The Great British Year

9PM, BBC1 This new, four-part documentary series follows the changing face of Britain over the course of a year. We have, declares the commentary (voiced by Joseph Fiennes), ‘weather and seasons like nowhere else on Earth’ – and we are also blessed with a great tradition of superb wildlife filmmaking. Put the two together and you get this feast of spectacular images, beautifully filmed – often with time-lapse photography, speeding up the passage of time to magical effect. The story begins on New Year’s Day, and among the wildlife featured are kestrels and barn owls, red squirrels, kites, mountain hares, adders – and the short-eared owl (pictured).