Rehearsal time
Well, I've just been into the first rehearsal for Springwatch 2009 so, please, picture the scene as the director, series producer, producer, exec producer, and about ten other people, all sit glued to a bank of over forty high-tech plasma monitors. Nothing could look more cutting edge. Except that we're sitting in a very old and decrepit milking shed...
Of course the first episode of the series isn't aired until Monday, so not everything is yet in place. This is, I hope, why Simon King was doing a piece to camera with a hand-puppet of a chicken on his left hand instead of a real live on his forearm. Considering he was looking into the plastic eyes of a floppy yellow chicken as he described a goshawk's marvellous plumage, I thought he did very well!
But staying with the goshawks a moment. What incredible footage you have in store for you when Simon uses a super slow-mo camera to capture a goshawk going bursting through the smallest of gaps in the woods. Truly stunning, and you can see more about Gelert the goshawk - and his owner - on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales Nature site.
Like Simon and his puppet, Gordon Buchanan also had his fair share of challenges. Looking out from his hide and into the woods, he waxed lyrical about the incredible sight that was 'hundreds of badgers'. Was I dreaming or had only one received the invitation? Let's hope the invites are all received by Monday night.
For those of you who love the beach, Martin Hughes-Games goes rockpooling and comes up with a very cunning way of looking at the life beneath the surface. But I don't want to spoil it for you. All will become crystal clear on Monday night...
And finally... Simon announced his intentions to clap eyes on a polecat in Wales, at which point Kate said she would eat the manky sofa if Simon succeeded. Should they start looking for a new sofa?
All will be revealed on Monday night!
Update 22-5-9: In the meantime take a look at these on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Norfolk website...
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