Countryfile Sunday 3rd July - Large Blue

[Paul Wetton]

Hi folks

The Beeb have informed they will be using some extremely short clips of my footage on the program whilst discussing the butterflies. Hope it looks alright.
I'll definitely be watching.

[David M]

Wonder if you'll get a mention in the credits, Paul?

[Susie]

Sod's law I missed the start of it but I thought what I did see was quite good. The films of the actually butterflies were superb, you must be very proud of yourself Paul!

There's nowt quite like a brown hairsteak and those lovely chocolate and orange colours with a flash of flame and white to sum up high summer.

[David M]

There were a couple of lovely sequences, albeit brief.

Were they yours, Paul?

[Michaeljf]

Were they yours, Paul?

David,

I'm pretty sure they were all Paul's - if I remember they were on his British Butterflies DVD (still available for those interested ). I agree with Susie - you should be very proud of your footage, Paul, and getting the sequences on there. A bit of a shame about the programme did not appear to give Paul any credit for the clips - I thought that was the sort of thing any reasonable programme should do as part of the credits. I mean, it's not exactly a difficult thing to put in an extra name with the credits? Or did I just miss that bit?

Shame the bit on the Brown Hairstreaks was a bit short, but they do cram a lot into the programme. It matched up quite well with the other sections on the Blackdown Hills.

Michael

P.S. For anyone that watched the 'Earthflight' series this afternoon (may have just been a repeat on the BBCHD channel) there was a lovely bit of footage of a host of butterflies mud-puddling in the South America jungle (apart from the bit when one of the birds ate what looked like a mud-puddling 'Swordtail' butterfly) .

[Dave McCormick]

The footage was a bit short, but good for what they did show, managed to fit it in well with everything else.

apart from the bit when one of the birds ate what looked like a mud-puddling 'Swordtail' butterfly) .

That was actually (I think) a green-banded urania moth (Urania leilus) a spectacular member of the sunset moths.

[Paul Wetton]

Hi Folks

Yes I'm extremely pleased that some of my footage was shown on BBC1.

I asked from the start whether they would credit me on the program but was informed that would not be possible. I got paid instead.

I did have some footage of a Squacco Heron shown on BBC East Midlands News and they put a credit up on the screen whilst showing the footage.

Thanks for the complements, it did make me proud to see it on the TV. Any one interested in the same quality footage of all 58 mainland British species please take a look at my website as Michael suggested.

Lets hope the Beeb include some more interesting and preferably longer spots on some of our British butterflies.

[David M]

I asked from the start whether they would credit me on the program but was informed that would not be possible. I got paid instead.

I find it odd they claimed it wasn't possible to credit you.

Every night when I watch the BBC Wales weather forecast they show a photo someone has taken and credit that person live on air.

[Paul Wetton]

I can't comment on the reasons why, but I was informed that they wouldn't credit me.

I suppose they could have mentioned me in the credits at the end of the program.

[David M]

I can't comment on the reasons why, but I was informed that they wouldn't credit me.

You make it sound like some top secret brief, Paul.

I could understand better had it been the Lady's Slipper Orchid - after all, they're protected better than Prince Charles!

[essexbuzzard]

It was an excellent peice of footage,but then i have the DVD!
It's great to get it on the programme Paul. This helps to open the minds of the general public to a species many probably no nothing about. Well done.

[Paul Wetton]

Thanks Essexbuzzard it's just a shame there aren't more programs showing this type of interest in butterflies and other British wildlife. There must be hundreds of species that would capture the interest of the British public that they currently no nothing of. I try and include something different each year in my Naturalist's Diary DVD's. Maybe this type of subject could make a good series for the BBC. They could show many different wildlife subjects throughout the seasons of the year.
Let's hope one day it will happen.

[David M]

Yes, it's extraordinary when you think about it.

Everyone likes butterflies, but programmes devoted to them are few and far between, and when they are screened there's usually a dose of cynicism involved such as portraying people as eccentrics.

[Michaeljf]

I've long felt the same about this. But even if you didn't do a series on butterflies (easy enough to do with the experts here) there's even the option of a drama. Not wanting to go into Wendy Craig territory, when I read Patrick Barkham's book on the 'Butterfly Isles' I was struck by how easily this could be mapped out as a drama with big elements of nature thrown in as the backdrop - think James Herriot but without hands being put up cows backsides . Even the chapter on Lady Glanville could be a mini-series, as it is an extremely interesting / heartbreaking story by itself.

But yes, if you think about the 'The Kingfisher diaries', perhaps the only thing we're lacking is a semi-star whose wife has been in television...

Michael

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/hay- ... eview.html

[NickB]

..... there's usually a dose of cynicism involved such as portraying people as eccentrics.

Sadly, that seems to be the case; unless you are Sir David, it is usually with a twist.
The Archers gave the preservation of Brown Hairstreak on David's hedges to Lynda Snell......
(...lucky it wasn't Brian's hedges....)
N

[David M]

It's aggravating because the people who post regularly on here mostly seem to be highly intellectual, grounded and rational people.

That's also my experience in the field. When I bump into fellow enthusiasts, they generally seem to be from the higher echelons of society, and they're self-effacing and modest to go with it.

I met one guy last summer who was modesty personified. We were looking for Purple Hairstreaks in an Oxfordshire wood (and saw plenty I'm pleased to say). We started talking and he said he worked in a hospital theatre - that was all. Some while later we got onto the topic of breeding birds and I mentioned that I bred Kakarikis (small New Zealand parakeets). He then regaled me about how he used to as well, and that one of his kakirikis broke a wing once. I asked him what he did to treat it. He said "I took it into the surgery and operated on it"!!

He was obviously a bloody surgeon but was too modest a person to admit it directly.

Why then are we mainly seen in a similar light to obsessive train spotters?

[Paul Wetton]

The remaining members of the public in this country just enjoy taking the p*ss because it's not the norm.

It's surprising how many folks actually take an interest once they've finished taking the p*ss.

[Susie]

Why then are we mainly seen in a similar light to obsessive train spotters?

What's wrong with obsessive train spotters? I am sure there are some really lovely, highly intelligent and sociable, obsessive train spotters out there. Just because we don't share their passion doesn't mean there is anything wrong with it. And please take this in the light hearted way it is intended, but you have just shown exactly the same prejudice that the public shows butterfly spotters, or stamp collectors or bird watchers.

The general public like butterflies (you can't go anywhere but see a butterfly on clothing, adverts, even cakes) what they don't like is obsessives.

If you want to brainlessly trawl around your local shopping centre on a sunny summer Saturday then that's fine. Go to your local butterfly hot spot and folks will regard you as a geek. If someone asks you what you are doing there, other than another enthusiast, and you say you wanted to watch the beautiful butterflies people will smile and agree. Tell them that you are interested in chalkhill blue abberations and they will think you are bonkers!

In our dumbed down society the general public don't approve of the pursuit of knowledge - it isn't cool! It's a real shame.

[Michaeljf]

I think you're being far too nice about Trainspotters - they really are quite an odd bunch

Everything is relative. Most of us would recognise slightly obsessive traits in ourselves in order to pursue butterflies, but for every ten of us that travel a lot of miles in a year or read some books, there are a few that spend hundreds of hours with their microscopes comparing the genitalia of Wood Whites, or spend all their spare hours breeding specimens for release etc.

For the purpose of TV, everyone becomes caricatured. I'm sure documentary makers would rather make someone more interesting rather than boring, or if they are boring, boring to an extremely irritating or humourous level...

I still think that a series on butterflies, or even one on those that do conservation work keeping fragile populations healthy would be interesting. But the trouble with the BBC or even Sky is that it seems difficult to commission anything that isn't a 'surefire winner'. And the trouble is, nothing is a surefire ratings winner..

A series done on Guy in the Alps or Neil's work in Sussex, now that would be worth seeing. And I'm sure both would have plenty of characters in them and be educative...

Michael

Réal's Wood White has been found in many western Europe countries but has not been found in Britain.[2] In Ireland, where it was only positively identified in 2001, it is commoner and far more widespread than the Wood White L. sinapis.[3] Since it looks and behaves like its close relative further research is needed to discover its true distribution, indeed on the continent its current known distribution is suspiciously patchy. The only conclusive way to separate the two species is by close examination of the genitalia.

[Lee Hurrell]

The general public like butterflies what they don't like is obsessives.

I think you've hit the nail on the head there Susie.

You only have to look at the amount of 'reality' programming around wierd and wonderful people, thier obessive traits or strange bodily functions

People seem to like what is perceived as other's misfortune be it behaviourally or not and if they're rich and famous even better. I don't really and I sure as hell don't miss the NOTW.

Lee