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| BBC Autumnwatch presenters Michaela Strachan, Chris Packham and Martin Hughes-Games. Photo © BBC |
The new
location for the BBC’s Autumnwatch is the stunning RSPB Leighton Moss when it returns to BBC Two at the end of
October.
Running across four days, from Tuesday 29th October to Friday 1st November,
Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan and Martin Hughes-Games will follow the
stories of the UK’s wildlife in autumn, broadcasting live from Leighton Moss.
Set within the Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural
Beauty, the popular reserve will be right at the heart of this season’s
action.
Just south of the Lake District and on the edge of
Morecambe Bay, this area is where thousands of migrant waders gather in
the autumn months; otters and kingfishers hunt for fish in the reserve’s
reed beds, and rare species such as bitterns and bearded tits prepare
for winter.
Other highlights will include:
• Starlings –
Viewers will see a flock of up to 100,000 starlings roost on the
reserve, gathering in huge numbers and making incredible patterns and
shapes as they pick their spot to spend the night as the sun sets
•
Red deer – Are the largest residents of the reserve, and cameras will
follow them as they rut among the reed beds. The males will go head to
head for the right to mate with the females, bellowing across the
reserve at one another and locking antlers in battle
• Scenes
showcasing the huge flocks of oystercatchers, knot and turnstones as
they gather to feed in the rich Lancastrian mud out on Morecambe Bay
• The fascinating transformation of the leaves on the rugged hills around the reserve as they change colour
Autumn
is a key time of change. The series will examine how the unpredictable
nature of the UK’s weather can dramatically affect our wildlife.
Collaborating with the BBC Weather Centre, Autumnwatch will feature
weather updates throughout the series giving audiences a weather report
for wildlife, which will cover topics such as how winds in the North Sea
affect migrating birds crossing from Scandinavia, and how falling
temperatures influence the changing of colours for leaves.
Autumnwatch
will also showcase the beauty and drama of this diverse season,
exploring nature’s key events and wild spectacles as well as explaining
why this season is such a critical time for all of the UK’s wildlife.
Autumnwatch
will react to stories as they happen, and report on the latest wildlife
news from across the country.
“The series will be truly multiplatform,
round the clock, streaming wildlife action live on the web and on BBC
Red Button,” said a spokesperson. “This year Autumnwatch aims to be more interactive than ever,
inspiring everyone to share their stories, photos and videos, and get
outdoors to enjoy the season for themselves.”
As ever there’s plenty of opportunity for audiences to get involved:
• On the BBC – bbc.co.uk/autumnwatch
• On Facebook – facebook.com/BBCSpringwatch
• Contact us on Twitter @BBCAutumnwatch or share your autumn experiences with #autumnwatch
• Share photos via the official Autumnwatch Flickr group – flickr.com/groups/bbcautumnwatch
Autumnwatch
will also join forces with BBC Learning who will host a “Things To Do”
event finder linked to the Autumnwatch website. To find nature
Autumnwatch theme related events near you visit bbc.co.uk/thingstodo/project/autumnwatch