Flippin Springwatch!!!

[wellies101]

Ok

I warn you now I'm going to have a bit of a rant about Springwatch. The photography and video is stunning, and probably the main reason why I watch Springwatch each year. What I don't watch it for is the endless ""oh no"'s and "this is heartbreaking" comments that are poured out, especially from Kate!

I think the presenters/producers forget how tenacious and harsh nature is! The cute cuddly fox cubs and badgers are great, and watching them is fantastic. However, on tonights show (Wed 3rd June) there was trauma from Kate about how terrible it was that one of the 3 Dipper chicks died. One of the camera team even stepped in at the last minute to try and rescue the chick and place it on a rock to rest as it, the same as the other 2 chicks, had landed in the water. However, this chick didn't make it to a rock and was getting tired.

Now I'm not saying I want to see death and suffering on Springwatch, but what I do want to see is accurate behaviour recorded of native wildlife. Simon King even made the point that Springwatches policy is to never step in and interfere, then 2 seconds later a camera team member is doing just that with the Dipper!

As hard as it is to watch, this is what happens in nature all the time. 99.9% of the time we never see it, but when we do its labelled as terrible! NO IT ISN'T. This fantastic mechanism called survival of the fittest is what has created the diversity we see on the planet today, let alone the UK.

I think its about time we opened our eyes not only to the beauty of wildlife, but gained a healthy respect for how tough it is and how strong those individuals are that survive this first test.

[Meta menardi]

I turned it off. I am lucky enough to see loads of stuff, I don't enjoy this any more. I have to say very strongly this is not because of Chris Packham.

[wellies101]

I agree, Chris Packham has been excellent.

[Kayleigh]

I have not watched this yet I will catch it later as I was working the last two evenings.
The last one I watched was I think a kestrel took a lapwing chick I must say was equally appalled at the way the bird got called a murder.....
This is nature in the raw why do they portray it as all nice and cuddly when nature is nothing like it.
In reality its a tough harsh world with everything living on the brink..
God I wish they would get real..

[wellies101]

Felt a bit cautious about this post, but glad the first few comments seem to be coming from the same corner.

[Jenny W]

I watch it for a good laugh (at the ridiculousness of it!)

[Adam Cheeseman]

I gave up watching it seriously years ago.

Cheers,

Adam

[jerryh]

I think they (through Kate) play the trauma in order to soften the blow for the less nature-wise viewers. At least they didn't shy away from showing the dying Dipper chick or the Lapwing being divided amongst the Kestrels.

On the matter of trying to save the Dipper, I don't hold with a total non-interference policy.
The Dipper species may be poorly served in a small way by trying to save that one individual, but while humans are indeed part of nature red-in-tooth-and-claw, we have also evolved the ability to be civilised and compassionate - compassionate to individuals like the struggling chick.

A pragmatic approach to, and understanding of, the violent nature of nature and the survival and adaptation of species can (and should, in my view) go hand in hand with compassionate behaviour towards individuals.

I would have been in there with the SW crew pulling the chick out of the water.

Jerry

[Jez]

witnessing escapee/ or set free American Turkey chicks growing up in my garden to being washed away down the brook in heavy rain it is very disheartening and upsetting to see (I've witnessed many similar situations) even though that's nature for you. So I'm with Kate at mourning the loss of young esp when you see them first hand!

[Jim Ford]

I'm not particularly sentimental about animals, but would step in to help one. Wildlife takes such a hammering from human activities that it needs a helping hand to redress the balance, even in a small way.

Jim