Autumnwatch Digital
Autumnwatch has been filming across the British Isles, covering the best seasonal wildlife stories.
Published: 17 October 2017
As ever, Autumnwatch will be supported by a rich and varied online offering.
Our website will be the hub of all that is going on, with behind-the-scenes clips, extra footage, blogs from the team and our partner organisations which delve deeper into the stories and science on the show, and with a wealth of information from across the UK.
Our social media channels will be buzzing as well, with the conservation continuing on Twitter and Facebook, and our Instagram and Flickr pages full of the best photography sent in by our viewers and from the team.
We will be Live on Facebook throughout the week, with resident expert Brett Westwood popping up to answer any questions, behind-the-scenes looks at the set and production, and a chance to interact directly with the presenting team.
Find us on BBC Red Button, online via your tablet or smartphone.
#Autmnwatch
Highlight films
Willow Emerald Damselfly
A shimmer of metallic green and a flicker of delicate wings, the spectacular Willow Emerald Damselfly is a recent colonist to the UK - first appearing in recordable numbers in 2009. Unusually for damselflies, this species is an autumn breeder, laying their eggs in a surprising place, well out of the water. We follow their story; from the mating dance to egg laying in the last of summer warmth.
Fulmars - the flying dustbins
Raymond Besant is a cameraman with a passion for fulmars. He learnt his trade filming these beautiful seabirds in Scotland but more recently has noticed a worrying trend. They gained their dustbin nickname as they skim food off the surface of the ocean – but as our oceans become increasingly choked with floating plastic debris, the fulmars are filling up on rubbish rather than food.
Harvest Mouse house
With a name that screams autumn, the harvest mouse is Europe’s smallest rodent and one of our most industrious. Its extreme small size means that it has to keep itself constantly busy to survive. During the autumn the cycle of eating, building nests and staying away from predators is a full-time job.
Tadpole shrimp - a dinosaur in your puddle
In a few small areas of the UK, a prehistoric-looking animal prowls the puddles. The tadpole shrimp is a freshwater crustacean with a remarkable lifecycle. Lying dormant in soil for the summer, the eggs start to hatch as the water builds in an ephemeral pool. It’s then a race against time for these line-like creatures – they need to eat, mate and lay their own eggs before everything dries up once more.
People-led films
Rob MacFarlane on JA Baker
Twenty five years ago renowned nature author Rob Macfarlane read a book that changed his life: JA Baker's The Peregrine. In this beautiful film, Rob explores the extraordinary writing that makes this book stand out, and looks at its legacy on the 50th anniversary of its publication.
The Illustrators
Brothers Richard and Ian Lewington are the most prolific and respected wildlife illustrators of their time. They’ve illustrated some of the most famous and well know wildlife identification guides used by countless naturalists worldwide. We delve into their lives to discover what inspires them and follow the process of how they create their exquisite anatomically accurate creations.
Westonbirt Poetry
Marchant has cerebral palsy but won’t let that get in the way of his twin passions - writing poetry and being among the trees. This year he has brought them together in a remarkable exhibition at Westonbirt Arboretum, exploring some of the iconic individual trees in the UK’s most famous collection through verses hung from their boughs for all to enjoy.
Kate MacRae’s badger sett
Kate has been a friend of the show for many years often ahead of the team in developing and trying new technologies for herself. Over the last year she fulfilled a long-held ambition, tempting badgers into a specially designed filming sett to reveal some incredible and intimate behaviour.
