Browse content similar to Wild Tales from the Village. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!
Line | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|
I have always believed that the best stories | 0:00:08 | 0:00:10 | |
are found in the heart of France. | 0:00:10 | 0:00:12 | |
Miles of beautiful countryside, | 0:00:22 | 0:00:25 | |
with villages so old, they seem part of the landscape. | 0:00:25 | 0:00:29 | |
This one has stood here for 1,000 years. | 0:00:35 | 0:00:39 | |
What secrets could be hidden | 0:00:44 | 0:00:45 | |
amongst these ancient walls? | 0:00:45 | 0:00:47 | |
Maybe more than meets the eye. | 0:00:52 | 0:00:54 | |
Living out of sight is a world of wild creatures. | 0:01:02 | 0:01:06 | |
Creatures that have come in from the wilderness... | 0:01:09 | 0:01:12 | |
..and made the village their home. | 0:01:13 | 0:01:16 | |
They are now our neighbours. | 0:01:16 | 0:01:17 | |
They swapped treetops for rooftops... | 0:01:20 | 0:01:22 | |
..the forest floor for the flowerbed... | 0:01:24 | 0:01:26 | |
..and make themselves at home in the most surprising places. | 0:01:29 | 0:01:32 | |
SNORING | 0:01:32 | 0:01:34 | |
The village can provide all the riches these animals need, | 0:01:36 | 0:01:40 | |
both inside and outside its walls. | 0:01:40 | 0:01:44 | |
But living alongside us can be... | 0:01:46 | 0:01:48 | |
..dangerous. | 0:01:49 | 0:01:50 | |
The very latest specialist technology | 0:01:56 | 0:01:59 | |
creates this unique animal drama. | 0:01:59 | 0:02:00 | |
This is the story of a year | 0:02:08 | 0:02:12 | |
as you've never seen it before. | 0:02:12 | 0:02:15 | |
A year in the village. | 0:02:15 | 0:02:18 | |
This story starts in the New Year. | 0:02:31 | 0:02:34 | |
BELL TOLLS | 0:02:34 | 0:02:35 | |
A time to start looking ahead. | 0:02:35 | 0:02:37 | |
COCK CROWS | 0:02:39 | 0:02:42 | |
For us, the worst of winter is now over. | 0:02:42 | 0:02:45 | |
But some of our animal lodgers are still hibernating. | 0:02:46 | 0:02:50 | |
Why get up, if you don't have to? | 0:02:51 | 0:02:54 | |
ALARM CLOCK BLEEPING | 0:02:57 | 0:02:58 | |
We don't notice our sleeping neighbours. | 0:03:04 | 0:03:07 | |
We are too preoccupied with our hectic modern lives. | 0:03:16 | 0:03:19 | |
RUMBLING AND RATTLING | 0:03:30 | 0:03:32 | |
HORN TOOTS | 0:03:32 | 0:03:34 | |
If only we could pause and look for a moment. | 0:03:34 | 0:03:38 | |
We might notice the beautiful stories | 0:03:39 | 0:03:42 | |
that play out above our heads. | 0:03:42 | 0:03:43 | |
The village is full of warm and dry places for creatures to live. | 0:03:49 | 0:03:53 | |
A red squirrel has made his nest up in the rooftops. | 0:04:02 | 0:04:05 | |
They are forest creatures, | 0:04:07 | 0:04:09 | |
but here, roof tiles are their kingdom. | 0:04:09 | 0:04:12 | |
BIRDS SQUAWK | 0:04:18 | 0:04:19 | |
Living in the village means | 0:04:23 | 0:04:25 | |
there is a chance of food to eat all year round. | 0:04:25 | 0:04:28 | |
He's better off than his country cousins. | 0:04:28 | 0:04:30 | |
And there is another bonus to coming here. | 0:04:41 | 0:04:44 | |
A bird feeder is the best place to meet other squirrels. | 0:04:45 | 0:04:48 | |
ROMANTIC ACCORDION PLAYS | 0:04:49 | 0:04:51 | |
And this one is a female. | 0:04:51 | 0:04:53 | |
She's got more than food on her mind. | 0:04:57 | 0:05:00 | |
Female squirrels are only fertile for one day every six months. | 0:05:02 | 0:05:06 | |
This is the day. | 0:05:10 | 0:05:12 | |
Hmm. | 0:05:14 | 0:05:15 | |
Food is forgotten. | 0:05:15 | 0:05:18 | |
But she's got a challenge for him. | 0:05:24 | 0:05:26 | |
To test his suitability, | 0:05:26 | 0:05:29 | |
she needs him to prove his strength. | 0:05:29 | 0:05:32 | |
She will lead him a merry chase for more than five hours | 0:05:43 | 0:05:47 | |
to test his fitness. | 0:05:47 | 0:05:48 | |
He's still just a youngster | 0:06:09 | 0:06:11 | |
and for him, | 0:06:11 | 0:06:12 | |
this love chase is not going well. | 0:06:12 | 0:06:14 | |
DOG WHINES | 0:06:35 | 0:06:36 | |
He's lost her! | 0:06:43 | 0:06:44 | |
Who knows when another female will come along? | 0:06:47 | 0:06:49 | |
There's only one thing for a loser to do. | 0:06:50 | 0:06:53 | |
Get back on the protein-rich nuts, | 0:06:55 | 0:06:58 | |
and build his strength up for next time. | 0:06:58 | 0:07:01 | |
His urge to mate is fundamental. | 0:07:04 | 0:07:07 | |
It's the same for all the creatures in the village. | 0:07:07 | 0:07:10 | |
Time is short. | 0:07:12 | 0:07:14 | |
So, the sooner they start, the better. | 0:07:16 | 0:07:20 | |
The winter nights are still drawn out. | 0:07:22 | 0:07:26 | |
But that's a good thing | 0:07:26 | 0:07:28 | |
for those who need the cover of darkness to go about their business. | 0:07:28 | 0:07:32 | |
The first hints that the season is changing are here. | 0:07:32 | 0:07:36 | |
So subtle, we would struggle to notice them. | 0:07:37 | 0:07:41 | |
OWL HOOTS | 0:07:42 | 0:07:43 | |
Perhaps it's a change in the atmosphere. | 0:07:46 | 0:07:49 | |
RUSTLING | 0:07:49 | 0:07:51 | |
Perhaps the temperature rises by a fraction of a degree. | 0:07:51 | 0:07:55 | |
It's enough to start a mysterious awakening. | 0:07:57 | 0:08:00 | |
Eight inches below the surface of the soil, | 0:08:04 | 0:08:07 | |
it's safe from frost. | 0:08:07 | 0:08:09 | |
Now, it's time for toads to rise. | 0:08:16 | 0:08:19 | |
They wake with the powerful instinct to find water. | 0:08:31 | 0:08:34 | |
The village pond is their destination. | 0:08:36 | 0:08:39 | |
TOAD CROAKS | 0:08:40 | 0:08:42 | |
Male toads are out first... | 0:08:42 | 0:08:44 | |
..and immediately are on the move. | 0:08:45 | 0:08:47 | |
To the pond! | 0:08:49 | 0:08:50 | |
There's going to be some competition! | 0:08:55 | 0:08:57 | |
CROAKING AND RUMBLING | 0:08:59 | 0:09:01 | |
So to get there quickly, | 0:09:01 | 0:09:02 | |
the shortest route is always chosen. | 0:09:02 | 0:09:05 | |
In this village world, | 0:09:07 | 0:09:09 | |
that means crossing the road. | 0:09:09 | 0:09:12 | |
It should be safe enough in the dead of the night, no? | 0:09:13 | 0:09:17 | |
Together, they wait for females. | 0:09:22 | 0:09:25 | |
But not every male follows this plan. | 0:09:26 | 0:09:28 | |
Some have a different strategy. | 0:09:29 | 0:09:31 | |
They lie in wait, | 0:09:33 | 0:09:34 | |
hoping to intercept a female before she reaches the pond. | 0:09:34 | 0:09:38 | |
Sneaky. | 0:09:39 | 0:09:41 | |
We'll leave him waiting. | 0:09:44 | 0:09:45 | |
What else is happening on this cold night? | 0:09:47 | 0:09:50 | |
The shadows of the village hide burglars and thieves. | 0:09:54 | 0:09:57 | |
CHICKEN SNORES | 0:10:04 | 0:10:05 | |
These chickens were born and bred in captivity... | 0:10:05 | 0:10:08 | |
..and depend completely on us villagers to keep them safe. | 0:10:13 | 0:10:17 | |
A lot of trouble has gone into reinforcing this chicken shed. | 0:10:28 | 0:10:31 | |
But we're all human... | 0:10:34 | 0:10:36 | |
..and someone has left the door open. | 0:10:38 | 0:10:41 | |
SNIFFING | 0:10:42 | 0:10:43 | |
Chickens have no defence. | 0:10:54 | 0:10:56 | |
A predator could kill every bird in the coop. | 0:10:59 | 0:11:02 | |
Is there about to be a bloodbath? | 0:11:07 | 0:11:09 | |
TWIG SNAPS, SNORING STOPS | 0:11:19 | 0:11:21 | |
A stone marten. | 0:11:30 | 0:11:32 | |
In the wild, | 0:11:35 | 0:11:36 | |
these predators often raid birds' nests. | 0:11:36 | 0:11:39 | |
CLUCKING | 0:11:40 | 0:11:43 | |
Males are very dangerous, | 0:11:43 | 0:11:45 | |
but this female is happy with just eggs. | 0:11:45 | 0:11:48 | |
These eggs were intended for the farmer's breakfast. | 0:11:52 | 0:11:56 | |
He will not be pleased. | 0:11:57 | 0:11:59 | |
SNORING | 0:12:01 | 0:12:02 | |
Oops. | 0:12:17 | 0:12:18 | |
LOUD CLUCKING | 0:12:18 | 0:12:21 | |
Time to go. | 0:12:25 | 0:12:26 | |
It's nearly dawn. | 0:12:34 | 0:12:35 | |
The villagers are stirring. | 0:12:35 | 0:12:37 | |
STARTLED MEOW | 0:12:43 | 0:12:44 | |
BIKE RATTLING | 0:12:46 | 0:12:47 | |
Any toads hoping to cross the road tonight had better hurry. | 0:13:04 | 0:13:08 | |
This female is the last to emerge. | 0:13:16 | 0:13:19 | |
She too has spent winter underground. | 0:13:20 | 0:13:22 | |
But all that time, her body has been working hard. | 0:13:24 | 0:13:28 | |
She's developed thousands of eggs, and her belly is heavy. | 0:13:28 | 0:13:33 | |
But the closer it gets to dawn, | 0:13:39 | 0:13:42 | |
..the more chance she has of a dangerous encounter | 0:13:42 | 0:13:45 | |
with human traffic. | 0:13:45 | 0:13:47 | |
But even before she can cross... | 0:13:53 | 0:13:55 | |
..an ambush. | 0:13:57 | 0:13:59 | |
TOAD CROAKS | 0:13:59 | 0:14:00 | |
That sneaky male has made his play. | 0:14:11 | 0:14:13 | |
All very well for him, | 0:14:18 | 0:14:20 | |
but the last thing she needs is extra weight. | 0:14:20 | 0:14:23 | |
CROAKING | 0:14:23 | 0:14:25 | |
The road must still be crossed. | 0:14:26 | 0:14:28 | |
Zut! | 0:14:46 | 0:14:47 | |
WHOOSHING AND WHIRRING | 0:14:47 | 0:14:49 | |
SQUELCH | 0:15:16 | 0:15:17 | |
They've made it. | 0:15:51 | 0:15:52 | |
But where is everybody? | 0:15:53 | 0:15:55 | |
Fighting for a mate, that's where. | 0:16:05 | 0:16:07 | |
By pairing up in advance, | 0:16:10 | 0:16:12 | |
they avoid this maelstrom of wrestling toads. | 0:16:12 | 0:16:16 | |
They can lay their eggs in peace. | 0:16:18 | 0:16:20 | |
Toad spawn is an early sign of spring. | 0:16:25 | 0:16:28 | |
And in this part of France, | 0:16:30 | 0:16:32 | |
spring means the weather warms quickly. | 0:16:32 | 0:16:35 | |
It's planting time. | 0:16:39 | 0:16:41 | |
The village will soon be in bloom. | 0:16:48 | 0:16:50 | |
HE SNEEZES | 0:17:11 | 0:17:12 | |
Bless you. | 0:17:12 | 0:17:13 | |
Before we know it... | 0:17:14 | 0:17:16 | |
..spring is everywhere. | 0:17:17 | 0:17:18 | |
The new season brings us villagers out and about... | 0:17:22 | 0:17:25 | |
Bonjour! Salut! | 0:17:25 | 0:17:26 | |
..including a creature who craves the warmth of the sun. | 0:17:26 | 0:17:29 | |
She's spent the winter protected | 0:17:30 | 0:17:32 | |
inside the cracks of these stone walls. | 0:17:32 | 0:17:35 | |
The hornet queen. | 0:17:39 | 0:17:41 | |
She too is full of fertile eggs. | 0:17:41 | 0:17:44 | |
She has to find a secret place to build her nest. | 0:17:46 | 0:17:49 | |
Hornets are not welcome in the village. | 0:17:51 | 0:17:54 | |
An undisturbed attic is warm and dry. | 0:17:57 | 0:17:59 | |
Perfect. | 0:18:01 | 0:18:03 | |
And there are other creatures | 0:18:11 | 0:18:13 | |
that seek the peace and quiet of our attics, too. | 0:18:13 | 0:18:17 | |
No-one in the village sleeps longer than these dormice. | 0:18:19 | 0:18:23 | |
They won't get up until Midsummer. | 0:18:23 | 0:18:25 | |
But the sun is getting stronger every day. | 0:18:27 | 0:18:30 | |
Summer is not so very far away... | 0:18:32 | 0:18:37 | |
..and we villagers start to spend more time outside in our gardens. | 0:18:38 | 0:18:43 | |
Some of us even invite the animals to join us. | 0:18:45 | 0:18:48 | |
This is a bird feeder. | 0:19:02 | 0:19:05 | |
The clue is in the name. | 0:19:09 | 0:19:11 | |
But that means nothing to our squirrel. | 0:19:17 | 0:19:20 | |
He needs to get a lot bigger and stronger | 0:19:26 | 0:19:28 | |
if he is to have better luck impressing a female. | 0:19:28 | 0:19:32 | |
Feasting on the free nuts is his best chance. | 0:19:32 | 0:19:35 | |
The feeder isn't designed to support his weight. | 0:20:05 | 0:20:08 | |
That was more than he bargained for. | 0:20:37 | 0:20:40 | |
But to the bird lover, | 0:20:51 | 0:20:52 | |
this is nothing less than theft. | 0:20:52 | 0:20:54 | |
CREAKING | 0:21:06 | 0:21:10 | |
Time for a patented squirrel-proof bird feeder. | 0:21:48 | 0:21:52 | |
Is life in the village about to get a little less harmonious? | 0:21:56 | 0:21:59 | |
SNORING | 0:22:08 | 0:22:09 | |
In the Midsummer heat, what else to do but take a siesta? | 0:22:09 | 0:22:13 | |
Stone martens are not welcomed either. | 0:22:16 | 0:22:20 | |
So, sensibly, they sleep in a different place every day | 0:22:20 | 0:22:25 | |
to cover their tracks. CLANKING | 0:22:25 | 0:22:27 | |
MUSIC FROM VAN | 0:22:27 | 0:22:29 | |
A mechanic's workshop. | 0:22:32 | 0:22:33 | |
He has been busier than usual. | 0:22:34 | 0:22:37 | |
There has been a recent spate of unexplained breakdowns. | 0:22:37 | 0:22:40 | |
MUSIC STOPS, DOOR CLOSES | 0:22:44 | 0:22:46 | |
PHONE RINGS | 0:22:57 | 0:22:59 | |
Oui, allo? | 0:23:01 | 0:23:02 | |
Oui, oui, il n'y a pas de probleme. | 0:23:02 | 0:23:04 | |
Hein, lundi... | 0:23:04 | 0:23:05 | |
Stone martens are territorial creatures. | 0:23:05 | 0:23:09 | |
Another marten has been scent-marking this car. | 0:23:13 | 0:23:16 | |
She can smell it. | 0:23:19 | 0:23:20 | |
This needs investigating. | 0:23:24 | 0:23:26 | |
SNIFFING | 0:23:31 | 0:23:34 | |
Stone martens often like to sleep beneath the bonnet, | 0:23:49 | 0:23:53 | |
enjoying the warmth of the engine. | 0:23:53 | 0:23:55 | |
One has clearly been sleeping in this one. | 0:23:56 | 0:23:59 | |
It reeks of a rival. | 0:23:59 | 0:24:01 | |
Strangely, stone martens also love the taste of rubber. | 0:24:04 | 0:24:08 | |
They are notorious for chewing through cables. | 0:24:09 | 0:24:12 | |
But she should be careful. | 0:24:17 | 0:24:19 | |
Many a stone marten has been killed by biting through the wrong one. | 0:24:20 | 0:24:26 | |
ELECTRIC CRACKLING | 0:24:26 | 0:24:28 | |
HORN TOOTING ERRATICALLY | 0:24:28 | 0:24:31 | |
ENGINE TURNS OVER | 0:24:38 | 0:24:40 | |
FRENCH RADIO BLARES | 0:24:40 | 0:24:41 | |
RADIO: Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen | 0:24:47 | 0:24:50 | |
STATION CHANGES TO FRENCH HIP-HOP | 0:24:53 | 0:24:55 | |
HORN STILL TOOTING | 0:24:55 | 0:24:58 | |
CLASSICAL RADIO PLAYING | 0:24:58 | 0:25:00 | |
WINDOW MOTOR WHINES | 0:25:05 | 0:25:07 | |
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY GUITAR SOLO PLAYS | 0:25:12 | 0:25:15 | |
MUSIC BECOMES INTERMITTENT | 0:25:15 | 0:25:17 | |
ENGINE STARTING | 0:25:29 | 0:25:31 | |
CAR POWERS DOWN | 0:25:32 | 0:25:34 | |
FAINT ALARM PINGING | 0:25:36 | 0:25:37 | |
Oui, cherie, j'ai presque fini. | 0:25:37 | 0:25:39 | |
Hein...dans dix minutes, a peu pres. | 0:25:39 | 0:25:42 | |
A tout de suite! | 0:25:42 | 0:25:43 | |
Across Europe, stone martens damage half a million cars a year. | 0:25:52 | 0:25:57 | |
Ah, regarde! | 0:25:57 | 0:25:58 | |
Probably time to move on. | 0:26:04 | 0:26:05 | |
Stealing from us villagers is always a dangerous game. | 0:26:11 | 0:26:14 | |
In the battle for nuts, the bird lover has ordered, er... | 0:26:30 | 0:26:34 | |
..a weapon. | 0:26:35 | 0:26:36 | |
The real fight for the peanuts is about to begin. | 0:26:38 | 0:26:41 | |
SNIFFING | 0:27:02 | 0:27:03 | |
CLAWS SCRAPING | 0:27:10 | 0:27:12 | |
MOTOR WHINES | 0:27:21 | 0:27:25 | |
Phew, that was unexpected! | 0:27:27 | 0:27:30 | |
MOTOR WHINES | 0:27:39 | 0:27:40 | |
CAT MEOWS | 0:27:55 | 0:27:56 | |
No more free food for you, my friend. | 0:28:01 | 0:28:04 | |
Perhaps it's time to head back out to the woods. | 0:28:04 | 0:28:07 | |
As summer reaches its peak... | 0:28:10 | 0:28:11 | |
..the village turns into a battleground, | 0:28:13 | 0:28:16 | |
in more ways than one. | 0:28:16 | 0:28:17 | |
MUSIC: Flight of The Bumblebee by Rimski-Korsakov | 0:28:25 | 0:28:28 | |
CROAKING | 0:28:38 | 0:28:39 | |
BUZZING | 0:28:48 | 0:28:49 | |
Before they can transform into a butterfly, | 0:29:12 | 0:29:15 | |
caterpillars need to eat 27,000 times their own body weight | 0:29:15 | 0:29:21 | |
in cabbage. | 0:29:21 | 0:29:22 | |
BUZZING | 0:29:22 | 0:29:24 | |
There won't be much left. | 0:29:26 | 0:29:27 | |
BUZZING | 0:29:30 | 0:29:32 | |
But there's an unlikely hero coming in to the rescue. | 0:29:32 | 0:29:35 | |
This hornet worker is hunting... | 0:29:45 | 0:29:47 | |
SQUELCHING | 0:29:47 | 0:29:49 | |
..for food to take back to her nest... | 0:29:50 | 0:29:52 | |
..where the queen and her brood are waiting. | 0:29:56 | 0:30:00 | |
DULL DRONING BUZZ | 0:30:01 | 0:30:02 | |
Suspended from the rafters of the attic, | 0:30:05 | 0:30:08 | |
the queen's paper nest is now the size of a football. | 0:30:08 | 0:30:11 | |
Surrounded by her workers, | 0:30:14 | 0:30:16 | |
the queen has already produced more than 100 hungry grubs. | 0:30:16 | 0:30:19 | |
They are insatiable. | 0:30:22 | 0:30:23 | |
They scrape the side of the cells, | 0:30:26 | 0:30:29 | |
demanding that the adults go out and hunt. | 0:30:29 | 0:30:33 | |
This frenzy of activity will go on for months. | 0:30:36 | 0:30:40 | |
All summer, countless garden pests mysteriously disappear... | 0:30:44 | 0:30:48 | |
..ending up as the fuel to power the ever-increasing colony. | 0:30:50 | 0:30:55 | |
We may not notice the service done by creatures like these hornets. | 0:31:08 | 0:31:13 | |
But they are essential to our gardens. | 0:31:16 | 0:31:19 | |
Many of us in the village | 0:31:26 | 0:31:28 | |
take pride in growing the very best for our table. | 0:31:28 | 0:31:31 | |
Hours of time, attention, patience and care. | 0:31:32 | 0:31:36 | |
Understandably, we aren't keen to share. | 0:31:38 | 0:31:41 | |
But the idea of ownership | 0:31:43 | 0:31:45 | |
is something our wild friends don't really understand. | 0:31:45 | 0:31:49 | |
To them, this is a feast for the taking. | 0:31:49 | 0:31:52 | |
As soon as darkness falls, | 0:31:56 | 0:31:58 | |
the animals come out to feed. | 0:31:58 | 0:32:00 | |
But the hedgehog is not the thief to worry about. | 0:32:03 | 0:32:07 | |
There is a creature that lives in the shadows of the forest... | 0:32:15 | 0:32:18 | |
..that normally avoids the village. | 0:32:20 | 0:32:22 | |
But tonight, the scent of ripening fruit is irresistible. | 0:32:23 | 0:32:27 | |
LOUD SNUFFLING | 0:32:27 | 0:32:29 | |
It's a creature that weighs more than twice as much as a man. | 0:32:29 | 0:32:33 | |
RASPING CALL | 0:32:35 | 0:32:37 | |
LOW GROWLING GRUNT | 0:32:45 | 0:32:47 | |
LOUD GRUNTING | 0:32:50 | 0:32:52 | |
A wild boar. | 0:32:53 | 0:32:55 | |
200kg of solid muscle. | 0:32:59 | 0:33:01 | |
LOW SNUFFLING | 0:33:06 | 0:33:09 | |
GRUNTING ECHOES | 0:33:09 | 0:33:10 | |
A creature this powerful has no problem getting its own way. | 0:33:10 | 0:33:14 | |
This fence is finished. | 0:33:17 | 0:33:19 | |
GROWLING AND CRACKING | 0:33:21 | 0:33:23 | |
CONTENTED GRUNTS | 0:33:47 | 0:33:50 | |
HEDGEHOG SNIFFING | 0:34:02 | 0:34:03 | |
Mmm, nice! | 0:34:18 | 0:34:20 | |
BOAR GROWLING | 0:34:21 | 0:34:23 | |
HEDGEHOG SQUEAKS | 0:34:28 | 0:34:29 | |
This thief won't stop until it has eaten every last tomato. | 0:34:41 | 0:34:46 | |
But it should leave soon. | 0:34:50 | 0:34:52 | |
We French do like our saucisson. | 0:34:52 | 0:34:55 | |
WHOOSHING | 0:35:15 | 0:35:16 | |
As summer continues, the time for harvest is upon us. | 0:35:19 | 0:35:23 | |
Some hide what they gather in the most unlikely places. | 0:35:26 | 0:35:30 | |
BUZZING AND SQUELCHING | 0:35:30 | 0:35:32 | |
A bumblebee colony is made up of around 100 workers. | 0:35:32 | 0:35:37 | |
All sisters. | 0:35:37 | 0:35:38 | |
They sip honey from pots made of wax. | 0:35:38 | 0:35:42 | |
To keep them full, | 0:35:45 | 0:35:46 | |
the bumblebees need to forage every daylight hour. | 0:35:46 | 0:35:49 | |
They can easily travel three miles in the search for nectar. | 0:35:59 | 0:36:03 | |
But these bees are lucky. | 0:36:09 | 0:36:11 | |
There are ancient wildflower meadows all around us. | 0:36:12 | 0:36:15 | |
A rarity nowadays in much of Europe, | 0:36:16 | 0:36:19 | |
but, thankfully, | 0:36:19 | 0:36:21 | |
still part of the landscape here. | 0:36:21 | 0:36:23 | |
It's not just insects that vacate the village | 0:36:43 | 0:36:46 | |
for the richness of the summer meadows. | 0:36:46 | 0:36:48 | |
In this forest of grass... | 0:36:55 | 0:36:56 | |
..fieldmice. | 0:37:04 | 0:37:05 | |
They come to harvest the seeds. | 0:37:09 | 0:37:11 | |
There is so much to eat in the meadow, | 0:37:15 | 0:37:18 | |
there's a mouse every square metre. | 0:37:18 | 0:37:21 | |
But even this wilderness is a man-made habitat. | 0:37:23 | 0:37:28 | |
The meadows are maintained by the villagers. | 0:37:32 | 0:37:35 | |
DISTANT VOICES AND RUMBLING | 0:37:37 | 0:37:39 | |
Every year, the hay needs to be cut. | 0:37:40 | 0:37:43 | |
RADIO WARBLING DISTANTLY | 0:37:46 | 0:37:48 | |
TRUNDLING OF TRACTOR GROWS LOUDER | 0:37:55 | 0:37:58 | |
RADIO: Tu Es Partout by Edith Piaf | 0:38:10 | 0:38:14 | |
DRIVER WHISTLES ALONG | 0:38:14 | 0:38:16 | |
SQUEAKING | 0:38:22 | 0:38:24 | |
SQUEAKING | 0:38:32 | 0:38:34 | |
TRUNDLING AND RADIO FADE | 0:39:18 | 0:39:20 | |
The mouse's world is turned upside down. | 0:39:26 | 0:39:29 | |
This new world is very different. | 0:39:32 | 0:39:35 | |
But actually, it's better. | 0:39:35 | 0:39:38 | |
Many seeds were knocked to the ground by the tractor. | 0:39:38 | 0:39:41 | |
They must feast out here while they can. | 0:39:42 | 0:39:45 | |
Time doesn't wait. | 0:39:46 | 0:39:48 | |
The cutting of the hay means that summer is over. | 0:39:52 | 0:39:56 | |
The animals are running out of time to prepare for winter. | 0:39:58 | 0:40:01 | |
SQUELCHING | 0:40:08 | 0:40:10 | |
In the woods beyond the village walls, | 0:40:33 | 0:40:35 | |
the leaves start to turn. | 0:40:35 | 0:40:37 | |
Signs of autumn are everywhere. | 0:40:46 | 0:40:49 | |
It's toadstool season. | 0:41:10 | 0:41:11 | |
The red colour spells danger to us. | 0:41:12 | 0:41:14 | |
But for a red squirrel, | 0:41:15 | 0:41:18 | |
these toadstools are a source of food almost as important as nuts. | 0:41:18 | 0:41:22 | |
These fly agaric are actually deadly poisonous to humans. | 0:41:30 | 0:41:35 | |
But a squirrel can eat these without so much as a tummy ache. | 0:41:40 | 0:41:45 | |
He stashes them in the trees to dry. | 0:41:46 | 0:41:49 | |
They'll keep for later. | 0:41:49 | 0:41:51 | |
All the time he's spent taking free food from the bird feeder | 0:42:06 | 0:42:10 | |
hasn't dulled his wild foraging instinct. | 0:42:10 | 0:42:12 | |
Just as well, | 0:42:14 | 0:42:15 | |
as he'll need to hoard away a huge amount of food | 0:42:15 | 0:42:19 | |
to keep him going through the winter. | 0:42:19 | 0:42:21 | |
At this time, toadstools and mushrooms will be popping up | 0:42:23 | 0:42:28 | |
all around the countryside. | 0:42:28 | 0:42:29 | |
Everyone in the village looks forwards to the season. | 0:42:31 | 0:42:34 | |
There's one villager | 0:42:38 | 0:42:39 | |
who really knows how to make the most of the harvest. | 0:42:39 | 0:42:42 | |
There is an ancient technique that only he knows how to use. | 0:42:43 | 0:42:47 | |
This old man makes a living | 0:42:51 | 0:42:53 | |
by working hand in hand with an unlikely partner. | 0:42:53 | 0:42:57 | |
MUFFLED SQUEALING | 0:42:59 | 0:43:01 | |
OINKING | 0:43:09 | 0:43:10 | |
He has a pig. | 0:43:12 | 0:43:13 | |
This is no ordinary pig. | 0:43:17 | 0:43:18 | |
OINKING | 0:43:25 | 0:43:26 | |
Pigs have a better nose for smelling even than dogs. | 0:43:28 | 0:43:32 | |
The red squirrel is curious. | 0:43:38 | 0:43:40 | |
OINKING CONTINUES | 0:43:46 | 0:43:48 | |
LOUD OINK | 0:44:06 | 0:44:08 | |
The old man uses his pig to sniff out a very special food. | 0:44:19 | 0:44:23 | |
A truffle. | 0:44:27 | 0:44:29 | |
Worth more than its weight in gold. | 0:44:33 | 0:44:36 | |
After spending so much time in the village, | 0:44:47 | 0:44:51 | |
the squirrel has lost its fear of people. | 0:44:51 | 0:44:54 | |
OINKING | 0:44:54 | 0:44:55 | |
And he likes truffles, too. | 0:44:59 | 0:45:00 | |
HIGH-PITCHED OINKING | 0:45:36 | 0:45:37 | |
That truffle was worth a day's pay. | 0:45:39 | 0:45:42 | |
As autumn takes hold... | 0:46:10 | 0:46:12 | |
..the nights grow longer. | 0:46:13 | 0:46:15 | |
Strange sounds echo through the streets. | 0:46:21 | 0:46:24 | |
OWLS HOOT | 0:46:25 | 0:46:27 | |
CICADAS CHIRP FAINTLY | 0:46:28 | 0:46:29 | |
OWL CRIES | 0:46:36 | 0:46:37 | |
A male tawny owl. | 0:46:39 | 0:46:40 | |
And he has a mate. | 0:46:42 | 0:46:44 | |
They've been together for ten years. | 0:46:44 | 0:46:46 | |
For most of the year, they roost apart, | 0:46:48 | 0:46:51 | |
but every autumn, | 0:46:51 | 0:46:54 | |
they re-establish their relationship | 0:46:54 | 0:46:56 | |
with a duet of hoots. | 0:46:56 | 0:46:58 | |
WARBLING HOOT | 0:46:58 | 0:47:00 | |
The male calls first, | 0:47:03 | 0:47:05 | |
and with luck, his mate will respond. | 0:47:05 | 0:47:07 | |
DISTANT SCREECH | 0:47:07 | 0:47:09 | |
SCREECH | 0:47:10 | 0:47:11 | |
But the narrow streets distort the sound. | 0:47:11 | 0:47:14 | |
HOOT ECHOES | 0:47:14 | 0:47:15 | |
It's confusing. | 0:47:17 | 0:47:19 | |
SCREECH | 0:47:20 | 0:47:22 | |
HOOT | 0:47:22 | 0:47:23 | |
HOOT THEN SCREECH | 0:47:25 | 0:47:26 | |
So to be sure to stay in contact... | 0:47:28 | 0:47:30 | |
..they call, and call... | 0:47:32 | 0:47:34 | |
MAN SNORES | 0:47:35 | 0:47:36 | |
..and call... | 0:47:36 | 0:47:37 | |
LOUD SCREECH | 0:47:37 | 0:47:39 | |
HOOT | 0:47:40 | 0:47:41 | |
..all... | 0:47:41 | 0:47:43 | |
night... | 0:47:43 | 0:47:44 | |
long. | 0:47:44 | 0:47:45 | |
SCREECH | 0:47:51 | 0:47:52 | |
HOOT | 0:47:52 | 0:47:53 | |
HOOTING | 0:47:56 | 0:47:58 | |
CALL AND RESPONSE CONTINUES | 0:48:00 | 0:48:02 | |
SHE SIGHS | 0:48:19 | 0:48:20 | |
METALLIC RATTLING | 0:48:25 | 0:48:27 | |
CRASH | 0:48:28 | 0:48:30 | |
Did something just go bump in the night? | 0:48:35 | 0:48:38 | |
If you're going to be a squatter... | 0:48:41 | 0:48:43 | |
..probably best to avoid drawing too much attention to yourself. | 0:48:45 | 0:48:49 | |
But for some creatures, | 0:49:00 | 0:49:02 | |
that is too much to ask. | 0:49:02 | 0:49:04 | |
Dormice. | 0:49:10 | 0:49:12 | |
They have only been awake for a few weeks. | 0:49:13 | 0:49:16 | |
The laziest creatures in the village, until now. | 0:49:18 | 0:49:21 | |
They need to eat a year's worth of food | 0:49:23 | 0:49:25 | |
in just a few weeks. | 0:49:25 | 0:49:27 | |
But where is this food? | 0:49:32 | 0:49:34 | |
Not in here. | 0:49:37 | 0:49:39 | |
Hazelnuts. | 0:49:46 | 0:49:48 | |
Their favourite. | 0:49:48 | 0:49:49 | |
They just need to find their way out. | 0:49:51 | 0:49:53 | |
Piles of junk makes for an imposing obstacle course. | 0:49:55 | 0:49:59 | |
A quiet exit is going to be a challenge. | 0:50:00 | 0:50:03 | |
Mother knows the best route. | 0:50:11 | 0:50:12 | |
They follow each other's scent trails left by glands in their feet. | 0:50:14 | 0:50:18 | |
CLINKING | 0:50:47 | 0:50:49 | |
THUD | 0:51:06 | 0:51:07 | |
Finally, the exit. | 0:51:15 | 0:51:17 | |
The outside of the house is easier to navigate. | 0:51:29 | 0:51:32 | |
Sticky feet help them grip. | 0:51:34 | 0:51:36 | |
And large tails are good for balance. | 0:51:42 | 0:51:45 | |
These dormice have an excellent strategy | 0:51:57 | 0:51:59 | |
to get through the winter. | 0:51:59 | 0:52:00 | |
They get as fat as they can | 0:52:07 | 0:52:10 | |
as quickly as possible. | 0:52:10 | 0:52:12 | |
They eat half their own body weight in nuts, | 0:52:17 | 0:52:21 | |
more than 30 a night. | 0:52:21 | 0:52:22 | |
Then, they go back to sleep. | 0:52:24 | 0:52:26 | |
What a way to live! | 0:52:28 | 0:52:30 | |
But they should eat quietly. | 0:52:38 | 0:52:40 | |
The village at night can be dangerous. | 0:52:40 | 0:52:42 | |
RUSTLING | 0:52:44 | 0:52:45 | |
There is really no point expecting a dormouse to be quiet. | 0:52:49 | 0:52:53 | |
RUSTLING | 0:52:53 | 0:52:55 | |
THUD | 0:52:55 | 0:52:56 | |
Tawny owls are lethal hunters. | 0:53:25 | 0:53:28 | |
SQUEAKING | 0:53:29 | 0:53:30 | |
THUD | 0:53:46 | 0:53:47 | |
CREAKING | 0:53:53 | 0:53:54 | |
SQUEAKING AND RATTLING | 0:53:57 | 0:53:59 | |
LOUD THUMP | 0:54:19 | 0:54:21 | |
FRAGMENTS TINKLE | 0:54:29 | 0:54:30 | |
BELL TOLLS | 0:54:35 | 0:54:38 | |
And with that, the year draws to a close. | 0:54:40 | 0:54:43 | |
If you can, | 0:54:52 | 0:54:54 | |
go to sleep, and escape the cold... | 0:54:54 | 0:54:56 | |
..back beneath the soil. | 0:54:58 | 0:55:01 | |
Hide away from human eyes. | 0:55:18 | 0:55:20 | |
GENTLE SNORING | 0:55:24 | 0:55:26 | |
We won't know you're there. | 0:55:31 | 0:55:33 | |
SNORING | 0:55:33 | 0:55:34 | |
The attic is quiet again. | 0:55:44 | 0:55:48 | |
The hornets' nest, dead. | 0:55:48 | 0:55:50 | |
But a new queen has crept into the warm. | 0:55:55 | 0:55:58 | |
Sleep tight. | 0:56:00 | 0:56:01 | |
The dormice, of course, are out for the count. | 0:56:06 | 0:56:09 | |
DULL RUMBLE | 0:56:12 | 0:56:14 | |
RUMBLING | 0:56:15 | 0:56:17 | |
What's that noise? | 0:56:17 | 0:56:19 | |
RUMBLING GROWS NEARER | 0:56:19 | 0:56:20 | |
The year may be almost over, | 0:56:24 | 0:56:26 | |
but if there's still a chance to mate, | 0:56:26 | 0:56:29 | |
even now, | 0:56:29 | 0:56:31 | |
a red squirrel will take it. | 0:56:31 | 0:56:33 | |
The scent of a female on heat | 0:56:42 | 0:56:45 | |
will bring a male quite literally running from a mile away. | 0:56:45 | 0:56:49 | |
SNIFFING | 0:56:51 | 0:56:52 | |
At last. | 0:56:52 | 0:56:53 | |
Could this be it? | 0:56:55 | 0:56:56 | |
All through the year, | 0:57:02 | 0:57:03 | |
the busy lives of the animals in the village pass us by unseen... | 0:57:03 | 0:57:08 | |
..unless they accidentally venture into our world. | 0:57:16 | 0:57:20 | |
GLASS SMASHES | 0:57:21 | 0:57:22 | |
Aah! Va t'en! | 0:57:22 | 0:57:24 | |
WOMAN SHRIEKS | 0:57:24 | 0:57:25 | |
SMASHING CONTINUES | 0:57:25 | 0:57:27 | |
SQUEAKING | 0:57:38 | 0:57:39 | |
CAT SNARLS | 0:57:48 | 0:57:49 | |
PIGEONS COO | 0:57:49 | 0:57:50 | |
For them, | 0:57:51 | 0:57:53 | |
life in the village is not without its dangers. | 0:57:53 | 0:57:55 | |
But the benefits of living here are too much to resist. | 0:57:58 | 0:58:01 | |
BELL TOLLS | 0:58:02 | 0:58:03 | |
Animals will always share our lives in the village. | 0:58:03 | 0:58:08 | |
MUSIC: Dibby Dibby Sound by DJ Fresh | 0:58:42 | 0:58:44 | |
Check this out! | 0:58:44 | 0:58:45 | |
# Shout it up, put up your hands high | 0:58:45 | 0:58:46 | |
# Locked and loaded, ready to fight | 0:58:46 | 0:58:48 | |
# Bad vibes, we tell them bye-bye | 0:58:48 | 0:58:50 | |
# Follow me, follow me right now | 0:58:50 | 0:58:52 | |
# Jump! Won't stop, we got the vibe now | 0:58:52 | 0:58:55 | |
# Bass so big we knock them right down | 0:58:55 | 0:58:57 |