Nature UK - Martin Hughes-Games https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/ Welcome to the BBC Nature UK blog, the home of Springwatch and Autumnwatch. It's a place for us - and you - to talk about the UK's wonderful riches of nature right across the year. Please note: You must be 16 or over to comment on this blog. en Copyright 2012 Mon, 08 Oct 2012 09:32:03 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=4.33-en http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Unsprung, your autumnal videos...and conkers Well, the leaves are starting to turn - the first signs of autumn are upon us and in just a few weeks we'll be "live" from the wonderful Scottish Highlands at our new base, Aigas.

Back at Bristol HQ we're busy preparing - currently discussing important questions like "do squirrels eat conkers?" - er....we're not actually sure just yet!

]]>As ever we love seeing your superb pictures on the Flickr site. We're also fascinated by videos of British wildlife, particularly because you sometimes show us things we would never normally see - really astonishing behaviour.

This year we'd like to spread the net a little wider - so as well as your own videos we'd also love to know about any other wildlife clips you may have enjoyed recently, think "Youtube", "Vimeo", "Facebook" etc.

So if you have been browsing the web and discovered something fascinating, funny, dramatic or really intriguing to do with wildlife, please send us a link as a reply below or share them on our Facebook group, on Flickr, on Twitter @BBCAutumnwatch or just email us a link.

We have big plans for our one "Unsprung" - hoping to make it something of a grand finale to this year's "Autumnwatch" - we're going to need your help on that one so stand by!

So...what does eat conkers?.....

]]> Martin Hughes-Games Martin Hughes-Games https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2012/10/unsprung-your-autumnal-videosa.shtml https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2012/10/unsprung-your-autumnal-videosa.shtml Autumnwatch Mon, 08 Oct 2012 09:32:03 +0000 Tell us about strange nests in 2012 It's time for one of the essential parts of Springwatch - our annual quest to find Britain's barmiest nesting site.

Blue tit nesting in lifebelt by Richard Harris

Richard Harris spotted this blue tit nesting in a lifebelt holder in Kew last week.

]]>Last year it was a crazy corvid nesting in a roller coaster.

In 2010 - we had a thrush family nesting in a firemen's training centre and each day they were engulfed in flames and showered in foam!

In 2009 it was a family of blue tits nesting in the arm of an active railway level crossing. Every time a train came by the whole nest rotated through 90 degrees!

If you've seen anything that can match this for strange, weird or just plain ridiculous nesting sites I'd love to hear. We've already seen a few in the Springwatch photo group. If you have a video you can upload it to us here, post a photo on our photo group, or simply tell us about it by posting a comment below.

So come on, let's make this year's strange nest the best yet!

]]> Martin Hughes-Games Martin Hughes-Games https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2012/05/tell-us-about-strange-nests-in-1.shtml https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2012/05/tell-us-about-strange-nests-in-1.shtml Springwatch Unsprung Thu, 24 May 2012 12:18:09 +0000 Springwatch Unsprung is back for 2012! Unsprung is back! To help us make some sizzling shows we'd love you to send us any weird and wonderful things you'd like to show us. Or perhaps mystery objects to test Chris and maybe find out what they are. We love stuff off your own nature table.

Sadly we can't send things back but if it's super-precious please send us a picture and perhaps we could arrange something? Just one more thing... please, nothing too smelly or rotten if you don't mind. And in the meantime, please keep adding your spring nature photos to the Springwatch Flickr group.

Here's the address:
Springwatch
BBC
Broadcasting House
Whiteladies Road
Bristol
BS8 2LR

Springwatch returns to BBC Two on Monday 28 May

]]> Martin Hughes-Games Martin Hughes-Games https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2012/04/springwatch-unsprung-is-back-f.shtml https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2012/04/springwatch-unsprung-is-back-f.shtml Springwatch Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:17:45 +0000 Friendly foxes and your fox questions When... perhaps that should be if... I am reincarnated I want to come back as a fox - what fabulous creatures they are. This week I went to meet our Springwatch "friendly family" of foxes down at Pitsea Landfill in Essex.

Things have changed for the family as you will see on Friday's Autumnwatch. But what an amazing experience to stand right beside a family of four foxes - literally feet away - ignoring me and going about their foxy business.

I think one of the wonderful things about foxes is that, although they often live right in amongst us, they never seem to lose their essential wildness. If you have an observations about the foxes near you, or any fox-related questions we'd love to hear from you. We're hoping to have a fox section in Unsprung and your input would make it much richer. Thank you!

]]> Martin Hughes-Games Martin Hughes-Games https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/11/friendly-foxes-and-your-fox-qu.shtml https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/11/friendly-foxes-and-your-fox-qu.shtml Autumnwatch Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:05:30 +0000 Tell us about your autumn so far What a strange end to the summer! Or was it a strange start to the autumn? For those of us living in the southern half of the country we fairly sizzled in delightful late summer sun... man it was hot! And then, practically in the course of a single day, someone threw a switch - the clouds rolled in and the thermometer plunged.

It must have been very confusing, perhaps disruptive, for our wildlife. I noticed two things immediately, my late flowering plants were smothered in butterflies. I counted 14 red admirals on a single sedum bush. Also, what on earth happened to our swallows and martins? One day they were here, the next - not a sign - anywhere.

But what have YOU seen? How has the unusual weather affected wildlife where you live? We'd love to know. So please comment below and tell us about the weird, the wonderful, perhaps even bizarre effects the weather seems to have had on nature in your area.

Thank you - Martin.

]]> Martin Hughes-Games Martin Hughes-Games https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/10/tell-us-about-your-autumn-so-f.shtml https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/10/tell-us-about-your-autumn-so-f.shtml Autumnwatch Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:59:14 +0000 Unsprung's marine sound quiz Okay, as it's the last Unsprung in the series, a very tricky one tonight. Can you identify the marine animals that have made these sounds (all recorded by Chris Watson).

In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content.

In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content.

In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content.

]]> Martin Hughes-Games Martin Hughes-Games https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/06/unsprungs-underwater-sound-qui.shtml https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/06/unsprungs-underwater-sound-qui.shtml Springwatch Unsprung Wed, 15 Jun 2011 18:58:44 +0000 Whose skull is it? Which British animal did the skull come from? As usual, answers below please. Good luck... I'll be revealing the answer shortly before the end of tonight's show.

Update 15 June: Congratulations to all those you got the right answer: a grey seal. Commiserations to the majority of you who guessed badger.

]]> Martin Hughes-Games Martin Hughes-Games https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/06/whose-skull-is-it.shtml https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/06/whose-skull-is-it.shtml Springwatch Tue, 14 Jun 2011 19:21:44 +0000 Whose poo? Which animal did this come from and how do you know?

Answers below please!

Update 14 June: Well done to everyone who correctly identified the poo as coming from a fox. Bonus point if the reason you IDed it was its dark colour and twisted ends.

]]> Martin Hughes-Games Martin Hughes-Games https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/06/whose-poo.shtml https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/06/whose-poo.shtml Springwatch Mon, 13 Jun 2011 19:22:15 +0000 Unsprung parasite quiz Can you work out what these creatures are? A clue: they could all be living on your body... Answers below please.

A

 

]]>B

parasite

 

C

parasite

 

D

parasite

 

]]> Martin Hughes-Games Martin Hughes-Games https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/06/unsprung-parasite-quiz.shtml https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/06/unsprung-parasite-quiz.shtml Springwatch Unsprung Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:56:26 +0000 Guess the object Can you guess the objects I'm holding in tonight's show? And then what bird is associated with them. If you can, post your answer below. Good luck!

Update 8 June: Congratulations to all of you who got it right: the object was a caddisfly larvae case and the bird in question was the dipper.

unidentified object

]]> Martin Hughes-Games Martin Hughes-Games https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/06/guess-the-object.shtml https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/06/guess-the-object.shtml Springwatch Tue, 07 Jun 2011 18:59:04 +0000 Tell us about strange nests in 2011 It's time for one of my favourite parts of Springwatch - our annual quest to find Britain's barmiest nesting site.

Who can forget last year's winner - the thrush family nesting in a firemen's training centre that each day were engulfed in flames and showered in foam?

In 2009 it was a family of blue tits nesting in the arm of an active railway level crossing. Every time a train came by the whole nest rotated through 90 degrees!

If you've seen anything that can match this for strange, weird or just plain ridiculous nesting sites I'd love to hear. We've already seen quite a few in the Springwatch photo group. If you have a video you can upload it to us here, post a photo on our photo group, or simply tell us about it by posting a comment below.

So come on, let's make this year's strange nest the best yet!

]]> Martin Hughes-Games Martin Hughes-Games https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/06/tell-us-about-strange-nests-in.shtml https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/06/tell-us-about-strange-nests-in.shtml Springwatch Mon, 06 Jun 2011 18:09:54 +0000 Unsprung colourscheme quiz Here's a tricky quiz to kick off the first Unsprung of the series. We've messed around with some of the photos from our Flickr group. Can you guess which animals these are?

Answers in the comments below please.

]]>A

j colour scheme

 

B

bt colour scheme

 

C

bf colour scheme

 

D

pf colourscheme

 

]]> Martin Hughes-Games Martin Hughes-Games https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/06/unsprung-colourscheme-quiz.shtml https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/06/unsprung-colourscheme-quiz.shtml Springwatch Unsprung Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:54:20 +0000 Guess the animal sound Thanks to everyone who played along with last night's question. Here's tonight's... Can you guess what animal is making the sound I play on the show?

Post your answers here, or on Twitter (#springwatch), or on our new Facebook page. Good luck!

Update: The answer was little owl. Well done to everyone that got it right!

]]> Martin Hughes-Games Martin Hughes-Games https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/05/guess-the-animal-sound.shtml https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/05/guess-the-animal-sound.shtml Springwatch Tue, 31 May 2011 19:02:20 +0000 Guess the bird Okay, here's a little quiz for tonight's show. What species does this feather belong to? Answer by commenting below or on Twitter using the hashtag #springwatch.

feather

Did you get it right? The answer is... red kite.

]]> Martin Hughes-Games Martin Hughes-Games https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/05/guess-the-bird.shtml https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/05/guess-the-bird.shtml Springwatch Mon, 30 May 2011 19:36:46 +0000 Unsprung needs your help! Were here! At Ynys-hir. I rode up on a bike yesterday from Somerset - I had forgotten just how extraordinarily beautiful Wales is.. . Nearly fell off at one point - the sky was suddenly thick with red kites - I've never seen anything like it. I pulled over and counted over 50 in the air at the same time - an amazing sight .

Springwatch Unsprung team

Me and the Unsprung team - Sam and Level-headed Joe

]]>You must be getting used to my "help!" blog post every Springwatch.. but... er HELP!! UNSPRUNG is on Wednesdays this year (at 8.30pm) and - as you know - it totally depends on your questions, your observations, your photos and home movies for it to be a success. Level-headed Joe, Sam and I are sitting here in the tent, glued to the messageboard, running through everything you are talking about. YOU drive UNSPRUNG so please, get typing, tweeting (#springwatch) and commenting on the blog right now and together we can make this year's Unsprung the best ever.

Also - we love STUFF... so if you have something amazing that you have found and think Chris or Kate might be able to interpret (not too smelly please) or you have made something you'd like to show the world - you can send it in. We already have the latest, beautiful "springtime" tea cosy knitted by LYNNE HARDMAN especially for the programme - thank you so much Lynn! So here is an address for "things": BBC Springwatch, Broadcasting House, Whiteladies Road, Bristol BS8 2LR.

Thank you in advance - right - back to the messageboard... what's come in... ahh what's this?.. a question about stag beetles! Chris and I will love that...

Editor's note: thanks for all your comments here. Sorry we couldn't answer them all on Unsprung. We'll do our best to answer as many as we can here on the website. In the meantime we've shut comments on this post to keep it manageable. So if you have anything for Unsprung please post it on our new one.

]]> Martin Hughes-Games Martin Hughes-Games https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/05/unsprung-needs-your-help.shtml https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/blogs/natureuk/2011/05/unsprung-needs-your-help.shtml Springwatch Thu, 26 May 2011 15:56:55 +0000