Packham’s in FLOCKDOWN!

...as he presents the new series of Springwatch from his home in the New Forest

The rites of spring are different this year. Nature is still gloriously blooming into life, but as chicks stir in their nests and flowers blossom into brilliant colour, one much-loved annual feature is missing: the assembled presenters of the Springwatch team reporting together from their dedicated base.

But don’t worry, the annual fixture of the broadcasting schedules is about to get under way, with three weeks of programmes bringing us the wonders of British wildlife.

Naturally, there are a few alterations to adapt to the constraints of the coronavirus crisis, with the stars stuck in different locations scattered around the country.

For Chris Packham, above, lockdown means he’s holed up in the New Forest, where he and his zoologist step-daughter Megan McCubbin discover how similar the animal world’s behaviour is to our own in the current circumstances. As Packham observes: ‘Hunkering down with the family, making some home improvements, singing your heart out to all of those within earshot or constantly being on the hunt for something to eat... maybe we’re not that different after all!’

Bird expert Iolo Williams will be reporting on the delightful sights to be found around his home in the Welsh county of Powys. Meanwhile, Gillian Burke finds out how beavers are faring building a dam at a conservation project a car-drive away from where she lives in Cornwall.

Guest presenters report from inspiring local idylls: Ellie Harrison is in the enchanting Golden Valley in the Cotswolds, and fearless cameraman Gordon Buchanan brings us stunning views of the lochs and mountains near Glasgow. And spare a thought for the young son of

Steve Backshall: the adventurer is introducing his boy close up to a family of swans on a wild stretch of the Thames by their home.

Plus, this week’s shows bring us remote views of birds in the Somerset Levels and the Brecon Beacons, and Packham reveals the extraordinary secrets of the sounds that fish make.

We can’t get away for now, but we can still be transported by the glories of the British spring.