Nature UK - Simon King

Have you seen any strange or wonderful creatures of the sea?

Simon King Simon King — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:26:13 +0000

Here in Dorset we've seen some great marine creatures but we want your help in finding more. As the weather warms up, more and more of you will be heading to the seaside, a great place to see wildlife. As well as our more familiar creatures there's also a chance of seeing some more unusual visitors. Just this month a leatherback turtle was spotted off Blackpool and there's always a chance that they can be spotted from a stretch of coastline close to you...

]]>We're also heading towards the time of year when creatures such as basking sharks and jellyfish venture into our waters. Have you seen any strange or wonderful creatures of the sea? If you have then we'd love to hear about them so let us know by commenting below.

You can add your marine pictures to the Springwatch Flickr group and send your videos to our website.

Can you explain this web phenomenon?

Simon King Simon King — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 19:09:23 +0000

Just a few days ago as we were travelling en route to a new location we came upon a curious phenomenon. A massive web enveloped several metres of hedgerow, spread over a mix of nettles and elder this curious structure seemed to have engulfed the plants beneath it.

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It took us a while to work out what had created such a natural work of art. Now we've figured it out but what's your guess?

Editor's update 14 June 2010: Thanks for the amazing response and well done to everyone who got it right. As Simon said on tonight's show, a Springwatch point for all who said spindle ermine moth.

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Video: what's been covering Dorset hedgerows in silky webs.

Have you seen extraordinarily coloured animals this year?

Simon King Simon King — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 15:14:18 +0000

We've been fascinated by your stories of black foxes, so much so that we're now wondering what other colourful wildlife we have around the UK. We'd like to hear about unusual animals you've spotted that are black, white and any colour in between.

]]>A white sparrow © John Sharp

Let us know about them by commenting below, and add your pictures to the Springwatch photo group or upload your videos to our website.

The Coombe: magical, wild farmland

Simon King Simon King — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 09:58:20 +0000

We have left the mysterious creatures of the dry, hot heathland of the Isle of Purbeck and headed to the west of Dorset, where we are surrounded by chalk downland, ancient deciduous forests and lush grassy meadows. Here the wildlife is a little more familiar, but no less interesting.

]]>For the next week, our team are zoning in on a few acres of magical, wild farmland we're calling 'The Coombe'. We'll be following the lives of three families: the roe deer - Mum, Dad and a newborn kid - and their neighbours, the foxes, and a big extended family of badgers. We'll also be featuring a host of other characters who live in and around The Coombe: woodpeckers, skylarks, owls and wild boar.

Guess what bird's on my cap

Simon King Simon King — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:50:22 +0000

If you'd been looking carefully, you may have noticed in last night's show I had an RSPB bird badge on my cap. I'll be wearing a different badge with a different bird on it for each of the nine shows left in the series.

I thought it would be a bit of fun to set you a task: can you spot which bird is on my cap badge for each of the other shows? I'll give you the one from last night: a hobby. So watch carefully and post a comment below to tell us what you think they are.

Update 5 June 2010: The bird badge on Thursday's show was a Dartford warbler. Congratulations to JS, Dutch birder, sarahlcookson, Nicola Main, Ryan Wallace, liz, verreaux, wildlife_lee_n_tris and Michael_Fell, robster333. Keep those eyes peeled on Monday...

Editor's update 15 June: Mon 7th: peregrine; Tue 8th: nuthatch; Wed 9th: heron; Thu 10th: buzzard; Mon 14th: mute swan. Well done to all who got them right, and keep watching those caps...

The hobby and the high speed camera

Simon King Simon King — Mon, 31 May 2010 12:34:35 +0000

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.

Have you seen a black fox?

Simon King Simon King — Mon, 31 May 2010 11:18:41 +0000

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...

]]>The Springwatch team have been searching all over the country to see if any are alive today, and hopefully to film one, but unfortunately the trail has gone cold. Although I've heard rumours of sightings here and there, I'm intrigued to know whether or not there are any living examples of these near mythical beasts. And I really need your help.

If you have ANY information about a black fox, please, please let us know by commenting below. There was a confirmed sighting in Lancashire some time ago, but nothing recently as far as we know. And if you have any video or still photographs of one, even better. Add photos to the BBC Springwatch photo group, videos to the Springwatch Your movies section and let us know below.

Thank you.

Update 6 June 2010: Exciting news from the Black Fox Squad. I'll give you a full update on Monday's show. (Thank you all for this amazing response.)

Update 8 June 2010: Here's the video evidence of these near-mythical animals filmed in a garden in southern England.

They don't come much stranger than a nightjar

Simon King Simon King — Fri, 28 May 2010 17:04:06 +0000

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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We've been out at dusk trying to get some shots of these elusive, enigmatic creatures. Though we've heard their distinctive churrring calls, we've barely caught a glimpse of them. But a couple of nights ago, I tagged along with a local bird ringing team and finally got a good look at one of our most mysterious birds.

Have you seen a country fox this year?

Simon King Simon King — Mon, 24 May 2010 17:11:59 +0000

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.

]]>But at the moment they are really giving us a run for our money. I've seen a couple of young families in chance encounters over the past couple of weeks, but none in ideal filming locations.

It could be that some families are later than usual due to the fiercely cold winter we had, or we may just be missing them, and we'd really like your help.

Have you seen any country foxes with cubs this year? Is their earth in a fairly open area or in a woodland clearing? Have you seen more or fewer foxes than usual? We'd love to hear your stories, especially if you've spotted spring cubs. If you've taken photos or video of them, even better.

Remember it's only foxes in a rural setting we're interested filming this year, NOT urban foxes or those in suburban gardens.

Post a comment below or send us your photos here or your videos here.

Update 1 June 2010: Many thanks for all your help and information here. An amazing response. We've now found the country foxes we need for this series. We're still on the look out for black foxes so if you've seen any please let us know.