I have been "umming & arring " about saying anything about this for a while..
I feel now that I have to.
I think it was a disgrace and am taking this onward.
The Skylarks nest had been grossly "over gardened", and cut with scissors by the look of it ! There are other nest shots on the programme which I feel the BBC could be prosecuted over . ( Like the Whitethroats in the nest ) Any photographers out there can now say " I can do that " And the bird with the ring on which the Kestrels " came across "
If I had put a shot on this forum done like that , can you imagine the response ?
It seems like the public want "little dickies in the nest" shots and the BBC will oblige. If you or I did it - Oh Dear !
Does anyone else feel like this or is it me ?
I contacted the BBC and they said "We have a licence and every thing was done within the law " !
John, I agree. OK, they have a license and I'm sure they went about doing things very carefully, but morally it is totally wrong. A cam in a nest box, OK, but when they start "gardening" to get a clear shot, oh dear
Very valid comments John - as you point out the gardening on the Skylark was awful leaving the nest exposed all the time. Had they tied the grass back they could have concealed the nest when not being watched/filmed!
Very surprised that so few of you on this forum were appalled by the methods used by the BBC to get the Skylark shots. Is there a message there somewhere ?
Interesting.
JohnR
I have to agree. I like the program but was always under the impression that you never disturbed a nest. I couldn't believe it when they all but went right into the nest. They say no harm was done but goodness knows how many people watching this will think its fine to approach a bird's nest to get a closer view.
As far as I understand the wildlife and countryside act, it doesn't include this sort of blatant gardening, and their strict policy of non interference went out the window with the dipper, the poor thing probably died of shock being man handled. I have seen many leave the nest, and when they get tired they just float around until they can climb out.
Interesting comments here. I agree the Skylark nest "gardening" is a joke and I have no idea how they have managed to get away with it, licences or not. They even admitted that the birds were disturbed several times when introducing the camera and had to keep moving it backwards and forwards before being accepted.
Every year more and more species' nests are featured, I wonder where it will end. Last year nests were even lit up in the evening so they could still be filmed, surely this increases the risk of predation.
I think the Dipper fledgling had pretty much had it by the time they fished it out. Interesting they have this strict non interference policy but feel its ok to tamper with nests so much.
Discussion
8 repliesI feel now that I have to.
I think it was a disgrace and am taking this onward.
The Skylarks nest had been grossly "over gardened", and cut with scissors by the look of it ! There are other nest shots on the programme which I feel the BBC could be prosecuted over . ( Like the Whitethroats in the nest ) Any photographers out there can now say " I can do that " And the bird with the ring on which the Kestrels " came across "
If I had put a shot on this forum done like that , can you imagine the response ?
It seems like the public want "little dickies in the nest" shots and the BBC will oblige. If you or I did it - Oh Dear !
Does anyone else feel like this or is it me ?
I contacted the BBC and they said "We have a licence and every thing was done within the law " !
Cheers
JohnR
The BBC's reply sounds remarkably similar to the MP's expense's debarcle
Alan
Very valid comments John - as you point out the gardening on the Skylark was awful leaving the nest exposed all the time. Had they tied the grass back they could have concealed the nest when not being watched/filmed!
David
Interesting.
JohnR
Every year more and more species' nests are featured, I wonder where it will end. Last year nests were even lit up in the evening so they could still be filmed, surely this increases the risk of predation.
I think the Dipper fledgling had pretty much had it by the time they fished it out. Interesting they have this strict non interference policy but feel its ok to tamper with nests so much.
Lewis.