0:00:24 > 0:00:28Deep in the heart of the Cotswolds Hills, something is stirring.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35These ancient meadows hide a secret.
0:00:35 > 0:00:40It's hoped they'll soon be home to something very special indeed.
0:00:40 > 0:00:45A wildlife wonder so rare and so fragile it's not been a feature
0:00:45 > 0:00:47of this landscape for 50 years.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51The Large Blue butterfly is an extraordinary creature
0:00:51 > 0:00:53and reintroducing them is a very ambitious plan.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57So much so, this site, for now, is top secret.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00But it looks like the weather is on our side so fingers crossed
0:01:00 > 0:01:03we should be in with the chance of seeing them almost as they emerge.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05They actually hatch inside the earth because
0:01:05 > 0:01:07they spend the first part of their life cycle
0:01:07 > 0:01:10pretending to be red ants and I'll be finding out more
0:01:10 > 0:01:13about their wonderful development with the help of some cake.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16- Actually, I might just have a little bit.- No, don't.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20Like many other parts of England and Wales, the Cotswolds suffered
0:01:20 > 0:01:24from the extra ordinarily hot and dry spring that we had.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28If with climate change that could be a possible sign of things to come,
0:01:28 > 0:01:33what could the impacts be, from forest fires to the future of farming?
0:01:33 > 0:01:37That's what I'll be investigating. And also on Countryfile tonight -
0:01:37 > 0:01:42Adam's keeping a watchful eye on a hen who's taken some new arrivals under her wing.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46Now, if I can pick her off without getting pecked, six little chicks,
0:01:46 > 0:01:50including...a little duckling there.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53You're going to be a mixed up kid, aren't you, having a chicken as a mother?
0:01:56 > 0:02:02And Julia has a close encounter with one of our most elusive woodland creatures.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05The nation will be looking at their television screens now
0:02:05 > 0:02:08and I guarantee there will be a universal, "Aw".
0:02:21 > 0:02:24Even by the standards of the Cotswolds,
0:02:24 > 0:02:29these steep-sided valleys and sunlit slopes are something to marvel at.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31It's beautiful.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33I'd love to tell you where I am, but I can't.
0:02:33 > 0:02:38All I can say is we're a few miles from Stroud in Gloucestershire.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42Because this lumpy, bumpy bit of landscape is top secret.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45And I mean top secret.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49And it's all because of this - the Large Blue butterfly,
0:02:49 > 0:02:52one of the most endangered insects on Earth.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56Not seen around here for over 50 years, it's now the focus
0:02:56 > 0:02:59of a massive effort to bring it back.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03There's been several failed attempts at other sites in the Cotswolds.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06Now, all rests on this one.
0:03:06 > 0:03:12Last summer, 200 Large Blue caterpillars were placed around this area and scientists
0:03:12 > 0:03:18chose this site because it was the right habitat, plenty of sunshine and well away from prying eyes.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20Well, almost!
0:03:20 > 0:03:24'Patrick Barkham is a butterfly enthusiast and author.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27'He's just one of a handful of people who know what's going on here.'
0:03:28 > 0:03:30Patrick, how are you doing, all right?
0:03:30 > 0:03:35- Yeah.- Good to see you. You're obviously very hopeful today that we'll clap eyes on these?
0:03:35 > 0:03:39I wouldn't like to promise you a Large Blue because they've not been seen here for 50 years.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41That sounds massive in itself.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43But how big a deal is this whole project?
0:03:43 > 0:03:48It's a major deal. It's not just the biggest conservation project, Butterfly Conservation Project,
0:03:48 > 0:03:53it's really the biggest and most successful insect conservation project. Probably in the world.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56Will we see them in the same area that the caterpillars were placed?
0:03:56 > 0:04:00You can see them within a metre of where they spend the winter,
0:04:00 > 0:04:03but they will be emerging and flying down the hill towards the bottom.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06That's where we will try and catch them.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08So, the key is just keep them peeled?
0:04:08 > 0:04:12Sheltered spot, sunshine, looking good.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15OK, well, we won't know for sure if the project has been successful
0:04:15 > 0:04:19until the Large Blues emerge and we are here as and when they do.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24But there's one place where they've already been successfully reintroduced.
0:04:24 > 0:04:30While I'm near Stroud in the Cotswolds, James has been to Collard Hill in Somerset to find out more.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36Pioneering work has been done right here
0:04:36 > 0:04:38to bring it back from extinction.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42It's taken more than a decade, but the Large Blue
0:04:42 > 0:04:44has finally gained a foothold.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48It's eggs from here in Somerset that are being used to reseed
0:04:48 > 0:04:51the secret site in the Cotswolds where Matt's on standby.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55If the scientists get it right there and another colony's established,
0:04:55 > 0:04:59then the future for the whole species is as good as guaranteed.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03This little guy here is what all the fuss is about.
0:05:04 > 0:05:09None of this would have been possible without Professor Jeremy Thomas.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13The Large Blue died out in Britain at the end of the 1970s,
0:05:13 > 0:05:15but just a few years later,
0:05:15 > 0:05:18Jeremy and his team began the work that would bring them back.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22They set about reseeding our grasslands with caterpillars
0:05:22 > 0:05:27and it worked! Today, he's back to check on his little charges.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30So, why had the Large Blue become extinct in the first place?
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Well, it's really a victim of modern agriculture.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36As farming has become more intensive
0:05:36 > 0:05:40so the flatter lands have been ploughed and fertilised,
0:05:40 > 0:05:44but so many of the old slopes that used to be grazed were abandoned,
0:05:44 > 0:05:50the grass grew taller, there are a large number of creatures of which the Large Blue is a particularly
0:05:50 > 0:05:58sensitive one, but like short, open, sparse conditions that lets the sun beat down and bake the ground.
0:05:58 > 0:06:03Nowadays the National Trust, working with local farmers, are once again grazing these
0:06:03 > 0:06:08slopes to recreate the conditions needed for the Large Blue to survive.
0:06:08 > 0:06:14But that's not enough on its own. It took a helping hand from Jeremy to bring the butterfly back.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17So, how do you go about reintroducing a whole species?
0:06:17 > 0:06:19Well, it was no easy matter.
0:06:19 > 0:06:25We had to find a race of the butterfly that was suitable for the English climate and we eventually
0:06:25 > 0:06:31located some in southern Sweden and so we had a hunting expedition,
0:06:31 > 0:06:33you can't just get the adults of these butterflies
0:06:33 > 0:06:37and release them in the countryside so we had to actually collect the eggs and
0:06:37 > 0:06:43bring the little caterpillars over and then release the caterpillars, just sprinkle them over the sites.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46Today, there are 1,000 Large Blues here,
0:06:46 > 0:06:49descendants of those first caterpillars.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52It's a good start, but it's just the first step.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Right now is the perfect time to spot Large Blues.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00'They're only on the wing for a few weeks in June and July.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03'And bang on cue, Jeremy and I spot one.'
0:07:03 > 0:07:07This is a very fresh female, almost certainly emerged today.
0:07:07 > 0:07:12And as you can see she's sitting on the flower head of wild thyme,
0:07:12 > 0:07:14which is where she will lay her eggs later on.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18She'll only lay on the tight flower buds of wild thyme.
0:07:18 > 0:07:23So, she'll drink nectar from this plant, this flower she's on here,
0:07:23 > 0:07:27and that's the only food that the caterpillars will eat.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31I imagine that's part of the reason why they were rare in the first place?
0:07:31 > 0:07:33It's a really specific relationship.
0:07:34 > 0:07:38They have a much more complicated life cycle later on which restricts them even further.
0:07:38 > 0:07:43Julia's going to be finding out even more about that remarkable life cycle in a little while.
0:07:43 > 0:07:48But for me and Jeremy, all that's left to do is admire the fruits of his life's work.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51It must be so rewarding after so much work to be able
0:07:51 > 0:07:54to see it so visually, walk through a field of them?
0:07:54 > 0:07:58Yeah, I must say, I've been watching for a very long time, but I still
0:07:58 > 0:08:01get a terrific kick every year when I see them coming out again.
0:08:01 > 0:08:08The Large Blues in Somerset are doing OK, but if the species is to avoid becoming extinct again,
0:08:08 > 0:08:11then colonies elsewhere in the country are vital.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14That's why this experiment further north is so important.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17We'll be finding out later if it's worked.
0:08:18 > 0:08:24Here in the Cotswolds, they have experienced an exceptionally dry spring, and they're not alone.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27Parts of the country are now officially facing drought conditions
0:08:27 > 0:08:34and thanks to this dry weather, a spate of forest fires has broken out across England and Wales.
0:08:34 > 0:08:39But are they a one-off or a taste of things to come? John's been investigating.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51There are few things more damaging to nature than fire.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55It destroys plants and trees, wildlife and habitat.
0:08:55 > 0:09:00In the last few months, its effect on the countryside has been disastrous.
0:09:00 > 0:09:06In April this year, England and Wales had only one fifth of their average monthly rainfall.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10As a result, vast areas of parched woodland burst into flames.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14Forest fires broke out on a scale rarely seen before.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17Wildfires are continuing to burn in parts of Scotland.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19The smoke rising...
0:09:19 > 0:09:21Dangerous work...
0:09:21 > 0:09:25From the top of Scotland to the south of England, wildfires raged.
0:09:25 > 0:09:32It took thousands of fire-fighters and millions of pounds to put them all out and it left a big question.
0:09:32 > 0:09:37As the impact of climate change begins to be felt, will forest fires become
0:09:37 > 0:09:41a more regular feature of extreme and volatile weather conditions?
0:09:41 > 0:09:45And if so, what lessons can be learned by fire-fighters and foresters
0:09:45 > 0:09:51in the aftermath of a huge outbreak like the one here at Swinley Forest?
0:09:51 > 0:09:54This was the biggest fire in Berkshire's history.
0:09:54 > 0:10:00Over nine days, 500 acres of woodland were engulfed in flames that leapt more than 60 ft into the sky.
0:10:00 > 0:10:05It caused damage on a scale that no-one had seen before.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07How much of the forest has been lost?
0:10:07 > 0:10:11I think about 25% of our holding here
0:10:11 > 0:10:15has been destroyed beyond recovery.
0:10:15 > 0:10:20- How many trees is that?- It's at least 100,000 trees to replace here.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25Across Britain, small forest fires aren't actually that unusual.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28And with a little help, woodland usually bounces back.
0:10:28 > 0:10:33But recovering from a fire on this scale will take many years and lots of hard work.
0:10:33 > 0:10:39We aim to have most of the plantations restocked probably by this time next year.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42But then we'll have another five or 10 years of nurturing
0:10:42 > 0:10:45those before they can be left to their own devices.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48It must have been a nightmare come true for you, Nick?
0:10:48 > 0:10:51Absolutely, John, it was really devastating.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54It gave me a cold...
0:10:54 > 0:10:57clammy hand on the pit of my stomach
0:10:57 > 0:11:01and really did feel emotionally very, very difficult.
0:11:01 > 0:11:08It's quite an act of faith putting a tree in the ground and then spending five or 10 years ensuring they get
0:11:08 > 0:11:12- the best start. You really put a lot of yourself into that. - To see it go up in flames?
0:11:12 > 0:11:17To see it go up in flames there's an element of, you think, how can this ever recover?
0:11:17 > 0:11:23But Nick believes things can be done to prevent wildfires like this in the future.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27We will, I think, take some lessons from this.
0:11:27 > 0:11:33We will look at how we can design the next phase here with
0:11:33 > 0:11:37maybe greater robustness, greater flexibility in coping with fire.
0:11:37 > 0:11:42Some cultural changes in how we manage the vegetation, there's a lot of fuel here
0:11:42 > 0:11:45that's not necessarily part of the crop we're promoting,
0:11:45 > 0:11:49but is a consequence of naturally seeding trees.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51The sort of stuff that helps the forest fires spread?
0:11:51 > 0:11:53That's right, and it adds fuel to it.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57But managing woodland may not be enough and if a fire does break
0:11:57 > 0:12:02out again, it will be up to the emergency services to tackle it.
0:12:02 > 0:12:06400 fire-fighters from 13 counties battled to contain the flames
0:12:06 > 0:12:11at Swinley Forest and for many from urban areas, it was a new experience.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14Nick Oxborough was one of the senior officers involved.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17A fire on this scale, a huge challenge for your brigade?
0:12:17 > 0:12:19Yes, this has been an exceptional fire.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23We have had fires, large fires here over the last 10 to 15 years.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26This was very exceptional. Where the timber, the trees,
0:12:26 > 0:12:30were like this, densely packed, the fire just literally ripped through the whole thing.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33It sounds like an express train coming at you if you're at the side
0:12:33 > 0:12:36of a platform and a train goes through, it was just like that sound
0:12:36 > 0:12:39as the fire ripped through. There's nothing you can do about that.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45Climate change experts say that we can expect more of this
0:12:45 > 0:12:48kind of thing in the future as the country hots up.
0:12:48 > 0:12:49Are we going to be prepared for it?
0:12:49 > 0:12:53From a fire service perspective, yes, we will be prepared for it.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55We know that you cannot put that type of fire out
0:12:55 > 0:13:00with, however much water you've got, you can't just squirt water on it, it will not work.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04So it's about being slightly smarter, more proactive in our thinking and planning
0:13:04 > 0:13:07and saying "If it burns through there, where will it stop?
0:13:07 > 0:13:09"Where can we actually stand and tackle it?"
0:13:09 > 0:13:14But how often will people like Nick need to put what they've learnt into practice?
0:13:14 > 0:13:20It's virtually impossible to predict the weather and the effect climate change will have on it.
0:13:20 > 0:13:25But as they've discovered at Swinley, certain risk factors should be possible to control.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27Jonathan, you actually predict wildfires, don't you?
0:13:27 > 0:13:29Did you predict this one?
0:13:29 > 0:13:35This one's easy. Dry weather, lots of inflammable undergrowth and people,
0:13:35 > 0:13:39particularly on that bank holiday, go out into the countryside,
0:13:39 > 0:13:42light barbecues, throw away cigarettes.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46Arson, negligence, that's what causes them.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48To further reduce risk, Jonathan would like to see
0:13:48 > 0:13:53more landowners across the country actively protecting their woodland.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55I think what we need to do now is to think much more
0:13:55 > 0:14:02carefully about the way in which we manage the countryside and recognise that there is this risk of wildfire.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06Remove a lot of the undergrowth from forests, things like that?
0:14:06 > 0:14:12Well, it's very clear from countries like Spain that if you just abandon the countryside and scrub grows up,
0:14:12 > 0:14:18you then have a terrible wildfire problem because the farmers have left for the cities.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20And it's much the same in Britain.
0:14:20 > 0:14:27If a dry spring causes devastating fires, what's going to happen if we get a very dry, hot summer?
0:14:27 > 0:14:30We can't control the weather, but we can find more effective
0:14:30 > 0:14:33ways of coping with the results of its extremes.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35Drought is another consequence.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37More about that in a few minutes.
0:14:43 > 0:14:50Deep in the steep, green-sided valleys of the Cotswolds near Stroud is a magical place.
0:14:50 > 0:14:51The Golden Valley.
0:14:51 > 0:14:57It's all green, really, but what's a little poetic licence when you're surrounded by this?
0:14:59 > 0:15:04It's called Golden because of the wealth of old wool merchants that lived here in medieval times,
0:15:04 > 0:15:06when wool was making the Cotswolds rich.
0:15:06 > 0:15:11And threading its way through the Golden Valley is the Golden Valley Walk -
0:15:11 > 0:15:15an easy five miles through some stunning country.
0:15:15 > 0:15:20Undoubtedly pretty, but scratch the surface and this landscape can tell you plenty.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24What do you reckon this is? Molehill?
0:15:24 > 0:15:29Mm-mm. It's an ant hill. And what these mean is that this is ancient, unimproved pasture land.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Some of them have been here for decades.
0:15:34 > 0:15:35Better get off.
0:15:38 > 0:15:43This is rough pasture, but that's not the reason it's left mostly ungrazed.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46Limestone terrain like this doesn't hold water well,
0:15:46 > 0:15:49and that's a problem if you've got thirsty animals.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54'So, here's the answer.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57'A dew pond. A traditional way of gathering the dew
0:15:57 > 0:16:01'that rolls off the grass on summer mornings. It also catches rainwater.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05'This is the first one built in the Cotswolds for over 100 years.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08'But the idea goes back thousands.'
0:16:08 > 0:16:10- Hey up, Pete.- Hi, Julia.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14I've got to say, the dew pond is looking a little arid.
0:16:14 > 0:16:16It is, just a bit, unfortunately, yes.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20- It's a problem in the area, isn't it?- It's a big problem in the area.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23The idea of a dew pond is to hold water for livestock and, unfortunately,
0:16:23 > 0:16:27with such a dry spring it just hasn't managed to do that.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30'Nevertheless, when the rain does come, it will hold water.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34'To show me how it works, Pete's brought some stuff from his kitchen.'
0:16:34 > 0:16:37If you can imagine that this is the dew pond, the hole that we dug here,
0:16:37 > 0:16:41before everything else went in - the ingredients if you like.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45- Then what we basically start doing is building up the layers.- Right.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48'Clay goes in first to form a watertight lining.
0:16:48 > 0:16:56'Then lime is added or, in this case, flour, to stop worms from chewing holes into the clay.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59'Straw is next, which prevents everything underneath from drying out.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02'And then the process is repeated.'
0:17:02 > 0:17:07And then, finally, we just need some stone to cap it off.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10The idea of the final capping of stone was to prevent
0:17:10 > 0:17:13the animals putting their hooves through the clay and actually, er,
0:17:13 > 0:17:17- making a hole.- Or getting stuck? - Or even getting stuck, actually.
0:17:17 > 0:17:22- That could've happened, couldn't it? - Yes.- And it should be watertight?
0:17:22 > 0:17:24In theory, it should be watertight.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26In theory? Shall we test it?
0:17:26 > 0:17:29- Yes, let's.- OK. Right.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33Here we go.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41Let's have a little look.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46'The water is sitting on top of the mix,
0:17:46 > 0:17:50'and the clay is stopping it from seeping to the bottom of the bowl.'
0:17:50 > 0:17:51Looks to be holding.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54By Jove...
0:17:54 > 0:17:56I think you're right.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00'The real thing is seven foot deep.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03'More than 30 tons of clay were used to build it
0:18:03 > 0:18:08'and water or no water, I think it looks great.'
0:18:10 > 0:18:14'From dew ponds and open pasture, the walk drops down to follow
0:18:14 > 0:18:17'the route of the old Thames and Severn Canal.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21'It's long fallen into disuse and nature has taken over.'
0:18:23 > 0:18:26- Hear that? - SILENCE
0:18:26 > 0:18:27Neither do I.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31Utter...peace
0:18:31 > 0:18:33and quiet.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44A little further on, you come to Siccaridge Wood -
0:18:44 > 0:18:47a patch of ancient woodland that was traditionally coppiced
0:18:48 > 0:18:53and which today is managed by one very special resident - the dormouse.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56Nationally in decline but doing pretty well here.
0:18:56 > 0:19:00Why is this woodland such an ideal habitat for them?
0:19:00 > 0:19:04Dormice, when they come out of hibernation,
0:19:04 > 0:19:07throughout the spring, summer and autumn they actually need
0:19:07 > 0:19:10woodlands whereby they can access a range of foods.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14And also, they need a good linkage of branches above
0:19:14 > 0:19:17so they can actually move through the tree canopy.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21A coppiced woodland like this, where trees are cut on a regular basis,
0:19:21 > 0:19:23there's good linkage so they can move around well,
0:19:23 > 0:19:28and the act of cutting the coppice means that different shrubs and plants will come up,
0:19:28 > 0:19:31which gives them access to different foods throughout the year.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34- How long DO they sleep? Longer than me?- Probably, yeah.
0:19:34 > 0:19:39They usually go down to hibernation about November, and they'll start to wake up again about March or April.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43- That's what I call a good sleep!- Not bad, is it?- That's very good, yeah.
0:19:45 > 0:19:50Are these pretty good conditions today to see a dormouse?
0:19:50 > 0:19:52Well, they're not bad, but dormice are nocturnal.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55They'll have been out last night feeding,
0:19:55 > 0:19:59which means they should be back in their nest boxes by today so hopefully we should see something.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02- Hello, Mick.- Oh, hello, how are you?
0:20:02 > 0:20:05- Tell me you've got something in there.- I'm afraid not.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07Have we got an empty one?
0:20:07 > 0:20:12That just wouldn't have been the way that it works generally for us, I must say.
0:20:13 > 0:20:18'Mick's been monitoring the dormice in these woods for over 20 years.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21'His work feeds into the National Dormice Survey -
0:20:21 > 0:20:25'one of the longest-running mammal surveys in the world.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30'Even with Mick on hand, we're having trouble spotting them today.'
0:20:30 > 0:20:32SHE SIGHS
0:20:32 > 0:20:34I want to see a dormouse.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38I'm feeling lucky about this one.
0:20:38 > 0:20:39Box 100.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44- Yeah? No? Yes?- Yes.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46Probably cos it was a cold night last night.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48Just gone into a mini-hibernation.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51He might stay like that for the rest of the morning.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53He'll have shut his body down - uses less energy -
0:20:53 > 0:20:57but he'll wake up about lunchtime and be ready to go and feed again tonight.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00'Mick and Ian are licensed handlers,
0:21:00 > 0:21:04'which means it's OK for me to handle them under their supervision.'
0:21:04 > 0:21:08What's our climate like generally for dormice?
0:21:08 > 0:21:11Well, the winters are too warm and too wet.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13They're much happier where it's colder.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16That's why this winter, being so cold,
0:21:16 > 0:21:22has kept them in hibernation for longer, so they don't wake up early and use up their body reserves.
0:21:22 > 0:21:27Because if they wake up and its mild, they come out and there's nothing for them to eat.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31'Cute she is, but there's a serious side to this job.
0:21:31 > 0:21:37'A good weight means she's come through the winter well and is in tip-top condition for breeding.'
0:21:37 > 0:21:40- 13½.- 13 and a bit? Yeah, 13½.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44- 13½ grams.- 13½ grams?!
0:21:44 > 0:21:47Roll him back into me there.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51'Even with experienced handlers, it's important to keep the disturbance to a minimum.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55'But this little lady's perked up and doesn't seem so sleepy.'
0:21:55 > 0:21:57She's a little bit more active now,
0:21:57 > 0:22:01so let me turn her around so you can see her eyes.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05The nation will be looking at their television screens now
0:22:05 > 0:22:09and I guarantee there will be a universal "aww".
0:22:12 > 0:22:17'All in all, the perfect end to a perfect walk.'
0:22:19 > 0:22:20Later in the programme...
0:22:20 > 0:22:25Adam's spoilt for choice when he goes shopping for some fancy fowl.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27Chickens galore!
0:22:27 > 0:22:31We'll have a sneak preview of the entries in our photographic competition.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34But will yours be among them?
0:22:34 > 0:22:38And there's still time to enter so if you're hoping to take the perfect picture,
0:22:38 > 0:22:42you'll need the Countryfile weather forecast for the week ahead.
0:22:48 > 0:22:53Our unusually dry spring has caused its fair share of problems around here, and the rest of the country.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56But if this weather pattern is here to stay,
0:22:56 > 0:22:58is it time for our farmers to rethink what they grow?
0:22:58 > 0:23:00John has been investigating.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06Wild fires are continuing to burn in parts of Scotland.
0:23:06 > 0:23:11JOHN: Earlier, I looked at how it our dry spring led to catastrophic forest fires,
0:23:11 > 0:23:15and I found out what needs to be done to stop such damage happening again.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17But that wasn't the only weather problem.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20Officially, in some areas, there's now a drought.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26The longest dry spell for a century has created anxious times for farmers,
0:23:26 > 0:23:28so what should they do?
0:23:28 > 0:23:30Farming has always been a gamble with the weather,
0:23:30 > 0:23:34but extreme conditions certainly raise the stakes.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38Some farmers in East Anglia are expecting their crops to be down by a fifth.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41Many livestock and dairy farmers
0:23:41 > 0:23:44started using their winter feed stocks in May.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47I'm meeting David Taylor, a farmer whose 700 acres of arable land
0:23:47 > 0:23:51on the chalky South Downs certainly suffered.
0:23:52 > 0:23:57What effect has the very dry spring had on your barley crop here?
0:23:57 > 0:24:00It's had the effect of making the crop much thinner,
0:24:00 > 0:24:03in as much as there are less stems per given area,
0:24:03 > 0:24:08and that's caused by the fact that, when a seed is sown,
0:24:08 > 0:24:12it throws up one stem, and subsequently other stems develop,
0:24:12 > 0:24:16so that each seed produces a number of ears, such as these.
0:24:16 > 0:24:21You can see that these ones here will never produce an ear. And in a better year, they would have done.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23- Look how dry the roots are. - Very dry indeed.
0:24:23 > 0:24:28So, unless there's a lot more rain before harvest time, how much do you think your crop will be down?
0:24:28 > 0:24:31It's very difficult to tell. All sorts of figures are bandied about.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35Even in a good year, I don't know what sort of crop we'll get.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37But I would say for certain we've lost 30% of our crop.
0:24:37 > 0:24:42To make matters worse, many farmers like David have contracts to honour.
0:24:42 > 0:24:48If they've already agreed to sell a certain amount of their harvest and can't fulfil that,
0:24:48 > 0:24:50they'll have to buy in the difference -
0:24:50 > 0:24:53and with wheat prices hitting the roof, that's an even bigger blow.
0:24:53 > 0:24:58You tend to go through periods of elation and depression in farming.
0:24:58 > 0:25:03And if I had an inch of rain tonight, I'd probably feel far better than I do right now,
0:25:03 > 0:25:05and that's the way farming is, I'm afraid.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08We have to be pragmatic and philosophical about it,
0:25:08 > 0:25:12and accept the one thing we can't do is affect what nature gives us.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16There ARE farmers who welcome weather like we had in spring.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20It means they can take on foreign competition earlier in the season.
0:25:20 > 0:25:27This fruit farm belongs to a firm which, every year, grows 8,000 tonnes of strawberries, blackberries,
0:25:27 > 0:25:30raspberries and blueberries in the south of England.
0:25:30 > 0:25:36And this year's dry conditions and sunny days have been ideal for all these soft fruits,
0:25:36 > 0:25:39which were ready for market two weeks ahead of schedule.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42But it's not all down to sunshine.
0:25:42 > 0:25:49The farm uses half a million litres of water every day, so how does it manage this precious resource?
0:25:49 > 0:25:52Your situation is very different from arable farmers,
0:25:52 > 0:25:56who can't just water a field like that - you can control your water, can't you?
0:25:56 > 0:26:00That's right. All our soft fruit, when it's grown out of the soil,
0:26:00 > 0:26:05has a drip system so we can give the plants exactly what they need in terms of feed and water.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08On this particular fruit farm, have you got reservoirs?
0:26:08 > 0:26:14Yeah, we bought this farm in 1966 and since then, we've built four reservoirs,
0:26:14 > 0:26:19and we think now we've got a fairly belt-and-braces approach to water security.
0:26:19 > 0:26:25The Environment Agency is currently reviewing the amount of water available to farmers.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29They'll be stopped from taking it from free sources if that's found to be unsustainable.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Harry manages his supplies carefully,
0:26:32 > 0:26:38harvesting rainwater in reservoirs instead of just taking it from boreholes and rivers.
0:26:38 > 0:26:43Do you think more farmers will be doing what you do, and have your own reservoir space?
0:26:43 > 0:26:45Yeah, I think it's the only way forward.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49I think winter extraction is going to become more and more necessary,
0:26:49 > 0:26:52and being able to pump water out of rivers and streams in the summer
0:26:52 > 0:26:55is going to be in decline, definitely.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59In the UK, there's simply not enough water to go around.
0:26:59 > 0:27:05Jenny Bashford is a water policy adviser, so how SHOULD we be conserving such a valuable resource?
0:27:05 > 0:27:09If, as predicted, we're going to get longer periods of dry weather,
0:27:09 > 0:27:13serious droughts, what can farmers - what can we ALL - do about it?
0:27:13 > 0:27:17It's quite difficult to know what is going to happen -
0:27:17 > 0:27:22whether we're going to have long periods of drought or get other extreme weather conditions.
0:27:22 > 0:27:26I think we've got to learn to build the capacity to cope with those conditions,
0:27:26 > 0:27:29not necessarily plan for one condition in particular.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32- How do we cope? - There's a number of different ways.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36One is about building more on-farm winter storage reservoirs.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39Ultimately, there will be some farmers that will want to make decisions
0:27:39 > 0:27:42about whether they continue to grow the crops they do.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46It could be that they're growing crops in the wrong place, so they need to think about moving.
0:27:46 > 0:27:51They may well do. The circumstances are very particular to local circumstances.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53This is not wall-to-wall sunshine -
0:27:53 > 0:27:56there are pockets where people are receiving rain and it is enough,
0:27:56 > 0:28:00- and other pockets that are very deprived.- Scotland's had a lot. - Absolutely.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02Northern Ireland's had quite a lot.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05But if we do get more drought than we've ever been used to,
0:28:05 > 0:28:09that could change the whole face of British farming, couldn't it?
0:28:09 > 0:28:14Farmers tend to work on the short term, which is about weather, and they'll react to the weather,
0:28:14 > 0:28:18rather than long-term climate change, which would be viewed over a 50-60 year period.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22What's really concerning our farmers and members at the moment
0:28:22 > 0:28:26is what is going to happen over the rest of this summer, going into autumn and winter.
0:28:26 > 0:28:31If we get the same weather patterns as we appear to be getting for the moment for the rest of this summer,
0:28:31 > 0:28:33we should be all right.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36- It's a waiting game, but we should be all right. - Rain and shine?- Rain and shine.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40But if we go into autumn being reasonably dry and have another dry winter,
0:28:40 > 0:28:44making it the fourth on the trot of having a dry winter,
0:28:44 > 0:28:48we could be looking at a very serious water-resource situation next spring.
0:28:48 > 0:28:54Water is such a vital commodity that if we don't manage it more effectively,
0:28:54 > 0:28:57crops will really suffer, increasing our reliance on imports.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00The pressure is on for farmers to adapt -
0:29:00 > 0:29:06pressure that'll only increase if we get more extreme, volatile weather in years to come.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14We're in the Cotswolds, hoping to witness history -
0:29:14 > 0:29:17the return of the large blue butterfly,
0:29:17 > 0:29:21not seen at this secret site in 50 years.
0:29:21 > 0:29:26But whether we do or not is due in no small part to these girls - Welsh Black cattle.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29I'll tell you why soon, but first we've got to get them rounded up.
0:29:31 > 0:29:35These Welsh Blacks are part of a special grazing programme
0:29:35 > 0:29:40that's helping maintain all kinds of important habitat throughout the Cotswolds.
0:29:40 > 0:29:45Go on, girls! Oh, look at that - bit of fresh grass.
0:29:45 > 0:29:50They're owned by Natural England and managed by stockman Matt Stanway.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52And why go for the Welsh Blacks?
0:29:52 > 0:29:54They're a real tough, hardy breed.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57We don't have any sheds, any buildings,
0:29:57 > 0:29:59these girls stay outside all the way through the year.
0:29:59 > 0:30:02And they don't only just survive on this rough grassland,
0:30:02 > 0:30:04it looks quite rich here, but on the rough,
0:30:04 > 0:30:08normal grassland, they actually really thrive on it,
0:30:08 > 0:30:10so you can see how fat these ones are.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15This girl here, she is 19, 20 next year.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17- Wow!- It shows what
0:30:17 > 0:30:20a nice life they have, really, up on these hills.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22This is like the retired herd, then?
0:30:22 > 0:30:24They are, very much, like geriatric cows.
0:30:26 > 0:30:30Right, the interesting news is that that's where they're meant to go...
0:30:33 > 0:30:34And that's where they are.
0:30:34 > 0:30:38'This is real fine dining to these ladies,
0:30:38 > 0:30:40'but this pasture's not where they need to be.
0:30:40 > 0:30:44'We let them have a quick munch and get them back on track with the help of a feed bucket.'
0:30:44 > 0:30:47So what makes these Welsh Blacks
0:30:47 > 0:30:50such good grazing partners for the Large Blue?
0:30:50 > 0:30:55Well, we tend to graze for the Large Blue in the winter,
0:30:55 > 0:30:59so we need cattle which can stand the cold temperatures of winter,
0:30:59 > 0:31:03and those last cold winters have been particularly bad, haven't they?
0:31:03 > 0:31:06'All through those harsh winters, these ladies were going about their
0:31:06 > 0:31:11'business grazing for the Large Blue a few miles from here.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15'It's the way they eat that makes them so good at their job.'
0:31:15 > 0:31:19The cattle need to graze the turf to a very short length of height, so,
0:31:19 > 0:31:25ideally for the Large Blue, we're talking less than two centimetres.
0:31:25 > 0:31:29Normally you would assume that would be done by sheep, very short turf,
0:31:29 > 0:31:32but cattle, in fact, can take it through to those low levels.
0:31:37 > 0:31:41- JULIA:- And stay with Countryfile to discover if those Welsh Black cattle
0:31:41 > 0:31:46have done their work when we go in search of the elusive Large Blue.
0:31:46 > 0:31:51We've seen the small blue, the common blue, lots of blue butterflies, but no Large Blues.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55Nothing so far, Mattias, not a sausage.
0:31:55 > 0:31:57Definitely not a butterfly.
0:31:58 > 0:32:03And for her wildlife watchers everywhere, we'll have the country forecast for the week ahead.
0:32:10 > 0:32:15Now to the farm, where Adam's looking to add to his collection of rare-breed chickens.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18One of his hens has been particularly busy.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27One of the great things about working with animals
0:32:27 > 0:32:28is when there's new life.
0:32:28 > 0:32:32I've just brought some food and water to this hen.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34She's what is known as a broody.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37A chicken will lay fertile eggs if they've got a cockerel with them,
0:32:37 > 0:32:39and it isn't until they decide that
0:32:39 > 0:32:42they want to hatch the eggs that they go broody, and they'll sit tight.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44In fact, this hen decided to go broody,
0:32:44 > 0:32:46didn't have any eggs under her.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48So I put some fertile eggs from other breeds
0:32:48 > 0:32:54under her. Now, if I can pick her off without getting pecked...
0:32:54 > 0:32:57Six little chicks of various different breeds,
0:32:57 > 0:33:00including a little duckling there.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02CHICKS CHEEP
0:33:02 > 0:33:05They're so sweet, and you can see the differences
0:33:05 > 0:33:07between the duckling and the chick.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10The bill of the duck for filter feeding,
0:33:10 > 0:33:13and the beak of the chick for pecking the grain.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15You're going to be a mixed-up kid, having a chicken as a mother.
0:33:15 > 0:33:20It's fairly common, though, for a broody hen to hatch out whatever eggs
0:33:20 > 0:33:23you put under her, guinea-fowl, pheasant eggs, chicks or ducklings,
0:33:23 > 0:33:28but not that often they'll hatch out mixed species, so chickens and ducks
0:33:28 > 0:33:32in the same hatch, but she's managed it very well.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35I keep about half a dozen rare breeds of chickens, too.
0:33:35 > 0:33:40It's a passion that my dad had, and he started the collection and I just kept it going.
0:33:40 > 0:33:47The chickens we've got on the farm include one of the oldest known breeds - the Light Sussex.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50We have also got Buff Orpingtons from Kent.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55And Pekin bantams, known for their feathery feet.
0:33:58 > 0:34:03One of my favourite breeds is the Welsummer, which comes from Holland.
0:34:03 > 0:34:08The thing I really like about these Welsummers are their eggs.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10Take a look at these.
0:34:10 > 0:34:14They're a lovely, rich, brown colour.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18Six chickens, six eggs. And they're delicious to eat.
0:34:18 > 0:34:22But these have got a cockerel with them, so I can incubate these to hatch out some chicks.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25For some of the other breeds, I'm getting low on numbers and I need to get in
0:34:25 > 0:34:29some fresh blood lines, so I'm off shopping to go to another breeder.
0:34:31 > 0:34:35I am on my way to a smallholding near Pershore in Worcestershire,
0:34:35 > 0:34:37where Sharon Gould breeds poultry.
0:34:37 > 0:34:42Just a few months ago, Sharon was given planning permission to live on the land with her family.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47I suppose, being on site, there's a bit of an advantage with lots of animals?
0:34:47 > 0:34:51It's been so much easier to just be here, keep an eye on the stock,
0:34:51 > 0:34:54I haven't got to keep chasing up and down the road wasting fuel and time.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57How many different types of animals have you got?
0:34:57 > 0:35:01There's about 15 different types altogether.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05Ducks, geese, several breeds of chickens, goats, bees...
0:35:05 > 0:35:06Goodness me!
0:35:06 > 0:35:10And I suppose the dream would be to have a house, would it?
0:35:10 > 0:35:13Yes, we want a Scandinavian build so that we've got
0:35:13 > 0:35:17a nice wooden structure, in keeping with everything else that we do.
0:35:17 > 0:35:21One of the more unusual animals Sharon keeps is the rhea,
0:35:21 > 0:35:24a flightless bird from South America.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27We have not got any rheas at home, what are they like?
0:35:27 > 0:35:32They're fantastic, very friendly, lay beautiful big yellow eggs.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35- Got a bit of a shock when one laid one on my lap the other day!- No!
0:35:35 > 0:35:39Yeah, just wandered over, sat on me and laid this egg.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41- Incredible!- Absolutely.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45They're really lovely, but it's British breeds of poultry I'm after.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48Yes.
0:35:48 > 0:35:52So, I'm interested bend the Jubilee game. What's their history?
0:35:52 > 0:35:57They come from Cornwall, they're Cornish game, that's their proper name.
0:35:57 > 0:36:02I've had people come from Cornwall to get them and down from Scotland, because they're getting so rare.
0:36:02 > 0:36:07- Amazing. And what are they worth? - The cock's about £50 apiece, and the hen's £35.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10COCK CROWS LOUDLY
0:36:10 > 0:36:12- A good pair of lungs.- Yeah!
0:36:12 > 0:36:18'The Jubilee variety of these Cornish game aren't for sale, but there are others I'm interested in buying.'
0:36:18 > 0:36:21Hey, guys. Yep, there's one.
0:36:21 > 0:36:22And there's the other one.
0:36:22 > 0:36:23Chickens galore!
0:36:23 > 0:36:29'Amongst this group are a couple of hens from a different variety of the Cornish game family.'
0:36:29 > 0:36:33So, the difference between these and Jubilee is what?
0:36:33 > 0:36:35The Jubilees are just,
0:36:35 > 0:36:40where these have got the dark brown, they're pale cream.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43- So, this is just a darker version, really?- Darker version, yes.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46They're very nice. There's some weight about them, isn't there?
0:36:46 > 0:36:48Yeah. Incredible.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50The breast on them... That's why they use them for the meat.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53Yes. So, how old are these?
0:36:53 > 0:36:55These are what you term point of lay.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58She's just starting to lay her first eggs.
0:36:58 > 0:36:59How do you know that?
0:36:59 > 0:37:04- Pelvic bones, just in there. Can you feel them?- Oh, yeah.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07- There's quite a gap there, you can get nearly three fingers in the gap.- Yeah.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11- That just shows that they're just about to lay their first eggs.- OK.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13You learn something every day.
0:37:13 > 0:37:17I think these will do me well, thank you very much. I'll take these.
0:37:17 > 0:37:21'With so many breeds of bird on site, Sharon has quite a collection of eggs
0:37:21 > 0:37:24'and some are larger than others.'
0:37:24 > 0:37:25Look at these!
0:37:26 > 0:37:29- Can I pick one up? - You can, yes, they're quite heavy.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32- They are heavy! So these are rhea eggs?- Yes.
0:37:32 > 0:37:34And how often does a rhea lay?
0:37:34 > 0:37:37- They lay every other day. - Do they?- Very heavy, aren't they?
0:37:37 > 0:37:38They are, very heavy, yes.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41- About three-quarters of a kilo. - Can you have them fried?
0:37:41 > 0:37:43You can, but it fills your frying-pan!
0:37:43 > 0:37:49- Takes some frying.- It takes an hour and a quarter to boil one.
0:37:49 > 0:37:50Does it?
0:37:50 > 0:37:54'Sharon keeps chicken's eggs in here too, and hatches out 1,000 per year.'
0:37:54 > 0:37:57Is this an important part of the business?
0:37:57 > 0:37:59Yes, it is. We do some hatching.
0:37:59 > 0:38:05I also sell fertilised eggs online, and we put them in the post.
0:38:05 > 0:38:07And they don't get damaged in transit?
0:38:07 > 0:38:12Sometimes they do, it all depends on whether Mr Postman's kind or not.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17'As well as selling fertilised eggs, Sharon also has young chicks for sale.
0:38:17 > 0:38:22'They're very cute, but I'm really looking for hens ready to lay their own eggs.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25'In particular I'd like some different varieties of Pekin bantams.'
0:38:25 > 0:38:28So, what colour do you call these ones?
0:38:28 > 0:38:30These are silver partridge.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32- OK.- There we go.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35They're lovely, aren't they? How old are these ones, then?
0:38:35 > 0:38:37They're just starting to lay, they're about 26 weeks.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41Right. And it was particularly lavender ones I was after.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43I've got one of those left down the bottom.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45Let's see her, then.
0:38:47 > 0:38:49Here she is.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51She's lovely, isn't she?
0:38:52 > 0:38:55- I think I'll take them all, if that's all right.- That's fine.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57I'm terrible when I go shopping.
0:38:58 > 0:39:02It's great to see Sharon making a success of her smallholding adventure.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06It is dedicated people like her who help keep these breeds going.
0:39:10 > 0:39:14Back at the farm, Sharon's chicken's are quickly settling in to their new home,
0:39:14 > 0:39:17and I'm expecting some other new arrivals, too.
0:39:17 > 0:39:23A couple of months ago, I bought some Golden Guernsey goats from Tim and Marion Collis.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25- Hi, Adam. - How are you? Great to see you.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28- And you again.- How was the journey? - Not too bad, actually.
0:39:28 > 0:39:33'When I bought them, the goats were in kid and couldn't travel, so I couldn't take them home at the time.
0:39:33 > 0:39:37'The kids are now a few weeks old and today they've made it to the farm.'
0:39:37 > 0:39:40Let the kids out, shall I?
0:39:40 > 0:39:42There we go.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46'These are the last of Tim and Marion's golden Guernseys.
0:39:46 > 0:39:50'After nearly 25 years of keeping goats, they've decided to retire.'
0:39:50 > 0:39:52And this is the little male.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54- That's right.- He's smart, isn't he?
0:39:54 > 0:39:57Nice upright ears. Is he good enough to be a stud, Billy?
0:39:57 > 0:40:01He's very well grown. I think he'll make a good breeding male for you.
0:40:01 > 0:40:03How many weeks old now are they?
0:40:03 > 0:40:06I think he's six weeks now, and so she's about five.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08How does it feel now, then?
0:40:08 > 0:40:10That's it for the goats for you.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13- I'd rather not talk about it, really.- Really, is it hard?
0:40:13 > 0:40:15- Very hard, yes.- Yes.
0:40:15 > 0:40:20Yes, it will be strange for a while now, so it's a new stage in our lives, I suppose, really.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24You won't have the tie of staying at home because of livestock.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26No, apart from the dog and a few chickens!
0:40:26 > 0:40:29Well, it's great to be building my herd back up to strength.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32Yes, and it's nice to know they'll be helping to preserve the breed.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43Well, a very big thank you to all those who sent in photos
0:40:43 > 0:40:45for our Countryfile photographic competition.
0:40:45 > 0:40:50The quality of the entries that's been sent in so far has been amazing, but if you haven't snapped
0:40:50 > 0:40:56your winning shot yet or simply haven't sent it in to us, here's John with a reminder of what to do.
0:40:56 > 0:40:58This year, we've really set you a challenge.
0:40:58 > 0:41:04There are 12 different classes for you to enter in our theme of Best In Show.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07And here are just some of the entries that have come in so far.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45Remember, the very best entries will make up the Countryfile calendar,
0:41:45 > 0:41:49which we sell in aid of Children in Need.
0:41:49 > 0:41:53The best photo in each class will be put to the viewers' vote -
0:41:53 > 0:41:54the person who takes the winning photo
0:41:54 > 0:41:57will be declared Best In Show and gets to choose
0:41:57 > 0:42:02from a range of the latest photographic equipment to the value of £1,000.
0:42:02 > 0:42:09Whoever takes the judges' favourite photo will get to choose equipment to the value of £500.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11Our competition isn't open to professionals.
0:42:11 > 0:42:16Your entries mustn't have been offered for sale or won other competitions.
0:42:16 > 0:42:20That's because we want something original.
0:42:20 > 0:42:24You can enter up to four photos, which must be taken in the UK.
0:42:24 > 0:42:29Please write your name, address, and daytime and evening phone number
0:42:29 > 0:42:32on the back of each photo with a note of which class
0:42:32 > 0:42:34you want it to be judged in.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37Each photo can only be entered in one class.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42Then, all you have to do is send your entries to -
0:42:50 > 0:42:52The full terms and conditions are on our website,
0:42:52 > 0:42:56as well as details of the BBC's code of conduct for competitions.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59Please write to us enclosing a stamped address envelope
0:42:59 > 0:43:01if you want a copy of the rules.
0:43:01 > 0:43:06The closing date isn't until Friday 12th August.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09Sorry, but we can't return any entries.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11I don't envy the judges this year.
0:43:11 > 0:43:13It's going to be a tough competition.
0:43:13 > 0:43:17We've set ourselves a pretty tough task here in the Cotswolds as well,
0:43:17 > 0:43:20trying to track down the Large Blue butterfly.
0:43:20 > 0:43:25It hasn't been seen in this spot in the Cotswolds for 50 years.
0:43:25 > 0:43:32Earlier, Matt revealed ambitious plans to bring it back - several attempts have already failed.
0:43:32 > 0:43:35We've seen how fussy these butterflies can be.
0:43:35 > 0:43:40They need short grass and warm soils. But there's more.
0:43:40 > 0:43:43They could be deep underneath me right now.
0:43:43 > 0:43:45But what exactly are they doing?
0:43:45 > 0:43:48Unusually for a butterfly, the Large Blue spends
0:43:48 > 0:43:54almost all of its caterpillar life underground, masquerading as an ant.
0:43:54 > 0:43:59Ecologist David Simcox is here to tell me more.
0:44:00 > 0:44:03- Hello, David.- Hello. Hi!
0:44:03 > 0:44:07Right, explain to me what's happening in the subterranean labyrinth down there.
0:44:07 > 0:44:12Well, let's have a look at this. I'll try and explain.
0:44:12 > 0:44:14There's a caterpillar.
0:44:14 > 0:44:15So, just out in the open ground.
0:44:15 > 0:44:20Sitting out in the open ground and waits for a passing ant to find it.
0:44:20 > 0:44:24When it does, it produces a sugary solution from special glands on its back.
0:44:24 > 0:44:29And, whilst the ant is feeding on the sugar, it's making
0:44:29 > 0:44:31the ant believe this is one of its own babies
0:44:31 > 0:44:35that somehow mysteriously got above ground.
0:44:35 > 0:44:37So, the caterpillar's foxing the ant.
0:44:37 > 0:44:40Absolutely! The ant then picks up the caterpillar, takes it below
0:44:40 > 0:44:43ground and puts it where it thinks it belongs,
0:44:43 > 0:44:47- which is in one of its brew chambers.- Playing very dirty.
0:44:47 > 0:44:53Absolutely! The caterpillar then becomes a carnivore and starts eating the ant grubs.
0:44:53 > 0:44:57- It spends ten months actually in the ants' nest.- Urgh!
0:44:57 > 0:45:01It then turns into a chrysalis - still underground -
0:45:01 > 0:45:04and after about ten days, the butterfly emerges.
0:45:04 > 0:45:07Can't blow its wings up instantly like most butterflies do
0:45:07 > 0:45:09because it's in an ants' nest
0:45:09 > 0:45:12so it has to crawl through all these tiny chambers -
0:45:12 > 0:45:16the labyrinth you described - out into the outside world.
0:45:16 > 0:45:19Crawls up usually a grass stem and blows its wings up
0:45:19 > 0:45:22and then flies off and looks for a mate.
0:45:22 > 0:45:27- That is some process. - And that's the full circle.
0:45:27 > 0:45:29And it's happening now, hopefully...
0:45:29 > 0:45:32- Underneath our feet. - Underneath there.
0:45:34 > 0:45:37But for that to be happening, conditions on the site have to be
0:45:37 > 0:45:42just right for a very specific species of red ant.
0:45:42 > 0:45:45Thermometer in - and the obvious question is why.
0:45:45 > 0:45:48Why are you measuring the temperature of the earth?
0:45:48 > 0:45:52The basis of the whole Large Blue story is ground temperature.
0:45:52 > 0:45:55On a site like this, you've got five species of red ant.
0:45:55 > 0:46:01Any of those five species will pick up a caterpillar and take it into its nest.
0:46:01 > 0:46:05But four of them can detect it's an impostor and will kill it,
0:46:05 > 0:46:07so there's only one species
0:46:07 > 0:46:12that's called Myrmica sabuleti, which cannot detect it's an impostor
0:46:12 > 0:46:16and that's how the Large Blue can survive in its nests.
0:46:16 > 0:46:19Myrmica sabuleti needs it warm.
0:46:19 > 0:46:23- So, there's one kind of red ant that will accept the caterpillars.- Yes.
0:46:23 > 0:46:28- And it thrives in particular conditions and has to be a certain temperature.- That's correct.
0:46:28 > 0:46:35Just ten extra centimetres in the height of the grass can make the ground cooler by five degrees.
0:46:35 > 0:46:38That's why grazing animals like the Welsh Black cattle
0:46:38 > 0:46:43Matt saw earlier are crucial to the survival of the Large Blue's food source.
0:46:43 > 0:46:45What's the optimum temperature for the red ant?
0:46:45 > 0:46:50Certainly, on a day like today, we'd be looking at anything over about 25 centigrade.
0:46:50 > 0:46:53Well, I think we're in luck. All we need now are the right ants.
0:46:53 > 0:46:59David has a curious way of baiting them - with cake.
0:46:59 > 0:47:01Let's hope they're partial to trifle sponge.
0:47:03 > 0:47:08After nearly 30 years pioneering the reintroduction of these butterflies,
0:47:08 > 0:47:11when it comes to the ants, David's got his eye in.
0:47:11 > 0:47:13Yeah, that's Myrmica sabuleti.
0:47:13 > 0:47:15- That is the right one. - That is the right ant.
0:47:15 > 0:47:19It's all about the first bend on their antennae.
0:47:19 > 0:47:21A wasted life, really, isn't it?
0:47:21 > 0:47:24This is good for us - the right ant -
0:47:24 > 0:47:26wild thyme,
0:47:26 > 0:47:28- Large Blue comes next. - Let's hope so.
0:47:28 > 0:47:30Let's hope so.
0:47:33 > 0:47:37Are the Large Blues going to hatch in the Cotswolds and, if they do,
0:47:37 > 0:47:40who's going to see one first, Matt or me?
0:47:40 > 0:47:42Find out after the Countryfile weather forecast.
0:49:50 > 0:49:57.
0:50:11 > 0:50:14We've been in the Southwest on the hunt for a very special butterfly -
0:50:14 > 0:50:18the Large Blue.
0:50:19 > 0:50:24They haven't been seen at this spot in the Cotswolds in over 50 years.
0:50:24 > 0:50:27Several attempts to reintroduce them have failed,
0:50:27 > 0:50:30but scientists are hopeful they've got it right this time.
0:50:30 > 0:50:34The site is top secret, but we've got exclusive access,
0:50:34 > 0:50:39and today is the day that the butterflies should start to emerge. But will they?
0:50:39 > 0:50:44Tell me what you were doing this time last summer here, David?
0:50:44 > 0:50:50Well, what we were doing - we were actually making an experimental introduction onto the site.
0:50:50 > 0:50:54To do that, we collected eggs from Somerset
0:50:54 > 0:50:59and reared the caterpillars for about three weeks in captivity.
0:50:59 > 0:51:03Each day, at about four o'clock, you'd bring them down on the site
0:51:03 > 0:51:08and then using a paintbrush, gently move them onto the ground.
0:51:08 > 0:51:11- So, you're laying eggs, basically? - In effect, yes.
0:51:11 > 0:51:13Painstaking work.
0:51:13 > 0:51:19If successful, it'll mean the Large Blue has a better chance of avoiding extinction a second time.
0:51:19 > 0:51:22They're doing well in Somerset, but a breeding colony here in
0:51:22 > 0:51:28the Cotswolds vastly improves their chances - their future could depend on what's happening here.
0:51:28 > 0:51:32Worst-case scenario, we don't see any today, which will be very sad,
0:51:32 > 0:51:37but even worse would be if the experiment hasn't worked. Then what?
0:51:37 > 0:51:40I'd be very disappointed.
0:51:42 > 0:51:44But we could be in luck - conditions are good.
0:51:44 > 0:51:48To give ourselves the best chance of seeing them, Matt and I have split up.
0:51:48 > 0:51:54He's a few fields away with self-confessed butterfly geek and author Patrick Barkham.
0:51:56 > 0:52:00Patrick's been fascinated with butterflies since he was a kid.
0:52:00 > 0:52:02Yeah, he's the small one on the left.
0:52:02 > 0:52:07When I was a boy in the 1980s, there were no Large Blues but there was a site called Site X,
0:52:07 > 0:52:11where Jeremy Thomas and David Simcox were introducing the Large Blue for the first time.
0:52:11 > 0:52:15My dad got hold of the location of Site X - we went along and we found the Large Blue.
0:52:15 > 0:52:20You can imagine the thrill on this forbidden site - we were just skipping off the field with delight.
0:52:20 > 0:52:24And then this figure strode across and said, "What are you doing here?
0:52:24 > 0:52:27"This is private property." It turns out that was David Simcox.
0:52:27 > 0:52:29We were like, "We're seeing the Large Blue." He was like,
0:52:29 > 0:52:32"I don't know what you're seeing, but it's not the Large Blue."
0:52:32 > 0:52:35We were told in no uncertain terms to go away.
0:52:35 > 0:52:39Happily, I've met him under happier times now, so...
0:52:39 > 0:52:42You can imagine the thrill for a small boy of Site X,
0:52:42 > 0:52:46finding this extinct butterfly, a butterfly that doesn't even exist.
0:52:46 > 0:52:50Fingers crossed, we'll get to see another Large Blue on the top-secret site.
0:52:50 > 0:52:53You've got to be patient, haven't you?
0:52:53 > 0:52:57- Very patient. - Patient and have a keen eye.
0:52:57 > 0:53:00- Is that...?- A moth.
0:53:00 > 0:53:01Yeah.
0:53:01 > 0:53:04Come on, you blues.
0:53:04 > 0:53:07This is looking pretty good. Sheltered.
0:53:07 > 0:53:09Nice. Oh, here we go.
0:53:09 > 0:53:12- Meadow Brown.- Meadow Brown.
0:53:14 > 0:53:17We've got a Meadow Brown. Over.
0:53:17 > 0:53:20Well at least you're seeing butterflies. Nothing here.
0:53:25 > 0:53:29- Have you got something there, Patrick? - Yeah, we've got a Small Blue here.
0:53:29 > 0:53:31The Large Blue doesn't look large,
0:53:31 > 0:53:33but it's twice the size of one of these little ones.
0:53:33 > 0:53:36So, this is our smallest butterfly.
0:53:36 > 0:53:40OK, we've seen the Small Blue - the common blue.
0:53:40 > 0:53:43Lots of blue butterflies, but no Large Blues.
0:53:43 > 0:53:47Nothing so far, Mattias, not a sausage!
0:53:47 > 0:53:49Definitely not a butterfly.
0:53:49 > 0:53:53Well, there's loads of butterfly action around here, but no Large Blues.
0:53:53 > 0:53:56It's a perfect day for it. I'm feeling optimistic.
0:53:56 > 0:53:58You feeling up here? Left, right, straight up?
0:53:58 > 0:53:59- I think up here.- OK.
0:54:05 > 0:54:12OK, so we've seen Meadow Browns, Small Blues, even the odd moth out and about in daylight,
0:54:12 > 0:54:15but still no sign of the butterfly we're all here to see.
0:54:15 > 0:54:19And just when you're about to give up...
0:54:19 > 0:54:22Look, there's one there.
0:54:22 > 0:54:24- Where?- Can you see? Sitting in the bush.
0:54:25 > 0:54:27Oh, yes.
0:54:27 > 0:54:31'Our search is over - they're here.
0:54:31 > 0:54:33'Success!'
0:54:33 > 0:54:35What a stunner!
0:54:37 > 0:54:38How long have you waited for this?
0:54:38 > 0:54:43Well... What to me is so pleasing is this is the first time
0:54:43 > 0:54:49a Large Blue has been alive on this site for over 50 years.
0:54:49 > 0:54:52Baker boy, we've got one. Come down the hill!
0:54:52 > 0:54:54Juliet, you would not believe
0:54:54 > 0:54:58how close Patrick and I are to a Large Blue right now.
0:54:58 > 0:54:59It's unbelievable.
0:55:01 > 0:55:05Fantastic! You've got one as well. Amazing!
0:55:05 > 0:55:08The perfect one - basking.
0:55:08 > 0:55:09It's closing its wings now.
0:55:09 > 0:55:13Honestly, I'm like inches away.
0:55:13 > 0:55:15'Ditto that. All right, come down when you're ready.'
0:55:17 > 0:55:20So this butterfly didn't officially exist all through our childhood,
0:55:20 > 0:55:23and this is the closest I've ever got to one in my life.
0:55:23 > 0:55:25I can't tell you how thrilling that is.
0:55:25 > 0:55:28It's wings are still soft.
0:55:28 > 0:55:30This butterfly keeps its wings soft
0:55:30 > 0:55:33so it can emerge from the nest underground - from the ants' nest.
0:55:33 > 0:55:36This guy's wings are still soft and floppy
0:55:36 > 0:55:39from that emergence because it's only just come out this morning.
0:55:40 > 0:55:45- Where are we looking, where are we looking?- Right there,
0:55:45 > 0:55:48- in the hazel bush.- Oh, yeah.
0:55:48 > 0:55:50It's a good feeling, isn't it?
0:55:50 > 0:55:51It must be a fantastic feeling for YOU.
0:55:51 > 0:55:54It's a fantastic feeling, absolutely fantastic.
0:55:54 > 0:55:56All of your hard work paid off.
0:55:56 > 0:56:01Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't. This time it has.
0:56:01 > 0:56:03Patrick, as a self-confessed butterfly geek,
0:56:03 > 0:56:05what's this moment like for you?
0:56:05 > 0:56:11So exciting. It's the most exciting moment in contemporary British butterfly history.
0:56:11 > 0:56:13This is the most exciting single insect
0:56:13 > 0:56:16you could be seeing in Britain today. It's brilliant.
0:56:19 > 0:56:23The Large Blue is back. Now it's down to them.
0:56:23 > 0:56:25Hopefully they will breed, and next summer
0:56:25 > 0:56:29they'll be thriving here without the help of the scientists.
0:56:29 > 0:56:32But today's a day that will go down in Cotswolds history.
0:56:32 > 0:56:36And we were part of it.
0:56:38 > 0:56:41What a wonderful comeback for the Large Blue!
0:56:41 > 0:56:43Such a privilege for us to be here.
0:56:43 > 0:56:46Our first sighting in 50 years. Just incredible.
0:56:46 > 0:56:49And she's sticking with us for the end of the programme.
0:56:49 > 0:56:50That is it from the Cotswolds.
0:56:50 > 0:56:55- Next week, John will be here with river deep and mountain high. - One of your favourite songs!
0:56:55 > 0:56:59Yeah, he'll be looking back at some of our best river and mountain stories from the series.
0:56:59 > 0:57:01But, for now, from the three of us, goodbye.
0:57:01 > 0:57:03Bye-bye.
0:57:15 > 0:57:20Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:57:20 > 0:57:25Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk