0:00:05 > 0:00:10Scoured by ice and weathered by storms...
0:00:14 > 0:00:22..20,000 square miles of rugged coastline, lochs and mountains.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27On the face of it, it looks bleak and lifeless.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30But wildlife is thriving in this unforgiving place,
0:00:30 > 0:00:33if you know where to look.
0:00:37 > 0:00:42The seasons may be harsh and the opportunities fleeting,
0:00:42 > 0:00:48but animals and people have found ways to succeed here,
0:00:48 > 0:00:52turning adversity into advantage.
0:00:54 > 0:01:00This is Scotland's wild heart - the Highlands.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Of all the seasons in the Highlands,
0:01:46 > 0:01:48summer is the most intense.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06But it's also the richest,
0:02:06 > 0:02:10with seas and mountains yielding their greatest bounty.
0:02:19 > 0:02:24By midsummer, the sun will rule for nearly 18 hours a day.
0:02:27 > 0:02:32For the animals of the Highlands, it's a race to raise offspring
0:02:32 > 0:02:36before the days shorten and the storms of autumn arrive.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45Some work together in pairs,
0:02:45 > 0:02:48whilst others are single mothers,
0:02:48 > 0:02:52fishing, hunting and caring for their young.
0:02:56 > 0:03:01Nowhere feels this intensity more than the northern Highlands...
0:03:03 > 0:03:05..with over 1,000 miles of wild coast
0:03:05 > 0:03:09and some of the largest peat bogs on the planet.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17This is a true wilderness.
0:03:23 > 0:03:28And it's wildlife, not people, that dominate this landscape.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44Handa Island, just off the Sutherland coast,
0:03:44 > 0:03:46is of global importance.
0:03:46 > 0:03:51Every crevice of the 400-foot sandstone cliffs is occupied.
0:03:53 > 0:03:58Puffins, razorbills, kittiwakes and fulmars all breed here.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06But it's guillemots that dominate.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12Over 30,000 pairs come to these cliffs each summer to breed.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16It's one of the most important colonies in Europe.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22Guillemots have evolved to fill the same ecological niche
0:04:22 > 0:04:25as their southern cousins, penguins.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31And, although they can fly, it's fair to describe them
0:04:31 > 0:04:33as the penguins of the north.
0:04:38 > 0:04:44Marine specialists, their wings are built more for diving than flying.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50And, like penguins, they're clumsy on land.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57Spaces are fiercely guarded,
0:04:57 > 0:05:01each pair defending a patch only a few inches wide.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10Eggs are already appearing.
0:05:10 > 0:05:15Each has a unique signature pattern so that the parents can recognise it
0:05:15 > 0:05:19laying on the bare rock, less than four inches from the edge.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28The bond between this lifelong pair is now critical
0:05:28 > 0:05:30as they take turns to brood their egg.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33They won't leave it unguarded for a second.
0:05:39 > 0:05:40It's a wise move.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44Predators have arrived.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54At double the size and weight of a guillemot,
0:05:54 > 0:05:56this herring gull is a serious threat.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59He knows these cliffs well
0:05:59 > 0:06:02and has timed his own brood to coincide with this bounty.
0:06:15 > 0:06:16A specialist hunter,
0:06:16 > 0:06:20he's learned how to steal the large guillemot eggs.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30He patrols the vast cliff ledges...
0:06:34 > 0:06:37..watching intently for a break in the ranks.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58Sensing his movements, the guillemot calls escalate.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01GUILLEMOT CALLS LOUDEN
0:07:15 > 0:07:19But there are advantages to nesting so tightly packed.
0:07:24 > 0:07:25Their bills are razor sharp...
0:07:34 > 0:07:40..and, like a line of spears, they protect their precious eggs below.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46It's effective.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54But the gull has spotted a new opportunity.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56An egg has rolled out of line.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58He takes his chance...
0:08:02 > 0:08:05..and is finally rewarded.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11Losing their egg this early,
0:08:11 > 0:08:14the pair should have a chance to lay again.
0:08:15 > 0:08:20But they'll be behind and their chick smaller than its neighbours.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27All the chicks here have an even greater challenge to face.
0:08:27 > 0:08:32At just three weeks old and unable to fly,
0:08:32 > 0:08:34they must make an epic leap,
0:08:34 > 0:08:37400 feet down to the swell of the Atlantic.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46And a new array of predators is already gathering.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03100 miles south of Handa, near the Isle of Mull,
0:09:03 > 0:09:07the early morning tide is on the rise,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10sweeping fish closer to the shore.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22The local fishermen are in action.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29It's a family of otters.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35Early summer means the seas are warming,
0:09:35 > 0:09:38bringing more food to the Highland coasts.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44And this family are fishing on every tide.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57Born in a secret shoreside holt early in the year,
0:09:57 > 0:10:03these two six-month-old cubs are at a turning point in their lives.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09Their hardworking single mother must now teach them
0:10:09 > 0:10:14how to catch their own food, seeking out hidden crabs and chasing fish.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17But the cubs still have a lot to learn.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26Handling a live fish takes practise...
0:10:31 > 0:10:34..and they're constantly squabbling over the prize.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54Whilst they're occupied, she can fish for her own meal.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03She's determined to keep this one away from the cubs.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19In these calm conditions, fishing is easy.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23But when the autumn storms arrive, it'll be a different story.
0:11:23 > 0:11:28The cubs must learn these skills soon.
0:11:30 > 0:11:35Waiting for the next tide to resume lessons, the family settles.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Otter fur is amongst the densest in the world.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46Nearly 400,000 hairs per square inch helps keep these animals warm
0:11:46 > 0:11:50and waterproof so they need to regularly maintain it.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58She'll make the most of these bountiful summer days,
0:11:58 > 0:12:02ceaselessly teaching her cubs the skills they need for independence.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26Finding and maintaining the best territory
0:12:26 > 0:12:28is half the battle for all the animals here.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32Everyone wants a piece of the Highlands in summer.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39It'll be some months before the peaks are free from snow.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45But on the small lochans of the Cairngorms,
0:12:45 > 0:12:48new arrivals from the coast
0:12:48 > 0:12:50are laying claim to their summer patch...
0:12:51 > 0:12:54..Slavonian grebes.
0:12:55 > 0:13:01One of Scotland's rarest birds, less than 30 pairs breed here.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11They're often the last of all the Highland birds to breed
0:13:11 > 0:13:14as they must wait for the vegetation to grow tall enough
0:13:14 > 0:13:20to conceal their nest, which makes them vulnerable to an early autumn.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29Some of their neighbours are much further ahead.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35Goldeneye ducks are making use of specially provided boxes
0:13:35 > 0:13:40and, since the 1970s, have become regular breeders here.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48This female has been brooding her eggs for weeks,
0:13:48 > 0:13:51but, in the last 12 hours, everything has changed.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58Newly hatched ducklings.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08She needs to get her brood to the water fast.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Noise will attract predators.
0:14:11 > 0:14:16The local pine marten has already arrived to investigate.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20A duckling is an ideal meal.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23DUCK CALLS
0:14:23 > 0:14:24She calls them out.
0:14:29 > 0:14:30DUCKLING TWEETS
0:14:32 > 0:14:35And at just a few hours old,
0:14:35 > 0:14:38the ducklings make their first leap into the summer sun...
0:14:47 > 0:14:50CHIRPING
0:14:57 > 0:15:00..and straight to the loch.
0:15:06 > 0:15:11Instinct kicks in immediately and they start diving for food.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16Hatching early in the season,
0:15:16 > 0:15:20these ducklings will have the whole summer to reach adulthood.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23And the water is safe...
0:15:25 > 0:15:27..as long as they stay together.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40With the sun now rising at 5am each day,
0:15:40 > 0:15:43the breeding season is now well under way.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55Castles like this one in Deeside are havens for wildlife.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01Their well tended gardens are already buzzing with insects.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10House martins,
0:16:10 > 0:16:14one of the last summer migrants to arrive from Africa,
0:16:14 > 0:16:18find Balmoral's turrets and windows the perfect nesting spots.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24And are the ideal perch to watch for royal visitors.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31But the one who truly deserves the title King of the Highlands
0:16:31 > 0:16:34is the top predator of these hills and glens.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45The golden eagle.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49With a seven-foot wingspan, it soars across the landscape with ease.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11Territories cover thousands of acres of rugged mountain,
0:17:11 > 0:17:14forests and heather moor.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16The Highlands have some of
0:17:16 > 0:17:18the highest breeding densities in the world.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25And hidden deep in the forest,
0:17:25 > 0:17:2940 feet up in an ancient Caledonian pine, is the eagle's eyrie.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36This year, the nest is full.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49One of Britain's largest birds of prey,
0:17:49 > 0:17:53these eaglets will take nearly three months to fledge.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00So, to reap the availability of summer prey,
0:18:00 > 0:18:04eggs were laid when snow still covered the ground.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10Now, at eight weeks old, they are growing fast.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17They'll one day rule these skies.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20But for now, they're totally dependent.
0:18:28 > 0:18:33Despite their size and power, golden eagles are shy birds,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36wary of any disturbance.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39At the nest, they show a tender side...
0:18:41 > 0:18:46..carefully selecting choice morsels for their young.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55They must hunt often.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00Eaglets can eat 700g of meat a day.
0:19:05 > 0:19:10The male will do most of the early hunting.
0:19:10 > 0:19:15He need these long summer days to provide for his growing chicks.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25The surrounding hills are perfect for hunting.
0:19:27 > 0:19:32Mountain hare leverets born a few weeks ago are now in peak numbers.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43It pays to be alert.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51Young hares make up more than half of this pair's diet...
0:19:52 > 0:19:56..with parents catching up to three a day.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13On the guillemot ledges,
0:20:13 > 0:20:17weeks of guarding and brooding the eggs have paid off.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22The first chicks have hatched.
0:20:25 > 0:20:26SEA BIRDS CRY
0:20:40 > 0:20:44The parents now shield them from the hot summer sun.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51Highland summers are warming,
0:20:51 > 0:20:54altering the complex ocean dynamics
0:20:54 > 0:20:57and making fish shoals harder to reach.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01If the parents can't catch enough,
0:21:01 > 0:21:03chicks will simply starve on the ledges.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08A tragic consequence of climate change
0:21:08 > 0:21:11and one all sea birds here may face in the future.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18The pair must now work tirelessly to feed their single chick.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24Expert fishermen,
0:21:24 > 0:21:28they can travel nearly 60 miles to reach the best fishing grounds...
0:21:30 > 0:21:33..and can dive more than 600 feet to catch fish.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40But with wings evolved more for swimming, landing is difficult.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45BIRD SQUAWKS
0:21:45 > 0:21:47And running the gauntlet of their neighbours is hard work
0:21:47 > 0:21:49with a fish supper on show.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58BIRDS CALL
0:22:15 > 0:22:17The chick finally gets its meal.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25It will need three of these which sand eels a day if it's to
0:22:25 > 0:22:28grow large enough to jump alongside the others.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38High up in the forest canopy,
0:22:38 > 0:22:42the young eagles are still waiting for their next meal.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47Hunger can drive eaglets to extreme behaviour...
0:22:48 > 0:22:52..attacking their siblings, to ensure they alone are fed.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59The first hatchling is always larger and stronger
0:22:59 > 0:23:01and has the advantage.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07And there's nowhere to hide.
0:23:10 > 0:23:15Moving too close to the edge is risky. A fall would be fatal.
0:23:17 > 0:23:22And young eaglets often tumble to their deaths in this situation.
0:23:26 > 0:23:31At last, it is an adult with a freshly killed hare,
0:23:31 > 0:23:35and the larger chick puts itself right in front for the feed.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41EAGLETS CHIRP
0:23:42 > 0:23:46A long and eventful road still lies ahead for this pair.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51The eaglets won't fly until summer has almost passed.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59Beneath the nest, on the forest floor,
0:23:59 > 0:24:02another predator is on a mission.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11It's a female pine marten.
0:24:14 > 0:24:19During winter and spring, she is only active at night.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23But now, as daylight lengthens, she is becoming more and more visible.
0:24:30 > 0:24:36Like the female otter, she is solely responsible for raising her kits,
0:24:36 > 0:24:39and has found the perfect den for her young family.
0:24:41 > 0:24:42A cosy rooftop.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57The loft insulation makes for excellent bedding,
0:24:57 > 0:25:01and the kits are warm and secure while she's out hunting.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08KITS SQUEAK
0:25:19 > 0:25:23The martens happily tolerate the owner working below.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26They've grown accustomed to the sounds of the workshop.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Now, with their eyes open,
0:25:48 > 0:25:53these inquisitive young kits are starting to explore.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57KITS SQUEAK
0:25:59 > 0:26:01They won't be here for much longer.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04The mother will soon need to give them prey,
0:26:04 > 0:26:06and she can't carry that to the roof.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12They'll have to move out to the forest,
0:26:12 > 0:26:15and these cosy days will soon be over.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Handa island is now at its busiest.
0:26:39 > 0:26:43Constant fishing trips are needed to feed the growing chicks.
0:26:47 > 0:26:48SEA BIRDS CALL
0:26:56 > 0:26:57It's a risky commute.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08BIRDS CALL
0:27:11 > 0:27:15Great skuas patrol the cliff face like pirates,
0:27:15 > 0:27:18ready to rob the guillemots of their hard-earned fish.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24Skuas are agile birds.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28Their longer wingspan makes them perfectly adapted
0:27:28 > 0:27:30to twist and turn...
0:27:32 > 0:27:35..outmanoeuvring the guillemots.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56The guillemots are bullied into dropping their catch.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16Chases can be long and intense...
0:28:25 > 0:28:28..and the only way to escape is to dive.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40Such constant bombardment is costly.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43The parents have lost over 15% of their body weight
0:28:43 > 0:28:44since the chick hatched.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50They desperately need to get their chick out to sea,
0:28:50 > 0:28:53closer to the fish and away from the predators.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59But it's a long way down
0:28:59 > 0:29:03and the chicks still can't fly.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19It's midsummer
0:29:19 > 0:29:23and the Highlands are approaching their longest day.
0:29:32 > 0:29:34The solstice has arrived.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45With the sun above the horizon for over 18 hours,
0:29:45 > 0:29:47light now rules.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53But from now on, day length will shorten.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58The scales of the season have tipped.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02For the wildlife,
0:30:02 > 0:30:04it's now a race to the finish.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16At the furthest northern tip of the Highlands,
0:30:16 > 0:30:20Caithness and Sutherland are closer to the Arctic Circle
0:30:20 > 0:30:22than parts of southern England.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28They're home to one of the world's rarest habitats -
0:30:28 > 0:30:29the blanket peat bog.
0:30:33 > 0:30:38Known here as the Flow Country, over 200,000 hectares
0:30:38 > 0:30:42of deep-layered peat are studded with a myriad of small pools.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49It's an otherworldly landscape...
0:30:53 > 0:30:57..where submerged plants are compressed over millennia...
0:30:58 > 0:31:01..storing 400 million tonnes of carbon...
0:31:03 > 0:31:07..more than twice that found in all of Britain's forests combined.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23On the surface,
0:31:23 > 0:31:26this place can appear bleak and lifeless.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30But look closely and it's teeming with life.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44On a warm midsummer's evening,
0:31:44 > 0:31:47a drama unfolds in the depths of a peat pool.
0:32:03 > 0:32:07This world is inhabited by strange and alien-looking creatures.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14Dragonfly nymphs hunt in the open water.
0:32:20 > 0:32:25Caddisfly larvae create protective cases from plants and tiny stones...
0:32:27 > 0:32:30..each species making its own unique and intricate design.
0:32:37 > 0:32:41This emerald damselfly nymph is ready to leave this world.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44For the short three months of its life,
0:32:44 > 0:32:46it's only known this small pool...
0:32:48 > 0:32:51..yet the warm evening makes it do something unthinkable.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10He wriggles to break open his casing...
0:33:25 > 0:33:27..revealing his new form.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35No longer water creature
0:33:35 > 0:33:36but unable to fly yet,
0:33:36 > 0:33:38he's now vulnerable.
0:33:52 > 0:33:56Over the next few hours, he pumps special fluid into his abdomen
0:33:56 > 0:34:00and wings, making them gradually unfold and harden.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20And with enough warmth in the air,
0:34:20 > 0:34:21he finally takes flight.
0:34:45 > 0:34:46For most of the year,
0:34:46 > 0:34:49the human population of the Highlands is small.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54But once summer holidays arrive, numbers more than double.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02Towns like Oban are busy hubs for travel to the islands.
0:35:03 > 0:35:05HORN HONKS
0:35:18 > 0:35:21These summer months may be the busiest for tourists,
0:35:21 > 0:35:24but they aren't necessarily the sunniest...
0:35:24 > 0:35:26THUNDER RUMBLES
0:35:29 > 0:35:33..and a large percentage of the 150 inches of rain a year
0:35:33 > 0:35:35is almost guaranteed to fall now.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53The Handa guillemots have seen it all before.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03They can live to be 30 years old,
0:36:03 > 0:36:06so they'll encounter many wet summers in their lives.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17Adult plumage is waterproof,
0:36:17 > 0:36:21but the chicks are still covered in down and can easily chill,
0:36:21 > 0:36:24so they huddle close to the adults.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36150 miles south,
0:36:36 > 0:36:41the mountains of Jura are directly in the path of incoming rain clouds,
0:36:41 > 0:36:44making it one of the wettest places in the Highlands.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55THUNDER RUMBLES
0:37:02 > 0:37:04Red deer can't wait for the rain to lift.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11Now heavily pregnant, the hinds have carried their young
0:37:11 > 0:37:15through the toughest winter months and must give birth soon.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28New calves are appearing everywhere in the wet grass.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03It's a harsh habitat to be born into.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08Most hinds here only produce a calf every other year.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16At a few weeks old, this male calf is still
0:38:16 > 0:38:20dependent on his mother's milk and will not venture far.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34Once the rain finally clears there's another problem to contend with.
0:38:38 > 0:38:39The Scottish midge.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45Attracted by the carbon dioxide in the deer's breath,
0:38:45 > 0:38:49midge swarms build to their trillions as summer progresses.
0:38:53 > 0:38:57Against the light they're mesmerizing, almost beautiful...
0:38:59 > 0:39:03..but they're intolerable to the young calf and his mother.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10Luckily, there is something that feasts on the midges.
0:39:13 > 0:39:15Surprisingly, it's a plant.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21Carnivorous sundew now carpet the wet bogs.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36Their glistening droplets are irresistible to insects,
0:39:36 > 0:39:38luring them in.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43Once trapped in the sticky drops,
0:39:43 > 0:39:45the sundews slowly digest the insects...
0:39:54 > 0:39:58..an important source of nitrogen in these nutrient-poor soils.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15The strength of the summer sun is now waning...
0:40:21 > 0:40:24..and the eaglets on their tree-top nest are close to fledging.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29Having consumed hundreds of prey items between them,
0:40:29 > 0:40:32each chick now weighs close to four kilos.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38The pile of waste, bones and flies is becoming unbearable.
0:40:44 > 0:40:48It's one of the reasons eagles regularly change their nest sites.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56Their behaviour is changing too
0:40:56 > 0:41:00and they practise gripping with their huge two-inch-long talons.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06This eaglet already instinctively shields its food...
0:41:11 > 0:41:13..though it hasn't quite perfected the art yet.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26But their greatest challenge is still to come...
0:41:28 > 0:41:29..learning to fly...
0:41:31 > 0:41:33..and joining their parents in the highland skies.
0:41:37 > 0:41:41They'll need to cover huge distances to find enough food to survive here.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50Wing flapping is important to build up flight muscles.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02There aren't many of these summer days left
0:42:02 > 0:42:05and even a slight breeze now rocks the nest.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09It won't be long before they must take to the skies.
0:42:27 > 0:42:31On Jura, the red deer calf is starting to explore his world.
0:42:51 > 0:42:53Something new has caught his attention.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00It's a group of stags moving down from the hills.
0:43:03 > 0:43:09In near-peak condition, with their antlers still cased in soft velvet,
0:43:09 > 0:43:14they're intent on eating, fattening themselves up for the autumn rut
0:43:14 > 0:43:16when bulk and strength will be crucial.
0:43:24 > 0:43:26The calf isn't sure what to make of them.
0:43:50 > 0:43:53He instinctively seems to know what to do...
0:43:58 > 0:44:00..finally getting his attention.
0:44:19 > 0:44:22It's not impossible that in five years' time,
0:44:22 > 0:44:24he could fight this stag for real
0:44:24 > 0:44:27and have his chance to roar in these glens.
0:44:39 > 0:44:41It's late summer
0:44:41 > 0:44:44and, once more, the sun is shining throughout the Highlands.
0:44:47 > 0:44:49It's time to celebrate.
0:44:51 > 0:44:53- TANNOY:- 'There does seem to be one or two...'
0:44:53 > 0:44:56Clan gatherings, like these at Lochearnhead in Perthshire,
0:44:56 > 0:44:59are happening right across the region.
0:45:02 > 0:45:05With people spread over such a vast landscape,
0:45:05 > 0:45:07a sense of community is important.
0:45:09 > 0:45:13The traditional events go back centuries
0:45:13 > 0:45:17and test many of the skills that wildlife, too, needs to thrive here.
0:45:21 > 0:45:22Speed...
0:45:25 > 0:45:26..strength...
0:45:31 > 0:45:32..stamina...
0:45:36 > 0:45:37..and agility.
0:46:09 > 0:46:14On Handa Island, the sea birds are also preparing for a dramatic event.
0:46:18 > 0:46:19For nearly two months,
0:46:19 > 0:46:23the guillemots have endured endless attacks from predators,
0:46:23 > 0:46:26while desperately trying to feed their growing chicks.
0:46:30 > 0:46:33They can no longer keep up with the demand.
0:46:33 > 0:46:36They must get their chicks to sea.
0:46:42 > 0:46:43It's time to jump.
0:46:55 > 0:46:59Adults call, luring their chicks towards the edge.
0:47:02 > 0:47:05Some are less developed than others,
0:47:05 > 0:47:08but once one jumps, they'll all go for it.
0:47:18 > 0:47:21Males call from the sea,
0:47:21 > 0:47:24a stomach-churning 400 feet below.
0:47:32 > 0:47:35The young chicks, known as jumplings,
0:47:35 > 0:47:38move towards the edge for the first time.
0:47:52 > 0:47:54ADULT CROWS
0:47:59 > 0:48:01Finally, one makes the leap.
0:48:17 > 0:48:20With tiny, unformed wings,
0:48:20 > 0:48:21they have little control
0:48:21 > 0:48:23over their death-defying jump.
0:48:24 > 0:48:29Flattening their bodies, they try to slow their descent
0:48:29 > 0:48:30before hitting the water
0:48:30 > 0:48:32at breakneck speed.
0:48:41 > 0:48:43The whole colony is on the move...
0:48:45 > 0:48:47..with chicks diving from every ledge...
0:48:50 > 0:48:54..while the sea below fills with re-united families.
0:49:16 > 0:49:18But one chick is smaller than the others...
0:49:22 > 0:49:24..and is reluctant to leave the ledge.
0:49:27 > 0:49:30Despite persistent calls from its parents below,
0:49:30 > 0:49:32it will not jump.
0:49:32 > 0:49:33CHICK CHIRPS
0:49:36 > 0:49:40Being the last left on the cliffs, it's in real danger.
0:49:40 > 0:49:44Evening is approaching and predators are arriving.
0:49:47 > 0:49:50A lone chick will not last long.
0:50:03 > 0:50:05Others have also left home.
0:50:08 > 0:50:10The pine marten loft is empty.
0:50:14 > 0:50:16The forest is now the kits' home.
0:50:18 > 0:50:21This late summer evening may be one of the last
0:50:21 > 0:50:22in which they see daylight.
0:50:27 > 0:50:32One kit is already hunting for himself,
0:50:32 > 0:50:36making use of his mother's territory to catch his first mouse.
0:50:41 > 0:50:43Fantastic climbers,
0:50:43 > 0:50:46they're perfectly at home in the tree tops,
0:50:46 > 0:50:49and their sense of smell will guide them once darkness falls.
0:51:01 > 0:51:04They must learn all they can from their mother now.
0:51:07 > 0:51:10In the autumn, as food becomes scarce,
0:51:10 > 0:51:12she'll drive them out of her territory.
0:51:17 > 0:51:21Nearby, the Slavonian grebes are still resident on the loch.
0:51:23 > 0:51:27For two summers, they have failed to produce any young.
0:51:31 > 0:51:33But this year is different.
0:51:41 > 0:51:43Their single precious chick
0:51:43 > 0:51:47is fed on aquatic larvae and sticklebacks.
0:52:00 > 0:52:04Among the last breeding birds of the Highland summer,
0:52:04 > 0:52:06this pair have just a few short weeks
0:52:06 > 0:52:08to nurture their chick to independence.
0:52:28 > 0:52:30Back on the ledges, the mood is not so calm.
0:52:34 > 0:52:36Darkness is fast approaching...
0:52:38 > 0:52:41..and the lone guillemot chick still hasn't jumped.
0:52:52 > 0:52:56Its parent returns, desperately calling,
0:52:56 > 0:52:58encouraging it down.
0:53:04 > 0:53:06But its jump is not far enough...
0:53:08 > 0:53:10..and now there's a new problem.
0:53:11 > 0:53:14It's wandered into razorbill territory.
0:53:16 > 0:53:18They'll attack intruders on their ledge.
0:53:26 > 0:53:28The parent calls it out.
0:53:33 > 0:53:35But at each step,
0:53:35 > 0:53:37the guillemots enter a new territory.
0:53:52 > 0:53:57The chick is under constant attack and there's still a long way to go.
0:54:00 > 0:54:02Ledge by ledge, they descend together.
0:54:11 > 0:54:13But the chick is now tiring.
0:54:18 > 0:54:19It's reached the last ledge.
0:54:25 > 0:54:27The parent can do no more.
0:54:33 > 0:54:35A razorbill makes a final attack.
0:54:35 > 0:54:37LOUD CAWS
0:54:42 > 0:54:45Unable to steer, it's heading straight for the rocks.
0:55:06 > 0:55:09But guillemot chicks have dense, downy feathers...
0:55:12 > 0:55:16..and, incredibly, it's unharmed by the fall...
0:55:26 > 0:55:28..and finds its father.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46Raising young like this
0:55:46 > 0:55:49is one of the highest-risk strategies in the bird world.
0:55:51 > 0:55:55But now safely at sea with its parent by its side,
0:55:55 > 0:55:57the chick can begin the real challenge
0:55:57 > 0:55:58of learning to be a sea bird...
0:56:01 > 0:56:04..spending two years on the wild ocean
0:56:04 > 0:56:06before seeing these cliffs again.
0:56:10 > 0:56:12Not all will leave their local patch.
0:56:14 > 0:56:17The otter family has good fishing territory here
0:56:17 > 0:56:20and will remain close to this stretch of coastline.
0:56:21 > 0:56:24But the female senses the seasons changing.
0:56:34 > 0:56:36Keeping her cubs close,
0:56:36 > 0:56:39she'll guide them through their first Highland winter...
0:56:41 > 0:56:44..and together, they'll face the weather to come.
0:56:46 > 0:56:48And weather will certainly come.
0:56:50 > 0:56:53Already, winds are building from the Atlantic.
0:56:55 > 0:56:57Time for breeding has run out.
0:57:02 > 0:57:05Beyond the wild coasts of Duncansby Head,
0:57:05 > 0:57:08a pod of orcas roll and play in the surf.
0:57:17 > 0:57:21Gale-force winds and towering seas are no challenge to them.
0:57:27 > 0:57:30But for the breeding animals of the Highlands,
0:57:30 > 0:57:32everything has changed...
0:57:35 > 0:57:39..and they'll need new strategies to cope with the season to come.
0:57:42 > 0:57:45The great race of summer is over.
0:57:48 > 0:57:51But the trials of the season have been worthwhile.
0:57:52 > 0:57:55The young eagles have finally taken to the skies...
0:57:57 > 0:58:01..and the next generation are ready to face the autumn.
0:58:08 > 0:58:11Next time, as autumn storms hit,
0:58:11 > 0:58:14seal pups fight for their lives against all odds...
0:58:16 > 0:58:18..and the winter freeze arrives...
0:58:23 > 0:58:25..testing the animals of the Highlands
0:58:25 > 0:58:27to their absolute limits.