THE CALL OF THE WILD

Majestic deer, glorious golden eagles – plus Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan too! It’s the return of Winterwatch...

Let’s be honest: it’s a difficult enough struggle simply coming out from underneath the duvet at this time of year, let alone finding the strength to brave the cold and the wet of the great outdoors. Difficult, that is, except for the inhabitants of the Wild Ken Hill nature reserve in Norfolk where, thanks to a rewilding project, the landscape is positively bristling with life even through the long months of winter.

Those brave souls who are adventurous enough to explore its captivatingly beautiful expanses in this season will be able to spot linnets and yellowhammers, as well as beavers and marsh animals – and it’s here that Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan are based as they present fascinating glimpses over the next fortnight of the natural world.

Starting this week with broadcasts over four consecutive nights, the BBC stars will be keeping us up to date with all the dramatic comings and goings that they observe.

And never mind how short the hours of daylight may be at this time of year: thanks to thermal cameras placed in discreet locations across the landscape, we can glimpse the nocturnal activities of hares and other creatures in the fields and along the hedgerows, where fruit and berries provide vital food.

Farmland birds, too, eke out a hardy existence, while there are also large herds of deer, among which the fawns and calves that were born months ago are now being taught the vital lessons that will enable them to make it through to spring.

But there’s plenty of action in other parts of the British Isles for us to enjoy. Iolo Williams is on the Isle of Mull, off the west coast of Scotland, and though the extreme conditions he has to endure may be brutal, the rewards are immense, bringing us the spectacular sights of both the white-tailed eagle and the magnificent golden eagle, as well as footage of ptarmigan, owls and otters.

Meanwhile, in County Down, Northern Ireland, Megan McCubbin will maintain a vigil at the Castle Espie wetland reserve, where a huge variety of rare and threatened species have found a home across its 60 acres.

One change for regular viewers to note is Gillian Burke taking time out from live presenting, but she’ll still be appearing in pre-recorded segments from the Cotswolds and the South West of England.