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The value of bioacoustics on BBC Springwatch

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Technology

6 Wildlife Acoustics recorders deployed for 6 weeks at RSPB Arne … 7,000 hours of audio, 430,000 species level records, 1 new species not previously recorded at RSPB Arne.

The results formed the basis of an item on Springwatch – https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007qgm3

RSPB Arne is a simply wonderful place – if you are ever down near Poole Harbour in the UK you should visit. They have some very friendly pigs…

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As the programme is live for 3 weeks (prime time TV Monday-Thursday BBC2) the content is constantly evolving based on whats happened the the day/hours before broadcast. With more than 30 nests being continuously filmed its inevitable there is lots and lots of drama – eating, nest building, eggs being laid, eggs hatching, chicks growing and, if they are really lucky, fledging! Lots of predation such as the lovely nest of Chiffchaffs being suddenly taken by a fox..

We were upstaged 3 times (all for a good cause) with the last time being an Adder predating some Reed Warblers.

Of all the issues we had thought about in making Wilder Sensing a success this wasn’t one of them!

This project was a logical progression from the sites we have been working on for over 18 months and showcased what is possible with a great team and fantastic researchers checking the results.