The Bristol Nature Channel filmed At Bristol Science Centres bee hive. Thanks to their bee keepers Ross McKenzie, Graham Barsby and Bee Bristol we were able to film incredible footage inside the hive! This film follows the journey of an urban honeybee on it's honey-making quest and explains why every drop is as sweet as the last.
Thanks for watching!
For more information about bees, checkout the fabulous Bee Bristol project at http://www.beebristol.org
Honey - How is it made? | Bristol Nature ChannelBristol Nature Channel2016-05-27 | Join Heather and investigate the hard work that goes into making honey.
The Bristol Nature Channel filmed At Bristol Science Centres bee hive. Thanks to their bee keepers Ross McKenzie, Graham Barsby and Bee Bristol we were able to film incredible footage inside the hive! This film follows the journey of an urban honeybee on it's honey-making quest and explains why every drop is as sweet as the last.
Thanks for watching!
For more information about bees, checkout the fabulous Bee Bristol project at http://www.beebristol.orgScottish Adventure Part 2 | The Oldest tree in the UK (and possibly the world!)Bristol Nature Channel2019-07-31 | What does the UK and possibly the world's oldest tree look like!? We took a trip to Fortingall to see this ancient beauty and marvel at the things this tree must have seen in its life. WARNING! The sound is TERRIBLE! We've puiblished the subtitles so we advise putting them on. This was a spontaneous video on a very windy day and no mic! What can I say, the tree inspired us!
Filmed and edited by Heather and Jim Music by Cosmo Sheldrake - Dawn Chorus
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Annnnd subscribe if you want to :)Scottish Adventure | Part 1 - Shakespeares Birnam OakBristol Nature Channel2019-05-09 | We’re back!! We went on a mission to find the famous Birnam Oak which Shakespeare wrote about in Macbeth!! It’s a mighty fine ancient oak tree, big enough to make your eyes pop and brain melt!!! We hope you enjoy it and stay tuned for part 2 of our Scottish adventure, soon to be released in the coming weeks!
*When Heather says 'Hamlet Oak' at the beginning, she meant Macbeth Oak. Woops!
Where have we been I hear you asking. Well, let me enlighten you. We took, how shall I say it, a ‘creative break’ from filming. We found ourselves spending too much time writing & researching, filming & editing, that it felt like the process had severed our true nature connectedness (fancy words… basically we weren’t enjoying the outdoors the way we should have been)!! The whole point of the channel was to inspire others to become more connected to nature and although we’re super proud of all our videos, we felt like the filming process and drive to increase our following had made us lose the magic of it all. Having a break from filming meant that we could explore the wild, learn about it and observe it for us. We feel SO much better and have realised we want to make films for the fun of it and nothing else! We’ve decided to relax a little, be less formal and polished (hence the wind noise from the cameras onboard mic!) and share our personal journey trying to live a little wilder. If we can inspire others to get outside and explore their own connection to nature, well... That’s a bonus!. So, we are testing the waters with a film series we made in Scotland. Let us know what you think!
Heather and Jim xx
Filmed and presented by Heather Filmed and edited by Jim Music: Dawn Chorus by Cosmo Sheldrake
Follow our adventures on Instagram: @bristolnaturechannel Tweet us: @bristolnatchan
See you next time!Celebrating the Festival of Nature!Bristol Nature Channel2018-06-09 | Celebrating the Bristol Festival of Nature 2018, we've put together a short video celebrating some of the Southwest British scenery and nature we've experienced since launching the channel.
Music: Vivaldi recomposed by Max Richter (Spring 0 & Spring 1) Edited by Jim Lampard Filmed by Jim Lampard
Equipment: Sony A7Riii Canon 550d DJI Phantom 4 DJI Mavic AirThe Dawn Chorus - natures greatest symphonyBristol Nature Channel2018-05-02 | In celebration of International Dawn Chorus Day on the 7th of May, we went on an early morning jolly to the beautiful National Trust Leigh Woods to hear Bristol's chorus of song birds. Join us (Jim and Heather) with your ears and eyes as we ventured through the woodland, listened to a choir in the tree tops, strung up a hammock and ate bacon butties!
We have loads more films planned so don't forget to hit the joyous subscribe button to be the first to watch!
Find out more about Leigh Woods: nationaltrust.org.uk/leigh-woodsForaging for wild edibles with Steve England | Bristol | UKBristol Nature Channel2018-04-05 | What’s it like to live off the land? We joined Bristol’s very own Bear Grylls for a foraging adventure looking for wild edibles in Stoke Park, Bristol. We listened to Steve’s stories about the natural world, ate food from the woodland floor (despite being told how similar it looks to something that could kill you!) and built a fire using mushrooms. This footage is our memory of the day - so no talking - and we wanted to share it with you.
Steve England Steve England is an award-winning conservationist, wildlife educator and horticulturalist, and educates on all things wild. Find out more about Steve’s foraging and bushcraft courses here: http://steveengland.co.uk. We highly recommend spending time with Steve, his knowledge and passion is inspiring and contagious.
Filmed and edited by Jim Lampard Featured in the film - Heather Lampard and Steve England
Don’t forget to subscribe for more videos like this (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOhO...)
Music: Marxist Arrow - TwincomOutside Adventures!Bristol Nature Channel2018-02-01 | We recently decided to head out of Bristol and into the nearby countryside to explore more of Somerset, and some of the caves within in. Join us as we head to Burrington Combe to check out Avelines Hole and Goatchurch Cavern (which was harder to remember than we thought)
Music: Omission - Huma Huma
Equipment: GoPro Hero 4 Canon 1GX DJI Phantom 4Wild weekends with wild boar | VlogBristol Nature Channel2018-01-08 | We went on a wildlife adventure to see the wild boar that live in the Forest of Dean and vlogged what we saw! Join us as we got up close and personal to an animal that was hunted to extinction just 300 years ago.
Filmed by Heather Lampard and Jim Lampard
Presented by Heather Lampard feat. Nick Gates (Follow Nick on Twitter @NTGates)
Music: Bomber - Riot Reggie and the Dubwisemen - Jingle Punks
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Equipment: We used a mix of phones (Samsung S7), DSLR (Canon 550d) and our drone (DJI Phantom 4). And don't forget to subscribe for more videosNature’s stag do | The biology of the rutting seasonBristol Nature Channel2017-11-09 | Join us as we investigate the rutting season and reveal the secrets behind a stag’s antlers, featuring special guest Dr Ben Garrod, Evolutionary Biologist, Primatologist and Broadcaster.
Written, produced and presented by Heather Lampard Filmed and edited by Jim Lampard Special guest, Dr Ben Garrod (find out more - http://www.josarsby.com/ben-garrod)
Send us your deer rutting and antler pictures on social media! Twitter - @bristolnatchan Instagram - @bristolnaturechannel Facebook - @bristolnaturechannel
The rutting season is in its prime in October, brought on by a burst of hormones that’s triggered by changes in the length of day. Now the season is coming to an end, we wanted to celebrate this sex-driven event by investigating the biology of the rut through the stag’s own experience! With special guest Dr Ben Garrod, we investigated what antlers are made of, how they grow from a stag’s skull and the evolution behind this magnificent head gear. If you’ve just missed the rutting season, fear not! Now is the time to find antlers which have been cast off now the rut is over. If you find any, be sure to send us a picture on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
Marxist Arrow - Twin Musicom Marxist Arrow by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0) Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.orgWhy do leaves change colour in Autumn?Bristol Nature Channel2017-10-24 | We're excited to share with you our first vlog! Join me, Heather as I take you on an autumnal tour of Ashton Court in Bristol, investigating why leaves change colour in Autumn.
This vlog is very much an experiment. A way of being able to bring you varied content, and more of it! But don't worry, Our main films will still be our usual high-quality stories! Let us know what you think in the comments and if you love this kind of thing, we'll make more (and maybe next time Jim, the guy who usually holds the camera, might join in... If I can persuade him).
Apart from the drone shots, this was filmed entirely on my Samsung with you guessed it, a selfie stick!
And don't forget to subscribe for more videos.Our Plastic Planet - NurdlesBristol Nature Channel2017-09-16 | Plastics in our tapwater and seasalt supplies has hit the headlines recently, however the inconspicuous nurdle has slipped under the radar. These tiny plastic pellets have found their way into the ocean in their thousands. After finding some washed up on a beach, Heather decided to investigate what they are and where they came from.
Presented and produced by Heather Lampard Filmed and edited by Jim Lampard
This film was made in collaboration with the brilliant Marine Conservation Society (MCS) who champions the protection of our marine wildlife. Find out more about them on their website: mcsuk.org
We were joined by Lizzy Daly, Ocean Ambassador who helped us discover our plastic problem. Follow her wild adventures on Facebook: facebook.com/LizzieDalyWildlife
And we would like thank Fidra, an environmental charity in Scotland who provided expert knowledge and advice and nurdles: fidra.org.uk
Feel curious, or inspired? Why not take part in the Great Nurdle Hunt: nurdlehunt.org.uk
Music: Memories - Bensound (www.bensound.com) The Sea Beneath Our Feet - Youtube Audio Library Roll The Top Down - Gunnar Olsen
Plastic in the ocean has become a very real problemThe Puffins of Skomer Island | Bristol Nature ChannelBristol Nature Channel2017-07-13 | Heather explored the beautiful Skomer Island off the Pembrokeshire coast to meet its colourful inhabitants, the Atlantic puffins.
Like what you see? Subscribe for more wildlife videos from the BNC team!
(Disclaimer - the use of a drone is forbidden on Skomer Island. Instead, we flew our drone off the mainland coast in a safe location using the CAA drone code to help the narrative of the film).
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Equipment:
Camera - Canon 550d
Puffins are an iconic British bird however, they only spend a short amount of their time here. When they finally arrive they make a colourful and characterful impression on us all!
Puffins spend most of the winter feeding and floating on the Atlantic Ocean. Come the breeding season, they make their way to breeding sites all across the UK coastline. Here on Skomer, thousands arrive ready to find their mate for life and bring a puffling into the world.
Don’t be fooled by their large numbers on Skomer and other islands. Puffins are struggling to survive the effects of climate change. The warmer weather has changed where and when the puffins food is available putting their lives out of sync with the environment. Struggling to find food their numbers are dropping and puffins are now listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list. The RSPB have launched a new project which uses citizen science to investigate their decline. All you have to do is send them a photo of a puffin with food in its beak after visiting one of their colonies this year. Scientists want to analyse the photo and see how climate change is affecting the diet of our beloved puffins.
To find out more check out their project here http://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/conservation/project-puffin/index.aspxFeathers - Where does the colour come from? | Bristol Nature ChannelBristol Nature Channel2017-06-01 | Have you ever wondered how birds make colourful feathers? Join Heather as she investigates what makes feathers the colours they are, from the bright red of a Robin to the dazzling blue of a Peacock.
Beautiful Compounds: How Birds’ Feathers Get Their Color - https://ubrp.arizona.edu/beautiful-compounds-how-birds-feathers-get-their-color/
Specific Appetite for Carotenoids in a Colorful Bird - http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0010716Heather Lampard and the Vegetable Lamb from TartaryBristol Nature Channel2017-04-18 | Watch Heather talk about the curiosities of the Vegetable Lamb from Tartary at Science Showoff. A most curious and long lost legend from the middle ages, a time when we got nature fantastically wrong!
Filmed by Steve Cross at Science Showoff Presented by Heather Lampard
After stumbling across the story of the Vegetable Lamb in a book, its absurdity and imaginative splendour sparked Heathers curiosity until she had to know everything about it! Piecing together this long lost narrative, Heather realised this is a story that needs to be brought back to life. If you want to journey back and rediscover this fabulous legend, check out Henry Lee’s detailed description of its origin and evolution throughout our history: archive.org/stream/vegetablelamboft00leehrich/vegetablelamboft00leehrich_djvu.txtSomerset Starling Murmurations | Bristol Nature ChannelBristol Nature Channel2017-02-08 | Starling murmurations are one of the greatest wonders of the natural world. With our binoculars in hand, we traveled to the RSPB nature reserve Ham Wall to witness one of these spectacular winter performances as we ask the question, why do starlings murmurate?
Thank you to all RSPB staff who helped us plan this film from your fantastic advice over email, facts over the phone and a welcoming introduction at the reserve! You are all brilliant!
Credits: Presented and produced by Heather Lampard Filmed, edited and directed by Jim Lampard (www.jimlampard.com.uk) Filmed by Dave Maxwell-wood
Starling murmurations are often called a ballet in the sky and it’s easy to see why. They take your breath away! Starlings are gregarious birds that feed and roost together in large numbers. But every winter at dawn and dusk, they fly together as a swirling mass in the sky called a murmuration. What makes them so mysterious is that we can’t quite explain why or how they do it. In this film, we explain two current theories about why they murmurate.
Find out if there’s a murmuration near you: rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-and-wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/s/starling/roosting.aspxBristol | Morning Mist | Bristol Nature Channel | DroneBristol Nature Channel2016-12-30 | To celebrate the end of the year we would like to share with you some stunning drone footage filmed this morning around the Clifton Suspension Bridge. The mist was an irresistible opportunity to showcase our beautiful city from above.
Filmed and edited by Jim Lampard Music - Dexter Britain - Shooting StarCity by Jay | Bristol Nature ChannelBristol Nature Channel2016-12-05 | We have stepped away from our usual documentary style films and instead have brought together art and nature in a seasonal special. We joined Jack Thacker, a local poet and PhD student at the University of Bristol to produce a film that showcases the beauty of Bristol through the eyes of nature. A new lens in which we can view this vibrant city and the occupants that live in it.
The stunning videography was filmed and edited byJim Lampard. Visit jimlampard.co.uk to see more of his work. The film was produced and the poem was read by Heather Lampard, the voice of the Bristol Nature Channel. The beautiful and emotive poem was crafted by the talented Jack Thacker.
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twitter.com/bristolnatchan instagram.com/bristolnaturechannelHedgehogs - a rescue mission | Bristol Nature ChannelBristol Nature Channel2016-10-09 | Hedgehogs are one of our most beloved animals but their numbers are declining! Join Heather and Yvonne the rescue hedgehog as we investigate why these prickly creatures need help.
We all love hedgehogs but at the moment they are struggling to in our changing world and you guessed it, we are most likely to blame. In this short film we have gone to a hedgehog rescue home in Portishead to meet Yvonne, a very friendly hedgehog.
Yvonne is a rescue hedgehog who lives with Beryl, a remarkable woman who has turned her home into a rescue centre for hedgehogs. She dedicates every waking moment to these prickly creatures and her efforts are inspiring. All kinds of hedgehogs make it to her very capable hands from injured hogs to hoglets without mothers. Through sheer determination she brings them back to health and if all goes well releases them back into the wild. Yvonne has lived with Beryl for a few months. She arrived incredibly underweight but as Beryl describes her, had a delightful diva personality. She’s still too underweight to be released back into the wild so it looks like Yvonne the hedgehog will be spending Christmas with Beryl. She was a delight to film, playing up to the camera. We were even able to film something called self-annointing. This is a really strange behaviour where hedgehogs lick their spines for no apparent reason. Scientist still haven’t figured out why they do it. She was the perfect star to represent all hedgehogs in our film so that we can share their story.
It was estimated that in the 1950’s there were around 30 million hedgehogs in the wild. There are now less than one million. Although we don’t know exactly why hedgehogs have declined so quickly, it looks like we could be the catalyst of their plummeting numbers. Hedgehogs live in a wide variety of habitats but what they like most is plenty of space, cover and the ability to move around. Unfortunately farms, roads and houses are in the way. Our gardens shut them out, roads block their access. These are three big things that have made life for hedgehogs hard. They now have to live in smaller habitats where competition for food is greater, there’s less cover from predators and diseases spread like wildfire.
One of the reasons why we should all love hedgehogs is also why they are struggling. They aren’t fussy eaters and will gobble down all kinds of bugs, slugs and worms. But eating anything has left them vulnerable to what they shouldn’t eat like slug pellets. These pellets poison hedgehogs and not because they have eaten a poisoned slug, but because slug pellets also affect worms which are arguably the most important source of food for a hedgehog. The moral of this story is don’t use slug pellets. Instead, invite hedgehogs into your garden and let them do the job for you.
The next theory as to why hedgehogs are declining is probably the most sensitive one. Some people have argued that their decline is caused by an imbalance in a predator-prey relationship. The predator being badgers who like hedgehogs have been in the news all too often but not for the same reason. It seems that nowadays badgers are public enemy number one. Badgers naturally eat hedgehogs, they’re the only animal that is strong enough to overcome the hedgehog’s spiny defences. At the same time, they are also the hedgehog’s biggest competitor for food because they eat pretty much the same thing. Just five times as much. The problem here is that as hedgehog numbers have plummeted, badger numbers have increased. Could badgers be speeding up the hedgehog decline? This sounds bad but it is worth remembering that there is no direct evidence that badgers are causing this decline and actually, hedgehog numbers are declining whether badgers are present or not. Habitat loss and lack of cover in rural places like hedgerows may be influencing this predator-prey relationship making hedgehogs an easy target. We can’t blame badgers for our poor management of the environment.
But fear not, there are things we can do to help. Firstly, you should record any hedgehogs you find and the best place to do this is on Hedgehog Street’s, Big Hedgehog Map (http://bighedgehogmap.org/). There’s also many things you can do in your garden to help, all of which you can find here http://www.hedgehogstreet.org/pages/help-hedgehogs.html.
Don’t forget to share your hedgehog stories with us, we love to hear what you have to say!Woodlice - trying to find a balance | Bristol Nature ChannelBristol Nature Channel2016-07-20 | The life of a woodlouse is ruled by water. Too much or too little will kill them. Join Heather and find out why woodlice are in a constant battle for survival and how they manage to win the fight, almost every time.
For a creature so small, woodlice are fascinating! They are land living crustaceans which you can find everywhere on Earth other than the North and South poles. However, their evolutionary history has been a difficult story to piece together with little evidence to help scientists figure it. Consequently, this has lead to many different theories. One theory we have explored in our film is that their transition to life on land happened long before the continents drifted apart form one another, around 140 million years ago. This school of thought is based on their worldwide distribution which scientists argue could only have been possible if there was one landmass to travel on. What is clear is that their evolution has been a slow process.
It's thought that an ancient ancestor of woodlice was a crustacean that lived at sea. This crustacean just happened to be pre-adapted to life on land meaning that this transition was an easy process without the need to adapt to fresh water first. These pre-adaptations can be seen today and are explored in our film, unravelling their secret to survival when everything, even their own body is against them.
Watch our film and find out how woodlice breath, find water, reproduce and other curious behaviours that will make you understand how remarkable these little creatures are.
It turns out, sometimes the smallest things in life are the most interesting...Bluebells - friend or faux? | Bristol Nature ChannelBristol Nature Channel2016-04-23 | One of natures most glorious displays in springtime are the carpets of bluebells in our British woodland. They grow before any other plant can take over the woodland floor. Join Heather in Leigh Woods as she investigates how their existence here in Britain is threatened by a Spanish bluebell invader.
Our British bluebells are also native in mainland Europe but Britain has the largest population of this one species (Hyacinthoides non-scripta). They've been the only bluebell in Britain since the last ice age, however since humans have enjoyed a spot of gardening they are now under threat. In 1683, a Spanish bluebell was introduced to Britain. It escaped peoples gardens and has started turning up in the wild. It's genetic similarity means that it can cross-pollinate with our British bluebells producing fertile hybrids. The hybrids are out competing our British bluebells, threatening their very existence in what has been their home for thousands of years. This has become a conservation concern on a global level.Daffodils - a colourful cure? | Bristol Nature ChannelBristol Nature Channel2016-03-25 | Daffodils are a reassuring sign that spring has arrived, but is there more to them than meets the eye? Heather explores a surprising medical property hidden inside them.
Lichens are found almost everywhere, adding splashes of colour to the world. These rugged pioneers demonstrate the power of two. Join Heather as we ask what are they and why are they so important to the Earth's ecosystem.
The lichens filmed in this video were found on the Downs Lichen Trail in Bristol. For more information check out the Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project.
Video: www.jimlampard.co.ukMushrooms - a secret weapon against the winter blues?Bristol Nature Channel2016-01-22 | Can you really mushroom your way to happiness? Heather investigates a nutritional secret hidden inside your common shop bought mushroom! Warning food foragers! Do not eat unknown wild mushrooms, they could be poisonous.
Presenter/producer: Heather Lampard Cameraman/editor: Jim Lampard