0:00:02 > 0:00:06My name's Steve Backshall. Whoo!
0:00:06 > 0:00:09And this is why sharks are in the Deadly 60.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12It's not just animals that are deadly to me,
0:00:12 > 0:00:14but animals that are deadly in their own world.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19My crew and I are travelling the planet
0:00:19 > 0:00:22and you are coming with me every step of the way.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32This time on Deadly 60, we are in the UK,
0:00:32 > 0:00:34travelling the length and breadth of the country
0:00:34 > 0:00:36to a whole range of habitats.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39Land, freshwater, sea and sky,
0:00:39 > 0:00:40to try and prove to you
0:00:40 > 0:00:43that my home nation has scintillating predators
0:00:43 > 0:00:45to match any place on earth.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49From ancient woodlands to its rugged coastline,
0:00:49 > 0:00:52the UK is home to some stunning wildlife.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56The British Isles are surrounded by extraordinarily fertile seas
0:00:56 > 0:00:59and wherever you find small fish,
0:00:59 > 0:01:01you're going to find big fish that feed on them.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03My hunt for predators is taking me beneath the waves
0:01:03 > 0:01:05on a search for sea monsters.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10Britain's seas are home to some truly weighty wildlife
0:01:10 > 0:01:12and offer some of the most breathtaking encounters
0:01:12 > 0:01:14you could ever ask for.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17It may be harmless, but it is the world's second biggest fish -
0:01:17 > 0:01:19it's the basking shark.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24Weighing in at up to a ton, and munching down on jellyfish,
0:01:24 > 0:01:30the leatherback turtle, not to mention the bizarre sunfish,
0:01:30 > 0:01:34and the elite dynamo known as the orca.
0:01:34 > 0:01:40But I've set my sights on a truly creepy submarine stealth hunter -
0:01:40 > 0:01:42the conger eel.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46OK, guys.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49We're sitting on the outside of Plymouth Sound,
0:01:49 > 0:01:52it's a really important shipping lane
0:01:52 > 0:01:55but it's also lined with jagged rocks and islands.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58So it's not surprising that over the years,
0:01:58 > 0:02:00many ships have met their final end right here.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02And at the moment we're sitting over
0:02:02 > 0:02:05the wreck of the Glen Strathallan in about 15 metres of water.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08Now, these wrecks are incredibly important for animals
0:02:08 > 0:02:11because they become fabulous artificial homes.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13All the nooks crannies are the perfect hiding places
0:02:13 > 0:02:15for all sorts of animals.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19But it's also where we are going to start our search for a conger eel.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23They're shy, often solitary creatures
0:02:23 > 0:02:25that hunt to mainly in darkness.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28So there is no guarantee we will see anything at all.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31And during the daytime, we have got even less chance.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33But it has got to be worth an exploratory dive.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44A local diver once told me he had glimpsed
0:02:44 > 0:02:47a truly monstrous conger on this wreck.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51We'd taken his tall tale with a pinch of salt,
0:02:51 > 0:02:53but we're all secretly quite excited.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59I'll be keeping in communication with the crew
0:02:59 > 0:03:02back up on the surface as we descend into the depths.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06Look forward to seeing you on the surface, over.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10All of these holes left in the wreck
0:03:10 > 0:03:14are perfect places for animals to make their homes.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20You can see there are lots of small fish inside, these are pollack.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23This is the exact kind of place
0:03:23 > 0:03:27that I'd expect to find an out-water predator.
0:03:29 > 0:03:35What I really need is something to entice it to come out into the open.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38And luckily, I have just the thing.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40This bag is full of sardines
0:03:40 > 0:03:44and hopefully the fishy scent will just drift inside
0:03:44 > 0:03:47and entice them to come out.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50Come on!
0:03:50 > 0:03:53Look, there's one! Johnny, Johnny, it's right out, look!
0:03:53 > 0:03:58- Look at that! Look! - He's a big old boy.- Good Lord!
0:03:59 > 0:04:02Let's see if we can just entice him
0:04:02 > 0:04:06to come out and investigate a little bit more. Come on.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11My goodness! Look at that!
0:04:12 > 0:04:15This is absolutely incredible!
0:04:15 > 0:04:18That's a really good-sized conger eel.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23And even though this is a nocturnal animal
0:04:23 > 0:04:29that's usually only active night, it's come right out to the open.
0:04:29 > 0:04:30Look at that!
0:04:34 > 0:04:38Conger eels are true sea monsters.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42The largest ones that have ever been recorded
0:04:42 > 0:04:45have been twice the weight of me.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48Wow! Ooh!
0:04:49 > 0:04:52I'll need to let go of the fish quicker than that.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56Congers have an incredible sense of smell but don't have great eyesight
0:04:56 > 0:04:59and have been known to mistake divers' fingers for fish.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06I wasn't expecting this at all in the middle of the day like this.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12The head, as you can see, is quite broad shaped.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16And houses strong jaws.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19The teeth are quite small but very, very sharp.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24Conger eels are opportunists
0:05:24 > 0:05:27and will snap at anything that swims by -
0:05:27 > 0:05:29fish, crabs, squid, even octopus,
0:05:29 > 0:05:33munching up to 30% of their body weight in a single day.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39They're quite like crocodiles, actually, in how their jaw works.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43They're not able to take a bite out of their food, so unless they can
0:05:43 > 0:05:47swallow it whole, they have to grab hold of it and then spin around
0:05:47 > 0:05:50using their whole body to lever out chunks of meat.
0:05:50 > 0:05:51Here he comes again.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56Conger eels are fish.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59Although highly, highly specialised.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05No, don't go away. I've got more!
0:06:05 > 0:06:07Hey, where are you off to?
0:06:09 > 0:06:12How's about that!
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Well, that was a total result!
0:06:15 > 0:06:19Our first conger in broad daylight.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22What on earth could night-time bring?
0:06:24 > 0:06:28Dusk is when congers switch into hunting mode.
0:06:28 > 0:06:33So as it got darker, our chances of a dazzling encounter increased.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35I still didn't dare to dream
0:06:35 > 0:06:39the giant conger was more than just a myth. But you never know.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44It's starting to get really dark now.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46Also starting to get quite cold,
0:06:46 > 0:06:49the water's looking less and less appetising by the minute.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52But now, just after dusk, is the perfect time.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55For the Conger eels, their senses are going to be heightening,
0:06:55 > 0:06:59they're going to be thinking about feeding, which hopefully means
0:06:59 > 0:07:00they'll be more likely to come out
0:07:00 > 0:07:03when I start waving bait around their hole.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08How close are we, chaps?
0:07:15 > 0:07:17You're good to go, Steve.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30It's so spooky, descending down into the darkness
0:07:30 > 0:07:34when you really can't see anything.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37Oh! Look at this, Johnny. Johnny?
0:07:37 > 0:07:42There's a flatfish on the side, on the wall of this boiler.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46And it's so beautifully camouflaged, you just can't see it at all.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52And it's actually put on an incredible colour change
0:07:52 > 0:07:54to match its surroundings.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57Look at that!
0:08:01 > 0:08:03OK, so this is the big hole
0:08:03 > 0:08:08where the conger eels have been living.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12What we need to do is get some scent in there
0:08:12 > 0:08:15and hopefully that should draw the congers out.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18Well, if they're not already out hunting.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Come on, big fella! Come and show yourself.
0:08:24 > 0:08:25Here it comes.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Oh, my goodness!
0:08:28 > 0:08:30Unbelievable!
0:08:30 > 0:08:33I never even saw him!
0:08:36 > 0:08:39Come on, then, big fella.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44Ah, you can see their attitude is totally different
0:08:44 > 0:08:48at night-time. Snapping away.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50Whoa!
0:08:51 > 0:08:54Actually, I want to be quite careful,
0:08:54 > 0:08:58because I don't want to get snapped by those jaws.
0:08:58 > 0:09:05Now, actually, they're completely... Ow!
0:09:05 > 0:09:07They're completely different animals at night-time.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12They're at their peak, most active time.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14Really, all they're thinking about is hunting.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17An active conger snapping at my bubbles,
0:09:17 > 0:09:21clearly mistaking them for small fish and proving their eyesight
0:09:21 > 0:09:24isn't that good. But surely it couldn't get any better.
0:09:28 > 0:09:33I can just see this big, dark shape lurking in the darkness.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36Look at the size of this! It's huge!
0:09:39 > 0:09:40Here he comes.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46That's just madness!
0:09:47 > 0:09:50Any conger of this monstrous size must be a female.
0:09:52 > 0:09:57Conger eels can get to be 150 kilos.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02This conger here wouldn't have been that big
0:10:02 > 0:10:05but that's pretty much as big as you'll see in British waters.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11This is quite typical of their hunting behaviour.
0:10:12 > 0:10:19They'll stay in a hole like this, waiting for prey to swim close by
0:10:19 > 0:10:22and then snatch out at it using their strong jaws
0:10:22 > 0:10:25and small but very sharp teeth.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31They're the classic ambush predator.
0:10:31 > 0:10:32Come on. Wow!
0:10:32 > 0:10:38Look at the size of its mouth!
0:10:38 > 0:10:40This is absolutely incredible.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46It just sucked that in, it actually created a vacuum
0:10:46 > 0:10:49at the back of its throat, opening the mouth really wide.
0:10:49 > 0:10:54It contracts small fish towards the throat.
0:10:55 > 0:11:01They really are quite, quite scary spooky looking animals.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03Oh wow!
0:11:03 > 0:11:04Kind of primeval,
0:11:04 > 0:11:06almost dinosaur-like.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Well, you've got to say that the conger eel
0:11:17 > 0:11:21is one of the most impressive creatures
0:11:21 > 0:11:24in British oceans.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27And for that reason,
0:11:27 > 0:11:32conger eels are definitely on the Deadly 60.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35You are magnificent.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44A opportunist that will eat anything that swims by.
0:11:44 > 0:11:45Flexible and strong,
0:11:45 > 0:11:48they can death roll their prey almost like a crocodile,
0:11:48 > 0:11:50sucking food into their toothy mouths
0:11:50 > 0:11:52like a swimming vacuum cleaner.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56Creepy, slightly sinister, formidable.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01From salt water to freshwater,
0:12:01 > 0:12:05and our next contender, which leads a double deadly life.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07This is Wicken Fen in Cambridgeshire.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10It's an environment that's defined by water.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Where you find boggy, still or slow-moving water like this,
0:12:13 > 0:12:16often you find one of the most impressive predators
0:12:16 > 0:12:20found anywhere in the world. They're incredibly agile.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22Very manoeuvrable.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24Very quick.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27But their identity might surprise you.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29They're dragonflies.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32Dazzling in colour,
0:12:32 > 0:12:34perfection in physical design,
0:12:34 > 0:12:36dynamic in movement.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39Dragonflies are spellbinding.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42With their huge compound eyes,
0:12:42 > 0:12:44darting flying skills,
0:12:44 > 0:12:46and fearsome serrated mouth parts,
0:12:46 > 0:12:49dragonflies munch their meals into mush
0:12:49 > 0:12:51and are truly death on the wing.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58And Wicken Fen, where I am right now,
0:12:58 > 0:13:01is one of the best places in the UK to find them,
0:13:01 > 0:13:03with 22 different species.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09Dragonflies have to be one of the hardest creatures
0:13:09 > 0:13:10to find and film,
0:13:10 > 0:13:12because they almost never stop moving,
0:13:12 > 0:13:15so it's a challenge for Johnny the cameraman today.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17I'm going to attempt the impossible.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21I'm going to try and catch a dragonfly using one of these.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24This is never going to work.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26Where are you? There's one.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28As they move too fast for the human eye,
0:13:28 > 0:13:31let alone a camera to follow,
0:13:31 > 0:13:33catching one seems like the best plan,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36but it's a bit like trying to snare a lightning bolt mid-strike.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38And all I've got is this butterfly net.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44Yes, got it.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46Actually got to be quite careful.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50I don't want to damage those delicate wings.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53Yes.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56This is a four-spot chaser dragonfly.
0:13:56 > 0:14:01These legs here, that are kicking around now,
0:14:01 > 0:14:04are what it uses to catch its prey in midair.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07It almost forms a basket with these legs.
0:14:08 > 0:14:13Dragonflies chase down other winged insects
0:14:13 > 0:14:16like rocket-fuelled fighter jets.
0:14:16 > 0:14:21From flies and midges to damsel flies and other dragonflies.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34They latch onto prey with their huge multi-lensed eyes,
0:14:34 > 0:14:35seize it,
0:14:35 > 0:14:38then use their jaws to slice vertically and horizontally,
0:14:38 > 0:14:40making mush of their prey.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44They can consume a fifth of their body weight every day.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49So, dragonfly in hand,
0:14:49 > 0:14:53and I really want to see it in action,
0:14:53 > 0:14:55but their flight is so fast and so complex
0:14:55 > 0:14:57that the human eye just simply can't appreciate it.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59So we have this fantastic bit of technology.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03This is called a photron camera.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05It films in superslow motion,
0:15:05 > 0:15:09so you'll be able to see every intricate detail
0:15:09 > 0:15:12of our dragonfly in flight.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16So, hopefully what's going to happen is the dragonfly will take off,
0:15:16 > 0:15:18Johnny the cameraman will press this button,
0:15:18 > 0:15:22and it should take an image of the dragonfly in flight.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26Then we have to wait a couple of minutes for it to download,
0:15:26 > 0:15:28and hopefully we'll see one of the miracles of nature.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31And see its flight in forensic detail.
0:15:37 > 0:15:38Fingers crossed.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40Might get lucky.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43Let's have a look at what we've got.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45That's brilliant. That's really, really good.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47It couldn't be better. It's taking off vertically.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49- Just Like a helicopter.- Yeah.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53So, let's see the result.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57The ultra-slow-motion camera reveals each of the four wings working
0:15:57 > 0:16:02independently, giving the dragonfly maximum manoeuvrability.
0:16:09 > 0:16:15These four wings enable them to fly forwards, backwards or sideways.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18They can make tight turns,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21carry out high-speed chases
0:16:21 > 0:16:25and even stop dead to hover in one place.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33Some can fly at 40 miles an hour,
0:16:33 > 0:16:36outpacing any other flying insect in flat-out chases.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42And, to finally seal the dragonfly deal, they're deadly not once,
0:16:42 > 0:16:44but twice in their life cycle.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50The most familiar image we have of dragonflies
0:16:50 > 0:16:53is of the winged adults doing their thing, catching other insects,
0:16:53 > 0:16:57but that only lasts for about a month or two.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00The vast majority of their life is spent as a nymph down in the water.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03The best way to see one of those is to go pond dipping.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08Pond snails, water boatmen...
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Not supposed to be this hard!
0:17:13 > 0:17:17- He's not very good at this. - What about pushing him in?
0:17:17 > 0:17:19There you are, you little beauty.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25Oh, no! No, no, no, no! No, no, no, no, no.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31Oh, I don't believe it. There's no way I just did that.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36Oh, look at that!
0:17:39 > 0:17:43You wait hours for a dragonfly and then two come along at once.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47Look at those.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49Right.
0:17:49 > 0:17:55So, these remarkable little alien creatures are actually how
0:17:55 > 0:17:58a dragonfly spends the majority of its life.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01Usually a year, but in some species as much as two years,
0:18:01 > 0:18:04down there in the water, in this form.
0:18:04 > 0:18:09You can see the little buds there that will eventually become wings
0:18:09 > 0:18:13but right now it just survives by scuttling along the bottom,
0:18:13 > 0:18:16using those legs in search of food.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19And they have a really remarkable,
0:18:19 > 0:18:21actually quite disturbing way of catching their food.
0:18:23 > 0:18:29The mask of the dragonfly nymph is an extendable force.
0:18:29 > 0:18:34The double-hinged jaw powers forward and snatches its food...
0:18:34 > 0:18:37in less than two hundredths of a second.
0:18:40 > 0:18:46It can snatch up tadpoles, snails, aquatic bugs, even fish.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50In the dark of night or in zero visibility,
0:18:50 > 0:18:53they use their long legs and sensitive antennae
0:18:53 > 0:18:55to sense moving prey.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59They are simply inescapable.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07The double-deadly dragonfly.
0:19:07 > 0:19:12From winged wonder to masked alien assassin.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15Either way, they're both deadly.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19The double-deadly dragonfly. Hunts both underwater and in the air.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21Their speed and manoeuvrability allows them
0:19:21 > 0:19:24to defy even the most agile of insects
0:19:24 > 0:19:29and their double-hinged jaw shoots forward to stab underwater targets.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Dragonflies. Dazzling...
0:19:37 > 0:19:41The UK is home to a superb array of birds of prey.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48From the mighty sea eagle and the fish-snatching osprey
0:19:48 > 0:19:51to the super snooping peregrine
0:19:51 > 0:19:55and woodland wonder the goshawk.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01But one of the most common is the charming kestrel.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08It's one of our smallest falcons and something that we tend,
0:20:08 > 0:20:12I guess, to underestimate because we see them so regularly.
0:20:12 > 0:20:13But that is a terrible mistake
0:20:13 > 0:20:16because there is perhaps no more efficient,
0:20:16 > 0:20:21no more sophisticated hunter then this wonderful bird of prey.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26If you're small and don't have weight or strength on your side,
0:20:26 > 0:20:29you need even more potent powers.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32The first of which is eyesight.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37As with all birds of prey, they probably perceive the world
0:20:37 > 0:20:39in a whole different way to how we human beings do,
0:20:39 > 0:20:44and that's down to the fact that their vision is extraordinary.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47The eyesight is probably about eight times more potent than ours
0:20:47 > 0:20:49but they can also see into the ultraviolet spectrum,
0:20:49 > 0:20:52which enables them to see the urine trails
0:20:52 > 0:20:54that are left behind by their prey.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57The kestrel's main prey are voles.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01Shy and quiet, they're elusive in long grass
0:21:01 > 0:21:03but the kestrel's ultraviolet vision
0:21:03 > 0:21:06allows it to see not only the voles but their urine.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10The kestrel then follows the glowing trail,
0:21:10 > 0:21:13which leads right to the unsuspecting vole.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17As well as its keen eyesight,
0:21:17 > 0:21:20the kestrel has fabulously controlled flight.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24Kestrels are the world's master at hovering.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29And the only way to appreciate this is to show it in action.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34So Ashley here is a falconry bird and his owner, Lloyd,
0:21:34 > 0:21:38has taught him to hover in exactly the way that a wild bird would do.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42Lloyd's waiting down in the grass, pretending to be a vole,
0:21:42 > 0:21:44and Ashley looks keen.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47Let's see if we can get him to hover.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51Yes! Look at that!
0:21:51 > 0:21:56He's not even having to beat his wings, just turning into the wind
0:21:56 > 0:21:59and allowing the wind to come underneath the wings.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02Oh, wow! That was classic!
0:22:02 > 0:22:05And he's back up again!
0:22:06 > 0:22:11Kestrels love wind. By turning into it, air is constantly driven
0:22:11 > 0:22:14under its wings, creating lift,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17while its body remains stationary, hovering above the ground.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20Look at that!
0:22:20 > 0:22:23He's almost like a child's kite!
0:22:23 > 0:22:27There's no fluttering of the wings going on.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31He's just purely using the wind.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34Hovering allows the bird to manoeuvre itself
0:22:34 > 0:22:37into the perfect striking position, hanging effortlessly in mid-air.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42Whoa! Ho, ho, ho!
0:22:42 > 0:22:44The speed as it comes through!
0:22:44 > 0:22:47That's when you can really see that this is a falcon.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51Keeping their heads still means our kestrel can pinpoint their target,
0:22:51 > 0:22:54in this case the lure, then plunge down to the grass.
0:22:54 > 0:22:55OK, now are we going to see...?
0:22:57 > 0:22:58Yes! Wow!
0:23:00 > 0:23:04Now that was a classic falcon strike. Thank you, Lloyd.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06I mean, he's just so beautiful.
0:23:08 > 0:23:12The kestrel is unquestionably the master of hovering,
0:23:12 > 0:23:15but honestly, how hard can it be?
0:23:18 > 0:23:20Well, I'm about to find out.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26I'm going to try and fly like a kestrel.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29For me as a human being to try and hover like a kestrel,
0:23:29 > 0:23:32I've come to the largest vertical wind tunnel in the world.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36From here on in, things are going to get a little bit crazy.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41The kestrel has evolved to be the perfect hovering machine.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44Its wings and tail have spread to give it a large surface area
0:23:44 > 0:23:45for the air to flow over
0:23:45 > 0:23:48and with slight adjustments to their feathers,
0:23:48 > 0:23:50they have precision control over their movement.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56I however don't have such an aerodynamic form
0:23:56 > 0:24:00so I've got to wear this suit with big chunks on the side
0:24:00 > 0:24:01to increase my surface area
0:24:01 > 0:24:05and I've also been told that I'm not allowed to wear a watch
0:24:05 > 0:24:07or any jewellery because if they come off,
0:24:07 > 0:24:11then they'll be fired up at me at 180 miles an hour by the fans,
0:24:11 > 0:24:14so effectively anything I drop is going to turn into a bullet.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21Right! I'm all kitted up. I've seen the master in action,
0:24:21 > 0:24:23and I'm no ready to give hovering a go.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25MACHINERY WHIRRING
0:24:27 > 0:24:31That noise you can hear is the sound of phenomenally strong fans,
0:24:31 > 0:24:33producing winds that are powerful enough
0:24:33 > 0:24:36to keep my rather hefty bulk aloft.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42I've definitely come to the right place to try to fly.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44This could be less than elegant.
0:24:49 > 0:24:50Whoo!
0:24:50 > 0:24:53That's an extraordinary sensation!
0:24:53 > 0:24:55Just incredible! OK!
0:24:55 > 0:24:59That is the closest I've ever come to actually flying!
0:25:04 > 0:25:08So, it's all about just relaxing! Just holding still!
0:25:09 > 0:25:13The kestrel can keep its head in exactly the same position
0:25:13 > 0:25:18as it makes all these tiny micro-adjustments with its feathers
0:25:18 > 0:25:22to just keep itself in as steady a position as possible.
0:25:25 > 0:25:29Just to stay motionless for me is almost impossible,
0:25:29 > 0:25:31Claire's holding onto me.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38But... Whoa! Up we go! Up we go!
0:25:40 > 0:25:44If I was to try and sight down at the ground now, and dive towards it,
0:25:44 > 0:25:48I'd probably bounce my head off the ground.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52But the kestrel manages this at incredible speeds,
0:25:52 > 0:25:56with tiny little adjustments to its feathers and its wings.
0:25:56 > 0:26:01It really is one of the most extraordinary ways of moving in nature.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08OK. And up we go! Ha-ha-ha-ha!
0:26:13 > 0:26:19You just expand your surface area by a tiny amount, like that,
0:26:19 > 0:26:22and up you go! OK!
0:26:32 > 0:26:35Oh! Awesome! Absolutely awesome!
0:26:39 > 0:26:43Well, that's probably the closest a human being can come
0:26:43 > 0:26:46to experiencing the hovering power of a kestrel,
0:26:46 > 0:26:49obviously with a lot less grace and elegance and much more noise.
0:26:49 > 0:26:54The kestrel is the king of cool. Everything it does looks effortless.
0:26:55 > 0:27:00It may be small, but with those talons, that beak, that eyesight,
0:27:00 > 0:27:04it makes up for its size with sophistication and style.
0:27:06 > 0:27:11With a kestrel around, you certainly wouldn't want to be a vole.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15Like all birds of prey, incredible eyesight and terrible talons,
0:27:15 > 0:27:18equipped with UV vision to track down its prey,
0:27:18 > 0:27:21using the slightest breeze, the kestrel hovers silently.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25One of my favourite birds and a justified inclusion.
0:27:25 > 0:27:26Small but...
0:27:28 > 0:27:32Join me next time as I continue my search for the Deadly 60.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37Done it again!
0:27:51 > 0:27:54Subtitling by Red Bee Media Ltd