LIVING THE WILDLIFE
SERIES 7 SYNOPSIS
Emmy award winning cameraman Colin Stafford-Johnson returns to RTÉ for another exciting season of Living the Wildlife. Now in its seventh year, this inspiring series takes us to the four corners of Ireland as we meet a wealth of fascinating characters and film some incredible new species.
Once again, Colin takes us on an extraordinary wildlife journey of discovery that shines a light on the unique beauty of the Irish landscape as well as the diversity of the wildlife that surrounds us.
On Inishark Island off the Connemara coast, Colin risks the wrath of dive-bombing great skuas as they protect their nest. In Wicklow, he joins a unique badger study that uses all the latest technology to uncover the secrets lives of these oft-maligned creatures. Returning to his old stomping ground in Dublin Bay he comes nose to nose with some very curious seals and films a territorial male grey seal display for the very first time.
Once hunted to extinction, the white-tailed eagle and the red kite are now back breeding in Ireland and Colin meets up with the people who made this happen. In Kerry, he witnesses a mass exodus of natterjack toadlets and in Donegal he tracks down a new species of toad of Ireland! Finally, this stunning nature series ends with a look at how a whole host of creatures like kingfishers, pine martens, storm petrels and hen harriers all require very different techniques and approaches to capture them on film.
1. Living the Wildlife: The Great Skuas of Inishark Island – 24th March 7pm
Colin heads to Inishark Island in Connemara to film a pair of nesting great skuas for the first time. Despite the aggressive dive-bombing of the parents, he manages to capture some extraordinary footage of the new-born chicks.
Presented and directed by Emmy-award winning natural historian, Colin Stafford-Johnson
Series Producer Gillian Marsh (Vets on Call, The Nurse, Seahorsemen)
Director of Photography Domenico Pontillio; Sound; Olivia Kulander; Editor Colm O’ Brien and post production at Egg.
Produced by GMarsh TV for RTÉ © 2015