturalist12 and AdamLCanning for trying. Naturalist12your comment is absolutely spot-on (sorry, obvious pun!).
And when you've finished get out there and go spot some ladybirds for real. This week the BBC Breathing Places CEH National ladybird survey launched and they'd love to know how many you've spotted.
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The weather might have cooled down a bit but things are getting very hot here at Pensthorpe. It's only four days to go until the first show and the Production Village is alive with activity, as these photos show.
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The Springwatch team has finally arrived in Norfolk and we're all bedding in to our new home. Martin and the Unsprung crew are scouring the Springwatch Flickr group for your photos to use in the Springwatch Photo Club which airs for the first time next Wednesday. So please keep adding your best spring snaps! In the meantime, our web researcher Sam's been asking the team for their favourites from the last few weeks.
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The Springwatch office in Bristol is deserted. Simon King and his team are in Dorset. The rest are in Norfolk. The main event is only a week away... and judging by these two clips Chris and Gordon are getting very excited. Gordon's admiring the view from his hide, while Chris is getting poetic as only Chris knows how.
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In previous years our team have explored the lives of urban red foxes in our towns and cities but this year we're on the trail of their shyer, more elusive country cousins.
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Slightly scary day yesterday dropping off the Avon Gorge (here in Bristol) with some bird-mad climbers to help ring some firece little peregrine chicks. We knew the chicks were right at the back of a bramble-filled cave on the cliff face but once we got to the nest there was a big surprise in store for us all.
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The team are out filming every day now, and preparing to leave Springwatch Towers for Norfolk very soon, so it's getting harder and harder for our researcher Sam to tie them down to choose a Flickr favourite.
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As the number of streets lights has risen our night skies have been getting brighter. This is welcome news for some: more street lights means less crime, or at least less fear of crime. For others it's a case of more light pollution causing yet more damage to our environment.
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Springwatch is approaching fast... the office is a hive of frantic activity. Now then - as ever - please may we request your help?
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There's three themed one-hour Springwatch Specials on BBC Two this week. Chris looks at how climate change affects our wildlife, Simon explores the wild side of our cities and Gordon takes a high seas adventure.
So to get you in the mood, here are some trailers for them. (Sorry, meant to post this before Chris's programme, which you can now watch on iPlayer.)
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We used to pop up in spring and again in autumn, but nature merrily perseveres whatever the season and we thought we should too. So out with the old Springwatch and Autumnwatch blogs and in with the new Nature UK blog.
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|16:34 UK time, Monday, 31 May 2010
