Episode 5 Hugh's Wild West


Episode 5

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For me, watching wildlife is one of life's greatest pleasures.

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And my favourite place to do it is right here,

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in my beloved West Country.

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This captivating corner of the British Isles...

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There's six right underneath us!

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..has a cast of creatures that's as awe-inspiring,

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extraordinary and magical as any.

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-Oh, come on, no way!

-Yeah.

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I'm hoping to get as close as I can to as many as I can...

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Right, I'm ready.

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This is great, this is measuring an eel.

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Whoa, whoa!

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Pants! Off, off! Oh, there's one inside my...

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..with the help of a band of dedicated nature lovers.

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Some of the patterns on the feathers, they are beautiful!

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-Good spot. Look, look, look, look!

-Wonderful! Oh, that's so cool!

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There's one in my hair now, Poppy.

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I'll share the thrill of the chase...

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-Do you hear them?

-I heard something.

-Yeah, they're in there.

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ANIMAL CALLS

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Yes.

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..the sheer joy of the encounter...

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-She's so golden.

-She's fast asleep.

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It's OK. Shh!

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That's amazing.

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..and I'll pitch in to help these local heroes...

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..safeguard the future of our precious animals.

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Bye-bye.

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There she goes.

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Whoa!

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I can't believe that I've been living in the West Country

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for so many years and I've never done this before.

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This will be a year-round adventure...

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Straight ahead!

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..as we explore the natural wonders of the UK's very own Wild West.

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Today, I'm in the shadow of Glastonbury Tor, where my quest

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for enlightenment has brought me to Somerset's own secret kingdom.

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This labyrinth of sparkling waterways and misty wetlands

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has a special place in England's history.

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It's called the Avalon Marshes.

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This extraordinary landscape has always been a kind of sanctuary,

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almost hidden away from the outside world.

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So naturally, it's a haven for wildlife.

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But it's also a place where people are connecting with nature,

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and being inspired to protect it.

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And I'm really looking forward

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to meeting some of the people who are doing that.

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Of course, I'm also hoping to make that magic connection myself.

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The Avalon Marshes lie at the heart

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of the Somerset Levels,

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a vast flood plain covering

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around 650 square kilometres.

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Rising above it

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is Glastonbury's famous tor,

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a landmark linked to the legend

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of King Arthur.

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Winter is a quiet time

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for much of our wildlife.

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But here in Somerset,

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it's the moment to witness one of the UK's great natural spectacles.

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So, I've hit the road, and I'm hoping that today,

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I might see it for myself for the very first time.

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And if I do, it should be the perfect introduction

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to my exploration of the Somerset Levels.

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At this time of year, starlings roost together in vast flocks

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to survive the harsh winter nights.

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There's safety in numbers, and the birds share their body warmth

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as well as information about the best feeding sites.

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And the Avalon Marshes is home

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to one of the UK's largest and most impressive gatherings,

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made up of hundreds of thousands of birds from across the county.

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The starlings swoop and dive in unison,

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creating massive flowing flocks called murmurations.

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It's surely one of the avian world's most breathtaking sights.

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For those in the know, this spectacle is a big local attraction.

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And today, I'm planning to join them.

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This will be a first for me, but not for our soundman Gary.

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Gary, are you a bit of an old hand at the starling murmurations?

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I guess I've been to see them on a regular basis

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for the last ten years.

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I've never seen them. I feel I have seen versions of it,

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kind of almost out of the corner of my eye or maybe when driving,

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big swirls of starlings sort of at the end of vision,

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quite a long way away, but I've never been to have a look,

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sort of purposely made a date with the murmurations.

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OK, no pressure, then!

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I'm glad to have Gary as my guide.

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When it comes to the murmurations, he's a true aficionado.

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The reason these birds come together in such vast numbers is for safety.

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They'll drop into the reed bed, they'll pour in like water,

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you'll think the display is over, but something will trigger them.

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A few birds might get nervous, might panic, and they'll move.

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Then suddenly, the whole lot will go again.

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Peak viewing for the murmurations

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is from mid December through to February,

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and it happens in some form or another most nights.

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But the timing and precise location can change from day to day.

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So finding the best place to watch it is never easy.

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-There's a starling hotline, run by the RSPB...

-Really?

-..that you can

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-ring and they'll...

-And you've got... I bet you've got the number.

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-I have got the number.

-Brilliant.

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I'm going to ring the starling hotline.

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It should be the location the starlings were the night before.

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And that's the best bet for where they'll be tonight?

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-Best you've got to go on?

-The best you've got to go on, yeah.

-OK.

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Welcome to the Avalon Marshes Starling Hotline.

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Last night the starlings roosted on Ham Wall.

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Ham Wall, is that a location you know?

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I know Ham Wall, but it's still a very big reserve,

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it's the RSPB reserve on the Somerset Levels.

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The RSPB reserve at Ham Wall is one part of the patchwork of wetlands

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that make up Avalon Marshes.

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But it's still a large area, so it's a bit of gamble

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deciding exactly where to go for the best view of tonight's avian show.

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I'm hoping our cameraman John Walters

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might help to get us front row seats.

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He's another murmuration veteran and is exuding confidence.

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So this will probably be the best spot for tonight

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-because they've just moved and have taken to a fresh bit of marsh.

-Yeah.

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I think they've sort of completely flattened the reeds elsewhere,

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-and now they've come for...

-That's what happens, is it?

-Yeah.

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-They flatten a patch, then move on?

-Yeah, fresh reeds and a fresh spot.

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Nice bit of hard ground to set your tripod up.

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Absolutely.

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How are we doing for time?

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Oh.

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-Ooh.

-Ten past four?

-Hm.

-20 minutes?

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At least. Well, I'd say, half an hour.

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Yeah. 20 minutes, half an hour.

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-So we just enjoy the, er, waterbirds till then.

-Yeah.

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The Avalon Marshes are home to a vast range of bird species.

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And it's best known as a great place to see all kinds of waterfowl,

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waders, herons and swans.

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Tonight, these lovely birds are just the warm-up act.

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But it's a great way to settle in.

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So Gary's brought his own stool.

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Look, it's actually a folding rucksack stool.

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What a pro, eh?!

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Is it really comfortable, Gary?

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Well, it's the first rule of wildlife watching.

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-Any fool can be uncomfortable.

-Any fool can be uncomfortable.

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-Absolutely.

-That'll be me, then.

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The murmuration is best seen on bright, still, crisp days.

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And it looks like we've picked a good one.

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The birds can start to appear about an hour before dark.

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As dusk approaches, the sense of anticipation

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among the gathered spectators is definitely building.

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They look like old hands, somehow,

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they look like they've been here before and they know what to expect.

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I'm starting to wonder if I'm the only murmuration virgin.

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Here they come, here they come.

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That's fantastic!

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That's beautiful.

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They are moving in the most extraordinary way.

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Twisting and turning.

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Look, see on the horizon there?

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-Oh, my goodness!

-Massive, massive.

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That's insane!

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-That's huge flock.

-That is a huge flock.

-That's many thousands.

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Right on cue,

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shape-shifting swarms of starlings stream in over the reedbeds.

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Wow, they keep coming.

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In midwinter, Somerset starling population is boosted by more flocks

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from northern Europe, making for one mighty murmuration.

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Still going on in the distance.

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-Quite a spectacle.

-It is, isn't it?

-Amazing.

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Are you a teeny-weeny bit disappointed

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-that they weren't closer?

-It would be nice.

-It would be nice,

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-but then if you could foresee it...

-We can come back.

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..it wouldn't be the same, would it?

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-No, but it whets your appetite.

-It does, doesn't it?

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Have you been before?

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No, it's the first time.

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That's strange, cos I thought I was the only first timer, somehow.

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I thought everyone else looked like they knew when you were doing.

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-Can you still see them?

-Yeah, there's a big crowd of them.

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Look at the trees. They're still around there. We thought

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-that they'd gone down but they all came back up again.

-Oh, yeah!

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-There's a wave, there's a wave.

-Look at them all piling down there.

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-What did you think?

-It's fantastic.

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-Have you been before?

-I came on Tuesday for the first time.

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-How was it on Tuesday?

-It was different.

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It was lots of sort of little ribbons of birds that came.

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-Right.

-And it was lovely,

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but you didn't get that huge crowd that we got today.

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It was just very different.

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There's something quite nice about lots of people coming out here.

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It feels like a bit of a party.

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-Yeah, it's lovely.

-Shame nobody's brought any mulled wine.

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I've got some hot tea, but, you know, just enough for me and Sue.

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-Hot, sugary tea.

-All right, I... I get the picture.

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Not enough for you.

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-You can...

-I'll open it.

-You can have a bit in that top lid.

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Do you want me to open it for you?

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-There we go.

-You can have some of the top part.

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-See what you think.

-That's very kind.

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Oh, that's lovely, hot, sweet tea.

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It is nice, isn't it?

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I've had such a lovely time,

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I can't believe that I've been living in the West Country

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for so many years and I've never done this before.

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It's just so mad.

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Why didn't I do it before?

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Anyway, I've done it now, and I'm definitely going to do it again.

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Wherever you are on the marshes,

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the striking landmark of Glastonbury Tor dominates the view.

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It's easy to see why it entered the mythology of ancient Wessex.

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But just a few miles away,

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another patch of high ground is earning a place in local legend.

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This is Green Down, and in midsummer,

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a little miracle is taking to the wing...

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..the large blue butterfly.

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You've got something here in Somerset

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that would be the envy of every country.

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I think that makes it very special.

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Almost 40 years ago,

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this globally endangered species was declared extinct in the UK.

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But now it's back, thanks in part to entomologist David Simcox.

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In 1992, we put 281 caterpillars on the site,

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26 generations later, we've got over 170,000 large blue eggs.

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They're on the wing for just a few weeks

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when they must mate and create the next generation.

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It's a vital window for David to monitor their progress.

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Whoa!

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This steep hillside is the best place

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to see large blues in the world.

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Let's just keep looking.

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But that doesn't mean they're easy for David to spot

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or for John to film.

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We've got a blue. We've got a blue.

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Have you got it?

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Can you see it still?

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Still got it?

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I'm not sure I'm filming it, but... certainly not in a steady mode.

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Good spotting.

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Are you ready, John?

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The other thing to bear in mind is once she's laid an egg,

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there's a good chance for about two seconds she'll open her wings.

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Hold on.

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Large blues are incredibly fussy.

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They only lay their eggs on the buds of wild thyme flowers.

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This is a beautiful patch of thyme.

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These have huge flowers on them.

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So sites that have thyme with large flowers are good sites.

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But there's something else about this special spot

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that makes it just right for the large blue.

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And it only came to light after years of meticulous research

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by David and his team.

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The large blue has a really quite extraordinary life cycle.

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The female will lay her eggs right in...

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..the tips of the flowers of wild thyme.

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And after about five or six days, those eggs will hatch

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and a very, very tiny caterpillar burrows into the flower.

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And all it actually eats at this stage are parts of thyme flowers.

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When it gets about six or seven millimetres long,

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it loses interest in actually feeding on the flower,

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and it drops onto the ground, and it sits there and waits.

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And what it's waiting for is one of these red ants to come and find it.

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The large blue caterpillars undertake a deceit

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on which their whole future,

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and indeed the future of the species, depends.

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Caterpillars are releasing pheromones that tell the ant

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that it's there.

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It also has little glands that it produces a sugar solution,

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which the ants start to feed on.

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The caterpillar is fooling the ant into thinking

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it's one of its own grubs.

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The ant will pick the caterpillar up, put it in the ant's nest,

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and at that point...

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..the large blue caterpillar stops being a herbivore and,

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for the rest of its life, it will just eat ant grubs.

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After gorging on its unsuspecting hosts,

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the crafty caterpillar completes its metamorphosis underground,

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until it's ready to emerge as a butterfly

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and start its search for a mate.

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The ant trick is played by a few other types of butterfly,

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but for the large blue, it's very risky.

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The team have discovered that some ants

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are wise to the caterpillar's con.

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And that can have deadly consequences.

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There are four or five different species of red ant.

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Any of those will pick up the caterpillar

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and take it into its ant's nest,

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but landmark research over five years

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showed four of those species quickly recognised it was an impostor

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and killed it.

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And just one species, called Myrmica sabuleti,

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were unable to detect it was an impostor.

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The butterfly had learnt perfectly to mimic ant grubs.

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This sneaky secret of the large blue's life cycle has made it

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a very tricky species to reintroduce.

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Without exactly the right kind of ant to serve it,

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this butterfly simply won't survive.

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Today, David's also taking an ant census to ensure the right red ant

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that the large blue depends on is present and correct.

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And I'm now going to pick one up.

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And to get the ants where he can see them,

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he deploys a few crumbs of trifle sponge.

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Ants love sweet things, so they love trifle sponge.

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And the ants very quickly will come and find it,

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and there are ants running around already.

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And I can see this one is exactly the ant that we want to see.

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But keeping the right red ants here on Green Down is no piece of cake.

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Taller the turf gets, the cooler the ground gets.

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And as it cools down, a different species of red ant

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will very, very quickly, just in a matter of weeks, come in

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and take over the ants' nest that Myrmica sabuleti has.

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So we need to keep it warm in the spring and particularly warm again

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in the autumn, and grazing is how we manage that.

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To me, it's mind-boggling just how many delicate variables there are

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to manage for both the large blue and the ant it depends on.

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No wonder it's taken David and his team almost 30 years

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of relentless attention to detail to get this habitat in shape.

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But their fantastic fieldwork has been richly rewarded,

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as these demanding, devious,

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but delightful butterflies now have a vital stronghold.

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It's not just the biggest population in this country,

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but actually it's the biggest known population anywhere in the world.

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A few miles north of Green Down across the flatlands of Somerset

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lies the watery heart of ancient Avalon - the marshes.

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These reedbeds are home to a variety of British birds.

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Crisscrossed with waterways,

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they're also an ideal habitat for mammals like water voles and otters.

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I've come back in the summer and the starling murmurations are long gone.

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It's such a peaceful spot that it would be easy to believe

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that not much has changed here in the marshes for centuries.

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But in fact these beautiful wetlands were created relatively recently,

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and that takes a huge amount of vision and hard work

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from some very dedicated people.

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And one whose story really stands out is Sally Mills,

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a lifelong wildlife obsessive.

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As a child I used to be around,

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trying to see birds in the local quarry and the local woods.

0:19:360:19:39

And... And I was just collecting, like,

0:19:390:19:41

bits of eggshell and trying to identify what they were,

0:19:410:19:44

and, much to my mum's distaste, I used to also pick up dead birds

0:19:440:19:49

that I found so that I could paint them and I used to keep them

0:19:490:19:52

in the freezer at home, and she didn't realise

0:19:520:19:54

till she got to the bottom of the freezer and found them there,

0:19:540:19:57

but, yeah, these things you do as a kid.

0:19:570:20:00

Sally's childhood passion led her to a career in conservation

0:20:000:20:05

and, ultimately, to a truly daunting assignment after the RSPB

0:20:050:20:09

acquired a new site with an amazing opportunity.

0:20:090:20:13

In 1994, work began to turn Ham Wall,

0:20:130:20:17

where peat had been dug on an industrial scale,

0:20:170:20:20

into a wetland wildlife reserve.

0:20:200:20:22

When I first started, it looked a bit like what I imagine the surface

0:20:240:20:28

of the moon to look like,

0:20:280:20:29

cos they harvest the peat right down to the clay, and I thought,

0:20:290:20:33

"Here we are, trying to establish a wetland.

0:20:330:20:35

"I'm never going to do this by myself."

0:20:350:20:37

And so we put an advert out for volunteers,

0:20:370:20:39

and I remember advertising that

0:20:390:20:41

there was free tea and cake on this evening if volunteers came,

0:20:410:20:45

and we were... we had about 50 people turn up.

0:20:450:20:49

It was the start of a cake-fuelled people-powered revolution.

0:20:490:20:53

Sally and her team of volunteers

0:20:530:20:56

planted thousands upon thousands of reed seedlings, all by hand.

0:20:560:21:01

They used to be, like, with spade handles and bits of broomstick.

0:21:010:21:03

It was great, I mean, all right, it was hard work,

0:21:030:21:06

but it was an easy job for people to do,

0:21:060:21:08

but they were really...felt they were making a difference.

0:21:080:21:10

Reeds are a tough form of grass.

0:21:100:21:13

They thrive in flood plains and provide much-needed cover

0:21:130:21:16

and sanctuary for all kinds of animal life.

0:21:160:21:19

Among them lives a very curious British bird that with the decline

0:21:210:21:25

of the UK's wild reedbed habitats had very nearly gone extinct.

0:21:250:21:29

Bittern was our main target species at a time

0:21:310:21:34

when we started back in 1994. They were in massive decline.

0:21:340:21:37

I think it was just down to 11 booming males

0:21:370:21:40

in the whole of the country in '93.

0:21:400:21:42

The bittern is a member of the heron family.

0:21:420:21:45

But no other heron can do this...

0:21:450:21:48

BITTERN BOOMS

0:21:480:21:51

This is Britain's loudest bird.

0:21:570:22:00

The male's distinctive mating call, or boom,

0:22:000:22:03

is made by belching gulps of air.

0:22:030:22:06

It can be heard from a distance of two kilometres.

0:22:060:22:09

20 years ago, this eccentric bird was on the brink of extinction,

0:22:100:22:15

but thanks to new reedbeds like this, it's making a comeback.

0:22:150:22:19

The marshes here are now home to 45 breeding male bitterns.

0:22:200:22:24

It's a very different picture from when Sally started.

0:22:240:22:27

It makes you draw breath, really. If you got it right for the bittern,

0:22:270:22:30

then you're going to get it right for so many other species.

0:22:300:22:33

So I feel very, very lucky to have been involved,

0:22:350:22:38

and it's just brilliant to see how the site has...

0:22:380:22:41

has developed, and I think will continue to.

0:22:410:22:43

The transformation of this place has been a great success story and

0:22:450:22:49

the benefits of what's been achieved here go beyond the wildlife.

0:22:490:22:53

What's also great is to see the people that got involved in...

0:22:530:22:57

in making this project work still here, still enjoying it, and still,

0:22:570:23:02

whether it be watching the wildlife or still volunteering,

0:23:020:23:05

and...and it's just... feels very complete.

0:23:050:23:07

THEY CHUCKLE

0:23:070:23:09

For Sally and her team, the years, in some cases decades, of hard work,

0:23:130:23:18

have been their own rich reward.

0:23:180:23:20

Newcomers like me and the tens of thousands of delighted visitors

0:23:210:23:25

who come here every year owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude.

0:23:250:23:29

To maximise their value as habitat,

0:23:340:23:36

man-made reedbeds like this need a lot of maintenance.

0:23:360:23:40

To keep the ditches clear and the water flowing

0:23:410:23:44

is a year-round task for the volunteers.

0:23:440:23:47

And it's just brilliant to see all their amazing hard work paying off,

0:23:470:23:51

as every year brings greater diversity and new species arrive

0:23:510:23:54

that haven't been seen here before.

0:23:540:23:56

There are hundreds of British bird species

0:23:580:24:01

that now call this place home.

0:24:010:24:02

But in recent years,

0:24:040:24:06

the startling white plumage of some exotic newcomers

0:24:060:24:09

has been spotted through the reeds.

0:24:090:24:11

For the whole reserve, this is a very exciting development.

0:24:130:24:16

Today, volunteer Alison Morgan wants to confirm the latest sightings

0:24:170:24:22

with the help of an eye in the sky.

0:24:220:24:24

We've got this new species coming in, they're beautiful, they're new,

0:24:300:24:35

they're big birds, they're about this big.

0:24:350:24:37

They're just incredible birds to watch.

0:24:370:24:38

This is the great white egret,

0:24:410:24:44

once an incredibly rare sight in Britain.

0:24:440:24:47

When a single pair was spotted here on the Avalon Marshes in 2012,

0:24:480:24:53

it was big news in the bird world.

0:24:530:24:55

But more remarkable still was the discovery

0:24:570:25:00

that the pair wasn't just passing through. They were nesting.

0:25:000:25:04

It was an all-time first in Britain.

0:25:040:25:06

Since then, more new pairs have been attracted

0:25:100:25:13

by the newly-created marshland,

0:25:130:25:15

and now the team wants to help them settle for good.

0:25:150:25:18

-There we go.

-That's the nest.

0:25:210:25:22

There's the nest.

0:25:220:25:24

Oh, look, what a wonderful location.

0:25:240:25:26

Oh, yeah.

0:25:260:25:28

Great white egrets hunt by stealth, stalking fish and frogs,

0:25:280:25:32

which they catch with a deadly jab of their bill.

0:25:320:25:35

Reedbeds provide fantastic cover, and for egrets that's essential

0:25:370:25:42

for finding a nest site where their chicks can stay safe from foxes

0:25:420:25:46

and other land-based predators.

0:25:460:25:48

It makes monitoring the progress

0:25:510:25:53

of these precious newcomers a challenge.

0:25:530:25:55

But with the help of the drone, some of their secrets are being revealed.

0:25:570:26:01

The egrets nest over water, constructing a home in the reeds.

0:26:040:26:08

It's on a quite flimsy platform, isn't it?

0:26:100:26:12

Yes, it's a very flimsy platform. Yes, it's surprisingly flimsy.

0:26:120:26:16

Sometimes quite...about a metre high, you'll see the water,

0:26:160:26:19

and there's just these sticks,

0:26:190:26:20

then they build a platform on top of the reed sticks,

0:26:200:26:22

so the whole thing is very precarious.

0:26:220:26:24

Today's aerial investigation is revealing more good news.

0:26:270:26:31

Got these three birds nesting very closely together, haven't we?

0:26:310:26:34

-Yeah.

-They're supposed to be colony nesting birds.

0:26:340:26:36

These early signs of a possible colony are a thrilling discovery.

0:26:370:26:41

If these pairs breed successfully,

0:26:410:26:44

Alison and the team will be the guardians

0:26:440:26:47

of Ham Wall's next generation of great white egrets,

0:26:470:26:50

so keeping a close eye on the chicks is paramount.

0:26:500:26:53

We know that one nest has got at least one chick,

0:26:540:26:56

and we want to check whether it's one

0:26:560:26:58

or whether it's more than one now,

0:26:580:26:59

cos they tend to lay up to three eggs.

0:26:590:27:01

The other two nests, we want to know what's going on,

0:27:010:27:03

we think they're both incubating. From that we can calculate

0:27:030:27:05

the dates, so that we know when they hatch.

0:27:050:27:07

But for now, it's time to leave the egrets in peace,

0:27:090:27:13

and it's the end of a very satisfying day's work for Alison.

0:27:130:27:17

It's just a fabulous way of being outside

0:27:170:27:19

and seeing what life there is all around us.

0:27:190:27:21

It's good for your mental health,

0:27:210:27:23

it's good for your spiritual health, it's just great fun.

0:27:230:27:26

And the sight of these egrets

0:27:260:27:28

is a spectacular seal of approval for this man-made habitat.

0:27:280:27:32

Just such a privilege to connect so closely with birds,

0:27:330:27:36

with the natural world.

0:27:360:27:38

We're just a small part of it and it's an amazing and beautiful thing

0:27:380:27:41

to be able to do.

0:27:410:27:42

Alison will return in a few weeks to see how the new colony's

0:27:420:27:46

getting along, and she'll be hoping to find some brand-new chicks.

0:27:460:27:50

Summer in the marshes is not to be missed.

0:27:570:27:59

It's when life here is teeming...

0:27:590:28:01

..and there's another exotic newcomer

0:28:020:28:04

that's made the hop here from mainland Europe.

0:28:040:28:08

It might not be as elegant as an egret,

0:28:080:28:10

but it could be having a vital role in their success.

0:28:100:28:14

Ecologist Andre Blacker has invited me to join him as he patrols

0:28:140:28:18

the marshes on the lookout for this easily alarmed amphibian.

0:28:180:28:22

Are we stalking frogs at the moment?

0:28:220:28:24

Yeah. This morning there were a couple over here in this ditch.

0:28:240:28:28

They're really, really jumping, so if you get...

0:28:280:28:31

Stop it! Frogs?

0:28:310:28:32

Never! Jumpy?

0:28:320:28:34

Surely not!

0:28:340:28:35

There's so many herons and predatory birds around,

0:28:350:28:38

they're just like a coiled spring, so, you know...

0:28:380:28:41

-Softly, softly.

-Softly, softly.

0:28:410:28:43

OK. So I shouldn't have laughed loudly.

0:28:430:28:45

-No. If we're too...

-You said the frogs were a bit jumpy.

0:28:450:28:47

I'm sorry. That was what set me off.

0:28:470:28:49

We're trying to find a jumpy, shy, noise-averse, well-camouflaged frog

0:28:510:28:56

in the thick cover of a reedbed.

0:28:560:28:58

Surely that's a cinch!

0:28:590:29:00

But it's possible that a heron was here before we got here

0:29:060:29:09

-and might have frightened them.

-Or eaten them.

0:29:090:29:12

-Or eaten them.

-Yes.

-They're definitely heron food.

0:29:120:29:15

But we're not giving up easily.

0:29:170:29:18

Hang on, what's that there?

0:29:220:29:23

-Bit of leaf.

-Yeah, that's it, yeah, there we go.

0:29:240:29:27

Got one, well done.

0:29:270:29:28

-Bright green.

-Aren't they beautiful?

0:29:290:29:31

Stunning, stunning.

0:29:310:29:33

So that's an Iberian water frog.

0:29:330:29:35

-So he's come all the way from Spain?

-Portugal, Spain or southern France.

0:29:350:29:38

How on earth did Iberian water frogs end up here on the marshes

0:29:390:29:43

-in Somerset?

-We're really not sure.

0:29:430:29:45

They could have been released deliberately,

0:29:450:29:47

but they're more likely to have been brought in with the fish stock.

0:29:470:29:50

Oh, so maybe somebody brought some carp over

0:29:500:29:53

-for one of the angling lakes here.

-Yeah, that's...

0:29:530:29:55

-Tadpoles came in with the carp or something.

-Yeah, yeah.

0:29:550:29:58

This Iberian arrival really is rather smart.

0:29:580:30:02

The striking patterns and that vibrant shade of green

0:30:020:30:05

make it very different from our common British frog.

0:30:050:30:08

It's also a lot more vocal...

0:30:080:30:10

FROG CROAKS

0:30:100:30:11

..and that's helped to make it

0:30:140:30:15

a very notable presence in the marshes.

0:30:150:30:17

I've done some rough calculations, and I think in this habitat here

0:30:200:30:24

there are probably 2,000 adults per hectare.

0:30:240:30:28

Come on. 2,000 adult...

0:30:290:30:31

-Per hectare.

-That could look like a bit of a problem,

0:30:310:30:34

a kind of invasion of a frog that's not meant to be here.

0:30:340:30:37

Is it proving problematic for the ecosystem here?

0:30:370:30:40

We've not recorded any problems.

0:30:400:30:42

These frogs have been here since the 1960s and we would have seen

0:30:420:30:45

a problem by now, we would have seen one of our native...

0:30:450:30:47

-50 years.

-Yeah, we'd have seen one of our native species in decline

0:30:470:30:51

and they're thriving.

0:30:510:30:52

They're now part of the food chain whether we like it or not.

0:30:520:30:55

The sheer numbers are clearly a boost

0:30:560:30:59

for the birds that like to eat them.

0:30:590:31:01

And I'm wondering if their vocal tendencies could be a factor, too.

0:31:010:31:05

Is it possible that the fact that they're noisy makes them easier prey

0:31:050:31:08

for herons and bitterns and the birds that are doing well here?

0:31:080:31:11

I personally think so, yeah.

0:31:110:31:13

Yeah. Cos they call at night, erm, a lot of bird species

0:31:130:31:16

migrate at night, it could be acting like a homing beacon.

0:31:160:31:19

Egrets, herons, bitterns...

0:31:190:31:22

-Yeah.

-Little bitterns,

0:31:220:31:23

they're probably all piling into the Iberian water frog.

0:31:230:31:25

Yeah, they all predate frogs.

0:31:250:31:27

Any species. And because we have so many,

0:31:270:31:29

it could be the reason they're doing quite well here.

0:31:290:31:31

Andre regularly conducts DNA tests on these frogs,

0:31:330:31:36

and today the task of catching one falls to his new field assistant.

0:31:360:31:41

I'm going to stalk the Iberian water frog for a good scientific reason.

0:31:420:31:46

It's not just for show,

0:31:470:31:49

and I'm guessing you're not rating my chances.

0:31:490:31:52

I'm no heron, but I can be pretty stealthy when I want to be.

0:32:000:32:04

Oh!

0:32:160:32:17

And guess what?

0:32:170:32:19

I thought I had him.

0:32:220:32:24

Nice try. I thought you were going to...

0:32:240:32:27

Sorry about that, I really thought I had him.

0:32:270:32:30

-It's OK.

-I got within a couple of inches and he plopped...

0:32:300:32:33

-..just into there.

-They're so fast, aren't they?

0:32:340:32:37

-God, he did move fast.

-Yes, yes.

0:32:370:32:39

I've no idea where he is now.

0:32:390:32:41

But the Iberian water frog has eluded this famous amphibian catcher

0:32:420:32:47

that you've got with you today.

0:32:470:32:49

-That's all right. Nice try.

-Thank you.

0:32:490:32:52

Luckily, Andre's research isn't dependent

0:32:540:32:57

on my frog catching skills.

0:32:570:32:59

He's already gathered some prize specimens.

0:32:590:33:02

Is he allowed out?

0:33:020:33:04

We can't let him escape because technically it is illegal

0:33:040:33:07

to put them... Although they came from here, technically it's illegal.

0:33:070:33:11

Oh, because it's a non-native species?

0:33:110:33:13

Yeah, so these will have to live out their natural lives at home with me.

0:33:130:33:16

-That's quite bizarre.

-It is.

0:33:160:33:18

-But the rule is there to protect the countryside...

-Exactly.

0:33:180:33:21

..from non-native species even if they are already here.

0:33:210:33:23

-Wow. A very bright, jade green body.

-Yeah.

0:33:230:33:28

And then speckledy brown flanks and legs. Very distinctive.

0:33:280:33:32

And the sheer amount of water here, the big ponds, the standing water,

0:33:320:33:36

the little pools, he can exploit all those habitats.

0:33:360:33:39

They can also exploit salty water

0:33:390:33:41

and they can tolerate different pollutants.

0:33:410:33:44

So it's a tough frog but its undoing is the heron and the bittern?

0:33:440:33:48

-Exactly.

-He can't do much about them.

-No.

0:33:480:33:50

They can still make lunch, tea and dinner of him.

0:33:500:33:52

But there's no such fate in store for this frog.

0:33:520:33:56

He'll be heading home with Andre to live in his garden refuge.

0:33:560:33:59

So you'd think he'd be happy to go back in his box.

0:34:000:34:03

Whoa!

0:34:030:34:04

Come on, Jumpy.

0:34:080:34:09

I notice you have got a couple of reptiles with you as well, Andre.

0:34:140:34:17

Yes, two grass snakes.

0:34:170:34:19

I haven't seen a grass snake for years.

0:34:190:34:21

-Can we have a look?

-Yeah, of course you can.

0:34:210:34:23

There we go. It might musth on you.

0:34:230:34:25

It's strong. I've got him, I've got him.

0:34:260:34:29

I've got one as well.

0:34:290:34:30

I can hear yours making a squirty noise.

0:34:300:34:33

Your hands end up stinking, but it's worth it.

0:34:330:34:36

They're amazing, aren't they?

0:34:360:34:37

Stunning, stunning.

0:34:370:34:39

Yeah, I'm getting that smell,

0:34:390:34:42

definitely getting that smell.

0:34:420:34:44

-That is a musth, is it?

-It's a defence mechanism, yeah.

0:34:440:34:46

Some people say it smells like rotten frogs,

0:34:460:34:49

-which is probably what it is.

-It doesn't smell good...

0:34:490:34:51

..but they're so fascinating and amazing to handle

0:34:520:34:55

that I'm putting up with it.

0:34:550:34:56

It's not just herons and bitterns who are booming

0:34:560:34:59

on the frog population, these guys are also frog eaters.

0:34:590:35:02

They are, yes, specialist predators of amphibians,

0:35:020:35:05

so we have a substantial population of grass snakes.

0:35:050:35:09

-They're doing well here?

-They're doing very well, yeah.

0:35:090:35:12

The last time we surveyed them was in 2015

0:35:120:35:14

and they're one of the most numerous reptiles

0:35:140:35:17

we have on the Somerset Levels.

0:35:170:35:18

Are grass snakes also prey as well as predator here?

0:35:180:35:21

Yeah, absolutely.

0:35:210:35:22

Wow. These guys obviously are natives,

0:35:220:35:24

so they are allowed to go back.

0:35:240:35:26

What are your plans for them?

0:35:260:35:27

As soon as we finish, these can go back to where they came from here.

0:35:270:35:31

They're obviously quite keen to get back in the grass.

0:35:310:35:34

-Yes.

-Shall we let them do that?

0:35:340:35:35

-Yes.

-OK, grass snakes, back into the grass with you.

0:35:350:35:39

Oh, he's fast and into the water.

0:35:420:35:44

Quick.

0:35:450:35:47

-This one is making its way a little bit more slowly.

-Mm.

0:35:490:35:52

Well camouflaged, aren't they?

0:35:520:35:54

There he goes.

0:35:540:35:56

Beautiful.

0:35:560:35:57

And away.

0:35:580:36:00

It's great that not only are amphibians thriving here,

0:36:000:36:02

but also snakes that we barely stop to think about

0:36:020:36:05

being part of UK natural history.

0:36:050:36:07

Mm, grass snakes are doing really well,

0:36:070:36:09

a really healthy population.

0:36:090:36:11

Good news.

0:36:110:36:12

They don't smell great, though.

0:36:150:36:17

THEY CHUCKLE

0:36:170:36:18

These marshes are inspiring for any budding wildlife watcher,

0:36:220:36:26

and they've certainly got me looking to up my game.

0:36:260:36:30

But I am still way off the pace of one man

0:36:310:36:34

who must be among the Levels' most dedicated nature lovers.

0:36:340:36:38

I supply, install and maintain air conditioning and heat pumps.

0:36:450:36:51

Even in his day job,

0:36:530:36:55

Stephen Hemry can't stay away from the local wildlife.

0:36:550:36:59

Sorry, you've got a nest.

0:36:590:37:01

No eggs.

0:37:030:37:04

It's quite dry, so obviously from last year.

0:37:050:37:08

So they were very busy here last year, which is good.

0:37:080:37:12

He seems to me to be a man with a keen sense of work-life balance.

0:37:120:37:16

Finish work maybe six o'clock, go home, have a bit of tea,

0:37:170:37:22

spend a bit of time with the family and then off out.

0:37:220:37:24

I was born and bred in Somerset so it is a special place, very special.

0:37:300:37:37

The wildlife is absolutely fantastic.

0:37:370:37:40

This infectious passion for his local patch

0:37:400:37:43

isn't something Stephen can keep to himself.

0:37:430:37:46

I like to get out there, see it, film it, photograph it,

0:37:460:37:50

share it out.

0:37:500:37:51

This evening he's out with his camera as usual,

0:37:510:37:55

seeing who's to be found around some of his spots.

0:37:550:37:58

This is West Sedgemoor, a big open moorlands, which do flood...

0:37:580:38:03

They are flood plains, so in the winter

0:38:030:38:06

this would all be under water.

0:38:060:38:08

And what happens?

0:38:090:38:11

All the wintering birds come in.

0:38:110:38:12

As a child I was always into my birds,

0:38:140:38:16

but then you grow up, you get jobs,

0:38:160:38:18

you go to work, you get married,

0:38:180:38:20

you have children and those sorts of things fall by the wayside.

0:38:200:38:23

It's a familiar story, but since he rediscovered his passion,

0:38:270:38:32

Stephen's developed a knack for getting close enough to wild animals

0:38:320:38:36

to film and photograph them.

0:38:360:38:38

I could see the footprints, found a hole,

0:38:390:38:41

sat and waited for a while and, yeah, I got one on film.

0:38:410:38:45

I love water voles, they're great to see.

0:38:470:38:50

Very elusive, don't see them very often.

0:38:510:38:54

Plenty of roe deer out here.

0:38:560:38:59

Often see them playing around.

0:38:590:39:02

You stay still, you've used the landscape as your hide,

0:39:020:39:06

you don't need to come out here and build a hide,

0:39:060:39:08

you use what's natural here to hide behind,

0:39:080:39:11

let those mammals come in close, and they do.

0:39:110:39:13

Keep the wind in the right direction,

0:39:160:39:18

keep the noise down and you'll get them in,

0:39:180:39:20

and you get them in nice and close for the good close-up shots.

0:39:200:39:23

It's beautiful.

0:39:230:39:24

They don't know you're there.

0:39:250:39:26

You're not disturbing them.

0:39:260:39:28

That's the key, don't disturb anything, let it come to you,

0:39:280:39:31

don't chase it, let it come to you

0:39:310:39:33

and you can get your shots, it's great.

0:39:330:39:35

She came out and walked about 15 feet in front of me,

0:39:380:39:42

and she's just happily eating the thistles.

0:39:420:39:45

And she looked up a couple of times, she saw me there,

0:39:450:39:48

wasn't bothered at all, and, like I say,

0:39:480:39:51

closest I'd ever come to a roe deer.

0:39:510:39:53

That was absolutely fantastic.

0:39:530:39:55

I'm able to film these things and put them out on my Facebook page

0:39:570:40:01

and people really enjoy it.

0:40:010:40:02

There's no sign yet this evening of Stephen's favourite badger family.

0:40:070:40:11

But the clues aren't far away.

0:40:110:40:13

In the puddle here, there's a couple of dog prints,

0:40:150:40:19

which are really quite obvious.

0:40:190:40:21

But there's also something else.

0:40:210:40:23

That's actually a badger print.

0:40:230:40:25

So a badger's passed through this way at some point.

0:40:250:40:28

But you can tell by the length of the claw that it's a badger

0:40:280:40:33

as opposed to being a dog.

0:40:330:40:35

Stephen's stealth and field craft often gets him and his camera

0:40:350:40:38

in the right place at the right time.

0:40:380:40:41

I spotted the fox in the margin, and he's making his way up through.

0:40:410:40:46

And then there's a big commotion, the crows started to chase it off.

0:40:460:40:52

So, yeah, one of them had to leave,

0:40:520:40:54

and there were more crows than foxes, so the fox lost!

0:40:540:40:59

Think a heron got involved as well somewhere along the line there.

0:41:000:41:03

It's really quite interesting to see.

0:41:030:41:05

Whilst I was actually filming that,

0:41:080:41:10

a stoat came out of the gateway.

0:41:100:41:12

Just out there hunting, looking for food.

0:41:140:41:16

Went in and out of the hedgerow a few times, and I managed to get it

0:41:160:41:19

onto film, so, yeah, I was very pleased with that.

0:41:190:41:22

Stephen's midsummer outings usually end in a sunset appointment

0:41:260:41:30

with some old friends.

0:41:300:41:32

I know where the hare are.

0:41:330:41:35

I do like to try and get shots of the hare.

0:41:350:41:37

There's one particular evening out on Curry Moor,

0:41:390:41:42

I was sat quiet in the gateway and then slowly came along the hedgerow

0:41:420:41:47

just to my right.

0:41:470:41:48

Came really close, less than six feet away from me, I suppose,

0:41:510:41:55

and stopped.

0:41:550:41:56

Having one so close, I had to stop...

0:42:010:42:04

stop filming and take some photographs.

0:42:040:42:06

He makes it sound easy, but hares are famously skittish,

0:42:060:42:10

so to get close-ups like these are a great testament

0:42:100:42:14

to Stephen's dedication and skill.

0:42:140:42:16

And he's always alive to every opportunity to watch and wonder.

0:42:170:42:21

I've got one out there. It's very low at the moment.

0:42:260:42:29

It's obviously heard me, so it, it's...

0:42:310:42:35

But give it a few minutes and it should settle down.

0:42:350:42:39

If I stay quiet, it should show.

0:42:390:42:42

So we'll wait and see if a couple more come out.

0:42:450:42:48

Hares tend to feed at night

0:42:510:42:53

when they'll be less obvious to potential predators.

0:42:530:42:56

When called for, those hind legs can propel them at over 40mph.

0:42:580:43:02

For Stephen, whatever they're up to,

0:43:040:43:06

every minute in their company is time well spent.

0:43:060:43:09

There you go, that was nice to see.

0:43:130:43:16

We stayed quiet and he eventually came up out of the grass,

0:43:160:43:21

had a bit of... bit of a trot across,

0:43:210:43:24

and a bit more feeding and then has run off into the distance.

0:43:240:43:27

Great. Happy days.

0:43:270:43:29

One thing I've learnt from the devoted wildlife watchers

0:43:440:43:48

of the Somerset Levels is always to keep my eyes open.

0:43:480:43:51

And every time I come here, including today, I'm asking myself,

0:43:510:43:55

"What am I going to see today that I've never seen before?"

0:43:550:43:57

And it doesn't have to be big.

0:43:580:44:00

What are those?

0:44:010:44:02

Come and have a look at this.

0:44:050:44:06

On the water.

0:44:130:44:15

Hundreds, if not thousands, of tiny aquatic insects.

0:44:160:44:20

They look like little beads, little beetly things.

0:44:200:44:24

Just have to get a closer look.

0:44:240:44:25

Are they going to scarper?

0:44:270:44:29

They've sensed my presence and they're just heading off.

0:44:290:44:31

I don't want to scatter them too much,

0:44:310:44:33

but they're definitely reacting to me.

0:44:330:44:35

Just raise a hand and they start spinning,

0:44:350:44:38

like, doing crazy circles.

0:44:380:44:40

They're stunning, like little jewels in the sunshine.

0:44:410:44:44

Catching the light in the most brilliant way,

0:44:470:44:49

they're absolutely mad.

0:44:490:44:51

Some of them are just spinning round and round like crazy tops.

0:44:510:44:54

And there's a load over there, too...

0:44:570:44:59

..just at the bottom of the reeds on the other side.

0:45:000:45:03

You can see the tiny little sparkly dots.

0:45:030:45:05

Every now and then they go absolutely nuts,

0:45:080:45:10

and I wonder if that's basically a kind of defence.

0:45:100:45:12

Cause such confusion with the spinning movements that any predator

0:45:120:45:15

doesn't really know which way to go.

0:45:150:45:17

Never mind the starlings.

0:45:190:45:20

This is aquatic invertebrate murmurations.

0:45:200:45:22

But what are they? That's what I want to know.

0:45:230:45:25

I'm either going to have to find somebody who knows

0:45:280:45:30

what these little guys are, or,

0:45:300:45:32

by the time this is actually on telly, I'll have done my research

0:45:320:45:36

and I could do you a nice little piece,

0:45:360:45:38

tell you exactly what they are

0:45:380:45:39

and a little bit about their natural history.

0:45:390:45:41

As promised, I've done my homework,

0:45:430:45:45

and now I can tell you that these little whirling dervishes

0:45:450:45:49

are actually aquatic beetles called whirligigs.

0:45:490:45:52

This out-and-out specialist is perfectly equipped for life

0:45:540:45:58

on the surface of still water.

0:45:580:46:00

They're actually predators feeding on tiny insects

0:46:000:46:03

trapped in the surface tension.

0:46:030:46:06

They have extraordinary split-vision eyes that allows them

0:46:070:46:10

to keep a lookout for danger,

0:46:100:46:12

both from the air above and the water below.

0:46:120:46:15

And as for that crazy gyrating movement,

0:46:160:46:19

it's thought to be something whirligigs do when they're hunting

0:46:190:46:22

to panic the tiny insects they feed on.

0:46:220:46:25

But also, as I suspected, as a defensive manoeuvre

0:46:260:46:30

to confuse any threatening presence, birds, fish,

0:46:300:46:34

or the occasional passing wildlife enthusiast.

0:46:340:46:37

There's something about them just caught my eye, which,

0:46:400:46:42

at the beginning of the year, probably wouldn't have happened.

0:46:420:46:45

I'm definitely much more tuned in now, I spot stuff.

0:46:450:46:48

I'm getting better. It's so exciting.

0:46:480:46:50

These curious bugs are just one part of the explosion of life

0:46:510:46:56

here at Ham Wall over the summer.

0:46:560:46:59

The reedbeds everywhere are bustling with newly-hatched insects.

0:46:590:47:03

And, of course, it's a crucial time for the birds.

0:47:040:47:06

It's been a few weeks since the great white egrets

0:47:080:47:11

started hatching chicks, suggesting these relatively recent arrivals

0:47:110:47:15

are really settling in here.

0:47:150:47:17

Alison Morgan is certainly hoping so, and today she's catching up

0:47:170:47:22

with the progress of the precious offspring.

0:47:220:47:25

There's the cloth on the string.

0:47:250:47:27

Yeah.

0:47:270:47:28

That's the rings.

0:47:300:47:31

Alison and her colleague Richard Hearn

0:47:370:47:39

are taking to the water to check on the chicks.

0:47:390:47:43

As we approach, the adults come off the nest.

0:47:440:47:47

They remain within sight of the nest.

0:47:470:47:49

The young ones don't have too many options about where to go,

0:47:490:47:52

and we put them back quite quickly, and then the parents

0:47:520:47:54

will normally return 10 to 15 minutes after we've left.

0:47:540:47:57

We've got a special disturbance licence,

0:47:570:47:59

because obviously these are rare breeding birds.

0:47:590:48:02

The mission for the day is to ring all the chicks.

0:48:020:48:05

It's important that this happens before they're strong enough to jump

0:48:060:48:10

from the nest, which is always a risk if they get spooked.

0:48:100:48:13

As the nests are over water,

0:48:140:48:16

a chick that falls or jumps out could easily drown.

0:48:160:48:19

I'm just going to stand up.

0:48:200:48:22

To minimise the disturbance,

0:48:220:48:25

they've left the crew behind and are filming it themselves.

0:48:250:48:28

Yeah, they're pretty big. I think they're too big to go anywhere near,

0:48:280:48:31

personally. They're completely feathered.

0:48:310:48:33

They're going to see us come in and they're over water,

0:48:330:48:37

and to me that just changes everything.

0:48:370:48:39

For the welfare of the chicks,

0:48:410:48:42

Richard and Alison decided to back off the burgeoning colony.

0:48:420:48:46

The chicks just look too big - they're feathered.

0:48:460:48:49

And so that means that if we go in and ring them, they'll jump off

0:48:490:48:51

the nests into the water - all sorts of dangers that we need to avoid.

0:48:510:48:54

And the other nest is so close to it that we'd disturb the first nest

0:48:540:48:58

if we went in.

0:48:580:49:00

The third nest, the chicks are too young still probably to ring, anyway.

0:49:000:49:03

So, that's how not to ring great white egrets.

0:49:040:49:06

It's a frustrating start, but there's another nest on the list...

0:49:120:49:16

..and this one's on its own.

0:49:180:49:19

Yeah.

0:49:230:49:25

There she goes.

0:49:280:49:29

They look a nice size.

0:49:350:49:36

Good shot, Richard.

0:49:460:49:48

The cloth over the chicks helps to keep them calm...

0:49:480:49:50

..before popping them in a pillowcase

0:49:520:49:54

for a comfortable move on to the kayak.

0:49:540:49:56

There's one.

0:49:570:49:59

There's the other one.

0:50:010:50:03

It's important to gather all of the data that they need

0:50:030:50:06

in the shortest possible time.

0:50:060:50:07

-CHICK CHEEPS

-Yeah, excellent.

0:50:070:50:10

And these old hands have got this down to a pretty slick routine.

0:50:100:50:15

Total head is 111.1.

0:50:150:50:17

Feathers are taken to determine the chick's sex...

0:50:190:50:21

..and leg rings help with future identification of each bird.

0:50:240:50:27

6.50.

0:50:320:50:33

-That's the actual weight.

-6.50?

0:50:330:50:36

-CHICK CHEEPS

-Ta.

0:50:380:50:40

Oops, he's just left his breakfast on your bag.

0:50:400:50:42

You're number two, aren't you? Looks good.

0:50:450:50:49

Job done, in more ways than one.

0:50:490:50:51

Great.

0:50:510:50:52

That's good.

0:50:560:50:57

Textbook.

0:50:570:50:58

The great white egrets are thriving and giving us all hope

0:51:020:51:06

of what could be a long-term nesting colony here in the Avalon Marshes.

0:51:060:51:10

Just a few weeks later, the chicks have flown the nest.

0:51:150:51:19

It's successes like this that make the long struggle to recover

0:51:190:51:23

and preserve this wetland habitat

0:51:230:51:25

from an industrial site incredibly worthwhile.

0:51:250:51:29

It's been fantastic. It's been the best so far.

0:51:290:51:31

This year we had eight nests with 18 chicks fledging.

0:51:310:51:35

And there's more exciting news.

0:51:350:51:37

It looks like the egret chicks ringed here just a few weeks ago

0:51:370:51:41

could be colonising other wetland sites across the country.

0:51:410:51:46

AAJ was reported less than a week after we know that it was still here

0:51:460:51:52

from Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory in Kent.

0:51:520:51:55

And just a few days ago we discovered that a AAH has been seen

0:51:550:51:59

at Dungeness Bird Observatory in Kent.

0:51:590:52:01

So we reckon both birds probably travelled together.

0:52:010:52:04

The timing seems to suggest that.

0:52:040:52:06

We don't know why. Maybe there was a strong west wind,

0:52:060:52:09

maybe they just went along the coast and stopped when they ran out

0:52:090:52:12

of land, but we have successfully exported them to Kent.

0:52:120:52:15

Whether they'll come back we don't know.

0:52:150:52:17

We rather hope they will, but time will tell.

0:52:170:52:19

In my visits here, I've seen so many species, both new and native.

0:52:220:52:27

It's clear just how important this place is for wildlife.

0:52:270:52:31

And it's certainly done wonders for my bird knowledge,

0:52:330:52:36

and that's something I now realise can be a never-ending quest.

0:52:360:52:40

But there's one famous resident that has eluded me so far -

0:52:410:52:45

the booming bittern.

0:52:450:52:47

BITTERN BOOMS

0:52:470:52:48

Today I'm returning to the exact spot where I watched the starlings

0:52:500:52:54

back in the winter, hoping finally to see one.

0:52:540:52:57

I'm with the reserve's warden, Steve Hughes,

0:52:570:53:00

and the ever-dependable team of John and Gary.

0:53:000:53:04

-Hi, John.

-Hi, Hugh. How are you doing?

-Got your short sleeves on.

0:53:040:53:07

-Yeah.

-You wouldn't have had that on in February.

-No, not in winter.

0:53:070:53:10

How's it going?

0:53:100:53:11

There's some egrets about.

0:53:110:53:13

-Marsh harrier.

-A marsh harrier, was it?

0:53:130:53:15

-Very amazing chestnut colour, isn't it?

-Mm.

0:53:160:53:19

-It's just going down into the reeds.

-Yeah.

0:53:190:53:21

Also there's meant to be some bitterns flying about, but I haven't

0:53:210:53:25

-seen any yet.

-OK, well, that would be exciting.

0:53:250:53:28

-Have you filmed a lot of bittern?

-No, no.

0:53:280:53:31

They're difficult because, I mean, you can see them,

0:53:320:53:34

but by the time you pick them up,

0:53:340:53:36

they're often just already dropped into the reeds, so...

0:53:360:53:39

-Yeah.

-Yeah. I mean, yesterday,

0:53:390:53:40

I think was actually the first time I got a decent shot of a bittern.

0:53:400:53:44

-Really?

-Yeah, and I've been here many, many times.

0:53:440:53:46

John's making it sound like I'll be lucky to see a bittern today.

0:53:490:53:52

Do you see the little...

0:53:520:53:53

Is it some duck in there?

0:53:550:53:56

There's a duck just to the right of it?

0:53:560:53:59

I don't think that's a bittern.

0:53:590:54:01

But I'm learning that when you're looking for a wild animal

0:54:010:54:05

you haven't seen before,

0:54:050:54:06

a glimpse is all it takes to get the pulse racing.

0:54:060:54:09

Is that a bittern? Can you see him?

0:54:090:54:11

Yeah, he's come out from this side now, you can see him clearly.

0:54:110:54:14

Amazing, that's a bittern.

0:54:140:54:15

I did not think I would come here and see a bittern.

0:54:200:54:23

Marsh harrier, the other bird.

0:54:250:54:26

So, marsh harrier crossing a bittern there.

0:54:260:54:28

How amazing. Big bird.

0:54:290:54:31

Bigger bird than I expected.

0:54:310:54:32

How was that for you, John?

0:54:350:54:36

Just got the last bit as he dropped into the reeds.

0:54:360:54:39

OK, that was phenomenal.

0:54:390:54:41

I have to say, my heart's still thumping.

0:54:410:54:44

I mean, that's magic for me to see a bittern.

0:54:440:54:47

I've never seen one before.

0:54:470:54:49

-Fantastic.

-Yeah, no, really, really great.

0:54:490:54:52

That's just blown me away, actually.

0:54:520:54:54

And the marsh harrier at the same time.

0:54:540:54:56

It's one of the only places in the UK I think you could probably

0:54:560:54:59

come and get six species of heron, if you want, in a day.

0:54:590:55:01

So that would be the grey heron.

0:55:010:55:03

-Grey heron, yeah.

-The bittern.

0:55:030:55:05

-Yeah.

-The little bittern.

0:55:050:55:06

Yeah.

0:55:060:55:08

The cattle egret, the little egret, and the great white egret.

0:55:080:55:11

-Indeed, yeah.

-Have you ever seen them all in a day?

0:55:110:55:13

I have done them all in a day, yeah.

0:55:130:55:15

-Have you?

-Been pretty lucky.

-That's heron bingo, isn't it?

0:55:150:55:18

-Full house.

-It is, yeah, indeed.

0:55:180:55:19

Is that a bittern?

0:55:190:55:21

-I think so.

-They're a bit further away this time.

0:55:220:55:26

Yeah, bittern up underneath the mast.

0:55:260:55:28

-Are you on him?

-It dropped in again.

0:55:280:55:29

-It's gone in.

-It's gone in at the exact same spot again.

0:55:290:55:32

We've seen him drop in there twice,

0:55:320:55:34

once from the left and once from sort of behind and to the right.

0:55:340:55:37

That feels like we're getting a fix on the nest.

0:55:380:55:41

-Possibly.

-Possibly?

-But we need to take a view over a much longer...

0:55:410:55:44

I'm getting overexcited. I'm pushing you to conclusions

0:55:440:55:46

you're currently reluctant to make on the evidence.

0:55:460:55:48

We take a few weeks, I think,

0:55:480:55:50

to be able to decide whether it's a nest or not.

0:55:500:55:52

-What, rather than three minutes?

-A few surveys. Yeah, we like to get

0:55:520:55:55

a bit of evidence behind it rather than just...

0:55:550:55:57

What I'm trying to tell you is I've found you a bittern nest, Steve.

0:55:570:55:59

Come on, give me some credit here.

0:55:590:56:01

I appreciate the enthusiasm.

0:56:010:56:03

Well, I'm super enthusiastic.

0:56:050:56:06

I'm being treated to a parade of some really hard-to-see species

0:56:080:56:11

all making the most of this wonderful wetland.

0:56:110:56:14

This distinguished iridescent plumage belongs to the glossy ibis.

0:56:160:56:20

I just saw an egret pop up.

0:56:230:56:26

Yeah, it's a little egret.

0:56:260:56:27

That's the little one just behind the reeds there.

0:56:270:56:30

Great white egret flying.

0:56:320:56:33

You really see the heron in him there.

0:56:360:56:39

-Yeah.

-With that sort of S-bend in the neck.

0:56:390:56:41

Just dropped in behind the reeds there.

0:56:460:56:47

Ah, is that a bittern I see?

0:56:490:56:52

-I think so.

-A bit further away this time.

0:56:550:56:58

Yeah, bittern underneath the mast.

0:56:580:57:00

Are you on him? It dropped in again.

0:57:000:57:02

It's gone in, but I did get it.

0:57:020:57:05

Well done.

0:57:050:57:07

That bittern has treated us all to a stunning show.

0:57:070:57:10

It's a fitting end to my time amongst the captivating wildlife

0:57:110:57:16

of the Avalon Marshes.

0:57:160:57:17

It's been so heartening to see this man-made environment looked after

0:57:190:57:25

by such a dedicated team, enriching our world for wildlife

0:57:250:57:29

and giving so much pleasure to visitors like me.

0:57:290:57:33

Saw all sorts of things I didn't expect to see today.

0:57:370:57:40

Ibis, marsh harrier and bittern.

0:57:400:57:41

-It's not bad, is it?

-It's not bad.

0:57:420:57:44

-And great egret.

-Yeah.

-And great egret.

0:57:440:57:47

If you'd like to explore Britain's diverse landscapes in more detail

0:57:520:57:56

and find out how to create your own wildlife habitats,

0:57:560:58:00

the Open University has produced a free booklet with bookmarks.

0:58:000:58:03

Order your copy by calling...

0:58:050:58:06

..or go to...

0:58:100:58:11

..and follow the links to the Open University.

0:58:150:58:17

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