0:00:02 > 0:00:05For me, watching wildlife is one of life's greatest pleasures.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09And my favourite place to do it
0:00:09 > 0:00:12is right here, in my beloved West Country.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16This captivating corner of the British Isles...
0:00:16 > 0:00:18There's six right underneath us.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22..has a cast of creatures that is as awe-inspiring,
0:00:22 > 0:00:26extraordinary and magical as any.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29Oh, come on, no way!
0:00:29 > 0:00:33I'm hoping to get as close as I can to as many as I can...
0:00:33 > 0:00:35Right, I'm ready.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38This is great, this is measuring an eel. Whoa, oh,
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Ants! Off, off! There's one inside.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45..with the help of a band of dedicated nature lovers.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49Some of the patterns on the feathers, they're beautiful!
0:00:50 > 0:00:53- Good spot.- Look, look, look! - Wonderful.- That's so cool.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55There's one in my hair now, Poppy.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58I'll share the thrill of the chase...
0:00:58 > 0:00:59- Do you hear them?- I heard something.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01Yeah, they're in there.
0:01:03 > 0:01:04Yes.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06The sheer joy of the encounter...
0:01:06 > 0:01:09- She's so golden.- She's fast asleep.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11- OK, ssh!- That's amazing.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16And I'll pitch in to help these local heroes
0:01:16 > 0:01:20safeguard the future of our precious animals.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22Bye-bye. There she goes.
0:01:24 > 0:01:25Whoa!
0:01:25 > 0:01:29I can't believe I've been living in the West Country for so many years
0:01:29 > 0:01:31and I've never done this before.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34This will be a year-round adventure...
0:01:34 > 0:01:35Straight ahead.
0:01:35 > 0:01:41..as we explore the natural wonders of the UK's very own Wild West.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54This is the Wye Valley.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01From its gently gurgling shady streams,
0:02:01 > 0:02:05to its dramatic ravines with their thickly forested slopes...
0:02:06 > 0:02:11This dappled and diverse landscape is the perfect hideaway
0:02:11 > 0:02:14for some rather particular species of British wildlife.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19Catching up with them isn't always easy.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25But simply being in these tranquil, secluded surroundings
0:02:25 > 0:02:28is always a pleasure.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33As soon as you arrive in this part of the Wye Valley,
0:02:33 > 0:02:36you know you've found somewhere really special.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39It feels like one of nature's secret gardens,
0:02:39 > 0:02:42and I just can't wait to uncover some of those secrets.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46The Wye Valley straddles the border
0:02:46 > 0:02:48between England and Wales.
0:02:48 > 0:02:49To the east of the river
0:02:49 > 0:02:51is the wooded wonderland
0:02:51 > 0:02:52of the Forest of Dean.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54The scenery here inspired an
0:02:54 > 0:02:5618th-century tourist boom,
0:02:56 > 0:02:58with spots like Tintern Abbey
0:02:58 > 0:03:00among its star attractions.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11In the sun-dappled woodland around Tintern, this torrent of clean,
0:03:11 > 0:03:15clear water is typical of the tributaries of the Lower Wye.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24These fast-flowing woodland streams are a really special habitat.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28The combination of dense vegetation and clear, pure water
0:03:28 > 0:03:31makes for an abundance of invertebrate life in the stream.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34And that's an opportunity for all kinds of creatures.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38But for one special bird, this place is pretty much paradise.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45This is the dipper.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51At first sight, it doesn't look that unusual.
0:03:51 > 0:03:56A brown bird about the size of a thrush, with a tell-tale white bib.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02But the understated appearance hides a remarkable talent.
0:04:15 > 0:04:20Its ability to dive and swim in fast-flowing water singles out
0:04:20 > 0:04:23the unassuming dipper as a total one-off.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27It's Britain's only aquatic songbird.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37In many parts of the UK, dipper numbers are falling sharply,
0:04:37 > 0:04:40so the Lower Wye really is a very precious stronghold.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45Although the dipper's doing well here,
0:04:45 > 0:04:49it's such a specialised bird that needs a really pristine habitat,
0:04:49 > 0:04:51and that means its success
0:04:51 > 0:04:53is not something we can ever take for granted.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55It needs all the help it can get.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57So, it's great news that, round here,
0:04:57 > 0:05:01the dippers have a remarkable champion - a lady whose devotion
0:05:01 > 0:05:04to this little bird knows no bounds.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11It's April in the lower reaches of the Wye Valley.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14Stephanie Tyler is the dippers' local hero,
0:05:14 > 0:05:16and she's fast becoming one of mine.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20Every spring for the past four decades, she has been out on her
0:05:20 > 0:05:24regular rounds with her ladder and waders checking on dozens of
0:05:24 > 0:05:28dipper nests along the streams of the Lower Wye.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30It started off like a dipper nest,
0:05:30 > 0:05:35but it's now a lovely little wren nest, but nothing in it.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37I'm going to check some of the other holes.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43Just getting to each nest site puts this grandmother of five through an
0:05:43 > 0:05:45aquatic assault course.
0:05:45 > 0:05:50I've been prancing up and down the rivers for nigh on 40 years now.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52So I started as a young woman.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56Some of the sites are quite difficult to get to.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00I've got to scramble down tree roots...
0:06:04 > 0:06:08..climb up ladders in tunnels and hoist the ladder up after me.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10And check the nest in the tunnel.
0:06:11 > 0:06:12You just have to be careful.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Don't fall in deep water in waders.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17I've done that, and it's not much fun.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23I do it for the pure joy of doing it and the fun of doing it.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25But also, to collect the data.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28Because over the 40 years, I have seen changes,
0:06:28 > 0:06:31you know, the dipper population has declined somewhat.
0:06:31 > 0:06:36I've got the data on occupancy of about 50 territories, give or take.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Clearly, there's no stopping Steph.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45I'm pretty sure there isn't a single nest in this part of the Wye
0:06:45 > 0:06:48that she can't find a way to reach.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53I've just climbed down to the nest,
0:06:53 > 0:06:57and it's a beautiful big mossy dome hidden in all the moss.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01So nobody would see it, it's just so beautifully camouflaged.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05Long-term studies like this are the only way to get a grip on how the
0:07:05 > 0:07:07dipper is doing.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10I've got a licence to do this, not everybody should.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14She's one I'm familiar with, she's an old bird.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16Beautiful plumage.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19And that lovely chestnut eye.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23And these strong grippy legs and a lovely white breast,
0:07:23 > 0:07:24hence the white-breasted dipper.
0:07:25 > 0:07:26Just to weigh her.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30Despite being unfunded,
0:07:30 > 0:07:34Steph's study has provided a wealth of information on the dipper.
0:07:36 > 0:07:3758 grams.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41Steph has measured, weighed and ringed around 9,000 of these
0:07:41 > 0:07:44little birds over the years.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47Right, I think we'll let her go now and she can get back to her eggs.
0:07:57 > 0:08:02I've finally caught up with Steph, which is clearly a feat in itself.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06I've jumped at the chance to help her ring some of the season's
0:08:06 > 0:08:08newly hatched chicks.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10So, where is this nest you're after?
0:08:10 > 0:08:11Well, that tunnel there,
0:08:11 > 0:08:13it's about seven or eight metres into the tunnel.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16- We'll have to crawl up that. - Oh, really? It looks dark in there.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19It is a bit, but you get a bit of light as you come through.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21So, I'm going to use this...
0:08:21 > 0:08:26..little mini cam, see if I can get some pictures of you
0:08:26 > 0:08:28- getting the chick from the nest.- OK.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33Dippers like to nest in concealed spots where their chicks are safe
0:08:33 > 0:08:38from the hungry eyes of predators like sparrowhawks or jays.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42- Right, I'm ready.- OK, watch your head, it's quite low.
0:08:45 > 0:08:46Normally I'd do this with waders on
0:08:46 > 0:08:49because the water's normally pouring down.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51That's OK. I can get wet.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55It's your knees, your knees will get wet.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58You're quicker than I am in here, Steph, I can tell you that.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01Oh, well, I've spent a lot of my life crawling up tunnels.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04I can see the nest. I might be able to get a shot of it.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06Get a bit of light on it there.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11So, there's you, Steph.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13Beautiful structures, aren't they?
0:09:13 > 0:09:15And here's the nest.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18Right here. You can see the opening.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20In you go.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22Yep, there is still chicks in here.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24I'll just bring one out, there's only or two.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26Ooh, let's have a look! Let's have a look.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29- Oh! Big beaks.- Yes.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31Well, they need that big flange, don't they?
0:09:31 > 0:09:33Really impressive big beak.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35The parents can see where to pop the food.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37And so, that's what sort of age?
0:09:37 > 0:09:40- That's about seven days old now. - Seven days.
0:09:40 > 0:09:41They haven't grown very well.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45In fact, they started off as four, and there's only two now.
0:09:45 > 0:09:46Oh, dear. So you really want to...
0:09:46 > 0:09:49- You're really hoping that these two will...- Will survive, yes.
0:09:49 > 0:09:50The other one, let's see...
0:09:50 > 0:09:52Yes, that's roughly the same.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54It's slightly bigger, that one.
0:09:54 > 0:09:55Are you going to bring them both out?
0:09:55 > 0:09:59No, because if the parent comes back from there and finds the nest empty,
0:09:59 > 0:10:01I hate the thought of that.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04So we'll leave one in, and then I'll come back for it.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06HE CHUCKLES This is quite something.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10You found another way of travelling through this.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13- I'm like a crab. - Yeah, I quite like it!
0:10:16 > 0:10:18Different technique to exit the cave.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21OK.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25- That was brilliant.- OK. It's a nice nest, isn't it?
0:10:25 > 0:10:28- Nice and safe. - I'm the intrepid cameraman, me!
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Ooh, he's got an enormous gob on him, hasn't he?
0:10:32 > 0:10:34And they've also got these very strong legs.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37You see, even at this age, they can grip onto things.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41And that's for gripping onto the rocks underwater while they are
0:10:41 > 0:10:44- hunting for insects and invertebrate?- That's right.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46And it might look brutal,
0:10:46 > 0:10:50but it doesn't touch the leg at all, it just rounds it up.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52You can press as much as you like
0:10:52 > 0:10:55and you're not going to impinge on the leg.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58- That's big enough to stay on even as it's an adult?- Yes.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00I mean, they often have a bit of puppy fat at this age,
0:11:00 > 0:11:05so the legs of the adults get slightly longer, but not any wider.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08So it's the right ring size for the whole of its life.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11Anyway, I'll pop this one back and go and get the other one.
0:11:16 > 0:11:17That's a slightly bigger one.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20Yes, stronger legs.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24- Does that look to you to be a pretty healthy chick?- It's OK.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28It's just getting towards the end of the season now for dippers.
0:11:28 > 0:11:29And this is timed with the explosion
0:11:29 > 0:11:32of insect life and larvae in the water itself?
0:11:32 > 0:11:35In the water before all the mayflies and caddisfly emerge.
0:11:35 > 0:11:36They're that much earlier cos
0:11:36 > 0:11:38they want to get the larval stage in the water?
0:11:38 > 0:11:41The larvae and the nymphs, that's right, yes.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43Once they are adults, the dippers can't catch them.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45Wagtails can, but not dippers.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48- You really love these birds. - I love them, and I can't stop.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51My husband's really keen that I stop, you know?
0:11:51 > 0:11:55But when you've got a long-term monitoring programme and you know
0:11:55 > 0:11:57each individual site so well,
0:11:57 > 0:12:00I can't resist to go back to see what's happening each year.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02If your husband's trying to persuade you to stop,
0:12:02 > 0:12:04I think he's got a job on his hands.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06- It's not going to happen, is it? - He knows that.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09- He knows that, yes.- It's not going to happen any time soon.
0:12:09 > 0:12:10I don't think so.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14With apologies to Steph's husband,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17I'll be stealing her away for a little bit longer today,
0:12:17 > 0:12:21to see what more I can find out about the delightful dipper.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37On the English side of the River Wye is a majestic treescape.
0:12:46 > 0:12:47The Forest of Dean.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51BIRD SINGS
0:12:51 > 0:12:55Once the private hunting ground of Norman kings, it's home
0:12:55 > 0:12:59to some of England's last surviving patches of ancient woodland.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08And it provides plenty of cover and hiding places for some
0:13:08 > 0:13:10very special British wildlife.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24It's a late February morning and spring hasn't quite arrived.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31This is a good time to see another winged wonder of the region.
0:13:31 > 0:13:32If you know where to look, that is.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38There's one main way in and out, really.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40And that's the way we go.
0:13:44 > 0:13:49The Clearwell Caves were formed naturally, then extended by
0:13:49 > 0:13:53the ancient Britons, who mined them for iron over hundreds of years.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57This is my playground, really, this is where I grew up.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00It was a great place to bring friends and have a look round.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06Jonathan Wright's family owns these caves, and still mines them,
0:14:06 > 0:14:09not for iron, but for one of its by-products.
0:14:10 > 0:14:11Ochre.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16This red mineral makes a powerful dye,
0:14:16 > 0:14:20which has been used by artists for millennia.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24We get lots of different shades, you can just rub it off.
0:14:24 > 0:14:30And if you rub it on your hand, you get quite a nice colour immediately.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33And you can see why the ancient Britons would have used this.
0:14:33 > 0:14:39And pigment from this mine has been used by people like Michelangelo.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41Which I find mind-boggling, really.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43Walk very carefully.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46Today, these dedicated nature lovers
0:14:46 > 0:14:48are looking for something else entirely.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52A cave dwelling creature that's
0:14:52 > 0:14:55found only in south-west England and Wales.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57This is what's called the bear pits.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00There are no bears here, obviously.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03So we have five up in this chamber.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06But there are a lot of bats.
0:15:08 > 0:15:09Lesser horseshoe bats.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12We've got several bats here...
0:15:12 > 0:15:16The caves here in the Dean are the winter home to more than 1,000
0:15:16 > 0:15:19of this highly endangered mammal.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21Bats are considered by the miners
0:15:21 > 0:15:25to actually be like canaries in the mine, so they actually...
0:15:25 > 0:15:28If you see a bat, you know the air and the conditions are good.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32It's a sign, an omen of good luck, really.
0:15:32 > 0:15:3341 so far.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39Jonathan and the team are from the Gloucestershire Bat Group.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43They have a special licence to survey these caves, which make up
0:15:43 > 0:15:46the largest lesser horseshoe hibernation site in Britain.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54These little bats are about the size of a plum.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56They feed mainly on flying insects
0:15:56 > 0:15:59like midges, lacewings and caddisfly.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03But they are themselves an important prey species for raptors like
0:16:03 > 0:16:05sparrowhawks and barn owls.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10With only 50,000 left in the UK,
0:16:10 > 0:16:13it's good to know that these ones are carefully monitored.
0:16:21 > 0:16:26David Priddis has collected bat data here since the 1970s.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28I just got hooked!
0:16:28 > 0:16:31Just because so many things about them seemed so strange.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37One of those strange quirks is the bat strategy for saving energy
0:16:37 > 0:16:41over winter, when there just aren't enough insects to eat.
0:16:41 > 0:16:46They allow their body temperature to drop from a cosy 37 degrees -
0:16:46 > 0:16:50about the same as ours - to a chilly seven centigrade.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54This takes them to a state of semi-hibernation, known as torpor.
0:16:54 > 0:16:59So, if we use this little thermal imaging camera at the rock,
0:16:59 > 0:17:04you see it's not showing up an awful lot of very warm areas of rock.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07But if I turn around to you,
0:17:07 > 0:17:09then I'm getting a massive flare
0:17:09 > 0:17:15of the heat coming through your caving suits, and your faces.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17Very warm, glowing.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21And if I put it up here where the bat is...
0:17:23 > 0:17:25..there's a bat hanging there.
0:17:25 > 0:17:30It's just glowing slightly warmer than the rock, but not very much.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33But the contrast with my finger,
0:17:33 > 0:17:37you can see how much hotter my finger is than the bat.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41Every ten days or so,
0:17:41 > 0:17:44they shiver their way out of the torpor to forage for food again.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58And as the weather warms, those feeding forays become more regular.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03And when spring arrives, it's time for the bats to break cover.
0:18:13 > 0:18:18Horseshoe bats navigate their way out of the caves using echolocation.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22Emitting high-pitched squawks from the horseshoe-shaped nose
0:18:22 > 0:18:23that gives them their name.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29They detect the reflected sound to locate their prey, too.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33So effectively, they can snap a moth out of the air in mid-flight.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39Their eyes are almost blind but their sonic skills give them sight.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52COCKEREL CROWS
0:18:56 > 0:18:58A few miles away,
0:18:58 > 0:19:02this lesser horseshoe has found a perfect spot to hang out and
0:19:02 > 0:19:04devour its latest catch.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06In the porch of a house.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12A tell-tale sign of a bat perch are the mouse-like droppings underneath.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17But not all homeowners know their bat poo as well as this one.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22So you can tell bat poo because when you squeeze it like this,
0:19:22 > 0:19:24it turns into dust.
0:19:24 > 0:19:29When wildlife fanatic Gareth Jones realised he had bats roosting in his
0:19:29 > 0:19:32porch, he jumped at the chance to get a close-up view.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35The bats rest at the top here,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38and I've got a camera and an infrared light here so it
0:19:38 > 0:19:41doesn't disturb them or anything like that.
0:19:41 > 0:19:46Now Gareth can indulge in some armchair wildlife watching,
0:19:46 > 0:19:49while Horace the horseshoe bat goes about his nightly routine.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54Here's Horace, our bat, he's a bit wet at the moment,
0:19:54 > 0:19:58um, where he's been out hunting.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02And what he's doing is cleaning his wings before he goes back out again.
0:20:02 > 0:20:07So, it's amazing when you see them pushing through his wing,
0:20:07 > 0:20:11and you can see his little mouth as he goes and cleans there.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17There's another one that's just flown in there around the back.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24And, also, he's holding on to nothing, really,
0:20:24 > 0:20:28it's just the end of a bit of wood that keeps the light up.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30It's incredible dexterity to do that.
0:20:32 > 0:20:37The bat's powerful grip is down to an impressive adaptation.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40It works the opposite way to our fingers and hands.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44Bats flex their muscles to release their grip and their talons shut
0:20:44 > 0:20:46when they relax.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50So a resting bat's foot is in autolock,
0:20:50 > 0:20:53with the tendons pulled taught by its own body weight,
0:20:53 > 0:20:58enabling the bat to dangle by one leg almost effortlessly.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02You see him doing everything.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05You know, weeing, pooing, anything, really.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11It's pretty clear that this continuing saga has a
0:21:11 > 0:21:13dedicated viewer in Gareth.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16It's his very own bat soap opera.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19It's certainly more interesting than most of the TV around.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24Which is why Gareth has taken things a bit further.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30Bugging and rigging his garden
0:21:30 > 0:21:32to see what other wildlife he can watch.
0:21:35 > 0:21:40Gareth's garden is now chock-full of mini cams, CCTV and trail cams.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45The ground is crisscrossed with buried data cables and his shed is
0:21:45 > 0:21:48converted to a high-tech hub.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51It's all way beyond my technical know-how.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54But Gareth is in IT, so naturally,
0:21:54 > 0:21:57he knows all the tricks of the trade.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59Have you tried switching it off and then on again?
0:21:59 > 0:22:00Yeah, that is the standard one!
0:22:02 > 0:22:04With his own personal wildlife network,
0:22:04 > 0:22:09Gareth has privileged access to some very special garden visitors.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12You've got goshawks, you've got peregrines, you've got ravens,
0:22:12 > 0:22:17you've got fallow deer, muntjac deer, roe deer, you've got the boar.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20Badgers, foxes, you've got otters, you've got polecats,
0:22:20 > 0:22:24you've got all sorts of things that really,
0:22:24 > 0:22:27people don't really see unless they start looking.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30But the arrival of a tawny owl
0:22:30 > 0:22:33family could give Gareth's garden gogglebox
0:22:33 > 0:22:35its most gripping story of the year.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47Meanwhile, I'm back on the river to learn more about Britain's only
0:22:47 > 0:22:49aquatic songbird, the dipper.
0:22:53 > 0:22:58And I'm with one of the most devoted wildlife watchers I've ever met.
0:22:58 > 0:23:0340 years of research have made Steph a world authority on dippers,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06so I'm thrilled to be spending a bit of time with her.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08What's the net for, Steph?
0:23:08 > 0:23:10Well, I was going to do some kick sampling.
0:23:10 > 0:23:15So, put the net downriver and then kick amongst these stones,
0:23:15 > 0:23:17and see what invertebrates we can dislodge.
0:23:17 > 0:23:18- Kick sampling?- Kick sampling, yes.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20- That's a thing, is it? - Yeah, absolutely.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22- Want me to hold the net?- Yes.
0:23:22 > 0:23:23If you could hold the net and I'll
0:23:23 > 0:23:25just try and move some of these stones.
0:23:25 > 0:23:26So, it is quite literally...
0:23:26 > 0:23:30Kicking the stones and getting them into the net.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32Right, let's see what we've got.
0:23:32 > 0:23:33Oh, lots of big stones.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Let's put these out into a tray.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Quite a lot of critters coming out.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46What we're looking for are some mayfly nymphs,
0:23:46 > 0:23:49and they're funny little invertebrates, flattened,
0:23:49 > 0:23:52and they've got three tail prongs, and they have gills.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54Is that there...?
0:23:54 > 0:23:58- Yep. Yes, that's one.- Beautiful.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01Freshwater shrimps, would they be food for the dipper?
0:24:01 > 0:24:03They'd certainly be food for the dipper,
0:24:03 > 0:24:05and it eats a lot of freshwater shrimps.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07Particularly in the winter months.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10And it will also eat small fish as well in the winter months.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13Presumably, anything in here that wriggles...
0:24:13 > 0:24:15- Is dipper food.- ..is dipper food. - Yeah.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18I think we've got a caddisfly larvae still in its casing there.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21- Do you see, with its antennae coming out?- Oh, yes.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26It's amazing just how much invertebrate life there is
0:24:26 > 0:24:27in this stream.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31This lot really did turn up after just a few kicks along riverbed.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36These streams are the perfect dipper habitat.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40Clean, rocky, fast-flowing stretches of water
0:24:40 > 0:24:42with plenty of shallow ripples.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45All containing an abundance of good dipper grub.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51So we must have at least four species here.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54We've got mayflies, we've got freshwater shrimps,
0:24:54 > 0:24:57we've got case caddis and we've got the web-spinning caddis.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59But they're tiny little things. The dipper's got to catch
0:24:59 > 0:25:02quite a few of these to feed those hungry chicks.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04It has got to catch a lot, but it can take nine or ten.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08And it can provision, you know, 30 times an hour if it wants to.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12- So, it can get the food into them. - Really?
0:25:12 > 0:25:15But don't forget, at this time of the year, a lot of the bigger caddis
0:25:15 > 0:25:18and the bigger mayflies are already on the wing,
0:25:18 > 0:25:20so it's lost that food source.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25The natural bounty in the stream doesn't last long.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28So female dippers have to time their brood carefully,
0:25:28 > 0:25:30then forage tirelessly.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32They're just superbly adapted.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36I mean, they've got very short wings for a bird of their size.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38And very, very strong musculature,
0:25:38 > 0:25:40so they can use them like little flippers to stay down.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42- Almost like penguins. - Like penguins, yes.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45And then they've got the very strong legs and strong claws
0:25:45 > 0:25:47to help them stay down.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50They've got the good eyesight and they don't get wet.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53They've got a very large preen gland and they're forever preening,
0:25:53 > 0:25:55as you've probably seen.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57And they just keep the feathers beautifully waterproof.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04The dipper's famed underwater agility is something I'd love
0:26:04 > 0:26:06to catch on camera.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08That won't be easy.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13But I've heard about another local dipper obsessive who has a better
0:26:13 > 0:26:15chance than most of filming it.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21Wildlife cameraman Robin Smith makes his living filming animals
0:26:21 > 0:26:23all over the world.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29But he lives right here in the Wye Valley,
0:26:29 > 0:26:34and today his filming location is just a short stroll from home.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36- Knock knock.- Just scooch in.
0:26:36 > 0:26:37It's a little bit snug, I'm afraid.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41- Perfect! How are you doing?- Yeah, good.- Great to see you.- You too.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43What a brilliant spot.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45Yes, it's pretty special, really.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50Robin's expert eye has honed in on a dipper with what must be the
0:26:50 > 0:26:54most picturesque nest site in the country.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57I just get them in the frame for you. We're about there somewhere.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00So, just behind that plume on the weir there,
0:27:00 > 0:27:02there's a nest just up in the little culvert.
0:27:02 > 0:27:03The nest is literally in there?
0:27:03 > 0:27:04Literally in there, yes.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09This is an ingenious place to keep the chicks safe from predators.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15Robin's been watching the parents fly food into the chicks,
0:27:15 > 0:27:18straight through the middle of the waterfall.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20Now I'm hoping to see a repeat performance.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24But first, our dipper needs to find some food.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27And that little stick out of the water, that's the perch?
0:27:27 > 0:27:29Yes, she'll come up on that perch,
0:27:29 > 0:27:31and then when she's happy the coast is clear,
0:27:31 > 0:27:32she'll just fly up into the weir there
0:27:32 > 0:27:35and just go behind the waterfall. There she goes.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37Oh, fantastic.
0:27:39 > 0:27:40That's beautiful.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43And that little rock, is that a favourite perch, too?
0:27:43 > 0:27:46Yes, she seems to stop on that, not that often -
0:27:46 > 0:27:49she was there this morning, actually.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51I love those white eyelids when they flutter those.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53Can you just see that white eyelid?
0:27:53 > 0:27:55When she blinks, yes, that's amazing.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57She's got to move soon, hasn't she?
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Yes. She's preparing herself for a flight or a swim.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03Come on. She's thinking about it.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06Here she goes, here she goes.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08Ooh! Nice.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20Perfect.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22So, from here, there will be a dive through the waterfall?
0:28:22 > 0:28:23Yeah, pretty much.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27You'll hear the chicks.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30Oh, brilliant. And out again.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33- Did she deliver the goods there? - Yeah, absolutely.- That was quick.
0:28:33 > 0:28:34- Yeah, oh, yeah.- Blimey.
0:28:34 > 0:28:36She doesn't hang about.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39Absolutely brilliant, Robin, that's made my day.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41And you've seen a tonne of that, basically?
0:28:41 > 0:28:42Quite a bit.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46- My first time.- It never gets old.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48- No, wonderful.- It's always good.
0:28:48 > 0:28:49Absolutely wonderful.
0:29:01 > 0:29:06This fantastic feeding-flight shows how at home the dipper is
0:29:06 > 0:29:07in this watery world.
0:29:08 > 0:29:10But it's only whetted my appetite.
0:29:10 > 0:29:14Now I really want to see how it moves and swims under the water.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17It almost looks like they fly under water,
0:29:17 > 0:29:19so they use their wings,
0:29:19 > 0:29:21and they, literally, they go negatively buoyant,
0:29:21 > 0:29:23they get right under the surface. They've got really strong claws,
0:29:23 > 0:29:26they can grip onto the rocks underneath the surface.
0:29:26 > 0:29:27They can almost...
0:29:27 > 0:29:29The rumour used to be that they could walk on the bottom.
0:29:29 > 0:29:30I think that's a bit of a myth.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33Actually, it's more like they are flying.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36So, is there any way of getting shots of them
0:29:36 > 0:29:38doing this amazing swimming action?
0:29:38 > 0:29:41Yes, I mean, that's the Holy Grail, really.
0:29:41 > 0:29:43Well, that's a challenge.
0:29:43 > 0:29:47And it's pretty obvious that Robin can't resist taking it on.
0:29:47 > 0:29:50Our best chance to capture the dipper's underwater flight
0:29:50 > 0:29:53on camera is right now.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56The chicks are due to leave the nest any day.
0:29:56 > 0:30:00So the parents are at their busiest, diving over and over again
0:30:00 > 0:30:02to find enough food for their hungry brood.
0:30:06 > 0:30:08So the hotspot is just the other side of the waterfall.
0:30:08 > 0:30:10So, as soon as Mum delivers
0:30:10 > 0:30:14another beak full of dinner and moves upstream,
0:30:14 > 0:30:16we leap into action to set up some of Robin's kit.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19The little waterproof mini camera.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21With a bit of luck, this could give us the perfect view
0:30:21 > 0:30:23of a dipper dive.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26So what we will do, Hugh, if you just want to plonk it down,
0:30:26 > 0:30:28you have to sort of go into the river.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31But only if we can entice them to this precise spot.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36For that, we need to use a wildlife cameraman's trick of the trade.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41Mealworms. A favourite bird table food
0:30:41 > 0:30:45that also happens to work underwater.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47Now, just think of the start you're giving those chicks,
0:30:47 > 0:30:50the calorific content in those mealworms for a small chick...
0:30:50 > 0:30:53- It's a real boost, isn't it? - It's a real boost.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56It's a great start to life, those things.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58I'm very excited that I actually got to place the camera
0:30:58 > 0:31:01because if we get this shot,
0:31:01 > 0:31:04which, as far as we know, has never happened before,
0:31:04 > 0:31:06I actually get some of the credit!
0:31:10 > 0:31:15So, the stage is set, and now, for Robin, it's a waiting game.
0:31:16 > 0:31:18But these wildlife cameramen are used to that.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31Dippers are one good sign of a healthy river.
0:31:33 > 0:31:34And as we've seen,
0:31:34 > 0:31:36that health begins with the small stuff
0:31:36 > 0:31:38that's food for everything else.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47With that in mind, I'm off to look for a tiny fish
0:31:47 > 0:31:50that's very close to my heart.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53It's pretty much at the bottom of the fishy food chain,
0:31:53 > 0:31:56but it's been delighting me ever since I first caught one as a boy.
0:31:57 > 0:32:01Local fishing guide, the appropriately named Adam Fisher,
0:32:01 > 0:32:02knows just the place to look.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04A stunning spot, Alan.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07- It's great, isn't it?- And the fish.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10- Oh, look. I can see...- Yeah.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12..tons of little guys.
0:32:12 > 0:32:16These are the small fry that play a big part in the life of a river,
0:32:16 > 0:32:19and the one we're after is the minnow.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24I've come prepared, with the kit I've used to catch them for decades.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28- So, I brought this...- OK.
0:32:28 > 0:32:29..for that old-school minnow trap,
0:32:29 > 0:32:31where you cut the top off and turn it round.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33I haven't done that for a while.
0:32:33 > 0:32:35- If you can you remember the right way round to do it...- I'll try.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37They get in, they can't get back out. Yeah?
0:32:37 > 0:32:39What have you got there? That looks a bit fancy to me.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41This is a slightly more modern version, off-the-shelf.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43This is an off-the-shelf minnow trap?
0:32:43 > 0:32:46- It is off-the-shelf, yeah. - I didn't know those things existed.
0:32:46 > 0:32:47Nor did I.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51So, we're going to have a bit of a minnow-off.
0:32:51 > 0:32:53I think so. What bait have you got?
0:32:53 > 0:32:56Classic. Somewhere, I've got a bread roll.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59Have you got something more fancy for your bait as well?
0:32:59 > 0:33:02Well, of course. More modern bait to match the modern trap.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04I'm not sure if they like brown bread, but...
0:33:04 > 0:33:05Oh, you think they prefer sliced white?
0:33:05 > 0:33:07Yeah, I think they do!
0:33:07 > 0:33:10- What have you got? - Well, a bit of a secret.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13That's some kind of proprietary trout-pellety type thing?
0:33:13 > 0:33:16It is, it's oily, and they love the oil, and they just swarm round it.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18There could be some skill involved too,
0:33:18 > 0:33:20and that's picking the location.
0:33:20 > 0:33:21OK.
0:33:22 > 0:33:26We'll get to that, but first I need to engineer my trap.
0:33:29 > 0:33:31So, it's as simple as that.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34That's the theory. Minnow swims in here...
0:33:36 > 0:33:38..a little bit of food in there,
0:33:38 > 0:33:40stone to anchor it to the bottom.
0:33:40 > 0:33:46Minnow swims in, swims around, can't really find its way out.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48It's the lobster-pot principle,
0:33:48 > 0:33:50a kind of funnel taking it into the trap,
0:33:50 > 0:33:54but it's not to say he'll never get out, but it will take a bit of time,
0:33:54 > 0:33:56and hopefully while he's in there, I can pick up the trap
0:33:56 > 0:33:58and we'll have ourselves a minnow
0:33:58 > 0:34:01to get a really close look at.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03I'm telling you, they don't like brown bread.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05Stop it! Stop it!
0:34:05 > 0:34:07It's mind tricks, isn't it, Adam?
0:34:07 > 0:34:09You're just trying to dent my confidence, get the upper hand!
0:34:09 > 0:34:12Yeah, well, it's a competition of sorts, isn't it?
0:34:12 > 0:34:14Apparently you've made it one!
0:34:15 > 0:34:18Are they carnivorous or are they vegetarian?
0:34:18 > 0:34:20I think, like most fish, they are omnivores,
0:34:20 > 0:34:22they'll eat a bit of everything.
0:34:22 > 0:34:26They're opportunist, there's weed there, there's going to be larvae,
0:34:26 > 0:34:28there's going to be insects washed in.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31- There is all sorts. So, yeah, they'll eat everything.- OK.
0:34:31 > 0:34:33- Including bread?- Apart from brown bread.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38I'm pretty sure Adam's pulling my leg,
0:34:38 > 0:34:39but there's only one way to find out.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49So, the opening facing downstream?
0:34:49 > 0:34:50- You've got it.- OK, here we go.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04Right, well, I'm ahead of the game, Adam.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06Yeah, I think so. I'm itching, if I'm honest.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08You just don't want to get your feet wet, is that it?
0:35:08 > 0:35:10Well, if I don't have to...
0:35:12 > 0:35:14..then I won't.
0:35:14 > 0:35:15That's it.
0:35:16 > 0:35:17It's as simple as that, is it?
0:35:17 > 0:35:19I think so, I think that's bang on.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23I hate to tell you this, but they're already going in there.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25You're kidding.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27Very casual.
0:35:27 > 0:35:28You think you've... Go on, prove that,
0:35:28 > 0:35:30if you really think in ten seconds...
0:35:30 > 0:35:33Come on, let's see it right now. In ten seconds, you've caught a fish.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36- There you go.- Unbelievable.
0:35:38 > 0:35:39I think there's two in there.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41- That's extraordinary. - One's definitely a minnow,
0:35:41 > 0:35:43I'm not sure what the other one is.
0:35:43 > 0:35:47- That's insane.- It's the fisherman in me, sorry.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54I think my old-school trap might need a little more time to work.
0:35:54 > 0:35:56But there are worse places to wait.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00Look at this, Alan, look who's coming down the river.
0:36:00 > 0:36:01I know, magnificent, aren't they?
0:36:04 > 0:36:05They own the river, don't they?
0:36:05 > 0:36:06Yeah, they certainly do.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08They certainly do, they've got a presence, for sure.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13Above the water, all is calm,
0:36:13 > 0:36:16but beneath the surface it's a different story.
0:36:16 > 0:36:17I have lured them all over here.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20So there is literally a feeding frenzy going on.
0:36:20 > 0:36:22Pete, see if you can pick this up because it's quite interesting.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24They are on a pellet, that's why.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27Can you see the grey that they are on?
0:36:27 > 0:36:28Yeah.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31- That's one pellet.- That's one of your pellets?- Yeah.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33It's literally caused a feeding frenzy.
0:36:35 > 0:36:36Well, enough's enough.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39Time to show Adam how it's done old school.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41If you can get two in ten seconds,
0:36:41 > 0:36:43surely I can get a couple in ten minutes.
0:36:43 > 0:36:45They can't hate brown bread that much!
0:36:50 > 0:36:52ALAN LAUGHS
0:36:52 > 0:36:54Stop cackling!
0:36:54 > 0:36:55Sorry.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59- I shouldn't laugh.- There is not a single minnow in here.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01Hiding under the stone? No.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06Let's have a look what your magic pellets can do in a few minutes.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10There's that many fish down there,
0:37:10 > 0:37:12I can't really see the minnow trap.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14Stop it! ALAN LAUGHS
0:37:16 > 0:37:17Oh, wow!
0:37:19 > 0:37:21- Big guys.- Yeah, proper ones, eh?
0:37:21 > 0:37:24Proper grown-up minnows, and maybe seven or eight of them,
0:37:24 > 0:37:26and a few little ones, too.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29I have to say, that is stunning.
0:37:29 > 0:37:30I mean, look at this guy there.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34That golden line, there's a luminous golden line
0:37:34 > 0:37:36just above the lateral line.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39Lovely silver belly, little black spots down the tail.
0:37:41 > 0:37:43I mean, almost any fish, when you look at it close-up,
0:37:43 > 0:37:46- just reveals its beauty, doesn't it? - It does.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48Any fish is admirable close-up, as you say.
0:37:48 > 0:37:52But these guys, you know, you catch them when you're young as kids,
0:37:52 > 0:37:55and then you look at them now, and they are awesome.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59And of course they are a massively important food source.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02Yeah, they are a massive part of the food chain,
0:38:02 > 0:38:04they're really important.
0:38:04 > 0:38:06They are there for other fish to feed on,
0:38:06 > 0:38:08they are there for avian predators,
0:38:08 > 0:38:11fish-wise we're looking at perch and pike,
0:38:11 > 0:38:13avian predators, kingfisher,
0:38:13 > 0:38:16cormorants, although they like larger fish,
0:38:16 > 0:38:17they are going to eat these, too.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19The fact that everybody wants to eat these guys,
0:38:19 > 0:38:22and there are still thousands or millions of them in the river,
0:38:22 > 0:38:25that's pretty good news as far as the ecology of the river goes.
0:38:25 > 0:38:27Well, I think so. It's sustainable, isn't it?
0:38:27 > 0:38:28If there is that many of them,
0:38:28 > 0:38:31you can just see that lots and lots of minnows, you know,
0:38:31 > 0:38:33is the sign of a good, healthy river.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39And it's time for this mob of minnows to get back to the shoal,
0:38:39 > 0:38:42and their precious but precarious position
0:38:42 > 0:38:44at the bottom of the fishy food chain.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53There is little doubt that the River Wye
0:38:53 > 0:38:55is absolutely teeming with life.
0:39:00 > 0:39:02And so too is the forest around it.
0:39:07 > 0:39:11In Roman times, this place was prized for its wild game,
0:39:11 > 0:39:12and in the Middle Ages,
0:39:12 > 0:39:16it was protected by the Royal Court as a hunting ground.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22This is some of Britain's best-preserved ancient woodland.
0:39:23 > 0:39:27So it's no surprise in this rare and very special forest
0:39:27 > 0:39:32that a complex variety of life has found a place to flourish.
0:39:34 > 0:39:38The mature deciduous woodland isn't just a habitat,
0:39:38 > 0:39:42it's an amazing diversity of different habitats,
0:39:42 > 0:39:45each of which provides for an extraordinary array of wildlife.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49The tree tops here in the Forest of Dean
0:39:49 > 0:39:54are a stronghold for the elusive goshawk, the phantom of the forest.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59And above our heads, squirrels and woodland birds
0:39:59 > 0:40:02make good use of branches and tree holes.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06But an equally vital sign of a healthy forest
0:40:06 > 0:40:09is what happens beneath the canopy.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12The rich forest floor is a world of its own,
0:40:12 > 0:40:15where creatures of all shapes and sizes forage for food.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19Embedded in the rich mulch of decaying leaves
0:40:19 > 0:40:21is new plant life, too -
0:40:21 > 0:40:25seedlings and saplings that support all kinds of bugs and invertebrates.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30Including over 30 species of butterfly.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33Like this one, the critically endangered Wood White.
0:40:34 > 0:40:39Its slow lumbering flight makes it stand out from a distance
0:40:39 > 0:40:41from any other species of white butterfly.
0:40:45 > 0:40:50In spring, a carpet of bluebells are an early source of nectar
0:40:50 > 0:40:52for burgeoning insect life.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55And a sure sign of a woodland that has stood for hundreds of years.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02Of all the animals that prosper in this timeless woodland world,
0:41:02 > 0:41:05one in particular stands out.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07Not least for its size.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13A big and beautiful herbivore.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16And a great success story of our woodland habitat.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18Just a glimpse can be electrifying.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22It's the fallow deer.
0:41:23 > 0:41:25Their coats vary from reddish-brown
0:41:25 > 0:41:29with distinctive white spots to a more muted grey.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32The antlers are flattened out like the palm of a hand.
0:41:34 > 0:41:39Not a native species, it was brought here after 1066 by the Normans,
0:41:39 > 0:41:41who stocked the forest for hunting.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44And with no natural predators
0:41:44 > 0:41:47since the wolf's demise soon after the fallow arrived here,
0:41:47 > 0:41:49they've prospered,
0:41:49 > 0:41:52browsing freely on the fresh vegetation to be found
0:41:52 > 0:41:53among the taller trees.
0:41:56 > 0:41:58A recent estimate has put the number of deer
0:41:58 > 0:42:01in the Forest of Dean at over 1,000.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08We're really entering a state that hasn't existed before.
0:42:08 > 0:42:10The numbers of deer we have in the British Isles now
0:42:10 > 0:42:12are higher than probably they've ever been.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17Dr Markus Eichhorn has been investigating
0:42:17 > 0:42:20the impact on the forest of all these deer.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22So, that's clear deer damage.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25That one there has very clearly been nibbled.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28And you can see here on this tree,
0:42:28 > 0:42:31you can see where something has shredded the leaves off.
0:42:37 > 0:42:38The signs are easy to spot.
0:42:40 > 0:42:42But without an accurate measurement,
0:42:42 > 0:42:45it's impossible to assess the extent of the problem.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49That calls for a more scientific approach,
0:42:49 > 0:42:51and a modern piece of kit being pioneered
0:42:51 > 0:42:53by Markus and his colleague, Joe Ryding.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56Basically, what this does,
0:42:56 > 0:43:01it's going to project a laser all the way round the forest.
0:43:01 > 0:43:05So, if you think of it like taking a panoramic photo.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07Is it a dangerous laser?
0:43:07 > 0:43:11No, no, it's not going to cut anybody's parts off, no.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17This is where we have to keep up with the scanner
0:43:17 > 0:43:19so we don't get a laser in the face.
0:43:20 > 0:43:22This is the first time this technique
0:43:22 > 0:43:24has been used for conservation.
0:43:25 > 0:43:29Marcus and Joe have scanned 40 locations in total,
0:43:29 > 0:43:32and thanks to their work, the bigger picture is now becoming clear.
0:43:35 > 0:43:37So, we've got the animation here.
0:43:37 > 0:43:38It hasn't snowed.
0:43:40 > 0:43:41No!
0:43:41 > 0:43:45You can see very clearly that there is no foliage on the trees
0:43:45 > 0:43:46below a certain level.
0:43:49 > 0:43:51Their data has revealed a startling fact.
0:43:52 > 0:43:57Two-thirds of the foliage has gone from the lower part of the forest,
0:43:57 > 0:43:58that's below head height.
0:43:58 > 0:44:00The area that you actually see as you walk around,
0:44:00 > 0:44:03the stuff that you're picking your way through in the forest.
0:44:03 > 0:44:04When there's lots of deer,
0:44:04 > 0:44:06two-thirds of those leaves have gone.
0:44:07 > 0:44:12The fallow deer's true impact on the forest is starting to emerge.
0:44:13 > 0:44:17You can see the level at which the deer are browsing.
0:44:17 > 0:44:19Because they can only reach so high.
0:44:19 > 0:44:21They'll reach up with their necks,
0:44:21 > 0:44:24and some of them will walk up the side of a tree,
0:44:24 > 0:44:26and will bite off the foliage that they can reach,
0:44:26 > 0:44:28but they can only reach so far,
0:44:28 > 0:44:30and that gives you this characteristic line
0:44:30 > 0:44:32in the understorey of the forest.
0:44:35 > 0:44:37The scale of the impact is leading to concern
0:44:37 > 0:44:40for the very future of the forest.
0:44:45 > 0:44:46In a healthy woodland,
0:44:46 > 0:44:48these smaller shrubs and saplings
0:44:48 > 0:44:51are not only an important habitat for wildlife...
0:44:52 > 0:44:56..they are also the nursery for the new canopy trees,
0:44:56 > 0:44:58the forest's precious next generation.
0:45:04 > 0:45:07Right now, all of that has been eaten away, it's been stripped away,
0:45:07 > 0:45:09so there's no habitat left at ground level.
0:45:09 > 0:45:13You could walk through this without hitting a bush or a plant
0:45:13 > 0:45:15or getting your feet tangled,
0:45:15 > 0:45:17in fact, you could drive a car through this.
0:45:19 > 0:45:23Markus's data makes clear that the density of the deer population here
0:45:23 > 0:45:26is a threat to this ancient forest's survival.
0:45:27 > 0:45:30The question now is what's to be done?
0:45:33 > 0:45:35Fencing out the deer would mean enclosing forest
0:45:35 > 0:45:38that people have had access to for centuries.
0:45:41 > 0:45:44One suggestion is indeed the reintroduction
0:45:44 > 0:45:48of the deer's natural predators, the lynx and the wolf.
0:45:48 > 0:45:51But in such a populated and visited forest,
0:45:51 > 0:45:53that is going to be a hard sell.
0:45:55 > 0:45:58So Markus favours a more practical way
0:45:58 > 0:46:01to deal with the UK's booming population of deer.
0:46:03 > 0:46:05So, I've got a much simpler alternative
0:46:05 > 0:46:06that I'm trying to encourage people to do,
0:46:06 > 0:46:07and that's to eat them.
0:46:09 > 0:46:13We should be eating wild-caught British deer.
0:46:13 > 0:46:17It's free-range, they are widely available, they are easy to catch,
0:46:17 > 0:46:21and if we found those in our butchers and restaurants,
0:46:21 > 0:46:23and if those became a characteristic feature
0:46:23 > 0:46:25of the British diet once again,
0:46:25 > 0:46:28then I think that we collectively could do a great deal of good
0:46:28 > 0:46:32for conservation just by changing what we eat and eating British deer.
0:46:35 > 0:46:37In fact, here in the Forest of Dean,
0:46:37 > 0:46:40this idea is already being implemented.
0:46:40 > 0:46:43A controlled annual cull by trained marksmen
0:46:43 > 0:46:46aims to bring down the fallow deer population
0:46:46 > 0:46:48to reduce the impact on young trees
0:46:48 > 0:46:51and allow the forest to regenerate.
0:46:51 > 0:46:54The resulting venison is being sold in local butchers,
0:46:54 > 0:46:56which in turn helps finance the cull.
0:47:07 > 0:47:10Wildlife enthusiasts living near the Forest of Dean
0:47:10 > 0:47:13don't have to travel far to get their fix.
0:47:14 > 0:47:18But local IT specialist Gareth Jones has elevated the art
0:47:18 > 0:47:22of stay-at-home wildlife watching to a whole new level.
0:47:22 > 0:47:24Probably a bit excessive sometimes,
0:47:24 > 0:47:26and probably takes up too much of my time.
0:47:27 > 0:47:30A great variety of the Forest of Dean's animals
0:47:30 > 0:47:32pass through his garden,
0:47:32 > 0:47:37and Gareth encourages quite a few of them to stick around to be filmed.
0:47:37 > 0:47:40So, we have a nest box down in that tree over there.
0:47:40 > 0:47:42I put up a new nest box just here.
0:47:43 > 0:47:46The box next to that, I have tree bumblebees in.
0:47:46 > 0:47:49Quite often, we feed the badgers just down there.
0:47:49 > 0:47:51We can have all different sorts of birds.
0:47:51 > 0:47:54We also sometimes find harvest mice nests.
0:47:54 > 0:47:57Great tits, blue tits, long-tailed tits.
0:47:57 > 0:47:59This is my latest camera.
0:47:59 > 0:48:02We get glow-worms as well.
0:48:02 > 0:48:04We have around about three pairs of bullfinches.
0:48:04 > 0:48:08We get through 25 kilos of sunflower seed in about three weeks,
0:48:08 > 0:48:10so it can become an expensive thing.
0:48:13 > 0:48:15This year, Gareth's owl box
0:48:15 > 0:48:19gave him a rare peek into the family life of the tawny owl,
0:48:19 > 0:48:22one of our most captivating raptors.
0:48:22 > 0:48:24It's a saga I'm ready to get stuck into.
0:48:24 > 0:48:26So, these are my cameras here.
0:48:27 > 0:48:30So, at the moment, I've got pictures of the tawny owl up.
0:48:32 > 0:48:34Tawnies are our most common owl,
0:48:34 > 0:48:37and they've adapted well to living close to people.
0:48:40 > 0:48:42Gareth's cameras recorded pictures and sound
0:48:42 > 0:48:45of this nocturnal predator around the clock.
0:48:45 > 0:48:47OWL WARBLES
0:48:47 > 0:48:51The story begins when the tawny owl pair decide to set up home
0:48:51 > 0:48:53in Gareth's nest box.
0:48:56 > 0:48:59I think the noises that tawnies make are just so much more
0:48:59 > 0:49:01than the too-wit, too-woo that everyone thinks.
0:49:01 > 0:49:04The warbling and all that courtship type of noises
0:49:04 > 0:49:05that they make are really different,
0:49:05 > 0:49:08and something that you just don't know unless you have a nest box
0:49:08 > 0:49:10with sound in it.
0:49:10 > 0:49:13OWL CALLS
0:49:16 > 0:49:20Once her courtship calls have successfully attracted a mate,
0:49:20 > 0:49:24the female bird gives the nest box a makeover
0:49:24 > 0:49:26and scrapes a hollow for her eggs to rest in.
0:49:28 > 0:49:31She's been incubating her first egg for a week
0:49:31 > 0:49:33when she lays a second one.
0:49:33 > 0:49:35It's a deliberate strategy.
0:49:35 > 0:49:38The second will only survive if the food supply is good.
0:49:40 > 0:49:46And the 28-day incubation period isn't without distractions.
0:49:46 > 0:49:51We've seen a mandarin duck try to take over the nest box.
0:49:52 > 0:49:55You can just see the beak pointing in there.
0:49:55 > 0:49:59And then going in. That's the female mandarin.
0:49:59 > 0:50:02And it's sent packing by the tawny.
0:50:08 > 0:50:12Then one evening in April, the first chick begins to hatch.
0:50:14 > 0:50:16Here is the female...
0:50:18 > 0:50:20..and she is helping to break the egg open.
0:50:24 > 0:50:27You can actually see the chick coming out.
0:50:29 > 0:50:32Trying to work its way out of the egg.
0:50:32 > 0:50:34Mum just helping her, really.
0:50:37 > 0:50:40You know, it's a privilege for you to see that sort of thing, really.
0:50:42 > 0:50:45But this intimate view of the owl family
0:50:45 > 0:50:46takes a less heart-warming turn.
0:50:48 > 0:50:51The first chick grew quite quickly,
0:50:51 > 0:50:54and the second chick didn't grow so quickly, so in the end,
0:50:54 > 0:50:59unfortunately, what happened was that the second chick perished.
0:51:01 > 0:51:05The harsh reality is that tawny owls often hatch two chicks,
0:51:05 > 0:51:08but only rarely do both of them survive.
0:51:11 > 0:51:15The mother's priority now is to get her remaining chick to adulthood.
0:51:17 > 0:51:20And she hunts tirelessly to feed its growing appetite.
0:51:31 > 0:51:33At four weeks old,
0:51:33 > 0:51:35the chick's almost ready to emerge from the nest.
0:51:38 > 0:51:40As it got bigger,
0:51:40 > 0:51:44it moved out and onto the platform and onto the little perch.
0:51:44 > 0:51:48And in the end, it made the big jump to jump up onto the top of the box.
0:51:52 > 0:51:56And the first time that Mum came back, she dived into the box,
0:51:56 > 0:51:58looked around and thought, "Where has my chick gone?"
0:51:58 > 0:52:02And then the chick was calling on top and she hopped up and fed it.
0:52:07 > 0:52:10I think it was the second day, it was around there,
0:52:10 > 0:52:11made the big flight,
0:52:11 > 0:52:14the first flight, and disappeared into the undergrowth.
0:52:20 > 0:52:24Tawny owl chicks don't simply fledge and leave the nest.
0:52:24 > 0:52:26Like most raptors,
0:52:26 > 0:52:28they continue to rely on their parents for food
0:52:28 > 0:52:30and for hunting lessons
0:52:30 > 0:52:32for a good couple of months after they can fly.
0:52:35 > 0:52:39But before long, this tawny youngster will have to go it alone.
0:52:40 > 0:52:43The parent birds will protect their territory
0:52:43 > 0:52:46and drive the young owl away if needs be.
0:52:47 > 0:52:51So, it's goodbye from Gareth to these tawnies for now.
0:52:51 > 0:52:55Let's hope this family, or another, uses the nest box next year,
0:52:55 > 0:52:58and keeps Gareth's wildlife show on the road.
0:53:07 > 0:53:11I am back with dipper expert Steph and cameraman Robin,
0:53:11 > 0:53:15to see if our mission to film these lovely birds diving underwater
0:53:15 > 0:53:16has come good.
0:53:19 > 0:53:22We've rigged some of Robin's special camera kit
0:53:22 > 0:53:24in a prime spot in the stream.
0:53:24 > 0:53:28And with a bit of luck, we'll have captured a dipper-cam first.
0:53:28 > 0:53:31So, the moment of truth.
0:53:31 > 0:53:33Right. I need my glasses for this.
0:53:33 > 0:53:37- Ready?- Robin's playing his cards close to his chest,
0:53:37 > 0:53:40but I think he's looking pretty pleased with himself.
0:53:40 > 0:53:42Ready? There we go.
0:53:44 > 0:53:48- Oh, come on, no way! - Brilliant.- No way!
0:53:48 > 0:53:50- There he is.- That is brilliant.
0:53:50 > 0:53:52And it's the male, yeah.
0:53:52 > 0:53:54- Clever boy.- Oh, fantastic.
0:53:54 > 0:53:55That is just brilliant.
0:53:57 > 0:54:00Steph, have you ever seen any footage like this before?
0:54:00 > 0:54:01Not like this, not like this, no.
0:54:06 > 0:54:09Something about the way it's using its wings...
0:54:09 > 0:54:12- ..it's just a brilliant swimmer. - Oh, they are incredible.
0:54:14 > 0:54:16The way he's using his feet to steer.
0:54:16 > 0:54:18Yeah, it's not using its tail much, is it?
0:54:18 > 0:54:20Rudders. No, it's the wings and the feet.
0:54:20 > 0:54:21It's the wings and the feet, yeah.
0:54:21 > 0:54:25A little turn away to just come up again with a flick of the feet.
0:54:25 > 0:54:26Yeah, the tail might be important.
0:54:26 > 0:54:28Look at that little foot, one on the rock.
0:54:28 > 0:54:30It is beating the tail there a bit.
0:54:30 > 0:54:32- Just a little.- Yeah, just using it as a rudder.- Yeah.
0:54:37 > 0:54:42These rare shots show the effect of some very special adaptations
0:54:42 > 0:54:45that make the dipper so well suited to these underwater stunts.
0:54:48 > 0:54:52Special flaps of skin protect its nose and eyes from the rush of water
0:54:52 > 0:54:54as it dives.
0:54:56 > 0:55:00And unlike most birds, the dipper's bones aren't hollow, but solid,
0:55:00 > 0:55:02making them less buoyant,
0:55:02 > 0:55:05and allowing the bird to stay submerged for longer.
0:55:09 > 0:55:11Does this footage tell you anything you didn't know
0:55:11 > 0:55:13or confirm what you were thinking?
0:55:13 > 0:55:15Well, it confirms, I mean,
0:55:15 > 0:55:17the brilliant eyesight and the brilliant ability
0:55:17 > 0:55:19to dive and find prey.
0:55:21 > 0:55:24When Robin told me about trying to get it,
0:55:24 > 0:55:25I had my doubts that he would.
0:55:25 > 0:55:29- Sorry, Robin.- That's OK, I had my doubts, as well!
0:55:29 > 0:55:32Well, the two of you are both incredibly good at what you do,
0:55:32 > 0:55:34and for me, it's been such a treat.
0:55:34 > 0:55:36- Look at that.- Just brilliant.- Yeah.
0:55:37 > 0:55:39- Great job.- Absolutely superb.
0:55:46 > 0:55:50But these dippers haven't revealed all their secrets just yet.
0:55:52 > 0:55:56Early the next morning, Robin witnesses a very special moment.
0:56:01 > 0:56:03Just starting to see the first little sign
0:56:03 > 0:56:05of a beak at the waterfall.
0:56:05 > 0:56:06Just a little...
0:56:07 > 0:56:10..head looking out. Just trying to gauge what...
0:56:11 > 0:56:13..the outside world is all about, I guess.
0:56:15 > 0:56:17So, so close, come on, you can do it.
0:56:20 > 0:56:23Then, for the very first time in their life,
0:56:23 > 0:56:27two brave little dipper chicks take a leap into the unknown.
0:56:44 > 0:56:46Finally, the youngsters our dipper parents
0:56:46 > 0:56:49have been working so hard to feed are off their hands.
0:56:51 > 0:56:52Well, almost.
0:56:55 > 0:56:58The chicks will rely on their parents to provide their meals
0:56:58 > 0:57:01for another week or two, quivering their wings to beg for food.
0:57:08 > 0:57:10And it will be another month or so before they moult
0:57:10 > 0:57:13into their glossy waterproof adult plumage.
0:57:19 > 0:57:22These birds have had an incredible start to their lives,
0:57:22 > 0:57:24and within hours of fledging,
0:57:24 > 0:57:27they are already demonstrating the delightful behaviour
0:57:27 > 0:57:28that gives the dipper its name.
0:57:36 > 0:57:40But despite decades of research into this signature dipping movement,
0:57:40 > 0:57:43there is no definitive theory as to why they do it.
0:57:46 > 0:57:50All I can say is if they didn't dip, well,
0:57:50 > 0:57:53they wouldn't be quite the fantastic little birds they are.
0:58:01 > 0:58:05If you'd like to explore Britain's diverse landscapes in more detail
0:58:05 > 0:58:09and find out how to create your own wildlife habitats,
0:58:09 > 0:58:12the Open University has produced a free booklet with bookmarks.
0:58:14 > 0:58:15Order your copy by calling...
0:58:19 > 0:58:21Or go to...
0:58:24 > 0:58:27..and follow the links to the Open University.