Scottish wildlife to star in show

It is hoped the cameras will pick up Islay's golden eagles

The BBC's Springwatch programme is heading to Scotland's west coast, concentrating on wildlife on the island of Islay and in Glasgow.

Presenter Simon King will be posted on the Inner Hebridean island for the programme's three-week duration, which begins on Monday.

The island's RSPB Loch Gruinart nature reserve, where golden eagles breed, attracts over 10,000 visitors a year.

Wildlife film maker Gordon Buchanan will also be filming foxes in Glasgow.

Live cameras will beam images from across Islay to about three million viewers during the show.

It is now the Islay area's turn to show the Springwatch audience just what these islands have to offer Jack Fleming RSPB Scotland

RSPB staff on the island have been working closely with the BBC to allow the latest camera technology to be used with rare species such as choughs, without disturbing them as they breed and raise their offspring.

Viewers will also learn about how the RSPB carefully manages land on the island, both on the Loch Gruinart reserve, home to 25,000 barnacle geese in winter, and on other sites where birds such as corncrakes are seeing a revival.

It is also hoped the golden eagle will feature on the show, with cameras placed on recent season's breeding sites.

Scotland's wildlife has played a major part in the ground-breaking Springwatch series in recent years, with Shetland's seabirds and otters some of last year's highlights.

The sea eagles of Mull featured during 2005, when the antics of proud parents 'Skye' and 'Frisa' had viewers hooked every evening.

Springwatch begins on BBC2 on Monday from 2000 BST to 2100 BST.