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BBC Twitching Documentary (2 Viewers)

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Garry Bagnell

Garry Bagnell

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The BBC have just approved a one off documentary about twitching. Filming will occur when a major crowd puller turns up in Britain. I just wondered if anybody would like to appear on the documentary, either as a passenger in my car going for the bird (flexibility needed) or being filmed amongst the crowd at the bird.
 
I would'nt mind being filmed in part of the crowd ;)

we just need something half decent to turn up and stick so that we can form a crowd ;)

:king:

Sylvia
 
Garry Richard Bagnell said:
The BBC have just approved a one off documentary about twitching.
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Hmmm, which BBC? Who's actually commssioned it?

Is it destined for BBC One, a quirky snippet on the One Show with Adrian Chiles sharing your back seat?

BBC Two, for an offbeat Natural World Birds and tribal behaviour episode? Or Horizon blowing the lid off the pseudo-science of rare bird statistics?

BBC Three, Embarrassing Relatives season? (I hear Industrial Light and Magic are working on an animatronic SBC.)

BBC Four, a whole hour long analysis in their Obsessive behaviours series?

CeeBeebies, in Let's all count to 400!

or Radio Four, on the Archers as the Black Woodpeckers are back breeding in Borsetshire and this time George Barford ain't there to deal with the hordes descending on Ambridge?

Seriously though, sympathetic look or stitch-up? (I know what I'd watch.) At least it's not Britain's Got Twitchers on ITV. Have they cast the Simon Cowell lookeylikey for that yet, y'know the one who gets to sit and make acid judgements on the wannabes? ;)
 
A number of birders in the past have been shown on TV news of a twitch, having thrown a sicky from work!!

John
 
Its going to be on BBC2 or BBC4 later this year. The programme is going to last a whole hour and it's really focusing on why birders drive hundreds/thousands of miles in the hope of seeing a rare bird, and how this effects their home life, working life and friendships etc.

Many high British listers have been interviewed on their take of the hobby. This has not been captured on film yet. But hey have spent 4 hours filming me and my crew going to Norfolk to see a probable Red Knot this year, which they may or may not use.

I expect the programme will show twitchers dipping and connecting with rare birds and the various emotions birders go through in the pursuit of rare birds.

I know they are particularly keen in interviewing the most obsessive twitchers opposed to the Weekend twitcher who will only travel if the bird is within a 20 mile radius of their home.
 
Hopefully the BBC will get the balance right with this programme...but i sort of doubt it. Look forward to seeing some familiar old ugly mugs tho! I hope it doesn't descend into a sort of 'look what a tw-t this guy is'...and then you get a guy trundled out in front of the camera's yakking about how his wife left him..lost his job...house burnt down...then his dog bit him....etc...
You never know tho....the beeb might do a good job...[will certainly be cheap tv...but hopefully better than 'young, dumb and living off mum'...that sort of crap].
Channel four did quite a good series on extreme fishing with Robson Green....captured...i thought...the 'real enthusiasm' of the sport....
 
I feel it's not going to do the hobby of birdwatching much good in the PR stakes. I mean let's face it they're going to focus on the most extreme cases and for the vast majority of birders it's simply a matter of enjoying being in the outdoors and focussing on a specific part of nature to make it more engrossing.

I'm always quick to point out to anyone that I'm a bird-watcher and not a twitcher and that the two are quite different things, I hope that gets put across in the programme. ;)
 
username said:
Channel four did quite a good series on extreme fishing with Robson Green....captured...i thought...the 'real enthusiasm' of the sport....
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Wasn't that Five. :-O I saw that and did quite enjoy it but had to look away when he said that piece to camera "This is Extreme Fishing" in that incredibly annoying voice and withose hand actions. OMG!!!

I sound like Grumpy Old Man and I'm only 26!!!
 
Jaff said:
I'm always quick to point out to anyone that I'm a bird-watcher and not a twitcher and that the two are quite different things, I hope that gets put across in the programme. ;)
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I think you missed what Garry said, it really is about Twitching.
 
Chris Galvin said:
I think you missed what Garry said, it really is about Twitching.
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Yes it maybe but all of the media , press being the the worse, lump old ladies feeding birds in their garden, nice retired couples with brand new gear from head to toe, birdwatchers, ringers, patch workers, birders, occasional twitchers and genuine hardcore, off to Fair Isle at the beep of a pager, twitchers as Twitchers. It's the only word they have.
 
Jaff said:
Wasn't that Five. :-O I saw that and did quite enjoy it but had to look away when he said that piece to camera "This is Extreme Fishing" in that incredibly annoying voice and withose hand actions. OMG!!!
Click to expand...
I saw that on my BA flight's internal entertainment system the other day. I particularly enjoyed the bit where Robson threw up on his shoes immediately after the aforesaid hand actions.
 
This will be fascinating! I remember watching the ch4 documentary years ago & apart from filming the "T" speeding recklessly, I thought it was pretty well balanced.
The part which sticks out in my mind was the frustration of the group trying to get a flight to Scilly!
Updates on screening etc would be appreciated. :t:
 
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