16 October - Let the count down begin!

It's so close that I can almost smell it - the dewy grass, the sea air and wet woodland of Autumnwatch 2008 on Brownsea Island.

Moving in to their island home over the next week are Bill, Kate and around 70 BBC crew, madly trying to turn our special place in Poole harbour into a first rate BBC filming and production studio. With the minor issue of an ocean to cross, this mass take-over is certainly a logistical challenge - more on this to come.

So in just over one week I'll be packing up and heading down for two weeks on the small but perfectly-formed island. I'll be getting under the skin of the BBC (in the nicest possible way) and working out exactly what it is that makes Brownsea so very captivating. As well as this daily blog, I'll be collecting audio delights as the adventure unfolds for two weekly podcasts.

So join me as I roam wild on the autumn isle, traversing the cliffs with the sea-birds, tip-toeing beneath the shedding trees and following wherever my new squirrel and deer friends lead, as we embark together on one of the most exciting things ever to hit beautiful Brownsea.

For a wee taster of the fun to come, check out our wildlife and countryside podcast from back in April, when I met Island warden John Lamming down there. And watch this space for more pre-broadcast treats.


12 days and counting!