Winterwatch 2021 episode 4: This episode of Winterwatch concentrates on the hidden treasures of winter. Chris Packham is live in the New Forest, catching up on the dramas showing up on the live cameras on his badger sett among the spawning salmon in the River Ness. He’s also looking at why waders bob.
Iolo Williams has eyes on the very rare white-fronted geese that migrate to Wales every year. Gillian reports live from the Cornwall Beaver Project, and on the Orkney Islands, a regular beachcomber is hoping the winter tides will turn up some natural treasures. Also, we’re on the hunt for the elusive woodcock in Northern Ireland .
Winterwatch 2021 episode 4
New Forest
The New Forest is one of the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest in Southern England, covering southwest Hampshire and southeast Wiltshire. It was proclaimed a royal forest by William the Conqueror, featuring in the Domesday Book.
Pre-existing rights of common pasture are still recognised today, being enforced by official verderers and agisters. In the 18th century, the New Forest became a source of timber for the Royal Navy. It remains a habitat for many rare birds and mammals.
It is a 28,924.5-hectare (71,474-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest. Several areas are Geological Conservation Review and Nature Conservation Review sites. It is a Special Area of Conservation, a Ramsar site and a Special Protection Area. Copythorne Common is managed by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Kingston Great Common is a National Nature Reserve and New Forest Northern Commons is managed by the National Trust.
The New Forest covers two parliamentary constituencies; New Forest East and New Forest West.
Orkney Islands
Orkney Islands is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. The island is 10 miles (16 km) north of the coast of Caithness and has about 70 islands, of which 20 are inhabited. The largest island, Mainland, is often referred to as “the Mainland”, and has an area of 523 square kilometres (202 sq mi), making it the sixth-largest Scottish island and the tenth-largest island in the British Isles. The largest settlement and administrative centre is Kirkwall.
Orkney is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, a constituency of the Scottish Parliament, a lieutenancy area, and a historic county. The local council is Orkney Islands Council, one of only three Councils in Scotland with a majority of elected members who are independents.
The islands have been inhabited for at least 8,500 years, originally occupied by Mesolithic and Neolithic tribes and then by the Picts. Orkney was colonised and later annexed by Norway in 875 and settled by the Norse. The Scottish Parliament then absorbed the earldom to the Scottish Crown in 1472, following the failed payment of a dowry for James III’s bride Margaret of Denmark.