0:00:03 > 0:00:07In Wales, most towns and cities have a park -
0:00:07 > 0:00:09an area of green space for people to escape
0:00:09 > 0:00:12the hustle and bustle of modern life.
0:00:12 > 0:00:13But that's not all they're good for.
0:00:16 > 0:00:17In this series,
0:00:17 > 0:00:20I'm taking a look at four urban parks.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22Some are old family estates,
0:00:22 > 0:00:24others were once industrial sites.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27But all are now places for communities to enjoy.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31None are very familiar to me,
0:00:31 > 0:00:34so I'll be enlisting the help of local people
0:00:34 > 0:00:36with knowledge to share.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39Together, I'm hoping we'll uncover their wilder side.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54The first of my four urban parks is in the second largest city in Wales.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57During the Industrial Revolution in Swansea,
0:00:57 > 0:01:00copper made many people very wealthy.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03Singleton Park is the result of one family from Cornwall,
0:01:03 > 0:01:07who spent their wealth beautifying the west side of the city.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11This impressive building is Singleton Abbey -
0:01:11 > 0:01:13it was the home of the Vivian family
0:01:13 > 0:01:17and when it was built, it was right at the heart of the estate.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22The house and grounds were sold in 1919.
0:01:22 > 0:01:2550 acres was used to build Singleton Hospital
0:01:25 > 0:01:29and another 50 acres was used to build Swansea University.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32The local council opened the remaining 140 acres
0:01:32 > 0:01:34to the public soon after.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39BIRD SINGS
0:01:40 > 0:01:42My first visit is in February.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45The wildlife may not be at its best yet,
0:01:45 > 0:01:49but I want to explore potential spots for the coming seasons.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51I'm starting in the north of the park,
0:01:51 > 0:01:53at the botanical gardens.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56This is all quite exciting for me,
0:01:56 > 0:01:58because I've never been into Singleton Park before,
0:01:58 > 0:02:01so obviously I don't know it at all well.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03And in order to get to know it better,
0:02:03 > 0:02:05I'm meeting Jeff Richards,
0:02:05 > 0:02:09who's been working in this park for 36 years.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13Jeff? How are you, boy? Good to see you.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15Nice to see you, nice to meet you.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18You're the man, then, who's going to be my guide, hopefully.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20You've got time have you, to show me around a bit this morning?
0:02:20 > 0:02:21Yes, plenty of time.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24This is what they call the Vivian walled garden.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26Obviously, in them days, no supermarkets -
0:02:26 > 0:02:29so they couldn't just pop to the shop to get their vegetables.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32They had to pop into this wonderful walled garden to get their vegetables.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35And when is this place at its very best, Jeff?
0:02:35 > 0:02:37I'm thinking of having flowers everywhere,
0:02:37 > 0:02:39so that I can come in and you know,
0:02:39 > 0:02:42I can see bees and butterflies and wasps.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44Well, there's actually something going on all year round,
0:02:44 > 0:02:47but the best times is actually July and August.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50Right, let's go look at the rest of the park.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57Looking at the habitats here, there's some lovely stuff,
0:02:57 > 0:03:01some really mature trees, open parkland and there's a pool here.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03This one we call Swiss Cottage Pond.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06Swiss Cottage Pond? Quite a big old pool.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08That's probably frogs, toads, newts, that kind of thing in there?
0:03:08 > 0:03:10Yeah, yeah.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12And also, not only was it parkland for them, it was a working farm...
0:03:12 > 0:03:14Oh, was it for them, then?
0:03:14 > 0:03:17..and Singleton had sheep up until quite recently -
0:03:17 > 0:03:19till around the early part of the '60s.
0:03:19 > 0:03:20- Oh, did it?- Yes.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25We head over to take a look at Home Farm,
0:03:25 > 0:03:29which is now used as a maintenance base by the council.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31I assume this would be the old farmhouse, would it, this one?
0:03:31 > 0:03:34- Yes. What you see here is Cornish stone...- Is it?
0:03:34 > 0:03:36..brought all the way from Cornwall.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39And the interesting thing is that when he was copper smelting,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42a by-product are the capstones on the walls -
0:03:42 > 0:03:43that is molten slag.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48Jeff shows me some further areas with old sheep and pig pens.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51All are now overgrown and fantastic
0:03:51 > 0:03:54out of the way wild areas for shier creatures
0:03:54 > 0:03:56and definitely somewhere I'll be coming back to.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06It's now April
0:04:06 > 0:04:09and I'm going to start my search for wildlife today.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15During our research, we asked local people what they see in the park.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17One thing that everybody remarked upon
0:04:17 > 0:04:21was that there's a parrot, or a parakeet living here.
0:04:21 > 0:04:22So this morning,
0:04:22 > 0:04:25I'm meeting up with Wildlife Trust officer Rhiannon Bevan,
0:04:25 > 0:04:28who's had several sightings of the bird whilst walking her dogs.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30So you reckon this is a good spot?
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Yeah, this is where people come to feed the birds quite a lot,
0:04:33 > 0:04:35so I think it hangs around.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38Obviously, primarily a fruit feeder,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41- so I think people come and feed it apples and...- Oh, nice.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44So we just look out and listen out and...
0:04:44 > 0:04:45BIRDSONG
0:04:45 > 0:04:48There's a few jackdaws knocking about, isn't there? One or two...
0:04:48 > 0:04:50They're all gathering nesting material now, aren't they?
0:04:50 > 0:04:53Yeah, these are great holes for jackdaws to nest in.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56I suppose that's the same place as a parakeet would nest, too?
0:04:56 > 0:04:58Yeah, and I suppose the concern would be
0:04:58 > 0:05:00if there is more than one parakeet,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03it would be that they would compete for nesting holes.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05So it's nice to have one or two parakeets,
0:05:05 > 0:05:06but you don't want too many.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10- No, no, because at the end of the day, they're not native, so...- No.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12How long's the parakeet been here now?
0:05:12 > 0:05:14Because it's quite a few years, isn't it?
0:05:14 > 0:05:15Yeah, it's a long time.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19I studied at Swansea University and it was definitely here in 2009,
0:05:19 > 0:05:22because students used to see it.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24They are quite long-lived birds, so...
0:05:24 > 0:05:27- Probably Singleton Park's most famous resident now, isn't it?- Yes!
0:05:27 > 0:05:29Cos I've had everyone come up to me and say,
0:05:29 > 0:05:32"Oh, you haven't seen the parrot, you haven't filmed the parrot yet?"
0:05:32 > 0:05:35I'm saying, "No, I'm looking for it, I'm looking for it."
0:05:35 > 0:05:39The weather today is too wet for a tropical bird to be out and about,
0:05:39 > 0:05:42but at least I now know where to come and look, next time.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50Parks like Singleton are wonderful for novice wildlife watchers
0:05:50 > 0:05:53and experienced nature observers alike.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55The animals are used to people,
0:05:55 > 0:05:56so you can get close-up views,
0:05:56 > 0:05:58allowing you to observe their behaviour.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02In return, the wildlife benefits
0:06:02 > 0:06:04from having a good mixture of habitats,
0:06:04 > 0:06:06providing them with everything they need to survive.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12There's a pair of goldcrest building a nest,
0:06:12 > 0:06:14quite high up in this spruce here
0:06:14 > 0:06:16and it's right underneath the branches.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20It's like a hanging basket and what they've done is,
0:06:20 > 0:06:22they've taken advantage of what's in the park here,
0:06:22 > 0:06:25because parks like this, you look around and you see
0:06:25 > 0:06:28native trees, plenty of them, but you see exotic ones.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32This is an exotic and right next door to it is a native ash tree.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35And what the birds are doing is, they're coming down to the ash
0:06:35 > 0:06:39and they're picking off little bits of moss there
0:06:39 > 0:06:42and they're taking that back up then and building the nest.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45It's the perfect place for a bird like a goldcrest.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49It's not just the trees birds take advantage of.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53Some areas of the park are left untended, to become wild areas
0:06:53 > 0:06:57and brambles are a favourite nesting place of long-tailed tits.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01There's a pair nesting just down the bottom.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04There's a bird just sat up there now and that's interesting,
0:07:04 > 0:07:06because they come in... The pair comes in together,
0:07:06 > 0:07:08one with a feather in its beak.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10That'll go in and build up the nest
0:07:10 > 0:07:13and the other one perches up,
0:07:13 > 0:07:15just as a look out kind of thing,
0:07:15 > 0:07:18and they'll build the nest out of moss - they'll use lichen,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21they'll use animal hair, they'll use cobwebs,
0:07:21 > 0:07:24but they also need feathers and they'll use anything
0:07:24 > 0:07:29between 1,500 and 2,000 feathers,
0:07:29 > 0:07:30which is absolutely amazing.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34And what I've done is a little experiment, just to see if it works.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36I've gathered feathers
0:07:36 > 0:07:39and I've put some down on a bramble bush down there.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42Now, at the moment I'm quite disgusted, to be honest with you,
0:07:42 > 0:07:44because they're ignoring my feathers completely
0:07:44 > 0:07:47and they're going elsewhere.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49I decide to change tactics
0:07:49 > 0:07:51and put the feathers up in a tree instead.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53I'm hoping that'll do the trick.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59Here we go. Oh, wow.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13Well, that's worked a treat -
0:08:13 > 0:08:14straight into the tree...
0:08:16 > 0:08:18..picked up one feather, dropped it.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21Picked up another and hopefully now back to the nest.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34Ah, this is interesting.
0:08:34 > 0:08:35Because there are so many feathers,
0:08:35 > 0:08:39both birds are now collecting them and going back and forth,
0:08:39 > 0:08:42so they've changed behaviour completely.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53Swansea University was opened in 1920,
0:08:53 > 0:08:57the year after the sale of the estate by the Vivian Family.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02Up until 1947, there were only two permanent buildings on the site,
0:09:02 > 0:09:06but in 1960 large-scale development commenced
0:09:06 > 0:09:09and created the busy campus that's here today.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11However, there's still some wild areas,
0:09:11 > 0:09:15which they encourage people to explore, via a nature walk.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18- Dan, how are you, boy?- Oh, not too bad, thanks, mate. How are you?
0:09:18 > 0:09:20'A good friend of mine, Dr Dan Forman, works here
0:09:20 > 0:09:22'and has agreed to give me a whistle-stop tour.'
0:09:22 > 0:09:24A lot of flat roofs around here, Dan,
0:09:24 > 0:09:27and a lot of gulls as well, they must be nesting up there.
0:09:27 > 0:09:28They are. Well, to us, these are buildings,
0:09:28 > 0:09:31but to many other species they're actually cliffs.
0:09:31 > 0:09:32We're right next to the sea.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34Is it any wonder that gulls might come and use it?
0:09:34 > 0:09:36Perfect place - nice and safe.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39We also have a good population of pigeons on-site.
0:09:39 > 0:09:40We've also got the things that eat pigeons
0:09:40 > 0:09:43and in particular, bit of a favourite of yours - peregrine falcon.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46- Oh, wow, have you? - Beautiful bird to see.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49What a lovely garden here, isn't it?
0:09:49 > 0:09:51Oh, we're very blessed, really. This is the botanic gardens.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54It's basically a natural laboratory for us, really.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56Any patch of green space, particularly with water,
0:09:56 > 0:09:58it's going to be brilliant for wildlife.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01Now, foxes - do you ever see them here?
0:10:01 > 0:10:03We do. We're very fortunate, actually,
0:10:03 > 0:10:05we have an earth just behind us, over here.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07This is an old sand dune hump here,
0:10:07 > 0:10:08which is now vegetated up
0:10:08 > 0:10:12and in there, we have a breeding group of foxes.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16Do you think it'd be possible, when the cubs are out and playing,
0:10:16 > 0:10:19to come, maybe one evening and try and film that, do you think?
0:10:19 > 0:10:21I think you've got a good chance of doing it on this campus.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24They're fairly habituated to people, they're used to people.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26They don't get too close, don't get me wrong -
0:10:26 > 0:10:29these are still wild animals, but they're more used to us.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31It's great to know that there are foxes here,
0:10:31 > 0:10:34but I always like to have a backup plan when it comes to mammals,
0:10:34 > 0:10:37so I'm placing some remote cameras around Home Farm,
0:10:37 > 0:10:40as I've been told it's another good spot for them.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42There we are, look. That's quite good.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50On my next visit,
0:10:50 > 0:10:53I have to turn my attention back to the parakeet.
0:10:53 > 0:10:54It's getting embarrassing.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58People are joking that Iolo Williams can't find the bright-green parrot!
0:11:01 > 0:11:04One of the locals who comes to feed the birds, Stephen John,
0:11:04 > 0:11:06says he can give me some advice on finding it,
0:11:06 > 0:11:10so I'm heading to the ornamental gardens to meet him.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13But on my way there, what do I spot
0:11:13 > 0:11:15but the very bird in question!
0:11:16 > 0:11:20It's on the floor at the moment. It's hanging around with a jackdaw,
0:11:20 > 0:11:22almost like an unwanted aunt, really.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26Smart birds. Really, really smart birds.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30Getting a nice view of it, it's on the floor here with the jackdaw now.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34Its lovely, lovely, very strong red bill, hooked bill,
0:11:34 > 0:11:37that of course, in the wild, in Asia,
0:11:37 > 0:11:40that would be used to open up seeds, fruits as well.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45Even though I've seen the parakeet,
0:11:45 > 0:11:47I'm still going to meet up with Stephen,
0:11:47 > 0:11:50because he's been keeping a close eye on its behaviour
0:11:50 > 0:11:53and he should be able to tell me what's going on here.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55Steve, they said you'd be down here feeding the birds.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57- Yeah, yeah.- Can I have some?- Yeah.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00- Just to hold out and see what comes? - There's a robin over there.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03- Um, parakeets.- Right.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05- I saw it this morning.- Right.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07Now, you see it regular, do you?
0:12:07 > 0:12:10Yeah. Well, I first noticed it a couple of years ago,
0:12:10 > 0:12:13squawking away at the jackdaws, so I went over to investigate
0:12:13 > 0:12:15and watched it through the zoom lens.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18You know, the jackdaws looked as if they were defending the nest
0:12:18 > 0:12:21and the parakeet kept retreating to a nearby branch,
0:12:21 > 0:12:24kept returning and there was a squabbling.
0:12:24 > 0:12:25This went on for ages
0:12:25 > 0:12:27and then the jackdaws came out of the nest
0:12:27 > 0:12:30and landed on a branch and the parakeet went
0:12:30 > 0:12:32and landed in between the two of them.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34And then the three of them flew off together.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37Well, what I saw this morning - they landed on the ground
0:12:37 > 0:12:40- and the parakeet followed the jackdaw everywhere.- Yeah, yeah.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42What's going on, do you think?
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Is it just with that one pair I saw,
0:12:45 > 0:12:47is it going from pair to pair to pair, or what?
0:12:47 > 0:12:49I think he seems to have interest in any pair,
0:12:49 > 0:12:51but I don't know, it's difficult to tell.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53I mean, there's so many nesting jackdaws in here,
0:12:53 > 0:12:55but the jackdaws are quite happy with him, you know?
0:12:55 > 0:12:58He flocks with them and he seems to strike up a bond
0:12:58 > 0:12:59with certain pairs perhaps, you know?
0:12:59 > 0:13:01And then he is very defensive of them.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03So I don't know whether it's because they flock
0:13:03 > 0:13:06and the parakeets in the wild will flock...
0:13:06 > 0:13:07Yes, they're very gregarious birds.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10Yeah, so I don't know whether he's seeing that in them
0:13:10 > 0:13:14and he's associating that sort of like gregarious action
0:13:14 > 0:13:17and he just likes to flock with them and mingle with them, you know?
0:13:19 > 0:13:20I think Stephen's right.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24It must be pretty lonely, being the only parakeet in the park.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26It's lucky the jackdaws are so accommodating.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28They're not the only ones.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31I've never had a nuthatch eating from my hand before.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45It's the middle of May now
0:13:45 > 0:13:49and Swiss Cottage Pond here has been transformed completely.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51Half of it is covered in water lilies.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54There's a family of moorhen here, too.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56I think they've got five chicks in all,
0:13:56 > 0:13:58but I'm here today to look for foxes.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02This evening, later on, I'm going to go out to the university
0:14:02 > 0:14:04to try to see fox cubs,
0:14:04 > 0:14:08because this time of year, they should be out of the earth.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11But before that, I want to track down a bird living on campus
0:14:11 > 0:14:13that Dan mentioned, back in April -
0:14:13 > 0:14:17and one that has the title of fastest animal on earth.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20I've come to the Institute of Life Sciences building
0:14:20 > 0:14:22and this, I'm told, is where the peregrine hangs around.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25And you've only got to look down...
0:14:25 > 0:14:27Look at this - look at all these feathers here,
0:14:27 > 0:14:29Look at these - all over the place.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33Most of these, I can tell straight away, are pigeon feathers.
0:14:33 > 0:14:34And I bet if we had a good look,
0:14:34 > 0:14:38we'd probably find some interesting birds from Swansea Bay as well,
0:14:38 > 0:14:41that they've gone out and hunted and brought back here.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43Oh, there's some fresher ones here, too.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46Look at that now, this is an interesting one.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48You can tell this has been had by a bird of prey,
0:14:48 > 0:14:51because you see that notch there?
0:14:51 > 0:14:55What it's done, it gets hold of the feathers and yanks them out.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58But it looks like someone's had a pillow fight here.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03There are one or two very interesting feathers here,
0:15:03 > 0:15:06so I'm going to send a picture of them to a couple of experts I know,
0:15:06 > 0:15:09to get them accurately identified.
0:15:09 > 0:15:10But as for the bird itself -
0:15:10 > 0:15:13well, I'm going to have to come back again,
0:15:13 > 0:15:14because there's no sign of it today.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19By 7pm, a couple of hours before sunset,
0:15:19 > 0:15:23I'm back at the university's small botanical garden,
0:15:23 > 0:15:25to try and observe the foxes that live here.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29We've had some remote cameras out at this location
0:15:29 > 0:15:33and have managed to spot a couple of adults - which is a good sign -
0:15:33 > 0:15:36but I'm still not sure which hole they're using.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39I'm trying to pin down exactly where the foxes earth is
0:15:39 > 0:15:41and it's a difficult task.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43There are quite a few holes here.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47The two that look most fresh are just along the edge of this path,
0:15:47 > 0:15:49so what I'm going to do, I'm going to settle down
0:15:49 > 0:15:53and I'm going to wait and either, hopefully...
0:15:53 > 0:15:55something will come out of those holes there,
0:15:55 > 0:15:57or if I'm lucky, I'll pick up on a fox elsewhere
0:15:57 > 0:16:00and I might be able to follow it back to the earth.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02Just a matter of sitting and waiting now.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20I've had to move out from underneath the trees
0:16:20 > 0:16:22cos it's got so dark, I can't see a thing.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25So I've come nearer to the street lights here,
0:16:25 > 0:16:28just in case a fox comes down.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32And the moment I move, the heavens open.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36I'm getting the feeling that it's not going to be my night, somehow!
0:16:40 > 0:16:43I wait a while longer, but still nothing.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45So after getting completely soaked,
0:16:45 > 0:16:47I decide to give up.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57Next day, I have another look for the elusive peregrine.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59It's still nowhere to be seen,
0:16:59 > 0:17:02but I do have some interesting news about the feathers I found.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04Look at that one, there's a nice feather.
0:17:04 > 0:17:09Now, that is a tail feather from a golden plover.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11The golden plover nests up in the uplands -
0:17:11 > 0:17:13quite a rare nesting bird,
0:17:13 > 0:17:17but then, in the winter, it comes down to lowland areas
0:17:17 > 0:17:20and Swansea Bay would be a prime area for it
0:17:20 > 0:17:21and that's a hop and a skip away,
0:17:21 > 0:17:24so I'm sure that's where the peregrine got that from.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27And even more interesting, have a look at these -
0:17:27 > 0:17:29these three feathers here.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31Now, I was perplexed by those,
0:17:31 > 0:17:33I had no idea what they were.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36See? Nice marbling black and white there.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38Well, again, our experts...
0:17:38 > 0:17:41Two experts both said exactly the same thing -
0:17:41 > 0:17:45those are the tail feathers from an adult cuckoo.
0:17:45 > 0:17:46A cuckoo.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48I haven't heard one in Wales this year
0:17:48 > 0:17:51and the peregrine here has got hold of one.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54It must have just come in off the sea, I would imagine.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56Probably easy prey and the peregrine has gone,
0:17:56 > 0:17:58"Thank you very much, I'll have that."
0:17:58 > 0:18:01It's brought it back here, plucked it and left the evidence.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09After my failure at the university to see foxes,
0:18:09 > 0:18:13I'm heading for the field just behind Home Farm, to try again.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17The remote cameras I placed here have also picked up an adult.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21No cubs, but at least I've got a second chance to see a fox.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25It's a good evening, it's nice and warm and dry.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27Most of the people have gone home now,
0:18:27 > 0:18:29so I'm just hoping tonight
0:18:29 > 0:18:31that I get to see a fox, live, here.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34JACKDAWS CAW
0:18:34 > 0:18:37It's a waiting game whilst the sun goes down
0:18:37 > 0:18:39and the jackdaws go in to roost.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46Just hoping we get something in the next 45 minutes or so,
0:18:46 > 0:18:48while we've still got enough light.
0:18:51 > 0:18:52About 15 minutes later
0:18:52 > 0:18:54and my luck is in.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57The research with the trail cameras has paid off.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03- WHISPERS:- Wow.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05That's fabulous, there's a fox...
0:19:07 > 0:19:09..barely 30 metres away from me down there...
0:19:11 > 0:19:12..skulking in the long grass.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14He knows we're here, I think.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19Finally, I get a proper look at a fox -
0:19:19 > 0:19:21a close-up look at a live fox.
0:19:21 > 0:19:22Beautiful animal -
0:19:22 > 0:19:25really russety, red colour.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29That is a really good-looking animal.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33Sometimes in cities they look sickly,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36because they've got all kinds of illnesses they can catch
0:19:36 > 0:19:38and in the country they tend to be healthier.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41Well, this one, I can tell you, is a really healthy animal.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43It's picked something up.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46I'm not going to move right now, because he's looking straight at me.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51Oh, what a beautiful animal - look at that!
0:19:53 > 0:19:54Phew.
0:19:56 > 0:19:57That was fabulous!
0:19:59 > 0:20:03And I know there's a lot of controversy surrounding foxes -
0:20:03 > 0:20:06rural foxes and urban foxes.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09But when you're sitting, watching them this close,
0:20:09 > 0:20:11I don't think anyone can argue,
0:20:11 > 0:20:13they're really stunning animals.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34I time my next visit to Singleton Park
0:20:34 > 0:20:36for late July.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39The sun is shining and I'm back at the botanical gardens,
0:20:39 > 0:20:41which are now in full bloom.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45Today, I've brought along a few experts,
0:20:45 > 0:20:49so I can find out more about the insects that live here.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51'I'm starting with a familiar face -
0:20:51 > 0:20:54'Rhiannon Bevan, from the Wildlife Trust...
0:20:54 > 0:20:55- Hi, Rhiannon.- Hello.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58'..who not only helped me with the parakeet search,
0:20:58 > 0:21:00'but is also handy with a moth trap,
0:21:00 > 0:21:03which she put out last night.'
0:21:03 > 0:21:04What's that one there, then?
0:21:04 > 0:21:07Dark arches. There's lots of these around at the moment.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09Oh, there's a nice one, look at that.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11Oh, that's beautiful isn't it?
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Yeah, it's lovely, looks like an early thorn to me.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16Now I'm not a moth expert, but I can tell that this one
0:21:16 > 0:21:17is a male, isn't it?
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Because it's got the feathered antennae.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21Yeah, that's exactly right.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24Tell you what, here's one I don't recognise, look at that.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27- Oh, wow.- Grey and yellow, with black legs.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30- Yeah, so it's a footman. - It's a big one, though, isn't it?
0:21:30 > 0:21:32Yeah, it is much bigger than most you see.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35I think I've got an idea of what it is, but it's probably going to best
0:21:35 > 0:21:37- to check the book.- Go on, you have a look in the book,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40because I'll tell you what else is here - there's a common footman.
0:21:40 > 0:21:41You catch quite a few of those
0:21:41 > 0:21:43and that's the one we're not quite sure what it is,
0:21:43 > 0:21:45which is twice the size.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48And if Rhiannon hasn't seen it before, then it's probably
0:21:48 > 0:21:51going to be...well, pretty scarce, I'd have thought.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53Right, have you seen what it is?
0:21:53 > 0:21:56Yeah, so I think it's a four-spotted footman.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58So, July to September..
0:21:58 > 0:22:01Is when it flies, which is right, yeah.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03Nationally scarce...
0:22:03 > 0:22:05- Wow.- Yeah.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08- Resident populations...- South west Wales.- ..Southwest Wales.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10- What does it say it eats? - Dog lichen.- Dog lichen.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14- Yeah, so all the footmen eat lichen. - They eat lichen, do they?- Yeah.- Wow.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16Well, well, that's the first one I've ever seen.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18Potted some nice ones that
0:22:18 > 0:22:20I was afraid were going to go before you came.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23Oh, wow, that's a brimstone moth. Oh, that's a little beauty...
0:22:23 > 0:22:25- It's lovely, isn't it?- Look at that.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27And the last one...
0:22:27 > 0:22:29Cor, wow, that is nice.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32So that's another thorn, we had a thorn earlier.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34This one, appropriately,
0:22:34 > 0:22:36is called a canary shouldered thorn.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39- And it's lovely, isn't it? Really nice bright yellow. - Absolutely lovely.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41Yep, it's the first one I've seen this year,
0:22:41 > 0:22:43so they've only just emerged.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47Altogether, we caught about 18 different species,
0:22:47 > 0:22:50which is pretty good going for a night's moth trapping.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58The next creature I'm finding out about is hard to spot,
0:22:58 > 0:23:02but Dr Isabella Brey completed a PhD about them
0:23:02 > 0:23:05and has collected some for us to take a closer look at.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08Graham, our cameraman, has got his macro lens on
0:23:08 > 0:23:10to help us see them better.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14- Is this one of them here? - Here's one, that's a little baby.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17Right, OK. Now these are what, landhoppers?
0:23:17 > 0:23:20- Yes.- I have to admit, I'd never heard of landhoppers before.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23I've heard of sandhoppers - the ones you get on the beach.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26Yes, they are a relative,
0:23:26 > 0:23:29but these ones do not require the sea at all
0:23:29 > 0:23:31and they live solely on land.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34So where did these come from, do we know that?
0:23:34 > 0:23:36Yes, they are from Mid-Eastern Australia.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39Obviously, Singleton Botanic Gardens...
0:23:39 > 0:23:43Lots of lovely tropical plants were imported and these hitched a ride.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46How do they jump, then? Using their legs?
0:23:46 > 0:23:49No, they jump by uncurling their abdomen.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53They carry the...the tip of their abdomen tucked under,
0:23:53 > 0:23:56until you frighten them and then they unfold,
0:23:56 > 0:23:58unfurl very quickly and hurl themselves up into the air.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00Are they all over Wales?
0:24:00 > 0:24:02Not yet, but they have made big inroads
0:24:02 > 0:24:05and what they really like is deep leaf litter
0:24:05 > 0:24:08that stays damp all year round, ideally.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12They are surviving now in natural woodlands, all over the country.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15More and more people will be seeing them, for sure.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19The most obvious insects in the garden
0:24:19 > 0:24:21at this time of year are bees.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25Sinead Lynch from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust and I
0:24:25 > 0:24:27are going to see what species we can find.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31This bit here, Sinead, is alive with bees, this one. Look at that.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34- Yeah.- Yeah, it's fantastic.- Yeah.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37Right, OK, what have we got? We've got honeybees.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40Yeah, the honeybees, they're almost waspish-looking, aren't they?
0:24:40 > 0:24:42- Yeah, yeah.- Quite narrow-bodied.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45And you can tell them as well, because their back legs are flared,
0:24:45 > 0:24:47so it's like they've got flares on.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50- And is that to carry pollen? - Yes, yes.- Right, OK.
0:24:50 > 0:24:51And then what are these?
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Are these white-tailed or buff- tailed bumble bees, these here?
0:24:54 > 0:24:57- They've got two yellow bands and a sort of whitish tail...- Yeah.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00..so they're all workers and you can't really tell the workers apart
0:25:00 > 0:25:02with buff tails and white tails,
0:25:02 > 0:25:05so we just say they're either a buff-tail or a white-tail.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08Oh, so you can't distinguish one from the other at all, can you?
0:25:08 > 0:25:10Not really - not in the field.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14- Red-tailed, red-tailed bumble bee. - Oh, yeah, so we've got a...
0:25:14 > 0:25:15So that'll be another worker, that one?
0:25:15 > 0:25:18That's a worker, yeah, and all the workers are female.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21And there's a massive one here, huge one.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23It's got almost like an orangey back
0:25:23 > 0:25:26and then black and then buffy white tail.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Yeah, so that is a new species to the UK.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32It's called the tree bumblebee and it's come in sort of from France
0:25:32 > 0:25:34and it's spread across most of the UK now.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36And it's very distinctive, as you say
0:25:36 > 0:25:38and they nest above ground, generally.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40So they nest in roofs, in nest boxes
0:25:40 > 0:25:42and in trees, as the name suggests.
0:25:42 > 0:25:43Hence the name tree bumble bee.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45And this one is huge, this is a big one.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47Does that mean that's going to be a queen?
0:25:47 > 0:25:48That's a queen, yeah.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51So really big, big bumble bees, they'll be the queens.
0:25:51 > 0:25:52So what's the queen doing out now?
0:25:52 > 0:25:55Because I thought they just stayed in the nest.
0:25:55 > 0:25:56That'll be a new queen.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59That's a new queen that's been produced this year.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02She'll be storing up lots of nectar in her belly,
0:26:02 > 0:26:04so she can hibernate.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07And next spring, she'll come out when it starts to warm up,
0:26:07 > 0:26:08she'll find somewhere to nest
0:26:08 > 0:26:10and then she can start producing a new colony.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12BEE BUZZES
0:26:12 > 0:26:15It's wonderful to see good numbers of bees and other insects
0:26:15 > 0:26:17here in the botanical gardens.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19It's a colourful oasis for them.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27Today, I'm up with the sunrise
0:26:27 > 0:26:30for one last attempt to find the peregrine.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34Finally, my luck is in and it's taken up position
0:26:34 > 0:26:36on the Life Sciences building,
0:26:36 > 0:26:39giving me a fantastic view.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42It's an adult bird. It's a full adult bird, it's a...
0:26:43 > 0:26:45..it's a male.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48Stunning bird, because it's just staring at me now.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51Oh, I tell you what it looks like - he's killed this morning,
0:26:51 > 0:26:53because just along, just to the left of him...
0:26:53 > 0:26:55fresh feathers
0:26:55 > 0:26:58and fresh, fresh pink meat as well.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01This is the nearest building to the bay out there,
0:27:01 > 0:27:03which is probably the best hunting area for him.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06But it's lovely to finally catch up with the peregrine.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15My last visit is in autumn.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18The trees are the stars of the park at this time of year.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22On a sunny day, the colourful scenes are worth a trip to see.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29They also continue to be a resource for the animals of the park,
0:27:29 > 0:27:32so there's plenty of wildlife to see as well.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36Wood pigeons are feasting on the bumper crop of beech mast this year.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38Easy pickings from the floor,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41but trickier to pluck from the spindly branches above.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46Squirrels are busy fattening up on autumn's riches.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49They're certainly not fussy eaters.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55And jays can be seen burying their finds for later in the winter,
0:27:55 > 0:27:58carefully covering each hoard with some grass or a leaf.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03For me, the most remarkable thing about Singleton Park has been...
0:28:03 > 0:28:06despite the fact that it's completely surrounded
0:28:06 > 0:28:07by houses and busy roads,
0:28:07 > 0:28:09it's the wealth of wildlife.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12I've seen a ring-necked parakeet for the first time ever.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15The peregrine that had been feeding not just on pigeons,
0:28:15 > 0:28:18but on golden plover and a cuckoo.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21And also, I've seen a fox here -
0:28:21 > 0:28:25and this is in the most urban of urban parks.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28And it goes to show, I think, that if you talk to the right people,
0:28:28 > 0:28:31you keep your eyes and your ears open -
0:28:31 > 0:28:33you never know what you're going to see.