Celebrity birding? Yup. Wait until the New Year when it airs and you’ll believe it then.
Mull had a Sky1 TV crew from Fever Media on the island for a week earlier this month. The focus for the cameras was comedian Bill Bailey and two competing teams of celebrities. The teams were set tasks by Bill, with help from Forestry Commission Scotland and a variety of local businesses. They got points for how many of the target species for the day they spotted; and at the end of the series the team with the most points won.
The challenge started as soon as the group set foot on the CalMac ferry from Oban to Craignure, spotting seabirds as they sailed.
On the island they were under canvas (touch of the ‘I’m a celebrity. Get me out of here’?) and each night they got round a camp fire – no midges these days - compared their photographs and identified what they’d seen.
The physical challenges involved were pretty high on the adrenaline-rush scale. According to Dave Sexton, RSPB’s Mull Wildlife Officer: ‘They mountain biked down from the high tops to sea level and explored Salen bay in kayaks… It was all good fun and they all seemed to enjoy themselves, especially on the last day at Loch Frisa where eagles, of course, were top of their lists’.
Dave Sexton says that the programme makers have been at RSPB reserves and other locations across the UK so it’s a evidence for Argyll’s position in the wildlife world that they chose Mull for their Scottish challenge.
The celebrity teams – one captained by stand-up comedian Jeff Green and the other by TV presenter Alex Zane – included Jayne Middlemiss (think Top of the Pops, Love Island and Masterchef – she won that) and undercover reporter/Dancing on Ice star Donal MacIntyre.
With long experience in working with the the BBC’s Springwatch programme, Dave Sexton says: ‘The whole exercise has been an amazing logistical exercise for everyone involved. With a total crew of over 20, it rivalled the scale of Springwatch at times’.
What are the benefits of it all?
Dave Sexton counted up 12 local businesses from boat operators to camp sites, local pubs to bike and kayak hirers who have all benefited in some way from this late season bonanza.
Thinking of the impact on his own specialist world, he feels that the programme may introduce the joys of birding to a whole new audience who might not normally watch these programmes. It might make more people join the RSPB and care about the natural world. It will show the autumn splendour of Mull to millions and just a few might decide to visit next year, come to the hide and fall in love with Mull’s eagles.
On Mull, the fabulous Tour of Mull Rally is over until next year. The drivers may have gone – although some, like the winners Callum and Iain Duffy, only had to go back to Dervaig – and some of Mull’s tourism businesses take the winter off, but not everything goes into hibernation.
The Mull Eagle Hide at Loch Frisa is staying open to welcome late season visitors to Mull & Iona. Trips are at 10.00am and 1.00pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.They can be booked at the Craignure Visitor Information Centre on 01680 812 556.
Offering a unique experience to visitors, with the immense privilege of learning more of the magnificent white tailed sea eagle, Mull’s wildlife and the RSPB’s Loch Frisa Eagle Hide help to extend the vital tourism economy on the island.
You can get the full story of the celebrity birding week on Mull at Dave Sexton’s award-winning RSPB Mull Eagles Blog; and if you go to the Mull Eagle Watch page on the RSPB home website – and scroll down, you’ll see photographs of the celebrity teams at work on Mull.
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