South Pacific and others

[John]

I have suddenly become fascinated with wildlife programmes, and programmes about nature and oceans.

I've spent the last few Sunday evenings in absolute awe, sat in front of the TV watching the South Pacific series.

Now, my question is which series of this kind to buy? Has anyone seen them?

Planet Earth / Blue Planet / South Pacific

Are there any others? I love South Pacific, but I don't know if I'd be missing out on anything by not buying the others!

[vegyjones]

You should buy Animal Park featuring Longleat Safari Park and the brilliant Ben Fogle!

Best wildlife programme EVER!

[MattR]

The Blue Planet was fantastic John. Anything done by the BBC is usually excellent.

[lowe1]

blue planet is exellent well worth forking out for the box set

[TheOldhamWhisper]

They repeat them over and over again on Eden, Discovery, Nat Geo etc.

If you have Blu-Ray, you can pick up Planet Earth:The Complete series on Blu-Ray for £25 on Amazon.

Pretty much anything that has David Attenborough involved is worth a look-see.

[John]

Brilliant, thanks everyone. Pretty much the responses I was expecting too, as they are all probably just as fantastic as each other. Think I'll buy South Pacific and the Blue Planet, with a view to watching Planet Earth later on. :)

I don't have Blu-Ray I'm afraid, but I do have an HD-Ready TV. I'm not too in-the-know with all this modern TV stuff.

[bigcumba]

I'd agree with Oldham about the Attenborough stuff - definitely among the best of the lot, and the Blue Planet / Planet Earth series are breathtaking.

I'd also agree with the Vegmeister about Animal Park and Ben Fogle...!

Another worth a look if on DVD is the Big Cat diary series...

I've been a fan of ths sort of thing since I was tiny... yes I once was small! :laugh My grandfather bought me a full wildlife magazine series called Animal Life when I was 6 which was actually aimed at adults but being a bit of precocious brat I read it all, and that was me hooked on it, and still am.

[vegyjones]

I used to be a member of the WWF (not the Wrestling group)
and used to get gold coins with animals on them!

[bigcumba]

Used to be a member of that as well, plus the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society - sponsored an orca for a few years, bugger never wrote to me though, all I got was a bit of half chewed seal blubber each Xmas. Worthy charities though if you're into conservation.

[MattR]

I'd have to agree that anything with David Attenborough in is generally superb. I remember as a kid watching his one with the gorillas. If you haven't seen that John, you have to get hold of it. Not sure what series that was back then but that was one of the most incredible things I have ever seen and probably ever will.

[bigcumba]

I'd have to agree that anything with David Attenborough in is generally superb. I remember as a kid watching his one with the gorillas. If you haven't seen that John, you have to get hold of it. Not sure what series that was back then but that was one of the most incredible things I have ever seen and probably ever will.

That was Life On Earth back in 1979 - the first of the major series he's done over the years, and still superb viewing.

[vegyjones]

Some of the recent Attenborough stuff is out of this world and I just don't think the camera crews who capture some of the amazing scenes we see get enough credit! They literally put their lives on the line sometimes!

[John]

I'd have to agree that anything with David Attenborough in is generally superb. I remember as a kid watching his one with the gorillas. If you haven't seen that John, you have to get hold of it. Not sure what series that was back then but that was one of the most incredible things I have ever seen and probably ever will.

Haven't seen it Matt! Must, must get hold of it from somewhere... the question is where. I just had a look on YouTube and watched a 'gorillas' clip but whether it's the one you're referring to or not I'm not sure.

I remember watching these types of programmes as a kid and enjoying them, but they didn't captivate my attention as much as they do now.

Really need to get South Pacific! Downloaded the first two last night from iPlayer, they're still going now at home I reckon. Downloaded the third one today, with the plan of taking it home to watch. I hope it works on iPlayer Desktop. It should do, as it shouldn't matter where I download them.

Anyway, I really want the SP DVD but it's not released 'til next week so I'll pre-order it now. I want to own the DVD... having the downloads isn't enough, and they'll have a time limit on them anyway. Blue Planet and Planet Earth DVDs are also strongly taking my fancy.

I remember watching a few of the Big Cat Diaries programmes and being very impressed too. I watched a series on elephants too, not long ago, but can't remember what that was?

Attenborough is just amazing, the tone of his voice fits perfectly. Plus the camera work, the production and the way you just ooze into this sense of "belonging" is unreal.

[John]

Some of the recent Attenborough stuff is out of this world and I just don't think the camera crews who capture some of the amazing scenes we see get enough credit! They literally put their lives on the line sometimes!

That too, yep. Sensational. :)

[MattR]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0LXqW4d9iY


This has clips of it yes John - might be the one you saw on there


oh and this one is amazing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjE0Kdfos4Y&feature=related

[John]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0LXqW4d9iY


This has clips of it yes John - might be the one you saw on there


Incredible - to see a human and a gorilla interact like that... I must try and get that whole clip.



oh and this one is amazing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjE0Kdfos4Y&feature=related

Certainly is! WOW! Alistair McGowan's Big Impressions contender!

[John]

I've just ordered Planet Earth and Blue Planet. :D

If they arrive on Friday, I'm in for a busy weekend! :)

[John]

OK, I haven't seen all of the South Pacific series yet (and that includes the fifth one which is due to be aired on Sunday :D) but I have just watched Castaways, the second one, and I am in absolute awe.

Must watch if you haven't already: my description would be "how life formed, and even more amazingly reached the most remote volcanically formed islands of Papua New Guinea, The Solomon Islands, Fiji and Hawaii, with a crocodile twist."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00kmv11/South_Pacific_Series_1_Castaways/ There are 6 days remaining...

This is better than porn! :yikes:

[bigcumba]

This thread brings up a point I keep banging on about. Folk who moan about paying the licence fee. ::swear These programmes are a chunk of what that money goes towards. You get to watch 50-60minutes per episode of incredible film without interruption. No adverts. Put it on ITV, that hour of programming becomes 40 minutes, you lose 20 minutes per hour for crappy ads and lose the continuity that the program makers intend you to see. It's less than 40p a day ferchrissakes, and it buys you the best and most respected factual programming on the planet. Chuck in the other series you like... Mock the Week?, Have I Got News.... Later with Jools Holland, Live at the Apollo, every single show you like is paid for by that 40p. Tell you what... add up just how many hours per day of good tv is on the various BBC channels, chuck in the iPlayer, the incredible BBC website, and tell me that 40p a day is crap value. Bin the licence fee and you'll find the Beeb in the same mire as the commercial channels.... ITV and C4 have both said they will have to cut back on quality programming and make more cheap crap - game shows and reality tv. Is that really worth forsaking that 40p a day?

[John]

I couldn't agree more Campbell.

So the licence fee that we pay only goes to the BBC? Is that why ITV and C4 show adverts... because they aren't funded by licence payers' money?

[mathare]

So the licence fee that we pay only goes to the BBC? Is that why ITV and C4 show adverts... because they aren't funded by licence payers' money?Yep.

[vegyjones]

It's less than 40p a day ferchrissakes,

I agree also!

The BBC does show some rubbish! However they have to cater for the numpties too! :D

But I have never met a person who has watched an episode of blue planet and said that the license fee is not worth it!

But what Campbell says reminds me of the Jack Dee joke about the Royal Mail.
If he meets someone who moans about the price of a stamp, he gives them a leter to take to Scotland and gives them 50p and says you have a go. :D

[MattR]

If he meets someone who moans about the price of a stamp, he gives them a leter to take to Scotland and gives them 50p and says you have a go. :D


:laugh

[tovarich]

Couldn't agree more with what has already been said, I've hardly missed a wildlife programme since whenever and enjoyed them all for one reason or another. I'd reccommend you get them all and enjoy.

One word of warning though, her indoors got hooked and it cost me a £5000 safari holiday in Kenya, but worth every penny.

[Bill]

Just thought I'd mention the excellent programme "Springwatch". I watch this and "Autumnwatch" every year and a lot of it is shown live. Tremendous stuff and worth the license money by itself. So to have all the other wildlife programmes on top what a bargain. I don't think any other country in the world supplies TV like this. OK, without advertising, we probably wouldn't have any commercial channels at all. Certainly wouldn't bother me as 99.99% of what they air is absolute rubbish. I hope their are plenty of budding David Attenboroughs or Jacques Cousteaus out there to make more of these wonderful programmes for us to enjoy.

[vegyjones]

I doubt there'll ever be another David Attenborough but someone half as good would be sufficient.

[bigcumba]

I doubt there'll ever be another David Attenborough but someone half as good would be sufficient.

Charlotte Uhlenbroek.... half as good, and a million times better looking!

[John]

Charlotte Uhlenbroek.... half as good, and a million times better looking!

She looked stunning on J Ross the other week... :D

[MattR]

John, not a wildlife show but in similar vein, did you see the Bruce Parry Amazon series, shown hmm was it earlier this year or late last year, can't remember now but that was an excellent series. He followed the route of the Amazon from Chile down to Brazil meeting different tribes and people.

[John]

Hi Matt,

No I didn't, but that reminds me I've always been fascinated with the Amazon rainforest aswell! This will sound strange but I remember being at school, I must have been probably 7 or 8 and we did a massive project on the Amazon rainforest, so I've been really interested since to be honest. This program, however, seems to have escaped me so it's definitely something I'll have to check out... thanks for letting me know about it!

[bigcumba]

John, not a wildlife show but in similar vein, did you see the Bruce Parry Amazon series, shown hmm was it earlier this year or late last year, can't remember now but that was an excellent series. He followed the route of the Amazon from Chile down to Brazil meeting different tribes and people.

I watched that, as well ashis previous "Tribes" series, both were brilliant

[MattR]

I missed Tribes, was looking at that on amazon (no pun intended) last night actually and nearly bought it. Will get it at some stage unless it appears on tv somewhere in the mean time.

[MattR]

John, saw this advertised during the credits of Life last night.........


BBC - Wildlife Finder - David Attenborough's favourite moments (http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/collections/p0048522)

[John]

Wow! Thanks Matt, that's great. Looks to be lots and lots of videos to get my teeth into. Bookermarked. :D

Watched very little of my Planet Earth and Blue Planet DVDs so far (lack of time) but what I have seen has been truly amazing.

[lowe1]

If anybody is thinking of buying planet earth then today is the day

Waterstones have a deal of the day and today you can buy the boxed set of planet earth for £8.99 :D:D

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/pages/deal-of-the-day/1473/?utm_source=cheetahmail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dealoftheday&auid=1005

[John]

Debenhams luggage, IRIS, Waterstones, TV Catchup... is there anything you don't know about on the internet, Tony? :D

[lowe1]

Knowledge is the bomb :D:D

[tovarich]

There seems to be much interest in wildlife programmes on tv, I never miss one myself. As it 'appens, me an 'er who must be obeyed have just come back from a safari holiday in Kenya last month(our second) and I think I have some very good "snaps" which might be of interest. Problem is I am a complete idiot when it comes to computing and I have no idea how to attach a photograph to an E-mail thingy like this.

Any help would be appreciated,

Thanks.

[scoobydoo]

You need to select manage attachments, which is underneath the submit reply when you are writing a message tov. Once you select that, it will open another window and you'll see quite a few browse buttons on the right. You need to select a browse button and from there find the particular photo you want to display in the folder on your PC. Once you have done this for all of your photos using the browse buttons, then you need to click on upload, which is opposite the last browse button. You should then be able to write your message and when you click on submit, your photos should be attached. Hope this helps but if I have missed something, I'm sure someone will put me right. :)

[tovarich]

Thanks for the quick reply Scooby but can't find a MANAGE ATTACHMENTS button thing under the submit reply bit. All Ive got is a Post Quick Reply button and Go Advanced thingy unless it's right under my nose and I can't see it. On the top bar I have a little square box which says INSERT IMAGE. Does that mean anything?

[TheGoodGuy]

If you've clicked on Edit, then click Go Advanced, scroll down a bit & you should see the Manage Attachments button.......then follow Scooby's instructions.

If you are using Post Reply.......then the Manage Attachments should be on the same page........just scroll down a bit.

:thumbs

[tovarich]

Right lads, got it, I think. I'll try one photo and see if it works. It's one I really Like and I've got on my desktop background and full size it' s impressive.

[tovarich]

Magic, it works. The photo was taken at ground level, in fact I was in a hole in the ground.
From the safari game lodge main building you go down a spiral staircase and along a tunnel until you come to a little room (you'll see it in a later picture) with barred windows where you get an excellent view for photography. Didn't want you to think I was playing Jungle Jim walking round the bondoo snapping at anything that moved.

[TheGoodGuy]

It's a brilliant picture Tov, but at a size of 1.13 MB it is a bit big in size for posting on forums.

Ideally it needs compressing in size (byte wise)

You've already said you're not a computer buff (nor am I for that matter :D) but if you can reduce it a bit, that would be good, but if not I've reduced your photo to a more acceptable size & with your permission I can (I think) replace your one with something a little smaller.

If that's OK just say the word.......if not just tell me where to go.

[vegyjones]

The scenery looks incredible, I can see why you went back!

Must be something special to go there, one to add to the list of things before I die I think

[mathare]

I've been to Kenya on safari and it amazing! You're a lucky thing Tov, I'd love to go back

[mathare]

From the safari game lodge main building you go down a spiral staircase and along a tunnel until you come to a little room (you'll see it in a later picture) with barred windows where you get an excellent view for photography.Where was this, out of interest? We stayed at The Ark which had a few 'hides' like that that were excellent for photography. We stayed up all night (with the help of a few Tuskers!) in one of the hides to watch everything at night too

[John]

Brilliant shot, Tov. Keep chatting safari. I'm inspired to go in a few years' time.

[tovarich]

It's a brilliant picture Tov, but at a size of 1.13 MB it is a bit big in size for posting on forums.

Ideally it needs compressing in size (byte wise)

You've already said you're not a computer buff (nor am I for that matter :D) but if you can reduce it a bit, that would be good, but if not I've reduced your photo to a more acceptable size & with your permission I can (I think) replace your one with something a little smaller.

If that's OK just say the word.......if not just tell me where to go.

You're welcome to do what's necessary, Ada, and then you can maybe tell me how to do it.

[tovarich]

Where was this, out of interest? We stayed at The Ark which had a few 'hides' like that that were excellent for photography. We stayed up all night (with the help of a few Tuskers!) in one of the hides to watch everything at night too

That photo was taken at SALT LICK Lodge in Taita Hills Game Reserve. It's the lodge where the rooms are on sticks - like lollipops and you look down on the animals which is good but not so much at 3.00 a.m.when the elephants are trumpeting and you have to get up at 5.30 a.m. to go on a drive.

I was probably too excited at first to think about opening the window to start taking photos.

[mathare]

That looks awesome Tov - thanks for those

[tovarich]

Still trying to resize my pictures, see if it works this time.

These are a couple of local hardmen (The Krays?)

[tovarich]

I give up.

[TheGoodGuy]

Tovarich,

I've compressed the photos you've posted from 1.5 MB to around 70KB.....hopefully you'll be OK with this.
If you disagree I will restore the originals as soon as you say....ASAP.

Try this site to download a program for re-sizing your brilliant photos:

http://bluefive.pair.com/pixresizer.htm

I use it, it's easy.....& if I can say that then believe me it IS.

It's free, and safe to download and install/run.

Give it a go......it'll compress your 1MB+ pics to around 70KB (or thereabouts) & not compromise viewing quality......honest.
Any probs, just shout.

:thumbs

[tovarich]

Thanks Ada, i'll give it a try later, when I get a chance.

[tovarich]

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My thanks to those who took time to help with their advice on managing attachments. If I don't get it right this time I definitely will give up.

[tovarich]

Doesn't seem to have worked, does it? Still too big I think. My son-in-law, who has a degree in IT (Christchurch, NZ) compressed the photos for me, all I had to do was transfer them over. They seem small enough on my PC but they increase in size as soon as I move them over to the forum. Must be an answer.:mad:

[John]

I don't know if anyone has been watching LIFE on a Monday evening, but the one on Monday just gone (14 dec) was brilliant. It was all about primates; they filmed gorillas, orangutans and chimpanzees, and described how the monkeys had learned to use rocks to crack open nuts. Then they filmed the chimps in Indonesia I think it was, and how they shared tools to get into their food and eat it. Such generosity was obvious between the male and female chimpanzees. It was just amazing to watch, don't know if anyone saw it?

[MattR]

Yes I've been watching it John. Excellent as always. The BBC really do make superb nature programmes and David Attenborough's narration is excellent of course.

I was looking forward to this Primates episode in particular. I love to see anything on Orang Utan's especially. I'm convinced they're a superior being and are on one big wind up :laugh You're right though John it was remarkable watching the use of tools and the sharing of that rock was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen on tv. Surely to see these primates in various stages of evolution is irrefutable proof of our own evolutionary path.

[John]

Nice one Matt, I'm going to watch it again on BBC iPlayer this weekend because it's just so damn good. Awesome television like you say. I just never thought animals could have the mental capability to show affection/generosity to each other like that. When I think of animals "living together" in the same environment the first thing that comes to mind is survival of the fittest and I don't think the chimpanzees and orangutans are like that at all, they don't seem the least bit argumentative.

I haven't seen all of the Life series though Matt; the last one I saw before Primates was Birds and so I think I missed Insects and possibly two in-between?

Noone does it better than the BBC, as we keep saying. The thorough research into our world and various species for these programmes is just incredible.

And yes I absolutely agree with you on your last point, particularly as we are 98.4% genetically similar to a chimpanzee. We're closer to a chimpanzee than a chimpanzee is to a monkey. Pretty astonishing stuff when you think about it! I'm guessing your quite a Darwin fan when it comes to evolutionary debates and "how we got here..." ?

[bigcumba]

particularly as we are 98.4% genetically similar to a chimpanzee.

You have to be careful who you use that argument with as we also share 50% of the same genetic makeup as a slug. :laugh But I'm certainly in agreement with you both about the programmes and the proof of evolution... anyone who can't accept it is just stupid.

[John]

Fifty percent? Christ on a bike. :helper

[tovarich]

With the weather being as cold as it is, thought I'd look back at my holiday photos from Kenya and cheer myself up and try (again) to compress them down to a reasonable size to post them on here.

The photo of the Hippo is nothing special. It was at a place called Mzima Springs and when I was there three years ago there were about a dozen hippos, maybe four crocs and a lot of fish. About eight months ago you may have seen a programme on TV (BBC I think) with Nick Knowles and about a dozen wannabe wildlife camera men and women in a knockout competition and the winner got a contract with the BBC and they went to Mzima Springs to film the FOUR hippos there.

When I was there in Sept last year there were TWO hippos. The sad thing is nothing can be done because it's due to the drought, very little rain for two years now. Every day a lorry arrives with some dry hay to feed them but there is no grass which is what they live on.

Also when driving around on the plains it's sad to see so many carcases lying around, mainly zebras and wildebeests, again there is little grass for them to eat and in trying to nibble what little there is, they are also eating sand and dirt which lies in their stomach and eventually kills them.

I don't know if it is down to global warming or just the normal cycle of weatherchange and what can be done - if anything. No danger of zebras and wildebeest dying out, they're everywhere but hippos and rhinos are another story.

[lowe1]

Just bought myself a new 75-300mm lens and i am really getting into this wildlife photography some pics i just took the other day while fishing in Lymm

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5106665&l=6df1de8984&id=779567812

[mathare]

Squirrels rock! Nice picture Tony :thumbs

[lowe1]

Is there just the one pic :doh meant to post the album link not the one pic

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/album.php?aid=203868&id=779567812&ref=mf

[mathare]

Hmm, it wants me to log in to see the album and I point blank refuse to use Facebook. Oh well. I enjoyed the squirrel shot very much anyway

[John]

Super sharp, the shot of the duck is so crisp.

Looks like you negotiated a fair few prickles and bushes to poke your lens through at those birds too.

75-300mm - fair range that is!