Springwatch fan calls out Chris Packham blunder during live report from nest – but can you spot it?
SPRINGWATCH fans called out Chris Packham after a blunder during a live report from a nest.
The BBC series returned on Monday with Chris and co-host Michaela Strachan bringing viewers the latest reports from nature reserves around the country.
During Tuesday’s show, they looked at a number of birds nests to get an update on eggs laid or chicks that have hatched.
Chris turned his attention to an Oyster Catcher nest, saying: “I mentioned it yesterday because it’s a slightly unusual nest.
“There are not the typical three eggs, it’s sitting on a clutch of six eggs.”
He then pointed out how there were two patterns on the six eggs, one more prominent than the other.
He continued: “So there are, what appears to be two clutches of eggs laid into the same nest.”
He then gave his theories as to why that could be the case, such as egg dumping or “a case of polyandry.”
He explained: “Polyandry is where one male has more than two females.
“Now typically that would mean two nests not two fused together like this.”
However a previous report had found Oyster Catchers were at the top of the list of sea birds who egg dump like this, so it was “unusual, but not uncommon.”
But some Springwatch viewers disagreed with Chris’ comment, with one writing on Twitter: “Chris got it wrong about the oyster catcher nest maybe being a case of polyandry!
“Polyandry is not when one male has 2 females or more, it’s when a female has 2 males or more.”
Another commented alongside their own pictures of Oyster Catcher nests: “Interesting piece on possible oystercatcher polyandry on #Springwatch tonight on Blakeney Point, #Norfolk a trio of 2 females and a male shared a nest for several consecutive years, laying 5-7 eggs (on the Point oystercatchers often lay clutches of 4).”
Meanwhile another joked: “Now hussy oyster catchers. They’re all at it!”
Springwatch continues tonight at 8pm on BBC Two.