Butterflies - A Very British Obsession
Butterflies - A Very British Obsession
On BBC2 on December 17 at 8pm.
This will be well worth watching - some lovely footage of our butterflies going about their business, as well as a look at how people have drawn inspiration from them and pen-pictures of butterfly enthusiasts, from conservationists to performance artists. This includes a few familiar faces!
This will be well worth watching - some lovely footage of our butterflies going about their business, as well as a look at how people have drawn inspiration from them and pen-pictures of butterfly enthusiasts, from conservationists to performance artists. This includes a few familiar faces!
- Charles Nicol
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Re: Butterflies - A Very British Obsession
Thanks for that Matsukaze.... i will definitely watch it. Is Pete in it ?
Charles
Charles
- Pete Eeles
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Re: Butterflies - A Very British Obsession
What - with a face made for radio?Charles Nicol wrote:Thanks for that Matsukaze.... i will definitely watch it. Is Pete in it ?
Charles
Kipper and Oates are both in it.
Cheers,
- Pete
Life Cycles of British & Irish Butterflies: http://www.butterflylifecycles.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
- Charles Nicol
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Re: Butterflies - A Very British Obsession
oh well just the B List....
i hope Mr O will wear his hat.
Charles
i hope Mr O will wear his hat.
Charles
Re: Butterflies - A Very British Obsession
Many thanks for the forewarning. I shall ensure I don't miss it (though I suspect it will make my Seasonal Butterfly Affective Disorder all the more virulent)
Re: Butterflies - A Very British Obsession
Last month it was "Twitchers - A Very British Obsession". I know the three main characters the editors chose to portray. The main character, Lee Evans, was so unhappy with how his five and a half hours of interview were chopped into the 'juiciest quotes' he has since given a full interview damning the programme and putting forward a defence of himself! "Car crash tv" he called it. "They knew what they wanted, and the birds barely had a look in".
It will be interesting to see how the butterfly enthusiasts fare...
Gibster.
It will be interesting to see how the butterfly enthusiasts fare...
Gibster.
Raising £10,000 for Butterfly Conservation by WALKING 1200 miles from Land's End to John O'Groats!!!
See http://www.justgiving.com/epicbutterflywalk or look up Epic Butterfly Walk on Facebook.
See http://www.justgiving.com/epicbutterflywalk or look up Epic Butterfly Walk on Facebook.
Re: Butterflies - A Very British Obsession
I shall be watching I enjoyed the twitcher one, made me quite nostalgic.
Thanks for bringing our attention to this Matsukaze.
Thanks for bringing our attention to this Matsukaze.
- Jack Harrison
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Re: Butterflies - A Very British Obsession
Ref Lee Evans and the editors.
That’s the problem with recorded programmes. It is all too easy for producers to edit so much that the original intention is lost. I seem to have “got in” with local radio (I hasten to add, I was approached, not the other way round) but at least I chat live (about weather, etc) so it’s not edited in an irritating way. I’m on live again next Monday and I have to be careful not to say how f---ing cold it is!
I recall an occasion at a major European Airport when – to cut a long story short – after a lengthy technical delay, Air Traffic Control were awkward when I wanted to start engines. Without thinking, I said on the radio: “Oh, for god’s sake!” Was I in trouble.....!!!
Jack
That’s the problem with recorded programmes. It is all too easy for producers to edit so much that the original intention is lost. I seem to have “got in” with local radio (I hasten to add, I was approached, not the other way round) but at least I chat live (about weather, etc) so it’s not edited in an irritating way. I’m on live again next Monday and I have to be careful not to say how f---ing cold it is!
I recall an occasion at a major European Airport when – to cut a long story short – after a lengthy technical delay, Air Traffic Control were awkward when I wanted to start engines. Without thinking, I said on the radio: “Oh, for god’s sake!” Was I in trouble.....!!!
Jack
- Lee Hurrell
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Re: Butterflies - A Very British Obsession
Gibster, were you on any of the 'twitches' featured?
I have to say I agree with you, none of the main characters were portrayed in a particularly sympathetic way with regards to their hobby. Especially the family with the little girl. I came away from the programme feeling sorry for her and also the wife and daughter of the chap who spent hundreds of pounds (without telling his wife) travelling around the country to see rare birds.
I hope this is different with the butterfly programme and we are all not made out to be...well, quite how the twitchers were portrayed.
Having said that, I can't think of two more erudite, enigmatic and persuasive butterfly enthusiasts than Kipper and Captain Oates to be the poster boys for our wonderful pastime
Cheers
Lee
I have to say I agree with you, none of the main characters were portrayed in a particularly sympathetic way with regards to their hobby. Especially the family with the little girl. I came away from the programme feeling sorry for her and also the wife and daughter of the chap who spent hundreds of pounds (without telling his wife) travelling around the country to see rare birds.
I hope this is different with the butterfly programme and we are all not made out to be...well, quite how the twitchers were portrayed.
Having said that, I can't think of two more erudite, enigmatic and persuasive butterfly enthusiasts than Kipper and Captain Oates to be the poster boys for our wonderful pastime
Cheers
Lee
To butterfly meadows, chalk downlands and leafy glades; to summers eternal.
- Pete Eeles
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Re: Butterflies - A Very British Obsession
I just hope Neil keeps his clothes onLee Hurrell wrote:Having said that, I can't think of two more erudite, enigmatic and persuasive butterfly enthusiasts than Kipper and Captain Oates to be the poster boys for our wonderful pastime
Cheers,
- Pete
Life Cycles of British & Irish Butterflies: http://www.butterflylifecycles.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
- Lee Hurrell
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Re: Butterflies - A Very British Obsession
Hopefully it will be pre-watershed and we will be spared
Cheers
Lee
Cheers
Lee
To butterfly meadows, chalk downlands and leafy glades; to summers eternal.
- Jack Harrison
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Re: Butterflies - A Very British Obsession
And refrains from lighting up!I just hope Neil keeps his clothes on
Jack
Re: Butterflies - A Very British Obsession
Hi Lee,Lee Hurrell wrote:Gibster, were you on any of the 'twitches' featured?
I wasn't in the programme, but I was filmed inside the Scillonian Bar on St Mary's, Scilly. A nice insight into the role call each evening throughout the "Scilly (ie Silly) Season" with much humour and banter throughout. Unfortunately this too ended up on the cutting room floor. (Actually do cutting rooms still exist nowadays????) I travelled up to Orkney for the Sandhill Crane as featured on the programme, except I went the following day. A 65hr round trip from waking up to go to work, finishing work, meeting up with another like-minded idiot, travelling up, skore the bird (as we kool kidz say), driving back and falling into bed once more. And all for a bird I've seen hundreds of in the USA lol. And before you ask, around 140 quid.
Then there was the time I hit Shetland for a Brunnich's Guillemot, a three day round trip and a touch more pricey...and missed it. Ho hum. Although I don't think that was the precise phrase I uttered at the time!!! Still, we whupped the locals on the pool tables so it wasn't a wasted journey. They promised to post me the Brunnich's in a shoebox if they found it...
Cheers,
Gibster.
Raising £10,000 for Butterfly Conservation by WALKING 1200 miles from Land's End to John O'Groats!!!
See http://www.justgiving.com/epicbutterflywalk or look up Epic Butterfly Walk on Facebook.
See http://www.justgiving.com/epicbutterflywalk or look up Epic Butterfly Walk on Facebook.
- Jack Harrison
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Re: Butterflies - A Very British Obsession
I once twitched a Hoopoe. Three miles there, three miles back. 30 minutes.Gibster: "A 65hr round trip...
I add this quietly. I do have to confess twitching a Camberwell Beauty last summer. That took rather more than 30 minutes.
Jack
- alex mclennan
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Re: Butterflies - A Very British Obsession
Those of you familiar with Adrian Riley's 'British and Irish Butterflies' might like to read 'Arrivals and Rivals', an account of a year's twitching (2002) in which Adrian and Lee Evans went head to head to notch up the highest UK bird count for the year.
Makes interesting reading!
Alex
Makes interesting reading!
Alex
- Pete Eeles
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Re: Butterflies - A Very British Obsession
One of my favourite books and so well-written.alex mclennan wrote:Those of you familiar with Adrian Riley's 'British and Irish Butterflies' might like to read 'Arrivals and Rivals', an account of a year's twitching (2002) in which Adrian and Lee Evans went head to head to notch up the highest UK bird count for the year.
Makes interesting reading!
Alex
Cheers,
- Pete
Life Cycles of British & Irish Butterflies: http://www.butterflylifecycles.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
- Jack Harrison
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Re: Butterflies - A Very British Obsession
"Twitchers - A Very British Obsession".
I didn't see it (didn't know about it). It's gone from iPlayer. Any other source?
Jack
I didn't see it (didn't know about it). It's gone from iPlayer. Any other source?
Jack
Re: Butterflies - A Very British Obsession
Arrivals and Rivals, great book! Have a peep at pages 40 through to 43. It tells of a weekend in Cornwall with Black-eared Wheatear, Woodchat Shrike, Hoopoe, a brace of Cattle Egrets, Alpine Swift and - best of all - a confiding Scops Owl at Porthgwarra. Adrian quotes it as "the most remarkable birding weekend I have ever had."Pete Eeles wrote:alex mclennan wrote:Those of you familiar with Adrian Riley's 'British and Irish Butterflies' might like to read 'Arrivals and Rivals', an account of a year's twitching (2002) in which Adrian and Lee Evans went head to head to notch up the highest UK bird count for the year.
Makes interesting reading!
Alex
Well, I'm not usually one to gloat...but....I found that Scops (and very narrowly stopped my best mate Rich Fuller from running it over!!) I can clearly recall the exact moment when we realised that the oddly tolerant 'Little Owl' sitting on the ground in front of the car showed rather prominent ear tufts...then it turned its head over its shoulder to face us... "SCOPS!!! IT'S A BLOODY SCOPS!!!!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
One of the true highlights of my birding career.
Raising £10,000 for Butterfly Conservation by WALKING 1200 miles from Land's End to John O'Groats!!!
See http://www.justgiving.com/epicbutterflywalk or look up Epic Butterfly Walk on Facebook.
See http://www.justgiving.com/epicbutterflywalk or look up Epic Butterfly Walk on Facebook.
- Charles Nicol
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- Location: Cambridge
Re: Butterflies - A Very British Obsession
ermmm http://www.mediafire.com/?f9lc50a700m8478Jack Harrison wrote:"Twitchers - A Very British Obsession".
I didn't see it (didn't know about it). It's gone from iPlayer. Any other source?
Jack
is this iplayer ?
charles
PS i listed to a Mr Harrison on the wireless this morning... was that you ?
- Jack Harrison
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Re: Butterflies - A Very British Obsession
Got in my dig about the Guided Bus.
Jack
Jack