0:00:02 > 0:00:05Long, sunny days when our countryside
0:00:05 > 0:00:07is bursting with colour and life.
0:00:08 > 0:00:12It's the season that brings out the child in us all.
0:00:14 > 0:00:15Summer is here.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21It's the perfect time to enjoy the beauty
0:00:21 > 0:00:23of our great British landscape.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29And our amazing wildlife.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35Some of us are still hard at work.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40But whatever you're doing, and whatever the weather,
0:00:40 > 0:00:42our island is at its very best.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49All week we're travelling the length and breadth of the UK...
0:00:51 > 0:00:56..bringing the very best seasonal stories that matter to you.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59Now, these are very worrying statistics, aren't they?
0:00:59 > 0:01:03Absolutely. The toll being taken on our birds of prey by these criminals
0:01:03 > 0:01:04is phenomenal.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12The very warmest of welcomes to Countryfile Summer Diaries.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21Here's what's coming up on today's programme.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25So we're going to be weighing, measuring and ringing?
0:01:25 > 0:01:29- That's right, yeah.- Paul finds out how we can help our elusive
0:01:29 > 0:01:30nocturnal neighbours.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32They don't have a very strong grip, so you can just rest it
0:01:32 > 0:01:34in your palm. He'll be fine.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36Oh, wow. He's so warm!
0:01:36 > 0:01:39There we are, gents, here's another one.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42Jules investigates an unusual project
0:01:42 > 0:01:44that's revolutionising rural life.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46This is the only way we can get together.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49If it hadn't been thought of, we'd just have faded away.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54And I'll be finding out how some furry friends could help reduce
0:01:54 > 0:01:56flood risk here in the UK.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08Where better to enjoy the best of the British summer than here on
0:02:08 > 0:02:11England's largest island, the Isle of Wight?
0:02:11 > 0:02:15I'll be here all this week and this island really does have it all.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18With up to 2,000 hours of sunshine a year,
0:02:18 > 0:02:22it's arguably the sunniest spot in the whole of the UK.
0:02:22 > 0:02:27And over half the island is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31Small wonder several million visitors flock here every year.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36This stunning secluded bay is Steephill Cove.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40It's one of many family-friendly beaches that holiday-makers
0:02:40 > 0:02:42and islanders can take their pick from.
0:02:43 > 0:02:47And though sun and sea sounds like a perfect summer's day,
0:02:47 > 0:02:53on average, 190 people lose their lives along our coast every year.
0:02:53 > 0:02:58Now some pioneering research is underway which could save your life.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00Keeley is about to put it to the test.
0:03:02 > 0:03:07The RNLI's thousands of volunteers at their 238 lifeboat stations along
0:03:07 > 0:03:12our coastline are on hand 24/7, 365 days a year,
0:03:12 > 0:03:15to rescue us if we get into trouble out there on the water.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21Earlier this summer, the lifeboat crew here in Exmouth received an
0:03:21 > 0:03:24emergency call from a kitesurfer who'd spotted a couple
0:03:24 > 0:03:27of jet skiers in trouble.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29We'd been told it was at Orcombe Point, which is just at the end
0:03:29 > 0:03:32of there, end of the slipway down here, so we went over there to have a look
0:03:32 > 0:03:35and see if we could find them, basically start searching.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37What kind of conditions, was it a day like today?
0:03:37 > 0:03:39Well, it was a lovely day like this, nice and sunny,
0:03:39 > 0:03:41but there was a stiff south-easterly breeze.
0:03:41 > 0:03:42Yeah, it put up a bit of chop.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45We're in a small boat and it did make it difficult.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49And you had a bit of a job trying to find them?
0:03:49 > 0:03:51As we were going out through the Channel,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54we were flagged down by another kitesurfer.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56Who said, "I think they're over to the right."
0:03:58 > 0:03:59Nothing found there.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02We decided to go back to the original tasking the Coast Guard
0:04:02 > 0:04:05has given us and eventually we actually spotted them.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09The information we'd been given is that the jet ski was sinking.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11We didn't appreciate that actually when we got there,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14that the actual jet ski had pretty much sunk.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16There was about probably a foot of the jet ski, the nose of
0:04:16 > 0:04:18the jet ski, out of the water and at this point the two guys
0:04:18 > 0:04:21were in the water. From the time of the call coming in,
0:04:21 > 0:04:24they'd obviously been in the water for some time.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28We got the two guys, one of them was actually a lot worse for wear than
0:04:28 > 0:04:30- the other.- He was a bit confused, he was shivering as well,
0:04:30 > 0:04:32and that was the earlier stages of hypothermia.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37We decided that actually we needed to get him ashore very quickly.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39The better swimmer was saying, "Take him first, take him first."
0:04:39 > 0:04:41So he just wanted him out of the water.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43I think he had actually done a very good job,
0:04:43 > 0:04:45- cos he'd kept his mate calm.- Yeah.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47You know, he kept saying, "Don't worry, they'll come and get us,
0:04:47 > 0:04:51"they'll come and get us." So yeah, he did a really good job.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53So do you think his friend helped save his life?
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Definitely. I think if he'd tried to swim ashore and then his mate had
0:04:56 > 0:04:58followed, it might've been a different story.
0:04:58 > 0:05:03So he did exactly what we're trying to, you know, tell people to do,
0:05:03 > 0:05:04is to stay together.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07Thanks to the crew's quick actions,
0:05:07 > 0:05:10the jet skier was taken to safety and made a good recovery.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18The temperature of our coastal waters in summer ranges between
0:05:18 > 0:05:20around 12 and 18 degrees.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23And even though that doesn't seem especially cold,
0:05:23 > 0:05:27on a nice, sunny day, our skin temperature will be over 30.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31So when we fall in the cold water that sudden shock of drop
0:05:31 > 0:05:35in temperature can have big and negative effects on our bodies.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41Exactly how our bodies react when we're plunged into cold water is the
0:05:41 > 0:05:44subject of a study currently underway at Portsmouth University.
0:05:45 > 0:05:50It's run by senior lecturer Heather Massey and, in a moment of madness,
0:05:50 > 0:05:52I've agreed to be her guinea pig.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57Do you want to come over here and take a seat on our chair?
0:05:57 > 0:05:59Oh, this all feels a bit real now!
0:05:59 > 0:06:04So the plan is I get dunked in 12 degrees water for five minutes,
0:06:04 > 0:06:07while Heather measures my heart rate with these electrodes
0:06:07 > 0:06:11and tests my dexterity before and after the immersion.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13So grip it as hard as you can.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze. And relax.
0:06:15 > 0:06:16About 25.
0:06:22 > 0:06:23Well done. Fantastic.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25I make that 33 seconds.
0:06:25 > 0:06:26So that's good.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29OK, are you ready to go?
0:06:29 > 0:06:31- Yeah, I guess so!- Yeah?
0:06:31 > 0:06:35The water is 12 degrees to match the temperature of our sea
0:06:35 > 0:06:38in early summer. I am not looking forward to this at all.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47Right, so we have a resting heart rate of around 70 beats a minute.
0:06:47 > 0:06:48That's not bad.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54Why did I agree to this?
0:06:54 > 0:06:58In five, four, three, two, one
0:06:58 > 0:07:00and down.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03SHE SHRIEKS
0:07:05 > 0:07:07How are you doing there, you all right?
0:07:07 > 0:07:08That is cold!
0:07:11 > 0:07:13- How are you feeling? - All right, yeah.
0:07:13 > 0:07:14- Cold!- Yeah?- Yeah.
0:07:14 > 0:07:15How's the breathing?
0:07:17 > 0:07:18Er...
0:07:18 > 0:07:19- all right.- OK.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22It is really, really cold in here.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24- Yeah?- Yeah. - That's the first 30 seconds.
0:07:24 > 0:07:25You've done really well.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28The first minute, they say, is always the worst.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31Just as your skin receptors, cold receptors in the skin...
0:07:31 > 0:07:34- Yep.- ..start to adjust to being in that cold water.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37OK, so that's the first minute.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40- OK.- That's the worst bit of the cold-shock response done.
0:07:40 > 0:07:41- OK.- Yeah?
0:07:41 > 0:07:44It feels colder than 12 degrees in here!
0:07:44 > 0:07:47So how do you feel now compared to when you first got in?
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Breathing's a little bit easier, yeah.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52So we're going to pull you out in ten seconds.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54- Thank goodness!- Yeah, well done.
0:07:54 > 0:07:55Good effort.
0:07:57 > 0:07:58Ooh!
0:07:58 > 0:08:01Before I'm allowed to warm up, a quick repeat of the tests.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03Squeeze as hard as you can.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05- Excellent.- Come on!
0:08:06 > 0:08:09This is frustrating, not feeling like you've got control
0:08:09 > 0:08:11of your own fingertips.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15I have never been so grateful for a warm shower.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17That was a lot colder than I thought it was going to be.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20So now you know the difference between 12-degree water
0:08:20 > 0:08:22and 12-degree air, and there is a big difference.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25Massive difference. So what did the results show, then?
0:08:25 > 0:08:26Well, it's quite interesting,
0:08:26 > 0:08:28you had quite a large increase in breathing rate.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31You had a maximum heart rate of about 120 beats a minute.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34So you've already had virtually doubling of heart rate
0:08:34 > 0:08:36just by being in the cold water.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38So what about the tests, how did I do on those?
0:08:38 > 0:08:41The grip-strength test that you took,
0:08:41 > 0:08:46you had about 20% decrease from before you went in the cold water to
0:08:46 > 0:08:49afterwards. The next test that we did was a nut and bolt test.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53It took you 40% longer to do that test compared to the first time.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57That just goes to show what effect in such a short time the cold water
0:08:57 > 0:09:01- can have on you.- It's quite interesting to know that you have
0:09:01 > 0:09:03this cold-shock response to start with
0:09:03 > 0:09:06and then once that minute of cold-shock response has passed,
0:09:06 > 0:09:08you're then able to take action to help yourself.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12So what action should we take if we find ourselves
0:09:12 > 0:09:14in trouble in the sea?
0:09:14 > 0:09:18The RNLI's coastal safety manager, Ross MacLeod,
0:09:18 > 0:09:19has some life-saving advice.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Unfortunately, around half the people that lose their lives
0:09:23 > 0:09:25at the coast every year fall in the water accidentally,
0:09:25 > 0:09:28so slips, trips and falls. These people aren't wearing wet suits,
0:09:28 > 0:09:31they're not wearing life jackets, so your chance of survival is very
0:09:31 > 0:09:34- dependent on what you do in that situation.- What should they do?
0:09:34 > 0:09:36The best advice is to fight your instincts.
0:09:36 > 0:09:37So first thing to do,
0:09:37 > 0:09:39fight your instinct to swim around and to panic.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42The second one is to lean back in the water and that way it starts
0:09:42 > 0:09:45to keep your airway clear and it helps you to breathe.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47The third one is to open up your body.
0:09:47 > 0:09:48If you extend your arms a bit like a starfish,
0:09:48 > 0:09:52that way you've got more surface area of your body out on the water
0:09:52 > 0:09:56and it'll help you float. The fourth one is just some gentle sculling,
0:09:56 > 0:09:58so the actions for your hands and legs.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01If that helps you stay afloat, absolutely that's fine.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04And the final one is just to keep that position for around 60 to 90
0:10:04 > 0:10:06seconds and by that point the initial shock of the cold water
0:10:06 > 0:10:08should've passed and then you can make your next move,
0:10:08 > 0:10:11whether that's swimming to safety or calling for help.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17Lots of people will find themselves in trouble in the water during the
0:10:17 > 0:10:21summer months, so if you're going to the seaside or even for a run near
0:10:21 > 0:10:25water, practice your floating techniques so that you're prepared,
0:10:25 > 0:10:27should you find yourself up to your neck in it.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31And the best advice if you spot anyone in trouble is call 999
0:10:31 > 0:10:34and ask for the coastguard. And please, be safe this summer.
0:10:41 > 0:10:42Some very good advice there.
0:10:42 > 0:10:47Now, more than 10 million of us live in rural areas and social isolation
0:10:47 > 0:10:50is becoming an increasing problem.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54Jules is in the Cotswolds finding out how sheds, of all things,
0:10:54 > 0:10:57are being used to help tackle rural loneliness.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02Now, like me, and for many other men, my shed is my castle.
0:11:02 > 0:11:07It's a place to retreat, to relax, to create, to make do and to mend
0:11:07 > 0:11:10and, on occasion, to even invent stuff.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12But for one group, well, the humble shed
0:11:12 > 0:11:15is far more than just a man cave.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18SPANNER CREAKS AND SAW HUMS
0:11:23 > 0:11:27The brilliantly named Men in Sheds is an association that brings
0:11:27 > 0:11:30retired men together to pursue their interests,
0:11:30 > 0:11:34develop new skills and, more importantly, find companionship.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38Today I'm visiting Bourton-on-the-Water's shedquarters
0:11:38 > 0:11:39to find out more.
0:11:43 > 0:11:44- Hello.- Jules!- Good to see you.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47- How are you?- Well, there we are, does what it says on the board,
0:11:47 > 0:11:49- doesn't it? - Absolutely.- "Men in Sheds."
0:11:49 > 0:11:50Come and join us in our mini shed.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53- Do you mind if I do?- Oh, it's a hot day and it's nice to have a little
0:11:53 > 0:11:55- sit down, isn't it?- Very hot, very hot. Absolutely.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57Now, tell me a bit more about this initiative,
0:11:57 > 0:11:59cos I am fascinated by it,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02cos I love my shed at home.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04And so many people do.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08What we're about, we're primarily set up to combat rural loneliness.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12Men, you know, in general, we're not very good
0:12:12 > 0:12:14at just putting our hands up and saying,
0:12:14 > 0:12:16- "You know what, I'm in trouble." - Yeah.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18You know, "Can I have some help?"
0:12:18 > 0:12:21And it's lovely to see that you're able to somehow
0:12:21 > 0:12:22break down that barrier.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25Yeah. Absolutely. And it's the fact that the shed and the activities and
0:12:25 > 0:12:29doing blokey stuff, that's really the front.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31So ladies are, I know this now after 32 years of marriage,
0:12:31 > 0:12:34intrinsically different to blokes.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36- They're a lot more able to socialise.- Yeah.
0:12:36 > 0:12:42So they have great success with things like lunch clubs and quizzes
0:12:42 > 0:12:44- and knit and natters.- WI - classic.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48- Exactly.- Yeah. - The guys, not so much.
0:12:48 > 0:12:53So we took that knit and natter concept and we've created
0:12:53 > 0:12:56chop and chatter. JULES LAUGHS
0:12:56 > 0:12:59- I love it! Making firewood out of the odds and ends.- Absolutely.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05So we've got these lads, shedders, they're all called shedders.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07Shedders, yeah, good!
0:13:07 > 0:13:09They all come for various reasons.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12The shedders meet every Friday.
0:13:12 > 0:13:17And in just 18 months this rural group has gathered 32 members.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20It's not just about the guys coming between ten and one
0:13:20 > 0:13:22on a Friday morning.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24- Yeah.- All of a sudden,
0:13:24 > 0:13:27they've opened up a whole network of 31 mates that they can interact with
0:13:27 > 0:13:32during the week. So one of our shedders didn't see a human being
0:13:32 > 0:13:34for a week at a time.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37A year being a shedder,
0:13:37 > 0:13:39I now have to ring him up to book an appointment to see him
0:13:39 > 0:13:42because there's someone with him every day of the week.
0:13:42 > 0:13:43And it has completely changed his life.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46Well, I think it's a brilliant idea. I can't wait to get amongst the lads
0:13:46 > 0:13:49and just see what they're up to cos it looks like great fun.
0:13:49 > 0:13:50Yeah, get stuck in, Jules!
0:13:52 > 0:13:54So you're going to be my helpmate for a minute.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58There we are, gents, here's another one.
0:14:00 > 0:14:01He's rushing us!
0:14:01 > 0:14:04- Wow, look at that.- Pryce, I'm not going to rush you, take your time!
0:14:04 > 0:14:06You're doing a fantastic job.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Pryce, an 89-year-old retired farmer,
0:14:11 > 0:14:15cared for his wife for 12 years until he lost her three years ago.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19It was a strange feeling, I just didn't want to go anywhere,
0:14:19 > 0:14:21I didn't want to anything.
0:14:21 > 0:14:26When you've been married for 62 years,
0:14:26 > 0:14:27you know you've lost something.
0:14:27 > 0:14:28- Yeah.- And...
0:14:30 > 0:14:31..it is a great loss.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36After her death, he became very isolated,
0:14:36 > 0:14:40until Men's Sheds offered him a new lease of life.
0:14:40 > 0:14:41I imagine as a farmer, Pryce,
0:14:41 > 0:14:44you were very skilled at maintaining things throughout your career.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46You must bring those skills to the group?
0:14:47 > 0:14:48Well, I hope I do.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51- THEY LAUGH - I wouldn't like to say.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54No, there are some very clever men here, believe you me.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58And do you think it's managed to fill that gap in your life?
0:14:59 > 0:15:01Oh, sure, yes.
0:15:01 > 0:15:02Yes, you're right there.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06I can show off a bit, perhaps.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08- THEY LAUGH - That's one of these...
0:15:08 > 0:15:11- Well, look, come on, keep on showing off.- Okey doke.
0:15:11 > 0:15:12- Go on, then.- Here goes.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17But you don't have to be handy with a drill to come here.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22Alex has no desire to chop and saw,
0:15:22 > 0:15:26he has the important job of dishing up the tea and the cakes.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30I love all your little name badges.
0:15:30 > 0:15:31Pryce made that, as you probably know.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34- Did Pryce make those?- Yes.- Did he?
0:15:34 > 0:15:35Every new member has one.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38So, for you two, how long have you been involved, then, Alex?
0:15:38 > 0:15:40- A year for me.- A year.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42And have you learnt many new skills yourself?
0:15:42 > 0:15:45- I don't need to. - THEY LAUGH
0:15:45 > 0:15:47Oh! That's fighting talk, isn't it?
0:15:47 > 0:15:49Former social worker Howard
0:15:49 > 0:15:52knows that men's mental health often goes unnoticed,
0:15:52 > 0:15:55particularly in isolated rural areas.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59I think it's under the radar because men don't talk about their feelings,
0:15:59 > 0:16:03- even to each other...- Yeah.- ..let alone in public and they are
0:16:03 > 0:16:04reluctant to go to the medical services.
0:16:04 > 0:16:09And do you find, then, that people are able to unload their problems
0:16:09 > 0:16:11in a very different environment?
0:16:11 > 0:16:14There are testimonies on the national website of men who,
0:16:14 > 0:16:16if they hadn't found a shed,
0:16:16 > 0:16:19would've descended into serious depression and possibly suicide,
0:16:19 > 0:16:24so at the top end of crisis it's very important.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27This is the only way we can get together.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30If it hadn't been thought of, we'd just have faded away.
0:16:32 > 0:16:37One member, TJ, was left devastated after losing his father,
0:16:37 > 0:16:42his brother's wife and his own wife to cancer all in the same year.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46I just decided after the third time of being kicked,
0:16:46 > 0:16:49I wasn't going to come up, I wasn't going to get out,
0:16:49 > 0:16:50didn't know where I was going.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52What actually helped you begin to think,
0:16:52 > 0:16:56"I can see that there could be some light at the end of my tunnel?"
0:16:57 > 0:17:00It was just the fact that I could come and I could mix with people
0:17:00 > 0:17:06and I could listen to their stories and realise that I wasn't alone.
0:17:06 > 0:17:07It's been a real big help,
0:17:07 > 0:17:11it brought me back from where I thought I was going.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13It was a dark room and I couldn't get out of it
0:17:13 > 0:17:15and it just helped me.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19It gave me the chance to meet different people, learn new skills,
0:17:19 > 0:17:21teach people skills which I already had,
0:17:21 > 0:17:23and I suddenly felt part of the community,
0:17:23 > 0:17:29where we started to make things for people and felt a team-worth effort,
0:17:29 > 0:17:32to be able to help everybody else as well as myself.
0:17:32 > 0:17:39From 32 sheds in 2013, there are now over 400 across the UK,
0:17:39 > 0:17:42benefiting not only the 8,000 shedders,
0:17:42 > 0:17:46but also local residents who need a helping hand, like Julie Reid.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49I have an injury from the army,
0:17:49 > 0:17:53so I need somewhere that I can come home and I can relax.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57So having the lads in has enabled you to kind of improve your home, to
0:17:57 > 0:18:00- help you cope with your condition? - Oh, definitely. Definitely.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03It's going to be lovely out here when they've finished
0:18:03 > 0:18:05doing their work.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08Well, as you can see, we've all had a fascinating day here,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11learning a little bit more about something that perhaps most of us
0:18:11 > 0:18:14take for granted - what does your better half do in the shed
0:18:14 > 0:18:17at the end of the garden? Well, now, perhaps you know.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20And if you are not yet a shedder, well, at least you know how you can
0:18:20 > 0:18:22become one, helping not just yourself,
0:18:22 > 0:18:24but also your community.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33Well, this lovely little beach is at Steephill Cove,
0:18:33 > 0:18:35it's one of the Isle of Wight's hidden gems.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38And if you are thinking of heading to the seaside this summer,
0:18:38 > 0:18:41but aren't quite sure which beach to choose, well,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44here are some of Countryfile's favourites.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49As islanders, we're drawn to our coast.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55Our beaches are special places.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59Sea air and sand, they have a way of working their magic on all of us.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04And this one really does cast a spell.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08Hunstanton lies on the east of England, in Norfolk.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12Big skies, spectacular cliffs and golden sands.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19Over on the western edge, Wales's Gower peninsula.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23Rolling heathland gives way to limestone cliffs,
0:19:23 > 0:19:25carving out Rhossili Bay,
0:19:25 > 0:19:28a place where Matt was almost lost for words.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32I mean, I'd go as far as saying that this is one of THE finest views
0:19:32 > 0:19:34that I've ever seen while travelling around for Countryfile.
0:19:36 > 0:19:37At three miles long,
0:19:37 > 0:19:41Rhossili was voted one of the top-ten beaches in the world,
0:19:41 > 0:19:45and the UK's number-one dog-friendly beach - a real must-see.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50From a world-beating beach,
0:19:50 > 0:19:53to one that gets the royal seal of approval.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56When the Queen passed by here, back in 1953,
0:19:56 > 0:19:59on her first official tour of Northern Ireland,
0:19:59 > 0:20:01the royal train stopped at Downhill,
0:20:01 > 0:20:04so that Her Majesty could have a picnic.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09Downhill beach in Northern Ireland is one of the longest in Europe,
0:20:09 > 0:20:11stretching for nearly ten miles.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16Now to Cumbria's best-kept secret.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19Sitting in the shadow of the more popular Lake District
0:20:19 > 0:20:21is Sandscale Haws.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25It might not have the great lakes and the mammoth mountains
0:20:25 > 0:20:29of its neighbour, but the twisting coastal curves
0:20:29 > 0:20:32around the peninsula mean there are plenty of these golden beaches,
0:20:32 > 0:20:36and it is the sands here at Sandscale Haws that are arguably
0:20:36 > 0:20:39the most stunning and special of them all.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46Not many venture as far as this westerly edge of Britain,
0:20:46 > 0:20:50but do, and you will be rewarded with some truly spectacular scenery.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55RUMBLING
0:20:55 > 0:20:58Sometimes the consequences of a long, hot summer
0:20:58 > 0:21:00are short but dramatic storms.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05Abrupt monsoon-like rainfall races down our rivers,
0:21:05 > 0:21:09dumping all that extra water into flash floods downstream.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Margherita is in Cornwall,
0:21:13 > 0:21:16uncovering a novel idea to combat flooding,
0:21:16 > 0:21:20and it involves one busy little animal who likes to build.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23Well, no sign of rain here today,
0:21:23 > 0:21:26but the picturesque village of Ladock has suffered
0:21:26 > 0:21:27from terrible floods,
0:21:27 > 0:21:30leaving both residents and their homes devastated.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37Five years ago, flash floods wreaked havoc on this Cornish village,
0:21:37 > 0:21:41creating a living nightmare for residents like David Warr.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46How high was the water coming up into the garden?
0:21:46 > 0:21:49We are talking about 2.5 foot.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51It held for a while and then eventually it came in
0:21:51 > 0:21:55through the skin of the house, into the kitchen floor, and then
0:21:55 > 0:21:57gradually got deeper and deeper,
0:21:57 > 0:21:59before it started to come into the living room.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02And what kind of damage did it do to your house, to your home?
0:22:02 > 0:22:05Basically, destroyed everything that was in there, really.
0:22:05 > 0:22:11All our cupboards were MDF, like most kitchens are these days.
0:22:11 > 0:22:12They were all completely ruined.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15And then, obviously, as the water progressed,
0:22:15 > 0:22:17it damaged the walls because they became very wet,
0:22:17 > 0:22:20buckled all the oak flooring,
0:22:20 > 0:22:23you know, which had to all be ripped out, thrown away.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26All the furniture was damaged by the damp as well, so,
0:22:26 > 0:22:29it was pretty devastating, really.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33There was nothing downstairs left intact, really.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37As if once wasn't enough,
0:22:37 > 0:22:41David and his neighbours suffered seven more floods that year.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44With some help from South West Water,
0:22:44 > 0:22:48David now has pump stations and valves in place which will hopefully
0:22:48 > 0:22:50prevent his house from flooding again.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54What has this cost you?
0:22:54 > 0:22:55Um, I suppose in total,
0:22:55 > 0:22:59it would be coming toward £60,000,
0:22:59 > 0:23:03and probably the most stressful thing, other than somebody dying.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05Yeah, it is pretty near the top.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08And it took a lot to get over it.
0:23:08 > 0:23:13Luckily my wife and I are very strong, so we managed to get by.
0:23:14 > 0:23:21In terms of time, money and emotion, the cost of flood damage is immense.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24But now a pioneering scheme to tackle the problem
0:23:24 > 0:23:27is being tried out, and it doesn't cost a penny.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31It's one that involves some rather ingenious engineers.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39I'm talking about nature's greatest architects - beavers.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43For the past six years,
0:23:43 > 0:23:47Richard Brazier of Exeter University has been looking into the potential
0:23:47 > 0:23:50of using beavers in flood management.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53And he is about to put it to the test, here in Ladock.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57Now, this project, it sounds a little bit crazy.
0:23:57 > 0:23:58Can it really work?
0:23:58 > 0:24:01It does sound crazy, but I think the answer is yes.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04We know what beavers have done elsewhere and we're going to see
0:24:04 > 0:24:05if they can do the same good things here.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07So what is the plan for Ladock?
0:24:07 > 0:24:10What we are going to do is introduce two adult beavers.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12They've been paired and they are going to come into the site
0:24:12 > 0:24:16- and start to live here.- And what are you actually hoping they will do?
0:24:16 > 0:24:18How is this going to help Ladock?
0:24:18 > 0:24:21Well, this catchment drains about a third of the water that flows
0:24:21 > 0:24:25through the village of Ladock. And so what we are expecting to see
0:24:25 > 0:24:28is that when the beavers start to build dams,
0:24:28 > 0:24:32they slow the flow of that one third of water that comes through the
0:24:32 > 0:24:35village, and so that we see the village not flooding any more
0:24:35 > 0:24:38because of what the beavers have done up in this catchment.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44Richard's team released a pair of beavers into an enclosed area
0:24:44 > 0:24:45in Devon six years ago.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48The busy pair built 13 dams,
0:24:48 > 0:24:53creating 13 ponds that hold over a million litres of water,
0:24:53 > 0:24:56proving their huge potential in flood management.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00Now he will be releasing beavers into a much larger area to tackle
0:25:00 > 0:25:02flooding head-on.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06And what is it about the dams that they build that is so special?
0:25:06 > 0:25:08Well, they are incredible structures.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11They have many hundreds if not thousands of sticks
0:25:11 > 0:25:14all intertwined that the beavers coppice.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17Once those sticks have been put in place,
0:25:17 > 0:25:21they push sediment up behind them, so they become not quite watertight,
0:25:21 > 0:25:25a little bit porous, but they hold a lot of water,
0:25:25 > 0:25:28and they are doing this because they want to create deep water,
0:25:28 > 0:25:30which they feel safe within.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32And then the really interesting thing is
0:25:32 > 0:25:34that the dams starts to grow.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38Because they are made of willow, which really thrives in wet areas,
0:25:38 > 0:25:41the dams start to grow and become even stronger
0:25:41 > 0:25:43than when they're first built by the beavers.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48So the plan is to release the beavers upstream from Ladock,
0:25:48 > 0:25:52in a pond that the river runs in and out of.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56This trial project has been 3.5 years in the making.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59It's a joint venture between the university,
0:25:59 > 0:26:03the Wildlife Trust and farmer Chris Jones, who owns the land.
0:26:03 > 0:26:04What an exciting moment.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06I can't believe today is the day!
0:26:06 > 0:26:10- It's incredible.- And this project is really unique.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13It is. It's unique because of the scale of catchment we have got.
0:26:13 > 0:26:14But it's also unique, I think,
0:26:14 > 0:26:20because, so far, this is the only beaver study anywhere in the world,
0:26:20 > 0:26:22we think, where there has been baseline data collected
0:26:22 > 0:26:25for a period of years before the beavers themselves
0:26:25 > 0:26:26have actually been let out.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29And ideally, what results would you love to see?
0:26:29 > 0:26:31What I want to see come out of this
0:26:31 > 0:26:34is some firm numbers on, for example,
0:26:34 > 0:26:36how much water we hold here.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38How much we slow the passage of water down,
0:26:38 > 0:26:42- because we can never stop it, we can only slow it down.- So, Chris,
0:26:42 > 0:26:46we are just moments away from the new arrivals on your land.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48How are you feeling?
0:26:48 > 0:26:50I'm feeling like it's been a long 3.5 years!
0:26:53 > 0:26:55But a good investment?
0:26:55 > 0:26:57A very good investment in time.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03The crowds have gathered. It's the moment of truth.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16This pair are the first beavers to enter Cornish waters
0:27:16 > 0:27:21since they were hunted to extinction in the UK 400 years ago.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23Oh, my goodness!
0:27:27 > 0:27:28Oh, wow!
0:27:30 > 0:27:33It's incredible to see them this close.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41They've been swimming around,
0:27:41 > 0:27:43coming up between all the camera crews here
0:27:43 > 0:27:46that are filming them, all the photographers.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49It's almost like they're doing a little thank-you wave to everyone!
0:27:49 > 0:27:51Look, here they come back.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01All being well, these beavers and their awesome engineering skills
0:28:01 > 0:28:05will be a life-saver for rural communities at risk of flooding,
0:28:05 > 0:28:09making a new home and protecting a few along the way.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12Just maybe these beavers could be our best bet
0:28:12 > 0:28:14against those summer storms.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25On a nice summer's day, nothing beats a dip in the sea to cool down.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27And that's easy if you've got swimming kit,
0:28:27 > 0:28:31but not so easy if you are wearing a woolly winter coat.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34So how do some of our farm animals manage to survive
0:28:34 > 0:28:37in the heat of summer? Here's Adam to explain.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42As the temperatures start to warm up,
0:28:42 > 0:28:46the sheep on the farm no longer need their winter woolly coats.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48They can get undressed for the summer.
0:28:48 > 0:28:52We've got 650 sheep that all need shearing over the next few weeks.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59Keeping their woolly coats on for too long can cause health problems,
0:28:59 > 0:29:02so in the lead-up to shearing, we keep a close eye on them.
0:29:02 > 0:29:07We check around all our livestock every day, and at this time of year,
0:29:07 > 0:29:10we have to be particularly vigilant with the sheep.
0:29:10 > 0:29:14You can see on this ewe here, where the wool is starting
0:29:14 > 0:29:16to come away from her neck.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19The old fleece is breaking away from the new one and she'll start to get
0:29:19 > 0:29:21really itchy.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30Let me show you how serious this can be.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38So, what happens when they have got a full fleece like this,
0:29:38 > 0:29:41they start scratching and they lie down.
0:29:41 > 0:29:43And they scratch and scratch and scratch
0:29:43 > 0:29:44and then they roll onto their backs.
0:29:44 > 0:29:49And because the wool is such a weight, it holds them down
0:29:49 > 0:29:51and they get stuck, like that.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53And then their stomachs swell up,
0:29:53 > 0:29:57put pressure on their lungs and they die.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00So she is now cast, she can't get back up.
0:30:00 > 0:30:04The heavier the fleece, the bigger the problem.
0:30:04 > 0:30:08If you are driving around the countryside or walking on the hills
0:30:08 > 0:30:11and you see a sheep stuck on its back, do the farmer a favour
0:30:11 > 0:30:13and just roll it back onto its feet,
0:30:13 > 0:30:17hold it steady for a little while, while it sort of steadies itself,
0:30:17 > 0:30:20and then it will run away. It will save the animal's life.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22Come on, then, missus.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31This flock won't need shearing for another week or so.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34But I'm ready to get started on some of my other sheep.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37Time to don the nonslip shearing shoes.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42Now, missus...
0:30:45 > 0:30:48The skill of shearing
0:30:48 > 0:30:50is really about handling the sheep.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52So, they don't like being handled.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55So you twist the heads and sit them down.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58And then you get them into the correct position,
0:30:58 > 0:31:02get them comfortable, you can then use your hands to move the shears.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07This doesn't hurt the sheep at all,
0:31:07 > 0:31:11it's just like having a haircut with clippers at the barber's.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15So it's got a comb and a cutter, and it's basically just sliding over the
0:31:15 > 0:31:19surface of the sheep's skin, combing in all the fibres of the wool,
0:31:19 > 0:31:22and then clipping it off.
0:31:22 > 0:31:24It's a bit like having a massage, really, I think.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29It takes quite a long time and a lot of practice to become a professional
0:31:29 > 0:31:34shearer. And the skill is not only just holding the sheep still,
0:31:34 > 0:31:37but trying to get the fleece off all in one piece.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40That's really important, because if it comes off as one,
0:31:40 > 0:31:43then it can be graded as an individual fleece
0:31:43 > 0:31:45and you get more money for it.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51There we are. That's her done.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55Shorn for this year. Now, it wasn't very long ago
0:31:55 > 0:31:57that wool was valueless.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00It cost more to pay a shearer to get the wool off the sheep's back
0:32:00 > 0:32:02than the fleece was actually worth.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05And you pay a shearer about £1.50 and then you've got to pay
0:32:05 > 0:32:07the diesel to get it to the Wool Marketing Board.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10It was such a shame. Back then, some people were just burning their wool.
0:32:10 > 0:32:14Now the price has lifted a bit, which is a good thing.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17But there's still the huge variance in the quality
0:32:17 > 0:32:20of the different breeds. So if you take a Herdwick here,
0:32:20 > 0:32:24they've got very coarse wool that's not worth very much -
0:32:24 > 0:32:27about 25p a kilo. And it is quite light.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29This is probably only a couple of kilos.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32So this fleece is worth about 50p.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34So hardly worth shearing.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36Whereas this Dartmoor fleece is much better quality.
0:32:36 > 0:32:40This is worth about 80p a kilo, and there is a lot more wool here.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44Dartmoor wool is quite heavy. This is about...six kilos?
0:32:45 > 0:32:48So that's worth about £4.50 to a fiver.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51So, really, I can make money out of this, but not out of this.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56Our Herdwick wool is where we make the least money,
0:32:56 > 0:33:00so I'm keen to see if there is any other way to use it that might turn
0:33:00 > 0:33:04a profit. Justin and Hannah Floyd are from the Solidwool company.
0:33:04 > 0:33:05What they do is in the name.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08They've invented a unique and top-secret way
0:33:08 > 0:33:11to solidify wool to make furniture.
0:33:11 > 0:33:15- Hi, guys.- Nice to meet you.- Thanks very much for bringing this
0:33:15 > 0:33:17- out here. This is made from wool? - Yes.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20This is made from 50% Herdwick wool from the Lake District
0:33:20 > 0:33:23and the rest is a bioresin, so it's a composite material
0:33:23 > 0:33:26made from rough, coarse Lakeland wool.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28I didn't imagine it to look like this at all!
0:33:28 > 0:33:30It's incredible!
0:33:30 > 0:33:33I thought it was going to be all prickly and felt-y.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36It's extraordinary to think you've gone from this, to this.
0:33:36 > 0:33:40Well, Herdwick wool is very coarse and rough and wiry.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43And we found that it makes a great reinforcement.
0:33:43 > 0:33:45- I am really impressed. Is it popular?- Yeah.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48It's been incredible. We have had interest from across the world,
0:33:48 > 0:33:51from the automotive industry, to the surf industry.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55We have sent chairs to San Francisco, to New York,
0:33:55 > 0:33:58um, and then Europe and even up to the Lake District.
0:33:58 > 0:33:59So it's come full circle.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02Well, it's a great story, it's lovely for British wool.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05Yeah. It is. If this really takes off,
0:34:05 > 0:34:06it has the potential to change the value
0:34:06 > 0:34:09of what is the lowest-value wool in the UK at the moment.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12- That's just fantastic. Can I have a sit down?- Yeah, please do.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17Sitting on a chair like this and knowing it has come from
0:34:17 > 0:34:20- Herdwick wool off the Lakeland Fells is great.- Yeah, we've taken
0:34:20 > 0:34:22the unwanted and turned it into something beautiful.
0:34:22 > 0:34:24I can see why she's in marketing.
0:34:24 > 0:34:25Exactly!
0:34:25 > 0:34:27You are selling it to me.
0:34:27 > 0:34:31In fact, we can get a cup of tea and sandwiches and we can have
0:34:31 > 0:34:32- a bit of a picnic!- Yeah.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39It's great to see such exciting innovation.
0:34:39 > 0:34:41Let's hope it can help play a part
0:34:41 > 0:34:44in bringing a new lease of life to the British wool industry.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52One of the highlights of summer is the long hours of daylight.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56But if you are a bit of a night owl, the short nights aren't so good.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59So, to keep track of his nocturnal wildlife,
0:34:59 > 0:35:02Paul has had to become a bit of a detective.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07Last year, Paul set-up an owl box
0:35:07 > 0:35:10in a little area of woodland on his smallholding.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14He didn't expect a resident for at least two years,
0:35:14 > 0:35:16but during our Spring Diaries,
0:35:16 > 0:35:19he couldn't resist taking a sneaky peek.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21There is a nest! I can't believe it.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23We have an owl in residence.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25How exciting!
0:35:25 > 0:35:29My kids were thrilled to know they had an owl living here,
0:35:29 > 0:35:31but I want to tell them what kind.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34Is it a little owl, a barn owl, or a tawny?
0:35:35 > 0:35:38So, about a week ago, we set up a camera trap in this tree,
0:35:38 > 0:35:40opposite the owl box.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42Hopefully the information in there
0:35:42 > 0:35:45will give us a clue to who is in THERE.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48Owls hunt at night and are notoriously elusive to spot
0:35:48 > 0:35:52in the daytime. But wouldn't it be great if we had not just one owl,
0:35:52 > 0:35:54but an owl family?
0:35:54 > 0:35:58Yes! Time to check out who's living in our box.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10Well, sadly, no joy with the video evidence.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13We did see a jackdaw and another large bird, but it wasn't an owl.
0:36:13 > 0:36:17I'm convinced I saw a tawny owl, and I think it's a tawny owl,
0:36:17 > 0:36:20judging by the size of it - it had a large head and a large frame -
0:36:20 > 0:36:23fly out of there one early evening, about a month ago.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25I need to become a bird sleuth
0:36:25 > 0:36:28and forensically search the scene for clues
0:36:28 > 0:36:30to prove an owl has been here.
0:36:32 > 0:36:33If you search carefully,
0:36:33 > 0:36:36there are often signs on the ground beneath the nest.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39Oh, I don't know what that is, but we'll save that.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42Bits of twigs, pellets or feathers.
0:36:42 > 0:36:45And that looks like an owl feather.
0:36:45 > 0:36:47That could be quite good news.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52And a quick picture for further proof.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01Armed with my box of clues, I'm off to our local owl sanctuary,
0:37:01 > 0:37:02for an expert opinion.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06Matt Stevens is a conservation biologist
0:37:06 > 0:37:10who works for the Hawk and Owl Conservancy Trust,
0:37:10 > 0:37:14and monitors over 600 owl nest boxes in the area.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18If anyone can give us a positive ID, he can.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21- Hi, Matt.- Hi, Paul. - Thanks for meeting up with me today.
0:37:21 > 0:37:25I KNOW I saw an owl, and I'm pretty sure it was a tawny owl in the nest.
0:37:25 > 0:37:29I mean, tawny owls nest quite early, so most of the tawny owls
0:37:29 > 0:37:32in southern England will have probably just about fledged
0:37:32 > 0:37:34- their young by now. - So it could have been.
0:37:34 > 0:37:36- So it could have been, yeah. - And something else has been
0:37:36 > 0:37:39using it since. Have a look in there, because hopefully there might
0:37:39 > 0:37:41be a clue as to what was in there.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44OK. Yeah, all of these twigs... and this sheep's wool.
0:37:44 > 0:37:49- Yeah, is that owl?- No, no. That's very commonly deposited by jackdaws.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52That, that is a stock dove feather.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54Ah, that could have been the other bird.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57- Yeah.- So they've all shared this owl box.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59Yeah, they will have done it at different times.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02But, yeah, they all may well have used it for nesting.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05Ah, actually... You HAVE got... There you go.
0:38:05 > 0:38:07- There's your tawny owl feather. - Yes, I knew it!
0:38:07 > 0:38:10Do you know, I am so SURE we saw a tawny owl!
0:38:10 > 0:38:14And that is the evidence. That's brilliant. That'll please the kids.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16- Lots of down.- Oh, fantastic.
0:38:16 > 0:38:17So we DID have the tawny owl.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20Did those tawny owls have chicks?
0:38:20 > 0:38:21Given the timings of what you said,
0:38:21 > 0:38:24it is unlikely that the tawny owl would have been in there just
0:38:24 > 0:38:27for roosting. It's more than likely that they had chicks, so, yeah.
0:38:27 > 0:38:29Oh, wow, that is good news.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31And will they come back,
0:38:31 > 0:38:36given that is completely filled with big twig?
0:38:36 > 0:38:38Yes. They are very territorial,
0:38:38 > 0:38:40so males do like to return to the same nest site.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43I have had the same bird return for at least five years in one nest box.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45So there is a reasonable chance.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47Should I clear some of those twigs out?
0:38:47 > 0:38:49There is enough space in there still.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52It may be worth having a look at it probably around about late August,
0:38:52 > 0:38:56September time. Because by that time, the owls will have long gone.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59There shouldn't be much else using the box and you are not interfering
0:38:59 > 0:39:01with them returning to try and have a look,
0:39:01 > 0:39:03see if the nest box is still suitable later in the year.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06I'll clear it out in September and that will give them the best chance
0:39:06 > 0:39:08of coming back. That's great, you've made my day.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10Our owl box worked.
0:39:10 > 0:39:12It did. Great stuff.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15While it's great to hear my owl probably had chicks,
0:39:15 > 0:39:18sadly I never got a chance to see them.
0:39:19 > 0:39:23But Matt, who is specially trained and licensed to handle these birds,
0:39:23 > 0:39:25sees dozens in early summer,
0:39:25 > 0:39:29when he gives all the chicks in his area a health check.
0:39:29 > 0:39:33I'm lending a hand. I'm about to meet my very first little owl.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36- So here is the first one. - Oh, wow!
0:39:36 > 0:39:37Look at that.
0:39:39 > 0:39:43So we are going to be weighing, measuring and ringing?
0:39:43 > 0:39:46It is harmless and doesn't distress the chicks.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48He's a bit wriggly, but he is fine.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52The ring is designed so that it fits on the leg and moves up and down and
0:39:52 > 0:39:56rotates freely, and doesn't have any effect on the foot.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58There's a little bit of a swelling in its belly,
0:39:58 > 0:40:00so it has eaten reasonably recently.
0:40:00 > 0:40:05The measurements we take of its wing are the relaxed length of the wing.
0:40:05 > 0:40:07So, there, you can see it's 70.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10As well as monitoring the chick's health,
0:40:10 > 0:40:14these chicks are helping to gauge the success rate of nest boxes.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16I reckon, what, 120?
0:40:16 > 0:40:19Not bad. 128.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21- Can I hold it?- Of course, yeah.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24They don't have a very strong grip, so you can just rest it
0:40:24 > 0:40:27- in your palm, he'll be fine. - Oh, wow. He is so warm!
0:40:27 > 0:40:29So cute!
0:40:29 > 0:40:33He's 3.5 weeks old, isn't that just fantastic?
0:40:33 > 0:40:36It's not every day you get to hold
0:40:36 > 0:40:38a little baby owl, is it?
0:40:38 > 0:40:40Aren't you great?
0:40:42 > 0:40:45And this summer, the trust are encouraging everyone
0:40:45 > 0:40:49to help improve the wellbeing of owls in their neighbourhood.
0:40:49 > 0:40:53By leaving areas of rough vegetation at the edges of your garden,
0:40:53 > 0:40:55you can encourage insects,
0:40:55 > 0:40:58which in turn attract small birds and mammals.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01And all of these are important sources of food for owls.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04I've got one last mission while I'm here at the sanctuary -
0:41:04 > 0:41:07to meet a tawny owl face-to-face.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12- Gary, hello.- Paul, nice to meet you.
0:41:12 > 0:41:16It's great to get up close and personal with a tawny.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21These feathers are exactly what I saw from my owl box,
0:41:21 > 0:41:24and I know I saw a tawny owl fly out, and I know I saw that bird.
0:41:24 > 0:41:28I was underneath it, so I didn't see all of the brown shades of the top
0:41:28 > 0:41:31of the bird. I just saw the under half as the bird was flying up.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34- I was ever so excited.- Amazing. - So this would be the bird?
0:41:34 > 0:41:36It is. And you are really lucky to see it.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39I mean, they are a very successful species in the UK.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41The most successful of all the owls,
0:41:41 > 0:41:43but seeing one is so difficult cos they are out at night,
0:41:43 > 0:41:47they are nocturnal. Classically, you'll hear the twit-twoo,
0:41:47 > 0:41:50but actually spotting one, even if it is in the tree you know it's in,
0:41:50 > 0:41:52it's so difficult.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56I've come all this way to meet a tawny owl and, you know, get up
0:41:56 > 0:41:59- close and personal. Can I hold him? - Yeah. I just need to come around
0:41:59 > 0:42:00the other side of you.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03He'll treat your glove, your arm, like the branch of a tree.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06That's perfect. What he'll do is he'll see that...
0:42:06 > 0:42:07Oh, look at that!
0:42:07 > 0:42:09Fantastic!
0:42:09 > 0:42:12Oh, do you know what, it's been well worth the visit.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14I found out about the tawny owl -
0:42:14 > 0:42:17the resident I DID have, that got away.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20It escaped me. But, wow.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23I'm pleased to know I had one and hopefully it will be back.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26If you've got a box, there is a good chance, isn't there?
0:42:26 > 0:42:28- So, yeah.- Yeah. Twit-twoo!
0:42:28 > 0:42:29OWL SHRIEKS
0:42:29 > 0:42:30- There you go.- He did it!
0:42:37 > 0:42:39And that's all we've got time for today,
0:42:39 > 0:42:42but here is what's coming up tomorrow.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44Paul learns all you need to know
0:42:44 > 0:42:47about adopting your own brood of hens.
0:42:47 > 0:42:49Yeah!
0:42:49 > 0:42:50Take a bow!
0:42:50 > 0:42:54- Look at that!- Roy Taylor discovers how a landscape,
0:42:54 > 0:42:56formerly laid waste by coal mining,
0:42:56 > 0:42:59has become a wonderful wildlife sanctuary.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01So you could imagine this,
0:43:01 > 0:43:05this is what 364 football pitches looked like.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09And with one of the warmest years on record...
0:43:09 > 0:43:12I'll be taking the plunge to see what wonders you could discover
0:43:12 > 0:43:14in our seas this summer.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18So, make a date with us in your summer diary.
0:43:18 > 0:43:19Until then, goodbye.