Christmas Special 2011

0:00:30 > 0:00:34This is the Ynis-hir reserve in west Wales in the depths of winter,

0:00:34 > 0:00:39a glorious place to celebrate the Springwatch Christmas Special.

0:00:39 > 0:00:42It's been an upside-down, topsy-turvy,

0:00:42 > 0:00:46back-to-front year as far as the weather's been concerned,

0:00:46 > 0:00:48and we'll be bringing you the very latest

0:00:48 > 0:00:50on how that has affected our wildlife.

0:00:53 > 0:00:57Salmon leaping, beavers beavering and ospreys migrating -

0:00:57 > 0:01:01what's the latest on our biggest stories from 2011?

0:01:04 > 0:01:06We investigate mistletoe.

0:01:06 > 0:01:09It may be thought of as a romantic Christmas decoration

0:01:09 > 0:01:12but it also has a sinister side,

0:01:12 > 0:01:16and Santa Packham gets some rather special Christmas presents.

0:01:16 > 0:01:20That national treasure, Mr Bill Oddie, will be providing us

0:01:20 > 0:01:23with some wild seasonal party games to enjoy,

0:01:23 > 0:01:26and we'll be getting close and very intimate

0:01:26 > 0:01:29with some of our favourite British birds.

0:01:29 > 0:01:31Won't we, love?

0:01:38 > 0:01:42- Look at it in here, it's looking so Christmassy!- It's lovely.

0:01:42 > 0:01:46Yes, but truly, team, when we're not here, it's a studio now.

0:01:46 > 0:01:50- It is a tractor shed because when we arrived, there was a tractor here! - LAUGHTER

0:01:50 > 0:01:54There's still that faint, lingering aroma of manure and diesel.

0:01:54 > 0:01:58- Excellent.- Rather nice. - Makes you feel at home.

0:01:58 > 0:02:00Look, I didn't spend a lot.

0:02:00 > 0:02:03Those are Michaela's, those are yours, Kate.

0:02:03 > 0:02:04Martin, yours are over here.

0:02:04 > 0:02:07- Mine's in the post.- Here you go!

0:02:07 > 0:02:10I don't want a mince pie and an orange!

0:02:10 > 0:02:12It's not a Dickensian Christmas!

0:02:12 > 0:02:15- I was hoping for a gadget of some kind.- Sorry about that, Chris.

0:02:15 > 0:02:19It's been a great year for wildlife but extraordinary, seasonally.

0:02:19 > 0:02:22The spring - so warm and dry, it was incredible.

0:02:22 > 0:02:25You know what was amazing? What I noticed at home is, in the woods,

0:02:25 > 0:02:28all the wild flowers seemed to come out in a rush.

0:02:28 > 0:02:30Usually, the wild garlic will come out

0:02:30 > 0:02:33- then there's a break and the bluebells. All together.- One surge.

0:02:33 > 0:02:34And then it changed to summer.

0:02:34 > 0:02:37A radical change too, because it became very cool and wet.

0:02:37 > 0:02:40It was autumn - some people called it a second summer.

0:02:40 > 0:02:42It just went on and on, it was so warm, so hot.

0:02:42 > 0:02:46In my back garden on 29th September,

0:02:46 > 0:02:49I took a photograph of 14 red admirals on one plant.

0:02:49 > 0:02:51The whole garden was full of them!

0:02:51 > 0:02:55- Fantastic.- Then we waited for the winter, but it's here now!

0:02:55 > 0:02:57- It definitely is.- You can feel it,

0:02:57 > 0:03:00it's a mite chilly, especially in our very festive tractor shed.

0:03:00 > 0:03:03We love to talk about the weather, and we do it all the time,

0:03:03 > 0:03:06but let's go over to the BBC Weather Centre

0:03:06 > 0:03:08and get the facts from Jay Wynne.

0:03:08 > 0:03:09Thanks, Michaela.

0:03:09 > 0:03:12The rainfall pattern is certainly of interest this year.

0:03:12 > 0:03:16Much wetter than you might expect for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

0:03:16 > 0:03:19For the bulk of England and Wales, it really was a dry year.

0:03:19 > 0:03:22The reason for that is this area of high pressure -

0:03:22 > 0:03:24a persistent, blocking high across the near continent -

0:03:24 > 0:03:28which has had the effect of driving weather fronts around it,

0:03:28 > 0:03:31bringing their rain towards Scotland and Northern Ireland.

0:03:31 > 0:03:34Go back to last winter, and I'm sure you remember how cold it was.

0:03:34 > 0:03:37Average temperatures well below where they should be,

0:03:37 > 0:03:41but don't forget, we did have some mornings where temperatures were -10 or -15C.

0:03:41 > 0:03:43All change as we get on into spring of this year.

0:03:43 > 0:03:46Actually, it turned out to be the warmest April on record.

0:03:46 > 0:03:50A gentle southerly breeze and lots of sunshine to thank for that.

0:03:50 > 0:03:51Into the summer, change again.

0:03:51 > 0:03:55Cool and wet for many of us, but at least the summertime rain

0:03:55 > 0:03:57was good news for the plants and animals across the UK.

0:03:57 > 0:04:00More on that coming up later in the programme.

0:04:00 > 0:04:03Autumn turned out to be the second-warmest autumn on record.

0:04:03 > 0:04:04Still very wet, though,

0:04:04 > 0:04:07but most of that rain not falling where we need it.

0:04:07 > 0:04:09By the end of this year,

0:04:09 > 0:04:12the blocking high across the near continent has disappeared

0:04:12 > 0:04:15and that's opened the floodgates for winter storms to come barrelling in

0:04:15 > 0:04:19from the Atlantic, bringing wind and rain to all parts of the UK,

0:04:19 > 0:04:22but it does look as if Scotland and western parts of the UK

0:04:22 > 0:04:23bore the brunt of the worst of it.

0:04:23 > 0:04:24Michaela.

0:04:24 > 0:04:27Thanks, Jay. I think Chris and Martin have ventured outside.

0:04:27 > 0:04:31- Over to you, guys. - Cast your mind back to spring again.

0:04:31 > 0:04:35If you remember, it was very hot. That settled weather over Africa

0:04:35 > 0:04:40and northern Europe encouraged some migrants to arrive very early,

0:04:40 > 0:04:46including here at Ynis-hir, the beautiful and exotic red star.

0:04:46 > 0:04:47What a bird.

0:04:47 > 0:04:51- Male red star.- Gorgeous birds and they all fledged in the end.

0:04:51 > 0:04:53- Wholly successful. - Now, unbelievably,

0:04:53 > 0:04:57they will be back in Africa.

0:04:57 > 0:05:00- Whereabouts in Africa will they go? - Sub-Saharan Africa.- That tiny bird.

0:05:00 > 0:05:04Not the only striking migrant that we saw here,

0:05:04 > 0:05:07we also had the wonderful pied flycatchers as well.

0:05:07 > 0:05:10Male ones equally as attractive. We followed two nests

0:05:10 > 0:05:13and sadly they both failed, but there was good reason for this.

0:05:13 > 0:05:17They were breeding late in the season and there simply wasn't enough food at that time.

0:05:17 > 0:05:21At the moment, those birds would have gone back to sub-Saharan Africa.

0:05:21 > 0:05:25They'll be heading back here again next year and, fingers crossed,

0:05:25 > 0:05:28they'll be successful and we'll be here to see if they are.

0:05:28 > 0:05:31What about those oystercatchers? If you remember, in Springwatch,

0:05:31 > 0:05:35they were sitting on eggs, and my colleague predicated those eggs would not hatch.

0:05:35 > 0:05:38- I disagreed, he was right. - My predictions normally fail!

0:05:38 > 0:05:43- They never did hatch out. - They were on there for such long time and looking at their behaviour,

0:05:43 > 0:05:46it did look to me like the eggs were infertile.

0:05:46 > 0:05:49Again, this is a species that is very long-lived.

0:05:49 > 0:05:53Oystercatchers live into their 30s, so they will have another chance.

0:05:53 > 0:05:57Another strategy that birds have if they do fail is that they can double-breed

0:05:57 > 0:06:01and Kate is with a species that double-brooded here this year.

0:06:01 > 0:06:03That barn that you're seeing behind me

0:06:03 > 0:06:09was home to one of our most fascinating and wonderful Springwatch families this year.

0:06:09 > 0:06:13It was our family of barn owls.

0:06:13 > 0:06:17I have to tell you this isn't one of our Springwatch barn owls.

0:06:17 > 0:06:19Avon, look at the camera.

0:06:19 > 0:06:22This is Avon, she is about ten years old.

0:06:22 > 0:06:26It's just a good excuse to hold a barn owl in the hand.

0:06:26 > 0:06:29When you get that opportunity, I always like to take it.

0:06:29 > 0:06:32Let's remind you about our barn owl family.

0:06:32 > 0:06:37We had two adults who were incredibly meticulous parents

0:06:37 > 0:06:41and there were four chicks, ranging in size from quite big ones

0:06:41 > 0:06:45right down, like those Russian doll families, to a really little one,

0:06:45 > 0:06:49one that captured your hearts, and you called him Barn Owl Baby,

0:06:49 > 0:06:53or Bob for short, and Bob now has his very own Facebook page.

0:06:53 > 0:06:57Our barn owl chicks had some fairly big challenges.

0:06:57 > 0:07:00They did get very hot in that barn and we saw them all panting,

0:07:00 > 0:07:04Bob looking rather worse for wear at one point and we did wonder

0:07:04 > 0:07:07if he was going to survive the heat, but luckily he did

0:07:07 > 0:07:10and a lot of that was down to their parents

0:07:10 > 0:07:15and you can see just how much food they brought in.

0:07:15 > 0:07:19Those babies were absolutely stuffed.

0:07:19 > 0:07:22That wonderful parenting really did pay off. All four of those chicks,

0:07:22 > 0:07:26I'm delighted to be able tell you, did fledge successfully

0:07:26 > 0:07:29and that rather reflected what happened with barn owls

0:07:29 > 0:07:31throughout the country this year.

0:07:31 > 0:07:35Many of them managed to raise over three chicks,

0:07:35 > 0:07:39which is higher than average and several of them double-brooded,

0:07:39 > 0:07:42and that was thanks to the lovely, warm, dry spring we had,

0:07:42 > 0:07:45unlike this wild winter day we're having now,

0:07:45 > 0:07:49and the fact it was a very good vole year.

0:07:49 > 0:07:52So, Avon, this was definitely a year for the barn owl.

0:07:54 > 0:07:59Thousands of you tuned in to watch those barn owls on the live webcams

0:07:59 > 0:08:04but the webcams, the message board, the blogs are just one way of communicating with you.

0:08:04 > 0:08:06How about direct communication?

0:08:06 > 0:08:10How about challenging Chris Packham face to face?

0:08:14 > 0:08:18# Merry Christmas I don't want to fight tonight

0:08:18 > 0:08:22# Merry Christmas I don't want to fight tonight

0:08:22 > 0:08:25# Merry Christmas I don't want to fight tonight. #

0:08:26 > 0:08:30Wow, that is pretty special.

0:08:30 > 0:08:33Where off you find it, George?

0:08:33 > 0:08:38- In my granddad's back garden.- What were you doing when you found it?

0:08:38 > 0:08:40We were chopping logs.

0:08:40 > 0:08:43What did you think it was as soon as you saw it?

0:08:43 > 0:08:47We thought it was some clever ant, or something.

0:08:47 > 0:08:50Then what, did Granddad think about it for a bit?

0:08:50 > 0:08:53He thought it was a leafcutter bee.

0:08:53 > 0:08:57- You thought this was the nest of a leafcutter bee?- Yeah.

0:08:57 > 0:09:00Do you know what? I think you are 100% right!

0:09:00 > 0:09:03I'll tell you a bit about these bees.

0:09:03 > 0:09:07There are about eight British species of leafcutter bee.

0:09:07 > 0:09:11They cut the leaf and make a small... Almost like a cigar,

0:09:11 > 0:09:14as they go along so each one of these is a separate cell.

0:09:14 > 0:09:18So what happens is, the bee makes the first part, fills it up with

0:09:18 > 0:09:23pollen and honey, lays an egg it and uses about four or five circles

0:09:23 > 0:09:27that it cuts of leaf to block the end of it

0:09:27 > 0:09:31and then it builds the next one, so it would have made this one first

0:09:31 > 0:09:35then worked its way all the way up the log to here.

0:09:35 > 0:09:39Tell you what, George, I think this is the best example

0:09:39 > 0:09:42of a leafcutter bee that I have ever seen.

0:09:44 > 0:09:47- A twig.- A twig?- A twig. - With some leaves.

0:09:47 > 0:09:50A very remarkable twig, it has all the clues you need

0:09:50 > 0:09:55but it is a most unusual tree.

0:09:55 > 0:09:57I think there are probably six of them in the country.

0:09:57 > 0:10:02- So you might not have bumped into it before.- Is it a native species?

0:10:02 > 0:10:06It's a variant of a native species.

0:10:06 > 0:10:11I'm looking at the leaves and they are showing very smooth, clean edges.

0:10:11 > 0:10:16- The leaves are no help to you at all. - No help at all?- No, you'll have to work from other clues on it.

0:10:16 > 0:10:19- The buds just look like oak buds to me.- They do indeed.

0:10:19 > 0:10:22I'm going top concede. Go on, then, Richard, you got me.

0:10:22 > 0:10:26- You're absolutely right, it's called a cluster oak.- A cluster oak?

0:10:26 > 0:10:29It's a variant of the ordinary Quercus roba, it's a bit of a cheat,

0:10:29 > 0:10:34- really, to expect you to know what it is but I thought you'd enjoy the challenge.- Indeed!

0:10:34 > 0:10:37Of course, I was completely unaware of this variant's existence

0:10:37 > 0:10:39so thank you for bringing it in.

0:10:39 > 0:10:41My pleasure.

0:10:43 > 0:10:48It was quite a challenge, I have to say, oak and the bees!

0:10:48 > 0:10:51- One more for you, Chris.- Go on. - Have a quick look at that.

0:10:51 > 0:10:55"Dear Autumnwatch, my name is Gary and I'm nine years old.

0:10:55 > 0:10:58"'I was out walking with my dog, Darkie, with my dad

0:10:58 > 0:11:02"when I found this skull. Please can you tell me what animal it is from?'

0:11:02 > 0:11:05Gary, this is the best Christmas present I have had so far,

0:11:05 > 0:11:08- these two got me nothing. - We will!- It's a fox's skull.

0:11:08 > 0:11:13It's very dog-like if looked at from the top and it has very distinct canine teeth,

0:11:13 > 0:11:14small molars at the back.

0:11:14 > 0:11:18It's generally the shape and size which tell you this is a fox's skull.

0:11:18 > 0:11:22Gary, we've got your address, we'll send it back because you need to treasure this!

0:11:22 > 0:11:25I treasure my skulls. Here's one interesting comparison.

0:11:25 > 0:11:31This is a badger's skull, you can see it has that great big ridge on the back,

0:11:31 > 0:11:36different from the fox and here's my personal favourite, this skull, what do you think it is?

0:11:36 > 0:11:39- Looks a bit fierce!- Obviously smaller than the badger and fox.

0:11:39 > 0:11:43- It's my pussy cat, Tabby.- Stop it! Is it really?- Yes, he died.

0:11:43 > 0:11:47I buried him and I brought him back up because I couldn't bear to be without him.

0:11:47 > 0:11:49- Isn't that a lovely skull? - That's quite sad.

0:11:49 > 0:11:51I'll tell you something,

0:11:51 > 0:11:53I'm not sure I want the skulls of Itchy and Scratchy

0:11:53 > 0:11:55at some stage in the future.

0:11:55 > 0:11:57- They are beautiful objects!- Indeed.

0:11:57 > 0:12:01I'm going to see a man about a beetle. Excuse me.

0:12:01 > 0:12:04I'm going to put you to the test and I'm going to test the viewers

0:12:04 > 0:12:07with sounds of the spring. These have already been on the website

0:12:07 > 0:12:12and some of you have made guesses, but take a listen to these sounds.

0:12:12 > 0:12:14HIGH-PITCHED CAWING

0:12:14 > 0:12:18- Any guesses?- Another on. - I think that one's hard.

0:12:18 > 0:12:20CROAKING

0:12:20 > 0:12:22Got that one.

0:12:22 > 0:12:24HIGH-PITCHED TWITTERING

0:12:24 > 0:12:26You should get that one.

0:12:26 > 0:12:27Only because of Springwatch.

0:12:27 > 0:12:30REPETITIVE CLICKING

0:12:30 > 0:12:31No idea.

0:12:31 > 0:12:32LOW HOOTING

0:12:32 > 0:12:35- Do you know that one?- Yes. - Go on, then.

0:12:35 > 0:12:38- The last one was a puffin, I know that.- Possibly.

0:12:38 > 0:12:39The first one was a buzzard.

0:12:39 > 0:12:42There was a red star, which I only know because of Springwatch,

0:12:42 > 0:12:45And now I've run out of ideas. That last one is impossible!

0:12:45 > 0:12:49All of them were featured on Springwatch. How many did you get?

0:12:49 > 0:12:51Have a look.

0:12:51 > 0:12:53HIGH-PITCHED CAWING

0:12:53 > 0:12:56DULL PITTER-PATTER

0:12:58 > 0:13:00CROAKING

0:13:02 > 0:13:05HIGH-PITCHED TWITTERING

0:13:05 > 0:13:07REPETITIVE CLICKING

0:13:09 > 0:13:12LOW HOOTING

0:13:14 > 0:13:17Here is a little scientific gem for you.

0:13:17 > 0:13:21This year, water boatmen like those you've just heard,

0:13:21 > 0:13:25have been shown to be the loudest animals on Earth proportional to their body size,

0:13:25 > 0:13:27producing sounds at 99.2 decibels,

0:13:27 > 0:13:30which is the same volume as you would hear if

0:13:30 > 0:13:34you were standing alongside a freight train passing

0:13:34 > 0:13:36and the man who recorded our water boatmen out there

0:13:36 > 0:13:40is the one and only Chris Watson, sound man extraordinaire.

0:13:40 > 0:13:43Did you expect to hear that when you put your microphone in there?

0:13:43 > 0:13:46No, it's fantastic, that's what I love about doing this,

0:13:46 > 0:13:47it's like fishing for sound.

0:13:47 > 0:13:53I just dip my hydrophones, underwater microphones, below the surface

0:13:53 > 0:13:57just as the stream enters the lake and it was all revealed, fantastic.

0:13:57 > 0:14:01These lesser water boatmen are producing the sound by stridulating,

0:14:01 > 0:14:03which is what lots of invertebrates do, isn't it?

0:14:03 > 0:14:08- Yes, it's a mechanical song. - They do it by rubbing bits of their boy together, don't they?

0:14:08 > 0:14:10I think I can hear one now! RHYTHMIC CLICKING

0:14:10 > 0:14:13I think I can hear some stray stridulating!

0:14:13 > 0:14:19- Is that about right, Chris?- Faster, more rhythm! Get in the groove a bit.

0:14:19 > 0:14:22- Good.- I like it. - Go?- Think so, pretty quick.

0:14:22 > 0:14:29Honestly! We looked into this, and we've got some scanning electron microscope pictures.

0:14:29 > 0:14:33Take a look, these were produced by Dr James Windmill and Dr Shira Gordon

0:14:33 > 0:14:36from the Centre for Ultrasonic Engineering,

0:14:36 > 0:14:39University of Strathclyde,

0:14:39 > 0:14:41and also to Dr Jerome Sueur in Paris,

0:14:41 > 0:14:43who studied the boatmen as well.

0:14:43 > 0:14:47Chris, you can see here, under high magnification, the ridges

0:14:47 > 0:14:50and the little hook which is producing the sound. Amazing.

0:14:50 > 0:14:52Yeah. The way they come together.

0:14:52 > 0:14:56Presumably they come together quite rapidly to produce that sound,

0:14:56 > 0:14:57- and repeatedly?- Yeah.

0:14:57 > 0:14:59And it's a chorus, there's lots of them there,

0:14:59 > 0:15:02not just a single lesser water boatmen, it's a chorus of song.

0:15:02 > 0:15:05We were amazed to discover this but equally amazed when,

0:15:05 > 0:15:08after the programme, someone contacted us to tell us

0:15:08 > 0:15:13that the sound was actually being produced by the animal's penis, which is extraordinary,

0:15:13 > 0:15:16and of course it is a mating call that they are doing as well.

0:15:16 > 0:15:20For people listening at home, is this something they could do?

0:15:20 > 0:15:23Could they go fishing for sound or do you need specialist kit?

0:15:23 > 0:15:27No, I'd encourage it. As you would expect, I have a very posh, expensive hydrophone,

0:15:27 > 0:15:33but you can go to an electronics store and get a relatively simple contact microphone,

0:15:33 > 0:15:37find a way of waterproofing it and try it out in your garden pond at home.

0:15:37 > 0:15:40- What, a couple of pounds, ten pound?- A few pounds.

0:15:40 > 0:15:44- Fishing for sound.- It's an incredible way of revealing sounds of the natural world

0:15:44 > 0:15:48that we don't normally have the opportunity of hearing and it's all around us.

0:15:48 > 0:15:54Thanks. I like that, fishing for sound. We'll be doing more of that later with some more soundscapes

0:15:54 > 0:15:58and Chris wasn't the only expert we had out in field, there were plenty more.

0:16:31 > 0:16:33THEY CHEER

0:16:38 > 0:16:41DEER BRAYS

0:16:50 > 0:16:54One of the highlights of Springwatch was when Charlie Hamilton James

0:16:54 > 0:16:57went to investigate the reintroduction of beavers into Scotland.

0:16:57 > 0:17:00The Scottish beaver trial is a five-year project

0:17:00 > 0:17:07which is trying to establish whether these once-native creatures can be successfully reintroduced.

0:17:07 > 0:17:09It's two years into that project

0:17:09 > 0:17:12and Charlie was given unprecedented access

0:17:12 > 0:17:16which allowed us to witness beaver behaviour

0:17:16 > 0:17:18that we've never seen before.

0:17:24 > 0:17:31(I can't quite believe I'm looking at a new species of animal

0:17:31 > 0:17:34(and it's right there.)

0:17:35 > 0:17:38It's just incredible.

0:17:39 > 0:17:42Beavers are rather shy, secretive mammals

0:17:42 > 0:17:45with an enormous talent for engineering.

0:17:45 > 0:17:48Their skill in felling trees and building dams

0:17:48 > 0:17:53create the waterways they need and dramatically change the landscape.

0:17:53 > 0:17:58Being largely nocturnal, nightfall was the key time to see them.

0:17:58 > 0:18:02Each beaver is microchipped so that it can be easily identified

0:18:02 > 0:18:07and Charlie witnessed a health check every beaver undergoes regularly

0:18:07 > 0:18:11to see how they are coping with life in Scotland.

0:18:14 > 0:18:18Wow! I can't believe how big it is. It's massive!

0:18:20 > 0:18:22SHE LAUGHS

0:18:22 > 0:18:26295mm.

0:18:26 > 0:18:31What's this telling us so far from all these measurements?

0:18:31 > 0:18:33In quarantine, you do lose a bit of body condition.

0:18:33 > 0:18:36Since the first couple of years of release,

0:18:36 > 0:18:41they are putting on weight and getting, as you can tell, in good condition.

0:18:44 > 0:18:47Then Frank is free to go about his beavery business.

0:18:50 > 0:18:54And Charlie had plenty more tricks up his sleeve

0:18:54 > 0:18:58in order to see beaver behaviour at close quarters.

0:18:58 > 0:19:01Beavers love apples. So I'm going to try and tempt them with one

0:19:01 > 0:19:07by sticking it on a spike like that,

0:19:07 > 0:19:09and sticking it in the water,

0:19:09 > 0:19:13right in front of the lens.

0:19:27 > 0:19:30HE LAUGHS

0:19:31 > 0:19:34I can't believe it!

0:19:34 > 0:19:42I can't believe it's doing it! I got it straightaway, it's right here.

0:19:42 > 0:19:43Oh, my heart!

0:19:43 > 0:19:45HE PANTS

0:19:48 > 0:19:51My heart is going completely wild.

0:19:51 > 0:19:56It's ten to three in the morning and suddenly the beaver

0:19:56 > 0:20:02just appeared in the canal, and we got it, I was so chuffed.

0:20:06 > 0:20:10Next, he tempted them with their favourite nibble, aspen leaves.

0:20:10 > 0:20:13That worked, look at that!

0:20:13 > 0:20:16Hopefully, when they get out of bed, they will be able to smell

0:20:16 > 0:20:21this aspen which we can't smell at all, doesn't smell of anything, just leaves.

0:20:21 > 0:20:26Apparently they can distinguish this from all the other trees in the area,

0:20:26 > 0:20:29and because there isn't any aspen in this immediate area,

0:20:29 > 0:20:32hopefully they'll come straight for it.

0:20:34 > 0:20:38I've been reliably informed this guy is called Christian

0:20:38 > 0:20:43and what he's trying to do is cut the tree so it falls into the water.

0:20:43 > 0:20:47It's safer and easier for him to have the tree in the water.

0:20:47 > 0:20:49Oh, there he goes!

0:20:49 > 0:20:51Look at the speed!

0:20:51 > 0:20:55Never seen a beaver move so fast, but the tree missed him.

0:20:55 > 0:20:57He just got out of the way in time.

0:20:57 > 0:21:00If you look back... Look, there it goes.

0:21:00 > 0:21:07It caught him completely by surprise, he leaps back really fast and then

0:21:07 > 0:21:09just gets out the way as fast as he can,

0:21:09 > 0:21:14gets into the safely of the water and just gets away with it.

0:21:16 > 0:21:21Charlie was having a bit of a laugh here with that tree not falling on the beaver

0:21:21 > 0:21:24but in the wild, falling trees are a significant cause

0:21:24 > 0:21:27of natural mortality for beavers.

0:21:27 > 0:21:33It does happen. What about the trial, because it's not without its fair share of controversy.

0:21:33 > 0:21:38Some people believe that beavers modify the environments and greatly enhance biodiversity,

0:21:38 > 0:21:40therefore they're good news for nature.

0:21:40 > 0:21:44On the other hand, there are people who fear that, when they become wild,

0:21:44 > 0:21:48they'll harm forestry, farming and fishing interests. What do you think?

0:21:48 > 0:21:52Please feel free to voice your opinions on our website.

0:21:52 > 0:21:54We've been catching up on the latest with the trial

0:21:54 > 0:21:57and since the summer, a youngster has been born

0:21:57 > 0:21:59and here's a photograph of it.

0:21:59 > 0:22:02We're not sure which sex it is yet but it's still doing well.

0:22:02 > 0:22:05We've also been in touch with the beaver trial

0:22:05 > 0:22:07to get some latest footage and this is what they've sent us.

0:22:07 > 0:22:11Here are the beavers and they're preparing for winter,

0:22:11 > 0:22:14there's lot of tree-felling and stocking-up

0:22:14 > 0:22:16for this difficult season.

0:22:16 > 0:22:18They're creating a larder of food stores

0:22:18 > 0:22:21because they're not a hibernating species and this is new,

0:22:21 > 0:22:24we've not seen these Scottish beavers doing this.

0:22:24 > 0:22:27They're making repairs to their lodges.

0:22:27 > 0:22:31They're doing really well, which is great news, and it's fingers crossed

0:22:31 > 0:22:35that the whole beaver trial moves closer to a successful conclusion.

0:22:35 > 0:22:40Let's change tack now and move off to one of Wales' most famous islands, Skomer,

0:22:40 > 0:22:43where Iolo Williams is getting to grips with puffins.

0:22:54 > 0:23:01Through winter, Skomer is a lonely place battered by Atlantic storms.

0:23:01 > 0:23:04But things start to liven up in mid-March

0:23:04 > 0:23:08when the island's most colourful residents return from a winter

0:23:08 > 0:23:11spent feeding far out at sea.

0:23:13 > 0:23:15As breeding season approaches,

0:23:15 > 0:23:18the puffins start to re-colonise the island.

0:23:23 > 0:23:26The birds reunite with their same mate from the previous year

0:23:26 > 0:23:30and they get to know each other again with a spot of bill-rubbing,

0:23:30 > 0:23:35a kind puffin foreplay.

0:23:36 > 0:23:39For birds who have rekindled their relationship,

0:23:39 > 0:23:41it's time for a spot of nest-building.

0:23:48 > 0:23:52Birds come back to the same part of the island every year.

0:23:52 > 0:23:55They can dig a new burrow but usually,

0:23:55 > 0:23:59they just make use of an already established one from a previous year.

0:24:02 > 0:24:06This is where they'll settle down to make the next of puffins.

0:24:10 > 0:24:14The sun is shining and the puffins are out on the water

0:24:14 > 0:24:17in their hundreds, so Mike the cameraman and I, are going to see

0:24:17 > 0:24:22if we can snorkel after them and have a closer look. Here we go.

0:24:25 > 0:24:28Outside the few months of the breeding season,

0:24:28 > 0:24:32puffins spend all their lives at sea.

0:24:32 > 0:24:37They don't rest on land, they rest on the surface of the water like this.

0:24:40 > 0:24:43They are expert divers.

0:24:43 > 0:24:48Look at that, zipping past. They really do fly under water.

0:24:51 > 0:24:56Sand eels are what the puffins are diving for. They are very oily,

0:24:56 > 0:25:00nutritious fish and definitely the puffin's favourite food.

0:25:00 > 0:25:05It's a big day when the first puffin is seen on the island with

0:25:05 > 0:25:09a beakful of fish because that means the first chick has hatched.

0:25:19 > 0:25:23I'm really excited about this because we promised you all week

0:25:23 > 0:25:26we'd try and get you a puffling, a young puffin,

0:25:26 > 0:25:30and we think we know where there's a burrow with a youngster in it.

0:25:32 > 0:25:36Look at that! Got a bit of a dusty head. A little puffling.

0:25:36 > 0:25:39Come on, Chris, I know we've got to be pretty quick as well.

0:25:39 > 0:25:43Are you going to weigh and measure?

0:25:43 > 0:25:46We're measuring the growth rates of the puffins

0:25:46 > 0:25:50so we can work out how successful they are doing through the season.

0:25:50 > 0:25:54So it's important work? Can I just point out one thing?

0:25:54 > 0:25:58Go in on the beak and see that light colour at the end?

0:25:58 > 0:26:00That's the egg tooth.

0:26:00 > 0:26:02Yes, a small, hard calcium deposit

0:26:02 > 0:26:05they use to help them escape from the egg.

0:26:05 > 0:26:10- How old is this one?- About ten days. - And it'll be in the burrow how long?

0:26:10 > 0:26:14Usually be fed for about three or four weeks and then the young

0:26:14 > 0:26:20will start to come out of the burrow, start exploring.

0:26:20 > 0:26:21This one weighs 85 grams,

0:26:21 > 0:26:24they'll be about 300 grams when they come to fledge.

0:26:24 > 0:26:26The adults are usually a bit heavier,

0:26:26 > 0:26:28about 400 grammes so he's doing well.

0:26:28 > 0:26:31You saw the little beak, which is not coloured at all.

0:26:31 > 0:26:35A bit of a surprise for most people and that will stay that colour

0:26:35 > 0:26:37for the first couple of years of its life.

0:26:37 > 0:26:42It will get bigger but they won't develop the colourful bills until they're about two years old.

0:26:42 > 0:26:44Ta-ta, puffling. Excellent.

0:26:44 > 0:26:47That's got to be just about the cutest thing I've ever seen

0:26:47 > 0:26:51and it gives me an excuse to use my favourite word of the week, puffling.

0:26:54 > 0:26:56Michaela, can you just image those poor puffins?

0:26:56 > 0:27:01They're not on the land but just sitting out right now on the freezing-cold sea.

0:27:01 > 0:27:03They've got feathers, Martin, they'll be all right.

0:27:03 > 0:27:06- Don't worry about them. - I'm worried about them.

0:27:06 > 0:27:12The unusual weather we had in 2011 didn't just affect birds

0:27:12 > 0:27:14but butterflies as well.

0:27:14 > 0:27:19The early spring meant that many species emerged substantially earlier than usual

0:27:19 > 0:27:23but then we had the coldest summer in 18 years

0:27:23 > 0:27:26and that meant that many butterflies suffered.

0:27:26 > 0:27:30But 2011 was a good year for butterfly research.

0:27:30 > 0:27:35We had the results of the biggest-ever survey of British butterflies

0:27:35 > 0:27:39and it showed that three quarters of the butterflies

0:27:39 > 0:27:42that breed in this country, their numbers are down.

0:27:42 > 0:27:45It feels that way. They're just not around so much.

0:27:45 > 0:27:51There was some good news of a different kind, as you seem to care about butterflies.

0:27:51 > 0:27:58There was the big butterfly count and 34,000 people took part in that.

0:27:58 > 0:28:01But it did confirm numbers were down. Some good news,

0:28:01 > 0:28:04small tortoiseshells that you see in the garden,

0:28:04 > 0:28:07peacocks as well, they are holding their own

0:28:07 > 0:28:10and some very good news, red admirals,

0:28:10 > 0:28:13that classic butterfly, their numbers are up 98%,

0:28:13 > 0:28:15so some positives.

0:28:15 > 0:28:19Although we had that cold summer, we then had the warm autumn

0:28:19 > 0:28:23which was very good for rare moths and we had loads of them

0:28:23 > 0:28:25migrating to this country, including your favourite.

0:28:25 > 0:28:29The hummingbird hawk-moth. It looks like a tiny hummingbird,

0:28:29 > 0:28:31like a little gentleman in a too-tight waistcoat.

0:28:31 > 0:28:36- A good description! - There was a survey this year

0:28:36 > 0:28:37and we asked you on Unsprung

0:28:37 > 0:28:40if you had seen hummingbird hawk-moths near you.

0:28:40 > 0:28:449,600 of you responded, an incredible number.

0:28:44 > 0:28:47There were hummingbird hawk-moths all the way from the Orkneys

0:28:47 > 0:28:52in the north to the Scilly Isles the south. The whole country had hummingbird hawk-moths.

0:28:52 > 0:28:55So a bit of bad new but a bit of good news as well.

0:28:55 > 0:28:58That's the natural world. Right, Chris! Kate!

0:28:58 > 0:29:02- Brilliant little things. - They are fantastic, aren't they?

0:29:02 > 0:29:09What I call dinky, fantastic to watch buzzing around. It's been a brilliant year for moths

0:29:09 > 0:29:12particularly this autumn with warm southerlies blowing migrants

0:29:12 > 0:29:16from further south in Europe into the south of England.

0:29:16 > 0:29:20Crimson-speckled, best year for 50 years, Oleander hawk-moth,

0:29:20 > 0:29:23a monster of a moth, and then something very special

0:29:23 > 0:29:25called a Clifden nonpareil,

0:29:25 > 0:29:27blue underwings, I wish I'd seen one of those.

0:29:27 > 0:29:31Got such fantastic names, moths. An incredibly diverse species.

0:29:31 > 0:29:34- there's so many things to look at.- Certainly is,

0:29:34 > 0:29:38and if you want to encourage these and butterflies to your garden there is plenty you can do.

0:29:38 > 0:29:41Think about planting things that produce lots of nectar

0:29:41 > 0:29:43but you've got to think about the caterpillars too,

0:29:43 > 0:29:48so research which food plants are appropriate for whichever species you may be able to help out.

0:29:48 > 0:29:52Another tip is, if you've got any fruit trees in your garden,

0:29:52 > 0:29:56leave some of the fallen fruit as they love to feed on that

0:29:56 > 0:30:00and try not to use pesticides particularly on or near the plants.

0:30:00 > 0:30:04We've got lots of tips on our website. Check those out.

0:30:04 > 0:30:08We have also had on our website, some quite tricky little soundscapes.

0:30:08 > 0:30:11Let's remind you of the summer one.

0:30:11 > 0:30:12ANIMAL NOISES

0:30:23 > 0:30:24That's my favourite.

0:30:24 > 0:30:26I knew you would like that one.

0:30:26 > 0:30:29They're not easy. I think there's some tricky ones in there, to be honest.

0:30:29 > 0:30:33Particularly the second one. If you got the second one, have a drink on me.

0:30:33 > 0:30:35Let's take a look and see what they were.

0:30:53 > 0:30:57Well, congratulations to all of you who got those questions right.

0:30:57 > 0:31:01- That was pretty tough. - Very, very tough, I'd say.

0:31:01 > 0:31:02Now, let's join Iolo again.

0:31:02 > 0:31:04This time he's underwater,

0:31:04 > 0:31:07exploring the wonderful marine world of Skomer.

0:31:17 > 0:31:22The waters are murky, but a lot of the murk in the water

0:31:22 > 0:31:24is actually tiny particles of food,

0:31:24 > 0:31:27that most of the animals here feed on.

0:31:28 > 0:31:32I tell you, the sheer variety of creatures

0:31:32 > 0:31:35and colours down here is just mind-blowing.

0:31:36 > 0:31:39This is a sea cucumber

0:31:39 > 0:31:44and the whole floor here is covered with them.

0:31:44 > 0:31:47Spider crab here. This is a small one.

0:31:47 > 0:31:49They can grow to be a metre across and more.

0:31:56 > 0:31:59This amazing looking thing is a Ross coral or,

0:31:59 > 0:32:04to give it its proper name, it's a potato crisp bryozoan.

0:32:04 > 0:32:07There's a fancy name for you.

0:32:07 > 0:32:10It's a whole series of minute little creatures living together and,

0:32:10 > 0:32:14if you look carefully, you can see a real fuzz along the surface.

0:32:14 > 0:32:19Those are tentacles, filtering all these nutrients out of the water.

0:32:19 > 0:32:21These, and so many other things,

0:32:21 > 0:32:25are able to flourish here on Skomer because it is a protected area.

0:32:25 > 0:32:29There is no trawling with nets, there are no boats mooring everywhere.

0:32:29 > 0:32:32These are beautiful but very, very fragile too.

0:32:35 > 0:32:40But there was one animal, above all the others, that I wanted to see.

0:32:43 > 0:32:46This is the pink sea fan.

0:32:46 > 0:32:49Usually associated with warmer waters,

0:32:49 > 0:32:52it's right at the northern edge of its range here on Skomer.

0:32:52 > 0:32:55It gives the place that kind of tropical feel to it.

0:32:55 > 0:33:00It's a soft coral, quite fragile, it will bend with the swell

0:33:00 > 0:33:02and they say that this, in cold water,

0:33:02 > 0:33:05grows at almost a centimetre every year,

0:33:05 > 0:33:09so this must be 50 to 60 years old.

0:33:09 > 0:33:13Look at it. Wrapped in it, is a dogfish egg case, look at that.

0:33:17 > 0:33:20Every square centimetre of rock is covered,

0:33:20 > 0:33:26either in sponges or anemones or seaweed.

0:33:33 > 0:33:36Skomer, what a fantastic place.

0:33:36 > 0:33:39If you've never been, put it on your list of things to do for 2012.

0:33:39 > 0:33:41Definitely do that.

0:33:41 > 0:33:44The reason that the marine life is so special around Skomer,

0:33:44 > 0:33:47is that it is a designated marine nature reserve.

0:33:47 > 0:33:51And the great news is that there's a petition out at the moment

0:33:51 > 0:33:54to protect a larger area of the sea around Skomer.

0:33:54 > 0:33:58It's one of 127 possible marine conservation zones

0:33:58 > 0:34:02that are being considered around the coast of the UK.

0:34:02 > 0:34:05We did hope that this network of marine protected areas

0:34:05 > 0:34:09would be finalised by January 2012.

0:34:09 > 0:34:12Unfortunately, there have been some delays.

0:34:12 > 0:34:14There's a bit more consultation needed.

0:34:14 > 0:34:18But we should know what areas of our spectacular marine environment

0:34:18 > 0:34:20are going to get protection, by July.

0:34:20 > 0:34:22We've got some more marine news, haven't we?

0:34:22 > 0:34:24Some of it's good, some of it's not so good.

0:34:24 > 0:34:28Basking sharks, not so many sightings of basking sharks in 2011.

0:34:28 > 0:34:29Nobody really knows why.

0:34:29 > 0:34:33Normally, you see them around the Isle of Man and of the southwest coast of Cornwall.

0:34:33 > 0:34:37But, good news, lots of sightings of jellyfish in 2011.

0:34:37 > 0:34:39Which you wouldn't think was a good thing

0:34:39 > 0:34:41but it did have a fantastic result, didn't it?

0:34:41 > 0:34:44It's good for leatherback turtles because they eat jellyfish,

0:34:44 > 0:34:46so lots of sightings of those.

0:34:46 > 0:34:49Best since 2005, which is fantastic news.

0:34:49 > 0:34:51Do you remember on Springwatch, Kate, you had a surfer guy...?

0:34:51 > 0:34:53Mickey Smith!

0:34:53 > 0:34:57Mickey Smith, loves the waves, got a great response from the viewers,

0:34:57 > 0:35:01so, back by popular demand, here is surfer dude Mickey Smith.

0:35:14 > 0:35:16I've always been around the sea,

0:35:16 > 0:35:18since I was born, I guess.

0:35:20 > 0:35:24Ever since, I spend half my life staring out to sea

0:35:24 > 0:35:28and the other half swimming around, staring back at that.

0:35:31 > 0:35:36Filming and photographing the sea has always come naturally to me.

0:35:36 > 0:35:45I like to try and open people's eyes a little bit to different perspectives of life around the sea.

0:35:48 > 0:35:52Photographing waves and the ocean has made me

0:35:52 > 0:35:56kind of take into account more of the details.

0:35:56 > 0:36:01Every single one of those waves is completely individual.

0:36:01 > 0:36:03No one wave breaks the same.

0:36:03 > 0:36:07It's like this crazy, ever-changing canvas.

0:36:15 > 0:36:20I like to set myself the challenge of going out

0:36:20 > 0:36:22and trying to capture one beautiful moment

0:36:22 > 0:36:25from each time I'm in the sea, you know?

0:36:26 > 0:36:30The little things around you, the little details,

0:36:30 > 0:36:33the light moving on the surface of the ocean,

0:36:33 > 0:36:37the mist hanging in the air after a wave

0:36:37 > 0:36:40or the rainbows through the spray off the back of a wave.

0:36:40 > 0:36:43Even over a couple of hours, things can change,

0:36:43 > 0:36:46a storm front can move through, the sky can go from purple to gold

0:36:46 > 0:36:50to black to grey to beautiful blue, you know?

0:36:50 > 0:36:53It's like all the stuff is constantly moving.

0:36:53 > 0:36:58The elements never stop moving around you and it's nice to feel

0:36:58 > 0:37:02like you are part of that and just observe it, you know?

0:37:06 > 0:37:10It's an amazing environment, it's so full of life.

0:37:10 > 0:37:13Totally mind blowing experience, catching waves with dolphins.

0:37:13 > 0:37:17They seem to be really doing it for fun and enjoying themselves.

0:37:19 > 0:37:22Sometimes you do meet solo dolphins who are like,

0:37:22 > 0:37:25they are just cruising around the coastlines on their own.

0:37:25 > 0:37:27There's one called Dusty.

0:37:30 > 0:37:33You can tell she just loves riding waves.

0:37:33 > 0:37:34She just cant really figure it out

0:37:34 > 0:37:37because obviously we are nowhere near as good at it as she is.

0:37:37 > 0:37:41She's trying to help us out and teach us a few tricks,

0:37:41 > 0:37:44but we're just not cut out for it really.

0:37:50 > 0:37:53A lot of the time you see birds using waves.

0:37:53 > 0:37:56Obviously, as a wave is moving through the ocean,

0:37:56 > 0:38:00a big wave anyway, it must create some kind of updraft

0:38:00 > 0:38:04and the birds seem to come along the face of the wave for ages,

0:38:04 > 0:38:06just gliding along it.

0:38:06 > 0:38:09I can't tell whether they are doing that for fun or whether

0:38:09 > 0:38:12they are doing that looking for fish, but it looks pretty fun to me.

0:38:12 > 0:38:14I wish I could do it.

0:38:17 > 0:38:23I like that feeling of isolation and being around the wilderness,

0:38:23 > 0:38:27when it's really raw and there is lots of energy flying around,

0:38:27 > 0:38:29all over the place.

0:38:43 > 0:38:45I think you end up feeling scared a lot

0:38:45 > 0:38:49because you are in an environment that's totally beyond your control.

0:38:49 > 0:38:52If there was no fear involved in going in the sea,

0:38:52 > 0:38:56it wouldn't half as much fun, most of the time.

0:38:56 > 0:38:59You learn good lessons for life in general

0:38:59 > 0:39:02from putting yourself in those situations, really.

0:39:02 > 0:39:05You can't help but be humbled by that. I think it's good for you.

0:39:07 > 0:39:13It's good for you to be taken out of thinking you're in control of your life

0:39:13 > 0:39:16and put into a situation where you are not,

0:39:16 > 0:39:18and learn to be OK with that.

0:39:22 > 0:39:24What a fabulous film.

0:39:24 > 0:39:26Now, at this time of year,

0:39:26 > 0:39:29it's actually a very good time to go down to the seaside.

0:39:29 > 0:39:31Why? Get some drama in your life.

0:39:31 > 0:39:35Look at this photograph, taken by John Moncrieff in Shetland.

0:39:35 > 0:39:37Look at the drama there.

0:39:37 > 0:39:39But also, second thing,

0:39:39 > 0:39:43it's a very good time to see some wildlife, unexpected wildlife.

0:39:43 > 0:39:46Here is another photograph from John Moncrieff. What's that?

0:39:46 > 0:39:50A humpback whale. Photographed just a couple of weeks ago.

0:39:50 > 0:39:53In fact, whales have been seen all round the British coast this winter.

0:39:53 > 0:39:57And there's a third reason to go to the seaside, go beachcombing.

0:39:57 > 0:40:01You might find something special to challenge that erudite man,

0:40:01 > 0:40:04that walking encyclopaedia, Mr Chris Packham.

0:40:16 > 0:40:19Now that is a very beautiful thing. Where did you find it?

0:40:19 > 0:40:23I found it on a pebbly beach in South Wales.

0:40:23 > 0:40:26I was looking on the pebbles to see if I could find any shells

0:40:26 > 0:40:28and I found the skull. I didn't know what it was.

0:40:28 > 0:40:31- Why do you think it's a skull? - Because of the shape.

0:40:31 > 0:40:34That's like the ears, and eye-sockets.

0:40:34 > 0:40:37First thing I can say, it isn't a skull.

0:40:37 > 0:40:39I think I know why you think it's a skull

0:40:39 > 0:40:41and that's because it's symmetrical and because, as you say,

0:40:41 > 0:40:44it's got what you think are eye sockets here.

0:40:44 > 0:40:48In fact, this is a hip bone.

0:40:48 > 0:40:53And those sockets there are where the leg bones of this animal

0:40:53 > 0:40:56- would have been placed. It's very light, isn't it?- Yeah.

0:40:56 > 0:41:00If you put that on the ground and there was a gust of wind, it would blow away.

0:41:00 > 0:41:03Which animals wouldn't want to be heavy?

0:41:03 > 0:41:08Probably... maybe fish or birds.

0:41:08 > 0:41:11Birds. It's a seabird hip girdle.

0:41:11 > 0:41:15It could be a gull. Plenty of seagulls die on beaches.

0:41:15 > 0:41:18But it's a very, very beautiful object, isn't it?

0:41:18 > 0:41:21For those of you who think that I'm chief geek,

0:41:21 > 0:41:25I've got to say, I was outshone by 15-year-old Alex Rhodes.

0:41:25 > 0:41:29It's... I'd go for one of the small warblers.

0:41:29 > 0:41:32I'm thinking along Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler.

0:41:32 > 0:41:36I'm thinking, because it's a little more yellow underneath the wing,

0:41:36 > 0:41:37I'm going to go for willow warbler.

0:41:37 > 0:41:40- HE TUTS - Well, you were on the right track.

0:41:40 > 0:41:44If you turn it back over, we've really gone into the nitty-gritty details here.

0:41:44 > 0:41:47- I like the nitty-gritty, so come on. - Excellent. OK.

0:41:47 > 0:41:49Let's take one of these primary feathers.

0:41:49 > 0:41:52You can see it's got this lovely little green tinge to it.

0:41:52 > 0:41:54About here,

0:41:54 > 0:41:58it dips in towards the ratchet, so it runs parallel, dips in,

0:41:58 > 0:42:00- that's what we call an emargination. - Yeah.

0:42:00 > 0:42:04Now, the key difference between a Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff,

0:42:04 > 0:42:08forgetting all the other things like song and perhaps body colour,

0:42:08 > 0:42:11is the number of emarginations on a primary feather.

0:42:11 > 0:42:13That's marvellous, go on.

0:42:13 > 0:42:16Primary number six is the key.

0:42:16 > 0:42:19We look at that and, you tell me, is there emargination?

0:42:19 > 0:42:22There is, just towards the end of it.

0:42:22 > 0:42:25OK, so that's pretty much given us the definitive answer.

0:42:25 > 0:42:29If there is emargination on the sixth primary, it is a Chiffchaff.

0:42:29 > 0:42:34It's a Chiffchaff! An emarginated sixth primary, what a fool I feel!

0:42:34 > 0:42:35HE LAUGHS

0:42:35 > 0:42:37I love the detail!

0:42:40 > 0:42:43That was fantastic! You were out-geeked!

0:42:43 > 0:42:45I was out-geeked but I enjoyed being out-geeked.

0:42:45 > 0:42:48He was a remarkable young man and I learned something.

0:42:48 > 0:42:49There's nothing more exciting than that.

0:42:49 > 0:42:52But, moving from a small, charming bird to a much larger

0:42:52 > 0:42:54and more magnificent species.

0:42:54 > 0:42:57This is Saxon. Thanks very much, Neil, for bringing Saxon in.

0:42:57 > 0:43:00What a gorgeous bird, a golden eagle!

0:43:00 > 0:43:04It always amazes me just how enormous they are when you get this close.

0:43:04 > 0:43:08- It's one thing seeing them in the sky. Two metre wingspan, can we see that?- Yes.

0:43:08 > 0:43:11Will she put her wings out? Oh, look at that!

0:43:11 > 0:43:13Is just awesome, isn't it, Chris?

0:43:13 > 0:43:15It is an awesome bird. Look at the talons too.

0:43:15 > 0:43:18I mean, you just wouldn't want to be predated,

0:43:18 > 0:43:20to be quite honest, would you?

0:43:20 > 0:43:23- We saw them on Isla.- Yeah! We had really good views, didn't we?

0:43:23 > 0:43:27Top views of a bird in flight, a young bird, which was excellent.

0:43:27 > 0:43:29But, of course, we also saw that other bird on the ground,

0:43:29 > 0:43:32feeding on a rabbit, which was a top treat as well.

0:43:32 > 0:43:34They do pretty well in Isla don't they, Chris?

0:43:34 > 0:43:36They are pretty much at carrying capacity,

0:43:36 > 0:43:39that means, all of the birds that can live there, are living there.

0:43:39 > 0:43:42Western Scotland has been a stronghold for some time

0:43:42 > 0:43:44but one of the things we've got to think about these birds is,

0:43:44 > 0:43:47because they can feed on such a wide variety of prey,

0:43:47 > 0:43:50they once occurred all over the UK, not just the Highlands of Scotland,

0:43:50 > 0:43:53but into southern England as well. And, indeed, all over Europe.

0:43:53 > 0:43:56And it's really only through human persecution that they've

0:43:56 > 0:43:58been pushed to the extremities these days.

0:43:58 > 0:44:02- But they are simply stunning. - It's the top tick.

0:44:02 > 0:44:05- It's a top tick to see in the wild! - It certainly is.

0:44:05 > 0:44:09A top tick to see this one here now. Neil, thanks very much indeed.

0:44:09 > 0:44:12Moving from one magnificent animal to another,

0:44:12 > 0:44:15Charlie Hamilton James went to Scotland with a new piece of technology,

0:44:15 > 0:44:19which allowed us some extraordinary views of the Atlantic Salmon.

0:44:31 > 0:44:34Now, when a salmon leaps, it's so fast,

0:44:34 > 0:44:37it's got be fast to get up that waterfall.

0:44:37 > 0:44:39What we've got here, is a super slow motion camera.

0:44:39 > 0:44:42This will slow everything right down.

0:44:45 > 0:44:48Of course, it doesn't matter how fancy your camera is,

0:44:48 > 0:44:52if you are not paying attention, you don't get the shot.

0:44:52 > 0:44:54Ah, nearly had that one!

0:44:56 > 0:44:58Way-hay!

0:44:58 > 0:45:00HE LAUGHS

0:45:00 > 0:45:03Well, I pressed the button, let's hope I got it.

0:45:03 > 0:45:05I certainly did get it

0:45:05 > 0:45:09and the slow motion reveals something of how the salmon jump.

0:45:10 > 0:45:14As it flies upwards through the air, this fish has its pectoral fins,

0:45:14 > 0:45:18those are the ones just behind its gills, tucked in,

0:45:18 > 0:45:21clearly making itself as streamlined as possible,

0:45:21 > 0:45:25in the hope of making a successful leap.

0:45:25 > 0:45:28But the fish hasn't done enough to reach the top

0:45:28 > 0:45:31so now it pushes those pectoral fins outwards,

0:45:31 > 0:45:36to slow itself down and cushion its blow as it hits the water.

0:45:36 > 0:45:39Something I never would have seen with the naked eye.

0:45:41 > 0:45:44It's interesting the difference in some of these fish.

0:45:44 > 0:45:48Some are huge, some are small, some are silver, some brown.

0:45:48 > 0:45:50The brown ones have been in the river longer,

0:45:50 > 0:45:52some of them have been here since the spring

0:45:52 > 0:45:56and they've been waiting for these autumn rains to fill the rivers up,

0:45:56 > 0:45:59to allow them to head up to spawn.

0:45:59 > 0:46:02The more silvery fish are more recent.

0:46:02 > 0:46:04Some of them might have just come from the sea but

0:46:04 > 0:46:08because the rivers are now swollen, they can get up river to spawn.

0:46:08 > 0:46:12Woah! Did you see that?

0:46:13 > 0:46:14That was massive!

0:46:16 > 0:46:18Let's check I got it.

0:46:18 > 0:46:23This is clearly one of those fish, straight from the sea.

0:46:23 > 0:46:27It's a beautiful, rich mix of silvers, blues and purples.

0:46:30 > 0:46:32Amazing shots. Don't you love it?

0:46:32 > 0:46:35The sheer effort of those salmon to swim upstream

0:46:35 > 0:46:36all in the name of procreation.

0:46:36 > 0:46:40And that slow motion really captures that fantastic

0:46:40 > 0:46:42journey that they make.

0:46:42 > 0:46:45The leap! Right, time for Autumn soundscape.

0:46:45 > 0:46:48Quite tricky again, but have a listen to these sounds.

0:46:48 > 0:46:51GRUNTING ANIMAL SOUNDS

0:46:53 > 0:46:55Number one, not too bad.

0:46:55 > 0:46:57ANIMAL SOUNDS

0:46:57 > 0:47:00Oh, yeah. I think I know what that is.

0:47:00 > 0:47:03HONKING ANIMAL SOUNDS

0:47:07 > 0:47:10They all start sounding the same.

0:47:10 > 0:47:14Very, very difficult sounds. Beck Train, thank you very much.

0:47:14 > 0:47:17You got a couple of them right, but not all of them.

0:47:17 > 0:47:19Should we find out what they were? How many do you think you got?

0:47:19 > 0:47:24- I would say two, confidently. Maybe three.- Two for me as well.

0:47:24 > 0:47:27Number one I definitely got. Here are the answers.

0:47:48 > 0:47:51Answer number one, Kate, was Fallow Deer which reminds me

0:47:51 > 0:47:54of one of my highlights from Autumnwatch,

0:47:54 > 0:47:57which was to go out in the woods with gamekeeper Martin Heaven,

0:47:57 > 0:47:59to follow the Fallow Deer rut.

0:48:02 > 0:48:05We know we are getting close now because that very distinctive sound,

0:48:05 > 0:48:08I don't know if you can hear it, just have a listen,

0:48:08 > 0:48:14that sort of bellowing noise, that is the Fallow Deer buck.

0:48:14 > 0:48:16And that's him calling the females in.

0:48:16 > 0:48:19DEER BELLOWS

0:48:27 > 0:48:28That was great.

0:48:29 > 0:48:31That was excellent.

0:48:31 > 0:48:35We actually saw him go past, chase the doe,

0:48:35 > 0:48:38and his antlers just looked spectacular.

0:48:41 > 0:48:45Listen to him, he's not stopping, he's not giving up on that doe.

0:48:45 > 0:48:46Can you see him?

0:48:46 > 0:48:48Yeah, I can see him chasing.

0:48:56 > 0:48:58Here he comes.

0:49:00 > 0:49:04And it's great because those does haven't spotted us yet.

0:49:05 > 0:49:09Well, you can pretty much see what's happening here.

0:49:09 > 0:49:11The buck is trying to keep the does in this area

0:49:11 > 0:49:13because this is his territory.

0:49:13 > 0:49:17Every time the does go off, he starts bellowing to call them in

0:49:17 > 0:49:21and then tries to push them back .

0:49:23 > 0:49:25DEER BELLOWS

0:49:28 > 0:49:32You do occasionally see a younger male, it's called a prickett,

0:49:32 > 0:49:34try and mate one of the does.

0:49:34 > 0:49:37This particular prickett is black

0:49:37 > 0:49:42and this coloured difference isn't unusual in Fallow Deer.

0:49:42 > 0:49:45They don't seem very interested and I'm sure it's not successful,

0:49:45 > 0:49:48but they like to have a go.

0:49:49 > 0:49:51He's been here for virtually a week.

0:49:52 > 0:49:56- Calling like that right through... - Right through the day?

0:49:56 > 0:49:59And the night. He's a real good buck.

0:50:00 > 0:50:03For me, it's been a brilliant day out.

0:50:04 > 0:50:07DEER BELLOWS

0:50:11 > 0:50:14It's a wild and wintry scene on the estuary,

0:50:14 > 0:50:17very different from what it looked like during Springwatch.

0:50:17 > 0:50:21You may remember that Chris and I would stand out on this point

0:50:21 > 0:50:26and we would be watching the herons, the heronry was just nearby.

0:50:27 > 0:50:31And the buzzards were nesting in the trees, just across there.

0:50:32 > 0:50:36But there was one nest that kept us all on the edge of seats.

0:50:36 > 0:50:41In fact, it was a historical moment that Springwatch witnessed.

0:50:41 > 0:50:46The nest was just across the Dyfi estuary, about half a kilometre away.

0:50:46 > 0:50:50That nest, of course, belonged to Nora, an osprey.

0:50:50 > 0:50:55She laid three eggs and of those three eggs all hatched.

0:50:55 > 0:50:58The first time that ospreys had successfully

0:50:58 > 0:51:01bred in Wales for over 100 years.

0:51:01 > 0:51:05You can imagine how excited we were on the Springwatch team

0:51:05 > 0:51:08but the Wildlife Trust Dyfi Osprey Project were beside themselves

0:51:08 > 0:51:10and quite right too.

0:51:10 > 0:51:13So, after Springwatch, during the summer,

0:51:13 > 0:51:17we got in contact with the world osprey expert, Roy Dennis.

0:51:17 > 0:51:20He is the only man in the UK,

0:51:20 > 0:51:24licensed to fit the birds with radio transmitters.

0:51:24 > 0:51:27Each osprey was given a number and name.

0:51:27 > 0:51:29The only female was called Leri

0:51:29 > 0:51:31and her brothers were Dulas and Einion.

0:51:33 > 0:51:37Those satellite tags enabled Roy to follow every moment of the osprey's

0:51:37 > 0:51:42progress as they migrated from here all the way down to West Africa.

0:51:44 > 0:51:47I've come to find out how our ospreys are getting on

0:51:47 > 0:51:49in their new winter home.

0:51:51 > 0:51:55From the GPS data we have for the birds, we think that sadly Leri,

0:51:55 > 0:52:00the only female, died soon after she arrived.

0:52:00 > 0:52:04But the good news is that Einion and Dulas are both still alive

0:52:04 > 0:52:08and currently stopped in different parts of Senegal.

0:52:09 > 0:52:14Dulas is out of reach for this trip but I'm crossing the Gambia River

0:52:14 > 0:52:19and heading up the Senegalese coast to see if I can find Einion.

0:52:22 > 0:52:27Before I do that, I want to see why the ospreys make such a huge effort,

0:52:27 > 0:52:31flying well over 3,000 miles, to come here.

0:52:31 > 0:52:34So I'm stopping at one of the most famous osprey wintering areas

0:52:34 > 0:52:39in West Africa, the Sine Saloum Delta in Senegal.

0:52:43 > 0:52:46There's just so much food for ospreys here in these warm,

0:52:46 > 0:52:48productive Delta waters.

0:52:51 > 0:52:53Once the ospreys have got their breakfast,

0:52:53 > 0:52:57most of them are heading over to one particular island,

0:52:57 > 0:52:58L'ile Des Oiseaux,

0:53:01 > 0:53:03Island Of The Birds.

0:53:04 > 0:53:08There are so many ospreys here but I really want to get

0:53:08 > 0:53:12a closer look at the ones eating their fish on the beach.

0:53:16 > 0:53:20That is a brilliant view of this osprey.

0:53:20 > 0:53:24It's a female, really broadly striped at the front.

0:53:25 > 0:53:30What is really interesting, is that there is a Slender-Bill Gull,

0:53:30 > 0:53:33and the Osprey is allowing the gull to take

0:53:33 > 0:53:36some of the fish from its bill, without attacking it.

0:53:39 > 0:53:41It's incredible behaviour.

0:53:41 > 0:53:44I just have not read about that, I didn't know it occurred,

0:53:44 > 0:53:45I've never seen it myself.

0:53:48 > 0:53:52But now it's time to get on our way and see if we can find Einion.

0:53:53 > 0:53:59Samoan Lagoon is the 7,000 hectare area of mangrove, open lagoon,

0:53:59 > 0:54:03tidal mudflats and fish-filled channel.

0:54:03 > 0:54:04This one.

0:54:04 > 0:54:09What we are looking for is a bird with a blue ring on its right leg.

0:54:10 > 0:54:13And we should be able to see the aerial of Einion's

0:54:13 > 0:54:15satellite transmitter on his back.

0:54:23 > 0:54:25Difficult to know whether to look left or right,

0:54:25 > 0:54:27behind you or in front of you.

0:54:27 > 0:54:29There it is!

0:54:33 > 0:54:35No.

0:54:35 > 0:54:39Our search is feeling more and more hopeless.

0:54:39 > 0:54:41But then...

0:54:41 > 0:54:44There is one just above us. Is it Einion?

0:54:44 > 0:54:46Have we found him at last?

0:54:46 > 0:54:48- That's him!- Oh, yes!

0:54:48 > 0:54:51- Excellent!- Yeah, I see it.

0:54:51 > 0:54:54There he is, suddenly come up over the mangrove

0:54:54 > 0:54:56and coming out here to fish.

0:54:56 > 0:54:57Look at this other one.

0:54:57 > 0:54:59- THEY CHEER - We got it.

0:55:01 > 0:55:04There is no doubt this is Einion.

0:55:04 > 0:55:06As we slow the footage down,

0:55:06 > 0:55:09you can just see the satellite transmitter on his back.

0:55:11 > 0:55:13Roy, I think you need a hug.

0:55:13 > 0:55:15HE LAUGHS

0:55:16 > 0:55:18Really good.

0:55:18 > 0:55:23For the local fishermen too, this is an exciting moment.

0:55:24 > 0:55:27THEY SPEAK FRENCH

0:55:27 > 0:55:29This is really interesting.

0:55:29 > 0:55:32These fishermen have seen the osprey all their lives

0:55:32 > 0:55:36but never really believed they came from the north of Europe.

0:55:36 > 0:55:40And today, they have seen the transmitter on Einion

0:55:40 > 0:55:44and it has now convinced them that that story is true.

0:55:44 > 0:55:48But I think that that's the important issue

0:55:48 > 0:55:51about these transmitters,

0:55:51 > 0:55:55they are linking our countries, they are linking Wales with Senegal,

0:55:55 > 0:56:00Northern Europe with Gambia and Guinea-Bissau.

0:56:00 > 0:56:04It's so important we work together for the conservation of ospreys,

0:56:04 > 0:56:07over the whole of our globe.

0:56:22 > 0:56:24It was an odyssey, mate. An odyssey.

0:56:24 > 0:56:26An osprey odyssey and an odyssey for Roy too.

0:56:26 > 0:56:30And some fantastic new technology for science.

0:56:30 > 0:56:31We were lucky, really.

0:56:31 > 0:56:33It was each huge risk, you know, putting those on because

0:56:33 > 0:56:35one third normally make it.

0:56:35 > 0:56:37So we did well. We were lucky.

0:56:37 > 0:56:40Those youngsters won't come back here next year

0:56:40 > 0:56:43but what we're hoping is that the adults will and produce another brood.

0:56:43 > 0:56:46- We might go through the whole thing again.- Fantastic.

0:56:46 > 0:56:48Well, the osprey migration may be impressive,

0:56:48 > 0:56:51goes to West Africa, but what about swallows?

0:56:51 > 0:56:53A bird that has been featured regularly on Springwatch

0:56:53 > 0:56:57goes even further, goes all the way to South Africa.

0:56:57 > 0:57:00Now, I was in Cape Town recently, guys, and very near to where I was,

0:57:00 > 0:57:06was this amazing reed-bed where 1,000s of them roost, every night.

0:57:06 > 0:57:09- Thousands?- And you see them come in, 10,000 they will get up to.

0:57:09 > 0:57:12At the moment it's about 8000, I think.

0:57:12 > 0:57:15More and more are arriving all the time. They started arriving in November.

0:57:15 > 0:57:18And you see them, swirling around and coming in to the reed-beds

0:57:18 > 0:57:20- every night for protection. - I would love to see that!

0:57:20 > 0:57:24We see swallows normally singly or in pairs or maybe in small groups

0:57:24 > 0:57:27before they start on their migration, leaving here.

0:57:27 > 0:57:31But I'd love to see 10,000 sparkling, little, blue birds

0:57:31 > 0:57:33all whirring around together, in person.

0:57:33 > 0:57:36- To be there would be incredible. - It's a real spectacle.

0:57:36 > 0:57:39What would be incredible, is if we can tag those one day

0:57:39 > 0:57:42and follow them all the way back.

0:57:42 > 0:57:45It's coming. We will, I think. We've got the tags on the nightingales.

0:57:45 > 0:57:49They're getting smaller, so maybe we'll be able to follow them one day.

0:57:49 > 0:57:52Well, from swallows back to Santa Packham

0:57:52 > 0:57:54and some amazing Christmas presents.

0:58:06 > 0:58:08Tell me a bit about it then. Where did you find it?

0:58:08 > 0:58:13- I found it on Porth Beach, which is near Newquay, in Cornwall.- Oh, yes.

0:58:13 > 0:58:15It was in the back of a very shallow cave.

0:58:15 > 0:58:17If I just flip it over,

0:58:17 > 0:58:21because that is perhaps the more interesting side, isn't it?

0:58:21 > 0:58:23Have you any idea at all what it is?

0:58:23 > 0:58:27We've had every suggestion from a baby hammerhead shark through

0:58:27 > 0:58:30to part of a lobster and even a dinosaur foot.

0:58:30 > 0:58:33A dinosaur foot? I think that's the most imaginative of the answers.

0:58:33 > 0:58:36I don't think the person was particularly serious.

0:58:36 > 0:58:40This is basically a pharyngeal tooth,

0:58:40 > 0:58:41a throat tooth,

0:58:41 > 0:58:45of a species called the Ballan Wrasse.

0:58:45 > 0:58:51Ballan Wrasse are fish that you find around the coast of the UK.

0:58:51 > 0:58:53They grow to about 60 centimetres long.

0:58:53 > 0:58:57- And this is used for grinding up their food.- Oh.

0:58:57 > 0:59:01Because the fish eating things such as crustaceans, crabs,

0:59:01 > 0:59:05shrimps, if it's a large fish, maybe even small lobsters.

0:59:05 > 0:59:10And it needs to be able to break them up before it can digest them.

0:59:10 > 0:59:13I must touch it straight away, if that's all right.

0:59:13 > 0:59:17- It can be touched, can it?- You can touch it, you can lick it.- Lick it?

0:59:17 > 0:59:20- Just don't bite it.- Doesn't have any smell, it's quite inert.

0:59:20 > 0:59:24- I'm going down the lines of Coprolite.- Yes, exactly. But whose?

0:59:24 > 0:59:28- Which means it's semi-fossilised poo.- Whose poo?

0:59:28 > 0:59:31These animals are not extinct, but they have gone extinct locally.

0:59:31 > 0:59:34- Extinct in the UK?- Yes, that's right.- And this was found in the UK?

0:59:34 > 0:59:36This was found in the UK, in Norfolk.

0:59:36 > 0:59:41So it could be what we would think of as an exotic animal, then?

0:59:41 > 0:59:44I can give you some other examples, if that helps you, from exactly the same place.

0:59:44 > 0:59:48I thought this one was the closest to what you would find today in East Africa.

0:59:48 > 0:59:51Well, you mention it's still extant in other places in the world.

0:59:51 > 0:59:54- Yeah, East Africa.- In East Africa. - It's well known for being...

0:59:54 > 0:59:56So, then we're thinking a safari-type creature,

0:59:56 > 0:59:59and then you've got a whole range of predators, including hyena.

0:59:59 > 1:00:00Is it hyena?

1:00:00 > 1:00:03- It is, it's spotted hyena. - Marvellous.

1:00:03 > 1:00:10Now, I've always said that poo was important, and now I can say it's poo-laeontologically important, too!

1:00:13 > 1:00:15Chris Packham, a man never happier than

1:00:15 > 1:00:18when he's in the presence of poo, don't you find?

1:00:18 > 1:00:20Talks about it all the time on Autumnwatch!

1:00:20 > 1:00:23Anyway, it's time for our fourth and final soundscape.

1:00:23 > 1:00:26It is the winter soundscape. Some of them are quite tricky, aren't they?

1:00:26 > 1:00:28They were, yeah. Have a listen to it.

1:00:28 > 1:00:30LOW RUMBLING

1:00:30 > 1:00:32- Have you been eating something? - Sorry about that!

1:00:32 > 1:00:34It's either that, or someone's nodded off.

1:00:34 > 1:00:36BIRDS SING

1:00:36 > 1:00:38- Now, that's quite... - Yeah, I think I'd get that one.

1:00:38 > 1:00:40DIFFERENT BIRDS CALL Think cold winter mornings.

1:00:40 > 1:00:42HIGH-PITCHED BIRD CALL

1:00:42 > 1:00:44- Now that one I'd get. - You should get...

1:00:44 > 1:00:47- That one's really hard. Really hard.- I'd be surprised if anyone got that one.

1:00:47 > 1:00:49PHEASANT CALLS That one's nice and easy.

1:00:49 > 1:00:53Well, it is for you, because you live in the countryside, you probably hear it all the time.

1:00:53 > 1:00:56I do, I do hear it, but it was surprising, we had lots and lots of people

1:00:56 > 1:01:02entering the soundscape competition, but not any of you getting all six right, did we?

1:01:02 > 1:01:04A lot of people thought there was a rutting deer in there.

1:01:04 > 1:01:06I can tell you now that wasn't a rutting deer...

1:01:06 > 1:01:09- ..but there was something, I'm just going to go.- OK, you go off.

1:01:09 > 1:01:12I'll tell you, somebody did get three right answers.

1:01:12 > 1:01:16Steve, the Black Knight said bull grey seal, blackbird alarm, pheasant.

1:01:16 > 1:01:17All those three are right.

1:01:17 > 1:01:19He did put in green woodpecker as number four.

1:01:19 > 1:01:22I can tell you that wasn't right, and in fact,

1:01:22 > 1:01:25Kate is coming up the stairs now with a clue of what number four was.

1:01:25 > 1:01:28It was, of course, a tawny owl.

1:01:28 > 1:01:32That is a wonderful, iconic winter sound.

1:01:32 > 1:01:35KATE IMITATES A TAWNY OWL

1:01:35 > 1:01:39This is Troy, just to show you the magnificent bird that makes that sound,

1:01:39 > 1:01:44and this is really the time of year, isn't it, Mick, that you hear it all over the place.

1:01:44 > 1:01:48In the woods around us, at home, when we take the dogs out last thing at night, they're all calling,

1:01:48 > 1:01:53establishing territories, ready for their very early breeding season.

1:01:53 > 1:01:56In fact, this is the peak time. It starts in the autumn,

1:01:56 > 1:01:59and then winter is the real time that you hear that sound.

1:01:59 > 1:02:03During Autumnwatch, Chris and I had a great experience watching a tawny owl in Sheffield in a cemetery.

1:02:03 > 1:02:08It was so atmospheric, and we could really hear the different calls, it was brilliant.

1:02:08 > 1:02:11So that was one of the answers, but what were the other five?

1:02:11 > 1:02:14Well, we'll let you know right now.

1:02:15 > 1:02:20GREY SEAL ROARS

1:02:20 > 1:02:24BLACKBIRD CALLS

1:02:24 > 1:02:27FOXES BARK

1:02:27 > 1:02:30TAWNY OWL CALLS

1:02:30 > 1:02:33BUTTERFLY MAKES ALARM CALL

1:02:33 > 1:02:37PHEASANT CALLS

1:02:39 > 1:02:42A peacock butterfly hibernating alarm call. That was the hardest one.

1:02:42 > 1:02:46- That really was tough, yeah. - I think Packham would get that! Where is he?

1:02:46 > 1:02:48Well, not only does he like to rummage around in poo,

1:02:48 > 1:02:52but he generally likes rummaging, and he's doing it with Martin.

1:02:52 > 1:02:55- You got your probe in? - The probe's in, Chris, and it's revealing information.

1:02:55 > 1:02:59Martin, look at this. I am really, really excited. I've discovered something.

1:02:59 > 1:03:03You know that peacock butterfly that we've just heard making that extraordinary sound?

1:03:03 > 1:03:09"Ultrasonic clicks produced by the peacock butterfly, a possible bat-repellent mechanism."

1:03:09 > 1:03:10Mole and Miller, '75.

1:03:10 > 1:03:17"The power spectrum of the click matches the most sensitive area of a bat's audiogram.

1:03:17 > 1:03:23The clicks might serve as acoustic equivalents of the attack-retarding eyespot display

1:03:23 > 1:03:24in the same species."

1:03:24 > 1:03:30Basically, hibernating butterflies are repelling bats, which would otherwise eat them.

1:03:31 > 1:03:33I mean, I just can't... It's amazing!

1:03:33 > 1:03:38While they are hibernating, they're emitting this sound that is repelling the bat?

1:03:38 > 1:03:41- Science is wonderful, mate, isn't it?- It's beautiful.

1:03:41 > 1:03:44- There's more science, here. Have a look at this.- It's amazing, isn't it?

1:03:44 > 1:03:47Now, here is the legendary compost heap that we met in Springwatch,

1:03:47 > 1:03:52which was full of grass snakes, and you can see why, as well.

1:03:52 > 1:03:56It's cold now, maybe four or five degrees for us, but look.

1:03:56 > 1:04:01Even now, in the compost heap, that thermal probe is telling us it's 10 degrees in there.

1:04:01 > 1:04:02- 10 degrees.- Double the heat.

1:04:02 > 1:04:05And that's why the snakes came here in the summer,

1:04:05 > 1:04:08because this was considerably warmer than the ambient temperature here,

1:04:08 > 1:04:11and they came, I think, to lay their eggs in here,

1:04:11 > 1:04:14and it was acting as a great incubator for them,

1:04:14 > 1:04:17and they would have come from hundreds of metres around here to this one particular spot,

1:04:17 > 1:04:19but they're not in there now, even though it's warmer,

1:04:19 > 1:04:22because at this time of year, what they're principally interested

1:04:22 > 1:04:27in is a stable, low temperature, so they've probably found some rodent burrows somewhere,

1:04:27 > 1:04:31perhaps somewhere they've been before. They learn the spots and return to them,

1:04:31 > 1:04:34and at a lower constant temperature, it means they've got enough

1:04:34 > 1:04:37fat reserves to get through the hibernating process.

1:04:37 > 1:04:38So, the grass snakes that were in here,

1:04:38 > 1:04:41even the little ones that we missed hatching out, sadly,

1:04:41 > 1:04:45they wriggled off and they're all hibernating around us now.

1:04:45 > 1:04:48- Wonderful.- Now, as well as grass snakes on Springwatch this year,

1:04:48 > 1:04:53we also looked at arguably the most charismatic of our snakes, the adder.

1:04:53 > 1:04:56An amazing animal, and I met an amazing lady.

1:04:56 > 1:04:59So amazing, actually, that she was worthy of the Geek Award!

1:05:00 > 1:05:03The adder is Britain's only venomous snake,

1:05:03 > 1:05:06and as such, has very few friends amongst the general public,

1:05:06 > 1:05:12yet it's actually a very secretive snake, and adder bites on humans are rare.

1:05:12 > 1:05:17Their striking zigzag patterning helps them blend into their favourite habitat,

1:05:17 > 1:05:21but it's also now being used to identify individuals.

1:05:21 > 1:05:25It's as unique to an adder as a fingerprint is to a human.

1:05:25 > 1:05:28This remarkable discovery was just one of the insights

1:05:28 > 1:05:32into the snake's world made by 74-year-old Sylvia Sheldon.

1:05:32 > 1:05:35Sylvia, you have to tell me, how did you get into adders?

1:05:35 > 1:05:41I started photographing them, and cutting their heads out

1:05:41 > 1:05:47and sticking them in this ancient little book. I was aware that they were very individual.

1:05:47 > 1:05:51How many do you think that you've identified over the years?

1:05:51 > 1:05:55- Hundreds, yes, hundreds. - And they're all different? - And they're all different.

1:05:55 > 1:05:58This is one of the most incredible documents that I've ever had the privilege to handle.

1:05:58 > 1:06:00I was once able to handle some of Darwin's notes,

1:06:00 > 1:06:04and some of Wallace's specimens, but this is right up there.

1:06:04 > 1:06:08It's absolutely exquisite. Shall we go and see some real snakes?

1:06:08 > 1:06:09I think we should, yes.

1:06:09 > 1:06:14It took no time at all for Sylvia to lead me to one of her study snakes.

1:06:16 > 1:06:17Yes, this is Marie.

1:06:19 > 1:06:21She's only a young female.

1:06:22 > 1:06:24Could be her first breeding year.

1:06:24 > 1:06:28- How old is young? - Six and a half.

1:06:28 > 1:06:32But if six and a half is young, how old is old?

1:06:32 > 1:06:38The oldest one we have on the site, I think she's about 32.

1:06:38 > 1:06:40Sylvia's dedication is infectious,

1:06:40 > 1:06:44and it's rubbed off on her grandson, Alonso, and her close friend, Chris.

1:06:44 > 1:06:47They've now joined her in a new project to radio tag

1:06:47 > 1:06:51some of her best-known snakes, and map their daily movements.

1:06:51 > 1:06:57Interpreting these maps is helping to reveal much, much more about how adders use their habitat.

1:06:57 > 1:07:01- So it started under this tree.- Yes.

1:07:01 > 1:07:05He went up here, and was mating and combating.

1:07:05 > 1:07:09This is quite a traveller. This is the Marco Polo of adders!

1:07:09 > 1:07:12- So, this is the pond here. - That's right.

1:07:12 > 1:07:15- So he crossed over the stream a bit further up.- Yes.

1:07:15 > 1:07:21This project has just given us so much information about the habitat that adders will use,

1:07:21 > 1:07:28and really, it's going to help a lot with management in the future, we hope.

1:07:28 > 1:07:29I certainly hope so.

1:07:29 > 1:07:32Sylvia's work, and the insight into adder life it's revealing,

1:07:32 > 1:07:38is truly worthy of Geek status, so I struck a deal involving, surprise, surprise,

1:07:38 > 1:07:40a cup of tea and a stuffed poodle.

1:07:40 > 1:07:45Well, Sylvia, you kept your side of the bargain. A fine cup of tea, biscuits at the ready.

1:07:45 > 1:07:48You can make your acceptance speech now, I'm going to sit back and enjoy it.

1:07:48 > 1:07:52Oh, I feel very privileged to have... Mr Scratchy?

1:07:52 > 1:07:54Scratchy, yes, red collar. He's the studious one.

1:07:54 > 1:08:00Very privileged to have this award. Thank you, Chris!

1:08:01 > 1:08:04Now, I couldn't let Chris have Sylvia all to himself,

1:08:04 > 1:08:07and those tags kept revealing fascinating information.

1:08:07 > 1:08:09I went to meet her myself.

1:08:14 > 1:08:19Now, the Geek Award definitely seemed to bring Sylvia and her team some good luck,

1:08:19 > 1:08:25because since the tagging project began, they've been able to track the adders far more easily,

1:08:25 > 1:08:27with some surprising results.

1:08:28 > 1:08:32- So, Sylvia, this is one of your main study areas, here.- Yes.

1:08:32 > 1:08:36Something rather curious happened with those tags. Tell us about that.

1:08:36 > 1:08:39Well, we found just the tags, with no adders on them.

1:08:39 > 1:08:45- Right.- But these tags, we had to dig around in the undergrowth below ground for them.

1:08:45 > 1:08:52They'd rubbed off as they were actively feeding,

1:08:52 > 1:08:55seeking prey underground.

1:08:55 > 1:08:57- Now that's a revelation, isn't it?- It is.

1:08:57 > 1:09:03So they're going right underground into the vole runs to hunt them, and nobody knew that.

1:09:04 > 1:09:07- Well, we certainly didn't! - We didn't!

1:09:09 > 1:09:12But there's another mystery Sylvia wants to solve.

1:09:12 > 1:09:15Where do the females have their young, and where do they hibernate?

1:09:17 > 1:09:21Time for me to tag Double Diamond, a female that they suspect is pregnant.

1:09:22 > 1:09:25- Is it Double Diamond?- It is, yeah.

1:09:25 > 1:09:30So, if this all goes well, we'll actually find out where she hibernates,

1:09:30 > 1:09:33- and maybe even where she gives birth.- Indeed, yep.

1:09:33 > 1:09:38Alonso, I just want to mention that she is actually, very slowly, coming out!

1:09:38 > 1:09:42- Right, OK.- I can feel it sliding down!- Let's put her back. I'll put my gloves on.

1:09:42 > 1:09:45Not that I'm bothered at all, but she is actually coming out!

1:09:45 > 1:09:49- I can feel her coming through my hand!- If you take your hand away...

1:09:49 > 1:09:51Oh, yes.

1:09:51 > 1:09:56She's watching your every move, isn't she? What a beautiful animal.

1:10:00 > 1:10:05- What happened, then?- They all fell off! But that's not surprising.

1:10:05 > 1:10:09Those snakes are moving through that rough undergrowth, you know, she is going to lose a few.

1:10:09 > 1:10:12But actually, it's exciting, because Sylvia will not give up,

1:10:12 > 1:10:15and she still needs to know, where do they give birth, and where do they hibernate?

1:10:15 > 1:10:18We'll be there in Springwatch, and we'll try and find out ourselves.

1:10:18 > 1:10:21- What an incredible lady! - Incredible lady, incredible study.

1:10:21 > 1:10:25Marvellous, and she also makes very fine fruitcake as well, Chris!

1:10:25 > 1:10:29- You got fruitcake?- Fruitcake, yeah. - I didn't get any fruitcake.

1:10:29 > 1:10:30Michaela!

1:10:30 > 1:10:36Now, another animal that likes to head underground was followed by thousands of you

1:10:36 > 1:10:38on the Autumnwatch website.

1:10:38 > 1:10:40It was, of course, our family of badgers,

1:10:40 > 1:10:42and we had a first for the programme,

1:10:42 > 1:10:45we put live cameras into a badger's set,

1:10:45 > 1:10:48which meant that we could all have a look at their behaviour.

1:10:48 > 1:10:50Now, the badger's set was on a farm in Devon,

1:10:50 > 1:10:52there were several badgers there.

1:10:52 > 1:10:56They were tempted out each night by peanuts and apples,

1:10:56 > 1:11:00but we were also able to follow them into the set and see their behaviour there,

1:11:00 > 1:11:06where we saw them grooming each other, they made a bed, and most memorable of all,

1:11:06 > 1:11:09we heard them snoring!

1:11:09 > 1:11:11BADGERS SNORE

1:11:11 > 1:11:14Just listen to that! For me, that was a magic Autumnwatch moment.

1:11:22 > 1:11:23Awww! Snuggly badger.

1:11:23 > 1:11:25There's nothing better than a snuggly badger,

1:11:25 > 1:11:27but there is another little creature

1:11:27 > 1:11:29that is snuggling down for the winter

1:11:29 > 1:11:30as we speak, and it is, of course,

1:11:30 > 1:11:33our prickly little friend, the hedgehog.

1:11:33 > 1:11:36But hedgehogs are seen less and less in our gardens these days.

1:11:36 > 1:11:42There just aren't so many of them around, but there are 23 million gardens in the UK.

1:11:42 > 1:11:43Have you counted them all yourself?

1:11:43 > 1:11:47I've actually got the figure, and it ends in three! I've got the exact number!

1:11:47 > 1:11:53But there's about half a million hectares of potential hedgehog habitat in those gardens,

1:11:53 > 1:11:57but there's a problem. They're fenced in.

1:11:57 > 1:12:02Yes, and that means that hedgehogs are effectively trapped in very small areas,

1:12:02 > 1:12:07and they need much more space, so, rather brilliantly, the People's Trust For Endangered Species

1:12:07 > 1:12:11came up with an initiative called Hedgehog Street, and they asked you,

1:12:11 > 1:12:17the great British public and garden owner, to cut little holes in your garden hedges

1:12:17 > 1:12:19so that hedgehogs could move about.

1:12:19 > 1:12:23- Has it worked? Has it ever! - There's been an incredible response.

1:12:23 > 1:12:2817,500 of you signed up to Hedgehog Street.

1:12:28 > 1:12:32It's such a simple idea, anyone can do it, and yet the effect could be profound.

1:12:32 > 1:12:36It really could, and what that means is that our little individual

1:12:36 > 1:12:42gardens are now being joined up to become that giant national nature reserve

1:12:42 > 1:12:47that really does good, positive things for our wildlife, so thank you very much indeed.

1:12:47 > 1:12:49Brilliant, and there's another survey come out,

1:12:49 > 1:12:53the People's Trust For Endangered Species, bit of a mouthful, that, excuse me, got my teeth in!

1:12:53 > 1:12:57They're doing another survey, another quick snapshot of hedgehogs,

1:12:57 > 1:12:59and they'd like you to get involved, please.

1:12:59 > 1:13:00It starts on February 1,

1:13:00 > 1:13:02and there's the website coming up on your screen now.

1:13:02 > 1:13:06- There you are, look, there it is. - So, sign up for that, and let's help our hedgehogs.

1:13:06 > 1:13:07Help our hedgehogs, but don't forget

1:13:07 > 1:13:09there are other creatures this winter

1:13:09 > 1:13:14that will need your help, including our feathered friends, the birds.

1:13:14 > 1:13:17BIRDS CHIRRUP

1:15:02 > 1:15:03Woo-hoo!

1:15:08 > 1:15:10Look at this bird feeder!

1:15:10 > 1:15:13It's amazing, there's a constant stream of birds coming down to feed.

1:15:13 > 1:15:19Now, Russell Jones has joined us. He's one of the wardens here at the Ynys-hir RSPB reserve.

1:15:19 > 1:15:23Russell, obviously this is the time of year it's really important to keep feeding your birds.

1:15:23 > 1:15:27Yeah, winter's a vital time to feed. They need the energy to survive the cold weather

1:15:27 > 1:15:30that we're going to get, and also so they're in good condition

1:15:30 > 1:15:33when it comes to the breeding season as well, so it is vitally important.

1:15:33 > 1:15:37I can't believe how they just continue. They're not bothered by us, are they, Chris?

1:15:37 > 1:15:40Obviously, we're talking about helping birds, which is incredibly important,

1:15:40 > 1:15:42but also you can help yourself get great views of them,

1:15:42 > 1:15:45because if you're feeding them, you can get them to come closer to you.

1:15:45 > 1:15:48These things are less than a metre away from us, really,

1:15:48 > 1:15:50and another interesting thing is birds do change their cultures.

1:15:50 > 1:15:53We're all used to seeing blue tits, great tits, greenfinches on our feeders,

1:15:53 > 1:15:57but in recent times we've learned how to feed goldfinches by putting out a different food,

1:15:57 > 1:16:00Niger seed, and whereas on the continent, for many years,

1:16:00 > 1:16:03bullfinches have been going to feeders, they've now started

1:16:03 > 1:16:05doing it in the UK, and there's nothing better than a male bullfinch

1:16:05 > 1:16:08on your bird feeder, and even longtail tits, in some areas,

1:16:08 > 1:16:10have started to come to feeders too, so it's a constant change.

1:16:10 > 1:16:14You can get some good comedy moments when the squirrels try and get their seeds, as well.

1:16:14 > 1:16:17I don't mind that, I live and let live. I'm happy to share with the squirrels.

1:16:17 > 1:16:20I know some people don't like it, but it's Christmas, give them some nuts!

1:16:20 > 1:16:23It's also great to get these out in time for the RSPB big garden birdwatch,

1:16:23 > 1:16:27- that's the end of January, isn't it? - Yes, the 28th and 29th.

1:16:27 > 1:16:31We want people to watch as many birds as they can within an hour and mark them all down.

1:16:31 > 1:16:34- Yes.- Definitely get involved with that. There's details on the website.

1:16:34 > 1:16:38And it's a brilliant study, it's been generating data now for years and years,

1:16:38 > 1:16:42showing really significant trends and changes in those sort of things, so it's well worth doing.

1:16:42 > 1:16:47And now a piece from Kate, about one of the festive season's most iconic plants.

1:16:55 > 1:16:58# Hey, I thought you'd know

1:16:58 > 1:17:02# That a kiss under the mistletoe

1:17:02 > 1:17:05# With a walk out through the snow. #

1:17:07 > 1:17:10Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a sprig of mistletoe to kiss under,

1:17:10 > 1:17:14but the plant that we think of as quintessentially romantic

1:17:14 > 1:17:17actually has a rather sinister alter-ego.

1:17:19 > 1:17:25This ancient orchard in Somerset is full of cider trees, and has an abundance of mistletoe.

1:17:25 > 1:17:31This has created a habitat with ten times the amount of wildlife to that found in a grass field,

1:17:31 > 1:17:36and maintaining it is the responsibility of Neil McDonald.

1:17:37 > 1:17:40I don't think I've ever seen so much mistletoe.

1:17:41 > 1:17:44Well, Kate, that's true, and we actually have got quite a problem here in this orchard,

1:17:44 > 1:17:50where it really has taken a hold, and you can see just how dense it's become.

1:17:51 > 1:17:54And, interestingly enough, it produces a white berry, which is very unusual,

1:17:54 > 1:17:58and there are not that many birds that associate a white berry with a food source,

1:17:58 > 1:18:01but the mistle thrush and black caps do, so it's a very important part for them.

1:18:01 > 1:18:05There are one or two other quite rare things that live on mistletoe, too,

1:18:05 > 1:18:07the mistletoe marble moth, and one or two weevils,

1:18:07 > 1:18:11I think there's five that are very specific to mistletoe itself, so an important habitat to maintain.

1:18:11 > 1:18:15The mistletoe gets spread from tree to tree when the birds eat the berries

1:18:15 > 1:18:21and excrete the live seeds that stick onto the branches, where they germinate.

1:18:22 > 1:18:25Mistletoe is a partial parasite, which means that

1:18:25 > 1:18:31although its green leaves provide these apple trees with some energy,

1:18:31 > 1:18:36it also sends a root under the bark into its host to gather nutrients there,

1:18:36 > 1:18:41and it's this that can drain the tree to such an extent it will eventually kill it.

1:18:42 > 1:18:46So, you're really torn, because this is a plant that's destroying your trees,

1:18:46 > 1:18:49but you're obviously a man who loves your wildlife,

1:18:49 > 1:18:53and it does provide a fantastic resource for some really special species.

1:18:53 > 1:18:56It's really trying to get the balance of the two,

1:18:56 > 1:18:59because there comes a point where the mistletoe takes over.

1:18:59 > 1:19:04If you want to remove mistletoe from a tree, you need to cut the branch from which it is growing on,

1:19:04 > 1:19:07and remove the whole branch, not just coppice the mistletoe.

1:19:12 > 1:19:15You can see how thick it can make the branch,

1:19:15 > 1:19:17and it really does, it doubles it up.

1:19:17 > 1:19:21So that bulge in the branch, there,

1:19:21 > 1:19:24is actually the roots of the mistletoe pushing up under the bark?

1:19:24 > 1:19:28- Absolutely right. - Isn't that extraordinary?

1:19:28 > 1:19:30And you can see two lovely white berries on this one.

1:19:30 > 1:19:34- They're almost like pearls, these berries, aren't they? - Yeah, rather pretty, aren't they?

1:19:34 > 1:19:38But actually quite poisonous, and certainly would give you a really nasty tummy ache

1:19:38 > 1:19:39if you tried to eat them.

1:19:39 > 1:19:41# Mistletoe. #

1:19:42 > 1:19:48So, the final question has to be is mistletoe something you kiss under at Christmas?

1:19:48 > 1:19:50Should I answer that?

1:19:52 > 1:19:54- I'm going to tell you something. - Go on.

1:19:54 > 1:20:00- I've never kissed under mistletoe. - Doesn't remotely surprised me!

1:20:00 > 1:20:03- I'm not surprised at all! Two fascinating mistletoe facts. - Go on.

1:20:03 > 1:20:06There's a male and female plant. The male plant is a little bit more bushy,

1:20:06 > 1:20:10and it has yellow flowers in spring time, and here's the other one.

1:20:10 > 1:20:12Never let mistletoe touch the ground,

1:20:12 > 1:20:15because it hovers between the sky and the earth,

1:20:15 > 1:20:19and in the old days, people said if it touched the ground it's earthed, it loses its power,

1:20:19 > 1:20:21so cut it and make sure it hangs.

1:20:21 > 1:20:23- Doesn't touch the ground. - Is that not an old wives tale?

1:20:23 > 1:20:28- Come on! Bit of romance!- Did you notice, look, the new tea cosy.

1:20:28 > 1:20:32- Thank you very much to Lynn Hardman, that's absolutely gorgeous. - Mistletoe!

1:20:32 > 1:20:35- Female mistletoe.- Pearly berries.

1:20:35 > 1:20:38Thank you also to all of those who sent photographs into our Flickr site.

1:20:38 > 1:20:41We had some really good ones. I've got some here on this tablet.

1:20:41 > 1:20:45Badger in the bluebells, there. Two swans having a head-to-head.

1:20:45 > 1:20:49Lots of dynamic action. A beautiful blue butterfly on an orchid.

1:20:49 > 1:20:53Nice contrasting colours there. Some deer gambolling over the hill in silhouette.

1:20:54 > 1:20:58A lot of action there. Quite a simple photo, and the simplicity, I think, really

1:20:58 > 1:21:03adds to a strength in the photo, and then this one of a large, lumbering leviathan,

1:21:03 > 1:21:05sinking into the ocean. A solitary animal.

1:21:05 > 1:21:07Chris! A large, lumbering leviathan?

1:21:07 > 1:21:13- It just came out.- He's talking about a whale.- How does he do it? - It just came out, I'm sorry!

1:21:13 > 1:21:16- What about you, though? Any favourites?- Oh, I love this one.

1:21:16 > 1:21:22Where's it gone? There it is. Gorgeous. Very tranquil scene. Avocet, of course.

1:21:22 > 1:21:26A very beautiful-looking bird, taken by Peter in Epping Forest. Stop it!

1:21:26 > 1:21:29- You were being so nice about all the others!- I know, I'm sorry.

1:21:29 > 1:21:31You've shocked me!

1:21:31 > 1:21:34Look at this. Graham Munton. Look at that for colour.

1:21:34 > 1:21:38- Don't say a word about those berries. - Glorious!- I know what you're going to say. Quick, Michaela.

1:21:38 > 1:21:42Watch his face on this one, Kate. This is my favourite.

1:21:42 > 1:21:47I mean, that is pure cutesy-wootsey festive cheer, look at that, from Bird Woman.

1:21:47 > 1:21:48Is that your favourite, Chris?

1:21:48 > 1:21:51What do you mean, Michaela? It's perfect.

1:21:51 > 1:21:56I know I'm very, very critical, I always am, but I have to say there really were some superb photographs

1:21:56 > 1:21:59sent in this year, so keep them coming, ready for next year.

1:21:59 > 1:22:02Yes, and thank you very much indeed.

1:22:02 > 1:22:07Yes indeed, and now it's time for Bill Oddie's Christmas guide to festive fun.

1:22:09 > 1:22:11# Memories

1:22:11 > 1:22:14# Like the ripples on a reservoir. #

1:22:15 > 1:22:17I don't believe this, look at this.

1:22:17 > 1:22:21This is my bird notebook from 1958,

1:22:21 > 1:22:26when I was 17. What have we got here?

1:22:26 > 1:22:30"Bartley Reservoir. One black-throated diver."

1:22:30 > 1:22:32Oh dear. Look at the date.

1:22:33 > 1:22:3625th of December, Christmas Day,

1:22:36 > 1:22:41and all I've got to do is go out birdwatching on my own.

1:22:42 > 1:22:44How sad is that?

1:22:45 > 1:22:49Actually, it's not sad at all, because a black-throated diver's a fantastic bird!

1:22:49 > 1:22:54The first I'd ever seen. As a matter of fact, the best Christmas present I'd ever had.

1:22:54 > 1:22:59You see, the thing is, nature doesn't close down for Christmas,

1:22:59 > 1:23:03and it might just give you something a little bit exciting just when you need it.

1:23:05 > 1:23:07So, here are my top five

1:23:07 > 1:23:09wild Christmas party games

1:23:09 > 1:23:11for all the family.

1:23:11 > 1:23:16Why don't you try my number five, Hunt the Hibernators?

1:23:16 > 1:23:19To play this, you can stay inside the house,

1:23:19 > 1:23:25or maybe just have a little excursion into the garage, or maybe the garden shed.

1:23:25 > 1:23:27You are, of course, looking for butterflies.

1:23:27 > 1:23:32Easy enough to see when they're flapping around in the sunshine,

1:23:32 > 1:23:38but almost impossible when they're hanging up in the dark with their wings folded,

1:23:38 > 1:23:41which is exactly how some species spend the winter.

1:23:41 > 1:23:46Others winter as pupae in their individual cosy sleeping bags.

1:23:47 > 1:23:49And some even migrate.

1:23:49 > 1:23:54OK, number four. Search for Songsters.

1:23:54 > 1:23:59Rather appropriately, the bird which sings both day and night

1:23:59 > 1:24:04and in summer and in winter is the festive fowl himself.

1:24:04 > 1:24:05The robin.

1:24:05 > 1:24:12In fact, the summer song is rather more exuberant and cheerful and energetic,

1:24:12 > 1:24:17and the winter song is a little more wistful.

1:24:18 > 1:24:20Almost sad, perhaps.

1:24:20 > 1:24:26At number three, inevitably, it's tracking in the snow,

1:24:26 > 1:24:31though odds are that nine tenths of them will turn out to be dogs,

1:24:31 > 1:24:35or cats, or cows, or other people looking for animal and bird tracks.

1:24:37 > 1:24:42So, bit of advice. Get out early, and the only footprints should be wild.

1:24:44 > 1:24:50And get yourself a really good book, or an identification chart like this one,

1:24:50 > 1:24:57and even better, perhaps, take a photograph, then go home and look them up on the Internet.

1:24:57 > 1:25:03If it doesn't snow, why don't you just try number two, Name the Nest.

1:25:04 > 1:25:10Trees almost leafless now, revealing the bare black branches,

1:25:10 > 1:25:13and it reveals little clumps.

1:25:13 > 1:25:16Every now and again there's a little dark clump.

1:25:16 > 1:25:23For example, up there there's quite a big dark clump, which is no doubt a squirrel's drey.

1:25:23 > 1:25:28The rest of the clumps of all shapes and sizes are birds' nests.

1:25:28 > 1:25:32I reckon that is a wood pigeon's nest.

1:25:32 > 1:25:35It's flimsy, it's precarious, which is surprising, because a wood

1:25:35 > 1:25:40pigeon is a big, plonky, tubby thing, and if you're wondering, well,

1:25:40 > 1:25:45surely the eggs and the babies, don't they fall off, every now and again?

1:25:45 > 1:25:48And the answer is yeah, they do.

1:25:49 > 1:25:53Now, surely no Yuletide is complete without

1:25:53 > 1:26:00the wonder of a Christmas show, and I do not mean soap stars in tights,

1:26:00 > 1:26:03I mean something natural, yes.

1:26:03 > 1:26:07At number one, it's a Natural Spectacular.

1:26:07 > 1:26:11Of course, depending where you are in the country, the cast may vary.

1:26:11 > 1:26:16Wild geese in Scotland, wild swans in East Anglia,

1:26:16 > 1:26:23waders in Norfolk, gulls on the city dump, and of course, starlings at their roost.

1:26:24 > 1:26:31It's a show that will and must go on, whether there is an audience or not.

1:26:31 > 1:26:33And why don't you make this your New Year's resolution?

1:26:33 > 1:26:39Go out and see the real thing, and when you've done that, go out and see it again.

1:26:39 > 1:26:43And again, and again, and again, because after all,

1:26:43 > 1:26:48wildlife is not just for Christmas, it's for life.

1:26:48 > 1:26:54Top tips from Bill Oddie, surely the perfect antidote to Christmas overindulgence.

1:26:54 > 1:26:59Now, you lot didn't get me any presents, so I'm taking these back for a refund!

1:26:59 > 1:27:04But very fortunately, some of our viewers have very kindly sent presents.

1:27:04 > 1:27:07- Martin, your slippers were ruined during Autumnwatch.- They were.

1:27:07 > 1:27:11- Julie Hallam has made these for you. - Made them for me?- They're beautiful!

1:27:11 > 1:27:14They're gorgeous! Right, I'm going to put them on.

1:27:14 > 1:27:17And while you're doing that, the Brown family had you in mind,

1:27:17 > 1:27:21Chris, and they made you a festive poo necklace.

1:27:21 > 1:27:24- That's courtesy of their rabbit! - Thanks.- Classic!

1:27:24 > 1:27:26- I thought you'd love that. - It's brilliant.

1:27:26 > 1:27:30And Michaela, I think you're going to have to have these, because neither Chris or I have pierced ears,

1:27:30 > 1:27:34but these earrings come courtesy of the Brown family goshawk.

1:27:34 > 1:27:38Pellet earrings, there you are! What you've always wanted.

1:27:38 > 1:27:40Absolutely charming! I think I'll keep my pelicans in.

1:27:40 > 1:27:44Chris, we've got a classic for you. Eve Russell has sent you these.

1:27:44 > 1:27:47Look! Poodles to go on your Christmas tree.

1:27:47 > 1:27:50- What more could you want?- Absolutely brilliant, and you know what?

1:27:50 > 1:27:54I reckon I could get these two to sing.

1:27:54 > 1:27:57CHRIS GROWLS

1:27:57 > 1:27:58They're still in disgrace.

1:28:00 > 1:28:04Well, sadly, we've almost come to the end of the show, but we want to say a huge thank you,

1:28:04 > 1:28:06not just for all these magnificent presents,

1:28:06 > 1:28:09but for everything that you've contributed to the shows throughout the year.

1:28:09 > 1:28:12We really couldn't do them without you.

1:28:12 > 1:28:14Look out for Winterwatch, that'll be coming on to your screens

1:28:14 > 1:28:18sometime in the New Year, when it gets really cold.

1:28:18 > 1:28:23And of course, we've all got our fingers crossed that 2012 will be a fabulous year for British wildlife,

1:28:23 > 1:28:26and you can rest assured that if it is, we'll be bringing it to you.

1:28:26 > 1:28:29Have a very happy New Year.

1:28:29 > 1:28:30ALL: Bye! Happy New Year!

1:28:49 > 1:28:52Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

1:28:52 > 1:28:55E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk