An edition of County Calendar presented by John Noakes and his dog Skip begins with John meeting Ben Webster, a maggot farmer from Eastrington near Goole. They talk about the four different varieties of maggot he produces, how they are breed and how they deal with the awful smell. Next to the Chatsworth County Fair where Marylyn Webb gets a lesson in fly-fishing with expert Sidney Diggery. Back in the studio John chats with veterinarian Brian Sinclair from Harrogate who was the inspiration of...

An edition of County Calendar presented by John Noakes and his dog Skip begins with John meeting Ben Webster, a maggot farmer from Eastrington near Goole. They talk about the four different varieties of maggot he produces, how they are breed and how they deal with the awful smell. Next to the Chatsworth County Fair where Marylyn Webb gets a lesson in fly-fishing with expert Sidney Diggery. Back in the studio John chats with veterinarian Brian Sinclair from Harrogate who was the inspiration of Tristan Farnon in the books by James Herriot. Next a new kind of bird watching called sea watching with Ian Wallace off the coast of Flamborough Head. Back in the studio Michael Clegg provides details on the kind of birds to be found by bird watchers time of year and finally a humorous ode from the programmes sporting bard Christopher Curtis about hunting. Titles: Yorkshire Television Production Country Calendar John Noakes John sits, along with his dog Skip, in a chair on the set he refers to as the snug and outlines the topics covered in the current programme. An impending interview with one of the actors from the film of ‘All Creatures Great & Small’ prompts a clip from the film. Title: All Creatures Great and Small E.M.I. John introduces the first item which looks at maggot farming. John says that it is a smelly but highly skilled business. He introduces studio guest Ben Webster a maggot farmer from Eastrington near Goole on Humberside. Three large tanks and two smaller vessels contain coloured maggots. Michael Clegg is also present. Firstly, John comments on the smell. Ben explains it’s an unfortunate result of being in a television studio as the special plant in the buildings they use normally reduces the smell to acceptable levels. Title: Ben Webster – Maggot Farmer Ben describes the flies they use to harvest eggs, which are then placed on waste meat where eventually maggots will feed. The different colours are produced by a dye for the bronze maggots. The colours help in attracting the fish to the bait. The firm exports their product to Europe and send regular consignments. John introduces the next item which is a report from Marylyn Webb at the Chatsworth Country Fair in Derbyshire. With a backdrop of an elegant 18th century bridge spanning the River Derwent, Marylyn stands on a jetty next to the riverbank and talks to fly fisherman Sidney Diggery who is about to give a fly-fishing demonstration. Title: Sidney Diggery Marylyn asks Sidney if the delicate casting of the fishing line is difficult to learn, he says it’s quite easy. Sidney helps Marylyn to cast the line, which she then tries herself. Sidney then describes the type of rod he is using. Back at the studio John introduces the next item, which shows a clip from ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ with a man in a brown suit sitting outside at a table talking to a woman. The man is Brain Sinclair an extra in the film and in working life a vet on who the James Herriot character Tristan Farnon was modelled. John and Brian sit on chairs opposite each other in front of the snug fire. John asks if the stories in the James Herriot books are true, Brian replies that around 90% are true. Title: Brian Sinclair alias Tristan Farnon Brian also admits, like the character in the books, he did quite often get himself into mischief. Brian tells one story regarding a visit to a farm to treat a pig. He then talks about his career after qualifying as a vet, initially joining the Royal Army Veterinary Corps followed by a posting to India. John moves on to the next feature where ornithologist Ian Wallace is on a boat of the coast of North Humberside where he does his own special brand of bird watching that he calls sea watching. The film shows a coble heading out to sea with a crew of fishermen. On camera on his boat Ian Wallace says that he is eight and a half miles off the Yorkshire coast, behind him in the distance are the white cliffs of Flamborough Head. He says that on land on top of Flamborough Head birdwatchers will be looking out for a variety of seabirds attracted to this area of the North Sea. Ian says that the birds to see in this area may have come from Greenland, North Russia and possibly as far away as Cape Horn. On board his boat Ian gives a short history of bird watching in this part of Britain, when bird watchers in the 19th century shot birds from boats as specimens, as evidence that they were certain of what they saw. Ian says it wasn’t until 1975 when the true number of species passing through this sea passage were known. On the main bird spotting location on Flamborough Head Ian talks about the number of species seen over the years which is approaching 300. The camera shows several bird watchers sitting with powerful telescopes or binoculars looking out to sea. Several birds fly past, including a cormorant, a gannet and a fulmar. A view follows of Flamborough’s oldest lighthouse, not far from extensive cover, attractive for migrant land birds, with hawthorn trees and bushes providing plenty of berries for food. Ian visits this large hedgerow facing the sea, a magnet for birds stopping off on long journeys. Bird watchers over the years have spotted many rare visitors in this location. Ian shows to the camera a sketchbook with drawings of birds with explanatory notes. He points to one illustration showing a stone chat not the British sub species but one that is known only in Russia towards Mongolia. This was spotted in 1978 at this hedgerow along with other species from Southern Europe. Two bird watchers who are licensed ringers Andrew Lassey and Elliott Morley, erect some mist nets to capture, examine and ring visiting birds. With colleagues clapping their hands, birds are startled into flying towards the nets. Birds are taken from the nets and placed into soft bags. A song thrush and yellowhammer are amongst the birds captured. One of the ringers examines one of the birds and places a ring on one of its legs. Notes of weight and other measurements are taken and entered in a log book, then the ringer releases the bird. A final view of Flamborough Head finishes the item. In the studio’s snug, John is joined by naturalist Michael Clegg. Title: Michael Clegg – Curator, Yorkshire Museum Michael gives advice to those wanting to watch birds and he says February is a good time of the year to take part in coastal watching, Flamborough Head especially. A photograph shows several gulls, on the water possibly in a harbour and Michael says that you would be likely to see several different gull species at this time of year. A photograph shows a great black backed gull, followed by a photo of lesser black backed gulls. Next a herring gull, followed by a common gull, then a black headed gull, a Glaucus gull from the arctic, a little gull follows that and then a photo of a kittiwake’s cliff nest. A rare Mediterranean gull visitor is next in the gallery, the next photo shows a gannet in flight. John Noakes then introduces Christopher Curtis who recites another of his sporting verses. This week the subject involves a fox hunt. He recites his verse dressed in a hunting tunic and top hat. Title: Tally Ho Back John back in the snug signs off this week’s programme. He then outlines some of the topics covered in next week’s edition. Credits: Country Calendar presented by John Noakes with Marylyn Webb, Michael Clegg, Christopher Curtis Editorial Assistant Mark Meysey-Thompson Director Charles Flynn Producer John Wilford © YTV Ltd 1982 Yorkshire Television production