THE WILDLIFE of Dorset will be appearing on our screens once again as Chris Packham and the team return to RSPB Arne for Winterwatch.

Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan and Martin Hughes-Games will be based at RSPB Arne from Monday, January 23 to Thursday, January 26.

RSPB Arne in Purbeck is officially the most biodiverse region in the UK, with more species of animals and plants within 10 miles of Wareham than anywhere else in the country.

The area was filmed just three months ago, at the end of October, for the BBC's flagship autumnwatch programme, with viewers being encouraged to share their own photos from visits to the nature reserve.

Morwenna Alldis, spokesperson for RSPB Dorset, said: "We're thrilled that the BBC will return to RSPB Arne in a couple of weeks, to broadcast Winterwatch live from this stunning Dorset reserve.

"RSPB Arne is one of our most wildlife rich reserves in the UK and it proved a big hit with Autumnwatch viewers back in October 2016.

"Winterwatch is the perfect opportunity for the public to discover the beautiful seasonal changes that have occurred in both the landscape and wildlife of RSPB Arne over the last couple of months.

"For over 50 years the RSPB, its members and our partners across Purbeck have given nature a home in this special place and we can't wait to inspire even more viewers, of all ages, to give nature a home where they live too."

During the four programmes, the presenters will visit many sites in Purbeck, as well as Brownsea Island.

Remote cameras will capture the best of the wildlife on the reserve, including the Robo-spoonbill, which is fitted with a hidden camera to capture some of the wading birds in the nature reserve, and appealed to viewers of all ages during Autumnwatch.

The Robo-spoonbill will be joined by a new friend, which is a 'decoy duck cam'.

In addition, footage will also be shown of a barn owl who took up residence in the studio during filming in October for viewers to see its regular hunting trips, and a Winterwatch hidden camera has been monitoring activity at a nearby watering hole.

Meanwhile presenter Gillian Burke examines military pillboxes in Studland to explore the lives of hibernating butterflies in winter, while Martin Hughes-Games gets extremely muddy as he tries to understand the harbour's appeal for waders, particularly avocets, and has an incredible revelation.

It will be screened on BBC Two from Monday, January 23 to Thursday, January 26 from 8pm to 9pm each evening.