As the temperature drops and the nights draw in earlier, it is tempting to stay inside and take some time to hibernate. However, the cold, dark month of January is made more bearable with one of our favourite wildlife programmes: Winterwatch.
Winterwatch has been broadcast on BBC Two since 2012, and along with Springwatch and previously Autumnwatch, makes up the BBC's 'Watches' group of wildlife programming.
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- Winter wildlife in the Cairngorms National Park
- How to care for wildlife in your garden over winter
- Guide to Britain's upland wildlife: species, identification and where to see
As its name suggests, Winterwatch aims to show off the wildlife spectacles and behaviour that can still be found in winter – as well as how some of the toughest animals have adapted to the harsh winter conditions. Find out all you need to know about the programme, including where it'll be visiting, with our guide.
When is Winterwatch on TV?
Winterwatch is broadcast on BBC Two for four nights. The 2026 series will run from Tuesday 20 January - Friday 23 January at 7pm. You can catch up on previous episodes on BBC iPlayer.
Who presents Winterwatch?
Winterwatch 2026 will be presented by Chris Packham, Iolo Williams and Michaela Strachan.
Where is Winterwatch visiting?
Winterwatch 2026 will be broadcast live from the National Trust's Mount Stewart in County Down. It has 10,000 recorded species and a range of habitats, including ghost ponds, woodlands, farmland fields and the largest tidal lough in the British isles (which is also scattered with green islands).
Jack Bootle, BBC head of commissioning, Specialist Factual, says: “Beautiful and teeming with wildlife, Mount Stewart is the perfect location for Winterwatch. We’re delighted to be working with the National Trust to bring this amazing part of Northern Ireland to audiences across the UK.”
All the BBC Winterwatch 2026 locations
The Yorkshire Wolds
A region of tranquil, rolling chalk hills in East Yorkshire, England, the Yorkshire Wolds are known for their big skies, historic villages, wide open landscapes, and stunning wildlife.
In winter, temperatures plummet, forcing the vast array of animals that call the Yorkshire Wolds home to do everything they can to survive the harsh elements. One crafty mammal, however, chooses to steal from its neighbours larder and prey on other residents, rather than put in the hard work, and Winterwatch will be following it closely.
Dorset, England
A beech copse is a naturally occurring small cluster of trees perched at the summit of exposed hilltops. Winterwatch will be exploring these perfectly formed ecosystems in Dorset, where they provide a perfect refuge for winter wildlife to refuel and find refuge.
From long tailed tits feeding on invertebrates in the branches, to earthworms monopolising on the leaf litter, which in themselves provide fatty snacks for kites and robins, there’s a whole theatre of wildlife in these small but mighty ecosystems.
Bath, England
The country’s smallest bird should have a tough time handling the harsh realities of winter, however, a park in the city of Bath appears to have everything they need to see them through the season. Goldfinch populations have increased significantly across the UK, having adapted well to urban environments, potentially due to the widespread availability of bird feeders.
Various muddy puddles
In their search for various stranger-than-fiction organisms you’ve probably never heard of, Winterwatch will be visiting various muddy puddles. This might sound like an odd location to shoot, however, these puddles actually contain an incredible variety of microscopic life.
From the barely there eight-legged invertebrates tardigrades, nicknamed ‘water bears’ feeding on fragments of moss, to a remarkable single celled organism called a Stentor, which stretches and squeezes itself through waterlogged soil. If damaged, this alien-like creature can regenerate at speed, and if split in two, two brand new individuals will form.
Isle of Mull, Scotland
The Isle of Mull is rich in wildlife, its rugged coastline and open moorland supporting some of Scotland’s most iconic species. White-tailed and golden eagles are frequently seen circling above the hills, while otters patrol the rocky shores and sea lochs below. Offshore waters are home to dolphins, porpoises, and basking sharks in season, and red deer move through the glens and forests inland. This diversity is sustained by Mull’s varied habitats and relative remoteness, making the island one of the most important and visible strongholds for wildlife in the UK.
Lira Valencia swaps the urban streets of London for the wilderness of Mull to take a look at the behavioural differences that present between urban versus rural populations, and encounters more than she bargained for.
Tŷ Canol National Nature Reserve, Pembrokeshire, Wales
In an ambitious nighttime shoot, camera operator Ben Harris and Winterwatch researcher Seth Daood set out into the vastly diverse Tŷ Canol National Nature Reserve in Pembrokeshire to record the ethereal phenomenon known as bio-fluorescence.
Organisms like fungi, lichens, and even some plants and insects glow intensely under UV light, revealing a glittering world hidden by daylight, a secret layer of ecological communication between organisms.
The challenge for Ben was then to get the perfect shot so we can see these incredible species in a whole new light!
Islay, Scotland
Zoologist Billy Heaney takes us on his annual pilgrimage to the Isle of Islay to see the sensational seasonal geese, sharing why the birds are so important, especially the endangered Greenland white fronted geese, and why this place provides a refuge for both himself and the geese.
Islay is the fifth-largest Scottish island and the eighth-largest island of the British Isles, and is known for many species of animals, especially birds. Red deer, orcas, and minke whales are also commonly spotted.
Mindfulness moments
As viewers have come to appreciate the enchantment of wildlife in winter, each episode will include a moment to simply relax and soak in the beauty of nature. Every night, the programme will dedicate 90 seconds to wildlife, with no music or presenter narration – just the natural sounds and stunning visuals of some of our most remarkable wild places.
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