'We are delighted to welcome Springwatch to Derbyshire'

National Trust staff have said they are "honoured" and "delighted" that BBC Springwatch have chosen to broadcast their 20th anniversary series from the Peak District.

Presenters Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan will film three weeks of wildlife from Britain's first national park, the National Trust's Longshaw Estate, near Hathersage for the upcoming series.

Longshaw's resident songbirds, an active badger sett, eight species of roosting bat as well as the kestrel and barn owls that nest at the site are set to feature.

The estate's property operations manager, Joanne Hall-Light, said: "We are so pleased and honoured that we are being recognised for how the estate can connect people to wildlife."

Ms Hall-Light said the National Trust had been preparing for the shows visit since last year.

"We are absolutely delighted to welcome Springwatch to Longshaw and it means we can highlight the incredible landscape that we love across the Peak District," she said.

"There's been a lot of preparation for this. We have been in contact with the BBC for the past year, where we have shared various stories about different wildlife we have here.

"It's extra special they are coming here for their anniversary, Longshaw is also special to us and loved by so many.

Craig Best, general manager at the National Trust in the Peak District said: "We are delighted to welcome the Springwatch team to Longshaw for the 20th anniversary of the series.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing the incredible wildlife you can find in the Peak District become the stars of the show this year.

"The BBC will be able to bring us fascinating footage of the well-known wildlife characters as well as those we know less about, or that are harder to spot.

"Hopefully that will give us a greater understanding and insight into why we need to protect this special landscape."

Wildlife that could be captured on camera is the red listed ring ouzels and whinchats, which nest on the Peak District moorland slopes.

One of Britain's most threatened birds, the moorland curlew, inhabits the estate's landscapes and the wildlife team will be listening for their distinctive calls to capture rare footage on camera.

Dippers, the world's only aquatic songbirds, also visit the estate whilst the woodcock incubate their eggs in the secluded wooded areas.

The team also hopes to record the drumming of snipe which circle across the peatland bogs.

As well as filming in Derbyshire, the new series will feature three places in Northern Ireland: Belfast, Rathlin Island and Mount Stewart in County Down.

BBC Springwatch returns at the following times:

• Monday 26 May – Thursday 29 May at 20:00 GMT
• Monday 2 June – Thursday 5 June at 20:00
• Monday 9 June – Thursday 12 June at 20:00

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