What can we look forward to this series on Winterwatch?
I’m really looking forward to Winterwatch, as always. It’ll be great to return to Arne which we explored in depth in Springwatch. It’s always interesting to see the changes in different seasons. It’s difficult to know exactly what we will see and the weather is a big factor. Obviously, it’s a tough time of the year for wildlife – it’s either desperately trying to find enough food to survive or it has completely slowed down to conserve as much energy as possible.
My favourite part of any Watches are the live cameras. Every season they bring something to suprise us, something we weren’t expecting, something unscripted and I always love that.
We’re hoping to see the resident white-tailed eagles as they hunt for winter food, the resident foxes who will be active at this time of year and all the birds of prey that call Arne their home. And all the more familiar garden birds that are seeking out the feeders as we encourage everyone to take part in this year’s Big Garden Bird Watch.
So, Chris, Iolo and I will be looking forward to getting our thermals, woolly hats, scarves and boots ready, for another great winter season.
Anything in particular you’re excited about?
One of the features I always enjoy is our macro studio where we can indulge in the detail and behaviour of creatures that many people don’t even notice, the wee beasties, that are usually utterly fascinating.
I also love the pre-recorded films with nature lovers and experts. It’s so inspiring to see what wildlife passions people follow. From “The Lone Kayaker” witnessing marine life seldom seen along the coastline, to the “Rock ‘n Roll birder”, who celebrates bird watching and music. In this series we celebrate ducks with a passionate duck enthusiast, as well as moths, bitterns, otters and plenty more.
Why should viewers watch Winterwatch and what do you hope they will take away from it?
The beauty about Winterwatch is that it brings the natural world into people’s living rooms at a time of year that people are cosying up indoors. Hopefully it also encourages and inspires people to layer up and get out into nature.
About
Winterwatch returns to BBC Two & iPlayer with Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan and Iolo Williams bringing viewers the latest news and wonder of winter wildlife, from Tuesday 21 January 2025 at 8pm across four nights.
Live from the heart of RSPB Arne in Dorset, part of the UK’s first Super National Nature Reserve – the Purbeck Heaths Super NNR, the presenters will reveal the stories of this season and viewers will be able to immerse themselves in the beauty and drama of the winter natural world.
With live broadcasts, behind-the-scenes features and beautiful natural history films, the show promises a mix of heartwarming, awe-inspiring, and entertaining, educational content.
Set against the backdrop of Dorset’s stunning heathland, wetlands, and woodlands, Winterwatch will showcase the dramatic challenges and fascinating behaviours of our UK wildlife as they navigate the winter season. Viewers can expect thrilling stories of resilient creatures, from elusive birds of prey to the mysterious, nocturnal movements of deer and foxes.
Adding to the bounty of stories from RSPB Arne, the series will bring pre-filmed, seasonal stories from across the UK with plenty of opportunities for viewers to interact, get involved, and share their own winter wildlife encounters.
As ever, live cameras will be rigged across the site to capture all the drama of the season. Long lens cameras will be poised to capture footage of the local white-tailed sea eagles who patrol the skies over Arne and have been known to head to its shores in winter in search of food.
The programme will catch up with the resident foxes and explore their winter behaviours – and not forgetting our smaller avian characters, our cameras will be set to capture the comings and goings at our bird feeders as we witness which species are taking advantage of the food on offer.
With the RSPB’s Big Garden Bird Watch just days away, we’ll be giving our audience tips on how to get involved themselves and record the species that they see in their own gardens.
Our macro studio will be back so we can shine a spotlight on the miniature marvels that call Arne home and see what amazing adaptations they have evolved to cope with the challenges of the season.
Source
BBC iPlayer
