0:00:02 > 0:00:05For me, watching wildlife is one of life's greatest pleasures.
0:00:07 > 0:00:12And my favourite place to do it is right here in my beloved West Country.
0:00:14 > 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 > 0:00:26extraordinary 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 > 0:00:37This is great. This is measuring an eel.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39Off, off, off!
0:00:39 > 0:00:41There's one inside my...oh!
0:00:41 > 0:00:44..with the help of a band of dedicated nature lovers.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48Some of the patterns on the feathers, they're beautiful.
0:00:50 > 0:00:51Good spot. Look, look, look!
0:00:51 > 0:00:53- Wonderful.- So cool.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55There's one in my hair now.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58I'll share the thrill of the chase...
0:00:58 > 0:01:00- Do you hear them?- I heard something.
0:01:00 > 0:01:01Yeah, they're in there.
0:01:02 > 0:01:03Yes.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06..the sheer joy of the encounter...
0:01:06 > 0:01:08- She's so golden.- She is fast asleep.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12That's amazing.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16..and I'll pitch in to help these local heroes
0:01:16 > 0:01:19safeguard the future of our precious animals.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21Bye-bye.
0:01:21 > 0:01:22There she goes.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29I can't believe that I've been living in the West Country
0:01:29 > 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.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58Today I'm in a part of south-west England that I should know pretty well.
0:02:00 > 0:02:05I'm right on my home patch, the Devon/Dorset border.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07I've lived around here for almost 20 years.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13But getting to know the local wildlife is a never-ending process...
0:02:15 > 0:02:20..and this area of the south-west is home to an enthralling cast of creatures,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23some of which I now think of as old friends,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26but some of the more elusive ones I still haven't met.
0:02:28 > 0:02:33This stretch of coast straddling Devon and Dorset is best known for
0:02:33 > 0:02:38the fossil beaches and beauty spots around Lyme Regis and Lulworth Cove,
0:02:38 > 0:02:41but there's plenty of interest just back from the sea
0:02:41 > 0:02:44along a ribbon of land that runs from the pretty river valleys
0:02:44 > 0:02:47above Exmouth and Sidmouth, past Lyme Regis
0:02:47 > 0:02:50to the tidal waterways of the Fleet near Weymouth.
0:02:53 > 0:02:54This is the River Otter.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59As you might expect, there are indeed otters here,
0:02:59 > 0:03:01and plenty more besides.
0:03:01 > 0:03:06What is truly surprising is that here, just a few miles from home,
0:03:06 > 0:03:09I have a chance to encounter a creature of the river
0:03:09 > 0:03:12that to me has always seemed exotic and far-flung.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16As a child I loved reading books about wild animals from far-off
0:03:16 > 0:03:21lands and dreaming that maybe one day I'd get to see them for myself.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25One creature that particularly fascinated me, with its toothy face,
0:03:25 > 0:03:29its leathery tail and its amazing ability to chop down trees,
0:03:29 > 0:03:31was the beaver.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34When I was a boy, beavers hadn't been seen in England
0:03:34 > 0:03:37for over 400 years.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40They were once widespread in the UK,
0:03:40 > 0:03:43but they were hunted to extinction for their fur,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46their meat and their powerful scent glands,
0:03:46 > 0:03:48which were used in perfumes and medicines.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52But in 2011,
0:03:52 > 0:03:55local wildlife watchers were amazed to find that beavers
0:03:55 > 0:03:59had made a surprise return right here in Devon.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06It's suspected they'd been accidentally released from captivity.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10However it happened, within a few years, they were seen to have young,
0:04:10 > 0:04:13known as kits. It soon became clear
0:04:13 > 0:04:17that these unlikely and unexpected arrivals
0:04:17 > 0:04:20had the potential to start a genuine beaver revival.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25I've still never actually seen one in the wild,
0:04:25 > 0:04:28which makes it incredibly exciting to know that there's
0:04:28 > 0:04:33a real possibility of seeing one right here on this river,
0:04:33 > 0:04:36on my home patch on the Devon/Dorset border.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42Of course, I'm not the only one who finds the idea of spotting a beaver
0:04:42 > 0:04:44in the wild very exciting.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47They're still not easy to see,
0:04:47 > 0:04:51but when the word gets around that beavers are out and about,
0:04:51 > 0:04:53it can attract quite a crowd,
0:04:53 > 0:04:56hoping to train their lenses on the River Otter's new celebrities.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04In my personal experience the furthest anybody's come
0:05:04 > 0:05:07was Western Australia, Perth and New Zealand,
0:05:07 > 0:05:11and people on holiday in Europe
0:05:11 > 0:05:14come in via Budleigh to see our beavers.
0:05:14 > 0:05:15I could not believe it,
0:05:15 > 0:05:18but that's fact.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21David White was one of the first to get the beaver bug.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25I retired to the area some eight years ago,
0:05:25 > 0:05:29and one day when I was down here I came across a very funny footprint.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33And I could think of everything it wasn't.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37A few months later, I'm walking along another part of the river
0:05:37 > 0:05:39and I hear a huge splash.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42A bit like I'd expect somebody who had thrown a pebble the size of
0:05:42 > 0:05:45a bag of sugar into the water.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47I thought, "What on earth made that?"
0:05:47 > 0:05:50Then, two and two together, it was a beaver's tail splashing.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53That is how I got interested in the beavers in the first place.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Typically they may be nearly as large as a sack of potatoes.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01They whizz around so fast and they dive up and down,
0:06:01 > 0:06:03and pop up two yards away, ten yards away,
0:06:03 > 0:06:06and you really don't know whether you're looking at the same one or a different one.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10Having the only wild beavers in England right on his doorstep
0:06:10 > 0:06:12has made Dave
0:06:12 > 0:06:13something of an authority
0:06:13 > 0:06:15on how to get the best view.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26When I see them, the first thing really is to try and let it
0:06:26 > 0:06:29relax and settle down a bit.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32Some people tend to, "Oh, oh! Look, there's a beaver!"
0:06:32 > 0:06:35Point, lean forward.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37Hold back, ease away
0:06:37 > 0:06:40and the beaver relaxes a bit and it'll actually come closer to you,
0:06:40 > 0:06:43and you get a better look at it to see what it is doing.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46For one amateur wildlife photographer these newcomers
0:06:46 > 0:06:50on the river presented an opportunity not to be missed.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55German-born Sylvie Meller is building up a library of footage
0:06:55 > 0:06:57of the parents and their kits.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02But she'll never forget the first time she saw them.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04We were just sitting next to the river
0:07:04 > 0:07:06and it was the female swimming past us.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09There she was, and it was just goose bumps immediately.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11I was just hooked on them.
0:07:11 > 0:07:12- Straight away?- Completely addicted.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16And I just had to come there now most weekends and see them
0:07:16 > 0:07:18and take pictures and film them.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23Sylvie's intimate footage of this tight-knit unit
0:07:23 > 0:07:26gives us an insight into beaver family life.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30Beavers mate for life, having up to four kits a year.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34The young then stay with the family until they're around two years old.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39So the beaver family is the nicest thing to watch, I guess?
0:07:39 > 0:07:41It is lovely to watch them.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44And of course when the kits are out the first time,
0:07:44 > 0:07:45to see the tiny little kits
0:07:45 > 0:07:47swimming around and playing with
0:07:47 > 0:07:50the parents and swimming on the back of the mother and the dad,
0:07:50 > 0:07:53that's just one of the most amazing moments.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55It's a beaver soap opera?
0:07:55 > 0:07:58It is, yeah. Each and every time it's something different.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01My parents always say, "Oh, you are going back to the river again,
0:08:01 > 0:08:03"isn't it always the same?"
0:08:03 > 0:08:05No, every time it's different. Every
0:08:05 > 0:08:06time something new's happening.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09I would absolutely love to see one,
0:08:09 > 0:08:14just being in the river and hanging out and doing beavery things.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17At the moment the best thing is to come early in the morning,
0:08:17 > 0:08:21just after sunrise, when it's just about getting light,
0:08:21 > 0:08:24to see them coming, swimming back to the lodge.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27- Thank you, Sylvie.- You're welcome. - I hope I have a bit of your luck.
0:08:27 > 0:08:28Yeah.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43It's still dark when I head back down to the river
0:08:43 > 0:08:46for my early-morning beaver stakeout.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50It's just before dawn and I'm back on the bridge where Sylvie says
0:08:50 > 0:08:53I've got the best chance of seeing the beavers on the move.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57It's still pretty dark, so I've got an infrared light here
0:08:57 > 0:08:59and a camera that picks that up.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03So even though I can't really see what's happening on the river yet,
0:09:03 > 0:09:05I can see here through the viewfinder.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09So if they do come down the river before it gets light,
0:09:09 > 0:09:11I should still be able to pick them up.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16It feels almost absurd to think a beaver might suddenly appear here
0:09:16 > 0:09:20on this Devon river, but that's probably what everyone
0:09:20 > 0:09:22who's seen one was thinking just before it happened.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31Just a glimpse would be a thrill.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36But wildlife watching is about putting in the hours,
0:09:36 > 0:09:40and being here on the river as the sun rises is a pleasure in itself.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51Having said that, I would like to see one.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55It has been a lovely morning,
0:09:55 > 0:09:56but sadly beaverless.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59So that's it for today.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02But I'm definitely coming back as soon as I can because
0:10:02 > 0:10:04I've definitely got beaver fever.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12I may not have seen one this time, but hearing from people who have,
0:10:12 > 0:10:15and seeing in their eyes the excitement that goes with it,
0:10:15 > 0:10:17I'm not giving up just yet.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23The past plight of our beavers is a good reminder of why
0:10:23 > 0:10:25our wildlife needs protection today.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27But conservation isn't a new idea,
0:10:27 > 0:10:32even if historically it's tended to favour only a select few species.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37One of those has been the subject of what must be the oldest
0:10:37 > 0:10:40continuous conservation project in the UK.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44I'm full of admiration for anyone who devotes the whole of their
0:10:44 > 0:10:47working lives to protecting the interests of our wildlife.
0:10:47 > 0:10:53But when that job comes with a heritage that is almost 1,000 years old,
0:10:53 > 0:10:55that's got to command some serious respect.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00This is the Fleet,
0:11:00 > 0:11:03a 13km-long saltwater lagoon
0:11:03 > 0:11:06created by the pebble bank of Chesil Beach.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10For centuries, this geographical anomaly has been a safe haven
0:11:10 > 0:11:14for a graceful resident with privileged royal connections.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19Abbotsbury Swannery is home to hundreds of these majestic birds.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33This is the world's one and only managed colony of mute swans.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38The job of looking after them goes back to the 14th century...
0:11:39 > 0:11:41..as does the title that goes with it -
0:11:41 > 0:11:43the Swanherd.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48The current incumbent is Swanherd Dave Wheeler.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50Let me see. Come on, girl.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54Good. One, two, three, four, five, six eggs for nest 29.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58The Fleet provides masses of food for waterfowl,
0:11:58 > 0:12:00and that's the attraction.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05The shallow lagoon has over 150 species of plant life,
0:12:05 > 0:12:0925 species of fish and plentiful molluscs,
0:12:09 > 0:12:12all of which contribute to this rich feeding ground
0:12:12 > 0:12:14for the omnivorous swans.
0:12:14 > 0:12:20In the winter, top count in recent years was very close to 1,400 swans.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24OK, OK.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27It's hard to explain why I love this place.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30I think there is a magic to it.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34It's not just swans, it's THE Swannery at Abbotsbury.
0:12:34 > 0:12:39There are so many different aspects to it, the job is so varied,
0:12:39 > 0:12:41we don't know what we'll be doing from one day to the next.
0:12:44 > 0:12:45That's good, that's good.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51I do remember one particular day that made me think,
0:12:51 > 0:12:57when my first job of the day happened to be to lift sewage pumps,
0:12:57 > 0:12:59clean them and reset them,
0:12:59 > 0:13:03my very next job was to pose with children,
0:13:03 > 0:13:05ballerinas in tutus, on the nesting site.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09There can't be any jobs with that kind of variety.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13The swannery was established here by Benedictine monks whose reasons
0:13:13 > 0:13:17for protecting these birds were somewhat different from ours today.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21We know that Benedictine monks founded a monastery in Abbotsbury
0:13:21 > 0:13:23as far back as the 1040s,
0:13:23 > 0:13:26and we know that they had a great interest in this place because,
0:13:26 > 0:13:28of course, they wanted to eat swan.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31And obviously, if they could increase survival rates
0:13:31 > 0:13:33there'd be more swan meat.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39Whatever the motive, the responsibilities of the Swanherd -
0:13:39 > 0:13:42to protect these birds and help their young to reach maturity
0:13:42 > 0:13:47on this beautiful piece of water - are the same as they've always been.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50It's a story of historical continuity
0:13:50 > 0:13:53that's surprising and somehow comforting.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55When we look in the archives,
0:13:55 > 0:14:00there are many mentions of keepers of swans here and swanherds,
0:14:00 > 0:14:04so the title may have changed a little over the years, but certainly
0:14:04 > 0:14:07they've been managed for many hundreds of years.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10It's almost as if these powerful birds sense the advantage
0:14:10 > 0:14:13to their young of this age-old human intervention.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16We have a colony of nesting swans, which is rather unusual,
0:14:16 > 0:14:18and they don't make good neighbours.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20They all want more territory,
0:14:20 > 0:14:23there's aggressive interaction between some pairs,
0:14:23 > 0:14:27and without our help, survival would not be so good.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33The swan colony is tended daily by Dave and his team
0:14:33 > 0:14:37but these are truly wild animals, free to come and go as they please.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41Clearly at nesting time, there's nowhere they'd rather be than here.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45I think the situation here,
0:14:45 > 0:14:48the swans and the swannery are extremely important.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52I think it's right and good that it's sustained.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56Scientifically it's unique. There is nowhere in the world
0:14:56 > 0:15:00where we can gain so much information about swans.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06It's May and the height of the hatching season.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09To gather the data they need on the year's new brood,
0:15:09 > 0:15:13Dave and his team must inspect each newly hatched cygnet.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16And with protective parent swans to contend with,
0:15:16 > 0:15:19this is the most dangerous job of the year.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22We sex and tag their cygnets when they're just a day old,
0:15:22 > 0:15:25so we're really asking to be thumped!
0:15:26 > 0:15:32Risky it may be, but it's all part of the job for Dave's deputy Swanherd, Steve Groves.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36My dad worked in a factory all his life on a lathe, so this is,
0:15:36 > 0:15:39you know, a job like this, yeah...
0:15:39 > 0:15:41..you do get a big kick out of it.
0:15:41 > 0:15:42Ready?
0:15:42 > 0:15:45One Swanherd did have his radius broken,
0:15:45 > 0:15:49and there has been one case, I believe, of cracked ribs here.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53One of my colleagues I did see knocked unconscious
0:15:53 > 0:15:55on the nesting site.
0:15:55 > 0:15:56A swan struck him on the head.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58It's a male.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02Cygnets are among the largest hatchlings of any British bird,
0:16:02 > 0:16:04but like all chicks they're vulnerable.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08Every year in the UK only about a third of all cygnets hatched anywhere
0:16:08 > 0:16:12make it to their first autumn, let alone get through their first winter.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14And usually we're on par with that.
0:16:15 > 0:16:20In this crowded colony the big risk to the cygnets is from other swans,
0:16:20 > 0:16:23protecting their patch, both on land and on water.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28It's a threat that all these cygnets will have to face pretty soon.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31They're almost ready to leave the nest.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33They usually leave the nest on...
0:16:33 > 0:16:35..sometimes day two, usually day three.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39So they may stay in there until tomorrow and then the parents
0:16:39 > 0:16:41will take them down to the nearest available water,
0:16:41 > 0:16:44which, if they're a really good pair, they've already got
0:16:44 > 0:16:46a bit of water in their territory.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49But I don't think this pair have.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52So they've got a journey now down to the Fleet Lagoon
0:16:52 > 0:16:54which means going through other swans' territory,
0:16:54 > 0:16:57and there's more chances that the cygnets will get predated
0:16:57 > 0:16:59or attacked by another swan,
0:16:59 > 0:17:01so they haven't got the best start in life,
0:17:01 > 0:17:05but obviously we're always around to look after them.
0:17:06 > 0:17:07Even in a 1,000-year-old colony,
0:17:07 > 0:17:11life is never easy for the swans of Abbotsbury.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13Last year we had a very good survival rate.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17It was nearly 50% that survived their first...up to autumn.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20But unfortunately, of course, last winter
0:17:20 > 0:17:23we had a bird flu outbreak and unfortunately a lot of
0:17:23 > 0:17:26those cygnets that made it didn't make it through the bird flu,
0:17:26 > 0:17:28so nature, like I say,
0:17:28 > 0:17:31just always makes sure that only the strongest survive.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36The cygnets have many trials ahead and Swanherd Dave has
0:17:36 > 0:17:40his biggest challenge of the year coming up too.
0:17:40 > 0:17:46In midsummer he'll oversee one of the country's most bizarre annual wildlife surveys.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54The rich tidal waters of the largely unchanging Fleet
0:17:54 > 0:17:57have always been an ideal home for the swans.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00But back from the sea, even the most
0:18:00 > 0:18:03idyllic landscapes of the West Country are shaped by man...
0:18:05 > 0:18:07And when that puts a species in decline,
0:18:07 > 0:18:10there's a good case to be made that it's down to us
0:18:10 > 0:18:12to offer a helping hand.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17If you can give them a secure place to live and breed,
0:18:17 > 0:18:18you can make a real difference.
0:18:18 > 0:18:23And if that place happens to be man-made and even centrally heated,
0:18:23 > 0:18:26well, some animals are just not going to have a problem with that.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36The stately homes of England attract visitors from all over the world.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39Some have been opened to the public
0:18:39 > 0:18:41or been converted into swanky hotels.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45But here in Dorset one former dwelling of the landed gentry
0:18:45 > 0:18:47has found a very different destiny.
0:18:48 > 0:18:53This rather forbidding structure was once the bustling kitchen block
0:18:53 > 0:18:56of Bryanston's 18th-century manor house.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03But since it was abandoned some new residents have taken over the place,
0:19:03 > 0:19:06and they only come out at night.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12For 30 years Colin Morris has been tending to their every need.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19Bats, including the rare greater horseshoe,
0:19:19 > 0:19:23were found to be in residence here in the 1950s,
0:19:23 > 0:19:26and since then the accommodation has had a number of upgrades.
0:19:27 > 0:19:32This roost has been studied by bat scientists since the 1950s.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35And over the years it had so many improvements here,
0:19:35 > 0:19:37just for the bats.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40It was one of the first places to have central heating put in
0:19:40 > 0:19:43for them, to keep them nice and warm and help the babies grow.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46We also had it reroofed just for the bats.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48They had all this money.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50It's probably the most expensive bat roost in the UK.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53So it's been known since then as the Horseshoe Hilton.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00The greater horseshoe bat is the largest of Britain's
0:20:00 > 0:20:0418 species of bats, but also one of the rarest.
0:20:04 > 0:20:09Its diet consists of moths and insects that it catches on the wing,
0:20:09 > 0:20:13but numbers have been hit by the double whammy of habitat loss
0:20:13 > 0:20:16and the widespread use of agricultural insecticides.
0:20:18 > 0:20:23It's estimated that numbers have declined over 90% in the last 100 years.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27It's disappeared completely from over half its former range
0:20:27 > 0:20:32in the UK, and is now confined to south-west England and South Wales.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37But projects like this are helping the horseshoes hang on in there,
0:20:37 > 0:20:41and nowadays they can stay here all year round,
0:20:41 > 0:20:44thanks to some major recent renovations.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49So here we have the world's first cave ever dug in solid rock
0:20:49 > 0:20:53for hibernating bats. We took out the back wall
0:20:53 > 0:20:57of an internal fireplace and we dug a tunnel
0:20:57 > 0:21:00approximately 12 metres long, twisted at the end,
0:21:00 > 0:21:03so you get a pocket of warm air at the top
0:21:03 > 0:21:05and a pocket of warm air at the bottom,
0:21:05 > 0:21:09because bats roost at different temperatures throughout the winter.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13And over one weekend we excavated nearly 40 tonnes of rock.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18Prior to its excavation we only had perhaps 15 or 20 bats
0:21:18 > 0:21:21hibernating here throughout the winter.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24This winter, we had nearly 300 bats hibernating in there,
0:21:24 > 0:21:26so a very successful site indeed.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31Colin's purpose-built bat cave, or hibernaculum,
0:21:31 > 0:21:35has clearly been a massive boost for the greater horseshoes,
0:21:35 > 0:21:39providing them with a cosy place to sit out the worst of the winter chill.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43In the spring, the pregnant females move back upstairs.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47This is their maternity roost, a special mother-and-baby unit
0:21:47 > 0:21:49where bats rear their young over the summer.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53By July the mothers have given birth and must now leave their pups
0:21:53 > 0:21:56to hunt for a few hours every evening.
0:21:56 > 0:21:57Did I bring my camera?
0:21:57 > 0:22:00For Colin and his team, it's the perfect time for a bat count.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03Now, have we all got tally counters?
0:22:03 > 0:22:05- I have.- Bat detectors?
0:22:05 > 0:22:07- Yeah.- OK, well...
0:22:07 > 0:22:10..the bats will be out in about ten minutes.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14- If we settle down now and wait for the emergence, OK?- That's fine.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16Any problems, let me know.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19The volunteers are equipped with some handy technology.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21This is an ultrasonic bat detector.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23It's one of the simplest bat detectors on the market.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28This clever box of tricks allows them to hear the ultrasonic calls
0:22:28 > 0:22:32made by each bat. These clicks are the echolocation
0:22:32 > 0:22:36by which they navigate and hunt their prey.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39- Okey dokey.- You're sitting on the bat detector.- I am.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43- That's painful!- Ooh!
0:22:44 > 0:22:46Made my day, that did.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51In the gloom of dusk, the bats begin to emerge.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56And the team get busy with their bat detectors,
0:22:56 > 0:22:58counting them click by click.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03But click counting bats is trickier than you might think.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07Some evenings are more difficult than others, because
0:23:07 > 0:23:11these bats have a tendency to go in and out several times
0:23:11 > 0:23:15before they go off to forage totally.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20And what you've got to do is, if a bat goes back into the building...
0:23:21 > 0:23:23..remember one bat's gone back in
0:23:23 > 0:23:26and, when the next bat comes out,
0:23:26 > 0:23:27you don't click it.
0:23:27 > 0:23:32If I get 250 to 300 adults
0:23:32 > 0:23:35and 150 to 170 babies,
0:23:35 > 0:23:37I'll be very happy.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41When the bats are all out, the team can compare their counts.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44- 344, good count.- 349. 349.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47And the result is even better than Colin was expecting...
0:23:47 > 0:23:50- 350.- Ooh, really? Really?- Yeah.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54..which raises hopes of an impressive brood inside.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56Right, OK.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58- Let's go and see how many babies we have.- Yeah.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01With all the mums now out hunting,
0:24:01 > 0:24:05Colin quickly scrambles up to the attic to count the pups.
0:24:06 > 0:24:07Oh, look.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09There's a bat that's been born in the last day or two.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14Greater horseshoe bats have been known to live for 30 years,
0:24:14 > 0:24:16but they breed very, very slowly.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19They might not give birth until they're three or four years old,
0:24:19 > 0:24:23and perhaps they'll only have one baby every two years, which is why
0:24:23 > 0:24:26they're sort of living on a knife-edge in this part of Europe.
0:24:26 > 0:24:27They don't breed very fast.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31Their survival rate isn't always as good as we'd hoped.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten...
0:24:36 > 0:24:38There's some very tiny bats up there,
0:24:38 > 0:24:40which have been born in the last week,
0:24:40 > 0:24:45so I'd estimate perhaps we'd have 170 babies in total this year.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48For the horseshoe bat,
0:24:48 > 0:24:51there's still a long way to go before they're out of danger,
0:24:51 > 0:24:54but it's good to know that it's packed to the rafters
0:24:54 > 0:24:55here at the Horseshoe Hilton.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12I'm back on the River Otter on my continuing quest
0:25:12 > 0:25:14to catch up with Devon's wild beavers.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19Today, I'm joining Mark Elliott from Devon Wildlife Trust.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22- You can see there's signs of... - Yeah, another one down there.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25Last year, a new pair of beavers were introduced
0:25:25 > 0:25:29to prevent inbreeding, and Mark's been keeping a close watch
0:25:29 > 0:25:31on their progress ever since.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35I'm excited, and already the trail is pretty warm.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38There's a tree down here, Mark. That's not beavers, is it?
0:25:38 > 0:25:41- Yes, this is beavers. - Is it? Oh! That is massive!
0:25:42 > 0:25:44That's a Devon beaver?
0:25:44 > 0:25:47- Yeah, yeah, absolutely. - I've never seen anything like it!
0:25:47 > 0:25:49You can see all the teeth marks all the way across here.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51Oh, that's extraordinary!
0:25:51 > 0:25:56A resident mammal felling trees here in Devon just seems really odd,
0:25:56 > 0:25:59but wherever they are, beavers will be beavers.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01And he wants this tree to come down.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04Yeah, primarily so that he can reach the top branches.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07So he's feeding on the top branches, or using the sticks
0:26:07 > 0:26:11for lodge building, that sort of thing, but also,
0:26:11 > 0:26:13because it's a willow tree, this will re-sprout,
0:26:13 > 0:26:16so there will be lots of fresh, young growth come from this tree
0:26:16 > 0:26:20next year, and that will then be food for beavers in future years.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28A beaver's teeth are unusual,
0:26:28 > 0:26:31as they'd need to be to gnaw through this much wood.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34Unlike our teeth, they never stop growing.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38What keeps them in check is all that chewing.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40The front of the tooth is made from hard enamel,
0:26:40 > 0:26:44backed by a slightly softer substance called dentine,
0:26:44 > 0:26:46which is more easily worn away.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48It's an ingenious arrangement
0:26:48 > 0:26:51that makes a beaver's teeth self-sharpening.
0:26:51 > 0:26:52The front layer of enamel
0:26:52 > 0:26:54is especially tough because
0:26:54 > 0:26:55it's so rich in iron,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58which is very practical for wood chewing
0:26:58 > 0:26:59but does lead to one rather striking
0:26:59 > 0:27:03visual feature of mature beavers -
0:27:03 > 0:27:04orange teeth.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08So having felled a tree, they're going down the whole length of it.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11- Yeah, all the way down. - Whittling away, nibbling every stem.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13And then this is bark stripping,
0:27:13 > 0:27:15so they are feeding on the bark particularly.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18You can see all the way, and this is fresh here,
0:27:18 > 0:27:20so this is in the last few nights.
0:27:20 > 0:27:21That wood, that is food.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24There's some goodness in there that's being extracted.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27The smaller stuff, so they're not really eating the wood.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30They are feeding on the bark, particularly on the smaller twigs,
0:27:30 > 0:27:33but then the branches, like these, will probably be in the lodge.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36- It's astonishing that's going on in Devon.- Yeah.
0:27:36 > 0:27:37It's brilliant.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41Sights like this haven't been seen here for centuries,
0:27:41 > 0:27:44so a major part of Mark's work is to try and assess
0:27:44 > 0:27:47what it could mean for the ecology of the area.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51Looking at a tree like this down, it's absolutely unambiguous
0:27:51 > 0:27:54that beavers are making an impact on the river.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56They're changing things here. Is that a problem?
0:27:56 > 0:27:58No, I don't think so.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00These are all riverside willow trees.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02They grow very quickly.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05To be honest, they grow in response to this sort of activity.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07This is a really natural process.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11There will be lots of species that benefit from this sort of woody material.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14But I think the other real benefits are going to be
0:28:14 > 0:28:16where beavers are building dams.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19And so you start to see flood risk benefits,
0:28:19 > 0:28:22so the beavers are storing water up in the headwaters
0:28:22 > 0:28:24and that reduces the speed of flow coming downstream.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27But those ponds are also really important for amphibians
0:28:27 > 0:28:30and for fish and a whole range of other wetland species.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32So that's where the real benefits are,
0:28:32 > 0:28:33it's when they start damming.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36So they're doing all the other wildlife a favour here?
0:28:36 > 0:28:38They're creating habitats for a whole range of species.
0:28:38 > 0:28:42We call them keystone species because they create habitats for other things.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48To keep track of this pilot population of beaver,
0:28:48 > 0:28:52Mark and his team try to tag and microchip all new arrivals.
0:28:53 > 0:28:57This could be my best chance to see a Devon beaver in the flesh.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00But first, we have to catch one.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03See how the traps are just through here.
0:29:03 > 0:29:07Oh, yeah, I can see something the other side of that scrubby bit of willow.
0:29:09 > 0:29:11It's quite an out-of-the-way place, this.
0:29:11 > 0:29:13Yeah.
0:29:14 > 0:29:15Do we bait first or set the trap first?
0:29:15 > 0:29:18We'll bait first. Otherwise there's the risk of injury when you
0:29:18 > 0:29:21- put the bait in.- Oh, yeah, of course.- So, yeah, what we're doing
0:29:21 > 0:29:23is putting apples inside. And the plate in the middle
0:29:23 > 0:29:25is what the beavers have to stand on.
0:29:25 > 0:29:29So what we then do is bring the doors down onto those
0:29:29 > 0:29:31- metal bars there.- That's it.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33That should hold it in place.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36- OK.- OK, so now that's set.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38So if the beaver touches the plate...
0:29:39 > 0:29:41- ..that's what happens.- Yeah.
0:29:41 > 0:29:43You got me there! Is this trap
0:29:43 > 0:29:46specifically designed for beavers or can it catch other critters?
0:29:46 > 0:29:48This is specifically designed for beavers, yeah.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51So the size and everything means that the beaver's tail is clear of
0:29:51 > 0:29:54the falling door, it's been carefully worked out?
0:29:54 > 0:29:55- Yeah.- And that's set.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57- That's now set.- Great.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59OK, so that's them set.
0:29:59 > 0:30:01- When do you check them?- First thing.
0:30:01 > 0:30:03- Early doors.- Yeah, we don't want to leave them too late.
0:30:03 > 0:30:05So, first thing in the morning.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12So far, Devon's beavers have eluded me,
0:30:12 > 0:30:17but footage taken by dedicated local enthusiasts suggests that
0:30:17 > 0:30:20the River Otter is very much to their liking.
0:30:23 > 0:30:27Beavers are most active and most relaxed at night
0:30:27 > 0:30:29when they leave their lodge to feed.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33And there's plenty of family time, too.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43The following morning, Mark and I are back to check the trap.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49Do you think we'll be able to see whether the trap's been triggered
0:30:49 > 0:30:52- from here, Mark?- Yeah, it should be possible to see
0:30:52 > 0:30:54- whether the door's down. It does look like...- It's down.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57Shall we see if we can see an animal in there?
0:30:58 > 0:31:01There's something in the bottom right-hand corner?
0:31:01 > 0:31:03Yes. Yes, I can see it!
0:31:03 > 0:31:06- Yep.- That's incredible. There's a beaver in there.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10- These rhododendrons at least give you something to grab on to.- Yeah.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14It looks like I'm finally on my way to meeting one of the first beavers
0:31:14 > 0:31:17living wild in England for four centuries...
0:31:18 > 0:31:19Whoa! That's me.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21..if I don't come a cropper first.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23More brittle than I thought.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36- You can see his tail. - It's quite a long tail, isn't it?
0:31:36 > 0:31:38Yeah, it's quite a small animal, though.
0:31:38 > 0:31:39- It's...- I think it's probably...
0:31:39 > 0:31:42- That's a small animal? - That's a small animal, yeah.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44Looked pretty big to me, but then I've never seen a beaver before.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48This is, I'd say, it's probably one of the youngsters from last year.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52Handling the beaver is the job of zoologist Roisin and her assistant, Ed.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56- Hi. Hugh. How are you?- Hi. Roisin.
0:31:56 > 0:31:58- Hi.- Ed.- Hi, Ed.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01All right. You look like you've got what it takes to deal with a beaver.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03- Hopefully. - OK, show us how it's done.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06Through her work with a similar project in Scotland,
0:32:06 > 0:32:10Roisin has been handling British beavers for nearly ten years.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15The job today is to assess the animal's condition,
0:32:15 > 0:32:20take DNA samples and tag it for easy identification in the future.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24To keep the beaver calm while all this is happening,
0:32:24 > 0:32:26it's wrapped snugly in a bag.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28This is a young animal, Mark.
0:32:28 > 0:32:32Yeah, so this is probably one of last year's kits, by the looks
0:32:32 > 0:32:35of it, so still it's a reasonable size, but it's not an adult.
0:32:35 > 0:32:39My introduction to this beaver starts with a rear-end view.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42An older animal will often have a scar or a cut in the tail
0:32:42 > 0:32:44from fights, and that can be a really useful way
0:32:44 > 0:32:47of identifying individuals if you haven't got ear tags in.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50This is a lovely, perfect tail on a youngster.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53- Yeah, it's really good condition. - We've got a nice exit.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55- Anything I can do to help? - You could lift the tail.
0:32:55 > 0:32:57That would be great. So, we don't want to bend it too far back.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59- Sure.- So about there. - How's that?- Yeah.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02It feels a bit surreal to be handling this beaver before
0:33:02 > 0:33:04I've even had a proper look at it.
0:33:04 > 0:33:06Right, see, if you look at the very end of the anal gland...
0:33:06 > 0:33:09- Yeah.- ..you'll see like a white... - Slightly paler.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11Yeah, and it's quite...
0:33:11 > 0:33:14It's quite thick. So this is a female.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17So that little white paste at the end of the anal glands,
0:33:17 > 0:33:19- that tells you... - So not this, but, yeah, that.
0:33:19 > 0:33:22A tiny dot of white right on its... Almost like a pyramid,
0:33:22 > 0:33:25- like a pointy nipple, that tells you it's a female.- Yeah.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27That's pretty good news, isn't it?
0:33:27 > 0:33:29From the point of view of a growing population,
0:33:29 > 0:33:32having another female in the tribe is good.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35Yeah, so we know there were five kits born last year,
0:33:35 > 0:33:38and we've caught two of them, so that's two females so far.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43That smell is really lingering. It's really intense and, actually,
0:33:43 > 0:33:46that smell is part of the reason for the beaver's downfall, isn't it,
0:33:46 > 0:33:49because that was used for the scent industry?
0:33:49 > 0:33:52Yeah, and it was believed to have medicinal properties as well, so you
0:33:52 > 0:33:56- can smell it. It's quite pungent, it's very unique to beavers. - Musky, really intense.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59- Yeah.- And it is something you kind of almost recognise
0:33:59 > 0:34:03from the world of perfume, like sort of ambery stuff.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06So that was probably the most intense part of this process.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08Bit more gory part, yeah, yeah.
0:34:08 > 0:34:12So now we know what sex it is, so we'll record that.
0:34:12 > 0:34:16We want to microchip it and we want to put ear tags in as well.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19- How's she doing there, Ed? - She's lovely and calm, isn't she?
0:34:19 > 0:34:21Yeah, she seems to be.
0:34:21 > 0:34:23She's probably glad that the anal examination is over.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28So really, I mean, this animal looks in good body condition.
0:34:28 > 0:34:32As you can feel here, I mean, there's a good layer of fat on it.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35- Oh, yeah.- Yeah, and it's energetic.
0:34:35 > 0:34:36- There's a lot of body there.- Yeah.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39- So beavers are largely stomach. - Feels really well.
0:34:39 > 0:34:40There's a lot of guts in there,
0:34:40 > 0:34:42but there's a good layer of fat on the back.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44Just feels super strong, a real powerhouse.
0:34:47 > 0:34:48- And lift?- And lift.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53- What have you got? - So that's ten kilos.
0:34:53 > 0:34:54Ten kilos, bang on.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57- Good size.- Well done, girl.
0:34:57 > 0:34:58We'll put her down.
0:34:58 > 0:35:00And that's, what, about half full size?
0:35:00 > 0:35:04We got her mum earlier on in the season last year and
0:35:04 > 0:35:08- she was a good 25 kilos.- Really? - She's a big animal, so this is...
0:35:08 > 0:35:11She's got a long way to go to be as big as Mum.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14- It's a good, healthy size.- Now she's getting very keen to get back.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16We'll take her down, just near to the water,
0:35:16 > 0:35:18and then we'll let her go.
0:35:18 > 0:35:20- How does this look as a release spot, Roisin?- Yeah, this is great.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23She'll probably naturally go straight into the water.
0:35:23 > 0:35:24If you just hold the bag corner...
0:35:24 > 0:35:27- That's definitely the... - Hopefully not the head.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29- There's the head.- Yeah.- OK.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31And she should sort herself out.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33Come on, then.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36Oh, here she goes. There she goes!
0:35:36 > 0:35:38Wow. You get full sight of her now.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41Wow! She didn't hang around.
0:35:41 > 0:35:42How amazing.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45My guess is that you won't catch her again.
0:35:45 > 0:35:47- Maybe not, no.- After everything she's been through.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49- She'll have her night off. - Albeit for very good reasons.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52At last, I've met a Devon beaver,
0:35:52 > 0:35:56and maybe one day I'll get to see her cruising down the river
0:35:56 > 0:35:58with some kits of her own.
0:36:03 > 0:36:07At Abbotsbury Swannery the breeding season is drawing to a close.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11The young swans' perilous journey from their nest site
0:36:11 > 0:36:14to the water's edge is behind them now.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17Only half the cygnets have survived,
0:36:17 > 0:36:20but those that did are well looked after by their parents
0:36:20 > 0:36:24and have a good chance of making it through the winter.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29Now it's time for Swanherd Dave to gear up for
0:36:29 > 0:36:31the biggest day in the swannery calendar.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33We don't want to hesitate.
0:36:33 > 0:36:34We're going to go hand-in-hand.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36When I say we, I mean you.
0:36:38 > 0:36:42He's taking on a task that would be impossible without serious reinforcements.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48But there are always plenty of volunteers willing to help.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52Every two years, we have a mass round-up of the swans
0:36:52 > 0:36:56that are not breeding. We always do it late July.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59The idea is to catch them and check them
0:36:59 > 0:37:02and make absolutely sure that they are well.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05We have a team of vets present,
0:37:05 > 0:37:07and every swan is carefully checked by vets.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11The call for assistance with the biannual round-up
0:37:11 > 0:37:15has produced a large crowd of eager amateur swanherds,
0:37:15 > 0:37:16many of whom are regulars,
0:37:16 > 0:37:20but Dave can't assume that they all know quite how this works.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23So we're going to line up and we're going to be fairly quiet.
0:37:23 > 0:37:25We're going to make a long line...
0:37:25 > 0:37:28The round-up will provide important data for Dave.
0:37:28 > 0:37:32We can take blood samples, we can weigh them, we can measure them,
0:37:32 > 0:37:36we can ring them, and being able to identify each and every swan
0:37:36 > 0:37:41enables us to study their nesting performance etc.
0:37:41 > 0:37:43After a final pep talk...
0:37:43 > 0:37:48It's not easy to wade in water with a little bit of silt underneath...
0:37:48 > 0:37:49..it's time to get cracking.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51..but we've got to go for it.
0:37:57 > 0:38:02The wading and paddling human chain steadily herds the swans into a pen.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11Timing this round-up for the swans' annual moult is critical.
0:38:11 > 0:38:15There's a period of about six weeks while new feathers are growing
0:38:15 > 0:38:18when the swans are effectively flightless.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22And since an aerial escape is not an option,
0:38:22 > 0:38:26the swans become surprisingly compliant to the amateur herders.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34That's it, hold it there.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38It might have looked pretty easy so far, but that was only the warm-up.
0:38:38 > 0:38:40Now for phase two,
0:38:40 > 0:38:45where the volunteers get hands-on with one of the world's largest waterfowl.
0:38:45 > 0:38:49Deputy Swanherd Steve explains the rudiments of the procedure.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52Well, the plan of action now is I'm going to start catching the swans.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54They'll be given to carriers.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56They'll go through the initial checkers,
0:38:56 > 0:38:58which I'm going to be one of,
0:38:58 > 0:39:02then there's some that's going to go through the stations with the vets,
0:39:02 > 0:39:05and then they'll go through and be ringed and weighed
0:39:05 > 0:39:08and then released, basically.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11Sounds simple enough,
0:39:11 > 0:39:14except for the small matter of carrying a bird that can weigh up
0:39:14 > 0:39:17to 12 kilos and has a wingspan of over two metres.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21If you hug a swan with the tummy pointing out,
0:39:21 > 0:39:24the swan is helpless, the wings can't move,
0:39:24 > 0:39:26and the feet stick out the front,
0:39:26 > 0:39:28which is very convenient for any ringing.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31But it's not just the feet that are worrying them,
0:39:31 > 0:39:32and Dave can read their minds.
0:39:32 > 0:39:36The head will be up there and, out of all those swans,
0:39:36 > 0:39:38there's probably just one that might peck.
0:39:41 > 0:39:43Under stormy summer skies,
0:39:43 > 0:39:46the amateur swan wranglers queue up to take part
0:39:46 > 0:39:49in what must be one of the most curious wildlife experiences
0:39:49 > 0:39:51that Britain has to offer.
0:39:53 > 0:39:57Y6203.
0:39:57 > 0:39:59Yeah, so just came down for this.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02But I live in Scotland now, so it's a long way to come.
0:40:06 > 0:40:07It's just a great opportunity.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10It's not something you get to do that much, obviously,
0:40:10 > 0:40:12if you want to hold a swan. And it's a great community atmosphere.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15Everybody comes down, you see the same faces every couple of years,
0:40:15 > 0:40:17and it's a great place to bring friends as well.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20I've just brought some friends for the first time. So, yeah.
0:40:20 > 0:40:25Everyone seems to have taken to the task well but, amongst them all,
0:40:25 > 0:40:29there's someone who I could only assume is a natural-born swan whisperer.
0:40:29 > 0:40:34I went to a Women's Institute meeting in Weymouth,
0:40:34 > 0:40:35where we lived at the time.
0:40:35 > 0:40:37Sh-sh-sh-sh.
0:40:37 > 0:40:42And Dave Wheeler, the Swanherd, came to give a talk,
0:40:42 > 0:40:45and he mentioned volunteering, and I asked him about it then,
0:40:45 > 0:40:48and he said, "Get in touch," so we did.
0:40:48 > 0:40:50And they've closed the list now.
0:40:50 > 0:40:54There's so many people want to volunteer that they've closed it.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58So we were one of the last ones to get in, and I'm really pleased.
0:40:58 > 0:40:59We love it.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01Oh, well, I'll wait for some...
0:41:01 > 0:41:03Ssh. OK, OK.
0:41:03 > 0:41:04Ssh.
0:41:04 > 0:41:058.2.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08About 75% of the way through.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10Yeah, it's going pretty well.
0:41:10 > 0:41:11No real problems.
0:41:11 > 0:41:13A lot of scratches.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15Yeah, arms are a bit knackered now.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17But it's not too bad.
0:41:17 > 0:41:18You're sort of used to it.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21But thanks to all these lovely people helping out today,
0:41:21 > 0:41:23they've made it a lot, lot easier.
0:41:23 > 0:41:27In colonies of this size, any disease could be devastating,
0:41:27 > 0:41:30so this regular checkup is vital.
0:41:30 > 0:41:34The whole team work very hard to get this going and, if we do it right,
0:41:34 > 0:41:38then it works smoothly and, yes, I'm really pleased.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41When each swan has come through all of its checks,
0:41:41 > 0:41:45it's handed to a volunteer with perhaps the best job of all.
0:41:47 > 0:41:49I love to release them.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51Yeah, it's great to see them go back out.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53I do this every time.
0:41:53 > 0:41:55Thank you.
0:42:08 > 0:42:12Finally, the last swan reaches the weigh-in.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14It's been a good day. It's been a good round-up.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17This is our 19th round-up and it has been very successful.
0:42:17 > 0:42:22Today, we processed 727, which is a good result.
0:42:22 > 0:42:23The system works.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25Well done.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28- Thanks, Bethan. That's the last bird.- Oh, thank you.
0:42:31 > 0:42:32That's the last one.
0:42:40 > 0:42:44It's been a far from average day at Abbotsbury,
0:42:44 > 0:42:48for people and swans alike, but as evening draws in
0:42:48 > 0:42:51everyone can start to get back to the regular routine.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54I think, by tomorrow morning, they'll be here for breakfast
0:42:54 > 0:42:56at 8:30 and no-one would ever believe that
0:42:56 > 0:43:00we've rounded them all up and been handling every single one of them.
0:43:11 > 0:43:13It's late summer on the River Otter.
0:43:17 > 0:43:20And I'm ever hopeful for a sighting of a beaver.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27But right now, something else has my attention.
0:43:27 > 0:43:28This is absolutely fascinating.
0:43:28 > 0:43:32There's half a dozen trout in there in this very shallow stretch
0:43:32 > 0:43:36of the river, and I think we're seeing mating behaviour here.
0:43:36 > 0:43:38One of the fish has rolled on its side,
0:43:38 > 0:43:42and some of the fish are then flapping their tails
0:43:42 > 0:43:44really quite vigorously,
0:43:44 > 0:43:48as if they're just stirring up the bottom of the river.
0:43:48 > 0:43:51They've dropped back here now. They're just here,
0:43:51 > 0:43:54in the shadow, under the shadow of that tree.
0:43:54 > 0:43:57One thing I've learned watching wildlife
0:43:57 > 0:44:00is that what you think you see isn't always what's actually there.
0:44:00 > 0:44:01Aha!
0:44:01 > 0:44:03You can scratch everything I've just said,
0:44:03 > 0:44:05because these are not trout,
0:44:05 > 0:44:07they're mullets.
0:44:07 > 0:44:09These are mullets.
0:44:09 > 0:44:12I've been hallucinating trout, but now I can see
0:44:12 > 0:44:14broad head, grey back,
0:44:14 > 0:44:16silver sides, they're grey mullet...
0:44:17 > 0:44:19..which I wasn't expecting to see,
0:44:19 > 0:44:23because this is obviously fresh water, and mullet are sea fish.
0:44:24 > 0:44:27Grey mullet spend most of their lives at sea and in estuaries,
0:44:27 > 0:44:31but they are one of a few species happy to come upstream
0:44:31 > 0:44:34on the high tide to feed in fresh water.
0:44:34 > 0:44:37All that stuff I was saying about trout breeding behaviour,
0:44:37 > 0:44:38total nonsense.
0:44:38 > 0:44:40It's actually mullet feeding behaviour,
0:44:40 > 0:44:42and that little sideways shimmy...
0:44:44 > 0:44:45..is them just trying to...
0:44:46 > 0:44:50..nuzzle that wide mouth into this riverbed
0:44:50 > 0:44:52and find little crustaceans and things.
0:44:54 > 0:44:55Beautiful fish.
0:44:55 > 0:44:58And I wasn't expecting to see that today.
0:44:59 > 0:45:00It's all happening here.
0:45:02 > 0:45:06West Country rivers and streams come in many forms,
0:45:06 > 0:45:08but the most distinctive must be the chalk streams.
0:45:10 > 0:45:12These are typically wide and shallow, with beautiful,
0:45:12 > 0:45:17clear water that rises from springs in the chalk hills.
0:45:17 > 0:45:21There are only about 200 chalk streams in the whole world,
0:45:21 > 0:45:23and England has more than three quarters of them.
0:45:24 > 0:45:27One of the finest, in my not unbiased opinion,
0:45:27 > 0:45:29is the River Frome in Dorset.
0:45:29 > 0:45:32I've spent quite a bit of time in my life hanging around by rivers,
0:45:32 > 0:45:35or even in them, and one thing I've found is that,
0:45:35 > 0:45:38when you look really closely, the little stuff,
0:45:38 > 0:45:41the tiny creatures, are every bit as fascinating as the fish,
0:45:41 > 0:45:43the birds and mammals.
0:45:43 > 0:45:47So it is absolutely no surprise to me that for some people
0:45:47 > 0:45:51the invertebrate life of rivers can become a complete obsession.
0:45:53 > 0:45:57Ewan Jones has managed to turn that obsession into a living.
0:45:57 > 0:45:59As a river ecologist, based on the Frome,
0:45:59 > 0:46:02he's in and out of the water almost every day.
0:46:02 > 0:46:04I grew up next to a river.
0:46:04 > 0:46:06I used to spend all my time paddling,
0:46:06 > 0:46:09chasing fish, getting into trouble,
0:46:09 > 0:46:12getting my shorts and shoes soaking wet.
0:46:12 > 0:46:15I just found it really interesting.
0:46:15 > 0:46:19I'm just a little boy at heart and I just enjoy mucking around in rivers
0:46:19 > 0:46:21and finding the bugs to play with.
0:46:21 > 0:46:24My wife calls me a professional pond dipper.
0:46:24 > 0:46:26It's brilliant.
0:46:30 > 0:46:34For all the boyish glee, Ewan's river dipping has a serious purpose.
0:46:34 > 0:46:38From his riverside laboratory, he studies how life in the river
0:46:38 > 0:46:41responds to changes in the environment.
0:46:42 > 0:46:46I work with all kinds of rivers all across the country,
0:46:46 > 0:46:48but I particularly like chalk rivers.
0:46:48 > 0:46:51Because chalk rivers are fed by ground water,
0:46:51 > 0:46:55they're much more stable than other rivers which are fed by rainwater.
0:46:55 > 0:46:57They're very productive as well,
0:46:57 > 0:47:01because the water's clear and also has nutrients in it as well.
0:47:01 > 0:47:03There's lots of life going in, things growing in there,
0:47:03 > 0:47:06the plants are really important and so are the algae,
0:47:06 > 0:47:10and they are so diverse and unique.
0:47:11 > 0:47:14At the heart of the precious chalk stream habitat
0:47:14 > 0:47:17is all the small stuff that lives in the riverbed.
0:47:17 > 0:47:19I'm doing what is known as a kick sample.
0:47:19 > 0:47:22This is just where you kick the bed of the river just enough to
0:47:22 > 0:47:26disturb it so that the animals drift down into the net.
0:47:26 > 0:47:31I just want all the different types of invertebrate, the mayflies,
0:47:31 > 0:47:35that emerge in the springtime, also the snails, the worms,
0:47:35 > 0:47:37the other insects, everything,
0:47:37 > 0:47:40just a sample of them so I can find out what's living in this river.
0:47:46 > 0:47:49Freshwater invertebrates are vital food
0:47:49 > 0:47:53for the river's fish and birdlife, but they also play a key role
0:47:53 > 0:47:56in maintaining the quality of the water.
0:47:56 > 0:48:00These caddisfly larvae help to break down organic matter
0:48:00 > 0:48:03in the stream, like a living filter mechanism.
0:48:09 > 0:48:11Well, this is just some of the animals
0:48:11 > 0:48:13that we've caught in the river.
0:48:13 > 0:48:16There's lots of shrimps jumping around.
0:48:16 > 0:48:18I can see saucer bugs,
0:48:18 > 0:48:21and there's a leech
0:48:21 > 0:48:23and some caddisflies.
0:48:23 > 0:48:27Ewan always keeps an eye out for one very special character
0:48:27 > 0:48:29among the river's tinier residents.
0:48:29 > 0:48:32Just looking through now, seeing if I can find a mayfly.
0:48:33 > 0:48:35There we are.
0:48:37 > 0:48:38That's the...
0:48:40 > 0:48:43..a nymph of the mayfly.
0:48:43 > 0:48:47He's an ugly-looking brute compared to the adult,
0:48:47 > 0:48:50but an important stage in their life.
0:48:50 > 0:48:53The mayfly nymph spends up to two years on the riverbed,
0:48:53 > 0:48:57feeding on algae and plant life, before finally emerging
0:48:57 > 0:49:02out of the water to spread its wings as an adult mayfly.
0:49:04 > 0:49:08For Ewan, the mayfly provides important scientific data.
0:49:08 > 0:49:11By acting as a tiny living time capsule,
0:49:11 > 0:49:14the nymphs reveal information on the health of the river.
0:49:14 > 0:49:19Mayflies are important because, along with all the other organisms,
0:49:19 > 0:49:20they can tell us what's going on.
0:49:20 > 0:49:23They kind of hold a bit of a memory.
0:49:23 > 0:49:26Water moves through rivers so, if there's a problem,
0:49:26 > 0:49:30so something ends up in the river that shouldn't be there,
0:49:30 > 0:49:33as it moves downstream, if you were trying to detect it with chemistry,
0:49:33 > 0:49:37you'd have to be there when that chunk of water passed by.
0:49:37 > 0:49:40But by just looking at the invertebrates,
0:49:40 > 0:49:43you can tell an awful lot of what's wrong with the site.
0:49:44 > 0:49:49Ewan's lab work on the nymphs yields vital data for managing chalk streams.
0:49:50 > 0:49:52But you have to get back to the river to witness
0:49:52 > 0:49:56the culmination of the mayfly's amazing life cycle.
0:49:57 > 0:49:59On a sunny day in late May,
0:49:59 > 0:50:02there's a sense of anticipation here on the Frome.
0:50:02 > 0:50:04The birds are ready and waiting...
0:50:06 > 0:50:09..as the adult mayfly emerge and take to the wing...
0:50:12 > 0:50:14..in their hundreds...
0:50:16 > 0:50:18..and thousands.
0:50:18 > 0:50:23For every one of them, today is their day in the sun.
0:50:23 > 0:50:27The reason that the mayflies all come at once is partly because
0:50:27 > 0:50:31they've not got long to live and they have to breed quickly,
0:50:31 > 0:50:34and partly it's to swamp the predators.
0:50:34 > 0:50:36So many things are coming to eat them,
0:50:36 > 0:50:39they can't possibly eat all of them, so a few get through.
0:50:41 > 0:50:43The threat comes from above...
0:50:46 > 0:50:47..and below...
0:50:49 > 0:50:52..but the mayfly just keep on coming.
0:50:53 > 0:50:56On the water, there'll be insects all over it, and every time
0:50:56 > 0:51:00you look in the air, there'll be something trying to eat them.
0:51:00 > 0:51:05But whatever the risks that lie in wait, they have to seize the day.
0:51:05 > 0:51:08This will be their only one as an adult.
0:51:21 > 0:51:26And once on the wing, they have only hours to find a mate.
0:51:28 > 0:51:31The males move to places where they can do a little dance
0:51:31 > 0:51:35to try and attract the female in to reproduce,
0:51:35 > 0:51:37because that's what it's all about for them.
0:51:44 > 0:51:49For the mayfly of the Frome, love is in the air, literally,
0:51:49 > 0:51:51as they mate in flight.
0:52:03 > 0:52:06Every square metre must have a couple of hundred individuals
0:52:06 > 0:52:10which all come popping out, and they just...
0:52:10 > 0:52:16..constant supply of these beautiful insects coming out of the water.
0:52:19 > 0:52:23But reproduction on the wing is a fleeting affair.
0:52:23 > 0:52:25The males die soon after mating,
0:52:25 > 0:52:28and the females after they've laid their eggs.
0:52:30 > 0:52:33Every year, I make an effort to come and watch the mayflies emerging,
0:52:33 > 0:52:37but just to get that opportunity to get down and sit somewhere quiet
0:52:37 > 0:52:39by the river and watch it all going on.
0:52:39 > 0:52:44It's amazing. Just so much life all happening at the same time.
0:52:45 > 0:52:49The mayfly hatch is one of our great natural spectacles,
0:52:49 > 0:52:51the definition of a day well spent.
0:52:54 > 0:52:56Leaving Dorset and heading into Devon,
0:52:56 > 0:52:58I'm returning to the River Otter,
0:52:58 > 0:53:02the domain of the new bosses of the river, the beavers.
0:53:03 > 0:53:05Despite several visits,
0:53:05 > 0:53:09I haven't seen a beaver on the river since we tagged a young female
0:53:09 > 0:53:11a few months back.
0:53:11 > 0:53:15But our lucky cameraman did catch up with them early one summer morning,
0:53:15 > 0:53:17looking as relaxed as ever.
0:53:24 > 0:53:27I'm sure my moment will come but, for now,
0:53:27 > 0:53:30I'm back with Mark for an update on our tagged young female.
0:53:31 > 0:53:34And it seems he is determined to tease me
0:53:34 > 0:53:38with fresh telltale signs of beaver activity.
0:53:38 > 0:53:41- What's happening here, Mark?- Well, we're looking at a scent mound here,
0:53:41 > 0:53:44- this area here.- That muddy patch?
0:53:44 > 0:53:47- Yeah.- With a few kind of grassy stalks matted into it?
0:53:49 > 0:53:52Not quite as exciting as seeing a live beaver,
0:53:52 > 0:53:54but I guess the whole point of a scent mound
0:53:54 > 0:53:57is to be sniffed at, not necessarily seen.
0:53:58 > 0:54:01That's beaver-made. I mean, I would never have spotted that.
0:54:01 > 0:54:05That's something that... The beavers actually pushed that mud there.
0:54:05 > 0:54:08It's been pushed up and it will be really strong-smelling.
0:54:08 > 0:54:11Well, you've got an eye for detail that I don't have,
0:54:11 > 0:54:13and obviously a bundle of knowledge.
0:54:13 > 0:54:17This site, we think, is the boundary between two territories,
0:54:17 > 0:54:21so we think what's going on is that this is marking behaviour
0:54:21 > 0:54:25by the animals that live in the main river, and they're basically
0:54:25 > 0:54:28saying to a pair of beavers that live up here that this is...
0:54:28 > 0:54:31.."You come no further, this is the edge of our territory."
0:54:31 > 0:54:33Oh, OK, just right here, under the bridge.
0:54:33 > 0:54:36- Pretty much.- So they've chosen an intersection to say, "That's it."
0:54:36 > 0:54:39- Yeah.- And the pair who've got the territory over here,
0:54:39 > 0:54:42are they getting quite busy in this area? Are they making changes?
0:54:42 > 0:54:44They're having quite a big impact. Let's have a look.
0:54:49 > 0:54:51Ah!
0:54:51 > 0:54:52So there's a little beaver dam.
0:54:52 > 0:54:56Yeah. So it's only really sprung up in the last few weeks, really.
0:54:56 > 0:54:59- You can see it's already impounding all this water here.- Yeah.
0:54:59 > 0:55:01And there is a regular trackway going across there into
0:55:01 > 0:55:05that pond as well, so they're just creating this deeper water,
0:55:05 > 0:55:09which means they can move up through here in relative safety.
0:55:09 > 0:55:12So it's for the ease of movement that they like these
0:55:12 > 0:55:14- long pools of slow water. - And it's safety as well,
0:55:14 > 0:55:17so they're really...they're looking for deeper water where they can
0:55:17 > 0:55:20- escape if they feel threatened. - They can hide under the water.
0:55:20 > 0:55:22Yeah, get under the water and just disappear.
0:55:22 > 0:55:25- Quite a nice piece of work, that, isn't it?- Yeah, it is.
0:55:25 > 0:55:28There's a lot of sediment in there as well so, as well as the sticks,
0:55:28 > 0:55:31there's a lot of silt and mud that's being used to sort of bind all
0:55:31 > 0:55:35- that together.- And they pushed the mud and silt in there themselves?
0:55:35 > 0:55:37They don't just put the sticks down and wait for the water to
0:55:37 > 0:55:40- sort of jam it up with mud? - No, they really do.
0:55:40 > 0:55:42They dredge it up from the bottom and place it there.
0:55:43 > 0:55:47It's just great that a creature that was engineering our rivers and
0:55:47 > 0:55:51shaping our landscape centuries ago is back at work here in Devon.
0:55:52 > 0:55:54By creating slow pools,
0:55:54 > 0:55:58helping to control water levels and reducing the risk of floods,
0:55:58 > 0:56:02the beavers are benefiting all kinds of aquatic wildlife,
0:56:02 > 0:56:05from otters and water voles to fish and birds.
0:56:07 > 0:56:09So do you know where you are?
0:56:10 > 0:56:11Bend on the river.
0:56:13 > 0:56:17- Is this where we trapped the beaver earlier in the year?- Yeah.
0:56:17 > 0:56:21And we then saw her again down in the estuary, a few weeks later.
0:56:21 > 0:56:24Oh, really? So almost at the sea.
0:56:24 > 0:56:26So, yeah, about three miles down from here.
0:56:26 > 0:56:29OK. And what's she been doing over the summer? Do we know?
0:56:29 > 0:56:33Well, we've got this amazing video that somebody sent in
0:56:33 > 0:56:36of her 46km upstream...
0:56:36 > 0:56:39- No!- ..at the top of the river.
0:56:39 > 0:56:42So she'd obviously gone all the way up the main channel,
0:56:42 > 0:56:44right up on the Somerset border...
0:56:44 > 0:56:46So that's definitely her?
0:56:46 > 0:56:49Definitely her. We gave her those bright orange ear tags.
0:56:49 > 0:56:51The same one that...
0:56:51 > 0:56:53The same one that I held and we released just here?
0:56:53 > 0:56:56- Yeah. - She's been 46km upriver.
0:56:58 > 0:57:02Does that feel like it would have been a sort of solo adventure for her?
0:57:02 > 0:57:04Was she seen with any other beavers?
0:57:04 > 0:57:06She was on her own, and...
0:57:06 > 0:57:09Seeing her all the way up there definitely indicates that
0:57:09 > 0:57:11they're really exploring all of the river.
0:57:14 > 0:57:16Populations are really doing well.
0:57:16 > 0:57:20We think we've probably got about six territories on the river,
0:57:20 > 0:57:23so maybe about 27 animals in total.
0:57:23 > 0:57:26So they are really thriving, they are really doing very well.
0:57:26 > 0:57:31That feels like a proper population of wild beavers here in Devon,
0:57:31 > 0:57:33and like they're here to stay.
0:57:33 > 0:57:34They're certainly getting...
0:57:34 > 0:57:37They're showing that this river is really suitable for them.
0:57:37 > 0:57:39- They are loving it, basically? - They are, they're loving it.
0:57:39 > 0:57:41- They really are loving it. - Having a great time.
0:57:41 > 0:57:44- So they should, it's a lovely river. - It's perfect for them, it really is.
0:57:44 > 0:57:49I've had a tantalising time trying to track these bashful beavers,
0:57:49 > 0:57:52but the biggest thrill of all is just knowing that they are here.
0:57:53 > 0:57:56And since I'm here too from time to time,
0:57:56 > 0:57:59I'm sure that one of these days I'm bound to bump into one.
0:58:04 > 0:58:08If you'd like to explore Britain's diverse landscapes in more detail
0:58:08 > 0:58:12and find out how to create your own wildlife habitat,
0:58:12 > 0:58:16the Open University has produced a free booklet with bookmarks.
0:58:17 > 0:58:18Order your copy by calling...
0:58:24 > 0:58:30Or go to the website and follow the links to the Open University.