0:00:26 > 0:00:28The Isle of Man - it might be tiny,
0:00:28 > 0:00:32but the Manx mainland packs in a lot of landscape.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36Rolling green hills in the north, rocky coastline in the south,
0:00:36 > 0:00:39and a scattering of unspoilt sandy beaches.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42It's the British Isles in miniature.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45At this time of year, the waters around here
0:00:45 > 0:00:48welcome and elusive visitor, the basking shark.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52I'm hoping to catch a glimpse of this mysterious fish,
0:00:52 > 0:00:54but I'm told I need three things -
0:00:54 > 0:00:58patience, a keen eye and a little bit of help from mother nature.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00Wish me luck.
0:01:01 > 0:01:06While Julia is all at sea, I'm on dry land, reliving my youth.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09In the early 1960s, I used to get my motorbike, one just like this,
0:01:09 > 0:01:13and ride around the Isle of Man TT course.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17And now, 50 years on, I'm going to be taking a trip down memory lane.
0:01:23 > 0:01:24Tom is across the Irish Sea in Scotland.
0:01:26 > 0:01:31Birds of prey, magnificent for some, a bit of a menace for others.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33How much damage can these creatures really be doing
0:01:33 > 0:01:37to our wildlife and to our economy?
0:01:37 > 0:01:38I'll be finding out.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43And on his farm, Adam is training the movie stars of his future.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45These are a couple of my white parks
0:01:45 > 0:01:48and I've been asked to train them to be oxen,
0:01:48 > 0:01:51which means they have to wear a yoke and then pull a cart,
0:01:51 > 0:01:54which might sound easy, but that is quite a challenge.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57These are lively beasts and they are very strong.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00Ooh, steady. Ow, stood on my foot. There we go.
0:02:10 > 0:02:1533 miles long and 13 miles wide, the Isle of Man may be small,
0:02:15 > 0:02:18but it crams in an awful lot of scenery -
0:02:18 > 0:02:24mountain and moorland, all framed by spectacular coastline.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26It sits at the heart of the British Isles
0:02:26 > 0:02:28in the middle of the Irish Sea.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36The Isle of Man may be within touching distance of Britain,
0:02:36 > 0:02:38but it is not part of the United Kingdom.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42It's a Crown dependency, which means it answers to the Queen,
0:02:42 > 0:02:46but it has its own government and it isn't in the EU.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50While Julia is out at sea, I'm keeping my feet dry, exploring
0:02:50 > 0:02:53the landscape around the famous race they call the Tourist Trophy,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56better known as the TT.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58But this isn't my first trip here.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03I was in my late teens when I first came here to watch the TT races,
0:03:03 > 0:03:06I came on my bike and this was it.
0:03:06 > 0:03:12My BSA Bantam 125, not very fast, but I was tremendously proud of it.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14That's my sister sitting on the back there.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17She didn't come with me, I came with a pal who had a much bigger bike
0:03:17 > 0:03:20and he had to keep stopping so I could catch up.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24'And for old times' sake, I want to get back on one.'
0:03:24 > 0:03:28I never thought I would see one of these again.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30It is your lucky day, John.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32'There is no shortage of bikes on the island
0:03:32 > 0:03:35'and vintage bike collector, Tony East,
0:03:35 > 0:03:40'has brought along a couple of classic Bantams from 1949 and 1953.'
0:03:41 > 0:03:44I don't think today's generation realise just how important
0:03:44 > 0:03:48Bantam bikes were to the likes of you and me.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52No, they were absolutely vital. Everybody used to go to work on them.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54- That is all you could afford.- Yes.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56And they were all this green colour.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00- Mist green.- Everybody wanted a bantam. There is me on mine.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02That looks absolutely fantastic.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04- Did you have one?- Yes, I had one.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Did you come to the Isle of Man to watch the races?
0:04:07 > 0:04:09Yes, I used to come in the '60s.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11I would go round the circuit on non-race days, of course,
0:04:11 > 0:04:13like everybody does.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15The Bantam was a bit slow going up the mountain.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19There were some dodgy bits, weren't there? Remember that bridge?
0:04:19 > 0:04:22That bridge, over 30 miles an hour, particularly on these things,
0:04:22 > 0:04:25and you'd leave the ground.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28Years ago, they used to station a police sergeant there
0:04:28 > 0:04:32with his white helmet and his stick, and if you went over too fast,
0:04:32 > 0:04:36whack on your backside, just to teach you a lesson.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38There were some pretty flash bikes around.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42Not just the ones competing, but the spectators bringing theirs as well.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44They looked down their noses a bit at us Bantam riders.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46Oh, yes, us Bantam riders, yes!
0:04:46 > 0:04:49They'd forgotten that they'd probably owned them in the past.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52I think they stopped being made in the early '60s.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55The noise of the engine is something I will always remember.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58- Any chance of going for a spin? - Of course there is.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06Well, it's 50 years since I last rode a BSA Bantam,
0:05:06 > 0:05:09but they do say you never forget how to ride a bike.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12Let's hope they're right.
0:05:13 > 0:05:14Whoo-hoo!
0:05:16 > 0:05:17This is fantastic!
0:05:19 > 0:05:21Oh, the years are rolling back!
0:05:21 > 0:05:25This is an instant transport to the days of my youth.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29The freedom that the Bantam gave us all in those days.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34We must be doing about 30 miles an hour now.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39This is the life, isn't it?
0:05:39 > 0:05:42This is really moving, as far as the Bantam is concerned.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46Riding like the wind!
0:05:51 > 0:05:56Bending it over a little bit, I haven't done that for a while.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00I'd forgotten just what fun it is.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02What great fun.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05'And I'm not the only one who thinks so.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09'For the last 105 years, these quiet island plains have been overrun by
0:06:09 > 0:06:13'leather-clad bikers, ready to take on the challenge of the TT course.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15'Not for nothing has it been called
0:06:15 > 0:06:20'one of the greatest motorcycle sporting events in the world.
0:06:20 > 0:06:26'What I'd love to do is re-ride the 37-and-three-quarter mile course
0:06:26 > 0:06:28'like I used to, all those years ago.'
0:06:30 > 0:06:33But I've only ever been round it on the dear old Bantam,
0:06:33 > 0:06:37so maybe this time something a little bit more powerful.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42Something like this - a super trike.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45Now I can let somebody who really knows the course
0:06:45 > 0:06:48do the driving and I can sit back and enjoy.
0:06:55 > 0:06:56As a passenger for once,
0:06:56 > 0:07:00I get to admire the views, and what views they are...
0:07:00 > 0:07:01whatever the weather.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03The course snakes through
0:07:03 > 0:07:06picturesque villages and stunning countryside,
0:07:06 > 0:07:09and up towards the summit of the island's only mountain, Snaefell.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14It's bends like this, known as the hairpin,
0:07:14 > 0:07:17that challenge the most experienced of riders.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Well, exhilarating, Andy, thank you very much indeed.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32My pleasure, my pleasure.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35It really makes you realise just how demanding this course is.
0:07:35 > 0:07:36It is 37-and-three-quarter miles long
0:07:36 > 0:07:40and it's very much man and machine against the course.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44It seems to me to be much faster than it was in my day.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46There are certain things being done to the course all the time
0:07:46 > 0:07:48that improve the speed and improve
0:07:48 > 0:07:51the safety of the course as well, which is the most important thing.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54What's the top speed these days?
0:07:54 > 0:07:56They're doing over 200 miles an hour in certain places.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59Around here is roughly the fastest part of the course.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02Well, onwards, Andy, onwards.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09There's no doubt that on race days these twisting roads
0:08:09 > 0:08:15make for an intoxicating mix of thrills, danger and beauty -
0:08:15 > 0:08:18a combination that's unique to this island.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29We are just about at the highest point of the TT course now,
0:08:29 > 0:08:33Snaefell, the island's only mountain is just behind us there.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37Later, I'll be heading on foot into these uplands.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40But first, Tom is just across the sea in Scotland
0:08:40 > 0:08:44discovering why birds of prey are getting such a bad press.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54Beautiful, powerful, formidable,
0:08:54 > 0:08:57one of nature's most impressive killing machines -
0:08:57 > 0:09:00the common buzzard.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07Common by name and now common by nature.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10These amazing birds of prey have now become
0:09:10 > 0:09:12the most widespread in the United Kingdom.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15But that hasn't always been the case.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18Persecution, pesticides, habitat changes
0:09:18 > 0:09:23and even egg collectors have taken their toll on numbers in the past.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26Just 50 years ago, buzzards had become a rare sight
0:09:26 > 0:09:31in our countryside and in some areas they had been completely wiped out.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35Yet today, they're one of the great British wildlife success stories.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37They're an extremely adaptable bird
0:09:37 > 0:09:40and nowadays we see an awful lot of common buzzards
0:09:40 > 0:09:44by the side of roads where they are scavenging on roadkill,
0:09:44 > 0:09:46which is very easy food for them.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50They've adapted to a lot of changes in the countryside very well.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53So although we look at all these noble features, the beak
0:09:53 > 0:09:55and the talons, actually they're happy to scavenge
0:09:55 > 0:09:57and get what is going as well as actually hunt.
0:09:57 > 0:10:03That's right, many of them act like glorified vultures nowadays.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08It's their adaptability that has bolstered their success.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12In just 15 years, buzzards have more than doubled in number,
0:10:12 > 0:10:14a spectacular comeback.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20Woodland like this makes perfect buzzard habitat.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23In fact, some people reckon that at the height of the breeding season
0:10:23 > 0:10:27there are now close to half a million buzzards in the UK.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30That's not something that everyone is happy about.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34'The impact of birds of prey on game birds is one of
0:10:34 > 0:10:37'the most contentious issues in British conservation.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39'For gamekeepers, like Alex Hogg,
0:10:39 > 0:10:43'buzzards have become public enemy number one.'
0:10:43 > 0:10:47We're heading up here, Tom, I'll take you up and show you.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50'In a couple of weeks, Alex will release 700 young pheasants,
0:10:50 > 0:10:53'also known as poults, into his pens.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56'For the buzzards, it's like the dinner bell for an easy lunch,
0:10:56 > 0:10:59'as he found out last year.'
0:10:59 > 0:11:02As I'm letting the young poults, who only six weeks old,
0:11:02 > 0:11:06run in to the wood, I've got a buzzard coming through the trees
0:11:06 > 0:11:08and I'm shouting, "Leave them alone!"
0:11:08 > 0:11:10But in a sense it's not surprising,
0:11:10 > 0:11:13you've just unleashed a whole load of free lunch for them.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15Of course we have,
0:11:15 > 0:11:17but what we've tried to do in the past
0:11:17 > 0:11:20is we've buffer fed the buzzards with rabbits,
0:11:20 > 0:11:24we've shot rabbits and left them well out the way,
0:11:24 > 0:11:26but the buzzards just got so confident
0:11:26 > 0:11:29and so used to the Land Rover, that they just followed us round.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32I think they found the pen even easier and it made them stronger.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36Do you have any idea how many you might be losing to buzzards?
0:11:36 > 0:11:38We're probably losing
0:11:38 > 0:11:42getting on for over 1,000 pheasants a year to buzzards.
0:11:42 > 0:11:47But you are trying to rear pheasants in a natural habitat,
0:11:47 > 0:11:50isn't the buzzard pressure just a fact of that natural life?
0:11:50 > 0:11:53- Of course it is, but... - So you should put up with it?
0:11:53 > 0:11:55No, no, because my pheasants are livestock, right,
0:11:55 > 0:12:01so would a farmer put up with a dog worrying his sheep?
0:12:01 > 0:12:04We have the same problem with buzzard predation
0:12:04 > 0:12:06on our pheasant poults.
0:12:06 > 0:12:07So what do you want to do about it?
0:12:07 > 0:12:09What we'd like to do is,
0:12:09 > 0:12:13I would love them to either come and take the buzzard away
0:12:13 > 0:12:18or allow me to shoot the young buzzards that are killing my pheasant poults.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21'This may seem a bit extreme,
0:12:21 > 0:12:25'but Alex has tried every other technique to deter the predators.'
0:12:25 > 0:12:27Absolutely useless.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30'More than three-quarters of gamekeepers
0:12:30 > 0:12:33'feel that buzzards are killing large numbers of pheasants,
0:12:33 > 0:12:35'harming a shooting industry
0:12:35 > 0:12:38'that's worth £1.6 billion a year to the UK economy.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42'That's why the government recently tried to launch
0:12:42 > 0:12:47'a controversial project to research and possibly control buzzard numbers.
0:12:47 > 0:12:48'But after a public outcry,
0:12:48 > 0:12:52'the government scrapped the plan for a rethink.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57'The RSPB was one of the loudest voices against the plan.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00'One of its teams near Dunblane is specially licensed
0:13:00 > 0:13:02'to keep an eye on buzzards.'
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Some remains of a crow up here as well,
0:13:04 > 0:13:06some feathers and some rabbit fur.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10'And that's no easy task.'
0:13:10 > 0:13:12One good-sized chick.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14Beautiful.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16Still quite downy, though.
0:13:16 > 0:13:17Is it surprised to see you?
0:13:19 > 0:13:21It hasn't even looked at me yet.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25'At this time of year, the chicks are about to fledge,
0:13:25 > 0:13:29'so it's an ideal time to ring and weigh one of the new arrivals.'
0:13:29 > 0:13:33So this is a perfect size for ringing.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35Absolutely beautiful.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39This is the sort of ugly duckling phase before they become...
0:13:39 > 0:13:43- I think that is a little harsh actually.- Yes, come over here, yes.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48That's about 620 grams.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53When this bird's grown up, will make a meal of a lot of pheasants?
0:13:53 > 0:13:55Well, as we can see in this nest,
0:13:55 > 0:13:59this bird has been largely feeding on rabbits and crows.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02I'm not denying buzzards will kill some pheasants.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06The number of game birds they take is pretty low,
0:14:06 > 0:14:07on average, about 1 to 2%.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09A lot of gamekeepers do worry about buzzards,
0:14:09 > 0:14:12could they be doing more without actually killing them?
0:14:12 > 0:14:16There are quite a lot of non-lethal things that people could be doing.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19A lot of the conflict arises when the young buzzards
0:14:19 > 0:14:22are just out of the nests and that is precisely the time when
0:14:22 > 0:14:26a lot of gamekeepers are putting their pheasant poults in their pens.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29So another thing which a lot of gamekeepers are doing now
0:14:29 > 0:14:32is actually releasing their poults a bit later,
0:14:32 > 0:14:35because if the poults are bigger they're less successful to buzzards.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38The weather is coming in so we really do need to get this chick
0:14:38 > 0:14:40back up into the nest.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42It's headfirst into here.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46Buzzards aren't the only birds of prey which are cooking up
0:14:46 > 0:14:48a bit of a storm at the moment.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52And we'll be looking at some of the others later in the programme.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55Time to get this guy back up the tree.
0:14:58 > 0:14:59As an island nation,
0:14:59 > 0:15:02the Isle of Man's identity is shaped from the sea.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05From its earliest inhabitants who fished its waters,
0:15:05 > 0:15:09to the Vikings who sailed in and settled here in the 10th century.
0:15:09 > 0:15:16In modern times, sailors have used it as a staging post between Britain and Ireland.
0:15:16 > 0:15:22But it's not just humans that are drawn to this island. There's a massive variety of wildlife as well.
0:15:22 > 0:15:27Risso's dolphins and grey seals are common sights as are all manner of birdlife.
0:15:27 > 0:15:33But I'm going to head out into the Irish Sea to try and catch a glimpse of a more curious creature.
0:15:33 > 0:15:39Elusive and endangered, the basking shark is the second largest fish on the planet.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43Up to 40 feet long and weighing in at seven tonnes,
0:15:43 > 0:15:47they can be longer and heavier than a double-decker bus.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52'The sharks move into British coastal waters in April
0:15:52 > 0:15:54and their numbers peak here in early July.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58'My boat for the day is Happy Jack.'
0:15:58 > 0:16:00Hi, guys.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04'Jackie and Graham Hall are my crew and expert guides.'
0:16:04 > 0:16:05Hello. Hi, Graham.
0:16:06 > 0:16:12- Now, I've never seen a basking shark before. Is today going to be the moment?- I hope so.- So do I!
0:16:13 > 0:16:15'Jackie is a marine biologist.
0:16:15 > 0:16:20'She's been studying basking sharks around the Isle of Man for eight years.
0:16:20 > 0:16:25'We're heading to the sea off the south-west corner of the island, a favourite spot for the shark.'
0:16:25 > 0:16:31- Why is this such a good area for basking sharks?- It is all about their food, plankton.
0:16:31 > 0:16:38When the currents hit the southern tip of the Isle of Man, they get pushed inshore.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42We find the basking sharks where we have things called tidal fronts,
0:16:42 > 0:16:44where the plankton is particularly thick.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47And where are they coming from and going to?
0:16:47 > 0:16:52- If we knew that, we wouldn't have to bother tagging them, would we?- OK. That's all part of the research?
0:16:52 > 0:16:56- It is, yes.- Is it fair to say they're still quite mysterious?
0:16:56 > 0:17:01These are very mysterious, enigmatic mega-beasties, yes.
0:17:01 > 0:17:06We've put 17 successful tags on them now, satellite tags these are.
0:17:06 > 0:17:13£3,500 each, which is a bit scary for a wildlife trust project working on a small budget.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15Yes.
0:17:15 > 0:17:21One of the tagged sharks, a big eight-metre-long female called Tracy, went across the Atlantic,
0:17:21 > 0:17:24which was a first for science -
0:17:24 > 0:17:27to have a tagged shark go across the Atlantic.
0:17:27 > 0:17:32All the rest of them have stayed quite local in the Irish and Celtic Seas.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35They're endangered and protected.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38How many do you reckon there are left in the world?
0:17:38 > 0:17:44Scientists estimate there are between 6,000 and 8,000 breeding females worldwide.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47- That is a tiny global population. - It is minute.
0:17:47 > 0:17:52There are some hints that the population might be increasing
0:17:52 > 0:17:57because we are getting more middle-sized sharks now than we did even ten years ago,
0:17:57 > 0:18:02but the remaining threats are being accidentally caught in fisheries.
0:18:02 > 0:18:07There is a report of 14 basking sharks, big ones -
0:18:07 > 0:18:12eight metres long - being caught in one trawl net at once.
0:18:12 > 0:18:13Accidentally?
0:18:13 > 0:18:15Accidentally in New Zealand.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18What about the basking sharks that are not accidentally caught?
0:18:18 > 0:18:20Does it still happen in the world?
0:18:20 > 0:18:26The trouble is, all sharks worldwide are being targeted for their fins,
0:18:26 > 0:18:28for the shark fin soup industry.
0:18:28 > 0:18:33- And the basking shark fit into that category?- Sadly, it can be.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36- What are our chances today? - Very, very small.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39- Why? What's wrong? - The weather conditions are wrong.
0:18:39 > 0:18:45The sharks come to the surface when it has been stable, flat,
0:18:45 > 0:18:48hot weather for a while because the plankton comes to the surface.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52At the moment, they'll still be here but they'll be feeding deeper.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59'Jackie and Graham do all this work voluntarily. It's become a labour of love.'
0:19:02 > 0:19:07- How did you get roped into this, Graham? You're not a marine biologist.- It's why we came here.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10Jackie got involved through the sighting scheme she set up
0:19:10 > 0:19:14and then it moved from sightings to scientific work like tagging.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18We realised we couldn't really charter a boat every time we wanted to do it.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22That wasn't flexible enough. So, I decided we needed a boat so we bought this.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25- And somebody had to drive the boat! - Somebody had to drive the boat!
0:19:25 > 0:19:29When we were learning to tag, it was kind of rudimentary
0:19:29 > 0:19:31and so we had to make our own tagging equipment.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34And then the underwater video equipment and so it goes on.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37Because I'm a bit of an engineer, I was roped into building things.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39For eight years?
0:19:39 > 0:19:43Not quite as long as Jackie but I've been putting up with it for eight years!
0:19:44 > 0:19:49Local legend says that basking sharks were in such numbers in the 1930s and '40s,
0:19:49 > 0:19:53you could walk across the bay on them because there were so many.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57Just one would be a welcome sight today.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04Graham thinks he might have seen something breaking the water.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06If he has, it would be incredibly lucky.
0:20:06 > 0:20:11- What did you see, Graham? - I saw a fin and it looked... it turned below the surface so...
0:20:11 > 0:20:15Then I saw the fin go in, like a small shark fin.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17It's just ideal under these cliffs.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19It's where you get them really.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25Well, it looks like that's the closest I'll get to seeing my first basking shark.
0:20:26 > 0:20:32Jackie and Graham will be back out tomorrow to continue their work with these fantastic fish.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41As for me, I'm heading to the Calf of Man where, hopefully,
0:20:41 > 0:20:45I'll have a little more luck with the Isle of Man's marine wildlife.
0:20:47 > 0:20:52Meanwhile, John's continuing his three-wheeled journey around the island.
0:20:56 > 0:21:02'I'm exploring the scenery along the sinuous roads of the island's famous TT course.
0:21:02 > 0:21:07'It's reckoned to be the world's most lethal motorcycle time trial.
0:21:07 > 0:21:14'135 riders have been killed in the race's history, which goes back 105 years.'
0:21:14 > 0:21:20One of the fastest and most challenging parts of the TT course is here in the mountain section.
0:21:20 > 0:21:26But these uplands have a grim reputation which has got nothing to do with the dangers
0:21:26 > 0:21:28of high-speed motorcycle racing.
0:21:30 > 0:21:35'These peaks still bear the scars from more than 400 aircraft that have crashed here,
0:21:35 > 0:21:39'most of them during the two world wars.
0:21:39 > 0:21:45'The TT course winds its way between Snaefell and the neighbouring peak of North Barrule
0:21:45 > 0:21:53'where I'm heading now in search of one particular plane that came to grief 67 years ago.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57'To help me in my quest, I've enlisted local historian, Ivor Ramsden.'
0:21:57 > 0:21:59We're getting there.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03- Fantastic view!- Beautiful, isn't it?- How much further?- Only another...
0:22:03 > 0:22:06just over the corner there. Not far.
0:22:08 > 0:22:14It's April 1945. The end of the Second World War in Europe is just two weeks away.
0:22:16 > 0:22:21A young American pilot sets off from Essex in his B-17 flying Fortress,
0:22:21 > 0:22:27heading to Northern Ireland with 30 US servicemen on board looking for some rest and recuperation.
0:22:28 > 0:22:33So, unlike thousands of other bomber flights, this wasn't going to drop bombs.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35- This was taking people to have a good time.- Exactly.
0:22:35 > 0:22:40These guys were going on R&R for a few days in Northern Ireland.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44Most of them had been in the UK probably for as long as a couple of years
0:22:44 > 0:22:49and they were mainly the guys who serviced the aircraft, loaded the bombs onto them -
0:22:49 > 0:22:51the ground crew.
0:22:51 > 0:22:56They never normally went into an aeroplane so it must have been quite an adventure for them.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00As the flight was approaching the Isle of Man, what time of day was it?
0:23:00 > 0:23:03It was about ten o'clock in the morning.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05What were the weather conditions like?
0:23:05 > 0:23:09It was fairly cloudy. The cloud was down to about 1,000 feet.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12- It's often cloudy, isn't it, on the Isle of Man?- That's right.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14It's known as Manannan's cloak.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18The sort of God of Man brings down his cloak of cloud
0:23:18 > 0:23:22and, sadly, it's caught quite a few flyers out over the years.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26- And the captain, the pilot, was he experienced?- He was a very experienced pilot, yes.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30He had been on 47 bombing missions over enemy territory
0:23:30 > 0:23:35so you really couldn't get much more experienced than that in those days.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38How come that he didn't know about this hill?
0:23:38 > 0:23:41Well, that really remains a mystery.
0:23:41 > 0:23:46The aircraft's flight plan took it at 5,000 feet,
0:23:46 > 0:23:51just north of the island, but for some reason, it was much lower and much further south.
0:23:53 > 0:24:00In the days before GPS, pilots and navigators relied entirely on visual landmarks to confirm their course,
0:24:00 > 0:24:02so low cloud could lead to disaster.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11CRASH!
0:24:13 > 0:24:17It impacted just behind us.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21Wreckage spread up the hillside, was scattered over probably 250 metres.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24Complete devastation.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28- And everybody died? - Everybody was killed instantly. Not a chance of survival.
0:24:28 > 0:24:34Just to think, everybody on board was looking forward to having a great few days.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38They were. In fact, the flight, in a way, was oversubscribed.
0:24:38 > 0:24:43They had to run a lottery to select the guys who went on it,
0:24:43 > 0:24:45and a tragic way to end your life.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48- They turned out to be the unlucky ones.- The unlucky ones...
0:24:50 > 0:24:53These twisted shards of metal are all that still remain.
0:24:56 > 0:25:03The men who died here are commemorated today by a simple plaque on this windswept hillside,
0:25:03 > 0:25:08a permanent reminder of some of the many lives these misty hills have claimed.
0:25:13 > 0:25:18Back on the road, I'm leaving the peaks behind and heading for more fertile ground.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22For a small island, it's remarkably self-sufficient.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30But to see one of its best success stories, you have to know where to look.
0:25:34 > 0:25:39Just a few steps from a notorious bend on the TT course there's this,
0:25:39 > 0:25:44one of the most intensively farmed areas on the whole island.
0:25:49 > 0:25:54'Cathy Erwin runs the Isle of Man's only mushroom farm.'
0:25:54 > 0:25:59The first thing that surprises me is that the mushrooms are growing in the light.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01I thought they had to be in the dark.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04Not at all. They don't require the dark to grow.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08They don't need the light either. It's a fungi. It's not using photosynthesis to grow.
0:26:08 > 0:26:13- So that's a fallacy that mushrooms are in the dark.- No, not at all.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16You seem to have lots of different types all growing together.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20It's one type of mushroom but you've got different stages of growth.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23You start with the button.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25Then, in 18 hours, that will double in size.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27Then you go to the closed cup.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29They start opening, then we leave it to grow
0:26:29 > 0:26:33and it will become the large Portabella or breakfast flat in the white mushroom.
0:26:33 > 0:26:38- Is there any special technique to picking them? - It's just a very gentle...
0:26:38 > 0:26:42- if you grab any size - and a slight twist and up.- Twist and up.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45- Like that?- OK? And then we just cut away.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48- And you grade them as you go along?- Yes, as we go along.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50Do you like mushrooms?
0:26:50 > 0:26:55- Yes, luckily! - And do you export?- No, we don't.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58It's a fresh product and we feel it should stay a fresh product.
0:26:58 > 0:27:03- So, everybody on the Isle of Man eats your mushrooms if they like mushrooms?- Hopefully!
0:27:03 > 0:27:05We'd like to think so.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14Well, these will come in pretty useful
0:27:14 > 0:27:16because, later on, Julia and I will cook up
0:27:16 > 0:27:20a special barbecue where everything comes from the Isle of Man.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22Here's what else is on tonight's programme...
0:27:22 > 0:27:27Adam's preparing his White Parks for their 15 minutes of fame.
0:27:29 > 0:27:35If we can get these trained well, they'll be in a TV drama, which, at the moment, is a secret.
0:27:36 > 0:27:41And will the sun have a starring role in the week ahead? We'll have the Countryfile forecast.
0:27:50 > 0:27:54Earlier, we heard how the success of the common buzzard is affecting the shooting industry.
0:27:54 > 0:27:59But as Tom has been finding out, that is not the only bird of prey, or raptor,
0:27:59 > 0:28:02that has been accused of causing problems.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06'In the eternal conflict of predator versus prey, there are winners and losers
0:28:06 > 0:28:10'and that balance is constantly changing.'
0:28:10 > 0:28:16With many raptor species on the increase, who is falling victim to those beaks and talons?
0:28:16 > 0:28:21Well, game birds - we saw pheasant earlier - but grouse are frequently targeted.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24Then some of our garden birds, like sparrows, are in steep decline,
0:28:24 > 0:28:27also songbirds like thrushes...
0:28:27 > 0:28:28and finches.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32Some people are blaming birds of prey for this.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37'And that's not all. Pigeons are also on the menu.
0:28:37 > 0:28:43'The Royal Pigeon Racing Association says it has 230 reports of hawk attacks on pigeons
0:28:43 > 0:28:45'since the start of the year.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49'From all the way down in Cornwall, right up to here in Scotland.
0:28:51 > 0:28:55'William Massey and his son Brian have kept pigeons for racing nearly all their lives,
0:28:55 > 0:29:01'but the success of a nearby peregrine nest has had a huge impact on their flock.'
0:29:01 > 0:29:04- You've actually had attacks here? - Yes.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07Really? Right here in your backyard?
0:29:07 > 0:29:09Flying round here, aye.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12- How many have you lost?- I think I've lost about 11 this year.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15- They were only youngsters.- That's in the last couple of months.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18- You've got one that's injured here, is that right?- Yes.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21'At five weeks old, one of their pigeons
0:29:21 > 0:29:24'was attacked by a peregrine falcon but had a very lucky escape.'
0:29:24 > 0:29:27She'll never lay so I think she's just a pet.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30Sometimes they've been in the process of eating them
0:29:30 > 0:29:33cos they come back with wounds, but they've managed to escape,
0:29:33 > 0:29:36so the mental torture that they go through,
0:29:36 > 0:29:37they're never the same again.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40"Mental torture" - that's quite a tough phrase.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42You obviously feel for them that much,
0:29:42 > 0:29:44you think that's what it is.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48- Definitely.- They're terrified. They land and they're shaking.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52Their eyes don't leave the sky and they're just different birds.
0:29:52 > 0:29:56Two weeks' time, three weeks' time, those young peregrines
0:29:56 > 0:29:58round about here, like last year,
0:29:58 > 0:29:59will be leaving the nest
0:29:59 > 0:30:02and there'll not be two hunting them, there'll be five,
0:30:02 > 0:30:04and they've no chance.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10- I can see it really gets to you, you really care about them?- Yes.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14I don't breed my pigeons to feed them and for that to happen to them,
0:30:14 > 0:30:15they deserve better than that.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18I spend a lot of time, effort and I love my pigeons
0:30:18 > 0:30:20and I don't want to let them out there to get murdered.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23The frustrating thing for people like
0:30:23 > 0:30:28Brian and William is that the hawk problem is partly man-made.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31Birds of prey are not only protected by law, in some cases,
0:30:31 > 0:30:34they have actually been reintroduced into the British countryside.
0:30:34 > 0:30:38So has this raptor revival been a little too successful?
0:30:38 > 0:30:42We spoke to someone yesterday and they painted a picture of saying,
0:30:42 > 0:30:45"Look, in the future we are going to have just birds of prey
0:30:45 > 0:30:48"and corvids - crows, magpies, seagulls,
0:30:48 > 0:30:50"that's the future for our birds."
0:30:50 > 0:30:53- Do you think that's a possible scenario?- I couldn't disagree more.
0:30:53 > 0:30:57Go to anywhere on the continent of Europe where you have natural
0:30:57 > 0:30:58bird of prey populations.
0:30:58 > 0:31:03The simple fact is, we are not used to seeing large
0:31:03 > 0:31:06birds of prey in our landscape, because they were removed
0:31:06 > 0:31:09and now they are coming back, people see these changes,
0:31:09 > 0:31:11they are obvious, the birds, so they see there is a problem
0:31:11 > 0:31:15and of course, they try and make a link between raptors and songbirds,
0:31:15 > 0:31:16which may not be there, of course.
0:31:16 > 0:31:18So you don't think it is unbalanced,
0:31:18 > 0:31:22you think we are emerging to a good and healthy equal population?
0:31:22 > 0:31:25Yes, we are going back to a more natural situation.
0:31:25 > 0:31:29Predation is natural and we need to learn to live with predators.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33When it comes to birds of prey,
0:31:33 > 0:31:36there are clearly two very different schools of thought.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41On the one side, some claim that these feathered hunters
0:31:41 > 0:31:44are terrorising the countryside,
0:31:44 > 0:31:51killing game birds, pigeons and even our traditional British songbirds.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54But then there are those that feel they are not only vulnerable,
0:31:54 > 0:31:57but deserving of even greater protection.
0:31:58 > 0:31:59So, who's right?
0:31:59 > 0:32:03Well, what we need now are some good old-fashioned facts.
0:32:03 > 0:32:07Professor Stephen Redpath from the University of Aberdeen
0:32:07 > 0:32:10has been in raptor conservation for 30 years.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13I think the problem is, for a lot of the systems
0:32:13 > 0:32:17we haven't got the independent evidence to assess the impact.
0:32:17 > 0:32:18We just don't know.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20We don't know really what impact they have on pheasants.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24I know some keepers see them as being a major problem
0:32:24 > 0:32:27but we haven't got any independent evidence with which to drive
0:32:27 > 0:32:29sensible management decisions.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32Growing numbers of birds of prey in many ways is
0:32:32 > 0:32:35a fantastic wildlife success story in this country.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38Some people are worried that the numbers continuing to go up.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40Will there be a ceiling and what will that ceiling be?
0:32:40 > 0:32:41How will it be reached?
0:32:41 > 0:32:44Well, not all birds of prey are increasing.
0:32:44 > 0:32:45Buzzard numbers are clearly going up.
0:32:45 > 0:32:49But other things like hen harriers declining quite rapidly,
0:32:49 > 0:32:51virtually eliminated from England, for example,
0:32:51 > 0:32:54so some species are going up, some species are going down.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57But what is also interesting about what you are saying is that
0:32:57 > 0:33:02it's perhaps not right to give the birds an unqualified welcome.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04We have to acknowledge that they are going to have
0:33:04 > 0:33:08impacts on bits of our landscape and trades within it?
0:33:08 > 0:33:12Yes, conservation is about making choices.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14Do we want have lots of predators around
0:33:14 > 0:33:17which potentially have an impact, or do we want to have
0:33:17 > 0:33:20hunting in the environment, how do we decide where the trade-offs are?
0:33:20 > 0:33:23To do that, we need clear evidence one way or another
0:33:23 > 0:33:26so we can make sensible, rational decisions based on the evidence.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30So when it comes to our raptor population,
0:33:30 > 0:33:34there are still many unanswered questions, not least,
0:33:34 > 0:33:37which is more important, our economy or wildlife?
0:33:39 > 0:33:41I love seeing more birds of prey.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44On a blustery day like this, they can be a spectacular sight
0:33:44 > 0:33:48and they are evidence of a rare triumph of British ecology.
0:33:48 > 0:33:53But then I am not economically dependent on what they like to eat.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56It seems to me that both sides need to come down
0:33:56 > 0:33:58off their opinionated perches
0:33:58 > 0:34:02and work out a solution that is best for the birds.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09At this time of year,
0:34:09 > 0:34:13the waters around the Isle of Man are teeming with marine wildlife.
0:34:13 > 0:34:17As I found out earlier, when I went in search of basking sharks,
0:34:17 > 0:34:20some are more elusive than others.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22So it is down to luck and a keen eye.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25This lot have definitely got their eye in.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28Meet the Dolphineers, they're a hardy bunch
0:34:28 > 0:34:31from the Manx Wildlife Trust. They keep watch from the shoreline,
0:34:31 > 0:34:35armed only with a pair of binoculars, a clipboard and a pen.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42- I must say... I do like your office. - It's a lovely, isn't it?
0:34:42 > 0:34:45You've got very good views! What are you spotting?
0:34:45 > 0:34:47What are you looking for?
0:34:47 > 0:34:50We are mainly on the lookout for dolphins or porpoises or whales.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52The most common thing
0:34:52 > 0:34:55you would find at this particular site is usually a porpoise.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58It must be exciting when you see something going past?
0:34:58 > 0:35:00It's amazing. We always get a massive thrill out of it.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03And Hayley, what data are you collecting?
0:35:03 > 0:35:04We collect lots of things.
0:35:04 > 0:35:08We collect what the sea state is like, whether it is rough or clear,
0:35:08 > 0:35:11and obviously with all the whales and dolphins, and basking sharks.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14So we take how many there are, if they are adults or juveniles,
0:35:14 > 0:35:16what behaviour they are displaying,
0:35:16 > 0:35:20and then we go back to our office where we do all the data analysis.
0:35:20 > 0:35:24The volunteers have identified at least 50 Risso's dolphins
0:35:24 > 0:35:28and over 1,000 porpoises in Manx waters. But it is a task that takes
0:35:28 > 0:35:30patience, coupled with the right conditions.
0:35:33 > 0:35:37- And how long will you sit here for today?- Three hours.- Three hours?!
0:35:37 > 0:35:40- And when it starts raining? - We will probably go in.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44All right, in which case, I'll stick with it for a while. OK, let's look.
0:35:54 > 0:35:58While the dolphins are shy today, the seals are definitely on show.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00Most are hauled out on the rocks around the sound,
0:36:00 > 0:36:01between the two islands.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07Although one is a little more inquisitive.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13This would be an ideal location if you wanted to enter
0:36:13 > 0:36:16the Countryfile photographic competition.
0:36:16 > 0:36:18The theme this year is Walk On The Wild Side.
0:36:18 > 0:36:22We want photographs of wildlife, wild landscapes and wild weather.
0:36:22 > 0:36:26The best 12 photographs will make it into the Countryfile 2013 calendar
0:36:26 > 0:36:29sold in aid of Children In Need.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32Here's John with the details of how to enter,
0:36:32 > 0:36:35and a look at some of the photos we've been sent so far.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39Our competition isn't open to professionals,
0:36:39 > 0:36:42and entries must not have won any other competitions
0:36:42 > 0:36:46because what we are looking for is original work.
0:36:46 > 0:36:51You can end up to four photos which must have been taken in the UK.
0:36:51 > 0:36:55Please write your name, address and a daytime and evening phone number
0:36:55 > 0:36:59on the back of each photo with a note of where it was taken.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02And then all you have to do is send your entries to...
0:37:12 > 0:37:14Whoever takes the winning photo,
0:37:14 > 0:37:17as voted for by Countryfile viewers, can choose from a range
0:37:17 > 0:37:22of the latest photographic equipment to the value of £1,000.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25And the person who takes the picture the judges like best,
0:37:25 > 0:37:28gets to pick equipment to the value of £500.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33The full terms and conditions are on our website, where you will also find
0:37:33 > 0:37:37details of the BBC's code of conduct for competitions.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40The closing date is July 22nd and I'm sorry,
0:37:40 > 0:37:43but we can't return any entries, so, the best of luck.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50Now, rare breeds have lived on Adam's farm
0:37:50 > 0:37:53since his dad started to introduce them in the '70s.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56One of the ways to help them pay their way is to hire them out
0:37:56 > 0:37:59as extras on film shoots. And this week,
0:37:59 > 0:38:02Adam is preparing two of his favourites for their big moment.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05But first, he's got a messy job to sort out.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18We are fattening up some of our Gloucester Old Spots in here.
0:38:18 > 0:38:19These are ready to go next week.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22And then there's a few which will be ready in a couple of months' time.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26And you imagine farming to be pretty idyllic but often there are jobs
0:38:26 > 0:38:29that are far from glamorous, and mucking out is one of them.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32I used to have to do this by hand but now I have got a machine.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46This machine is specifically designed for mucking out
0:38:46 > 0:38:48and makes easy work of it.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52By hand, it would be back-breaking and would take much longer.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56A piece of kit like this doesn't come cheap, though.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59It cost me a few grand second-hand so I need to put it to good use
0:38:59 > 0:39:01if it is going to pay for itself.
0:39:02 > 0:39:08It's a bit smelly! I'm very grateful not have to do it by fork.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11'The old bedding will be added to our muck heap and eventually,
0:39:11 > 0:39:14'used as fertiliser out in the fields.
0:39:16 > 0:39:18'Finally, I had some fresh straw
0:39:18 > 0:39:22'and it is ready to home one of my animals.'
0:39:24 > 0:39:27Just bringing this Iron Age sow into the loose box
0:39:27 > 0:39:30where she is going to stay for a few days before she goes to the boar.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33I use a pig board to guide a pig.
0:39:33 > 0:39:37The idea is they won't run where they can't see and hopefully,
0:39:37 > 0:39:38I will steer her round the gate...
0:39:41 > 0:39:42..and in she goes.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45What a good girl.
0:39:45 > 0:39:49I'll give her a bit of a feed as a reward for being such a good girl.
0:39:49 > 0:39:51There you go.
0:39:51 > 0:39:56Years ago, my dad started providing animals for photo-shoots and films
0:39:56 > 0:39:59and dramas, really as a form of diversification
0:39:59 > 0:40:02to help pay for his expensive hobby keeping rare breeds, because they
0:40:02 > 0:40:05don't really pay for themselves, that is why they are rare.
0:40:05 > 0:40:06It worked really well.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09We have been in all sorts of films over the years.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11A sow like this, an Iron Age,
0:40:11 > 0:40:14was in a film called The Hour Of The Pig with Colin Firth.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18In the film, Colin played an advocate representing animals
0:40:18 > 0:40:19accused of crimes.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23It was his job to save my pig from the guillotine for committing murder.
0:40:23 > 0:40:25I ask the court's indulgence a little longer.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29Our Iron Age pig, Guinevere, fell in love with Colin Firth,
0:40:29 > 0:40:32but she actually bit the actor who was playing her owner.
0:40:33 > 0:40:37In that film, my dad was there with the pig on set for weeks,
0:40:37 > 0:40:40just for a very small part in the film.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42I really like to keep my animals are as friendly as I can
0:40:42 > 0:40:45because you never know when their moment of fame might come.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48Might make it one day, girl.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52'My Cotswold sheep have also had their moment on screen.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55'They starred in a film called Middlemarch
0:40:55 > 0:40:58'where they had to run out of the way of a horse and carriage.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02'It took us a day to get that shot, and it only lasted a few seconds.'
0:41:02 > 0:41:06Some of our biggest claims to fame are Braveheart, with Mel Gibson,
0:41:06 > 0:41:09we had some animals in Robin Hood which was with Russell Crowe,
0:41:09 > 0:41:11directed by Ridley Scott.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14And my latest challenge is to train these two White Parks.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16I've got Tony here to give me a hand.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20Hi, Tony, got the food there ready.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22So Tony's helped us out with lots of films over the years.
0:41:22 > 0:41:26- What have you been in, Tony?- Many years ago I was in Joseph Andrews.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29- That ended up as an X-rated, didn't it?- Not the bits I was in!
0:41:29 > 0:41:31THEY LAUGH
0:41:31 > 0:41:34So with these White Parks, we've been asked to train them
0:41:34 > 0:41:35to be a pair of oxen.
0:41:35 > 0:41:38Oxen are any cattle animal trained to work.
0:41:38 > 0:41:40We halter trained them as calves but we've got to give them
0:41:40 > 0:41:42a refresher and then try and get a yoke on them.
0:41:42 > 0:41:46So what we do is get the heads in the bucket and then try
0:41:46 > 0:41:47and slip the halter on.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50Over one horn, over the other horn.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52And under the chin. There's a good girl.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56There, that was very, very good. Got yours, Tony?
0:41:56 > 0:41:58- Got mine, Adam, ready to roll.- OK.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06- Walk on, then, walk on, walk on. - If we can get these trained well,
0:42:06 > 0:42:11they will be in a TV drama which at the moment is a secret.
0:42:11 > 0:42:15I'm not allowed to tell you what it's for. And they're incredibly strong.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18They could drag us across the fields if they wanted to.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21And sometimes the directors ask for all sorts
0:42:21 > 0:42:23of weird and wonderful things, don't they?
0:42:23 > 0:42:26They asked once, they wanted to put a dog in between a cow
0:42:26 > 0:42:29and its calf and I'm afraid I said no to that one.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31No, you have to be sensible sometimes.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34Try and walk them quite close together,
0:42:34 > 0:42:38because soon there'll be shackled together by what's known as a yoke.
0:42:38 > 0:42:40So, we'll take them for a walk.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43Let them left off a bit of steam.
0:42:50 > 0:42:52Right, now, have to put the yoke on.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55And yokes have been used on cattle across the world
0:42:55 > 0:42:58for thousands of years.
0:42:58 > 0:43:02Basically, it's a bit of timber, comes in all different designs,
0:43:02 > 0:43:05that goes across the two necks of the cattle,
0:43:05 > 0:43:09and then there's a loop which goes under their neck. All right, Tony?
0:43:09 > 0:43:13- Yes, fine.- And these two have never had one on before.
0:43:13 > 0:43:14There's a good girl.
0:43:18 > 0:43:21And then they'll pull from their shoulders and the weight will be
0:43:21 > 0:43:25spread evenly between the two of them as a pole is attached to there.
0:43:25 > 0:43:30That then goes to a cart and then they pull away. And actually...
0:43:31 > 0:43:33..they are being very relaxed.
0:43:34 > 0:43:37Let's let them stand there for a minute
0:43:37 > 0:43:39and then we'll try and walk them, shall we?
0:43:41 > 0:43:42THEY LAUGH
0:43:42 > 0:43:45It's quite, um...
0:43:45 > 0:43:49nerve-racking, because you don't know how they will react.
0:43:49 > 0:43:52If they do go mad, you've got to be ready to react and cut them loose
0:43:52 > 0:43:55and try and avoid them hurting themselves.
0:43:55 > 0:43:57So far, so good.
0:43:59 > 0:44:02Take them for a walk, shall we? Fingers crossed!
0:44:04 > 0:44:08OK? I'll try and come your way.
0:44:08 > 0:44:11Walk on, then. Walk on, good girl.
0:44:11 > 0:44:14It's all a bit... It must be quite strange for them.
0:44:14 > 0:44:17They've got a weight on their necks, the chains are rattling.
0:44:17 > 0:44:19- That's it.- That's it.
0:44:21 > 0:44:23Ooh, now, good girl.
0:44:25 > 0:44:30- Walk on.- Now, this, so far, is pretty impressive.
0:44:30 > 0:44:35It isn't normally this easy. But it is early days. Good girl.
0:44:36 > 0:44:38Nearly spoke too soon, there.
0:44:40 > 0:44:43That was pretty impressive for the first time out?
0:44:43 > 0:44:45Oh, dear, I was holding my breath all the way round there.
0:44:45 > 0:44:48I can breathe again now!
0:44:48 > 0:44:50Well, what good girls.
0:44:50 > 0:44:51Right, let's take this yoke off.
0:44:51 > 0:44:55'That was a good start but these youngsters are going to take
0:44:55 > 0:44:58'a lot more work before they are ready for a film set.
0:45:00 > 0:45:03'It takes all sorts to star in a film.
0:45:03 > 0:45:06'I've even had requests for my chickens, too.'
0:45:06 > 0:45:09In Robin Hood, that was starring Russell Crowe, that we provided
0:45:09 > 0:45:12a number of animals for, they particularly wanted a black cockerel.
0:45:12 > 0:45:16The arts directors are not only fussy about the costume
0:45:16 > 0:45:19and the architecture, but also that they have got the right
0:45:19 > 0:45:21animals that fit that period of history.
0:45:21 > 0:45:25So I went off to Cirencester market and bought this cockerel here
0:45:25 > 0:45:28and saved him from the pot because he was for the eating.
0:45:28 > 0:45:29Brought him back, he was in the film
0:45:29 > 0:45:31and there were 13 hens that he was living with.
0:45:31 > 0:45:35One day, a fox broke in, killed all the chickens and I found him
0:45:35 > 0:45:38in the stinging nettles, thinking he was dead. I picked him up,
0:45:38 > 0:45:41he shook his head, it was almost like he came back to life.
0:45:41 > 0:45:44So he was playing dead and the fox just left him alone.
0:45:44 > 0:45:46And now, he lives in here with his new harem
0:45:46 > 0:45:48and my kids have named him Lucky.
0:45:48 > 0:45:50And he is very, very lucky.
0:45:52 > 0:45:55'But not all the animals on my farm pay their way.
0:45:55 > 0:45:59'Some are just pets and recently, we have had a new arrival.'
0:46:02 > 0:46:04A couple of weeks ago
0:46:04 > 0:46:07it was my son Alfie's 10th birthday party and as a surprise,
0:46:07 > 0:46:12we bought him this little Hungarian wire-haired vizsla puppy.
0:46:12 > 0:46:15Her name's Boo and she's the same breed as Dolly,
0:46:15 > 0:46:18although Dolly really never developed the wire hair.
0:46:18 > 0:46:21And they are great. They get on really well. Fetch it, then!
0:46:21 > 0:46:25It's brilliant when you throw a stick, Dolly will pick it up
0:46:25 > 0:46:29and she will lead Boo around, treats her like her own puppy.
0:46:29 > 0:46:33Alfie absolutely adores that puppy. In fact, we all do.
0:46:33 > 0:46:35Yeah, you have won the battle now, Boo.
0:46:37 > 0:46:39Such a cheeky thing!
0:46:39 > 0:46:42'Boo came from a lovely home and she's fitting in well
0:46:42 > 0:46:44'but owning a puppy is a big commitment
0:46:44 > 0:46:48'so I've got my work cut out. Well, Alfie has.
0:46:48 > 0:46:50'Next week, I'm helping a farming friend
0:46:50 > 0:46:52'shop for some Dorset horned sheep.'
0:46:52 > 0:46:54Dolly. WHISTLES
0:46:59 > 0:47:04JOHN: Back on the Isle of Man, while Julia's been out at sea,
0:47:04 > 0:47:09my bid to keep my feet on dry land is proving rather difficult.
0:47:09 > 0:47:12We've had a real mix of weather here on the Isle of Man.
0:47:12 > 0:47:15We've had some lovely sunshine and now there's a downpour.
0:47:15 > 0:47:19But despite the rain, I just can't resist coming to this field
0:47:19 > 0:47:21because, just look at this.
0:47:22 > 0:47:24A carpet of orchids.
0:47:24 > 0:47:28In fact, this field has one of the highest densities of orchids
0:47:28 > 0:47:31anywhere in the British Isles.
0:47:32 > 0:47:35The wetlands of Close Sartfield in the north-west corner
0:47:35 > 0:47:40of the island boast tens of thousands of orchids at this time of year.
0:47:40 > 0:47:43Six species thrive here, including the common spotted,
0:47:43 > 0:47:45heath spotted and northern marsh.
0:47:46 > 0:47:50But while we were filming them, our cameraman Jon was almost
0:47:50 > 0:47:53caught on the hop when something quite unexpected popped up.
0:47:55 > 0:47:59This wild red-necked wallaby is one of almost 100 descendants
0:47:59 > 0:48:03of a couple that escaped from a wildlife park about 40 years ago.
0:48:04 > 0:48:08Thankfully, orchids don't seem to feature on their menu.
0:48:12 > 0:48:16What a wonderful sight. Well worth braving the rain for.
0:48:16 > 0:48:18In a moment, we're going to have,
0:48:18 > 0:48:20would you believe, a beachside picnic?
0:48:20 > 0:48:22We've laid on a local chef, I'll take my mushrooms along,
0:48:22 > 0:48:25and at this moment, Julia is out
0:48:25 > 0:48:28searching for a Manx speciality, queenies.
0:48:28 > 0:48:31Meanwhile, are we going to have rain in the week ahead?
0:48:31 > 0:48:33Let's find out with the Countryfile forecast.
0:50:49 > 0:50:57.
0:51:11 > 0:51:12The Isle of Man,
0:51:12 > 0:51:16a microcosm of the British Isles but fiercely independent of the UK.
0:51:19 > 0:51:22While John's been on two and three wheels exploring
0:51:22 > 0:51:27the landscape inland, I've been all at sea, in all weathers,
0:51:27 > 0:51:29to discover what the Manx waters have to offer.
0:51:31 > 0:51:34High finance and big business support the Isle of Man economy,
0:51:34 > 0:51:36but the mainstay of the fishing industry are these.
0:51:39 > 0:51:42'Almost 3,000 tonnes of scallops are landed each year,
0:51:42 > 0:51:46'worth over £8 million to the Isle of Man's economy.'
0:51:46 > 0:51:48This is a king scallop, this is a queen scallop,
0:51:48 > 0:51:50entirely different species.
0:51:50 > 0:51:53The scallop fishermen trawl for the queens during the summer months
0:51:53 > 0:51:57and they dredge for the kings the rest of the year.
0:51:57 > 0:52:01The queenies, however, are considered the real delicacy.
0:52:01 > 0:52:05'Scallop fishing is part of the island's heritage.
0:52:05 > 0:52:07'Into the 1970s,
0:52:07 > 0:52:11'everyone on the island would have a family member who was a fisherman.
0:52:11 > 0:52:15'Now, only 25 boats fish for queenies.
0:52:15 > 0:52:17'Phil Comber skippers one of them.'
0:52:18 > 0:52:21Phil, here was I all set for my first bout of queenie fishing,
0:52:21 > 0:52:24it's just not going to happen today, no?
0:52:24 > 0:52:27- No, sorry, the weather's a bit bad. - Just not possible?- No, not possible.
0:52:27 > 0:52:30- Wouldn't be safe.- You will have to explain it to me, then.
0:52:30 > 0:52:33What's the difference between trawling and dredging?
0:52:33 > 0:52:35Trawling, in the summertime, when the water warms up,
0:52:35 > 0:52:39the queenies hear the net come along and start to swim to the bottom.
0:52:39 > 0:52:42So the net scoops them up rather than having to dredge the bottom.
0:52:42 > 0:52:44So the dredging is the more hard core,
0:52:44 > 0:52:46obviously pulling along the sea bed.
0:52:46 > 0:52:49Yes, a lot of the EU has put a ban on dredging.
0:52:49 > 0:52:51How has that affected fishing over the last decade?
0:52:51 > 0:52:55The Isle of Man is alive with queenies now.
0:52:55 > 0:52:59There's virtually queenies everywhere you go.
0:52:59 > 0:53:01Even the old grounds have very little left on them,
0:53:01 > 0:53:03and they're all coming back now. So very good.
0:53:06 > 0:53:09The Isle of Man might be a tiny island in the middle
0:53:09 > 0:53:11of the Irish Sea, but it packs a punch
0:53:11 > 0:53:15when it comes to protecting its scallop stocks.
0:53:15 > 0:53:20The Barrule is a 72ft fishing protection vessel.
0:53:21 > 0:53:24It's used to police the hundred miles of island coastline.
0:53:24 > 0:53:27But with no boats braving the rough conditions, today,
0:53:27 > 0:53:30the sea is doing the job for them.
0:53:30 > 0:53:33We enforce Isle of Man Sea Fisheries legislation
0:53:33 > 0:53:37and basically, we are looking for any vessel that may be infringing any
0:53:37 > 0:53:40- regulations that we enforce.- What are some of the basic regulations?
0:53:40 > 0:53:43Basic regulations are vessels that might not be licensed to fish
0:53:43 > 0:53:46in our areas, vessels that use the wrong size sort of gear.
0:53:46 > 0:53:48Presumably sometimes you have got to get a bit tough
0:53:48 > 0:53:51and rap people over the knuckles? What sort of things do you do?
0:53:51 > 0:53:54If there's an infringement, we can arrest, we can bring people in.
0:53:54 > 0:53:57They can be brought through the Isle of Man courts
0:53:57 > 0:54:00where they will be punished for anything they do wrong.
0:54:00 > 0:54:02- Should I be frightened of you?- No.
0:54:02 > 0:54:05At the end of the day, you should be if you're doing something wrong.
0:54:05 > 0:54:10- It's something that everybody should be aware of, really.- Yes.
0:54:11 > 0:54:15As well as catching the crooks, the Barrule is also on patrol
0:54:15 > 0:54:17to help keep scallop stock numbers healthy,
0:54:17 > 0:54:20policing the closed seasons and the no-fishing zones.
0:54:23 > 0:54:26After decades of decline, it is one of the reasons
0:54:26 > 0:54:29the Isle of Man's fishery is enjoying a new lease of life.
0:54:31 > 0:54:33Every skipper's catch is processed in here.
0:54:34 > 0:54:38Cut, washed and then shipped out to Europe and the UK.
0:54:38 > 0:54:40Every package, apart from this one.
0:54:43 > 0:54:45This is coming with me.
0:54:45 > 0:54:48And while Julia makes her way here with the queenies,
0:54:48 > 0:54:51I've brought my own contribution, Portobello mushrooms,
0:54:51 > 0:54:55for an impromptu Manx-style picnic beside the sea.
0:54:55 > 0:55:00'And luckily, for Julia, she won't have to rely on my culinary skills.
0:55:00 > 0:55:05'Instead, I've called in top Manx chef, John Dixon.'
0:55:06 > 0:55:08- Here's a Portobello for you, John. - Thank you, John.
0:55:08 > 0:55:12- I cut it with my own fair hands, that.- You did a lovely job.
0:55:12 > 0:55:15- What are you going to do? - I am going to keep it very simple.
0:55:15 > 0:55:17Hello, hello, excuse me, excuse me.
0:55:17 > 0:55:22I have queenies set for a queen, a rather lovely selection.
0:55:22 > 0:55:24We have got something to put in the mushrooms now.
0:55:24 > 0:55:26What I am going to do is quick seasoning.
0:55:26 > 0:55:30A bit of salt, a bit of pepper, some local oil.
0:55:30 > 0:55:34It's an extra virgin oil seed rape, pressed and grown on the Isle of Man.
0:55:34 > 0:55:37- We'll cook with some lemon verbena. - Lemon verbena?
0:55:37 > 0:55:42- Yes, have a smell. It is a beautiful smell.- Oh, wow, it's lemon!
0:55:42 > 0:55:47Yes, really nice. A bit of oil, mind yourself, it's going to go whoosh.
0:55:47 > 0:55:51- How many queenies?- Well... - I bought enough!
0:55:51 > 0:55:53HE CHUCKLES
0:55:53 > 0:55:55- Just a couple.- Look at that! - Goodness me, what a sight.
0:55:55 > 0:55:59It doesn't get much better than this. Put some wild garlic in there.
0:55:59 > 0:56:02Sear the mushrooms, just a couple of seconds of them.
0:56:02 > 0:56:07- They look good.- Not the best day for having a picnic.- Perfect!
0:56:07 > 0:56:09It's exactly how I like my picnics! It's absolutely fine.
0:56:09 > 0:56:13Now, these are an absolute favourite of mine. Lovely courgette flowers.
0:56:13 > 0:56:14Try and describe to me, John,
0:56:14 > 0:56:19the special nature of the queenie what makes them such a good scallop?
0:56:19 > 0:56:22Well, it's just because they are a little bit nicer flavour,
0:56:22 > 0:56:25They are a more milder flavour. Just lovely. Really nice.
0:56:27 > 0:56:30- What I will do now is drop a few of these.- Look at that.
0:56:30 > 0:56:32You see, that, is a pretty perfect dish for me.
0:56:32 > 0:56:34It doesn't get much better than this.
0:56:34 > 0:56:38Give that a couple of seconds just to finish off.
0:56:38 > 0:56:40You get to try them, that's the best bit.
0:56:40 > 0:56:45- It looks so pretty, doesn't it? Very elegant.- Very simple.
0:56:45 > 0:56:48With the queenies, you don't have to cook them long. There we go.
0:56:48 > 0:56:50- Oh, lovely.- Fit for a queenie.
0:56:50 > 0:56:53Everybody taste them, obviously.
0:56:53 > 0:56:56I am definitely going for the queenie, here we go.
0:56:58 > 0:57:05- It is mouth-watering.- Those queenies, an Isle of Man feast.- Absolutely.
0:57:05 > 0:57:08Well done, John. Sadly, that's all we've got time for this week.
0:57:08 > 0:57:11Next week, we are going to be in the Kent hills
0:57:11 > 0:57:13exploring a favourite landscape of Octavia Hill,
0:57:13 > 0:57:16who was one of the founders of the National Trust.
0:57:16 > 0:57:18Indeed - pioneering lady, exceptional lady.
0:57:18 > 0:57:20I was lucky to receive an Octavia Hill award recently.
0:57:20 > 0:57:23- Thank you for voting for me. - Congratulations!- Thank you!
0:57:23 > 0:57:25- See you next week! Bye-bye.- Bye. - More scallops.
0:57:46 > 0:57:48Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd