0:00:06 > 0:00:10On the edge of the Atlantic lies a world of rock and water.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Wind-scoured and rugged,
0:00:20 > 0:00:23yet full of grace and beauty.
0:00:33 > 0:00:39Exposed to a restless ocean and Europe's wildest weather,
0:00:39 > 0:00:42the animals of these islands face challenge after challenge.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54For a year, we'll follow life
0:00:54 > 0:00:57in this magical, but unpredictable, place.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11Revealing secret lives
0:01:11 > 0:01:14and mysterious worlds...
0:01:25 > 0:01:31..rarely seen and never filmed here before.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41Here, on Scotland's wild west coast.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51Here, in the Hebrides.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14The Inner Hebridean Isles of Mull, Coll and Tiree
0:02:14 > 0:02:18are truly islands on the edge.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21They're fully exposed to the power of the sea.
0:02:35 > 0:02:40It's late winter and the lords of the Isles are searching for food.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57Everywhere the eagles fly,
0:02:57 > 0:03:00animals are doing whatever it takes to survive.
0:03:06 > 0:03:11Summoning the last of their strength, holding out for spring.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21In any year, their lives are hard, but once in a generation,
0:03:21 > 0:03:23when the spring reaches these islands,
0:03:23 > 0:03:26it proves even more testing than the winter.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35And then, it will be the power of the sea
0:03:35 > 0:03:39which makes the difference between life and death.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50But despite their immense size and strength,
0:03:50 > 0:03:54even the eagles will have to work hard to survive until then.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06Here, on the Isle of Mull, where this eagle and his mate live,
0:04:06 > 0:04:08scavengers have gathered,
0:04:08 > 0:04:12hoping something edible's been washed ashore.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15And he wants to know what they've found.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22It's just a shell.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30For 60 years, white-tailed eagles were gone from these islands,
0:04:30 > 0:04:32exterminated by people.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37But since the 1970s they've been reintroduced.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39The gulls hadn't missed them.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42They're old enemies.
0:04:45 > 0:04:50But since the eagles came back to Mull, they have ruled this bay,
0:04:50 > 0:04:53and they make sure they always get the best of whatever washes up.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09Later, in the spring, this pair will need all the strength
0:05:09 > 0:05:12and skill they can muster, when they start a family.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30Close by, on the mainland, the sea cuts deep into the coast.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34Narrow lochs, lined with woods,
0:05:34 > 0:05:37leafless and quiet, for now.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44There's little food,
0:05:44 > 0:05:47but red squirrels have made provisions for the winter.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52They bring a dash of colour and life into the woods,
0:05:52 > 0:05:56collecting the last of the nuts they buried here in the autumn.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12But as the light fades, they pause.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17These woods are not safe after dark.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35It's going to be a windy night.
0:06:35 > 0:06:41And as the light has ebbed away, so the tide falls.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48A deer leaves the safety of the trees.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59And an enterprising pine marten comes to search the shore.
0:07:01 > 0:07:02On a calmer night,
0:07:02 > 0:07:06she'd be hunting for squirrels or birds in the treetops.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17A young marten's joined its mother, her kit from last year.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23It's old enough to go it alone, if it can just get through this storm,
0:07:23 > 0:07:26perhaps the last one of the winter.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30RENDING WOOD
0:07:36 > 0:07:39CREAKING, SPLINTERING
0:07:43 > 0:07:45CRASHING
0:08:01 > 0:08:06Beside the martens' coastal woods, a river runs down to the sea.
0:08:14 > 0:08:20Here at last, Scotland's west coast shows its milder face.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37A short-eared owl.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41Unusually for an owl, he's not shy of the daylight.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45In fact, he's relishing the warmth of the sun.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52And hidden in the heather, his mate has started to lay their eggs.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01For the next month, she'll scarcely leave her nest
0:09:01 > 0:09:04and he will feed the entire family.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14The eagles' lives have moved on too.
0:09:21 > 0:09:26Their home, on the Isle of Mull, is an ideal blend of coast,
0:09:26 > 0:09:29open hill and mountain.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34No wonder that almost a third
0:09:34 > 0:09:37of Scotland's white-tailed eagles live here.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43And conifer plantations by the sea
0:09:43 > 0:09:46are among their favourite places to nest.
0:09:47 > 0:09:52It takes real skill to build such a large one
0:09:52 > 0:09:55and some are better at it than others.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02It's time for the female to take over,
0:10:02 > 0:10:06but first she needs to find yet another stick.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25There isn't really room for them both at once.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39Not much is certain in the Hebrides.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43Even for such powerful birds, raising young here is hard.
0:10:48 > 0:10:53But with luck, they'll soon become parents.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10In the oak forests of the west coast,
0:11:10 > 0:11:15spring has come and the trees are being transformed.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22In a cottage in the woods,
0:11:22 > 0:11:26a female pine marten has found a safe place to sleep.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34All around her, the trees are filling with life.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41The oaks draw on their reserves,
0:11:41 > 0:11:44turning stored energy into new leaves.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57It's the start of an easier time for everyone.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13She can afford to dream.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18And, if she's pregnant,
0:12:18 > 0:12:21this attic could soon become a den for a new family.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33The forest is full of song.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42This male redstart weighs no more than an airmail letter,
0:12:42 > 0:12:47but he's just flown 6,000 kilometres from a tropical forest in Africa.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53He's come because all these new leaves
0:12:53 > 0:12:55are feeding a host of insects.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04But on this coast, spring, and the food supply, can be fickle.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09He must find a hole to nest in as fast as he can.
0:13:12 > 0:13:13No good.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21But low down in this alder tree, he's found the perfect place.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27And there's a female.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32She looks interested.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36A quick look around
0:13:36 > 0:13:38and she approves.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48On land, the pace of spring is unstoppable
0:13:48 > 0:13:52but in the sea alongside, it's a different story.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58The fallen tree, which so nearly killed the martens,
0:13:58 > 0:14:00now has fish in its branches.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05There's no spring warmth in this oak.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11The sea is colder now than when it fell
0:14:11 > 0:14:13but some are preparing for spring.
0:14:15 > 0:14:20Animals fixed to rocks have a real problem - how can they spread?
0:14:21 > 0:14:25But these minute polyps have a magical solution.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36Each transforms itself,
0:14:36 > 0:14:41casting off minute, brand-new moon jellyfish,
0:14:41 > 0:14:45just two millimetres across.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56They're starting a dangerous journey
0:14:56 > 0:14:59travelling down their quiet loch,
0:14:59 > 0:15:01towards the open sea...
0:15:12 > 0:15:15..where they have an appointment with the spring.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29Far offshore from the sea loch and its woods,
0:15:29 > 0:15:32lie the Isles of Coll and Tiree.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Coll is rocky and hard to farm.
0:15:39 > 0:15:44But Tiree is an island built of sand, famous for being fertile.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54People have farmed here for thousands of years.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05Even its name means "land of corn"
0:16:05 > 0:16:11and there are wild animals here which are famously fertile too
0:16:11 > 0:16:14and their fortunes depend on the sea.
0:16:21 > 0:16:26Most of these hares are males, looking for a mate.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30But female hares are fussy.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33She wants the best father for her young
0:16:33 > 0:16:36and she's prepared to wait for Mr Right.
0:16:39 > 0:16:44She joins the group to test the boys
0:16:44 > 0:16:47and off they go!
0:16:47 > 0:16:49Several males in hot pursuit.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54Now, she'll judge their speed
0:16:54 > 0:16:57and how they deal with her other suitors.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09She doubles back and leads them on a merry dance.
0:17:14 > 0:17:15Some of the males fall behind.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24But this one's found her scent.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32And there she is, taking a rest
0:17:32 > 0:17:35while the others chase their own tails.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38They've lost her completely.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47But she's not quite ready for him.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49He still has one rival left.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58That's him dealt with.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07And, at last, she's not running away.
0:18:11 > 0:18:16But she's scent-marking again, to attract more males!
0:18:16 > 0:18:19Talk about playing hard to get!
0:18:19 > 0:18:23It must be frustrating sometimes, being a male hare.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31But if you are, Tiree is a great place to live.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38And the hares owe much of their comfort...to this.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44The remains of countless shells,
0:18:44 > 0:18:48ground by the sea into Tiree's pale sands.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54Blown inland, they fertilise the island's fields.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02And the sea around these islands is unusually fertile too.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06But in bad weather, these are dangerous waters.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10RADIO BULLETIN: '..And now, today's weather forecast
0:19:10 > 0:19:12'for the Inner Hebrides. And in the islands,
0:19:12 > 0:19:16'it's a lovely day with settled weather. Coll and Tiree again...'
0:19:16 > 0:19:18Just now something strange is going on.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21'..but much further out there's some really low pressure developing.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23'Nothing to worry about yet,
0:19:23 > 0:19:26'but if it comes this way, I'll keep you posted.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28'So, make the most of the sunshine!'
0:19:47 > 0:19:52The storms in winter mixed oxygen and nutrients throughout this water.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57So, it's perfect for tiny plants to grow.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03Plankton, too small to see, but ready to burst into life,
0:20:03 > 0:20:05and become food for everything.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09All they need now is light.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11And then,
0:20:11 > 0:20:16towards the end of spring,
0:20:16 > 0:20:18giants will come.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33The owls' chicks have hatched.
0:20:33 > 0:20:38There are four and their mother thinks her mate should go hunting,
0:20:38 > 0:20:43but he just stands there, preening his feathers.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48In the Gaelic there's a phrase for that -
0:20:48 > 0:20:51"Beauty won't boil the pot".
0:21:05 > 0:21:08He flies into the breeze,
0:21:08 > 0:21:12his wings soft-feathered and silent,
0:21:12 > 0:21:17listening for faint stirrings in the grass.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35Every day now, he must catch at least five voles
0:21:35 > 0:21:38for her and their growing chicks.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53Straight back to it. He seems to have got the point.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59It makes good sense to hunt as much as he possibly can,
0:21:59 > 0:22:00while the good weather lasts.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22On Mull, the eagles should also have chicks in their nest,
0:22:22 > 0:22:24but it seems lifeless.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30There is a chick.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33Two. They have twins.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43Newly-hatched chicks can chill quickly
0:22:43 > 0:22:48but so far they've been lucky, despite the annoyance of the midges.
0:22:48 > 0:22:53Their first days have been warm and comfortable.
0:22:53 > 0:22:54This larger one's a female.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58Her life won't stay this easy for long.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11For the eagles, the owls and the redstarts,
0:23:11 > 0:23:14living here, exposed on the edge of Europe,
0:23:14 > 0:23:17with the whole ocean stretching beyond,
0:23:17 > 0:23:22what happens out there will determine their families' future.
0:23:22 > 0:23:27And thousands of miles away,
0:23:27 > 0:23:30tropical heat is warming the ocean
0:23:30 > 0:23:32and a major storm is developing.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39But there's no sign of it yet where the eagles nest.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51It's a courtship chase.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58They're harbour seals,
0:23:58 > 0:24:01and unlike their grey seal cousins which breed in autumn,
0:24:01 > 0:24:04they give birth in late spring.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07So, any pup from this union won't be born until next year.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16Other females are pregnant with this year's pups,
0:24:16 > 0:24:22but they're biding their time, staying safely in the water
0:24:22 > 0:24:24and, at last, it's warming up.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33And with the warmth,
0:24:33 > 0:24:37the sea blooms
0:24:37 > 0:24:40but these spring flowers are not all they might seem.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45In just two places on the west coast of Scotland,
0:24:45 > 0:24:48there are reefs found almost nowhere else in the world.
0:24:58 > 0:25:03Reefs like fairytale castles built by worms.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14They extend their gills into the current like nets,
0:25:14 > 0:25:17as deadly as they are beautiful.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23The reef is home to many animals.
0:25:23 > 0:25:28But there's much more food in the faster current above the seabed,
0:25:28 > 0:25:32and to reach it, you must scale the castles' turrets.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37Like this hermit crab
0:25:37 > 0:25:41or this delicate spider crab.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48It's the solid anchorage
0:25:48 > 0:25:52and the shelter offered by these uniquely Scottish reefs
0:25:52 > 0:25:54that make them so full of life.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06And now the young jellyfish are being swept down the sea loch
0:26:06 > 0:26:09and they're fast approaching the reef.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19Any minute, their journey might end.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23They're small enough to fall straight into the worms' nets.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31The climbing crabs are heavy-footed and the worms' gills are delicate.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39The worms have lightning reactions,
0:26:39 > 0:26:43and for the jellyfish, it's just as well.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01The young jellyfish are safe.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05And now, it's time to take their chances in the open sea,
0:27:05 > 0:27:07and it's looking good.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12For weeks, the weather's been clear and sunny,
0:27:12 > 0:27:15and light has poured into the water.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20It's set off an explosion of life in the plankton.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28And now, the puffins are coming home!
0:27:32 > 0:27:35They haven't set foot on land since last summer.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41In the Hebrides, it's what you'd call a ceilidh.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50Only the island's rabbits aren't joining in.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53They've had their burrows to themselves all winter.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56And for the next few months, they won't have a moment's peace.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46So far, it's been a good spring.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49But in the Hebrides you must take nothing for granted.
0:28:52 > 0:28:53After a long calm spell,
0:28:53 > 0:28:58the islanders say, "A wave will rise on quiet water."
0:28:59 > 0:29:02Soon, those puffins might be glad of their burrows.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08The weather forecast was right - a serious spring storm is coming.
0:29:11 > 0:29:16And on Mull, it's already threatening lives.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22But it seems there's worse to come.
0:29:24 > 0:29:28- RADIO BROADCAST: - 'This is the Shipping Forecast issued by the Met Office
0:29:28 > 0:29:31'on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency at 0505,
0:29:31 > 0:29:34'today, Tuesday, the 22nd of May.'
0:29:39 > 0:29:42'A deepening Atlantic low will move across north-west Scotland
0:29:42 > 0:29:44'during Monday afternoon
0:29:44 > 0:29:47'and bring gales or storm force winds to northern areas.'
0:29:55 > 0:29:57This is no time to be at sea.
0:30:09 > 0:30:14'There are warnings of gales in Shannon, Rockall, Malin,
0:30:14 > 0:30:20'Hebrides, Bailey, Fair Isle, Faeroes and south-east Iceland.'
0:30:22 > 0:30:26It's time to find shelter wherever you can.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32'The area forecasts for the next 24 hours.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36'Rockall, Malin, Hebrides - south-westerly,
0:30:36 > 0:30:40'increasing severe gale nine to violent storm 11.'
0:30:48 > 0:30:50It's the worst storm in a generation
0:30:50 > 0:30:53to strike the Inner Hebrides in the spring.
0:31:52 > 0:31:57Violence, all the more shocking because it's out of season.
0:31:57 > 0:32:01And this storm is only the first of a whole string of others
0:32:01 > 0:32:05rolling over the Hebrides, full of rain.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15The coastal oak woods have suffered most of all.
0:32:15 > 0:32:19Many trees have lost their leaves to salt and wind-burn.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22And now the woods are silent.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25There are fewer caterpillars here for the birds.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29But in their nest, the redstarts now have seven chicks,
0:32:29 > 0:32:31and they're in trouble.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37At any time, the pine marten could turn their nest hole
0:32:37 > 0:32:40into a death trap.
0:32:41 > 0:32:45It'll be a race to get out, and into the woods before they're discovered.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53The storm is threatening the young eagles too.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55When it rains this much,
0:32:55 > 0:32:57the hunters suffer most,
0:32:57 > 0:33:00and the chicks are hungry.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08It's been raining for days and neither parent can hunt.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14She would be better off saving her energy.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21But for the male owl, it's even worse.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24He can't feed his family.
0:33:27 > 0:33:28And his mate can't even move
0:33:28 > 0:33:32without condemning their chicks to a wet, cold death.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40It's a test of their resolve.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43How much longer can they go hungry?
0:33:44 > 0:33:47How much longer before he can hunt?
0:33:50 > 0:33:54But in the woods, the oak trees need the rain.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56Fresh water, washing away the salt,
0:33:56 > 0:34:02giving the trees the strength to grow new leaves,
0:34:02 > 0:34:05and, gradually,
0:34:05 > 0:34:08the woods are reborn.
0:34:33 > 0:34:35Day after day of rain like this
0:34:35 > 0:34:38makes life harder for the pine marten too.
0:34:38 > 0:34:43But fortunately for her, this cottage belongs to an old friend.
0:34:44 > 0:34:46For years she's put out food,
0:34:46 > 0:34:48and when times are tough, it really helps.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56Martens are usually shy in daytime, but she's really hungry.
0:35:10 > 0:35:14She's gathering some of it to take with her.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18She must have a hungry youngster hidden away.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21And at least for now, she's overlooked the redstarts,
0:35:21 > 0:35:25but soon she'll be hunting further afield.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32They're only ten days old
0:35:32 > 0:35:35and in a few more, they'll be ready to leave.
0:35:35 > 0:35:37But it might not be soon enough.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44For the owls though, the worst has already happened.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48Defeated by the relentless rain the male has gone.
0:35:48 > 0:35:53And unable to protect the chicks and feed herself,
0:35:53 > 0:35:56the female too has been forced to abandon them.
0:35:58 > 0:35:59In such a harsh spring,
0:35:59 > 0:36:02even the most resilient cannot always survive.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07And for the owl chicks, it's too late.
0:36:39 > 0:36:43Against all the odds, the redstarts have made it this far.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48Now, it's time to throw caution to the winds.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53The parents call
0:36:53 > 0:36:56and hold tempting insects in view of the chicks.
0:37:03 > 0:37:07Until now, this little hole has been their entire world.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10None of them has ever been outside.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13But someone has to go first
0:37:13 > 0:37:16and the food looks so tempting.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19A reward from Dad for being the first.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22And now the others can see it's better out than in.
0:37:30 > 0:37:35But this last one is a bit downier than the others, not as well-grown.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37And it's a big world outside.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45It tries again.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55But the nest still looks inviting.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03It just isn't the same on your own.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05Its parents aren't coming any more.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08It's no time to be left behind.
0:38:21 > 0:38:22But where are they?
0:38:25 > 0:38:30Silence would be safer,
0:38:30 > 0:38:33but it calls,
0:38:33 > 0:38:35and here is Mum
0:38:35 > 0:38:40to show it the way into these special woods beside the sea.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55On Mull, the eagle chicks have managed to survive the endless rain
0:38:55 > 0:38:58but they're still very short of food.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13In the sea below their nest,
0:39:13 > 0:39:16the expectant mother seals can wait no longer,
0:39:16 > 0:39:19but where should they give birth?
0:39:20 > 0:39:23They have to choose carefully.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39Their bellies ripple as their pups move inside them.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46They seem so uncomfortable but, strangely,
0:39:46 > 0:39:49water births haven't occurred to seals.
0:39:57 > 0:39:59Now, her contractions are starting,
0:39:59 > 0:40:03so strongly that she's expressing some milk.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06It won't be long.
0:40:08 > 0:40:12And from their nest, the eagles watch everything.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14They are having a hard year.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19They have aggressive neighbours, buzzards,
0:40:19 > 0:40:22who'd attack their chicks if they left the nest unguarded.
0:40:27 > 0:40:31And the chicks are growing fast, building wing muscle
0:40:31 > 0:40:33and new flight feathers, like their father's.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43It all takes energy and they're hungry,
0:40:43 > 0:40:46especially the bigger female.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49Moss can't keep her alive.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55This spring, life is proving very hard on the land,
0:40:55 > 0:40:58but these are sea eagles
0:40:58 > 0:41:02and now they need the sea to be full of food,
0:41:02 > 0:41:04and it is!
0:41:07 > 0:41:11The vast plankton bloom is feeding millions of fish.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25Common dolphins come to the Hebrides just for the summer,
0:41:25 > 0:41:30timing their journeys to arrive here now, when the sea is at its richest.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34They're joining from all directions.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36It's a huge group, a superpod,
0:41:36 > 0:41:38almost a thousand strong,
0:41:38 > 0:41:42and they're chasing the fish straight towards the coast
0:41:42 > 0:41:43where the eagles live.
0:42:17 > 0:42:21But it makes no difference how many fish are swimming down there.
0:42:21 > 0:42:25For now, they're too deep for her to catch...
0:42:29 > 0:42:32..and the female chick is fading.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38But fishing in deep water is no problem for seals.
0:42:38 > 0:42:43The large shoals are one reason so many give birth here.
0:42:43 > 0:42:49And from their nest, the eagles can see the new pups.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52Surely soon they'll find something to feed their chicks.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00This one's a bit different from the rest.
0:43:00 > 0:43:02Its mother has misjudged the tide
0:43:02 > 0:43:05and her pup is running out of time to feed.
0:43:15 > 0:43:17It can't drink underwater.
0:43:20 > 0:43:23But as she tries to help, she moves just out of reach.
0:43:35 > 0:43:37This is why the pup won't follow.
0:43:37 > 0:43:40Its mother hasn't bitten through its umbilical cord
0:43:40 > 0:43:44and the placenta is like an anchor, dragging it down.
0:43:48 > 0:43:50And now it's stuck in the weed.
0:44:01 > 0:44:04She doesn't understand why her pup won't come with her.
0:44:10 > 0:44:14So, she tries sweeping her flipper under it, untangling the weed...
0:44:18 > 0:44:21..and the pup climbs onto her back!
0:44:23 > 0:44:26Like this, it can swim without being snagged.
0:44:26 > 0:44:31For the moment, a piggy-back from its mother has saved the pup's life.
0:44:36 > 0:44:38But it still hasn't fed
0:44:38 > 0:44:41and the longer it spends in the water,
0:44:41 > 0:44:44the more chilled it's becoming and the more tired.
0:44:44 > 0:44:47She has to get to shore before it drowns.
0:45:05 > 0:45:09The chicks are begging for food.
0:45:09 > 0:45:14The adults can see the crisis is near, but still they wait.
0:45:21 > 0:45:23The mother can easily manage,
0:45:23 > 0:45:25but the rock is too slippery for the pup.
0:45:25 > 0:45:28It's barely an hour old.
0:45:28 > 0:45:32It's been struggling in the sea for almost its whole life,
0:45:32 > 0:45:36with the placenta dragging it down.
0:45:36 > 0:45:38And it can't climb out.
0:46:00 > 0:46:04So close, but it just can't do it.
0:46:25 > 0:46:28At last, she sees what's wrong...
0:46:30 > 0:46:32..and she bites the cord.
0:46:42 > 0:46:44But it might be too late.
0:46:44 > 0:46:48The pup has never fed and it no longer has the energy to move.
0:46:56 > 0:46:58The gulls have seen the floating placenta
0:46:58 > 0:47:01and they grab their chance,
0:47:01 > 0:47:04and so do the eagles.
0:47:20 > 0:47:23With nothing to hold it back, the pup has reached its mother,
0:47:23 > 0:47:25but both eagles are here.
0:47:40 > 0:47:42The gulls scatter ahead of her...
0:47:45 > 0:47:48..but the male has seen something else.
0:47:53 > 0:47:57The threat of his mate has drawn the other gulls away,
0:47:57 > 0:47:59freeing him to choose his target.
0:48:18 > 0:48:22It's not the pup he wants. He wants the afterbirth.
0:48:22 > 0:48:28It's full of nutrition for the chicks
0:48:28 > 0:48:31and with so many seals pupping now,
0:48:31 > 0:48:33for once, the chicks have more than they can eat.
0:48:40 > 0:48:46And so, the sea's richness is transformed into a young eagle.
0:49:03 > 0:49:06This pup's a lucky one -
0:49:06 > 0:49:08what a first day -
0:49:08 > 0:49:12and at last it gets its feed.
0:49:12 > 0:49:15Perhaps it will live to see the summer after all.
0:49:15 > 0:49:17It's not far away now.
0:49:22 > 0:49:26And the giants are almost here.
0:49:36 > 0:49:38At the cottage in the woods,
0:49:38 > 0:49:41the pine marten mother is checking for danger.
0:49:44 > 0:49:47She knows this dog, and it's quite safe.
0:49:47 > 0:49:51There's a bond of trust, established over the years.
0:49:59 > 0:50:03And so tonight, she's brought her kit here for the first time,
0:50:03 > 0:50:04to show it what to do.
0:50:12 > 0:50:17But the kit still has lots to learn. Everything is new.
0:50:20 > 0:50:25For Mum, it's easy, but she was a nervous, clumsy kit too,
0:50:25 > 0:50:26when she first came here.
0:50:34 > 0:50:39And now her own youngster must learn to reach the same high windowsill.
0:50:41 > 0:50:44The owner's put a log there especially.
0:51:13 > 0:51:15It wasn't too bad.
0:51:19 > 0:51:22But how is she going to get down?
0:51:45 > 0:51:50It's almost summer and the sea is filled with light and warmth
0:51:50 > 0:51:53and food.
0:51:53 > 0:51:56Life in the Hebrides is all about the sea
0:51:56 > 0:51:59and what better proof of its richness could there be
0:51:59 > 0:52:02than this?
0:52:07 > 0:52:10The giants have arrived off Coll and Tiree.
0:52:10 > 0:52:13It's a basking shark.
0:52:14 > 0:52:17The largest can reach 11 metres long.
0:52:20 > 0:52:23Their jaws open a metre wide,
0:52:23 > 0:52:25and of all the fish in the world,
0:52:25 > 0:52:28only the whale shark grows larger.
0:53:07 > 0:53:10You'd think that seeing this coming towards you
0:53:10 > 0:53:13would be a reason to keep clear,
0:53:13 > 0:53:15but the seals have nothing to fear
0:53:15 > 0:53:19because basking sharks' teeth are tiny.
0:53:20 > 0:53:23Instead, they feed by sieving plankton from the water,
0:53:23 > 0:53:28filtering the volume of an Olympic-sized pool every hour.
0:53:44 > 0:53:46And once it has a good mouthful,
0:53:46 > 0:53:49the shark pauses to gulp it down.
0:53:57 > 0:54:01The plankton collects around areas of cooler water,
0:54:01 > 0:54:04which show up as calm lanes in the sea.
0:54:04 > 0:54:07This is where the sharks concentrate.
0:54:07 > 0:54:09And it's where they used to be harpooned
0:54:09 > 0:54:12for the oil stored in their immense livers.
0:54:14 > 0:54:16But now they can feed here in peace.
0:54:30 > 0:54:33Much about their lives is a mystery.
0:54:33 > 0:54:36But it has just been discovered that some of these sharks
0:54:36 > 0:54:39could have crossed the Atlantic to be here now.
0:54:52 > 0:54:56For weeks, the young female eagle has been exercising her wings
0:54:56 > 0:55:00and today is the most important day of her life.
0:55:07 > 0:55:11It's a dangerous moment.
0:55:11 > 0:55:15Other young eagles have died, taking their first flight from this nest.
0:55:17 > 0:55:19Her father leads the way
0:55:19 > 0:55:21and she goes!
0:55:34 > 0:55:38At first, she'll practise flying close to home
0:55:38 > 0:55:42and then, she'll really spread her wings.
0:55:46 > 0:55:48Over the next few years,
0:55:48 > 0:55:51she'll travel the length of this coast,
0:55:51 > 0:55:54exploring the islands,
0:55:54 > 0:55:57meeting and playing with other young eagles.
0:56:08 > 0:56:12And one day, perhaps she'll reclaim an ancestral nest site of her own,
0:56:12 > 0:56:16here among the islands.
0:56:21 > 0:56:24The white-tailed eagles of the Hebrides
0:56:24 > 0:56:27are truly back where they belong.
0:56:31 > 0:56:34And so are the sharks,
0:56:34 > 0:56:38with the sea around the islands so productive
0:56:38 > 0:56:43that it sustains even their enormous bodies
0:56:43 > 0:56:48as it sustains the eagles and everything else living here.
0:56:58 > 0:57:01Here, at the edge of an ocean.
0:57:04 > 0:57:08Here, at the edge of a continent.
0:57:13 > 0:57:17Here, in the Hebrides.
0:57:28 > 0:57:33Next time - high summer comes to the islands on the edge.
0:57:33 > 0:57:37The mighty seabird cities of the Outer Hebrides hit rush hour...
0:57:39 > 0:57:42..as gannets and puffins race to raise their chicks
0:57:42 > 0:57:45while avoiding the pirates.
0:57:52 > 0:57:55Lapwings, skylarks,
0:57:55 > 0:57:57and a host of colourful insects
0:57:57 > 0:58:01throng the flowering meadows of the Uists.
0:58:03 > 0:58:05And storms give way to drought,
0:58:05 > 0:58:11causing big problems for the king of fish - the Atlantic salmon.
0:58:30 > 0:58:33Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd