Please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE if you enjoyed watching - it really helps the channel - thank you. Please watch my other films on this channel : ru-vid.com/group/PLVQf5iO8XVzpbZwdYAiv3qUpEBLtADO04
I'm so impressed by this wonderful documentary, Mr. de Vere. I also grew up on a river, and on my grandparents' farm in Western Oregon. The Willamette River is the 2nd largest in volume in the state. So many good memories of wandering the riverbank with my English Springer Spaniel. Your video of the rarer creatures & their interactions with other wildlife around your river was captivating. I subbed you, & I can't wait to watch the rest of your uploads. This had excellent quality narration too, and I liked hearing the entries from your journal. Well done!
Thanks for taking the trouble to write, it's great to hear. The scale of rivers across the pond compared to ours is sometimes hard to grasp. I once had an assignment to film pelicans feeding on the Slave River in Canada and the opposite bank was so far away I couldn't really see it! @@GuantanamoBayBarbie3
Happening on a film like this shows what a wonderful medium RU-vid can be . Aside from the endless barrage of noise and bombardment it allows filmmakers and artists of tremendous talent and dedication a space to publish personal work outside of their “professional practice” not to take anything away from that side of things but this is clearly a labour of love, can’t wait to sit with a cold beer this weekend and enjoy some more.
My favourite channels are frequently those that haven't yet had so many views that they become a bit complacent or are starting to run thin on ideas. The doing-it-for-love stage is often the sweet spot. Thanks for your feedback.
Thank you Stephen, So wonderful to view this film, you are so kind to share it with us. Most of us will never be fortunate enough to witness wild nature, lacking your skillset and patience & knowledge. Also of course your special photographic ability. Thank you so much !
Stephen, you mention your dad a lot, I too have my dad to thank for a lifetime of nature watching. Sunday afternoons were time for our walks, I have memories of seeing Weasel, Fox, Hare, finding numerous nests full of eggs, finding a shed snake skin, all whilst following in the footsteps of where my dad himself played as a little boy in the late 40’s/50’s. Now I have children of my own, 6, 8 and 11, I take them to the same places and they see the same things. I take them to bluebell forests, to poppy fields trying to inspire their love of the outdoors. They all love nothing more than putting their wellies on and going out and enjoying getting covered in mud. They recognise a lot of common birds and can recognise their song. We live backing onto farmland and have fox, badger, roe deer, stoat, grass snake, red kite, sparrowhawk, buzzard on our lists, it’s a small piece of paradise 😊
Equal to anything the once-great BBC ever did with Attenborough, I am tempted to say. What a thoroughly enjoyable and relaxing video, for which I thank you. Liked. Sub'd.
Thanks for the feedback, it's very good hear. It's a shame the BBC weren't interested in showing it but it's nice it's being received so positively here.
Fantastic photography Stephen. I like the details, close and prolonged focus on the wildlife and nature. The early morning filmings are wonderful. No added music makes it so much natural.It brings the nature to my living room. Your gentle commentary makes the film very relaxing. You have presented the filming without using too much technology and that makes it so real as if I am seeing it with my own eyes in the nature. . Otters and kingfishers are my favourite. The film was such a treat for my eyes and relaxation for my mind. Please continue to do more wonderful wild life films like this.
This is absolutely stunning film-making. My daughters were transfixed by your gentle, humorous and informative commentary and stunning photography - as was I. Thank-you for sharing your wonderful nature diary.
Magnificent film and every bit as captivating as the recent "Wild Isles" episode on Rivers. As an Angler I'm spoiled by riverside wildlife encounters but to see a family of Otters like this is a privilege afforded to few.
@@WildlifeInCloseUp Naturally occuring Otter populations and populations reintroduced into healthy rivers are wonderful, and should be celebrated. The problems occur when people reintroduce them without thinking. Some river systems are just not ready for them.
@@JWhite-Fishing Knowing how easily otters travel large distances overland, even over mountains, I can't imagine any logical reason for reintroductions anyway. The thing that concerns me is the widespread presence of non-native crayfish that otters feed on and may be boosting the otter population un-naturally (my personal speculation).
@@WildlifeInCloseUp Nature has a way of resolving its own problems over long periods of time, perhaps Otters are part of the solution to the Signal Crayfish problem. Only time will tell, and we probably won't get the answers in our lifetime!
Oh dear, there's cat-chumps leaving comment's on here now... 275 million small animals & birds tortured to death every year in the U.K. (bet it's more) and they spread the most PROLIFIC parasite known to mankind (Toxoplasma Gondii). Linked with mental illnesses, anxiety, road-rage, risk-taking and a plethora of other "lovely" things. Traitors to their own species.
Thanks 👍 The lucky break with the otters is what made the film possible, at least it was the trigger to thinking I could make a worthwhile river film at all!
Lovely, soothing, beautifully filmed and narrated. Your love and appreciation for the wildlife around your home shines through every minute. Your father would be proud!
Thank you. I often wish my father was still alive to see the footage I got. It was very therapeutic meeting people on the river that he knew and who helped me make the film.
Thank you Stephen for an absolutely wonderful video. Your patience is outstanding and you get such rewards for it. The otters, kingfishers, mink etc , truly wonderful. Your education teaches us viewers so much. Now I know how to tell the difference between a male and female kingfisher. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful video 😊
@@WildlifeInCloseUp Thanks so much for the followup! Already liked & subbed - and shared it with two friends as well! Wishing you a wonderful weekend, from the Lake District!
I could watch this all day. Not only is it informative but so beautiful to watch, thank you very much for sharing this with us its been delightful and i like that you don,t make the documentry about yourself, the photography ans presentation is stunning thank you so much. xxxxxxxxxxxxx
It's not very often at all that I leave comments but WOW! What amazing patience and know-how to be able to film all this. Superb camera skills, extremely talented. I very much enjoyed watching this 🙏
I so enjoyed doing it that I wasn't aware of the patience needed (most of the time). I suppose there is quite a bit of know-how needed though! Thanks for the feedback.
Thank you Stephen, God bless you for your amazing documentaries. The filming is absolutely beautiful and narrated is truly one of a kind! You’ve given us so much great information of the beauty of our wildlife 👍 thanks again ❤
please always keep doing this. youre unique. there are all sorts of videos but yours are different. your passion that you verbally express and with the knowledge you offer is what i look for most in these types of videos. ive seen all your movies now and am belled to wait for your next one. i watched them out of order but am really glad youtube just keeps playing these when i fall asleep. i woke up to your meadow one playing and and watched it twice when i made a friend who i also now a fan watch it too. thank you from america for sharing the nicer side of your land
What a great video. I'm an amateur wildlife photographer, and I really enjoyed watching this. There's nothing like being out with wildlife. Thank you so much Stephen for this awesome video.
Just beautiful, these are the best nature documentaries I've seen. I appreciate the directness in which you present your materials, and the intimacy between you and the subjects.
I really liked this documentary. My favorite segment was the grebes, though they were not successful at reproducing, I enjoyed watching them make the nest.
The grebes are one of my favourites and I was keen to include them as a realistic example of failure that often occurs in nature. Likewise with the kingfishers.
Thanks for sharing this, Stephen! I've watched Through the Garden Gate a few times and it's probably my favorite English nature documentary of all time, so I'm beyond excited to watch this one too.
As always, beautifully filmed and narrated Stephen. I fully understand and appreciate the skills and knowledge needed to capture this footage and often try to visualise you behind the camera in each scene. I have lost count how many times I have watched your films now - which always inspire me to get out with my camera gear.
You could make videos with the amazing shots you get and relaxing music... Something like OCB Relax? If you do, the shots of the river at 2.28 - 2.35 👍. You must (should) be very proud of your work. It's great to see original content. To write your own music/poems, or make something is commendable & rewarding. RU-vid is amazing... To be able to fix tools, cars/motorbikes (and everything else!) is awesome on here & to find content like this. Kind Regards, Rob
Great feedback, thank you. With relatively few viewers here I need to find a method that isn't so insanely time consuming as this film was. I made it for TV but they weren't interested in showing it.
Once again you rocked it. I have been wondering about all this. I got given 2 baby lovebirds a young budgie & an 8 yr old cockateil & they are all so different...but DIET!! I need to learn more about that. Went thru weaning with the lovebirds. The touch trainingbis also such an awesome tool. ❤🎉
Hi have just seen your video and loved it. I adore wildlife but not seen otters nor voles, so this for me was fascinating. My experience with wildlife was with ospreys and pine martens up in Scotland. Thanks for sharing. Have subscribed!
Thanks for your interest and comments. The gently sloping shores of Shetland is one of best places to see otters - amazing density of them there - but if you can get to the west coast of Scotland it's good too. Low tide usually better (saves them energy in diving).
@WildlifeInCloseUp a very good film, thank you for posting it. I have loved streams and rivers since childhood, the small chalkstreams of Hertfordshire were my idyll then. Wonderful places ever changing but always familiar, beautiful.
I used to be the same, before I 'made it' professionally. The biggest inspiration that drove me on to succeed was thinking I could do it better than what I watched (back then it was only TV).
I sit in another world, Land around me, No modern woes, Just peace in freedom, Away from mankind. R.W. Glad for not paying the T.V. license... When there's excellent videos like your's, why bother with the aforementioned!!! Really enjoy your content... Will not forget you.
Superb camera work and very informative observations. Thanks for sharing. Sadly I have seen the demise of the water vole close to me. A combination of mink and then water quality would be my guess. Hopefully they’ll come back now that our water courses are being closely monitored. Open cast mining and farming as sources of water pollution/contamination - they seem to be getting their act together.
I'm no expert but they seem to be quite good at recolonising areas quite quickly once conditions are right. They breed very fast if they get the chance. The ones in the film disappeared in that section of river a few years after I filmed them but then returned. I think if mink arrive they get cleared out but then the mink probably move away to some extent and then the voles have a window of opportunity again. Thanks for your comment. Much appreciated.
Great video ,i rear a few pheasants myself and i do shoot a few but i definitely let out more than i shoot ,lovely bird i just wish some chicken eaters who buy their food in the supermarket wouldn't critise hunters
I used to help a gamekeeper when I should have been in school - he taught me how to get close to animals. I eat a little meat but not if it's farmed. We should be seriously replacing it by harvesting the excessive wild deer population - it's a no-brainer on so many levels.
hi, really interesting video thank you very much. do you know of any apps that are available to find these and other animals to photograph? i have ebird,but I'm after one for other animals/rodents not just cannal/river species,but woodland too ect.
I'm sorry I don't. The Merlin app I sometimes use if there's a bird call I don't recognise. There are some good books on tracks and signs out there which can be really useful. Joining a local wildlife group and talking to people is good. Some RSPB reserves here in the UK have voluntary wardens out every day to help visitors find and see things, not always birds either. Personally I just love the satisfaction of searching and observing and discovering things myself.
El documental es muy interesante, pero es una lástima que el narrador solo habla para él mismo, puesto que solo balbucea las palabras y a duras penas se le entiende lo que dice porque habla demasiado suave, para él mismo. Por esa razón no le puedo dar " me gusta"...
Lamento que la narración no sea buena para ti. Me resultó muy difícil "rendirme" bien, pero lo intentaré más la próxima vez. Mi objetivo principal era hacer que la película fuera lo más real y auténtica posible, por lo que no parecía haber otra alternativa que contar la narración yo mismo. No olvides que hay subtítulos que puedes activar. Me temo que solo en inglés. Desearía tener fondos para hacerlo en más idiomas.
You touched on a nerve there. I hate the sound of my own voice at the best of times and getting public speaking training from a pro didn't seem to help me much. They said I was probably the hardest nut they'd ever been asked to try and crack! :) Thanks for the honest feedback.
Maybe you could take a *break from trivialising suicide on the internet? I hope something so tragic never happens to you. It seems you would benefit from a break from the internet if it’s making you so upset? Doesn’t sit well on a film made with so much skill, talent, care and thoughtfulness and with such a gentle nature.
Dear Stephen, Besides the praise I have for the brilliant documentaries you make that can parallel any made by the BBC; I have a habit of sleeping with a noise cancelling headset playing an audiobook read by Stephen Fry, or a documentary commentated by Sir David Attenborough, as I find it helps me sleep better. Over the past year it has been your voice and your narration in these videos that does this very niche job. One might suggest that makes your voice dreary, I would argue to the contrary. It is soothing enough to put someone you’ve never met at ease and indeed, to sleep. I hope this information eases your nerves a little. Thank you very much indeed.
