0:00:17 > 0:00:19Wales is not a big country,
0:00:19 > 0:00:24but packed into it is a vast array of different habitats
0:00:24 > 0:00:26and a wealth of wildlife.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33There are not many places in the world
0:00:33 > 0:00:38where you can walk from mountain top, through moorland,
0:00:38 > 0:00:41along rivers,
0:00:41 > 0:00:46through woodland, on to the sea.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49And all of that in just a few hours.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51My name is Iolo Williams.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55I've lived and worked with wildlife in Wales all my life.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59I want to share my passion
0:00:59 > 0:01:02for Wales' wonderful variety of wildlife with you.
0:01:05 > 0:01:11In this series, I'll be taking you all over the country in all weathers.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15I'll be visiting fabulous landscapes,
0:01:15 > 0:01:18and I'll be sharing with you the insights I've learned
0:01:18 > 0:01:22on this journey of discovery through Wales.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37In this programme, we'll travel to Gwynedd and Snowdonia
0:01:37 > 0:01:40to see ospreys and relics of the Ice Age.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43Through the old county of Meirionnydd
0:01:43 > 0:01:45to track wild goats and deer.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48And end on the Lleyn Peninsula with seals
0:01:48 > 0:01:52and Wales' most important bird, the manx shearwater.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54But I begin on Anglesey.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58At the extreme tip of Holy Island,
0:01:58 > 0:02:01you'll find South Stack and its lighthouse.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06It's a dramatic stretch of coastline,
0:02:06 > 0:02:09and a great place to start on a wildlife journey,
0:02:09 > 0:02:12especially if you want to see birds.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16As the wind blows off the sea and hits the tall cliffs,
0:02:16 > 0:02:18the birds seem to fly for the fun of it.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41These are ravens and their speciality is tumbling.
0:02:41 > 0:02:46They delight in flying upside down.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49Kestrels simply hover.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55But the real stars of South Stack are the choughs.
0:02:55 > 0:03:0075% of the chough population of Britain live in Wales,
0:03:00 > 0:03:04and most of those live along the Welsh coast.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06They open their wings
0:03:06 > 0:03:09and because there's so much lift here from the sea,
0:03:09 > 0:03:12the wind whips in here, and they bounce up.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15If they close their wings, they go back down.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19It looks like someone's got them on a piece of string like a yo-yo.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22They come up and down. They're great characters.
0:03:27 > 0:03:32Choughs, like ravens, their close relatives, are very agile flyers.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Without effort, they dance in the air.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50They're cracking birds. They've got to be one of my favourite birds.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06Largely due to the severe winter of 1947,
0:04:06 > 0:04:09and the lack of close crop pasture where they feed,
0:04:09 > 0:04:11they became extinct on Anglesey.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15But they gradually re-established themselves at South Stack,
0:04:15 > 0:04:19and it's now become a stronghold for this charismatic crow.
0:04:19 > 0:04:24The choughs landed and I thought he was going to feed or preen,
0:04:24 > 0:04:27but no, the chough is fast asleep in the sun.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29He's dozed off in the sun.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36If you stay here long enough, you never know what you're going to see.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40Just going around the headland there is a pod of Risso's dolphins.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42These are quite rare dolphins.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45They're much rarer than bottlenose and common dolphins,
0:04:45 > 0:04:48and you don't usually see them this close in-shore.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51But this is a big pod. There are 20 or more of them,
0:04:51 > 0:04:56and at three metres long, they're big animals.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00They have bulky heads and a prominent, tall dorsal fin.
0:05:00 > 0:05:05There's a mother with her calf sticking close to her.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08They're found in all oceans
0:05:08 > 0:05:13but prefer temperate seas and usually deeper water.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16Sightings off the coast of Anglesey
0:05:16 > 0:05:20generally occur in late summer or early autumn.
0:05:20 > 0:05:25No-one knows for sure why they arrive during that period.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28It's most likely associated with food.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31They're probably passing the Anglesey headland
0:05:31 > 0:05:36in search of better feeding waters locally in the Irish Sea.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Further down the west coast of Anglesey,
0:05:42 > 0:05:44you'll find Llanddwyn Island.
0:05:45 > 0:05:50It's associated with Dwynwen, the Welsh patron saint of lovers.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53According to legend,
0:05:53 > 0:05:56she's believed to have lived here during the fifth century
0:05:56 > 0:06:01and prayed for all lovers to find happiness due to unhappinness in her own life.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04It's clear she didn't meet her perfect man.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07On both sides of the island, there are long beaches.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13It's an exceptionally cold but beautiful winter's day.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15There's even snow lying on the sand.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19What a stunning place.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23This is Newborough beach on the west coast of Anglesey.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25It's over a mile long.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27Golden sands and there's nobody here but me.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31It's also great for wildlife
0:06:31 > 0:06:34because behind these dunes is Newborough Forest
0:06:34 > 0:06:39and that holds the biggest raven roost in the whole of Britain.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42The first birds should be coming in any time now.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51During winter, around 800 ravens roost every night in Newborough Forest.
0:06:51 > 0:06:56It's one of the biggest assemblages of ravens in the world.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01During the day, they travel widely for food.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04Some may even fly 40 miles or more.
0:07:06 > 0:07:11At dusk, they return to the security and relative warmth of the forest.
0:07:11 > 0:07:16The spectacle here is not so much what you can see, but what you can hear.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21As they arrive and occupy roosting positions in the forest,
0:07:21 > 0:07:25they constantly call and communicate with each other.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27I've sneaked in under the trees,
0:07:27 > 0:07:30right to the edge of the raven roost now.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32Most of the birds are away to my left
0:07:32 > 0:07:36and there are one or two in the distance to my right as well.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39They make the weirdest noises.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44They say that ravens have more than 30 different calls,
0:07:44 > 0:07:48and sitting here, I can well believe that.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51It's a language really, when you think about it.
0:07:51 > 0:07:56A language we don't understand maybe, but still, it is a language.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00They're communicating with each other constantly.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04Probably telling each other where the best feeding grounds are.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Bear in mind that most of these will be young birds,
0:08:07 > 0:08:11so they're going to be pairing up for life as well here.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13But an incredible array of noises.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21There must be a reason why ravens are calling like this.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24They're not simply calling for fun.
0:08:24 > 0:08:29For the time being, it's a mystery. We don't understand their language.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31But there's good evidence
0:08:31 > 0:08:34that they may be sharing information about food sources.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41A raven cannot defend a carcass from other predators on its own,
0:08:41 > 0:08:43but it can if it's part of a group.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51It's thought that the volume and nature of a call may be giving
0:08:51 > 0:08:55information about the location, distance and size of a find.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58By sharing the information,
0:08:58 > 0:09:02they can all go back together the next day to benefit from the food.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07Later, I'll be tracking fallow deer
0:09:07 > 0:09:11in the biggest conifer forest in North Wales.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13But for now, I'm heading for Snowdonia.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19What a morning and what a view!
0:09:19 > 0:09:22It's one of those cold, frosty mornings
0:09:22 > 0:09:24when you're really glad to be alive.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28Anglesey in the distance over there, bathed by the sunlight.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30And then over here,
0:09:30 > 0:09:34you can see the top of Snowdon just about peaking through.
0:09:34 > 0:09:40Behind me, in the middle of the trees, is Catell Dolbadarn.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43Llanberris, the town, at the back there afterwards.
0:09:43 > 0:09:49And of course, this itself a sign of industry over the last 250 years.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53This is a glacial valley, gouged out by the last Ice Age.
0:09:53 > 0:09:58You see the lakes left behind, you see Llyn Peris.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01Then we jump over to Llyn Padarn.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05This is the interesting lake from a wildlife point of view.
0:10:05 > 0:10:11It's very deep and very cold and living in there even now
0:10:11 > 0:10:13is a relic from the last Ice Age.
0:10:18 > 0:10:24These are Arctic char and they're one of the rarest fish species in Britain.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29They live only in deep, cold glacial lakes.
0:10:30 > 0:10:35Llyn Padarn is one of the very few lakes in Britain where they're found naturally
0:10:35 > 0:10:39and the most southerly lake in the world where they live.
0:10:46 > 0:10:52Towards the end of the last Ice Age, as the ice melted around 18,000 years ago,
0:10:52 > 0:10:58Arctic char began to migrate from the sea to spawn in the glacial rivers that existed at that time.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03But as sea levels and sea temperatures rose,
0:11:03 > 0:11:07they became land-locked in our coldest and deepest lakes.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14Alun Jones and his son Bryn operate a pleasure boat on the lake
0:11:14 > 0:11:19and have built up a wealth of local knowledge.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23- What is this? Is this...? Metres, that is.- That's in metres, yeah.
0:11:23 > 0:11:28- Is this a deep lake?- It's quite a deep lake. It's 120ft at the max.
0:11:28 > 0:11:35- About 120ft.- I suppose that's why, because of the depth, that you've got the Arctic char.
0:11:35 > 0:11:41The Arctic char, yes. The locals fish them at night, not as many as they used to.
0:11:41 > 0:11:46So they come up then at night, do they, to the shallower waters?
0:11:46 > 0:11:51I think they usually fish them about 15m. There's a name for it, the difference in temperature.
0:11:51 > 0:11:56'Thermal climb' because you've got that very cold water below it.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00- So they'll come up to that line? - Just about to the level, I think.
0:12:00 > 0:12:07- Have you eaten them?- Yes, it's a beautiful fish. It tastes half between a salmon and a trout.
0:12:07 > 0:12:12Beautiful. They only grow about 12 inches long, you know.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16Male Arctic char are the most colourful freshwater fish
0:12:16 > 0:12:22that you'll find in the rivers and lakes of Britain, especially when they're about to breed.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26They develop a bright red colour on their belly to attract females.
0:12:26 > 0:12:33And these fish have come up from the deepest part of the lake to spawn in the river outlet.
0:12:33 > 0:12:39The numbers of Arctic char are reducing here, as they are in the rest of Britain.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42Some believe that this is associated with global warming.
0:12:42 > 0:12:48That would hardly be surprising, given that they need cold water to survive.
0:12:51 > 0:12:56On the mountains of Snowdonia, there's another Ice Age relic.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00It's found on the highest peaks and on the coldest slopes.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04It appears in late February.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07To find it, I need to keep up with Hywel Roberts,
0:13:07 > 0:13:13the warden that looks after this fabulous landscape. He's as fit as a wild goat.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17We're near the pig track, just below Snowdon.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26You'll always see ravens high up on the mountains.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28It's their natural habitat
0:13:28 > 0:13:33and these may well roost at night on Anglesey, in Newborough Forest.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42But we haven't climbed up here to see a raven.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50Hywel walks many miles on these slopes, looking for wildlife,
0:13:50 > 0:13:55and he's found something very special on a rock facing the sun.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58And this is it, the purple saxifrage.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01Indeed, yes. Very bright colours.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05Beautiful. The petals are a bright purple colour.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09What you've got here is tight clusters of leaves on the stems.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13Of all of them, because mossy saxifrage, starry saxifrage,
0:14:13 > 0:14:16stone lily, a real speciality here,
0:14:16 > 0:14:22this is my favourite because this is the kind of skinhead of the Arctic alpines.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26It comes out in February, March, when you've got ice and snow.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30- This is the real hard one, isn't it? - A tough guy, this one.
0:14:30 > 0:14:35And of course, the term saxifrage itself means tough creatures.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38They are literally breaking the rock, they are rock-breakers.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42In this instance, where they're growing is on dark rock,
0:14:42 > 0:14:46which is slightly less acidic than the general type of rock here.
0:14:46 > 0:14:53There's just that bit more nutrient there that leaks into the rock and that's the opportunity they want.
0:14:53 > 0:14:58The other thing that Arctic alpine plants want is altitude and the right aspect.
0:14:58 > 0:15:03We're relatively high up here, about 500m above sea level.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07Today, we're fortunate to be facing the sun. It's getting the best of it.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11It's had an early start at this location.
0:15:11 > 0:15:17Saying that, we are late in the year for flowering, about a month to six weeks later than usual
0:15:17 > 0:15:20because of the exceptionally hard winter we've had.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23It's the only bit of colour here.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27The grass has died back from last summer, autumn, the hard winter,
0:15:27 > 0:15:32and the only bit of colour, a bit of purple, is this one little flower.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37It is a gem. It's something to raise the spirits at the end of winter, the start of spring.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39Spring is here now, for me.
0:15:42 > 0:15:47Later in the programme, I'll be heading to another stunning upland,
0:15:47 > 0:15:51the Rhinog Mountains and there, I'll be tracking wild goats.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57Before that, I head to the Menai Straits.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04Between the mainland of north west Wales and Anglesey,
0:16:04 > 0:16:07the Menai Straits opens onto Conway Bay.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13Here you find Traeth Lafan, a big expanse of mudflats
0:16:13 > 0:16:16and a very important wildlife habitat.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22It's overlooked by Penrhyn Castle, a mock medieval castle
0:16:22 > 0:16:24built during the 19th century.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34As the tide drops, the mudflats are quickly exposed
0:16:34 > 0:16:40and they then become the richest feeding grounds in Wales for wading birds.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44Many species come here to feed.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48It's one of the best places in Wales to see the tremendous range of birds
0:16:48 > 0:16:50that live on our coasts.
0:16:50 > 0:16:55The small birds are dunlin - our most common estuary bird.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02This oystercatcher is being pestered by a turnstone.
0:17:02 > 0:17:07He's prised open a mussel. The turnstone wants a piece of the action.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13But with the constant hassling, he picks up the wrong bit.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20There are also many species of wildfowl here.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23These are pintail.
0:17:23 > 0:17:29They're migratory birds that have come from northern Scandinavia and Russia to escape the Arctic winter.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34They arrive during September and leave in early March.
0:17:37 > 0:17:42And even though it's now still winter, this pair is mating.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46As the Arctic summer is short, most migratory ducks
0:17:46 > 0:17:49will mate before their journey north, so they can start breeding
0:17:49 > 0:17:53as soon as they arrive on the Arctic tundra.
0:17:54 > 0:17:59The tide comes in very quickly on the Menai Strait.
0:17:59 > 0:18:04When that happens, the feeding area is reduced and the waders move up the shore.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37Traeth Lafan's a great place for birds.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40It's a huge expanse of sand and mud
0:18:40 > 0:18:44and it's especially interesting when the tide comes in
0:18:44 > 0:18:47because it pushes a lot of these birds before it
0:18:47 > 0:18:52and that's when the dunlin and the redshank and the teal and the wigeon
0:18:52 > 0:18:56are at most danger from predatory birds, like the peregrine.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03A male peregrine begins his search for prey.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08A female, probably his partner, is also hunting.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14Peregrines are often seen on estuaries during winter.
0:19:17 > 0:19:22The tell-tale sign that they're about is the sight of flocks
0:19:22 > 0:19:25turning and twisting, trying to evade capture.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39The problem for the peregrine in such a big open area
0:19:39 > 0:19:43is that he'll be seen immediately by his target birds.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46But he has speed and a strategy.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53He swoops low to make the birds scatter,
0:19:58 > 0:20:02in the hope that in the confusion, one might be caught.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09Being the fastest living thing,
0:20:09 > 0:20:13with a dive that can reach a speed of more than 120mph,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16it's a strategy that usually works.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19But not always.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01In the old county of Meirionnydd, you'll find Llyn Trawsfynydd.
0:21:01 > 0:21:09The two large landmarks of the decommissioned Trawsfynydd nuclear power stations lie on the far bank.
0:21:09 > 0:21:15But this manmade reservoir was built for a different and much earlier power station,
0:21:15 > 0:21:21the small hydro-electric power station of Maentwrog, that lies at the bottom of this deep gorge.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27In the gorge, there's an ancient woodland.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34The damp conditions that exist there create an unique habitat
0:21:34 > 0:21:37and as a result, very rare plants grow.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45I'm right down at the bottom of the gorge here
0:21:45 > 0:21:49and the environment is a very wet one.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53With higher rainfall throughout the year, you've got waterfalls
0:21:53 > 0:21:57and that means that there's humidity in the air constantly
0:21:57 > 0:22:03and because of that, everything - the tree trunks, branches, rocks are covered in plants.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06It's what they call a temperate rainforest,
0:22:06 > 0:22:09just as rich as a tropical rainforest,
0:22:09 > 0:22:14and the one special thing here is this moss on the rock in front of me
0:22:14 > 0:22:18That is found in only four sites in the whole of Britain,
0:22:18 > 0:22:22all of them in gorges like this in north Wales.
0:22:23 > 0:22:29It's here throughout the year. It belongs to a group called bottlebrush mosses.
0:22:30 > 0:22:36Close up, the arrangement of the leaves looked like the filaments on a bottlebrush.
0:22:40 > 0:22:46A few miles from Llyn Trawsfynydd, there's another ancient temperate woodland at Ganllwyd.
0:22:47 > 0:22:52Here too, the wet conditions promote the growth of mosses and lichens,
0:22:52 > 0:22:58some of them so rare that this is the only place in Britain you'll find them.
0:23:02 > 0:23:09Some of the trees in these ancient broadleaved woodlands date back to the Middle Ages and beyond.
0:23:09 > 0:23:14When they die, they're just left to rot, like this old oak trunk here.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18And that, along with the very high rainfall we have in north west Wales
0:23:18 > 0:23:22means that they're ideal places for all kinds of fungi.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26These play an important role in this habitat.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30As the trees rot, they break down the dead wood
0:23:30 > 0:23:33and recycle nutrients for new growth.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38They're also a wonderful addition to the beauty of the woodland.
0:23:39 > 0:23:43The rich growth of plants exists in these woodlands
0:23:43 > 0:23:49because it's humid, the soil is acidic and the climate is always relatively warm,
0:23:49 > 0:23:51and they're all close to the coast.
0:23:52 > 0:23:57They're specific conditions that make these Welsh woodlands unique.
0:23:59 > 0:24:04In another temperate woodland called Coed Crafnant, near Harlech,
0:24:04 > 0:24:08there's a terrific example of resourceful bird behaviour.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Woodpeckers drill holes in trees to form a nest.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15When they've finished with them, other birds use them.
0:24:18 > 0:24:23The nuthatch adapts a woodpecker's nest in an ingenious way.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30The hole is too big for it, so it makes it smaller.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33It adds mud to the opening.
0:24:42 > 0:24:47It takes a breeding pair about two days to achieve the desired size.
0:24:54 > 0:24:55They're amazing birds.
0:24:55 > 0:25:00They're the only ones that can run up and down a tree in any direction.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21The next is then left to dry for two weeks,
0:25:21 > 0:25:24until the mud becomes as hard as concrete.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27An inventive way of using someone else's home.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34Not far from the temperate broadleaved woodland of Meirionnydd
0:25:34 > 0:25:37lies a much bigger forested area.
0:25:38 > 0:25:43Coed y Brenin is the biggest conifer plantation in North Wales.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48Trees were first planted here around 100 years ago.
0:25:49 > 0:25:54It's now a vast area covering 9,000 acres.
0:26:06 > 0:26:11It's only when you climb up above it that you get some idea
0:26:11 > 0:26:15of the sheer size of Coed y Brenin. It is huge.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19It extends for miles all around me here.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22Mainly coniferous trees but a few broadleaves as well,
0:26:22 > 0:26:24scattered here and there.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28And there are hundreds of fallow deer in this forest.
0:26:28 > 0:26:34They're difficult to find because these really are wild animals.
0:26:34 > 0:26:39If you want to see them, the best time is first thing in the morning.
0:26:46 > 0:26:51Wild fallow deer, in an area like this, are difficult to track.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55They have great hearing and a very keen sense of smell.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59They usually come into these glades in the early morning or late evening
0:26:59 > 0:27:01to feed on the grass.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05If they detect you, they simply disappear into the forest.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19Coed y Brenin is open to the public
0:27:19 > 0:27:23and is one of the best places in Wales to see wild fallow deer.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28After resting inside the forest overnight,
0:27:28 > 0:27:33these have come out into the open, to a small patch of pasture, to feed.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36There are about 300 deer in the forest
0:27:36 > 0:27:41and glades have been created to tempt the deer out into the open.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46They vary a great deal in colour.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49There are plain, reddish-brown ones...
0:27:50 > 0:27:52..and ones with spots.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59Others are a lighter, grey-brown colour.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04This does not reflect the different age or different sex.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06It's simply a variation.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13Some of the deer in Coed y Brenin are a dark brown colour -
0:28:13 > 0:28:15its very own speciality.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19This one is a young male.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24Fallow deer are not native to Britain.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27They were introduced during Norman times for hunting in deer parks.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31Many, like these, live wild in our woodlands and parks.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43This is Cwm Nancol in the Rhinog mountains.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46I'm tracking some even more elusive mammals.
0:28:52 > 0:28:53They're wild goats.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59You can spot them quite easily.
0:29:00 > 0:29:05But if you try and get near them, they keep on moving.
0:29:09 > 0:29:13It's thought these uplands have the greatest wild goat population
0:29:13 > 0:29:16per hectare in the entire United Kingdom.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19That may be so.
0:29:20 > 0:29:22But it's hard work tracking them.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32I've been following this heft of goats all morning.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35They've given me the run-around. I've finally found them.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38They're in rut at the moment - they're fighting.
0:29:38 > 0:29:39There are three big billys.
0:29:39 > 0:29:44The billys are the ones with the huge flat, swept-back horns.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46And they've got five or six nannies.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49They've got smaller spiral horns.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52Every now and again, they'll stop, they'll fight.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55The dominant billy will mate with all of those nannies.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57They're well-equipped for life out here.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00I've come out in my gear, but they're much faster than me.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03They can cross rocks using their hooves.
0:30:03 > 0:30:05They've got this thick coat
0:30:05 > 0:30:09that will keep out the worst of the winter rain and cold.
0:30:09 > 0:30:13Amazing animals. Superbly well adapted for this environment.
0:30:13 > 0:30:18Wild goats are not true wild animals. They're feral.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22Some may be derived from domestic goats
0:30:22 > 0:30:25that escaped during the land clearances of the 19th Century.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30Others may even be derived from much earlier stock
0:30:30 > 0:30:32and possibly date back to the Ice Age.
0:30:35 > 0:30:40There may be as many as 500 goats on these mountains.
0:30:42 > 0:30:46During winter, some of these goats can become a nuisance.
0:30:46 > 0:30:48They move down the valley to browse.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50That's often in someone's back garden.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56But here in the uplands, they're a wonderful addition
0:30:56 > 0:30:58to this rugged landscape.
0:30:59 > 0:31:03And during the autumn rut, they put on an incredible show.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40These three males are fighting over a female.
0:31:44 > 0:31:46But with little success.
0:31:55 > 0:31:57Many people come to Wales to walk and climb
0:31:57 > 0:32:00the mountains and hills of Snowdonia.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02Indeed, on a beautiful sunny day,
0:32:02 > 0:32:05the coast and estuaries are particularly striking.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11Shortly, I'll be learning about shags and Atlantic grey seals.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17But for now, I head for a piece of iconic landscape.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24On a rocky outcrop overlooking the big expanse of sand and mudflats
0:32:24 > 0:32:28stands the unique village of Portmeirion.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32Built by the architect, Clough Williams-Ellis
0:32:32 > 0:32:36and made famous in the 1960s' TV series, The Prisoner.
0:32:36 > 0:32:41But during the past few years, the dramatic views that you see here
0:32:41 > 0:32:43are not restricted to beautiful landscape.
0:32:43 > 0:32:47It's also a place where you'll see some spectacular wildlife.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51See the tower there, the tall tower?
0:32:51 > 0:32:57The stone that built that was taken from an old 12th-Century castle
0:32:57 > 0:32:59situated up on the hill in front of me.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03You can see why they built the castle and the village here.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07It looks out over the Dwyryd Estuary. What an amazing view.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09And I like estuaries.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12I hear the term 'big sky' and I always think of estuaries.
0:33:12 > 0:33:16Look at that. Very little land and a lot of sky.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18Blue sky here now.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22The estuary is shallow, even when the tide is all the way in.
0:33:22 > 0:33:24That encourages a lot of fish.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26Flat fish and particularly mullet.
0:33:26 > 0:33:31Those are the favourite food of Wales's rarest breeding bird.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36It's an osprey - a bird of prey that eats fish.
0:33:40 > 0:33:44Grey mullet often come close inshore, particularly at summer.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47They swim in very shallow water.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52They feed by shovelling mouthfuls of mud
0:33:52 > 0:33:55and swallowing just about anything that's edible.
0:33:58 > 0:34:02They also spawn inshore. During the summer, they're seen in big numbers.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08Fishermen find them hard to catch
0:34:08 > 0:34:11because hooks don't attach readily on their soft lips.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15But that's no problem for the master fisherman.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20It doesn't need a rod, it has claws.
0:34:26 > 0:34:30In flight, an osprey looks like no other British bird of prey.
0:34:33 > 0:34:35It's unmistakable.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38It's white and has big, floppy wings.
0:34:41 > 0:34:45Ospreys bred for the first time in Wales during 2004.
0:34:45 > 0:34:49And a pair has returned to the same nesting site a few miles from here
0:34:49 > 0:34:52every year since then.
0:34:58 > 0:35:00They are migratory birds
0:35:00 > 0:35:03and fly here all the way from Africa every spring to breed
0:35:03 > 0:35:05and return in early autumn.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12This particular osprey has chosen the Dwyryd Estuary
0:35:12 > 0:35:14as one of its main feeding sites
0:35:14 > 0:35:17and during the summer, can be regularly seen here.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22But it doesn't always catch its prey.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29It will have several attempts before it's successful.
0:35:32 > 0:35:36In deep water, they often go over their heads.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39Because they are big birds, they can struggle to take off again.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51In shallow water, they use a different technique
0:35:51 > 0:35:53and try to grab the fish at the surface.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08Eventually, this one succeeds.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13Once it has a fish in the safety of its talons,
0:36:13 > 0:36:16it turns it so that the head is pointing forward
0:36:16 > 0:36:18to minimise wind resistance.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28Most of the people on the shore at Portmeirion
0:36:28 > 0:36:31are completely unaware of the amazing spectacle
0:36:31 > 0:36:33taking place out on the estuary.
0:36:35 > 0:36:39Always keep your eyes open. You don't know what you may be missing.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53Not far from Portmeirion, another special bird can be seen.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57This one only comes to Wales during the winter.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01These are whooper swans.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04They're grazing on a field in the Glaslyn Valley.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11Like the osprey, they're migratory birds.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14But these come here from the far north.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17They're visitors from Iceland.
0:37:19 > 0:37:21You've got to be so careful with whooper swans.
0:37:21 > 0:37:25They're really nervous, very jumpy birds.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28Their necks and heads are up straightaway.
0:37:28 > 0:37:32I'm not within 300-400 metres of them yet.
0:37:32 > 0:37:37These whooper swans have chosen this big field carefully.
0:37:37 > 0:37:39Here, they can see a long way.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44If there's a threat, whether it's a human, like me,
0:37:44 > 0:37:48or a predator, like a fox, they'll see it a long distance away,
0:37:48 > 0:37:51giving them plenty of time to take evasive action.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55Even when they're busy eating,
0:37:55 > 0:37:59there's always one or two with their heads up, keeping watch.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03I think there are about 60-odd whooper swans in this flock.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05It's the biggest one in Wales.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09If you look carefully, you'll see that most of them are pure white.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13Those are the adults, with a big wedge of yellow on their beak.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17But every now and again, you see one with a colourless beak
0:38:17 > 0:38:20and quite a grey colour all over its body.
0:38:20 > 0:38:22Those are the youngsters.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26Unlike many migrants, like, say, the swallow, for example,
0:38:26 > 0:38:30where once the young have left the nest,
0:38:30 > 0:38:33they abandon them and make their own way down to Africa.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35Adult whoopers are fantastic.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37They breed up in Iceland
0:38:37 > 0:38:41and bring the youngsters all the way down here to their wintering ground.
0:38:41 > 0:38:46So they teach them the best areas to stop off, the best areas to feed.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49They show them exactly where they have to come for the winter.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51They're really good parents.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55Whooper swans are very different to the mute swan
0:38:55 > 0:38:57that you see all-year-round in Britain
0:38:57 > 0:38:59on canals, lakes and rivers.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03A few mute swans have mixed in with these whoopers.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07They have orange and black bills.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09Whooper swans have bright yellow ones.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13You frequently see them grazing together.
0:39:14 > 0:39:18The mute swans benefit because the whooper swans are so observant.
0:39:20 > 0:39:24They both eat grass. That's the great attraction here.
0:39:24 > 0:39:26Not only can they see all around them,
0:39:26 > 0:39:30but feeding is also good, thanks to a very tolerant farmer.
0:39:33 > 0:39:35This group of whooper swans
0:39:35 > 0:39:40has been coming to the same fields on the same farm for decades.
0:39:40 > 0:39:42They arrive here during October
0:39:42 > 0:39:46and leave during April to return to Iceland to breed.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49What's terrific about these birds
0:39:49 > 0:39:53is that they can be viewed from the roadside near Portmeirion.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58I can't imagine there are many other places in Britain
0:39:58 > 0:40:00where you can view such a stunning bird
0:40:00 > 0:40:03in such a magnificent landscape.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12The royal borough of Caernarfon
0:40:12 > 0:40:15and its famous castle, built by Edward I.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20But a part of Caernarfon that's usually overlooked by visitors
0:40:20 > 0:40:23is the bay just outside the town.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28It's called Y Foryd, the Welsh word for an estuary.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34Like Traeth Lafan, the best time to visit here is the winter.
0:40:34 > 0:40:38It's then you'll see visiting waders and wildfowl in their thousands.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48But surprisingly, one of the main attractions here
0:40:48 > 0:40:53is a rather ordinary bird exhibiting extraordinary behaviour.
0:40:53 > 0:40:55Crows are intelligent birds.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59There are three or four here, trying to open cockles and mussels.
0:40:59 > 0:41:04But their beaks are not adapted for battering shells.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07So what they do, they pick them up, fly into the air
0:41:07 > 0:41:09and drop them on the rocks.
0:41:09 > 0:41:13If it doesn't open the first time, they'll repeat the process again.
0:41:13 > 0:41:17And what I find fascinating is that this isn't instinctive.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19This is learnt behaviour,
0:41:19 > 0:41:22which means that initially, there was just one bird doing it.
0:41:22 > 0:41:26All the others have learnt from that individual.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28That's a sign of intelligence.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44They're incredibly patient.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51Picking the shell up is obviously tricky.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21But in the end, it's clearly worth it.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24A small morsel of mussel can be enjoyed.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34When the tide is right and the mudflats are exposed,
0:42:34 > 0:42:36you'll see a far less common bird on the Foryd -
0:42:36 > 0:42:39one that's come a long way to be in Caernarfon.
0:42:41 > 0:42:45These are brent geese, pale-bellied brent geese.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48They've bred in Arctic Canada.
0:42:48 > 0:42:53About 210 birds have made it all the way down here to Foryd Bay.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56They've been waiting for the tide to go out
0:42:56 > 0:43:01because it's exposed a bank of seaweed here. They'll feed there.
0:43:01 > 0:43:06But they won't feed on the thick, leathery, brown seaweed.
0:43:06 > 0:43:08What they're after is the green,
0:43:08 > 0:43:11succulent, palatable seaweed, like sea lettuce.
0:43:11 > 0:43:15They absolutely love it. They're tucking into that right now.
0:43:16 > 0:43:19Brent geese arrive on the Welsh coast in early October
0:43:19 > 0:43:21to spend the winter feeding on our shores.
0:43:24 > 0:43:28During April, they'll begin their truly mammoth journey.
0:43:30 > 0:43:32They'll first head off to Iceland,
0:43:32 > 0:43:36and stop there to fatten up, ready for the next leg of their voyage.
0:43:36 > 0:43:39After increasing their bodyweight by forty percent,
0:43:39 > 0:43:43they'll then travel a further 2,000 miles north over Greenland
0:43:43 > 0:43:47to reach their breeding grounds on the Canadian Arctic tundra.
0:43:48 > 0:43:51No other goose breeds further north than the brent goose.
0:43:52 > 0:43:55Conveniently, they're in Caernarfon during the winter,
0:43:55 > 0:43:59so you don't have to go on an arctic expedition to see them.
0:44:10 > 0:44:12To the south west of Caernarfon,
0:44:12 > 0:44:15you quickly reach the north coast of the Lleyn Peninsula.
0:44:16 > 0:44:21It's a beautiful stretch of coastline facing Caernarfon Bay.
0:44:22 > 0:44:26There's something special about the area around the village of Trefor.
0:44:28 > 0:44:30It may have its own microclimate,
0:44:30 > 0:44:33or perhaps the conditions in the surrounding sea are unusual.
0:44:33 > 0:44:37Whatever it is, something here affects the breeding behaviour
0:44:37 > 0:44:39of one species of seabird.
0:44:45 > 0:44:48We're really lucky in Wales
0:44:48 > 0:44:51because we've got this incredible coastline.
0:44:51 > 0:44:54A rocky coast like this is a fantastic place for birds.
0:44:54 > 0:44:59You've got gulls dotted everywhere, some out on the sea as well.
0:44:59 > 0:45:04You've also got shags nesting on this cliff facing me, over there.
0:45:04 > 0:45:07And shags are like small cormorants, really.
0:45:07 > 0:45:10Usually you see them and think it's a black bird.
0:45:10 > 0:45:14But close up like this with the sun on them, they are stunning.
0:45:14 > 0:45:17They're kind of a bronzy-green colour
0:45:17 > 0:45:21with this amazing green eye. A bit of yellow on the beak, as well.
0:45:21 > 0:45:24There are three or four colonies around the bay here
0:45:24 > 0:45:26that are pretty much unique in Wales
0:45:26 > 0:45:30because they nest a month earlier than other shags do.
0:45:30 > 0:45:34Nobody really knows why. Nobody's looked into it.
0:45:34 > 0:45:36But it's got to be connected to food.
0:45:36 > 0:45:41So there must be an influx of fish out there early in the year
0:45:41 > 0:45:46which allows them to nest earlier than the other birds in Wales.
0:45:46 > 0:45:49It's a great place to come. You can sit down not far away
0:45:49 > 0:45:52and you can watch them. It's brilliant.
0:45:57 > 0:46:00Cliff nesting has its obvious hazards.
0:46:02 > 0:46:06It's important to build on a safe ledge away from the waves.
0:46:08 > 0:46:11It's what the experienced birds do.
0:46:11 > 0:46:14Some of the nests have been here and reused for decades.
0:46:17 > 0:46:19They use all sorts of material.
0:46:23 > 0:46:25Most of these birds are sitting on eggs,
0:46:25 > 0:46:27but some are still courting.
0:46:28 > 0:46:31This is a young, inexperienced pair.
0:46:31 > 0:46:35The male raised his prominent crest and offers nesting material.
0:46:36 > 0:46:39The female is not particularly impressed.
0:46:41 > 0:46:43Though breeding is clearly not a problem,
0:46:43 > 0:46:46finding nesting space will be more difficult.
0:46:46 > 0:46:48The spot they have chosen will not be suitable
0:46:48 > 0:46:51and they'll probably fail to raise young.
0:46:55 > 0:46:58As you would expect, for birds that predominantly feed on fish,
0:46:58 > 0:47:00they are great swimmers.
0:47:03 > 0:47:06It's a fairly sheltered part of the Welsh coast
0:47:06 > 0:47:09and the sea isn't churned up by big sea movements.
0:47:10 > 0:47:14As a result, you have great views of the shags swimming underwater.
0:47:16 > 0:47:21They can dive up to 45-metres deep to find prey on the sea bottom.
0:47:21 > 0:47:24But this one is collecting seaweed for its nest.
0:47:47 > 0:47:51Towering above the village of Trefor and its shags lies Yr Eifl.
0:47:52 > 0:47:54At around 1800 feet,
0:47:54 > 0:47:57it's the highest mountain in this part of north west Wales
0:47:57 > 0:48:00and marks the beginning of the Lleyn Peninsula.
0:48:02 > 0:48:06On a hill beside it lies the Iron Age hill fort of Tre'r Ceiri.
0:48:06 > 0:48:09A fabulous site with a magnificent view.
0:48:09 > 0:48:12It's one of the most well-preserved remains
0:48:12 > 0:48:14of this type of fort in Britain.
0:48:22 > 0:48:25Most of the peninsula is flat farmland.
0:48:25 > 0:48:29Generally, people visit here for the large, unspoilt beaches.
0:48:34 > 0:48:37One of the tourist destinations on the peninsula is Pwllheli.
0:48:37 > 0:48:41And in the least obvious location, by the side of the main road,
0:48:41 > 0:48:45you'll witness a fantastic spectacle between February and June.
0:48:52 > 0:48:56It's really unusual to be eye-level with nesting herons like this.
0:48:56 > 0:48:59Usually, they nest right at the tops of the highest trees.
0:48:59 > 0:49:02But here, they're low down in willows.
0:49:02 > 0:49:06And I like herons. They're kind of primordial birds.
0:49:06 > 0:49:11They look as if they belong 1,000-2,000 years ago, not now.
0:49:11 > 0:49:14They've got this prehistoric look about them.
0:49:14 > 0:49:18Here, you have glam and punk together in one nest.
0:49:21 > 0:49:24The adults with their magnificent head feathers,
0:49:24 > 0:49:28the chicks with their ruffled Mohawk hairdos.
0:49:30 > 0:49:34But why do the adults need to look so exotic?
0:49:34 > 0:49:36It must be related to courtship.
0:49:38 > 0:49:41They only look like this during breeding season.
0:49:41 > 0:49:45It's clear that pair bonding plays an important part in their lives.
0:49:46 > 0:49:49Every time one of them returns to the nest,
0:49:49 > 0:49:51they go through a greeting ritual.
0:49:56 > 0:50:01They have one of the longest breeding periods of any Welsh bird.
0:50:04 > 0:50:07It will last four months.
0:50:08 > 0:50:12The chicks will need to be fed in the nest for two months.
0:50:12 > 0:50:16This is precisely why they start nesting in early March.
0:50:16 > 0:50:19It's all timed so that plenty of food is available
0:50:19 > 0:50:23when the chicks need it most, during April, May and June.
0:50:25 > 0:50:28Although the adults mainly eat fish,
0:50:28 > 0:50:31during the spring, they'll eat anything.
0:50:31 > 0:50:35Frogs are easy targets and abundant during that crucial period.
0:50:42 > 0:50:46At the tip of the Lleyn Peninsula lies Bardsey Island.
0:50:46 > 0:50:51For me, this is the most important part in terms of wildlife.
0:50:51 > 0:50:54Colin Evans runs a ferry service to Bardsey from the mainland,
0:50:54 > 0:50:57which operates only on a calm day.
0:50:57 > 0:50:59It's a treacherous crossing.
0:51:00 > 0:51:03It's a lovely coastline.
0:51:03 > 0:51:07The rock formation, some of the inlets in the bays.
0:51:07 > 0:51:09- It's an incredible place. - Absolutely.
0:51:09 > 0:51:13Especially as there are some of the oldest rocks in Europe here.
0:51:13 > 0:51:16They say that about 9,000 years ago,
0:51:16 > 0:51:18Bardsey Sound, which we're about to cross
0:51:18 > 0:51:22and has got 150 feet of water in it, was a dry valley.
0:51:22 > 0:51:26The earliest indications of human life that we've got on Bardsey
0:51:26 > 0:51:30are early Neolithic, about 7,000-9,000 years ago.
0:51:30 > 0:51:33From the density of things they've found,
0:51:33 > 0:51:36they could have been nomadic people who came back year after year,
0:51:36 > 0:51:39which wouldn't have been easy with a sea crossing.
0:51:39 > 0:51:41- No. They would have walked. - I'm sure they would.
0:51:41 > 0:51:43- That's incredible, isn't it? - It is.
0:51:43 > 0:51:46And now, the tidal race here,
0:51:46 > 0:51:50you can't even cross for most of the day, can you?
0:51:50 > 0:51:54Not for a lot of the day, depending on the size of the tide.
0:51:54 > 0:51:56But they used to row and sail
0:51:56 > 0:51:59when men were men and a bit tougher than we are now.
0:51:59 > 0:52:03I wouldn't fancy rowing that. I really wouldn't fancy it.
0:52:03 > 0:52:05You'd get used to it, like anything else.
0:52:05 > 0:52:10Bear in mind, when it was regularly rowed by the island's inhabitants,
0:52:10 > 0:52:13the island was at its heyday.
0:52:13 > 0:52:17- It was a massive site for pilgrims, wasn't it?- Yes.
0:52:17 > 0:52:20They say three pilgrimages to Bardsey were equal to one to Rome.
0:52:21 > 0:52:23So that gives you an idea of its importance.
0:52:24 > 0:52:29This is a good spot for seals, just as we come in the bay.
0:52:29 > 0:52:34This is one of the main bays on the island. It's called Yr Honllwyn.
0:52:34 > 0:52:36- There's some hauled up here. - Yeah.
0:52:39 > 0:52:42These are Atlantic grey seals.
0:52:43 > 0:52:46You can see them all year round on Bardsey,
0:52:46 > 0:52:48as you can along the whole Welsh coast.
0:52:52 > 0:52:54This pile of rocks near the small harbour
0:52:54 > 0:52:56is a favourite spot for them.
0:52:58 > 0:53:01At low tide, they haul themselves out onto the rocks
0:53:01 > 0:53:03to sunbathe and rest.
0:53:05 > 0:53:09In most places, seals usually scatter back into the water
0:53:09 > 0:53:12if people get too close, and you have to be aware of this.
0:53:15 > 0:53:18Although they're big and can protect themselves by biting,
0:53:18 > 0:53:21they're very sensitive and can easily be upset.
0:53:23 > 0:53:27The big seal in the centre that's pestering everyone is a bull.
0:53:27 > 0:53:31He has a bigger head than the female and a very prominent nose.
0:53:38 > 0:53:42A century ago, 100 people lived on Bardsey.
0:53:44 > 0:53:47It was a thriving self-sufficient farming community.
0:53:48 > 0:53:51Today, that number is down to eight people.
0:53:53 > 0:53:56It's a quiet, remote and tranquil location.
0:53:56 > 0:53:58A wonderful place.
0:54:01 > 0:54:04I do love offshore islands.
0:54:04 > 0:54:06They're just... I don't know.
0:54:06 > 0:54:11It's somewhere you can come and find a bit of peace, I always think.
0:54:11 > 0:54:13Just you and nature.
0:54:13 > 0:54:16They're great places.
0:54:16 > 0:54:18There's a hive of activity here - a lot of birds,
0:54:18 > 0:54:22a lot of seals off shore, porpoises and dolphins.
0:54:22 > 0:54:24Bardsey is a terrific place.
0:54:24 > 0:54:28What's interesting as well with Bardsey, see all these holes?
0:54:28 > 0:54:34Well, Bardsey's main attraction, in a way, isn't active by day.
0:54:34 > 0:54:36They come out at night.
0:54:36 > 0:54:39Underneath me at the moment, in these holes,
0:54:39 > 0:54:44there are 17,000 pairs of Manx shearwaters -
0:54:44 > 0:54:47Wales's most important bird.
0:54:47 > 0:54:50You can stay on Bardsey overnight.
0:54:50 > 0:54:53That's very important for anyone interested in wildlife,
0:54:53 > 0:54:57as it's at night, during the hours of darkness in the summer months,
0:54:57 > 0:54:59that the island comes to life.
0:54:59 > 0:55:01BIRDSONG
0:55:01 > 0:55:04The first thing you notice at night is the noise.
0:55:06 > 0:55:08It's quite haunting.
0:55:10 > 0:55:13And the sounds are made by thousands of Manx shearwaters
0:55:13 > 0:55:15as they come out of their burrows.
0:55:18 > 0:55:21These have been filmed with a night-vision camera.
0:55:23 > 0:55:27Although they're great flyers, they're clumsy on land
0:55:27 > 0:55:29and can hardly move on their feet.
0:55:30 > 0:55:34That's one of the principle reasons why they stay in the burrows by day.
0:55:35 > 0:55:38Out in the open, they'd be easily picked off
0:55:38 > 0:55:40an eaten by marauding gulls.
0:55:41 > 0:55:44Shearwaters spend most of the year out at sea.
0:55:46 > 0:55:49They fly here from the South Atlantic every year.
0:55:49 > 0:55:52From the Argentinean Coast, past Uruguay,
0:55:52 > 0:55:56across to West Africa, arriving here on Bardsey in March.
0:55:58 > 0:56:02Each pair will produce a single egg, rear their chick
0:56:02 > 0:56:06and return late summer back to the South Atlantic.
0:56:06 > 0:56:10An incredible round trip covering thousands of miles.
0:56:13 > 0:56:16One bird ringed on Bardsey 53 years ago
0:56:16 > 0:56:18still returns to the island each summer.
0:56:18 > 0:56:20She's estimated to have travelled
0:56:20 > 0:56:24more than four-million miles in her lifetime.
0:56:28 > 0:56:32They say that 20,000 saints have been buried on Bardsey.
0:56:35 > 0:56:40If it's true, then I can't think of a better place of rest.
0:56:46 > 0:56:49I've lived in Wales all my life.
0:56:49 > 0:56:52Through my work with wildlife, I've been lucky enough
0:56:52 > 0:56:55to have visited every part of the country
0:56:55 > 0:56:58and seen pretty much everything there is to see.
0:57:09 > 0:57:13But for me, what makes Wales unique
0:57:13 > 0:57:18is that it's small enough to get to know it intimately,
0:57:18 > 0:57:24yet big enough to always have a few surprises in store.
0:57:51 > 0:57:53Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:57:53 > 0:57:55E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk