0:00:05 > 0:00:08Springtime, when the days lengthen,
0:00:08 > 0:00:10and signs of change are everywhere.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12LAMBS BLEAT
0:00:12 > 0:00:14There's not a corner of the British Isles
0:00:14 > 0:00:17that doesn't warm to the arrival of spring.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21It's our most extraordinary season for one big reason.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25It's a time of astonishing growth and regeneration.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27From pond life to bird life,
0:00:27 > 0:00:29from the scent of fresh blossom,
0:00:29 > 0:00:34to our smallest mammals reawakening after months of hibernation.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39We'll be bringing you the most remarkable stories
0:00:39 > 0:00:41of this wonderful time of year.
0:00:41 > 0:00:46Tales of survival, endurance and occasional indulgence.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49And this is the finale, it's the last day that we'll be
0:00:49 > 0:00:55unveiling the secrets of spring, here on Countryfile Diaries.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10We've been here all week in the New Forest in Hampshire.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14It's one of 14 National Parks in England, Scotland and Wales.
0:01:14 > 0:01:19And, every year, it attracts 13 million visits from people
0:01:19 > 0:01:23who want to experience its outstanding beauty and diversity.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27Where better place for us to witness the wonders of spring?
0:01:31 > 0:01:34From the carpet of bluebells in this ancient woodland,
0:01:34 > 0:01:38to the 6,000 animals roaming the heathland with their new arrivals.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40But as summer approaches,
0:01:40 > 0:01:45the symphony of spring is reaching its crescendo.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48The team will be filing their final report,
0:01:48 > 0:01:51as spring sweeps across the British Isles.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58Nearly seven million sea birds breed here in the UK every year.
0:01:58 > 0:02:03But how do they know whose egg is whose? Margherita is on the case.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05Each one is unique to the female.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08So, it's a fingerprint on the egg that they recognise?
0:02:08 > 0:02:10That's a perfect description, yeah.
0:02:10 > 0:02:15Jules is trying his hand at cattle driving, western style.
0:02:15 > 0:02:20- No lasso though?- No.- Is there a limit to the western thing?
0:02:20 > 0:02:23There is so far. I'm working on it.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26And Paul discovers some unexpected residents
0:02:26 > 0:02:28on his Wiltshire smallholding.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30Listen to him! This is it!
0:02:30 > 0:02:33- He's gone right up to the camera! - Yeah.- That is brilliant.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39But first, if you're unlucky enough to see spring
0:02:39 > 0:02:42as the start of the sneezing season, you're not alone.
0:02:42 > 0:02:47Around 18 million of us in the UK suffer from some kind of hay fever.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51And Keeley's been finding out why hay fever is increasingly
0:02:51 > 0:02:53getting up the nation's nose,
0:02:53 > 0:02:57and what's being done to try and ease people's suffering.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03It's estimated that a staggering one in four people in the UK
0:03:03 > 0:03:07suffer from hay fever - sniffs, sneezes and itchy eyes.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09It can be months of misery.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12While many of us think of it as a summer problem,
0:03:12 > 0:03:15the allergy season's actually a lot longer than you think.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17Hay fever kicks off in spring.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21These seasonal sniffles are caused by tree pollen,
0:03:21 > 0:03:24rather than grass pollen which comes out in summer.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27When spring arrives, the tree pollen is released into the air
0:03:27 > 0:03:29and it's these airborne pollen grains
0:03:29 > 0:03:32that get caught in our nose and eyes.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35That's bad news for hay fever sufferers like Ruth Holroyd.
0:03:35 > 0:03:41Although she loves this time of year in her garden, it comes at a price.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43Would you say it has a big effect on your life?
0:03:43 > 0:03:47Mm, yeah, it does. My eyes just drip all the time and stream,
0:03:47 > 0:03:51and you can't see sometimes. It starts to blur my vision.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53Where things touch my skin, I'll get a rash
0:03:53 > 0:03:56and start itching it, you can't help it, can you?
0:03:56 > 0:03:58I have to go in, strip off, shower,
0:03:58 > 0:04:01and get all the pollen off me, off my hair.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04You can't live a life and stay indoors,
0:04:04 > 0:04:09and stay away from hay fever. You have to go out and live your life.
0:04:09 > 0:04:10Ruth's not alone.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13The charity Allergy UK says the number of sufferers
0:04:13 > 0:04:15has doubled in the last 30 years.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17But what I want to know is why?
0:04:18 > 0:04:23It's a question that's at the forefront of many scientific minds.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27One theory is with the expansion of green spaces in urban areas,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30there's a push for plants that are pollen-producing problems.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Here, in Worcester, they've pledged to make the city greener.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36Over the last few months, they've planted 2,000 new trees
0:04:36 > 0:04:38in urban spaces just like this.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41That's great news for the city and for green spaces,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44but bad news if you suffer from allergies.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46That's because many of these new trees
0:04:46 > 0:04:48are preparing to pollinate in spring
0:04:48 > 0:04:52and this is one of the main culprits, the silver birch.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55Councils love the beautiful birch tree.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58They're quick-growing, compact and easy to maintain
0:04:58 > 0:05:01with bark that's conveniently resilient to traffic pollution.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03They also don't drop fruit on the ground,
0:05:03 > 0:05:05causing slip and trip hazards.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08The only problem is, birch is one of the most potent pollens.
0:05:08 > 0:05:13Affecting around four million of us, it's second only to grass.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15Beverley Adams-Groom is from
0:05:15 > 0:05:17the National Pollen Unit at Worcester University.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20She's studying how the birch catkins release pollen
0:05:20 > 0:05:21in relation to the weather.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23- Hello, there, Bev!- Hi.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26Why is it that birch trees are such a problem?
0:05:26 > 0:05:30A mature tree will produce millions of pollen grains.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33These millions of tiny, light pollen grains can become
0:05:33 > 0:05:37readily airborne, easily dispersed, get up people's noses very easily.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39Not all trees are allergenic,
0:05:39 > 0:05:41but birch pollen is the worst in the United Kingdom.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44They don't seem to be producing very much today.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46- It's probably too cold for them? - It's too cold today.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50I've put these in a warm environment where they will release pollen.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52So, these yellow bits here, they're the pollen,
0:05:52 > 0:05:55- that's what people are allergic to? - That's right, yes.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58So, you can see just one catkin produces
0:05:58 > 0:06:02millions of these microscopic pollen grains.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05If you think about how many catkins are on a tree like this
0:06:05 > 0:06:07and they're all producing this pollen, you can just see
0:06:07 > 0:06:09why people are allergic to it,
0:06:09 > 0:06:12- what a problem it can be. - Yes. Absolutely.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14And why is it such a problem in urban areas?
0:06:14 > 0:06:16If you've got a lot of high buildings,
0:06:16 > 0:06:19they can trap the pollen within,
0:06:19 > 0:06:23rather than becoming absorbed into the soil, or getting away.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26Beverley is hoping her research will help predict
0:06:26 > 0:06:29exactly when the birch catkin pollen is at its peak.
0:06:29 > 0:06:30Eventually, we want to produce
0:06:30 > 0:06:33really good quality pollen forecast models,
0:06:33 > 0:06:37so we can learn much more about the severity of the season.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40At the moment, the models are fairly basic.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43When I give the weather forecast and I'm giving the pollen count,
0:06:43 > 0:06:45I tend to give it when it's really high,
0:06:45 > 0:06:48but I wouldn't mention the exact kind of pollen.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50That would be really useful, I think, for people?
0:06:50 > 0:06:52Very useful, yes, very useful indeed.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55For many people, hay fever is the worst thing about spring.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58But for some businesses, it can mean big bucks.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02Whatever the cause, most people end up in the medicine aisle
0:07:02 > 0:07:03at the local supermarket or chemist.
0:07:03 > 0:07:09The hay fever remedy market is worth an astounding £117 million.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13For most, these tablets, balms and sprays are the only weapon
0:07:13 > 0:07:17in the battle against seasonal sneezes. Or are they?
0:07:18 > 0:07:20Perhaps there's another more natural way
0:07:20 > 0:07:23we can ease the springtime suffering at home.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Sheena Hume is a specialist allergy nurse,
0:07:26 > 0:07:28with more than 20 years' experience.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32She thinks she might be able to help Ruth with her pollen predicament.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44Why have you chosen this variety?
0:07:44 > 0:07:49I've chosen these because they're all considered to be low in pollen.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52You've got lots of flowers in here, a bit of a surprise, isn't it?
0:07:52 > 0:07:55This one, can you see it has trumpet-shaped flowers?
0:07:55 > 0:07:58So, the bees have actually got to go looking for the pollen.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01It's not in the air, like it would be with birch pollen.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04Does that mean the pollen is less likely to affect me
0:08:04 > 0:08:05and it's more hard to get out?
0:08:05 > 0:08:08There's still pollen in there. The pollen is considered to be
0:08:08 > 0:08:12more sticky and heavy, so it's less likely to become airborne.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15Anything that attracts bees is also good for pollen sufferers.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17So, I'd just have a little strap line that is,
0:08:17 > 0:08:20"Bees without the wheeze and sneeze!"
0:08:25 > 0:08:29One of Sheena's other top tips is to mow your lawn regularly
0:08:29 > 0:08:30to keep it short.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33Despite producing pollen in summer, it can be beneficial.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39The pollen that lands on the grass will be absorbed as nature intended.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43Whereas, if you've got lots of hard landscaping,
0:08:43 > 0:08:45it just stays around and blows around.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52I am quite excited about planting some different things and maybe
0:08:52 > 0:08:56not having so many allergic reactions when I'm doing it.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05So, how has the new pollen-free garden
0:09:05 > 0:09:09affected Ruth compared to her usual spring suffering?
0:09:09 > 0:09:13I wrote a poem, weirdly, which is called In March It Starts.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15"The sniffs and smarts, my eyes are streaming,
0:09:15 > 0:09:18"and I'm dreaming of winter and Arctic winds."
0:09:18 > 0:09:21And I can't remember any more of the poem, but I need to rewrite it now!
0:09:21 > 0:09:24Having spoken to Sheena
0:09:24 > 0:09:27and realising that there are so many things I can do
0:09:27 > 0:09:31that don't involve staying indoors and missing out on everything.
0:09:31 > 0:09:36So, yeah, it's not all doom and gloom, and pollen and sneezing.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38So, yeah.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42By making a few simple changes in our own gardens, hopefully,
0:09:42 > 0:09:45we can all manage the misery a little bit better
0:09:45 > 0:09:47when the hay fever blues arrive.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54Now, spring triggers a mammoth migration to our shores.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58Almost seven million sea birds breed in the UK each year.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02Margherita is in East Yorkshire to find out
0:10:02 > 0:10:05why the coastline there is such a draw for them.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12The white chalk cliffs of Flamborough Head
0:10:12 > 0:10:15are a visual treat as far as the eye can see.
0:10:15 > 0:10:20What makes this dramatic coastline extra special are the birds.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22BIRDS CRY
0:10:23 > 0:10:26No surprises, then, that this place, Bempton Cliffs Reserve,
0:10:26 > 0:10:30has been nicknamed Sea Bird City. And you can see why.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33It's the UK largest mainland sea bird colony and, every year,
0:10:33 > 0:10:38in the spring, a quarter of a million birds come here to breed.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42Species from guillemots to gannets, razorbills to puffins.
0:10:44 > 0:10:49In fact, nearly all of Britain's cliff-nesting sea birds come here.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52I'm meeting reserve manager Keith Clarkson...
0:10:52 > 0:10:53Lovely to see you, Margherita.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57..to see how numbers are faring now the birds have returned in spring.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01Keith, this is just magnificent,
0:11:01 > 0:11:03seeing all these sea birds in one place.
0:11:03 > 0:11:04Are the numbers up this spring?
0:11:04 > 0:11:08The numbers seem to be going up on many of the birds nesting here.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10We've got huge numbers of kittiwakes
0:11:10 > 0:11:13and the noise behind us is just, "Kittiwake, kittiwake, kittiwake!"
0:11:13 > 0:11:17They're filling the air with the sound of their name, kittiwake.
0:11:17 > 0:11:18KITTIWAKES CRY
0:11:20 > 0:11:22We've got small numbers of guillemots and razorbills,
0:11:22 > 0:11:24and we've got tucked in nooks and crannies
0:11:24 > 0:11:28a few fulmars, and the herring gulls right on the top of the cliffs.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31So, why do so many come back to this section of coastline?
0:11:31 > 0:11:34These 300-foot cliffs have all these horizontal layers
0:11:34 > 0:11:37and it creates perfect little nesting ledges for these birds
0:11:37 > 0:11:40which are totally inaccessible to all the mammals
0:11:40 > 0:11:44that would otherwise eat them - weasels, stoats, foxes, rats.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46It makes the perfect sea bird city.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49So, a nice property in a safe area to raise the family in!
0:11:49 > 0:11:53That's it! Desirable residences.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57But unless there's good quality food nearby, it would be hopeless.
0:11:57 > 0:12:02What these sea birds are looking for is sand eels, sprats and small fish.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Fortunately, the North Sea has a larder full
0:12:05 > 0:12:07for these birds to feast on.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09Whilst ever that situation remains,
0:12:09 > 0:12:12we can expect this colony to prosper.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17With all they need on their doorstep,
0:12:17 > 0:12:20the chalk cliffs are definitely hot property
0:12:20 > 0:12:23when it comes to our returning sea birds.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25But it's not just our feathered friends
0:12:25 > 0:12:28who have an important job to do this spring.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32Now they're back and nesting, it's the perfect time
0:12:32 > 0:12:35for Keith and his team to undertake a spring census.
0:12:35 > 0:12:40Today, it's all about the guillemots and the razorbills.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43They're expecting to see 40,000 pairs of guillemots
0:12:43 > 0:12:45on this spring survey.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48To count them all seems impossible, but they do,
0:12:48 > 0:12:52with the aid of photographs taken of the nest sites last year.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55Keith can track who's moved in and who's moved out
0:12:55 > 0:12:57of their cliffside abode.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59Each year, we can come back and we can see
0:12:59 > 0:13:02whether that bird on that nest territory is still there.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05And the birds come back to exactly the same spot?
0:13:05 > 0:13:07So, this is the same resident that's there now?
0:13:07 > 0:13:09It's almost certainly the same bird,
0:13:09 > 0:13:12because it's in exactly the same spot where it was last year
0:13:12 > 0:13:13and the year before.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15And we can follow them through
0:13:15 > 0:13:17to the point where they lay their first egg,
0:13:17 > 0:13:21and then the chick hatches and, at 18 days, 20 days after that,
0:13:21 > 0:13:24the chick jumps and leaves the cliffs.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27So, these razorbills seem to have quite a bit of space on the cliff.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29And here, we've got... It looks a bit busier here.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32- These are the guillemots? - That's it, Margherita.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35These are guillemots and they're all cramped together.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38- There can be 100 guillemots all on one ledge.- All laying one egg each?
0:13:38 > 0:13:40All laying one egg.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43There's no nest, they just lay directly onto the ledge.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45It's quite incredible.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48How do they know, when they've gone out to feed and come back,
0:13:48 > 0:13:52- that that's their egg?- Just by chance, I have a replica gannet egg!
0:13:52 > 0:13:55It's a completely white egg.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59- A guillemot egg, this is a typical guillemot egg.- Oh, wow.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01- This, again, a replica.- My goodness!
0:14:01 > 0:14:04But every guillemot egg is unique.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08So, some are blue, some are white, some are brownish.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10They've got these wonderful speckles and lines on them
0:14:10 > 0:14:12and each one is unique to the female.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15So, it's like a fingerprint on the egg that they recognise?
0:14:15 > 0:14:17That's a perfect description, yeah.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20And it means they absolutely can identify their own egg
0:14:20 > 0:14:22amongst all the others,
0:14:22 > 0:14:24and guard that egg and start incubating it again.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33For every new spring chick that hatches in a nest
0:14:33 > 0:14:37or out on one of these ledges, it's a real testament
0:14:37 > 0:14:41to the importance of Bempton Cliffs as a safe haven for our sea birds.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53Now, in the earlier part of the last century,
0:14:53 > 0:14:58almost a million working horses were used regularly on farms.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00Today, they're a much rarer sight.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03But if you go to Dartmoor in spring, you might be lucky enough
0:15:03 > 0:15:06to see horses being used in a very traditional way.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09Here's Jules.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17Well, today is the day of the annual cattle drive.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21It's a really important moment in the farming diary.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24Cattle that have spent the winter in sheds are now going to get moved
0:15:24 > 0:15:29to their spring grazing, some 800 feet up on the top of the Dartmoor.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32But to go where they're going, well, I'm going to have to swap
0:15:32 > 0:15:36my trusty 4x4 for something a little more sure-footed.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45Devon beef farmer Phil Heard is one of only a small number of farmers
0:15:45 > 0:15:49in Britain keeping the tradition of cattle driving by horseback alive.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54In late spring, Phil moves his herd of beef cattle
0:15:54 > 0:15:56onto the high hills of Dartmoor.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59Here they'll spend the summer months grazing across some
0:15:59 > 0:16:04300 miles of the moor, making good use of poorer moorland grass.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08Today, I'm joining him to move the first batch of cattle.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12- Morning, Jules.- How are you? Good to see you.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14Good to see you, so... Hello.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18We're hard at work getting ready for a big day in your year?
0:16:18 > 0:16:20Yeah, this is what we've been waiting for all winter.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24Spring growth, the cows are getting out doing what they do best,
0:16:24 > 0:16:25which is grazing on Dartmoor.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27Now, how many are we going to move out today?
0:16:27 > 0:16:30- Today we've got just under 50.- Yeah.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32It's mainly Angus crosses.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35They've been cooped up indoors for six, seven months.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38I'm sure they will be very happy to get outside.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Now, I'm an experienced rider,
0:16:40 > 0:16:44but I've never ridden cowboy-style in a deep saddle like this one.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46- No lasso, then?- No, no.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48THEY CHUCKLE
0:16:48 > 0:16:50There is a limit to the Western theme?
0:16:50 > 0:16:52There is, so far. I'm working on it.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54Any top tips then on riding Western?
0:16:54 > 0:16:55- There's only one rule.- Yeah.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57- Don't fall off.- Fine.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00Oh! Gosh.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03It does feel quite comfortable. Good boy.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07With my instructions to stay at the rear, it appears the cattle
0:17:07 > 0:17:11need no encouragement to leave the barn and head for the hills.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14You must be delighted to cut down on the feed bill by getting them
0:17:14 > 0:17:17- up on the moor. - It's been a long time coming.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21But it's not just a free meal the cows have up on Dartmoor.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23The variety of grasses adds flavour to their meat
0:17:23 > 0:17:26and helps shape the Dartmoor landscape.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30These cattle are quiet and hardy,
0:17:30 > 0:17:33well-suited for the tough conditions and the rough grazing.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38What is it they say about Dartmoor, Phil? Four seasons in a day?
0:17:38 > 0:17:42- It certainly is. - Sunshine and now some sleet.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46That's why I love living here.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48Look at that view.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50That is stunning.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52What is it about Dartmoor, do you think,
0:17:52 > 0:17:54that makes it do so well through the year,
0:17:54 > 0:17:57because it doesn't look like particularly rich grazing?
0:17:57 > 0:18:00You can't bring any animal and put it up here, it's not particularly rich grazing.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04They need to be sort of born here and raised here
0:18:04 > 0:18:06so they get immune to any of the ticks,
0:18:06 > 0:18:10or any other parasites that might be in this type of grass.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19For centuries, thousands of cattle have walked this ancient drovers' way,
0:18:19 > 0:18:22once a main route, running through Devon and Cornwall.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27So, this is it, Phil, the entrance to the moor proper.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30This is the gate onto the common.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34The grazing season starts on the 1st of May
0:18:34 > 0:18:36and Phil's herd are the first to hit the common.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40So, bringing them out of the farmyard is one thing, Phil,
0:18:40 > 0:18:42but how do you go about rounding them
0:18:42 > 0:18:47up with thousands of acres to choose from at the end of the summer?
0:18:47 > 0:18:49Yeah, we go on the horses again.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51We know where they're going to be. They usually stay in the same area.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55Come the end of the summer, they're usually keen to come down again.
0:18:55 > 0:18:56The grazing's deteriorated.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59Such a prehistoric landscape this is, isn't it?
0:18:59 > 0:19:01It hasn't changed for thousands of years, has it?
0:19:03 > 0:19:06We're nearing the end of our six-mile journey.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09We've just the rise up over the pass to go before we say
0:19:09 > 0:19:13- goodbye to the cattle.- Come back a bit, Mandi, back out a bit.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17If you come over between me and Mandi again, Jules.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24You know, Phil, when you get up here, you could be in the Midwest, couldn't you?
0:19:24 > 0:19:25You certainly could, yeah.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27You could be in Alberta, you could be in Montana.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30- You could be anywhere. - What a special place.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35And, at the top of the pass, it's time to leave the cattle...
0:19:35 > 0:19:37home on the range.
0:19:37 > 0:19:38We'll come up and check them tomorrow
0:19:38 > 0:19:41- and the next few days, just to make sure they settle down.- Yeah.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43I mean, it's particularly fresh today.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45- Are they going to get a bit of a shock?- Yeah.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48Coming out of the shed to the cold uplands.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50Yeah, they've been in a lovely, cosy, warm shed all winter.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53Now they've come up onto subarctic Dartmoor.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56It's the cattle that keep Dartmoor looking like it does.
0:19:56 > 0:19:57I think a job well done.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00- That deserves a trip to the saloon, doesn't it?- I think it does.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02- Are you buying?- Yeah. Come on, cowboy.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04Come on, boys. Come on, dogs.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06PHIL WHISTLES
0:20:14 > 0:20:17- KEELEY:- The New Forest National Park is one of the best
0:20:17 > 0:20:20places for witnessing wildlife in Britain.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23It's home to nearly 100 different species of bird and nearly
0:20:23 > 0:20:28half of them are ground-nesting, so I'd better watch out where I tread.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31Spring is the start of their breeding season,
0:20:31 > 0:20:34but being on the ground puts them in danger.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37I'm joining Andy Page from the Forestry Commission.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39It's his job to monitor ground-nesting birds.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42- Hi, there, Andy.- Hello.- Hello, how are you doing?- Pleased to meet you.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44What are you looking for at the moment?
0:20:44 > 0:20:46Well, this particular part of the forest is very
0:20:46 > 0:20:50good for a really special bird for the New Forest, the woodlark.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54It likes these very heavily grazed parts, so this is a perfect area.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58These are much more typical places for the woodlark to be nesting.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00You don't need a lot of cover.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03He wants to show me one of their nests.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05There's a little bit of cover, but not too much.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07That's too much in there.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10But these woodlarks are well camouflaged.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12- This is a typical spot, here.- OK. - Another one there.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14There are two or three places here.
0:21:14 > 0:21:15This is a really nice spot,
0:21:15 > 0:21:18but it will always be in this sparser vegetation.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23- So it could be in something as simple as this?- Yeah, have a look.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25Is it there?
0:21:26 > 0:21:29I'd like to say no, but I've not got a trained eye. You tell me.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31I'll have a look.
0:21:34 > 0:21:35Oh!
0:21:35 > 0:21:36Oh, yes.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40Oh, gosh. What am I looking at here, then?
0:21:40 > 0:21:42You're looking at three woodlark
0:21:42 > 0:21:44chicks, probably about ten days old.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47- I could easily have tripped over that.- You could.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51- They're just out to the elements, aren't they? Exposed?- Yeah.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57They're going to be very vulnerable in a space like that.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59Yes, but it's just the way this species has adapted to
0:21:59 > 0:22:01utilise this particular environment.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03But why, why would they want to be so exposed?
0:22:05 > 0:22:08Actually, they use their cryptic colouring of the plumage to
0:22:08 > 0:22:10give them that protection.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12So, the female will sit very, very tight.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15We could be stood here within a few feet of the female on the nest
0:22:15 > 0:22:16and she wouldn't come off.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19- She would be very well camouflaged. - Very well camouflaged, yes.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21I'm going to be really careful about...
0:22:21 > 0:22:23Very paranoid about where I'm standing.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26That's not a bad way to look at this.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29If you keep on the really short and well-worn tracks, you're fine.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31If you stray off into the vegetation,
0:22:31 > 0:22:33- even the bracken areas, you could easily tread on them.- Yes.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37And your dogs, with their much more, their sense of smell
0:22:37 > 0:22:41so heightened that they can detect these birds even though they've got a much reduced,
0:22:41 > 0:22:44giving off a much reduced scent because they're incubating eggs.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47- That's why you want people to keep them on a lead.- It is, yes.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52All this week we've been following Paul Martin
0:22:52 > 0:22:55on his Wiltshire smallholding and he's been giving us
0:22:55 > 0:22:57an insight into living the country life.
0:22:57 > 0:23:02Today, it's the culmination of Paul's springtime to-do list.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11My ambitious plan is to turn our country abode
0:23:11 > 0:23:14into a self-sufficient smallholding.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18We're transforming this place into a wildlife haven that will
0:23:18 > 0:23:21fill our larders and put produce on our plates.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Over the course of this spring,
0:23:27 > 0:23:30to investigate exactly what wildlife visits our land,
0:23:30 > 0:23:33we've peppered the gardens,
0:23:33 > 0:23:36the paddocks and even the pond with camera traps.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39Time to see what they captured.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46- Are you ready for this, Dylan?- Yes.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48This is pond cam, here we go.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50I've not seen any of this, either.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54- Look, there.- Oh, my goodness! Wow.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57I'm so chuffed.
0:23:57 > 0:23:58That is incredible.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03- Look at the newt, look at the newt. - We're so lucky.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07Yeah, this is our dirty, mucky pond.
0:24:07 > 0:24:08Look, look, look.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11- There's another one.- Wow!
0:24:11 > 0:24:13It's swimming up to see his friend.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17- It's coming up. - Isn't that brilliant.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20- Yeah.- You know the very far field... - Yeah.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24There's an animal track that's been quite beaten down
0:24:24 > 0:24:28and I've a feeling that could be where the badgers are coming in.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30- Shall we have a look?- Yeah.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35- It's a deer!- Oh!- It's a deer.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39- It's gone right up to the camera. - Yeah.- Wow! It's sniffing it.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42- How adorable.- That is brilliant.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52This spring, we've been planting seeds that will transform
0:24:52 > 0:24:56our land later in the year, looking forward from spring to summer.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58So, what have we learnt?
0:24:59 > 0:25:02In early spring, I joined a band of smallholders looking to
0:25:02 > 0:25:06play their part in bringing new life to the countryside.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09I've not seen that before.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11That really does sum up spring, doesn't it?
0:25:14 > 0:25:19Do you see them in there? They look a lot bigger than what I remember!
0:25:23 > 0:25:25There they go.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30- They look very, very settled. - They're grazing away.- Yeah.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32Mowing the lawn.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36And, I have to say, the grass does look better than ever.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40Each of our one-year-old Wiltshire Horns can eat up
0:25:40 > 0:25:44to 2kg of grass and weeds per day.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47With the sheep settling into life out in the fields,
0:25:47 > 0:25:51I had a go at grafting my own heritage apple trees.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53Fantastic.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57With any luck, this will produce a nice big tree that you can plant out next year.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01And planted the beginnings of my own traditional orchard.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08With the saplings planted and the blossoms about to bloom,
0:26:08 > 0:26:11Charlotte and I turned our attention to pollination.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15- There's the Queen. - She's a lot bigger, isn't she?
0:26:15 > 0:26:17We installed our own beehive,
0:26:17 > 0:26:21complete with its own living willow wall.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25It's too early in the year to see the willow in all its glory,
0:26:25 > 0:26:28but hopefully later on in the summer, that will be a
0:26:28 > 0:26:30barrier full of leaves and shoots.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32I'm chuffed to bits with that, it looks fantastic.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36It's a lovely, creative addition to this area of woodland.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46As the weather warms and the flowers start to fill the landscape,
0:26:46 > 0:26:49and with the local bug life waking up to spring,
0:26:49 > 0:26:51it was time to give the pond a makeover.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57And it turned out to have a few surprises of its own.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01- Oh, look what I found.- Oh, wow, look at that. We found a newt.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04Do you know, I'm so surprised there is so much wildlife.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09With the overgrown trees stripped away,
0:27:09 > 0:27:12sunlight now beams down onto our old pond.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20I've even found a use for the prolific pond weed.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26Now...this stuff makes brilliant compost.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29It rots down really quickly.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31It stops your compost heap from drying out.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35Of course, it's full of nutrients for young seedlings.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39So, all in all, we're tired but happy.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43It's been brilliant fun giving our smallholding a makeover this spring.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47I'm really excited about the variety of natural habitats
0:27:47 > 0:27:49we now have dotted all over.
0:27:49 > 0:27:54And we haven't even scratched the surface yet of what's possible here.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56Who knows what the summer will bring.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09And that's it, I'm afraid, from the Countryfile Spring Diaries
0:28:09 > 0:28:11here in the New Forest in Hampshire,
0:28:11 > 0:28:13and what a wonderful place it's been, hasn't it,
0:28:13 > 0:28:15to explore the magic of springtime.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17Well, the next stop, of course, is the summer,
0:28:17 > 0:28:20but what kind of weather can we expect, Keeley?
0:28:20 > 0:28:23Well, globally, some forecasters are saying it could be the warmest year
0:28:23 > 0:28:25on record, but before you get too excited, I don't think we'll be
0:28:25 > 0:28:27in our deck chairs all summer long.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30- So, as always, we'll just have to wait and see.- We will, I'm afraid.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32- But, for now, goodbye. - Bye-bye.- Cheerio.