{"id":27948,"date":"2023-05-10T09:00:28","date_gmt":"2023-05-10T07:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/?p=76737"},"modified":"2023-05-10T09:36:58","modified_gmt":"2023-05-10T07:36:58","slug":"springwatch-2023-wildlife-meet-the-species-starring-in-this-years-springwatch","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/rss_feed\/springwatch-2023-wildlife-meet-the-species-starring-in-this-years-springwatch\/","title":{"rendered":"Springwatch 2023 wildlife: meet the species starring in this year\u2019s Springwatch"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"rssexcerpt\"> Meet some of the species taking centre stage in this year&#8217;s Springwatch <\/p><p class=\"rssauthor\">By BBC Wildlife Magazine\n                \t\t<\/p><p class=\"rssbyline\">Published: Wednesday, 10 May 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p><hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/><?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\" standalone=\"yes\"?>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body> <p><strong>This year, <a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/tv\/when-is-springwatch-on-tv\/&quot;\"><em>BBC Springwatch<\/em><\/a> returns to BBC2 from Monday 29<sup>th<\/sup> May for three weeks of live programmes.\u00a0 Here are some of the species and stories that will be making an appearance<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><em>Springwatch<\/em> 2023 wildlife<\/h2>\n<h3>Ospreys and white-tailed eagle<\/h3>\n<div class=\"&quot;image-handler__container\" image-handler__container--full=\"\" style=\"&quot;padding-bottom:\" calc=\"\"> <picture><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/05\/White-tailed-eagle.-GettyImages-1287855720-3872180.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=300%2C207,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/05\/White-tailed-eagle.-GettyImages-1287855720-3872180.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=300%2C207,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/05\/White-tailed-eagle.-GettyImages-1287855720-3872180.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=355%2C245,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/05\/White-tailed-eagle.-GettyImages-1287855720-3872180.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=355%2C245,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/05\/White-tailed-eagle.-GettyImages-1287855720-3872180.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=405%2C279,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/05\/White-tailed-eagle.-GettyImages-1287855720-3872180.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=405%2C279,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/05\/White-tailed-eagle.-GettyImages-1287855720-3872180.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=554%2C382,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/05\/White-tailed-eagle.-GettyImages-1287855720-3872180.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=554%2C382,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/05\/White-tailed-eagle.-GettyImages-1287855720-3872180.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C428,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/05\/White-tailed-eagle.-GettyImages-1287855720-3872180.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C428,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/05\/White-tailed-eagle.-GettyImages-1287855720-3872180.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=408%2C281,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/05\/White-tailed-eagle.-GettyImages-1287855720-3872180.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=408%2C281,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/05\/White-tailed-eagle.-GettyImages-1287855720-3872180.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=556%2C383,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/05\/White-tailed-eagle.-GettyImages-1287855720-3872180.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=556%2C383,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><img class=\"&quot;wp-image-61565\" align=\"\" size-full=\"\" image-handler__image=\"\" image-handler__image--full=\"\" no-wrap=\"\" js-lazyload=\"\" data-src=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/05\/White-tailed-eagle.-GettyImages-1287855720-3872180.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C428&quot;\" width=\"&quot;2085&quot;\" height=\"&quot;1438&quot;\" alt=\"&quot;&quot;\" title=\"&quot;&quot;\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"&quot;caption-hold&quot;\"><figcaption class=\"&quot;wp-caption-text&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;caption-copy&quot;\"><i class=\"&quot;icon-arrow\" icon-camera-circle=\"\"\/> White-tailed eagle in flight over the Isle Of Mull, Scotland, UK. \u00a9 Keith Wood\/EyeEm\/Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><span class=\"&quot;im-image-caption&quot;\"\/><\/div>\n<p><strong><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/people\/iolo-williams-guide-interview\/&quot;\">Iolo Williams<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0will be setting out in search of Poole Harbour\u2019s new <strong><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/birds\/ospreys-facts\/&quot;\">ospreys<\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/birds\/facts-about-white-tailed-eagles\/&quot;\">white-tailed eagles<\/a><\/strong> to find out about the successful reintroduction projects that have brought these birds back to the south of England for the first time in hundreds of years.<\/p>\n<h3>Red squirrels<\/h3>\n<p><strong><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/people\/12-facts-you-should-know-about-gillian-burke\/&quot;\">Gillian Burke<\/a><\/strong> will be getting closer to <strong><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/mammals\/facts-about-red-squirrels\/&quot;\">red squirrels<\/a><\/strong> than she ever has before.<\/p>\n<section class=\"&quot;highlight\"><div class=\"&quot;highlight__content\" editor-content=\"\"> <ul><li><strong><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/mammals\/red-squirrel-vs-grey-squirrel-the-key-differences\/&quot;\">Red squirrel vs grey squirrel: the key differences<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul><p> <\/p><\/div> <\/section><h3>Water vole<\/h3>\n<div class=\"&quot;image-handler__container\" image-handler__container--full=\"\" style=\"&quot;padding-bottom:\" calc=\"\"> <picture><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/08\/Water-vole.-GettyImages-1293076087-c237537.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=300%2C200,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/08\/Water-vole.-GettyImages-1293076087-c237537.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=300%2C200,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/08\/Water-vole.-GettyImages-1293076087-c237537.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=355%2C237,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/08\/Water-vole.-GettyImages-1293076087-c237537.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=355%2C237,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/08\/Water-vole.-GettyImages-1293076087-c237537.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=405%2C270,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/08\/Water-vole.-GettyImages-1293076087-c237537.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=405%2C270,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/08\/Water-vole.-GettyImages-1293076087-c237537.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=554%2C369,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/08\/Water-vole.-GettyImages-1293076087-c237537.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=554%2C369,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/08\/Water-vole.-GettyImages-1293076087-c237537.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C413,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/08\/Water-vole.-GettyImages-1293076087-c237537.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C413,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/08\/Water-vole.-GettyImages-1293076087-c237537.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=408%2C272,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/08\/Water-vole.-GettyImages-1293076087-c237537.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=408%2C272,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/08\/Water-vole.-GettyImages-1293076087-c237537.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=556%2C371,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/08\/Water-vole.-GettyImages-1293076087-c237537.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=556%2C371,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><img class=\"&quot;wp-image-65982\" align=\"\" size-full=\"\" image-handler__image=\"\" image-handler__image--full=\"\" no-wrap=\"\" js-lazyload=\"\" data-src=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/08\/Water-vole.-GettyImages-1293076087-c237537.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C413&quot;\" width=\"&quot;2121&quot;\" height=\"&quot;1414&quot;\" alt=\"&quot;&quot;\" title=\"&quot;&quot;\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"&quot;caption-hold&quot;\"><figcaption class=\"&quot;wp-caption-text&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;caption-copy&quot;\"><i class=\"&quot;icon-arrow\" icon-camera-circle=\"\"\/> Water vole feeding by a pond in Kent, England, UK. \u00a9 Kevin Sawford\/Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><span class=\"&quot;im-image-caption&quot;\"\/><\/div>\n<p>The fairways and greens of a golf course are an unsuspecting habitat to find the UK\u2019s fastest declining mammal. But the waterways that cause problems for many a golfer are providing the perfect home for <strong><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/mammals\/facts-about-water-voles\/&quot;\">water voles<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><strong>Cemetery spider\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Chantelle Lindsay visits Highgate Cemetery in search of an <strong><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/insects-invertebrates\/arachnids-guide\/&quot;\">arachnid<\/a><\/strong> that has made a home for itself in the vaults of the famed Egyptian Avenue. <em>Meta Bourneti<\/em> is traditionally a cave spider that is seldom seen in the UK, but a colony has carved an existence for itself here for almost a century.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Sandwich terns<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>A small island in a lagoon in North Wales becomes the prime breeding ground for the spectacular sandwich tern. With their punk like head feathers they settle at the National Trust\u2019s Cemlyn reserve each spring. Their courtship however, is less rock roll and more <em>paso doble<\/em> resembling matadors as they strut with wings outstretched in the attempt to attract a mate.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><strong>Bee fly\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The spring brings sunshine and welcome warmth to Buckinghamshire and in amongst the early blooms of the primroses \u2013 an imposter can be found. At first glance you would be forgiven for thinking that this is a bee but the tell-tale signs of its long proboscis and only one pair of wings show that this is in fact a fly \u2013 a <strong><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/insects-invertebrates\/bee-flies\/&quot;\">bee fly<\/a><\/strong>. This master of mimicry has a sinister side as it parasites solitary bees in spectacular fashion. Like launching a catapult, it takes aim and flings its eggs into the burrows of unsuspecting bees where they will eventually hatch into parasitoid larva, killing their hosts.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Parasitic wasp <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Large white butterflies can be seen in many of our gardens in spring, where they lay their eggs on the tender stems of our green veg. When the caterpillars emerge, they have a ready supply of food and they can easily strip our cabbages of their leaves.<\/p>\n<p>But the smell of the caterpillar\u2019s saliva when mixed with chewed up leaves attracts an unwanted guest \u2026 <em>Cotesia Glomorata<\/em> \u2013 a type of solitary wasp \u2013 no bigger than a flying ant.<\/p>\n<p>These <strong><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/insects-invertebrates\/parasitic-wasps-white-butterflies\/&quot;\">parasitic wasps<\/a> <\/strong>are also looking for somewhere to lay their eggs \u2026 ideally INSIDE the caterpillar. The female wasp succeeds and what happens to the caterpillar now is a truth stranger than fiction; It grows as normal, while the wasp larvae grow inside it \u2026 until finally they chew their way out. Amazingly the caterpillar is still alive but now its brain chemistry has been altered to protect the wasp larvae day and night, until finally it starves to death. Cotesia are so common that 70% of large white caterpillars endure this fate.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Jellyfish <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Nestled in the shallows around our coastline are some of the strangest life forms in the sea. Polyps. They\u2019re anchored to rocks for up to 25 years, but when springtime conditions are <em>just right,<\/em>\u00a0they can undergo a remarkable transformation.\u00a0They morph into a daisy-chain of segments, which then start a strange twitching dance.<\/p>\n<p>Slowly but surely the upper most segment branches off \u2026 and a new baby Moon Jellyfish drifts away on the current. They grow up to 6mm a day until just 2 months later they are fully formed adults known as medusa. Jellyfish have no brains, no bones and no blood but, as we reveal using micro photography to show you their anatomy in fine detail, they are truly spellbinding creatures.<\/p>\n<section class=\"&quot;highlight\"><div class=\"&quot;highlight__content\" editor-content=\"\"> <ul><li><strong><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/insects-invertebrates\/jellyfish-guide\/&quot;\">Jellyfish guide: how they reproduce, do they have brains and why one species is biologically immortal<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul><p> <\/p><\/div> <\/section><p><strong>Otters<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"&quot;image-handler__container\" image-handler__container--full=\"\" style=\"&quot;padding-bottom:\" calc=\"\"> <picture><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2010\/10\/GettyImages-591465531-3ddc2ee.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=300%2C200,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2010\/10\/GettyImages-591465531-3ddc2ee.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=300%2C200,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2010\/10\/GettyImages-591465531-3ddc2ee.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=355%2C237,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2010\/10\/GettyImages-591465531-3ddc2ee.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=355%2C237,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2010\/10\/GettyImages-591465531-3ddc2ee.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=405%2C270,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2010\/10\/GettyImages-591465531-3ddc2ee.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=405%2C270,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2010\/10\/GettyImages-591465531-3ddc2ee.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=554%2C370,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2010\/10\/GettyImages-591465531-3ddc2ee.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=554%2C370,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2010\/10\/GettyImages-591465531-3ddc2ee.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C414,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2010\/10\/GettyImages-591465531-3ddc2ee.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C414,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2010\/10\/GettyImages-591465531-3ddc2ee.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=408%2C272,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2010\/10\/GettyImages-591465531-3ddc2ee.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=408%2C272,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2010\/10\/GettyImages-591465531-3ddc2ee.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=556%2C371,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2010\/10\/GettyImages-591465531-3ddc2ee.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=556%2C371,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><img class=\"&quot;wp-image-65675\" align=\"\" size-full=\"\" image-handler__image=\"\" image-handler__image--full=\"\" no-wrap=\"\" js-lazyload=\"\" data-src=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2010\/10\/GettyImages-591465531-3ddc2ee.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C414&quot;\" width=\"&quot;5150&quot;\" height=\"&quot;3437&quot;\" alt=\"&quot;&quot;\" title=\"&quot;&quot;\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"&quot;caption-hold&quot;\"><figcaption class=\"&quot;wp-caption-text&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;caption-copy&quot;\"><i class=\"&quot;icon-arrow\" icon-camera-circle=\"\"\/> European otter (Lutra lutra) on shoreline rocks, Yell, Shetland Islands, Scotland.<\/span><\/figcaption><span class=\"&quot;im-image-caption&quot;\"\/><\/div>\n<p>Canals \u2013 once Britain\u2019s super-highways, bustling with trade and industry, are now a much more\u00a0<em>leisurely\u00a0<\/em>affair. They\u2019re also wildlife corridors, giving many species a route into and out of our towns and cities.<\/p>\n<p><em>Springwatch<\/em> showcases one that runs parallel to a natural river in Gloucestershire and his home to one of our most elusive mammals \u2026 <strong><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/mammals\/otters-of-the-world\/&quot;\">otters<\/a><\/strong>. They\u2019ve<span style=\"&quot;text-decoration:\" line-through=\"\">\u00a0<\/span>learned to negotiate the locks, dams and gates of the canal, where there\u2019s plenty of fish to be had. And one particular female otter needs as many as she can get because she\u2019s got hungry mouths to feed: 2 month old otter cubs.<\/p>\n<p>At around 5 months old they are starting to explore the river for themselves. In the coming months mum will teach them everything she knows \u2013 by the time they\u2019re 1 they\u2019ll need to be able to navigate the highways and byways of the canal all by themselves.<\/p>\n<section class=\"&quot;highlight\"><div class=\"&quot;highlight__content\" editor-content=\"\"> <ul><li><strong><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/holidays-days-out\/uk\/10-great-places-to-see-otters\/&quot;\">Where to see otters in the uk<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul><p> <\/p><\/div> <\/section><h3><strong>Burnet moth \u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Concealed in the short grasses on chalk downland in Dorset is a beautiful burnet moth caterpillar. It\u2019s a very fussy eater, feeding only on common bird\u2019s foot trefoil. The caterpillar and the trefoil share a very sinister skill. Both have evolved the ability to conjure up toxic cyanides.<\/p>\n<p>When threatened, the caterpillar oozes dangerous droplets. It advertises this trait with eye catching green and black colours, warning predators to stay away \u2013 which means it feeds undisturbed. When it has finally eaten it\u2019s fill of trefoil, it shuffles deep into the undergrowth\u2026 and spins itself into a delicate, parchment like opaque cocoon.<\/p>\n<p>Around a fortnight later it re-emerges. It has transformed into an adult five spot burnet moth and slowly unfurls iridescent inky blue wings, dotted with intense crimson and takes its first flight into the May sunshine. Cruising over the downland it\u2019s a large and conspicuous fuzzball in flight and could be a very easy target. But it has protection: It may have changed colour since it was a caterpillar, but the message born in bright red on the moth\u2019s wings is the same \u2013 toxic \u2013 stay away! It seems to be working as it ambles its way over the hillside to find a mate.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Hen harrier \u2013 Raptor persecution Pt 1:\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In his first film on the issue of raptor persecution, President of the BTO and BBC Correspondent, Frank Gardner, heads high up into the hills of Cumbria to try to catch a glimpse of one of our rarest and most persecuted birds: The Hen Harrier. He joins RSPB investigator Howard Jones as he patrols the hillside, keeping close watch over a nesting pair, because there is a history of male birds going missing in the area. Scaling the steep slopes is tough in a wheelchair so Frank travels by all-terrain vehicle to reach the best view point and is rewarded with some stellar scenes of this incredible bird. He hears from Howard about how vulnerable they are to persecution, especially on driven grouse moors and sees for himself what it takes to try to ensure these birds have a future on our uplands.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Marsh Harrier \u2013 Raptor Persecution Pt 2:\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In his second film on the issue \u2013 President of the BTO and BBC Correspondent, Frank Gardner, heads to Lakenheath Fen reserve on the Norfolk Suffolk Border, where they have a large number of Marsh Harrier. Here he meets the head of the RSPB\u2019s investigation team, Mark Thomas, who tells him that the issue of raptor persecution is still a big problem and is happening up and down the country.<\/p>\n<p>He shows Frank distressing footage captured on covert camera by his team, showing a gamekeeper clubbing a buzzard to death in a cage trap. And meets Norfolk Police\u2019s Wildlife Crime Officer Chris Shelley to hear about one of the biggest cases of raptor persecution they ever dealt with, which happened just miles from Lakenheath Reserve. Frank\u2019s horrified by the scale of the problem but heartened to hear about the great work the wildlife police and RSPB are doing to stamp out this cruel crime.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>Gannets<\/h3>\n<div class=\"&quot;image-handler__container\" image-handler__container--full=\"\" style=\"&quot;padding-bottom:\" calc=\"\"> <picture><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/12\/Bass-Rock-9c14241.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=300%2C200,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/12\/Bass-Rock-9c14241.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=300%2C200,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/12\/Bass-Rock-9c14241.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=355%2C237,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/12\/Bass-Rock-9c14241.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=355%2C237,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/12\/Bass-Rock-9c14241.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=405%2C270,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/12\/Bass-Rock-9c14241.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=405%2C270,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/12\/Bass-Rock-9c14241.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=554%2C369,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/12\/Bass-Rock-9c14241.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=554%2C369,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/12\/Bass-Rock-9c14241.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C413,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/12\/Bass-Rock-9c14241.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C413,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/12\/Bass-Rock-9c14241.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=408%2C272,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/12\/Bass-Rock-9c14241.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=408%2C272,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/12\/Bass-Rock-9c14241.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=556%2C371,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/12\/Bass-Rock-9c14241.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=556%2C371,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><img class=\"&quot;wp-image-71973\" align=\"\" size-full=\"\" image-handler__image=\"\" image-handler__image--full=\"\" no-wrap=\"\" js-lazyload=\"\" data-src=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/12\/Bass-Rock-9c14241.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C413&quot;\" width=\"&quot;2121&quot;\" height=\"&quot;1414&quot;\" alt=\"&quot;&quot;\" title=\"&quot;&quot;\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"&quot;caption-hold&quot;\"><figcaption class=\"&quot;wp-caption-text&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;caption-copy&quot;\"><i class=\"&quot;icon-arrow\" icon-camera-circle=\"\"\/> \u00a9 Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><span class=\"&quot;im-image-caption&quot;\"\/><\/div>\n<p>Maggie Sheldon has been working on Bass Rock for 25 years and has come to know every nook and cranny. No one knows the population of gannets that come to the rock to breed every spring better. <em>Springwatch<\/em> follows her for a \u2018day in the life of\u2019 experience, finding out what it takes to care for this inhospitable habitat and monitor the birds that call it home.<\/p>\n<p>As she tells us, Bass Rock isn\u2019t a nature reserve, \u2018it\u2019s raw and hardcore.\u2019 And when you see her negotiate landing and climbing on shore, you can see she is hardcore too! Ropes are used to winch up materials to mend paths, and battling the elements is always a struggle. But what makes it worthwhile is the bird life. Gannets have returned and Maggie is assessing how they\u2019re faring this year, after last year\u2019s devastating bird flu epidemic. We\u2019ll get first hand evidence of how the virus is affecting the birds and Maggie\u2019s heartfelt reactions and reflections.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Early spider orchid<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Springwatch\u2019s new resident botanist, Leif Bersweden\u2019s, love of orchids began 10 years ago when he first clapped eyes on the rare early spider orchid in Durlston Country Park in Dorset. Now he\u2019s back at the optimal time of year to see this amazing plant. It\u2019s a sexually-deceptive orchid which has evolved to exploit the male buffish mining bee. The orchid\u2019 flowers look, smell and feel to the male bee exactly like a female bee.<\/p>\n<p>So, the male bees buzz around with just one job \u2013 to find a female. When the <strong><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/how-to\/identify-wildlife\/how-to-identify-spring-bees\/&quot;\">bee<\/a><\/strong> finds the type of orchid that looks like a lady bee, he thinks he\u2019s got lucky. He literally attempts to mate with it and as he does so he butts the pollen sacs \u2013 which stick to his head like yellow horns.\u00a0 He then flies to the next orchid \u2013 effectively pollinating it.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Tree dwelling bats<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Megan McCubbin is in Gloucestershire indulging in her passion for ancient trees. \u00a0These increasingly rare trees are incredibly special for wildlife including some of our rarest \u2013 <strong><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/mammals\/bat-facts\/&quot;\">bats<\/a><\/strong>. Twelve of our eighteen species of bats regularly roost in trees but because they\u2019re so difficult to find, our knowledge is limited. Megan meets up with bat conservationist Jim Mulholland who is focussed on understanding and improving the future of tree-dwelling bat species. To see the bats for herself, Megan must get harnessed up to climb the trees where she has just 60 seconds to see the bats without disturbing them.<\/p>\n<h3>Plankton<\/h3>\n<p><em>Springwatch<\/em> takes a detailed look at plankton and uncover some of the changing seasons of our seas.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Where are Springwatch\u2019s LIVE Wildlife Cameras?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>RSPB Arne in Dorset will be home to more than 30 remote cameras \u2013 each hoping to capture the drama of spring as it unfolds.<\/p>\n<p>The nest cameras will be up to their usual tricks, prying into the hidden lives of some of this area\u2019s special bird species.<\/p>\n<p>From skulking Dartford warblers to wonderful woodlarks via gaudy <strong><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/birds\/facts-about-green-woodpecker\/&quot;\">green woodpeckers<\/a><\/strong> and the out-of-this-world <strong><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/birds\/facts-about-nightjars\/&quot;\">nightjar<\/a><\/strong>, it\u2019s make or break time as they take on a race against time to rear the next generation. Predators are plentiful in this thriving ecosystem however, so danger is never far away as these chicks take their chances to successfully fledge.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Diving into this heathland world also allows us to explore other groups of animals like never before. All 6 of the UK\u2019s native reptile species call Arne their home, including rare <strong><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/reptiles\/facts-about-sand-lizards\/&quot;\">sand lizards<\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/reptiles\/facts-about-smooth-snakes\/&quot;\">smooth Snakes<\/a><\/strong>. Just like their avian cousins, spring is all about breeding for these reptiles and the cameras will be standing by to follow all the action.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<hr\/><p>Top image \u00a9 Stuart Shore, Wight Wildlfie Photography\/Getty<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> Meet some of the species taking centre stage in this year&#8217;s Springwatch <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":27949,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"10"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2023\/05\/springwatch-2023-wildlife-meet-the-species-starring-in-this-years-springwatch.jpg",2121,1414,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2023\/05\/springwatch-2023-wildlife-meet-the-species-starring-in-this-years-springwatch-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2023\/05\/springwatch-2023-wildlife-meet-the-species-starring-in-this-years-springwatch-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2023\/05\/springwatch-2023-wildlife-meet-the-species-starring-in-this-years-springwatch-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2023\/05\/springwatch-2023-wildlife-meet-the-species-starring-in-this-years-springwatch-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2023\/05\/springwatch-2023-wildlife-meet-the-species-starring-in-this-years-springwatch-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2023\/05\/springwatch-2023-wildlife-meet-the-species-starring-in-this-years-springwatch-2048x1365.jpg",2048,1365,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Meet some of the species taking centre stage in this year's Springwatch","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/27948"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27949"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27948"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27948"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}