South West Urban Jungle

half hour Sam and I will be travelling the length and breadth of

the South West to show you the extraordinary range of wildlife we

have in our towns and cities. It's literally on our doorsteps. We'll be

meeting the passionate people and volunteers that are working hard to

transform some of our most valuable wildlife places and showing you how

over Exeter with some of our most exciting birds of prey. I'm pretty

happy with that, that was pretty special. And meeting Cornwall's show

stopping waterfowl. And I'll be exploring Plymouth's green spaces.

Are you ready to go bughunting? Yeah! Uncovering the hidden

creatures that live among us. Long spidery legs. Wolf spider. All that

Britain's oldest canal in the historic city of Exeter. Built by

the Romans in 40AD as their most Westerly outpost. It was favoured by

them because it had a river, an important feature for any

civilization. It now has a population of 120,000 and growing

but, as I found out, it's not just a desirable place for people to live,

some surprising wildlife has also settled in. In Exeter is a

well-connected city. Laying just off the motorway network

it is a real transport hub. It is also a hub for city wildlife and

just a stones throw from the M5 is an unlikely refuge that I am keen to

treatment works, it is unlikely to be anywhere near the top of anyone's

wildlife hotspot list, however, behind it are the old sludge beds. I

know it does not sound much better, the word sludgebeds, but where once

the city's sewage was finally broken down, there exists a wildlife oasis.

These sewage settlement lagoons were abandoned in 1969 and taken over by

Devon Wildlife Trust. They've allowed it to revert to a natural

wetland habitat. Ed Hopkinson is the reserve's warden. An in. You have

open water down there, but the rest of it is redeveloped and wetland. I

have never actually been here. I have passed it that way and on the

motorway, but I have never been in the middle like this. It is a nice

spot. What are the highlights?Reed beds are actually quite species

poor, but there is an awful lot hidden in there. They are secretive

places with watercolours of various tape.

Although its kept wet all year round, access through the reserve is

made possible by a series of boardwalks. They are maintained by a

in new boardwalks. Why do you do this? I don't know! We must be mad,

but that is the same with a lot of people in conservation. It is when

you see the wider benefit of the -- of this, we are only seeing it now.

You think, what difference does it make? And you come to a site like

this and you hear the birds and CD flowers and all the butterflies and

things like that. It is one of the most positive ways that people can

help. To volunteer their time. Thanks to their hard you can get up

close and personal with some wonderful wildlife. Like these wasps

building their nest in the sludge. What they've done is chewed up some

dead wood fibres and they're laying them down like a rough paper Mache.

This tortoiseshell butterfly is When it comes to spotting birds it

is great to be able to put a name to what you see. That can seem

intimidating but a few basic tips will get you well on your way.

Firstly get yourself a pair of binoculars. Top tip when you're

using binoculars, once you have them set up properly, make sure distance

between those is right for you. Then move barrels apart until you get a

nice clearly defined circle. None of this business, where you have two

circles overlapping, not James Bond view of the world. Once you've got

that set up its just a case of getting them on the bird. Another

tip, look at the bird, but don't go down to your binoculars and lift

them up. Stay looking at the bird and just lift the binoculars up to

your eyes. There it is. Absolutely brilliant. Then you just enjoy it

and I bet you you'll have a mobile phone on your hip. What's wonderful

about these things is that you can get little apps which are

effectively massive, big bird guides full of information. There are all

round brilliant multi-media bird guids, relatively cheap, sit on your

hip until you need them. -- multimedia bird gates. Right let's

get busy. We've also got easy to use bird guides on our website,

The Sludgebeds have been an insight into how our industrial landscapes

can be transformed into wildlife habitats. But I'm leaving them

behind now andheading into Exeter city centre because I'm hoping to

catch a glimpse of a family that have moved into another unlikely

This is St Michael's and All Angels church and as you can see it is slap

bang in the middle of town. And just up there in the middle window at the

base of the spire is something very special. It is not just about

angels. There is a couple of peregrine falcons nesting there,

they have a family. This means that shopping in Exeter, as far as I'm

concerned, is never, ever dull. I'm meeting an expert on these birds,

and as it happens an old birding friend of mine, Nick Dixon. He's

been watching the Peregrines here every week for the past 16 years.

The 3rd of June 1997 was the last time you and I were here. You keep

coming back! I do! That June was the first year I -- the first year the

bread, I have come back on a weekly basis recovering fallen creatives.

There is very little that is actually safe from the wood pigeon

size in Wheatstone to some of the smallest wall blows that are not

potential prey. Make is not the only one hooked on the pelicans, Lizzie

lives opposite the church and keeps an eye on them from her front room.

I am very jealous. Echoes a great view. Do you watch soap operas is on

TV or just look out the window? don't want any soap opera 's!

Lizzie doesn't just watch the birds antics outside the church - she's

also been following their progress from inside, thanks to a webcam on

the nest. I have been dashing to the church twice per week, downloading

to end a half hours of footage each time. There is great stuff on there.

The webcam footage shows both parents tirelessly bringing the

hungry chicks food, round the clock. But now the young birds are out of

the nest box, fully fledged and learning to fend for themselves. The

sky is their playground and their playful displays are a treat to

Peregrines are cooling machines. And as we're watching, we see something

incredibly rare. We are getting into the sticks there. See you after!

The adult pair launch a coordinated attack on a hapless buzzard. I've

never seen anythinglike this before. That was pretty impressive. It was

good that you saw it, people get the impression we make this up! Why are

they doing it? A buzzard is not a create, it is a big bird. This is

territorial spree -- a territorial display. The peregrines are at their

most aggressive, they are keeping the sky clear for their young.

was pretty special. And to see it in -- in the middle of the city.

Impressive. Exeter's been full of surprises.

I've witnessed some incredibly rare peregrine behaviour and seen the

abundance of species that have moved back into the old sludge beds. It is

proof that cities can offer unusual opportunities for wildlife to

Urban reserves like Exeter's sludge beds are important stepping stones

for wildlife, providing routes to get to, through and beyond our

cities. But our parks, allotments and gardens are vital too. For us,

they're a place to relax or like the volunteers here at Devonport Park

you can roll your sleeves up and get stuck in. But, when it comes to city

wildlife, it's sometimeswhat you don't do that makes all the

difference. I spent a day in Plymouth's green spaces finding out

that a little untidiness can go a Early morning in central Plymouth.

And before most of us start our daily commute, the city's

fine-feathered residents are already up and in full voice. I'm at Ford

Park Cemetery with some of Plymouth's early risers to soak up

the sounds of the dawn chorus. This is a place you'd usually associate

with quiet contemplation. But in the natural world the cemetery is alive

with activity. Running the tour is the Chairman of

Ford Park Cemetery trust, John Boon. I can hear jackdaw performing again.

He wants to show people the surprising variety of birds we have

right in the middle of town. There is a challenge over there. It has a

very chunky cold, just like that. -- very chunky cold. Whistling. They

are starting at different times. Have you heard a blackbird?

haven't. That is the wood pigeon queueing away. I don't know if you

can hear it, the one over there. I think he has the Napoleon syndrome,

probably. Sometimes it seems a bit like all sound, all of these

different calls, but with practice you can pick up the song of the

blackbird, the rent, not the rent on this occasion! There it is. It's

just these that little bit of practice, just to get out in the

morning. If you get out early it is the reward, that stillness and then

gradually the song starts. When it first opened In 1848 the

Cemetery would have been on the outskirts of the city surrounded by

farm land. Today urban life has wrapped itself around thesite, but

the 34 acres within the cemetery walls remain a peaceful haven.

trust has it difficult balancing act between the deafening expectations

of people. This is a cemetery but at the same time we tried to treat

nature sympathetically. So there is nothing a reverent about trying

this, trying to create something else here. This as a place for the

loving as well as the dead, it is a place where people can come and

enjoy nature and get in touch with the seasons, if you like, in the

middle of the town. That is important.

Although areas like these war graves have to be kept very tidy, there are

parts of the park that are allowed to grow wild, making the cemetery

ideal for all kinds of mini beasts, and that makes it the perfect site

for the city's Big Bug Hunt. Are you spider. Where was it?On the grass.

One and! We have the bush cricket. We know it is a bush cricket and not

a grasshopper because it has long antennae, with this cricket the

antennae are as long as the body but the grasshopper has led the study

antennae. But not all creatures are so keen to

be caught on camera - some take a little persuasion. We are just going

to tap the tuning fork in the wall, and hold it against the web. Is it

the noise of the tuning fork or the vibration? It is the vibrations that

tease it out because it thinks there is a nice juicy fly there. I can see

some long spider legs. This is a wolf spider that has come out to see

what is on the menu. At Ford Park Cemetery I've seen how

by allowing areas to go wild we can create islands for city wildlife.

And not just in our parks. Over at Penlee allotments in Stoke, wildlife

friendly gardening is benefiting the whole community.

This is just about as urban as you can get. There's housing all around,

over on that side is a busy bus depot, and just behind that fence is

stoke Damerel primary and comprehensive schools. But, walk a

few yards through the gate and you suddenly find yourself a world away.

The animals here are being helped by volunteers at Diggin It, a charity

offering locals hands on experience growing veg in a wildlife friendly

way. Dave Smith is an outreach worker. This is a wonderful space.

We have insect everywhere, bugs and birds, it is wonderful. We are, we

are not one quarter of the mail from the city centre and this green belt

runs through around 20 acres. We share this sort of organic ethos,

just trying to use nature as a solution.

They're doing a lot of things right here that we could all do in our own

back gardens. Firstly let your brambles grow. Bees love them. There

are 250 species of bee in the UK and the honey bee is just one of them.

They'll also pollinate your veg so it pays keep them sweet. Leaving out

sheets of corrugated iron or old carpet could help a different kind

of visitor slink in. Slow worms are great addition to your garden's

fauna - they just need somewhere to hide. And a little bit of water can

go a long way. This is in the new pond? It is very successful.We have

seen some heads popped up. BB news? BB newts. I will fetch one out. I

have been practising all morning. You have two! The our fabulous,

aren't they? To newts. They're doing a lot of things right

here that we could all do in our own back gardens. It is not just

wildlife benefiting, people are reaping rewards. What do you enjoy

about it? I just like learning about things. I do not learn things very

quickly because it is all repetition with me. Do you see much wildlife in

your garden? I see lots of birds on a good day. For me, I have a bit of

a socialiser, and this is a very social thing to do. When my memory

problem it is helpful to learn more things like meeting people and

remembering their names, that is a major achievement. I have seen some

great examples here in Plymouth of how people are helping the wildlife

and how working with nature is helping people. It is this

connection that means that will leave is flourishing in this

community. -- wildlife is flourishing.

Now it might be the last place you think of when it comes to the urban

jungle, but Cornwall has got plenty of towns and villages and every year

they're visited by millions of people.

Here on the West side of Falmouth, another 300 homes have been built to

help accommodate everyone. But just on the edge of the estate is a

little patch of paradise. This is Swanpool - and even though

it is rather bijou it is actually a very important nature reserve in

fact it has full protective status. It is also slap bang in the middle

of an ever expanding beach resort. And the more that it grows the more

this place becomes an important breathing space for people and

wildlife alike. The runs the reserve. I come over that hell and I

scan the place and think, I have just come to work. That doesn't get

better than this. No. It is a very special place for me. It is here for

people to just enjoy. All we want to do is teach kids about their own

nature reserve in their own town. 75 acres rates here and they can learn

from it. The lagoon is home to a host of

wildfowl, ducks and migratory birds. It's got everything a waterbird

needs, its got food, shelter. It is an ideal place to rear young - like

by name, not by nature. It is effectively a nursery and everything

can take place under the watchful Of all the birds here it is the mute

swans and their brood of cygnets that are the star attraction. And

it's easy to see why. But the male swan, or cob, is a bit of a

troublemaker. He courageously defends his cygnets against, well,

just about anything that passes by. Even cars are no match for this

feller. He's got a case of road-rage.

Everybody loves feeding the ducks or the swans, it is a really nostalgic

activity. But don't feed them bread, there's much better options. Bread

encourages rats, contaminates water and not good for birds. So why not

get some swan food and use that instead? And look, they love it.

Swanpool's closeness to the town means that people can easily enjoy

it but it also makes it vulnerable to litter and pollution. But coming

to its rescue is Hugo Tagholm and his team. Studio, surfers against

sewage, why are you buy a duck pond? This duck pond is connected directly

to a beautiful beach, so whatever happens around this pond, whatever

letters is rockier, and washed them through the stream on the beach. We

are interested in protecting this whole reserve, ensuring the beach

and reserve is protected for everyone. What has troubled you?I

have spotted a few things. I have seen a plastic bottle top over here.

The problem is that they are of a size that animals can ingest them,

they clog up their stomachs and they can die from malnutrition, the die

because they get tangled up in different plastic things, too. We

see them everywhere. A cigarette butt. The army of plastic fibres and

contain lots of toxic chemicals that can put the water. -- pollute the

water. You have turned up with a team. We want to protect this

environment for everyone. Mind if I join you? Not at all.You have

trained me well. There are loads of them.

Hopefully, with the local community helping to keep this reserve in peak

condition, it will remain a safe-haven for wildlife despite the

continuing development all around But our buildings aren't always a

threat to wildlife, if we get it right, they can provide a valuable

home. Swifts are one of the most exciting sights, and sounds, of

summer. But they're a species on a serious downturn. I, look, good to

see you. Luke Berkley is an ecology student

from Cornwall College with a swift obsession who wants to do something

to help. Why are swifts in such trouble? The big problem is modern

building techniques. Any new developments do not take into

account swifts or any other urban dwelling birds. We have seen a

decline in around 30% in the past 30 years, which is devastating. You are

clutching an interesting device. Is this the salvation of the windswept?

I would not go that far but these are very cheap boxes that anyone can

put up India house. This goes up and it has this angle front on it.

are designed for swifts to come in and out without complication. The do

come in and out without complication. The determinate

tremendous speed. To get a better idea of where swifts

are nesting and how many there are here in Newquay, Luke's organised a

few ten minute spot surveys. There are three in total. Maximum count so

far is three. Swifts are fantastic aerialists and

the only bird known to sleep on the wing. That means we know very little

about them so the more details we they resemble boomerangs as they

whizz through the air feeding on insects. We have one minute to go.A

little scissor tail as well. Very nice. Screening! We have a nest. We

have a nest. Is that a new nest? As quick as a flash, a pair of swifts

have disappeared into the eaves of the house next to us. We turned up

ten minutes ago and we have it all. A party of three, non-screening

party of three and a screening party in the new nest. We are incredibly

lucky. Now that the group's found a new

nest site they know a good spot to put up nest boxes to provide new

homes for the birds. Their figures will also help to build a picture of

what's going so wrong for these magnificent birds. From the brackish

lagoon of Swanpool to the rooftops of Newquay, Cornwall's urban species

rely on us giving them a helping handif they stand a chance of

So it's pretty amazing just how much wildlife can be found right here in

the middle of our cities and towns and what you've seen today is just a

mere taster. We've got a whole range of tips for where to go and what to