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   BBC Earthflight 6of6 Flying High PDTV x264 AC3

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[#175643] Written by: artistharry [01/02/12, 12:11]
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Earthflight

Nature Documentary hosted by David Tennant, published by BBC in 2012 - English narration


Information
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Earthflight
Documentary series giving a bird's-eye view of some of the world's greatest natural spectacles.
Amazing sights from five continents are revealed in a whole new light as the six-part series joins
the journeys of snow geese, cranes, flamingos, pelicans, eagles and other birds. Using cutting edge
new filming techniques to show everything in exquisite detail, viewers have a uniquely privileged
perspective flying with cranes high over the waterways of Venice or skimming with the bald eagle
over the edge of the spectacular Grand Canyon. Earthflight unlocks the secrets of the skies, showing
the world in a new and inspiring way. Narrated by David Tennant


1) North America
This episode takes flight across North America, as a flock of millions of snow geese discover what
it is like to be on the hit list of America's national bird: the bald eagle. In California, pelicans
reveal devil rays that perform astonishing somersaults and find bizarre grunion fish that wriggle
ashore to spawn. In Alaska, bald eagles swoop among brown bears fishing for salmon. And on the Great
Plains, cowbirds duck and dive under the feet of fighting bison.

2) Africa
Fly over Africa on the back of a vulture and see the most animal-packed continent with fresh eyes.
Arrow-dive with cape gannets among sharks, dolphins and whales as they join the great sardine run.
Soar with fish eagles as they discover an S-shaped living island comprised entirely of flamingos,
and join them on a spectacular hunt. Fly with kelp gulls as they study the hunting behaviour of the
greatest underwater predator of all: the great white shark. On the wings of eagles, fly through the
mist-filled Victoria Falls and dive for fish in the mighty Zambezi. Circle with vultures high above
the Serengeti as they watch the drama of the wildebeest migration below, and discover what happens
when this canny scavenger suddenly becomes prey. Among toxic soda lakes, find out what it is like to
be a flamingo, vulnerable to every predator on the continent, including baboons and hyenas. Join
these flamingos as they take part in one of the most beautiful dances in the bird world. This is
Africa as never seen before - from the wings of birds

3) Europe
Earthflight departs on its grand European tour, using a host of techniques including taking
extraordinary footage from microlites as they fly alongside imprinted birds. Among other wonders,
cameras soar with cranes and geese over Venice, the white cliffs of Dover and Edinburgh. White
storks leave Africa and struggle to reach Istanbul, the gateway to Europe, while cranes take an
easier route over the monkey-guarded Rock of Gibraltar. In France, the white horses of the Camargue
make a splash around the new arrivals. In Rome, the heat of the city lures 20 million starlings that
perform nature's greatest aerial display to outwit peregrines. In Hungary, sand martins grab
mayflies from the air; and at Bass Rock, gannets create Britain's greatest natural spectacle as they
dive in exquisite slow-motion. The story takes an emotional turn as storks and swallows wait for
their partners to return and indulge in a spot of DIY to impress. Finally, geese touch down in
Svalbard to raise a family. To protect their young, a squadron of birds assemble to see off polar
bears. With views of birds flying over the Loire Valley, London docklands and the bulb fieds of
Holland, this is Europe as never before.

4) South America
The documentary series gives a bird's-eye view of South America, as condors soar along the Andes,
scarlet macaws explore the heart of the Amazon and hummingbirds and vultures see the continent's
greatest sights. It is a journey that includes Machu Picchu, the Nasca Lines and the cities of Rio
de Janeiro and Santiago. In Patagonia, giant petrels shadow killer whales as they hunt seals by
stranding their huge bodies on the beach. At Iguassu Falls, dusky swifts dive through the cascades
to huddle in communal roosts while hummingbirds bathe below. In a secret Andean location, condors
soar in flocks over 40-strong and scavenge on casualties from herds of fighting guanacos. Elsewhere,
a mother condor gently pushes her youngster to the edge of a 200-metre cliff, as flight school
begins. Deep in the Amazon, macaws seek medicinal clay. They are joined by a host of secretive
jungle animals, including spider monkeys and tapirs, all after the same remedy. In Peru, condors
soar over fighting sealions waiting for casualities and on a mass exodus north, birds converge on
the Panama Canal. In Costa Rica, black vultures descend on turtles as they lay their eggs in the
sand and pick off the eggs that ping-pong through the air.

5) Asia and Australia
In this bird's-eye view of two continents, demoiselle cranes negotiate a dangerous Himalayan pass on
their way to India while high-flying bar-headed geese take the fast track five miles above. In
Rajasthan, vultures watch hunting tigers hoping for a meal and pigeons visit a temple dedicated
solely to sacred rats. Pigeons are also our guide to the greatest gatherings of camels on Earth and
learn to dodge buzzards around the battlements of Jodhpur Fort. 9,000 cranes overwinter in the most
unlikely of spots - a barbed wire compound in the centre of a desert town. In Australia, rainbow
lorikeets drop in on Sydney and patrol Australia's Gold Coast. In the outback, white cockatoos swirl
in thousands and budgerigars pass Uluru (Ayers Rock) and gather in the biggest flocks ever recorded.
In China, swallows and swifts visit the Great Wall and the Forbidden City of Beijing. In Japan, the
country's most revered birds - Japanese cranes are fed fish by appreciative locals and are joined in
strange, momentary harmony by hungry red foxes, white-tailed eagles and Steller's eagles. As peace
descends, Japanese cranes dance beautifully in the snow.

6) Flying High
To fly like a bird, Earthflight not only captured remarkable images of wild flocks but also relied
on some extraordinary relationships between people and birds. Filmed over four years, in six
continents and more than 40 countries, the Earthflight team used many extraordinary techniques. For
some of the unique flying shots, members of the team became part of the flock. The birds followed
wherever they went - even in a microlight over Edinburgh and London. In Africa, paragliders floated
alongside wild vultures, while a model vulture carried a camera inside the flock. In South America,
wild-living macaws, that were rescued as babies, still come back to visit their 'foster mother' as
he travels along a jungle river. In Africa, a radio-controlled 'drone' silently infiltrates masses
of pink flamingos without disturbing a feather, and microlights and helicopters capture the dramatic
moment white storks arrive over Istanbul. In Africa a tame vulture carried a camera across the
African bush and recreated the behaviour of his wild relatives. Similarly, in the USA, a flock of
hand-reared snow geese followed the migration route of wild flocks and took in the sights and sounds
of New York - managing to get lost in Brooklyn

Screenshots
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http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/553/earthflightscreen0.jpg
http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/109/earthflightscreen1.jpg
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http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/6343/earthflightscreen3.jpg
http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/4675/earthflightscreen4.jpg
http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/8692/earthflightscreen5.jpg
http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/6417/earthflightscreen6.jpg
http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/6554/earthflightscreen7.jpg
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/9185/earthflightscreen8.jpg
http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/1103/earthflightscreen9.jpg
http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/4223/earthflightscreen10.jpg
http://img810.imageshack.us/img810/3967/earthflightscreen11.jpg

Technical Specs
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1) SD Version
* Video Codec: x264 CABAC
* Video Bitrate: 1527 Kbps
* Video Aspect Ratio: 1.778:1
* Video Resolution: 832x464 (16.9)
* Audio Codec: AC3
* Audio Bitrate: 128 Kbps CBR 48KHz
* Audio Channels: 2
* Run-Time: 59mins
* Framerate: 25FPS
* Number of Parts: 6
* Part Size: 701 MB
* Source: PDTV
* Encoded by: Harry65

2) HD Version
* Video Codec: x264 CABAC
* Video Bitrate: CRF 21-24 (~4000Kbps)
* Video Aspect Ratio: 1.778:1
* Video Resolution: 1280x720 (16/9)
* Audio Codec: AAC-LC
* Audio Bitrate: 160 Kbps ABR 48KHz
* Audio Channels: 2
* Run-Time: 59mins
* Framerate: 25FPS
* Number of Parts: 6
* Part Size: 1.68 GB
* Source: HDTV
* Encoded by: JungleBoy



Links
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1) Further Information
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8983355/Earthflight-BBC-One-review.html
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