Springwatch

I think its fair to say that bird photography at the nest is pretty much taboo these days, especially since the digital.age
My wife called me in out of the garden to look at something on Spring watch- a programme I have managed to avoid since the day it started.. I got in justin time to see clips of a water rail at the nest. I have never seen such atrocious “gardening” in my life. The whole front of the nest was opened up, and the bird was frantically pulling rush leaves down to try to re cover it. Any body who knows water rails should know that the are the most secretive of all rails and probably the most nervous. I just don’t know how the BBC have the gall to show it. And worse still I don’t know how they get away with it. If any of us posted a picture on the forum done like that I can imagine the response.
JohnR

John

Perhaps you should address your observations to the BBC with greatest of respect they are somewhat lost here.

Either points of view or direct to the BBC will have far more effect.

Barry
I have done.
I assumed because a large percentage of forum members are bird photographers that it would be relevant.. Maybe nobody cares anymore.
JR

I seem to remember a bit of controvery before, I believe it was a skylarks nest...

I think there is one set of rules for broadcasters and another for the rest of us. I find it strange how they will be very 'worried' on screen that this bird/cub/or whatever may make it through the night, yet they draw attention to a nest like this, making it far more obvious to predators in the process.

David

Watched it on iplayer tonight John and they certainly made a mess of the job and the same with the reed buntings by the look of it. We would be pilloroed for such action.

Bob

They probably get away with it John because 99.9% of their viewers don't realise, me included.

I would have never known if you hadn't highlighted it here. Thanks for pointing it out. I will certainly watch this program with a different attitude now.

Cheers, Gary.

It seems that the BBC are getting the stick here but correct me if I am wrong but this is taking place on an RSPB reserve so presumably they have sanctioned this?

Nick.

Nick
My view is that the man behind the camera should get the stick.
I didn't realise it was on RSPB land. I will be contacting them too.
JohnR

John,

without the assistance of the RSPB this nest would never had been filmed. I actually think it was RSPB staff that found the nest in the first place.

Nick.

On Springwatch Extra, concerns were aired for the Reed Buntings as they had built such an open nest, thus leaving the nest open to possible predation. On Springwatch in the Afternoon they showed how they go about finding nests, and one of which was a Reed Bunting nest, which was completely covered and deep in the undergrowth and was almost impossible to see, not sure if this was the same nest that is being aired this week?

Thought I'd better edit this post, don't want to get into trouble

Andy...

It will all come out in the wash (as they say)
What the BBC and the RSPB fail to realise is that we are not talking 40 years or even 30 years ago. Folks now are more enlightened - especially in the photographic world. They obviously thought no one would notice. Just imagine how many digital snappers were watching that programme !!!!
I doubt if I will get a response from either of them - I don't usually.The BBC once told me they didn't want nest shots. So I informed them that 5 pics in BBC wildlife mag had the nests cut off the pictures as the bird was near to the nest with food. They said--"Ohh"
And never used any more of ny pictures.
Its all a joke
JR

All good points raised, old fashioned common sense no longer applies in so many fields which is why we are in the mess we are.

Unless these matters are raised and complaints registered they become accepted as the norm all too quickly.

John I have also registered a complaint with the RSPB as disgusted member

Bob