Winterwatch

At Mount Stewart, the team pursues an elusive otter as it glides silently across the winter landscape. The episode contains no music, relying solely on the genuine sounds of the surrounding cold winter wilderness, from rustling leaves to distant water.

The latest episode of the series is set at Mount Stewart, a historic estate whose grounds are cloaked in winter frost. This instalment follows the programme’s usual on‑location approach, drawing the audience into a focused, tranquil narrative that centres on wildlife observation within the stark, snow‑covered landscape. In this segment, the crew moves carefully across the frozen fields, intent on locating a particularly shy otter that slips through the frosty scenery with barely a sound. Their pursuit is quiet and deliberate, aiming to capture the animal’s fleeting presence as it glides over the icy terrain, highlighting the creature’s elusive nature and the subtle signs it leaves behind. Uniquely, the episode is presented without any musical accompaniment. Instead, the soundscape is built solely from the genuine noises of the environment – the crunch of snow underfoot, the distant wind sweeping across the fields, the soft crackle of ice and the occasional call of a winter bird, all blending with the subtle rustle of water as the otter moves. This reliance on authentic natural audio gives the viewer an unfiltered sense of place, allowing the silence and ambient sounds to carry the narrative forward. By stripping away a score, the production forces the audience to depend on raw auditory cues, making the winter landscape feel immediate and the otter’s quiet passage speak for itself.