Every time I visit RSPB Minsmere, I can’t help feeling a little thrill that the BBC Springwatch team made this jewel of a reserve their home for three consecutive watches. I love the Springwatch and Winterwatch programmes as they combine brilliant talent (Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan et al) with proper science, gorgeous sound and camera work and super storytelling to create fabulously entertaining shows.
So, once I’d thrown my arms out wide and announced, ‘welcome to Springwatch!’ loudly in the car park, I headed off for a walk. The woods were strangely quiet, and other than a pheasant, some blue tits and a blackbird throwing around fallen leaves on the hunt for insects, there wasn’t much about to hear or see. However, the woods at this time of year are lovely. They reveal all their sculptural beauty, and just a few golden birch leaves remain to light the canopy with bright buttons of gold.