Interview with Michaela Strachan - Springwatch 2024

Michaela Strachan (Image: BBC Studios)

Springwatch 2024 returns with an exciting schedule, broadcasting from RSPB Arne in Dorset and exploring wildlife across the UK, including the Isle of Bute, Loch Lomond, and Glasgow. Airing on iPlayer and BBC Two from 27 May, the programme features live updates, behind-the-scenes insights, and new nest cameras. With the theme "Little Things Make A Big Difference," it emphasises the impact of collective conservation efforts. Presenters Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan, Iolo Williams, and Megan McCubbin will engage audiences with stories from rare birds in Dorset to urban wildlife in Glasgow, highlighting the UK's diverse biodiversity and conservation challenges.

How can we support local wildlife this Spring?

Obviously we can do all the usual stuff that we always speak about that everyone should be doing anyway, like feeding the birds, putting out water, leave a bit of the garden messy, plant local foods.

But also something we're going to be talking about this series is The Big Help Out, the biggest mass volunteering event of the year between the 7 to 9 of June. It's not just wildlife, it's volunteering for lots of different organisations, but obviously we're going to be focusing on the wildlife.

We're going to be looking at things like animal sanctuaries, environmental projects, local wildlife groups, doing all sorts of different things that people can volunteer with wildlife, anything from a beach clean to surveys, and it really is a great way that people can support local wildlife.

What are your favourite kinds of wildlife to spot around this time of year and why?

One of my favourite birds in the UK are puffins and also I'm choosing them because we're going to be filming some nests on the Dorset coast. I'm going to focus on this one species because it could actually be a real turning point for puffins this year. Their numbers have dropped dramatically, mainly due to climate change and overfishing and the loss of what they eat, which is sandeels.

But just recently the government have got some new legislation out which is stopping industrial sandeel fishing in the English North Sea and all Scottish waters from the 26 of March. And that's in time for the puffin breeding season, so I think it could this could be a real turning point for not just puffins, but other seabirds as well. And I find that incredibly exciting that something so big has been done to help a bird like the Puffin and so many of our of our seabirds around our coastline. I love puffins I love the colourful beaks and I love the fact that they're so interesting to watch and they're real characters.

What do you want viewers to learn from Springwatch?

I think like as in every Watch our aim is to inspire our viewers, inspire them to see wildlife, care about it, and then protect it. If you don't know about wildlife, you're not going to be interested. You're not going to care about protecting it. So I mean, I think that's what we really want viewers to take home from any series of the watches that we do.

And the other thing that we're promoting is the Hero Awards. We want to show people that anyone can make a difference, we can all be wildlife heroes, anyone can help with wildlife. And during the series, we're going to promote so many different ways that you can do that and to inspire people with our Hero Awards, awards where people have nominated others that have done amazing things for wildlife. And as I say hopefully that will inspire people to do their own things however big or small they might be.

Every series we learn something fascinating and something that surprises the experts. And I love it when we show those things and people go away with a wow moment from something that they would have totally overlooked. We want them to go away with wow moments and wow facts about things that they would never know about never had the chance to see.

What advice do you have for getting kids interested in wildlife spotting?

I think it's getting harder and harder to get kids connected with wildlife because of the competition between watching wildlife and the draw of social media and all the other platforms that kids get involved with. So I think the way to get kids into nature is using social media to inspire them. I think we've just got to find new ways of keeping kids connected, most kids are born with a fascination for wildlife. So the challenge is not to let kids disconnect with that, you know, to keep them with that fascination and I also think we just need inspiration from young people. And we're doing that more and more on the show.

What do you hope to see when you're in Dorset?

One of the things we're really excited about is cameras on a peregrine nest. We're rigging up cameras on Corfe Castle with the National Trust and it's the first time we've rigged a historic monument ourselves. And so that's exciting in itself. We haven't had cameras on a peregrine nest for a long time now. There's also a raven nest on Corfe Castle so it will be interesting to see the interactions between the peregrine nest and the raven nest . I think that's going to be quite an exciting nest for us to watch.

If you were a British wildlife species, what would you be and why?

I'd love to be a bottlenose dolphin. I think dolphins are smart, they're fit, they're speedy. They hang around in gangs, which looks fun, and they've got the ocean as a playground. They make people smile, and people are usually really pleased to see a bottlenose dolphin. People like dolphins and I'm one of those people who likes to be liked. So those are my reasons for wanting to be a dolphin!

Interview with Chris Packham - Springwatch 2024

Chris Packham (Image: BBC Studios)

Springwatch 2024 returns with a thrilling lineup, broadcasting from RSPB Arne in Dorset and exploring diverse wildlife across the UK, including the Isle of Bute, Loch Lomond, and Glasgow. Airing on iPlayer and BBC Two from 27 May, the programme features live updates, behind-the-scenes insights, and a new array of nest cameras. With the theme "Little Things Make A Big Difference," it highlights the significant impact of collective conservation efforts. Presenters Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan, Iolo Williams, and Megan McCubbin will captivate audiences with stories from rare birds in Dorset to urban wildlife in Glasgow, showcasing the UK's rich biodiversity and the challenges it faces.

How can we support local wildlife this Spring?

Firstly, we can ensure that wildlife is allowed to prosper and that means communicating in our communities. No Mow May is running this month and that's very much a community thing so people can make sure that their verges and parts of their local park or community resource areas that are green can be left un-mown.

We can also do No Mow May in our gardens, if we're lucky enough to have gardens. It's a time where things start growing and people will be returning to their gardens. So I'd say return with wildlife gardening in mind, not just gardening for decorative reasons. And there's a whole wealth of material out there in terms of how people can access that and what's appropriate for them.

Obviously, making ponds is also something that we've always encouraged on the Watches. The single most important thing you can do to increase biodiversity is to put a pond in your garden and bear in mind it doesn't have to be large, we've done projects in the past where they've been washing up bowls and they still attract species to them.

What are your favourite kinds of wildlife to spot around this time of year and why?

Well it's all the harbingers of spring: the first butterflies, I had a great day yesterday when there were brimstone butterfly about, absolutely my favourite butterfly by far. Also yesterday I had first orange tips and holly blue butterflies. You get a real sense of things happening when those species appear and it's a joy to see them and they're all familiar species that can appear in just about everyone's back garden.

Birdsong obviously is coming to that peak of when we should have a dawn chorus if we're lucky enough to live in an area with a density of birds so one species to really listen out for are blackbirds. Another is song flushes, I call them the urban nightingale. Their rich, fluid and melodic song is really special and again they're widespread across the UK, you can find them in urban as well as rural areas. So these are all common species, but their songs are worth listening to.

What do you want viewers to learn from Springwatch?

The thing about Springwatch, as ever, is it will be a challenge and a surprise. Our mission is to bring people new stories from the nest that we follow and the other stories that we bring in and obviously we'll be delving into the new science and the only thing that we can guarantee, or that we can't say what it is, is that we will see something that we've not seen before, as that always happens.

And we will therefore delve deeply into the new science and we'll come up with new stories for people and you know, I can't tell you what they'll be because who knows what will unfold. We've got our camera on Corfe Castle peregrines and their nesting opposite the Ravens. So there could be some interplay between those. Who knows what that could be, that could be the drama of the series peregrines versus ravens. And then we'll find out more about both of those species and how they behave.

What advice do you have for getting kids interested in wildlife spotting?

I think the first thing is don't demonise devices. I use my phone all the time, I use my phone to identify species. There's some good birdsong apps that work pretty well and they are improving. I've also got a device that plugs into my phone and it becomes a bat detector. So I think there was an idea that we should keep young people away from their devices because they disconnect them from nature. But in fact, I would argue mine connect me with nature. And I've got all my field guides on my phone now. I mean, I kept my books, but most of those books when it comes to UK and European wildlife, have been translated into apps that are usable on my phone. I think it's about retraining those young people to make sure that they understand how useful those apps can be.

What do you hope to see when you're in Dorset?

Something new, something we haven't seen before. Dorset wildlife has a sort of speciality there because a lot of Arne is sandy lowland heath.

Last year we saw extraordinary things with our night jars eating their own young. You just couldn't make that up and no one's been able to explain what was going on there. And that's great because we love mysteries in natural history. We don't need to know everything, but it generates conversation and people come up with ideas.

Hopefully, if we can we'll focus on the peregrines and the ravens and we'll see some new things. I'll also be leading the charge to not just focus on the cute cuddly, the fluffy and the feathered, you know, it's all about the little stuff as well. And that means the invertebrates and the plants and so largely we are pretty good at that and I'll be pushing harder for more.

If you were a British wildlife species, what would you be and why?

Everyone would love to be something fast and dashing. It would be quite fun to be a peregrine falcon for a few minutes and be stooping at more than 100 miles an hour conventionally. That'd be quite a thrill.

But if it were a lifetime, in the jackdaw population there are groups of male jackdaws that never breed. Essentially they just sort of have a bachelor's life without any of the encumbrance of responsibility.

And there's always a nice jackdaw population on Corfe Castle, which is one of the most attractive ruined castles in the UK, if you ask me, it's one of my favourite places. And jackdaws are quite smart, they can they can swindle people out of their sandwiches and scones while they're having a cream tea alongside Corfe Castle. So I would be a non-breeding Jackdaw on Corfe Castle. I'd try to avoid the peregrines. Wouldn't want to be eaten by one of those too quickly, of course!

Springwatch 2024 Returns: A Spectacular Season Unveiled

Image: BBC Studios

By Jon Donnis

Springwatch is back, more thrilling and expansive than ever before. The main hub for this year's exploration is RSPB Arne in Dorset, where the programme will revisit the captivating stories and wildlife characters from the dramatic 2023 season. Additionally, viewers can look forward to journeys across Dorset's varied landscapes and a special road trip uncovering the natural wonders of the Isle of Bute, Loch Lomond, and Glasgow.

The mission of Springwatch remains steadfast: to inspire, engage, and captivate audiences, inviting them to immerse themselves in the beauty and drama of this season's wildlife as it unfolds.

Springwatch 2024 will air on iPlayer and BBC Two from Monday, 27 May, featuring three weeks of live programming. The presenters will serve as the audience's eyes and ears, bringing live updates from diverse locations and capturing the real-time dramas of the natural world.

Broadcast Schedule:

Monday, 27 May – Wednesday, 29 May: 8pm

Friday, 31 May: 7.30pm

Monday, 3 June – Thursday, 6 June: 8pm

Monday, 10 June – Thursday, 13 June: 8pm

Viewers are encouraged to join the conversation, reacting to topics and questions as they come in, with no limits on the wildlife discussions.

This year's overarching theme, "Little Things Make A Big Difference," underscores the idea that even small actions can collectively have a significant impact on wildlife conservation. The programme will feature a new array of live nest cameras at the springtime locations, providing fresh stories and characters for the audience. Pre-recorded films will capture various wildlife happenings across the UK, not shying away from addressing the pressing challenges facing our natural world.

In an exciting new addition, Springwatch will offer behind-the-scenes glimpses, showing viewers the careful processes involved in creating the series without disturbing the wildlife.

Main Locations and Presenters:

Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan will be stationed at the RSPB Arne reserve in Dorset. This site is teeming with life during spring, from rare breeding birds to specialised heathland insects and all six native UK reptile species. Set against the picturesque Poole Harbour, Arne offers a rich tapestry of habitats, including ancient oak woodlands, reedbeds, mudflats, and heathlands.

Iolo Williams will explore Dorset's abundant wildlife, from Little Terns nesting on Chesil Beach to Dormice in Garston's ancient woodlands. He will also visit the Portland Bird Observatory and delve into the surprising urban wildlife of Bournemouth. Crossing into Hampshire, Iolo will highlight local farmers' efforts to save the rapidly declining Turtle Dove.

Megan McCubbin will venture to Scotland, starting on the Isle of Bute in the Firth of Clyde. Despite its small size, the island boasts a wealth of wildlife, including seals and hunting Ospreys. Megan will then collaborate with Glasgow University's field research centre to explore the species inhabiting Loch Lomond's temperate rainforest. She will continue to the Argaty Rewilding Estate in Perthshire to witness the impact of reintroduced beavers and observe red kites.

The final week will see Megan uncovering urban wildlife in Glasgow, with cameras focusing on peregrine falcons, water voles, and cutting-edge research in the city.

Springwatch 2024 promises an exhilarating journey through the UK's rich wildlife, highlighting the importance of conservation and the extraordinary stories of nature.