0:00:02 > 0:00:05For me, watching wildlife is one of life's greatest pleasures.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10And my favourite place to do it is right here
0:00:10 > 0:00:13in 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's as awe-inspiring,
0:00:22 > 0:00:25extraordinary and magical as any.
0:00:25 > 0:00:29- Oh! Oh, come on! No way!- Brilliant.
0:00:29 > 0:00:33I'm hoping to get as close as I can to as many as I can...
0:00:33 > 0:00:34Right, I'm ready.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36This is great, this is measuring an eel.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38Whoa, whoa, whoa.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41Ants! Off, off! Oh, there's one inside!
0:00:41 > 0:00:45..with the help of a band of dedicated nature lovers.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48Some of the patterns on the feathers, they're beautiful.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53- Good spot. Look, look, look! Wonderful.- Oh, that's so cool.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55There's one in my hair now, probably.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58I'll share the thrill of the chase...
0:00:58 > 0:01:00- Do you hear 'em? - I heard something.- Yeah.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03- They're in there.- Yes.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06..the sheer joy of the encounter...
0:01:06 > 0:01:08- Ah! She's so golden. - She's fast asleep.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10It's OK. Shhh!
0:01:10 > 0:01:11That's amazing.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16..and I'll pitch in to help these local heroes
0:01:16 > 0:01:20safeguard the future of our precious animals.
0:01:20 > 0:01:21Bye-bye.
0:01:21 > 0:01:22There she goes.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26Whoa-ho!
0:01:26 > 0:01:28I can't believe that I've been living in the West Country
0:01:28 > 0:01:31for so many years and 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 > 0:01:59I'm on Dartmoor, among its famous great granite peaks, known as tors.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02I love coming up here, it's one of the best views
0:02:02 > 0:02:04in the whole of the South West
0:02:04 > 0:02:06and one of the truly wild landscapes of Britain.
0:02:10 > 0:02:15Dartmoor is the largest area of open moor in southern England.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17The unbroken panoramas from these craggy,
0:02:17 > 0:02:19granite summits are always breathtaking.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23But there's another side of Dartmoor that, for me,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26holds an even greater fascination.
0:02:27 > 0:02:28In the steep river valleys,
0:02:28 > 0:02:32much of the ancient woodland has stood for centuries.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35These atmospheric forests hold the key to
0:02:35 > 0:02:39survival for many of Dartmoor's most engaging creatures.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42And I'm hoping to meet some of them,
0:02:42 > 0:02:45as I explore the secrets of Dartmoor's woodland world.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49Dartmoor is in southern Devon
0:02:49 > 0:02:52and measures 40km from north to south
0:02:52 > 0:02:54and from east to west.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58The River Dart that gives the moor its name rises here and runs
0:02:58 > 0:03:02through ancient Hembury Woods near the town of Buckfastleigh.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05The valleys of the River Taw, near the village of Belstone,
0:03:05 > 0:03:08are also rich with native broadleaf woodlands.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14My fascination with one creature that's brilliantly adapted to
0:03:14 > 0:03:17life on Dartmoor begins about an hour away
0:03:17 > 0:03:19from the National Park boundary
0:03:19 > 0:03:21in a more domestic setting.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24This is my garden,
0:03:24 > 0:03:27where you'll often find me pottering around of a morning,
0:03:27 > 0:03:32catering for the regulars at my bird table breakfast bar.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40What am I going to give them this morning?
0:03:40 > 0:03:44Same old, same old, I think. Fat balls, nyjer seed.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49It's got to a point where, on most days,
0:03:49 > 0:03:53the birds get their breakfast before I get my first cup of tea.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56Which is a bit extreme.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58That's because I like watching the birds
0:03:58 > 0:04:00while I drink my first cup of tea.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04OK. Right.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08I've been feeding the birds in my garden for years.
0:04:08 > 0:04:09All right, fellas?
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Over time, I've learned how to attract a wide
0:04:12 > 0:04:16variety of species by catering for their different tastes -
0:04:16 > 0:04:20and it isn't just what they eat, it's how it's served.
0:04:25 > 0:04:26There we go.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30Who's coming for breakfast?
0:04:30 > 0:04:32Straight onto the table.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34Oh, a little coal tit.
0:04:34 > 0:04:35Lovely.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39Ah, here's our nuthatch. He's a very confident fellow.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41He usually gets what he wants
0:04:41 > 0:04:43and barges the other birds out of the way.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46I mean, you wouldn't want a stab from that sharp beak.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50But I just love the way he moves.
0:04:50 > 0:04:51Look at him.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53I don't know how he does that.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55It's like he's got glue on his feet.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00Here comes the woodpecker.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02I knew he'd turn up.
0:05:02 > 0:05:03What a beauty.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09Well, if you went on a bird-watching holiday in the tropics,
0:05:09 > 0:05:11you'd be blown away to see birds that are this colourful,
0:05:11 > 0:05:15but we so quickly forget that we've got them right here in the UK.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18And recently,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21I spotted a new addition to the line-up on my bird table.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24Seeing it has become the highlight of my morning routine.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30I've even devised a special technique to watch it in comfort.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33Here goes.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35With the help of a broken fishing rod,
0:05:35 > 0:05:37I'm dangling a feeder full of fat balls
0:05:37 > 0:05:39just outside my bedroom window
0:05:39 > 0:05:43so I get to watch out for the new object of my avian affections
0:05:43 > 0:05:46from a particularly comfortable perch.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49There's really nothing better on a cold winter's morning
0:05:49 > 0:05:51than sitting here all cosy
0:05:51 > 0:05:54with my binoculars and my cup of tea,
0:05:54 > 0:05:57my bird feeders out, just waiting for the action.
0:06:05 > 0:06:06Right on cue.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10I knew she wouldn't be able to resist those fat balls for long.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12This is the long-tailed tit.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15That is very exciting.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17Such a beautiful thing.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20I've had these bird feeders up here for years
0:06:20 > 0:06:23and the first time I saw a long-tailed tit was just a few
0:06:23 > 0:06:26months ago and this is only the third or fourth time.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28Look at it.
0:06:28 > 0:06:29It's such a beautiful bird.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34It's like a little ball of fluff with that lovely long tail.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38It's only since they started coming here this year that I've had
0:06:38 > 0:06:42a close look at them and I'm getting more and more intrigued.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44When they're not here at the bird table,
0:06:44 > 0:06:46I know very little about what they get up to.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51My new-found enthusiasm for the long-tailed tit
0:06:51 > 0:06:54has led me to John Walters.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57He's a walking encyclopaedia of all of Dartmoor's wildlife.
0:06:57 > 0:07:02And he's also particularly smitten with my new favourite bird.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05In fact, John's passion is in a whole different league.
0:07:05 > 0:07:10He's devoted decades of his life to understanding them.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13I set the bird table up seven years ago,
0:07:13 > 0:07:16but I didn't see a long-tailed tit until a few months ago.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18They're tiny little birds.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21They will eat fat, but they mainly eat insects.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25The long-tailed tit is nicknamed the "Flying Teaspoon"
0:07:25 > 0:07:30on account of that tiny, round body and distinctive long tail.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34It's one of the UK's smallest birds, weighing 8g,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36barely more than a 10p piece.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38They flock together in noisy gangs
0:07:38 > 0:07:42and their sociable nature is the key to understanding them.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Is there one particular flock that you've stayed with,
0:07:45 > 0:07:48as it were, through thick and thin? Your loyal flock.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50Well, this flock, that hopefully we'll see this evening roosting,
0:07:50 > 0:07:52they're the ones that I watch the most.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55Do you think they now know who you are and they just accept you?
0:07:55 > 0:07:57- You're... You're John in the woods. - Oh, definitely.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59They have got to know me, for certain,
0:07:59 > 0:08:01because I can see that by their behaviour.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04And they don't mind if you bring a friend in from time to time?
0:08:04 > 0:08:07No, not at all, they're completely used to that.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11Winning the trust of these skittish little birds has taken
0:08:11 > 0:08:14John hundreds of evenings over many years.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18It's all down to a fascination with one very distinctive
0:08:18 > 0:08:20feature of their family life.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23So, there was a particular thing that you hoped to see,
0:08:23 > 0:08:26it was like the Holy Grail of long-tailed tit-watching.
0:08:26 > 0:08:27That's right, yeah.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30Well, to survive the winter, they've got to all snuggle up
0:08:30 > 0:08:33and keep warm at night and they have this, you know, this amazing
0:08:33 > 0:08:36behaviour where they gather together at dusk and roost together.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39But then, you think, "Well, how on earth do you see this?
0:08:39 > 0:08:41"It's almost impossible. Where do they go?"
0:08:41 > 0:08:42But nothing's impossible in the end
0:08:42 > 0:08:44and sometimes things like that find you.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48And I just happened to be wandering down past a little hawthorn bush
0:08:48 > 0:08:50with some ivy at dusk
0:08:50 > 0:08:53and I just saw some long-tailed tits flick in there and I thought, "Wow.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56"They're actually going to roost in there. They are in there now."
0:08:56 > 0:08:59And I sort of hardly dared to sort of look in there
0:08:59 > 0:09:00in case I disturbed them.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04How long was it from when you first decided to follow long-tailed tits
0:09:04 > 0:09:06and you actually saw them in a roost?
0:09:06 > 0:09:11- Well, it was probably about 10, 15 years.- No?!
0:09:11 > 0:09:14You've got me all excited now, I hope it's going to happen.
0:09:14 > 0:09:19The way that long-tailed tits roost in winter is unlike any other bird
0:09:19 > 0:09:22and something only a handful of people have ever seen.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25But after five years of following one family group,
0:09:25 > 0:09:28John has been allowed into their secret world.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32Here we go. So, the flock are just up above us here, in this birch.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35- They like birch to feed in. - Oh, yeah, yeah.
0:09:35 > 0:09:40That's my first long-tailed tit off the bird table. That's fantastic.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43It's very exciting, but they are right up in the tops of the trees.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46Yeah, there's still a few here in the birch here. Um...
0:09:46 > 0:09:51And that noise is very insistent now, isn't it? It's back in the...
0:09:51 > 0:09:54- Yeah, up in...- Back, right in the top of that birch.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58As night draws in,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01the birds will stop foraging for insects in the tree tops
0:10:01 > 0:10:05and find a more sheltered spot to settle for the cold night ahead.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09I'm still not sure just how we're going to find
0:10:09 > 0:10:13a handful of tiny birds in the whole of this wood in the dark,
0:10:13 > 0:10:15but under John's guidance, we have a plan.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21And after a bit of kit wrangling, one special twig
0:10:21 > 0:10:24in one particular holly bush
0:10:24 > 0:10:26is wired for picture and sound.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30So, you're predicting that these birds are going to sit on this
0:10:30 > 0:10:34exact twig that we've framed upon with our infrared camera?
0:10:34 > 0:10:35I know it might seem ridiculous,
0:10:35 > 0:10:40but they always come back to exactly the same twig each night.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43It seems extraordinary that we can predict within, you know...
0:10:43 > 0:10:47- I mean, this is, what, an eight-inch piece of twig?- That's right.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51In the middle of a holly bush, of which there are thousands -
0:10:51 > 0:10:53- same twig, same holly bush. - Every night, yeah,
0:10:53 > 0:10:57they'll drop in and then two will drop onto that twig and start
0:10:57 > 0:10:59to form the roost and then all the others will jump in one at a time.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01Extraordinary.
0:11:06 > 0:11:07Yeah, there they are.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10So they're up the back through here.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13You see them up the top there?
0:11:13 > 0:11:14One's going across.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18I can't see a thing except a mass of twigs.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20And there goes one. See that?
0:11:20 > 0:11:22- The roost. Ooh!- Here's one. Oh, there we go.- There we go.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25- So, there we go, there's one on the...- That's unbelievable!
0:11:25 > 0:11:28- That's ridiculous.- And there we go.
0:11:28 > 0:11:29- Yeah, that's...- There's one up here.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31Yeah, so, they're pretty well there.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33They're just going to settle in,
0:11:33 > 0:11:34so I think now we can get
0:11:34 > 0:11:36the torch and just carefully go
0:11:36 > 0:11:37and have a look in there.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39Oh, really, even before there's more of them?
0:11:39 > 0:11:41Oh, yeah, yeah, and we can hopefully
0:11:41 > 0:11:42see them actually form the roost.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45- Oh, fantastic.- They've got used to me doing this.- Can we do that?- Yes.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48Have a look in there. Take the torch and walk carefully in.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54Thanks to John's persistence, this family of birds has become
0:11:54 > 0:11:57quite accustomed to being in the spotlight.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00- Just stand here, there they are. - Oh, that's amazing!
0:12:01 > 0:12:03There's a few others. Yeah, they'll all be in there.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05I expect there'll be eight birds.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08There's been eight birds every night just in the last week.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13I didn't know it was possible to establish this kind of trust
0:12:13 > 0:12:17with wild birds in their natural habitat.
0:12:17 > 0:12:18It's such a buzz.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23The reward for John's infinite patience is a really intimate view
0:12:23 > 0:12:27of this little family's unique bedtime routine.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29So, there's one trying to barge in between them.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32That's right, yeah, you see, the first...
0:12:32 > 0:12:33The two birds form the roost
0:12:33 > 0:12:36and then the other birds join the roost, one at a time.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38There's one just had to move here.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40Oh, yes, he's managed to get right in the middle.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42Yeah, he gets right in there, he gets a nice, snug, warm spot.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44Everyone has to shuffle along a little bit.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46- Yeah, they've all shuffled back. - Look a bit grumpy about it.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48Is there a kind of pecking order?
0:12:48 > 0:12:50Do the same birds end up in the middle every night?
0:12:50 > 0:12:52Yeah, they won't go onto the outside.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55The more dominant birds will always choose a snug, warm spot
0:12:55 > 0:12:57in the middle of the roost.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02Every winter's night, the same birds that have been together all day
0:13:02 > 0:13:06huddle up - brothers, sisters, parents, uncles and aunts
0:13:06 > 0:13:08share their body heat to stave off the cold.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12Cute as it looks, it's a tough survival strategy
0:13:12 > 0:13:15favouring the dominant birds in the middle of the huddle.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19In harsh winters, getting pushed to the edges could be fatal.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21Oh, they're having a bit of a tussle.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24Yeah, you get a few scraps going on this time of year
0:13:24 > 0:13:26as the birds are pairing up
0:13:26 > 0:13:30and the hormones are getting going for the breeding season.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32And so you get a few little disputes between them.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40So, would you say that roost is now settled, John?
0:13:40 > 0:13:42It looks settled, yeah, because
0:13:42 > 0:13:43the last bird's gone in,
0:13:43 > 0:13:45which is the dominant bird in the flock.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47They're all sort of snuggled up there.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49And they'll remain there for the night.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51It's the sweetest thing, isn't it?
0:13:51 > 0:13:52It's beautiful.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57Eight little tails all pointing out.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59But the truth is, John,
0:13:59 > 0:14:03it's only your incredible patience and stealth over years
0:14:03 > 0:14:06has made it possible to see something like this.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08Oh, not many people have seen it. Well, not this well.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12You might see it, you know, off in the distance in a bit of scrub
0:14:12 > 0:14:15somewhere, but to actually come in and get them this tame
0:14:15 > 0:14:17so you can shine a torch on them and see all that behaviour
0:14:17 > 0:14:19is probably unique.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23And it's quite wonderful. It's been really, really special.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25Yeah, well, I'm glad we got to see it, it's a
0:14:25 > 0:14:26stunning thing to see, isn't it?
0:14:26 > 0:14:29- Unbelievable. Thank you so much. - That's OK.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49For all wild inhabitants of this exposed moor,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52the cold of winter presents a serious challenge.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56While our long-tailed tits huddle together to fight the chill,
0:14:56 > 0:15:00larger mammals, having fattened themselves up in the autumn,
0:15:00 > 0:15:03restrict activity in winter to a minimum.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06But smaller creatures, who lose heat more quickly,
0:15:06 > 0:15:08are living on a knife-edge.
0:15:09 > 0:15:14So, for some, the best option is nature's ultimate winter shutdown -
0:15:14 > 0:15:16hibernation.
0:15:17 > 0:15:22Among them is a very tiny and very cute rodent,
0:15:22 > 0:15:26whose big winter sleep defines its character -
0:15:26 > 0:15:27the dormouse.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32This rare woodland creature is thought to spend over
0:15:32 > 0:15:35half its life asleep and even when it's awake,
0:15:35 > 0:15:39it's hard to spot because it's mainly nocturnal.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42During the summer, it forages on seeds, berries and insects.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46And in autumn, it feasts on hazelnuts to build up fat reserves
0:15:46 > 0:15:49to see it through the long slumber ahead.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55And it is, of course, its notable talent for kipping
0:15:55 > 0:15:57that gives this mouse its name.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01The "dor" in dormouse is from the French word "dormir" - to sleep.
0:16:03 > 0:16:08But new research is challenging the dormouse's somnolent reputation.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11I've come to a wood on the northern edge of the moor,
0:16:11 > 0:16:13a stone's throw from the village of Belstone.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18This is where Brazilian biologist Leo Gubert has been studying
0:16:18 > 0:16:21the winter sleeping habits of dormice.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23His work is helping us to understand
0:16:23 > 0:16:27how to conserve this precious British mammal.
0:16:27 > 0:16:33On every field trip, Leo's first task is to find his tiny subjects.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35How's it going to work,
0:16:35 > 0:16:39how are we going to find hibernating dormice here in this vast forest?
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Well, this one we're looking for is the dormouse I've been following
0:16:42 > 0:16:44since the end of October.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48- So, we're looking for a specific dormouse?- Yes.- Not any old dormouse?
0:16:48 > 0:16:51- No, no, no...- There's one... You're after an individual?- This is a...
0:16:51 > 0:16:53Yeah, I treat it as a good friend of mine, actually.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57Is the range of a dormouse such that you actually have to
0:16:57 > 0:17:00look in quite a wide area? I mean, do they move around quite a bit?
0:17:00 > 0:17:05They do, they tend to stay in an area of about 100 square metres,
0:17:05 > 0:17:07but the problem is the density.
0:17:07 > 0:17:12- You tend to find, say, four to six per hectare, which is...- Ah.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14- That's a needle in a haystack.- Yeah.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17And maybe if you kind of get on your knees and start looking
0:17:17 > 0:17:20on the woodland floor, maybe in a day or two you'll
0:17:20 > 0:17:23find one, if you know what you're looking for and where to look.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26- So, where are we heading next?- Uh, we're going down that way now, so...
0:17:26 > 0:17:27- Great.- Yeah.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33Across the country, dormouse numbers are in decline,
0:17:33 > 0:17:35but Devon seems to be a stronghold.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39Leo monitors the population here from year to year.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41He knows these woods very well,
0:17:41 > 0:17:44but to track down these tiny animals could take days
0:17:44 > 0:17:47without the help of a rather handy gadget.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50OK, Hugh, we are getting quite close to where the dormouse was last seen,
0:17:50 > 0:17:53so I think I'll take my radio tracking equipment
0:17:53 > 0:17:55and we can look for her.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59OK. So, you could track all sorts of different things with this device?
0:17:59 > 0:18:01- You can, yes.- Whatever you've managed to put the collar on.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04- Yeah, as long as they are... - Animals big and small?
0:18:04 > 0:18:05As tiny as a dormouse.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07That must be close to the smallest thing
0:18:07 > 0:18:09you can get a radio collar on, isn't it?
0:18:09 > 0:18:10That's right, yeah.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15If you raise that above your head.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18- Like that is great, yeah. - So, we're tracking, are we?- We are.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21- So, what sort of noise are we looking for that...?- It's a beep.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24- A little beep. - It goes, "Beep, beep."- OK.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28- And the louder it gets, then the closer we...- OK.- ..we are.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33- Oh, am I allowed to...? - Yeah, you put that on your shoulder.
0:18:33 > 0:18:34OK, great.
0:18:34 > 0:18:35And we head that way.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38Better not get tangled in branches.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46- So keep moving from right to left. - Yeah?
0:18:46 > 0:18:48- And try to pick up the signal. - That kind of thing?
0:18:50 > 0:18:54It all feels like a bit of a long shot to me, but I'll give it a go.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58- Ah.- Anything yet?- I think I heard the beep. A little click.- Excellent.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01OK. Carry on.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05- Can you hear anything? - Yes.- Oh, excellent.- There it is.- OK.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07BEEPING
0:19:07 > 0:19:10- Yup.- Yeah?- Up ahead.- That's the only sound you want to hear
0:19:10 > 0:19:13when you're holding that aerial.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15Yeah, it's very exciting.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20Leo's been tracking one particular dormouse all winter.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23- It seems to be stronger...that way. - That way.- So we're heading up?
0:19:23 > 0:19:24We're heading up.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29It's probably very simple for a dormouse.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Much easier for a dormouse.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37Leo, I'm looking at this pile of leaves here.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39I mean, it doesn't look particularly made,
0:19:39 > 0:19:41but it's definitely a little pile. BEEPING CONTINUES
0:19:41 > 0:19:44- Is that it, is it under there?- Yeah, we will have to start with that.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47That could be it. Let's have a closer look.
0:19:47 > 0:19:48It's super loud.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51- This is what we're looking for. - That's incredible.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53You can lift the whole nest from underneath, can you?
0:19:53 > 0:19:55Yeah, they are very subtle.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58- Are you telling me there's a dormouse in there?- This is the one.
0:19:58 > 0:19:59That's right.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03And this is the sort of place they will look for a hibernation nest.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06I'm just nervous that he's going to kind of wake up and shoot out.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08No, I think he's fast asleep.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10- Sometimes it takes up to half an hour for them to wake up.- Really?
0:20:10 > 0:20:15Just cos they are so deep asleep, they shut down completely,
0:20:15 > 0:20:18so they need to warm up gradually.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21And us standing here chatting - in my case, rather over-excitedly -
0:20:21 > 0:20:23that's not going to wake him up, either?
0:20:23 > 0:20:26- No, not at the moment. - That was so exciting.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29I mean, and I haven't even seen the dormouse yet, my heart's thumping.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32- Excellent. - Um, it's a bit precarious here.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34Should we move somewhere a bit safer for that operation?
0:20:34 > 0:20:37If we move uphill somewhere flatter. So, yeah. OK.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40Dormice hibernate down in the leaf litter,
0:20:40 > 0:20:43where the winter temperatures are less changeable,
0:20:43 > 0:20:45so they can stay snug in their little leafy cocoons.
0:20:47 > 0:20:48And there...
0:20:48 > 0:20:50Oh, wow! That's incredible!
0:20:50 > 0:20:52HUGH GASPS
0:20:52 > 0:20:53Oh!
0:20:55 > 0:20:57Leo has a special licence to study
0:20:57 > 0:21:00and handle this protected species.
0:21:00 > 0:21:01Today, he needs to fit a new
0:21:01 > 0:21:04battery to the radio collar on this
0:21:04 > 0:21:06very dozy mouse.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09She's amazing. Such a thick, bushy
0:21:09 > 0:21:12tail for such a tiny, little animal.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14That little tail curled right
0:21:14 > 0:21:15over her head to tuck her in.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17She's a perfect ball, isn't she?
0:21:17 > 0:21:19- She's, uh...- Yeah!
0:21:19 > 0:21:21I can't believe we're pulling the leaves
0:21:21 > 0:21:25and exposing her like this, but she's fast asleep.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28She looks in great shape. Are you happy with her condition?
0:21:28 > 0:21:31Yeah, she had a lot of preparation before winter,
0:21:31 > 0:21:34so she had to build up all the fat reserves
0:21:34 > 0:21:37to kind of survive this long without food.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40Um, and... Yeah, I think...I'm quite happy.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42I'm quite anxious to weigh her and see how much...
0:21:42 > 0:21:44OK, let's go to work.
0:21:47 > 0:21:48Disturbing her as little as possible,
0:21:48 > 0:21:51Leo takes off the miniature radio collar.
0:21:53 > 0:21:5515.5g.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58That's the weight of two 10p coins.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02And now we just adjust the collar.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04And now I can see her beady, black eyes.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07She has opened her eyes, so is she sort of waking up a little bit, Leo?
0:22:07 > 0:22:10She's just... Yeah, she's slowly waking up.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12I think it's quite mild today, it's 15 degrees,
0:22:12 > 0:22:15so it's coming towards the end of the hibernation period.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18But waking up now, is there a danger that she'll stay awake,
0:22:18 > 0:22:20that she'll think, "OK, it's time to get up"?
0:22:20 > 0:22:23- As you can see, she's closing her eyes again, so...- OK.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25OK, so she kind of wants to go back to sleep.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31It may seem odd to go to such lengths to track a mouse that's
0:22:31 > 0:22:36fast asleep, but that's where Leo's research has been so revealing.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39He's discovered that dormice are much more active
0:22:39 > 0:22:43during the winter months than we'd ever realised.
0:22:43 > 0:22:44What role has this little mouse
0:22:44 > 0:22:46been playing in your study?
0:22:46 > 0:22:48Well, she's been...
0:22:48 > 0:22:52She's quite an important one because she has changed nest three times
0:22:52 > 0:22:56over the winter, which is something that we didn't know.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58She stayed quite close and she crossed the river,
0:22:58 > 0:23:01but then it wasn't really a problem for her because...
0:23:01 > 0:23:03- She crossed the river?- Yes. - So she's been up over a tree branch
0:23:03 > 0:23:06- and onto the other side of the river?- Over the winter, yes.
0:23:06 > 0:23:07So she's been fully awake.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10If she's actually crossed the river, she's properly scuttling around.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14She did. That was... Yeah, that was just the day after the New Year.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17I think it was the 2nd January the day she did that, yeah.
0:23:17 > 0:23:18And what would stimulate her, do you think,
0:23:18 > 0:23:22to wake up and decide to move her nest right in the middle of winter?
0:23:22 > 0:23:26Um, I think it's sometimes they need to evade predators or
0:23:26 > 0:23:30sometimes the old nest is not as weathertight as it had been,
0:23:30 > 0:23:31so they need to kind of...
0:23:31 > 0:23:35- So the nest is maybe damaged and that's what's woken them up?- Yeah.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38- Right, now I need to take her back.- OK.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41She's got hibernation to go through.
0:23:41 > 0:23:42Sleep well.
0:23:46 > 0:23:47Just amazing.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52It's about the sweetest thing I've ever seen.
0:23:52 > 0:23:53And in she goes.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56As she's tucked back in, fast asleep,
0:23:56 > 0:24:00it's hard to imagine that she'll be on the move any time soon.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02Before we leave the site, Leo and I are going to rig up
0:24:02 > 0:24:06a couple of these trail cameras, pointing at our dormouse nest.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09If she does decide to move nests in the next few days,
0:24:09 > 0:24:11we should be able to catch that on camera.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17And just a couple of nights after our visit,
0:24:17 > 0:24:20our automatic cameras are activated.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23Our radio-tagged dormouse is on the move again.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Leo will be back in the summer when the hibernation is over
0:24:28 > 0:24:30to find his dormouse again,
0:24:30 > 0:24:33perhaps in one of his specially-prepared nest boxes.
0:24:39 > 0:24:45In the depths of winter, Dartmoor's forest can seem strangely lifeless.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48For most of the creatures that live here,
0:24:48 > 0:24:51it's a matter of lying low until the weather warms.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56And as spring breaks and the primroses begin to bloom,
0:24:56 > 0:24:59it's as if an alarm clock has gone off.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01Temperatures rise across the West Country
0:25:01 > 0:25:03and life is starting to bustle again.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08The air becomes thick with insects.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12Summer visitors, like the wood warbler, arrive from Africa
0:25:12 > 0:25:13to feed and breed,
0:25:13 > 0:25:18bumblebees get busy among the gorse and down on the ground,
0:25:18 > 0:25:21one tiny animal is taking control of the forest floor.
0:25:22 > 0:25:27The wood ant, the largest native ant species in the UK.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30To take full advantage of the warming sun,
0:25:30 > 0:25:33their huge nests are south-facing.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35This is the hub of an ordered colony
0:25:35 > 0:25:39with up to a quarter of a million ants.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43A colony can support as many as 100 queens,
0:25:43 > 0:25:45who can live for 20 years.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49For the workers who tend them, life expectancy is just a few weeks.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51Wood ants are voracious predators,
0:25:51 > 0:25:54patrolling the forest to hunt for prey
0:25:54 > 0:25:56like caterpillars or other ants.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04The search often leads into the canopy,
0:26:04 > 0:26:07across streams
0:26:07 > 0:26:10and around the forest floor in a search area that can
0:26:10 > 0:26:12spread 25 metres from the nest.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18Any prey they can subdue in their powerful jaws
0:26:18 > 0:26:22is carried back to the nest and dragged within.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28But in the forest ecosystem, ants are under attack themselves,
0:26:28 > 0:26:32so the colony has some robust security arrangements.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36The first line of defence is their sharp and painful bite,
0:26:36 > 0:26:40but wood ants also have a chemical weapon in their fight
0:26:40 > 0:26:42against hungry predators...
0:26:42 > 0:26:44Formic acid.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46Aiming their abdomens skywards,
0:26:46 > 0:26:51a volley of stinging jets of acid is often enough to deter predators.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56At this time of year, there's an interesting opportunity for a
0:26:56 > 0:27:00simple demonstration of the wood ants' impressive defence system.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08Every spring, Dartmoor is blessed with some of the very best
0:27:08 > 0:27:10bluebell fields in Devon.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15So, I think I can pick just a few to attempt an experiment that
0:27:15 > 0:27:19I heard about long ago, but have never tried for myself.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27At the base of this tree is a wood ant nest
0:27:27 > 0:27:30and the whole area around there is heaving.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34I want to find where the ants are at their thickest
0:27:34 > 0:27:37because that's best for the experiment.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40There's a lot of them there, look. Let's just bother them a bit.
0:27:40 > 0:27:45The aim is to make the ants think my bluebells are a hostile predator,
0:27:45 > 0:27:49triggering them to defend their nest with those jets of formic acid.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52It's then, so I've been led to believe,
0:27:52 > 0:27:55that a simple bit of chemistry has a striking effect.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59I'll put one over here. If I bother them enough...
0:27:59 > 0:28:01Come on, attack.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04Some of the ants seem to have worked out that the flowers are not
0:28:04 > 0:28:06the real menace here.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08Oh! Ants! Off, off!
0:28:08 > 0:28:12Oh, they're inside my trousers as well. Whoa!
0:28:12 > 0:28:14I'm actually starting to get a smell...
0:28:16 > 0:28:19..of vinegar, and then I can smell the formic acid now,
0:28:19 > 0:28:20it's quite distinctive.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23It's really quite like the vinegar in a chip shop
0:28:23 > 0:28:26and if I brush the ants off my leg...
0:28:26 > 0:28:28it's ending up on my fingers.
0:28:28 > 0:28:33So, they really are very effective at spraying this defence,
0:28:33 > 0:28:34this formic acid out.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38And they're getting it on me and it's having the desired effect,
0:28:38 > 0:28:41cos it's certainly making me feel like getting away from here,
0:28:41 > 0:28:44which is, I imagine, the object of the exercise,
0:28:44 > 0:28:45as far as the ants are concerned.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48But I'm not leaving till I've seen just what
0:28:48 > 0:28:49they can do to my bluebells.
0:28:52 > 0:28:56The theory is that the pigment that makes the petals blue will be
0:28:56 > 0:29:01affected by the onslaught of formic acid, but only if enough ants
0:29:01 > 0:29:03take exception to my offering of bluebells.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08And I do believe it might actually be happening.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11Look at that, look at the tips of the flowers there.
0:29:11 > 0:29:13So, these two have both been attacked.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16You can see the pink here on these flowers,
0:29:16 > 0:29:19but it's even more distinctive on this one.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22This was the one that got really mullered by the wood ants.
0:29:22 > 0:29:26This is the unmolested flower, still that deep, classic bluebell blue.
0:29:26 > 0:29:30By the power of the ants' formidable formic acid,
0:29:30 > 0:29:34my bluebells have been transformed into pink bells.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37Not that I really needed proof of the wood ants'
0:29:37 > 0:29:39highly effective defences.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41Aah!
0:29:46 > 0:29:50The warming weather brings these woodlands alive with animal activity
0:29:50 > 0:29:54and my guide to the night-time routine of the long-tailed tit,
0:29:54 > 0:29:57John Walters, doesn't like to miss any of it.
0:29:58 > 0:30:02John is a dedicated field naturalist, never happier than
0:30:02 > 0:30:06when patrolling his local woods and adding to his exceptional
0:30:06 > 0:30:10understanding of the wildlife here in his patch of the South West.
0:30:14 > 0:30:18In fact, John is so intent on spending as much time as possible
0:30:18 > 0:30:22with the wild inhabitants of the region, that he's done all he can
0:30:22 > 0:30:25to make them feel at home in his own back garden,
0:30:25 > 0:30:27in Buckfastleigh, south Devon.
0:30:31 > 0:30:35So, he's never more than a few steps away from a world
0:30:35 > 0:30:37that's captivated him for as long as he can remember.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45Ever since I was three years old, it's one of my earliest memories,
0:30:45 > 0:30:47was of watching a glow-worm in our garden
0:30:47 > 0:30:49on the South Downs in Hampshire
0:30:49 > 0:30:51and finding slowworms in the garden.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54I've been passionately interested ever since.
0:30:54 > 0:30:55I track lots of bees
0:30:55 > 0:30:58and one of my favourites is a little furrow bee and these
0:30:58 > 0:31:01are solitary bees, the females make their nests in the ground,
0:31:01 > 0:31:05but the males fly in late summer and they don't go into the nest.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07For some reason, the females don't want them in the nests,
0:31:07 > 0:31:09and so they boot them out, you know,
0:31:09 > 0:31:11and they actually roost on flower heads and seeds.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13So we leave all the seed heads here
0:31:13 > 0:31:14and it's a sort of bachelor party.
0:31:14 > 0:31:16And you can get up to 30 of these male bees.
0:31:16 > 0:31:18They'll stay there for the night
0:31:18 > 0:31:21and then they'll fly off again the next morning.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31I've lived on Dartmoor for 20-odd years, 25 years now,
0:31:31 > 0:31:34and it is one of my favourite places.
0:31:34 > 0:31:35It's the place I know best.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39As well as having a prodigious knowledge of natural history,
0:31:39 > 0:31:43John also observes it with the appreciative eye of the artist.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49Really, my love of drawing and painting comes from
0:31:49 > 0:31:51my love of wildlife, so I've got to try and
0:31:51 > 0:31:54capture the movement and life of my subjects on paper.
0:31:54 > 0:31:55If I can, anyway.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08For me, the reason I do all this is really just to observe.
0:32:08 > 0:32:12I'm a field naturalist, so I love to be out in the wild, looking
0:32:12 > 0:32:17at the wildlife, but having these - drawing and painting and taking
0:32:17 > 0:32:20photographs - just gets me closer to the subjects, makes me really
0:32:20 > 0:32:23look at them and really notice the beauty in the world around us.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29John is also an amateur film-maker with a talent for catching
0:32:29 > 0:32:32on camera revealing moments in the life of the creatures of Dartmoor.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38Like this fat cuckoo chick
0:32:38 > 0:32:41as it tricks its surrogate parent to feed it.
0:32:41 > 0:32:46Or these male adders, squaring up in their dancing display.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48And the astonishing potter wasp,
0:32:48 > 0:32:52building tiny mud pots to hold its eggs.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55And today, John's setting out to film a crucial moment
0:32:55 > 0:32:59in the life of a creature with an impressive claim to fame.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03It's a slug, but not the common or garden variety.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07It's the world's largest slug, the ash-black.
0:33:07 > 0:33:12It's capable of growing over 20cm and, for John,
0:33:12 > 0:33:15the prospect of filming the extraordinary mating behaviour
0:33:15 > 0:33:18of this mighty mollusc is irresistible.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21Not many people have seen it, it's quite a nocturnal slug.
0:33:21 > 0:33:22It could be anywhere in a woodland,
0:33:22 > 0:33:25so the chances of being in the right place at the right time
0:33:25 > 0:33:29to see it would be very slim, but I have a little trick up my sleeves
0:33:29 > 0:33:32to hopefully enable us to see the mating behaviour.
0:33:34 > 0:33:39The ash-black feeds mainly on fungus and lichen and this small
0:33:39 > 0:33:43patch of woodland near the River Dart suits it perfectly.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47It's midsummer, the height of the slug breeding season,
0:33:47 > 0:33:50so John should be in the right place at the right time.
0:33:50 > 0:33:55And this is an old, ancient woodland and nice and damp,
0:33:55 > 0:33:57lots of mosses and ferns here.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59A really good place for slugs.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01The chances this evening are pretty good, I think.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03There's lots of slugs that live in these woodlands
0:34:03 > 0:34:05and if we search for long enough to...
0:34:05 > 0:34:08And under bits of bark and bits of moss and places like that, we should
0:34:08 > 0:34:12find enough and then hopefully we can either watch them or
0:34:12 > 0:34:14set them up on a tree
0:34:14 > 0:34:17and see if we can see their bizarre mating habits.
0:34:18 > 0:34:22It may not be everyone's idea of an evening's entertainment,
0:34:22 > 0:34:25but the chance to film something this strange will always
0:34:25 > 0:34:28appeal to a dedicated wildlife cameraman.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31So, our crew arrived to join the action.
0:34:31 > 0:34:34And John has two more pairs of eyes to help with the search.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38Ash-black slugs emerge to feed at night.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42During the day, they lie low under large pieces of dead wood.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46And John, Joseph and Si leave no log unturned.
0:34:46 > 0:34:50These wet, mossy areas are ideal habitat.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54But finding the world's biggest slug is not a pushover.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57Especially if you've never encountered one before.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01John, I think I'm... Well, I've found a slug.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03It's got a slightly orange underbelly
0:35:03 > 0:35:06and there's lots of mushrooms or fungi around here...
0:35:06 > 0:35:09OK. Well, this is a good sort of spot to look.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12- Yeah, these have been munched, so... - Yeah, that one's half gone already.
0:35:12 > 0:35:17Right, yeah, this is an Arion slug, so similar, but it's the sort
0:35:17 > 0:35:20of place where you get these slugs, which are also eating the
0:35:20 > 0:35:25mushrooms, then you're likely to get the ash-black slug as well, so...
0:35:25 > 0:35:27Well, I haven't rolled it back yet, so shall we...?
0:35:27 > 0:35:30Oh, yeah, well, let's have a look, yeah. Um, if we turn over here.
0:35:30 > 0:35:31Now, here we go.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34This is the ash-black slug and I can tell immediately it's one,
0:35:34 > 0:35:38cos if we turn it over, you can see on the underside,
0:35:38 > 0:35:42it's got a pale underside, but it's shaded on the edges.
0:35:42 > 0:35:46And that's the only British slug that has that.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48So, if you find a slug in the woods
0:35:48 > 0:35:52and it's got a pale bottom like that with shaded edges to the foot,
0:35:52 > 0:35:54then you know it's an ash-black slug.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59It's got this lovely sort of tapering tail with...
0:35:59 > 0:36:02- Almost a bit reptilian! - It is a bit, yeah.
0:36:02 > 0:36:04I've got a certain fondness for these slugs,
0:36:04 > 0:36:07they wouldn't attack your vegetables even if they came in your garden.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10- Oh, really?- No. They much prefer rotting vegetation
0:36:10 > 0:36:13and also mushrooms and toadstools, that's their favourite food.
0:36:13 > 0:36:15Well, that kind of slug is a friend of mine.
0:36:16 > 0:36:20It's not long before John has a handful of contenders
0:36:20 > 0:36:22for tonight's romantic rendezvous.
0:36:23 > 0:36:24Slugs are hermaphrodites,
0:36:24 > 0:36:26so they are male and female at the same time,
0:36:26 > 0:36:29but they do have to meet another slug to mate with them.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32I mean, you could wander around the woods for hours at night
0:36:32 > 0:36:35and you might be lucky and people have been lucky in seeing them,
0:36:35 > 0:36:39but to stand a better chance, we've found a few slugs
0:36:39 > 0:36:42and we're going to actually set them up on a branch
0:36:42 > 0:36:46and then put them together and see if they will actually mate.
0:36:46 > 0:36:50And if they do, our cameras will be poised to capture every detail.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54These slugs are thought to mate just once a year,
0:36:54 > 0:36:58so we can only hope that ours will find themselves in the mood tonight.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11- OK, Simon, I've chosen the slugs... - Right.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14..which I think are going to maybe mate with each other.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18And what we're going to do is just pop them on here
0:37:18 > 0:37:20and introduce them to one another.
0:37:20 > 0:37:24And is there any kind of signs where they are clearly
0:37:24 > 0:37:25interested in each other?
0:37:25 > 0:37:29Well, if they start following each other around, that's the best sign.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32This bit can take a while, they are slugs after all!
0:37:36 > 0:37:39So, hopefully they'll take an interest in each other
0:37:39 > 0:37:41and they'll want to mate.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44But who knows what goes on inside the mind of a slug?
0:37:47 > 0:37:50Or indeed what goes on in the minds of two men in a wood
0:37:50 > 0:37:52waiting for slugs to mate!
0:37:58 > 0:38:00Well, we've got a couple here,
0:38:00 > 0:38:02which are sort of sliming around together,
0:38:02 > 0:38:05so they may be interested in each other.
0:38:05 > 0:38:07The slugs have their sex organs,
0:38:07 > 0:38:11- they're actually in the side of their head.- Oh, right!
0:38:11 > 0:38:13It's quite a strange thing, you know,
0:38:13 > 0:38:18sort of like this huge sex organ which appears.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20I don't know, it's quite hard...
0:38:20 > 0:38:22Even when you do see it, it's hard to tell where it's come from,
0:38:22 > 0:38:24and they wrap them round each other.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27So, if we look for signs of that appearing.
0:38:27 > 0:38:31Signs that I imagine would be hard to miss!
0:38:31 > 0:38:36But so far, there's no indication that either slug is in the mood.
0:38:36 > 0:38:38Warmth and damp are both vital,
0:38:38 > 0:38:41so John does what he can to help create the right conditions.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46After all, the night is still young.
0:38:47 > 0:38:51Usually, I'd expect a little bit more activity by now.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53Usually, you can tell if they're going to mate
0:38:53 > 0:38:57because one of the slugs will lock on to the tail of another slug
0:38:57 > 0:38:59and it will follow it along. But at the moment,
0:38:59 > 0:39:02these slugs don't seem particularly interested in each other.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06It's gone quite cold and I think now they've gone very inactive,
0:39:06 > 0:39:09we haven't seen any movement for a little while,
0:39:09 > 0:39:12so it doesn't look like they're going to do anything, unfortunately.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14I've got to admit, I'm slightly disappointed.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16I was really looking forward to seeing that.
0:39:16 > 0:39:18I know, and it is an amazing thing to see,
0:39:18 > 0:39:21but, you know, I think it's a little bit too cold tonight for them.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23And usually these slugs are very active
0:39:23 > 0:39:25and they're whizzing around all over the place,
0:39:25 > 0:39:27and you're trying to stop them escaping,
0:39:27 > 0:39:29but there's no problem with that this evening, is there?
0:39:29 > 0:39:32No, they're just staying rock solid, aren't they?
0:39:32 > 0:39:36John was certainly right that this is a very hard thing to witness.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40It could have been the cold that killed their passion,
0:39:40 > 0:39:43but there's a lot we just don't know about these mysterious molluscs.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47Although John's never filmed this before,
0:39:47 > 0:39:51he has taken stills of these secretive slugs mating.
0:39:51 > 0:39:55And as his pictures show, when the mood does take them
0:39:55 > 0:40:00and the slime starts to flow, it can all get pretty weird.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02After they've circled each other
0:40:02 > 0:40:05to confirm their interest in mating,
0:40:05 > 0:40:07white organs start to emerge
0:40:07 > 0:40:09from the sides of their heads.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11These are their penises.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15To mate, these hermaphrodites hang upside down.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17They need the help of gravity
0:40:17 > 0:40:21to fully extend those enormous sex organs,
0:40:21 > 0:40:24which can be the length of their entire bodies.
0:40:24 > 0:40:28Wrapping around each other in a slimy embrace,
0:40:28 > 0:40:33their penises entwine in a double helix as they exchange sperm.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36Then they'll slither off and lay around 200 eggs,
0:40:36 > 0:40:41ready to produce the next generation of ash-black slugs.
0:40:47 > 0:40:52It's high summer and in the woods of Dartmoor's Taw Valley,
0:40:52 > 0:40:55Leo Gubert is back to catch up with his dormice.
0:40:55 > 0:40:57Sadly, in England and Wales,
0:40:57 > 0:41:01dormouse numbers have fallen by two-thirds in the last 20 years.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04So strongholds like this are critical for them.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09So, this is a fantastic habitat for dormice.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11I mean, if you look at the trees and shrubs,
0:41:11 > 0:41:12it's been here for a long time.
0:41:12 > 0:41:16I mean, the moss here on the branch is a good indicator of that.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19Of course, I can't wait to find out what happened to
0:41:19 > 0:41:22the lovely little dormouse we met a few months ago.
0:41:23 > 0:41:27By now, she should be wide awake and could even be rearing some
0:41:27 > 0:41:30babies in one of Leo's purpose-built nest boxes.
0:41:30 > 0:41:35The first place to check is the very same box that she bred in last year.
0:41:35 > 0:41:38So, it'll be interesting to see what we find in that box.
0:41:38 > 0:41:40I hope this is a good one.
0:41:41 > 0:41:45There's nest material there, but I see no movement.
0:41:46 > 0:41:50No-one's at home, but that's not necessarily a bad sign.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54They're all up in the canopy, I think, it's such a nice day today.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57The nest boxes help the breeding success of the dormice
0:41:57 > 0:42:01and tell Leo whether they're active in a given area.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03Oh, now we've got a few leaves.
0:42:04 > 0:42:09Leo's an old hand and he isn't giving up the hunt quite yet.
0:42:09 > 0:42:14Now, the other ways that we can find evidence that dormice are present...
0:42:14 > 0:42:16Oh, here. Look at that one.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20You see, it's been freshly opened by a dormouse
0:42:20 > 0:42:23and you can tell how the tooth marks on the nut
0:42:23 > 0:42:24has been opened by dormice.
0:42:24 > 0:42:28They tend to leave a very kind of round, even hole inside.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31Yeah, I mean, you can see the dormouse just by, you know,
0:42:31 > 0:42:32looking at the nut.
0:42:32 > 0:42:36But this is a good sign, this is what I've been looking for.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38The trail's getting warmer.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44OK, we've got nest material in here,
0:42:44 > 0:42:48so I'm going to take the box out and check inside my plastic bag.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54Oop, there he comes.
0:42:54 > 0:42:55It's a dormouse.
0:42:55 > 0:43:00Not the adult female I met in the winter, but a good find.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03It looks like a juvenile, this one. Let's have a quick look at him.
0:43:06 > 0:43:08He's very lively.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10The mouse goes into a small bag
0:43:10 > 0:43:12so it can be weighed without a struggle.
0:43:14 > 0:43:16We normally find juveniles. At this time of the year, they're just
0:43:16 > 0:43:21still growing and putting on weight and developing for the winter.
0:43:21 > 0:43:26This one is exactly 15g, which is what a juvenile that was
0:43:26 > 0:43:30born kind of earlier in the summer should weigh.
0:43:30 > 0:43:33And the other one of the main differences from other small mammals
0:43:33 > 0:43:35is this beautiful furry tail here.
0:43:35 > 0:43:37Now, some of the dormice in these woods,
0:43:37 > 0:43:39they've been fitted with microchips,
0:43:39 > 0:43:43which is another technique I'm using as part of my research.
0:43:45 > 0:43:48Leo has microchipped all the dormice he's found
0:43:48 > 0:43:51to help him track how they travel through the wood.
0:43:53 > 0:43:58This is dormouse 6058785.
0:44:00 > 0:44:04A thriving juvenile is always a good find
0:44:04 > 0:44:06as it adds to the breeding population.
0:44:06 > 0:44:10The summer survey is a particularly special time in Leo's
0:44:10 > 0:44:13year-round study of the Dartmoor dormice.
0:44:16 > 0:44:19Finding them is just so rewarding, you know?
0:44:19 > 0:44:21Sometimes you come out and you don't find any.
0:44:21 > 0:44:24You come out in the rain or you come out and get bitten by midges
0:44:24 > 0:44:28or ticks, here on Dartmoor, even, but, yeah, it's worth it.
0:44:30 > 0:44:32Thanks to Leo's painstaking work,
0:44:32 > 0:44:35we know more about the secretive lives of these tiny mice
0:44:35 > 0:44:37than ever before.
0:44:37 > 0:44:40And it helps us to safeguard their future
0:44:40 > 0:44:42in this vitally important Dartmoor woodland.
0:44:46 > 0:44:49Spending time with wildlife watchers has shown me
0:44:49 > 0:44:51that however persistent and patient you are,
0:44:51 > 0:44:55it's impossible to predict what you're going to see or find.
0:44:55 > 0:44:59After John showed me the long-tailed tit's winter roost,
0:44:59 > 0:45:03he went on to stake out one of their nests in the hope that we
0:45:03 > 0:45:06could watch their chicks grow over the summer.
0:45:06 > 0:45:07So, I'm excited to come back
0:45:07 > 0:45:13and catch the next chapter in the life of my new favourite bird.
0:45:13 > 0:45:17But on the day before my visit, disaster has struck.
0:45:17 > 0:45:19The nest has been raided.
0:45:20 > 0:45:22So, what's happened to the nest, John?
0:45:22 > 0:45:26Well, unfortunately, it's been predated, which, you know,
0:45:26 > 0:45:29is something which happens. I almost expect it to happen
0:45:29 > 0:45:31because it happens to about 60% of the nests.
0:45:31 > 0:45:34- As many as that?- That's right. - More than half.- Yes.
0:45:34 > 0:45:37- And who do you think the culprit is? - Well, either a jay or a squirrel.
0:45:37 > 0:45:40- The nest has been ripped out and the chicks...- Not a magpie?
0:45:40 > 0:45:42Well, there aren't many magpies here,
0:45:42 > 0:45:44- so there are jays in the woods and squirrels around...- Right.
0:45:44 > 0:45:47So they're the two most likely culprits.
0:45:47 > 0:45:49Is there still a nest there for me to look at?
0:45:49 > 0:45:51Yes, there's still a nest, yeah. It's quite...
0:45:51 > 0:45:53- But not the nest it was? - Not the nest it was.- OK.
0:45:53 > 0:45:55- Well, let's check it out anyway.- OK.
0:45:55 > 0:45:57Despite being hidden in dense gorse,
0:45:57 > 0:46:02our nest has provided a meal to some other hungry Dartmoor inhabitant.
0:46:02 > 0:46:04Well, there you can see the feathers.
0:46:04 > 0:46:06So, as soon as you get here, you know it's been predated.
0:46:06 > 0:46:08And you'd been the day before and everything was right as rain?
0:46:08 > 0:46:11Yeah, they were all looking good, actually, and I was thinking,
0:46:11 > 0:46:14"These ones could be all right," because they'd got to that stage.
0:46:14 > 0:46:18- They were probably about three or four days off fledging.- Really?
0:46:18 > 0:46:21Do you think jays have a particular penchant for long-tailed tits?
0:46:21 > 0:46:22Well, they really like...
0:46:22 > 0:46:25Well, not just long-tailed tits, but young birds in nests.
0:46:25 > 0:46:27And just like me when I'm trying to find a nest,
0:46:27 > 0:46:29I look for birds carrying food - I'm sure they do as well,
0:46:29 > 0:46:34follow them in and then take out all the young.
0:46:34 > 0:46:36The adults will have got away. What will they do now?
0:46:36 > 0:46:39Cos they have this amazing social behaviour that we saw when
0:46:39 > 0:46:42they were roosting, it also applies to their breeding habits as well.
0:46:42 > 0:46:46So if a pair's nest gets destroyed, they go off to their nearest
0:46:46 > 0:46:50male relative's nest and then they help out there.
0:46:50 > 0:46:53I watched one the other week with four adults
0:46:53 > 0:46:54feeding the young in the nest.
0:46:54 > 0:46:57- So, four adults feeding is twice as good as two.- Yeah, it would be.
0:46:57 > 0:47:00Can we get a look at what's happened to this nest?
0:47:00 > 0:47:03- Can we get a bit closer?- Yeah, I'll pick the nest out, actually.
0:47:03 > 0:47:06Hang on. OK.
0:47:07 > 0:47:08Here we go.
0:47:08 > 0:47:11- You've interfered with the crime scene there, John.- Yes, yeah.
0:47:11 > 0:47:13So, lots and lots of feathers.
0:47:13 > 0:47:16But these are not the feathers of the birds that have been killed,
0:47:16 > 0:47:19- these are part of the nest? - Oh, no. No, they are not.
0:47:19 > 0:47:21No, this is part of the amazing construction of this nest.
0:47:21 > 0:47:24It's actually lined with hundreds and hundreds of feathers.
0:47:24 > 0:47:26There's a few pheasant feathers I can see in there,
0:47:26 > 0:47:29wood pigeons, a robin there...
0:47:29 > 0:47:31So, basically, the whole construction is feather and moss?
0:47:31 > 0:47:36That's right. The actual outer construction, which is built first,
0:47:36 > 0:47:39is made of spiders' webs, moss and lichen.
0:47:39 > 0:47:41And the spiders' webs are sort of the glue then, they're
0:47:41 > 0:47:44kind of really quite important for sticking it all together?
0:47:44 > 0:47:46Oh, yeah, and it's an amazing construction.
0:47:46 > 0:47:48It takes about two weeks to build this nest and the pair will
0:47:48 > 0:47:51work together and they'll build it up slowly by collecting
0:47:51 > 0:47:55spiders' webs, spinning it all in here and then adding bits of lichen.
0:47:55 > 0:47:57But the amazing thing about this nest, because it's
0:47:57 > 0:48:00made of spiders' webs - you see, pull it there like that - it can
0:48:00 > 0:48:03actually expand to accommodate the big chicks when they're in there.
0:48:03 > 0:48:06- It's a kind of Lycra nest.- That's right. It's an amazing construction.
0:48:06 > 0:48:09John is not deterred by this setback.
0:48:09 > 0:48:12He's already found another nest and guides us to the
0:48:12 > 0:48:16perfect position to set up our camouflaged camera.
0:48:16 > 0:48:20So, I'm still hoping to round off my experience of Dartmoor's
0:48:20 > 0:48:24long-tailed tits with the moment when a new brood of chicks
0:48:24 > 0:48:27leaves the nest for the very first time.
0:48:29 > 0:48:31Ah, brilliant, it's just there!
0:48:31 > 0:48:33God, that's such a good set-up.
0:48:33 > 0:48:37- Lovely position, isn't it? Just about head height as well.- Ah!
0:48:37 > 0:48:40It's a tiny... The nest looks even smaller than the one you showed me.
0:48:40 > 0:48:42That's right, yeah.
0:48:42 > 0:48:44About the same size, about the size of your hand, isn't it?
0:48:44 > 0:48:47How long after the guys set the camera up do the birds come back?
0:48:47 > 0:48:50- Well, almost immediately, they'll be coming...- Minutes?
0:48:50 > 0:48:52- Yeah, within five minutes. - So this doesn't bother them at all?
0:48:52 > 0:48:55No, they're not really... If it's not a classic predator
0:48:55 > 0:48:57and it is just a bit of inanimate object,
0:48:57 > 0:48:58they're not going to be frightened of it.
0:48:58 > 0:49:00But we probably shouldn't hang around too long?
0:49:00 > 0:49:03No, they would be a bit scared if we were here, so we better...
0:49:03 > 0:49:06Well, it looks like a great set-up. Let's go and find the monitor.
0:49:10 > 0:49:12Well, I found this one yesterday
0:49:12 > 0:49:14and the chicks were quite big in there.
0:49:14 > 0:49:17- They should fledge within two or three days, I think.- Oh, really?
0:49:17 > 0:49:20So, we're lucky to get it just before they've left?
0:49:20 > 0:49:23So, they've just got to hang in there for a couple more days
0:49:23 > 0:49:24and beat the jays?
0:49:24 > 0:49:26That's right and the adults here are pretty good, actually.
0:49:26 > 0:49:28It took me a while to find them.
0:49:28 > 0:49:31Just me sat here was... They were a bit
0:49:31 > 0:49:34cagey about going down to the nest, which is a good sign.
0:49:34 > 0:49:38They've spotted me, so they think, "Oh, let's let him walk away."
0:49:38 > 0:49:41When I turned my back, they flipped down into the nest.
0:49:41 > 0:49:44John's affinity with these beguiling birds offers me
0:49:44 > 0:49:46another moment to savour.
0:49:48 > 0:49:52Ooh, ooh, look! That's... Look, the young. They're sticking...
0:49:52 > 0:49:55Is that because they've seen Mum or Dad on the way?
0:49:55 > 0:49:56Because they lunged out there, two of them
0:49:56 > 0:49:59lunged out with their great, gaping beaks open.
0:49:59 > 0:50:02- Did you see that?- Yeah, they can hear the parents, probably.
0:50:02 > 0:50:04Probably the parents are calling nearby and these
0:50:04 > 0:50:08birds are close to fledging now, so they'll come right out of the nest.
0:50:08 > 0:50:11Look, there they are again! Ooh, ooh, and she's in. Fantastic.
0:50:11 > 0:50:14- Beautiful, isn't it? - That is amazing.
0:50:14 > 0:50:17I didn't realise we were actually going to see the little ones
0:50:17 > 0:50:21right up in the mouth of the nest there with their beaks gaping open.
0:50:21 > 0:50:23- That's fantastic. - Well, we've caught this just right,
0:50:23 > 0:50:26cos that just happens just a couple of days before they fledge.
0:50:26 > 0:50:29Before that, they're tucked in, tight into the nest,
0:50:29 > 0:50:31and they'd just come up to the entrance a bit.
0:50:31 > 0:50:32But that's full now
0:50:32 > 0:50:36and it's sort of expanding with that silk expansion system they've got.
0:50:36 > 0:50:38- So...- But there will be other chicks, you know, deep down.
0:50:38 > 0:50:41So, they're literally clambering on top of each other to get
0:50:41 > 0:50:43- there first when the food comes? - That's right.
0:50:43 > 0:50:45It's the one sticking its head out the furthest which is going to
0:50:45 > 0:50:48get fed, so the ones down the bottom have got to
0:50:48 > 0:50:50sort of work their way up and battle their way up to get some food.
0:50:50 > 0:50:54- Ooh, there we go.- There we go, yeah. - Ooh! A big beakful of something.
0:50:54 > 0:50:57Yeah, it's usually caterpillars and small flies and things like that.
0:50:57 > 0:50:59Yeah, it looked caterpillary, actually.
0:50:59 > 0:51:01And often the pair will come in together. So, there we go.
0:51:01 > 0:51:04Look at that! That's a real mouthful of caterpillars!
0:51:04 > 0:51:05Almost choking on it there, isn't it?
0:51:05 > 0:51:09I think he got all three of those fat, green caterpillars.
0:51:09 > 0:51:12- Yeah, that'll keep him going for a little while.- This is so great.
0:51:12 > 0:51:15- You know, having seen them first on my bird table...- Mm.
0:51:15 > 0:51:18- ..and then at the beginning of the year in that beautiful roost...- Yes.
0:51:18 > 0:51:22..and now right here in the wild, in their habitat,
0:51:22 > 0:51:25- with a nest on the go, it's just fantastic.- Yeah, it's brilliant.
0:51:25 > 0:51:27And this is probably the perfect day to see them.
0:51:27 > 0:51:29And this is just going on all day now,
0:51:29 > 0:51:32just cramming that fuel in to get them ready for their fledge?
0:51:32 > 0:51:35That's right, yeah, these are really hungry chicks
0:51:35 > 0:51:37and they're growing rapidly through the day.
0:51:37 > 0:51:40So, by tomorrow they'll be even bigger than that and, yeah, they'll
0:51:40 > 0:51:43probably be ready to go, so they need as much food as they can get.
0:51:43 > 0:51:45And they'll all be ready at the same time?
0:51:45 > 0:51:47Yeah, they've all been incubated.
0:51:47 > 0:51:50Although the female will lay the eggs one at a time, she doesn't
0:51:50 > 0:51:53start incubating them until she's laid the last one, so they will
0:51:53 > 0:51:56all hatch on the same day and they will all fledge on the same day.
0:51:56 > 0:51:59It's tantalising, cos they're obviously a day or so
0:51:59 > 0:52:01away from absolutely making it, these guys.
0:52:01 > 0:52:04Yeah, maybe even tomorrow morning, these birds, they're looking
0:52:04 > 0:52:06like they might well go tomorrow, just looking at that today.
0:52:06 > 0:52:08It makes me want to come back tomorrow
0:52:08 > 0:52:11just to see if they do fledge, but I'm wondering,
0:52:11 > 0:52:14maybe we can leave a camera set up here
0:52:14 > 0:52:17and try and keep on this and get the footage of them actually fledging.
0:52:17 > 0:52:18Yeah, that would be fantastic.
0:52:18 > 0:52:21Yeah, we can leave a camera running on the nest
0:52:21 > 0:52:24and hopefully see that magic moment when they all pile out.
0:52:24 > 0:52:25I'd love to see it.
0:52:28 > 0:52:31Time's run out for me and John today.
0:52:31 > 0:52:33But the next morning,
0:52:33 > 0:52:38the crew returned to the exact same spot to be our eyes on the nest.
0:52:39 > 0:52:42It's a big relief to see the chicks still there.
0:52:42 > 0:52:44There's no predicting exactly when they'll fledge
0:52:44 > 0:52:48and there's only one thing for the crew to do -
0:52:48 > 0:52:49settle in and wait.
0:52:52 > 0:52:54For the next two days,
0:52:54 > 0:52:57the parents and almost certainly other family members
0:52:57 > 0:53:01keep up the unrelenting feeding routine, stuffing
0:53:01 > 0:53:05those gaping mouths with a steady supply of fat, green caterpillars.
0:53:07 > 0:53:10Feeding builds to a crescendo, as parents pack the chicks with as
0:53:10 > 0:53:15much protein as possible, preparing them for their very first flight.
0:53:18 > 0:53:21But as the adults come and go, there's something in
0:53:21 > 0:53:24the parent birds' flight that we haven't seen before.
0:53:31 > 0:53:34It's fleeting and hard to spot,
0:53:34 > 0:53:37until we watch it in slow motion.
0:53:41 > 0:53:43Then, this magical little performance
0:53:43 > 0:53:44emerges in all its glory.
0:53:48 > 0:53:50As they leave the nest,
0:53:50 > 0:53:52the adults hover in mid-flight,
0:53:52 > 0:53:54just like hummingbirds.
0:53:54 > 0:53:59And as the day goes on, they perform the same trick again and again.
0:54:04 > 0:54:08There's a couple of theories about what they might be up to.
0:54:08 > 0:54:10One idea is that it's a signal,
0:54:10 > 0:54:13calling the other adult birds in the extended family
0:54:13 > 0:54:16to come and help with the feeding,
0:54:16 > 0:54:18making a deliberate display of leaving the nest.
0:54:21 > 0:54:25But John thinks the adults could be trying to entice the chicks
0:54:25 > 0:54:28to make that first flight, hovering at the nest entrance
0:54:28 > 0:54:31and giving them little chirps of encouragement.
0:54:33 > 0:54:37Whatever it means, this charming display is one more reason to
0:54:37 > 0:54:39marvel at these lovely little birds.
0:54:41 > 0:54:44But even if they are being asked to leave the nest, for now,
0:54:44 > 0:54:49these chicks have chosen to sit tight, which, as it turns out,
0:54:49 > 0:54:50is a smart move.
0:54:53 > 0:54:56THUNDER RUMBLES
0:55:04 > 0:55:08As you can see, it's a lovely day up by the long-tailed tit nest!
0:55:08 > 0:55:10The kit's all getting wet,
0:55:10 > 0:55:14everything's covered with bin bags, um, except us.
0:55:15 > 0:55:18Not a lot's going to happen today if this rain keeps up.
0:55:22 > 0:55:26But whatever the weather, those chicks still need to be fed.
0:55:26 > 0:55:29All day long, the bedraggled adults
0:55:29 > 0:55:31keep up the round-the-clock deliveries.
0:55:38 > 0:55:40They certainly aren't going to fledge
0:55:40 > 0:55:41if the weather stays like this.
0:55:42 > 0:55:45Our cameraman Matt's banking on a burst of sunshine
0:55:45 > 0:55:47to bring out the chicks.
0:55:47 > 0:55:51But one thing I know about Dartmoor is that even in late spring,
0:55:51 > 0:55:53it can drizzle for days.
0:55:56 > 0:56:00The parents are keeping up their impressive work-rate
0:56:00 > 0:56:02and the chicks are scoffing the lot.
0:56:02 > 0:56:03But sitting tight.
0:56:06 > 0:56:08It's a lot of rain.
0:56:12 > 0:56:15By day six, the nest is at bursting point.
0:56:15 > 0:56:18They really can't stay in there much longer.
0:56:18 > 0:56:22And finally, the weather breaks.
0:56:23 > 0:56:26Thankfully, the rain's just stopped.
0:56:26 > 0:56:29I haven't been able to see what the birds have been up to
0:56:29 > 0:56:33for a good half an hour or so, so just checking the monitor here.
0:56:33 > 0:56:36And thankfully, they're still on the nest.
0:56:43 > 0:56:46At long last, one chick makes its move.
0:56:49 > 0:56:51It's a short maiden flight,
0:56:51 > 0:56:53but there's no going back.
0:56:55 > 0:56:59And this fluffy-headed youngster is not alone for long.
0:56:59 > 0:57:03And Matt and Joseph's six-day vigil is finally paying off,
0:57:03 > 0:57:06as the chicks move out en masse.
0:57:06 > 0:57:10One, two, three, four,
0:57:10 > 0:57:14five, six, seven.
0:57:14 > 0:57:19Seven chicks, all from the same tiny, but luckily, expandable nest.
0:57:21 > 0:57:24These young birds will now join their family group,
0:57:24 > 0:57:26flitting and foraging around the woods.
0:57:27 > 0:57:30And when winter comes, they'll join their cousins,
0:57:30 > 0:57:34uncles and aunties, huddled on a single branch.
0:57:36 > 0:57:39Just like the group I saw at the beginning of the year.
0:57:41 > 0:57:45And next time I see long-tailed tits on my garden feeders at home,
0:57:45 > 0:57:48I'll know a whole lot more about what they've been up to
0:57:48 > 0:57:50the rest of the time.
0:57:55 > 0:58:00If you'd like to explore Britain's diverse landscapes in more detail
0:58:00 > 0:58:04and find out how to create your own wildlife habitats,
0:58:04 > 0:58:08The Open University has produced a free booklet with bookmarks.
0:58:08 > 0:58:10Order your copy by calling...
0:58:14 > 0:58:15..or go to...
0:58:19 > 0:58:22..and follow the links to The Open University.