0:00:26 > 0:00:29The flatlands of Norfolk's coastal plain,
0:00:29 > 0:00:33with its glistening estuary and fertile fields
0:00:33 > 0:00:35that stretch on to the horizon.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38This vast and empty landscape can look bleak,
0:00:38 > 0:00:41but for tens of thousands of tired and hungry migrants,
0:00:41 > 0:00:43- it's a sanctuary. - Yes, we're on the look out
0:00:43 > 0:00:46for one of the UK's greatest wildlife spectacles,
0:00:46 > 0:00:49when, hopefully, the skies will fill with flocks of beautiful geese.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52- You feeling lucky?- Yeah.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54BIRDS CAW
0:00:59 > 0:01:02And it isn't just geese that are thriving here. I'll be on the beach,
0:01:02 > 0:01:05because it's the height of the seal pupping season.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07SEALS WAIL
0:01:10 > 0:01:13So, with glorious views and wonderful wildlife,
0:01:13 > 0:01:16why wouldn't you want to venture into the great outdoors?
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Well, Tom will be discovering why our countryside
0:01:19 > 0:01:23doesn't always seem so welcoming to ethnic minorities.
0:01:23 > 0:01:24In your family and your community,
0:01:24 > 0:01:27is there much appetite for getting into the countryside?
0:01:27 > 0:01:31In my family and the community, the appetite is not great at all.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33And on the farm, as the seasons change,
0:01:33 > 0:01:36Adam's calves are ready to move on.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39There's lots of jobs to do at this time of year, in the winter,
0:01:39 > 0:01:41and one of them is weaning the calves, taking them away
0:01:41 > 0:01:44from their mothers, cos they no longer rely on their mother's milk
0:01:44 > 0:01:46and so they're off to the winter housing.
0:01:46 > 0:01:47Come on, then.
0:01:59 > 0:02:00Norfolk.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05Where the sky and water meet in one endless sweep.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12This stretch of the coast is a winter haven for wildlife
0:02:12 > 0:02:15and is dotted with nature reserves.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23We're heading to Snettisham, to see the geese and the waders,
0:02:23 > 0:02:27which are a real feature of this landscape at this time of year.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30This area attracts an array of migrants all year round,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33but I'm on the trail of one particular winter spectacle
0:02:33 > 0:02:38and I'm told an early bird catches the worm, hence the dark start.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46I'm on a hunt for pink-footed geese.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48We'll be following them throughout the day
0:02:48 > 0:02:50as they come off the estuary to feed on the fields
0:02:50 > 0:02:53and then return to their roosts at dusk.
0:02:55 > 0:02:56Helping us in our quest
0:02:56 > 0:02:59is Autumnwatch cameraman Richard Taylor-Jones.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03Long before dawn, he set out to film the huge flocks
0:03:03 > 0:03:06as they left their night-time roosts on the estuary.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08Wow! That's lovely!
0:03:09 > 0:03:12They are all beginning to get up and go now
0:03:12 > 0:03:16in small squadrons of maybe 300 or 400.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19These geese sort of spent a good sort of ten hours, probably,
0:03:19 > 0:03:23on the estuary, getting cold and hungry,
0:03:23 > 0:03:27so it's not surprising that the moment there's a glimpse of light,
0:03:27 > 0:03:32they want to be up in the air and off to feed.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36And I'm hot on their trail, too.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40My job is to find out which fields they'll be feeding on today.
0:03:40 > 0:03:41The key to my mission is
0:03:41 > 0:03:44local farmer and wildlife enthusiast David Lyles.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50- Morning, David.- Good morning, Julia. - Morning.- Alarm went off on time?
0:03:50 > 0:03:52Oh, dear me, why are we here so early?
0:03:52 > 0:03:55- Well, there's no mountains in Norfolk.- I know that!
0:03:55 > 0:03:58We've got the odd molehill and this is one of the best places
0:03:58 > 0:04:00to watch the geese coming off the marsh
0:04:00 > 0:04:02and, hopefully, they're going to fly through this valley
0:04:02 > 0:04:05and the wind is strong enough to keep them fairly low this morning, so...
0:04:05 > 0:04:08- And how confident are you? - Fingers crossed.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10And why are they heading in this direction?
0:04:10 > 0:04:11Well, they're looking for food
0:04:11 > 0:04:14and their primary food at this time of year is sugar beet.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16And there are plenty of sugar beet fields in the area?
0:04:16 > 0:04:18There are plenty of sugar beet.
0:04:18 > 0:04:23About 70% of sugar beet in the UK is grown in this fertile region.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26- So geese have a sweet tooth? - They certainly do.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29Back in September, they arrive and have this uncanny knack
0:04:29 > 0:04:33of working out when the sugar beet factory's going to open.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36- And, um...- They've set their clocks? - Yeah, they set their clocks.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39The goose clock is for sugar. THEY LAUGH
0:04:39 > 0:04:41Looking at the distance there,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44- you can just see them coming over the top of the trees.- Oh, yes!
0:04:46 > 0:04:47Thousands of them!
0:04:48 > 0:04:50Oh...
0:04:50 > 0:04:51What a lovely sight!
0:04:56 > 0:05:00- These are big gaggles coming through now.- They certainly are.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03Well, they've built up to probably their maximum point now.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09Lovely shapes in the sky. It's a perfect sky for them, isn't it?
0:05:09 > 0:05:12It was almost worth getting up early for, David.
0:05:12 > 0:05:13Well, I'm pleased for that.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19And how do the farmers feel about all of this?
0:05:19 > 0:05:21As long as they stay on the sugar beet, they're quite happy.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24The only time there's conflict is when, unfortunately,
0:05:24 > 0:05:28they get disturbed from time to time and then they go on to other crops.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32Crops of wheat, barley, where they're going to cause damage.
0:05:32 > 0:05:37But if they stay on the sugar beet tops, after harvest, they're welcome.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43With the sun up, and the last few geese flying by,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46it's time to think about where they're heading.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50Right, where are we?
0:05:50 > 0:05:53- This is where we are. It's called Beacon Hill.- Mm-hm.
0:05:53 > 0:05:58This is my farm. And these are some of the fields
0:05:58 > 0:06:01that I looked at in the last couple of days,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04where sugar beet harvesting is taking place and there's a chance
0:06:04 > 0:06:08we might catch up with some of the geese we saw this morning.
0:06:15 > 0:06:16The first field on our list
0:06:16 > 0:06:19had thousands of geese grazing on it last week.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24I have a feeling that they've finished working there and the farmer
0:06:24 > 0:06:27could've even cleared the field or started to plough it,
0:06:27 > 0:06:30- but it's worth just having a look.- Just double checking.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36- Just worth a look to see whether there was any.- You're hopeful.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38- Yeah, just hopeful.- Not a sausage.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41No good, I think we'd better press on to the next one.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48It's not long before we have a bit more luck.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56- This is about as close as I think we're going to get.- Right.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01They are skittish, aren't they?
0:07:01 > 0:07:06- If you look over there, you'll see them just getting up.- Yeah.
0:07:06 > 0:07:07The flock have look-outs,
0:07:07 > 0:07:09which warn the feeding geese of any dangers.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14It doesn't look as if this lot are quite settled yet,
0:07:14 > 0:07:16but at least I'm edging a little bit nearer.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21Well, this is as close as we're going to get in a vehicle.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23Hopefully, later on with Richard,
0:07:23 > 0:07:25I will actually get to see a pink foot.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Now, Britain prides itself on its cultural diversity,
0:07:36 > 0:07:37but head out into the countryside
0:07:37 > 0:07:40and that diversity rapidly starts to disappear.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42Tom's been finding out why.
0:08:01 > 0:08:06Britain's green and pleasant land, free for everyone to enjoy.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10But not everyone does.
0:08:17 > 0:08:22Britain is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26According to the census results published last week,
0:08:26 > 0:08:3114% of our population is from an ethnic minority.
0:08:34 > 0:08:39Our city streets are buzzing with different nationalities.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42And yet, out here, it feels a bit like whites only.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48It's estimated only 1% of visitors to the countryside
0:08:48 > 0:08:50are black or Asian.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52So why is that?
0:08:52 > 0:08:55Pammy Johal has spent the last 18 years working
0:08:55 > 0:08:58to get more minority groups into the great outdoors.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02We last met Pammy on Countryfile in the year 2000.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05I took a group of ten black women, Asian, African, Caribbean women,
0:09:05 > 0:09:09and it was a beautiful day, taking them up Coniston Old Man,
0:09:09 > 0:09:12and, um, there was probably about 20 other people out there
0:09:12 > 0:09:15and everybody, everybody's heads turned,
0:09:15 > 0:09:18cos they're just not used to seeing black people, you know,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21Asian, African people up in the hills, you know, on the hillside.
0:09:21 > 0:09:2412 years on, has anything changed?
0:09:24 > 0:09:27Well, more people are getting out into the countryside,
0:09:27 > 0:09:31but we still have a fair amount of work to do, you know.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34There's still huge amounts of our community that just
0:09:34 > 0:09:38- don't even know that THIS exists. - Why does it matter?
0:09:38 > 0:09:40Och, what do you mean, "Why does it matter?"
0:09:40 > 0:09:43For heaven's sake, look out here and I said it years ago,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46if I asked you, why do you do the work that you do in the country,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49- why do you do it?- Cos I enjoy it. - And what else does it do to you?
0:09:49 > 0:09:53- It gives me fun and health and all those kind of things.- Absolutely!
0:09:53 > 0:09:56So why shouldn't everybody in Britain have that opportunity?
0:09:56 > 0:10:01Well, that's told me! Pammy decided to buck the trend.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03She moved to the Scottish countryside
0:10:03 > 0:10:07and felt so strongly about the issue that she started training people
0:10:07 > 0:10:10from ethnic minorities to become countryside pioneers.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13Don't be afraid to say you don't understand,
0:10:13 > 0:10:16that's absolutely key, cos you know what we're like. We're pretty good
0:10:16 > 0:10:19at going, "I don't want to look like a daft idiot here," right?
0:10:19 > 0:10:21- LAUGHTER - I actually want to know my stuff,
0:10:21 > 0:10:24cos when you go back out in the community, you're going to be good.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27By the end of the training, Pammy hopes the group will take
0:10:27 > 0:10:30their country know-how back to their friends and family.
0:10:30 > 0:10:35- OK, the grid reference for the visitors' centre is 313...- Yeah?
0:10:35 > 0:10:38- ..633.- Perfect, great. That's great.
0:10:42 > 0:10:47So why is this such an unusual sight? Let's catch up and find out.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52Today, Bongayi is leading a big trip.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54She first ventured out to the countryside
0:10:54 > 0:10:56at the beginning of this year.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59In your family, in your community,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02is there much appetite for getting into the countryside?
0:11:02 > 0:11:04The appetite is not great at all.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06The majority of us, where we come from,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09we do have the woodlands, we do have the countryside,
0:11:09 > 0:11:13and we utilise it, but I think, people, when they come back here,
0:11:13 > 0:11:15they tend to forget that it's still...
0:11:15 > 0:11:18it's still something that they can still continue.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22So why don't more black or Asian people use the countryside?
0:11:22 > 0:11:25Everyone's got their reasons. It's hard to generalise.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27LAUGHTER
0:11:27 > 0:11:30But in her time working with different communities,
0:11:30 > 0:11:33Pammy's noticed some common themes.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37In the work you've done looking at access of ethnic minorities
0:11:37 > 0:11:40to the countryside, what have you found are some of the blocks?
0:11:40 > 0:11:43They're surprisingly very simple.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45Not knowing that this place even exists.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48Not having the confidence to drive on single-track roads,
0:11:48 > 0:11:50not having the confidence to go to visitors' centres,
0:11:50 > 0:11:53maybe not even having the language, the English language,
0:11:53 > 0:11:56to be able to ask the right questions.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58Transport, whether it's cost issues.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03'So, although there are some cultural motives
0:12:03 > 0:12:07'for many black and Asian people not visiting the countryside,
0:12:07 > 0:12:10'most reasons could apply to us all.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12'But I have to ask - is the countryside
0:12:12 > 0:12:16'simply more unwelcoming to people who aren't white?'
0:12:16 > 0:12:20Do you know what we've got here is we've got people that are different,
0:12:20 > 0:12:22so, when we come out into the countryside,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25yes, we definitely do get people looking and staring,
0:12:25 > 0:12:26cos it's usually a group of us,
0:12:26 > 0:12:30and those perceptions can be, people can perceive that -
0:12:30 > 0:12:33that's from our group - and saying, "Oh, God, they're being racist!"
0:12:33 > 0:12:36- Or it could be, actually, they're being curious.- Yeah.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39So what we do, and you'll notice when out and about with us today,
0:12:39 > 0:12:42is we laugh, we shout, we bawl, we talk to people.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45And I think that breaking that barrier is what we're all about.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50Pammy's not alone in running schemes like this.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52In England and Wales, the Campaign for National Parks
0:12:52 > 0:12:55has been training up its own champions
0:12:55 > 0:12:58to encourage more black and Asian people to visit.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00In ten years, Project Mosaic
0:13:00 > 0:13:04has introduced over 9,000 new people to the countryside,
0:13:04 > 0:13:07but the funding for the English scheme has now come to an end.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12'Back in Scotland, has Pammy managed
0:13:12 > 0:13:16'to convert her group of urbanites into nature lovers?'
0:13:16 > 0:13:18And what did you think of today?
0:13:18 > 0:13:21Today, it was a bit nippy...
0:13:21 > 0:13:24- LAUGHTER - ..as the Scottish would say.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27But, um, I did enjoy...
0:13:27 > 0:13:31I did really enjoy, um, the walks, um...
0:13:31 > 0:13:35I've been trying to raise, like, an awareness
0:13:35 > 0:13:38to my fellow Africans here to get out and about.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41It's good for you, it's good for your health.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43- And it's fun, too?- Very fun.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46Are you sure you're not just saying that, because Pammy's here?
0:13:46 > 0:13:48LAUGHTER Come on!
0:13:48 > 0:13:52Pammy's tactics certainly seem to be working.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55But there's more to be done.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04One way for minority groups to feel more at home in the countryside
0:14:04 > 0:14:07is if they actually set up home in the countryside
0:14:07 > 0:14:11and lived and worked here. So what's it like for the few that already do?
0:14:11 > 0:14:13I'll be finding out later.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21Today, Julia and I are exploring the North Norfolk coast,
0:14:21 > 0:14:26a land where the winter light turns the familiar into fairytale.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35This part of the country is special
0:14:35 > 0:14:38for more than just beautiful scenery.
0:14:38 > 0:14:43It's home to the very first Wildlife Trust reserve, Cley Marshes,
0:14:43 > 0:14:46a place that became a blueprint for nature conservation
0:14:46 > 0:14:48right across the British Isles.
0:14:48 > 0:14:53And even in the 1970s, the reserve was attracting TV attention.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55This is where it all began.
0:14:55 > 0:15:01400 acres of bleak windswept marshes on the North Norfolk coast at Cley.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05Fashion may have moved on a bit, but some things haven't changed.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08This is one of the best places in the whole country
0:15:08 > 0:15:11to come bird watching. It's full of freshwater marshes
0:15:11 > 0:15:15and brackish pools that the birds absolutely love.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17But all of this bleak beauty and perfect habitat
0:15:17 > 0:15:21that brings the birds and the tourists is no accident.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24It's down to a group of very special people
0:15:24 > 0:15:28and I am on my way to meet a bit of a living legend in these parts.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Bernard Bishop was born and raised here.
0:15:31 > 0:15:36He's the third generation of the Bishop family to be a warden on the marshes.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40And it's no coincidence that his shed looks like a bird hide.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44I'm pleased we didn't come on Monday.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46Come in!
0:15:46 > 0:15:49- Now then, Bernard.- Hello, Matt. - How are you doing?- Good to see you.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52Nice to see you, too. This is a bonny shed, isn't it?
0:15:52 > 0:15:55- It feels like it's seen a bit of history.- It has seen a little bit.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58This was the first hut that we had built here to sell tickets from
0:15:58 > 0:16:01- and I turned it into my tinkering shed.- Yeah, it is great.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03Where I keep all my gear and bits and pieces and whatever we got.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06Lots of people will find this quite hard to believe,
0:16:06 > 0:16:07but a lot of shooting went on here, didn't it,
0:16:07 > 0:16:09before it became a protected site?
0:16:09 > 0:16:11This time of the year, and in the springtime,
0:16:11 > 0:16:14people would come here and shoot everything that moved,
0:16:14 > 0:16:16in the hope of shooting a rare bird
0:16:16 > 0:16:19and there was a famous saying in those days and that was,
0:16:19 > 0:16:22"What's missed is mystery and what's hit is history."
0:16:22 > 0:16:25So how did this transition come about, then, from this place
0:16:25 > 0:16:28being a shooting ground to it being a protected reserve?
0:16:28 > 0:16:34- It changed in 1966 and shooting ceased on here.- Yeah.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36That's really the only form of income that the trust had
0:16:36 > 0:16:39and then the first thing that they actually started to sell
0:16:39 > 0:16:42were these Christmas cards that we have here.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46And these cards were produced and painted by JC Harrison.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49- And there's a lovely spoonbill. - Oh, my word, that is beautiful.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53And these were the very first Christmas cards of any charity
0:16:53 > 0:16:55to be sold, really, and they are unique.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58- Look at those lovely bearded tits. - Oh, gosh.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08We'll need eagle eyes to spot some of these today,
0:17:08 > 0:17:11but I couldn't be in better company to explore the reserve.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15Bernard's connection to this landscape goes deeper than
0:17:15 > 0:17:19a bit of watching, though, as his great-grandfather was
0:17:19 > 0:17:24the very first warden on these marshes back in the 1920s.
0:17:24 > 0:17:29And, after that, Bernard's father took over.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32- TV REPORTER:- For the past 40 years, the Cley Marshes have been
0:17:32 > 0:17:35watched over by Billy Bishop, the trust warden.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38It did everything it ought to do this year, except lay eggs.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43- What a spot this is. - What a spot.- Oh, Bernard.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47- This is one of the places we have for the waders...- Yeah.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50The water's quite high at the moment, cos we've got the wild fowl on here.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53Yeah, I was going to say it's nice and quiet with nobody around,
0:17:53 > 0:17:56- but, er, it's your family, isn't it? - We have the family here.- Hello!
0:17:56 > 0:17:59Bernard's son Kelvin is now the fourth generation of the family
0:17:59 > 0:18:02to work on the marshes. At this time of year,
0:18:02 > 0:18:05he cuts reeds for thatching and, if he's lucky, he gets
0:18:05 > 0:18:09a bit of help from the youngest members of the Bishop clan.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12- We sort of start a couple of weeks before Christmas.- Yeah.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15The middle of December and, weather dependent,
0:18:15 > 0:18:18- we'll carry on till March time. - And this is some of the finest reed?
0:18:18 > 0:18:21This is some of the best reed in the country
0:18:21 > 0:18:22we're cutting here at Cley Marshes
0:18:22 > 0:18:25and, hopefully, 50 or 60 years on a reed.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28One of Bernard's more unusual jobs throughout the year
0:18:28 > 0:18:30is controlling the water levels.
0:18:30 > 0:18:36Ply them down and you just bend these down, like so...
0:18:36 > 0:18:39- Here it comes!- It's bubbling!
0:18:39 > 0:18:43Some birds prefer a high water level, while some prefer it low.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45By simply moving a couple of pipes,
0:18:45 > 0:18:48he can drain water from one area to another,
0:18:48 > 0:18:51keeping the birds and the birdwatchers happy,
0:18:51 > 0:18:53hopefully for many years to come.
0:18:53 > 0:18:58So, will the work and venue with a fifth generation of Bishops?
0:18:58 > 0:19:02Do you see yourself following in your grandad's footsteps and working here?
0:19:02 > 0:19:05What do you want to be when you grow up?
0:19:05 > 0:19:08- A bridge designer, car designer, one of them.- A car designer?
0:19:08 > 0:19:11A car designer?! LAUGHTER
0:19:11 > 0:19:13- Do you really?- Good lad. - Well done, you, mate.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16- That's brilliant. - A car designer.- That's brilliant.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29- Right...- Right, Matt, we'll shut this off before we go.- Yeah.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33And while we are making sure that everything is perfect for the birds over here,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36Julia is in search of those pink-footed geese
0:19:36 > 0:19:38who, hopefully by now, are tucking into a bit of a feast
0:19:38 > 0:19:40in a field not too far away.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42- All sorted?- Sorted.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48BIRDS CAW
0:19:51 > 0:19:54'I'm on the trail of some of Norfolk's winter migrants -
0:19:54 > 0:19:57'the pink-footed geese.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00'But I still haven't managed to get a close-up view.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03'Wildlife cameraman, Richard Taylor-Jones,
0:20:03 > 0:20:06'has been helping out and he's tracked them down
0:20:06 > 0:20:09'to a sugar beet field, where they're busy feeding.'
0:20:12 > 0:20:15- WHISPERS:- Richard has settled just on the other side
0:20:15 > 0:20:19of this woodland, so the idea is to get in beside him
0:20:19 > 0:20:21and not scare away the birds.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26'It's vital the geese aren't disturbed
0:20:26 > 0:20:29'as they need to refuel after a cold night on the estuary.'
0:20:29 > 0:20:33There he is. I can make out his camera silhouette in the distance.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40There they are. They're watching.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48- Hi, Richard.- Hi, Julia. - That is such a big lens.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51Don't worry about the lens, look at the geese. They're so close.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58I've been talking all day about wanting to see a pink foot.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02Do you know what? They've been this close and it's just been incredible.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08- Just fantastic to watch, aren't they?- They are.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12- It's not just the watching for me, I love that sound.- Yeah.
0:21:12 > 0:21:13That sort of chuntering sound,
0:21:13 > 0:21:16it's a lovely part of the winter landscape out here.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18BIRDS CAW
0:21:18 > 0:21:23- They're a nice busy bird.- They are very industrious, aren't they?- Yeah.
0:21:23 > 0:21:28Working their way over the fields, looking for their breakfast.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31We've got maybe four or five similar looking geese in Britain,
0:21:31 > 0:21:33but the pink foots are so easy to tell,
0:21:33 > 0:21:37cos they've got these just wonderful big pink feet. You can't go wrong.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39- The identifying marks. - Absolutely, yeah.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41- Now, they don't breed in the UK, do they?- Not at all, no.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44These are very much winter, autumnal visitors.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47During the spring and summer, they'll go off to Iceland and Greenland
0:21:47 > 0:21:50and they'll have their chicks up there, raise their brood
0:21:50 > 0:21:52and fly back here come autumn time.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55- For such a big animal, they travel quite a lot, don't they?- They do!
0:21:55 > 0:21:57It's a lot of body to move about,
0:21:57 > 0:22:00but that's why they're here stuffing their faces out on the field,
0:22:00 > 0:22:02it's to refuel.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10Oh, what a sight. Later in the programme,
0:22:10 > 0:22:13John's finding out how Children In Need spend the money
0:22:13 > 0:22:16that you helped raise through sales of the Countryfile calendar.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18Back to the pink feet for me.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21'It's certainly taken a bit of running around, but I'm happy,
0:22:21 > 0:22:25'because I've finally seen a goose with pink feet.'
0:22:30 > 0:22:33Now, earlier, Tom was finding out why so few members
0:22:33 > 0:22:37of the black and Asian communities are visiting the countryside.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41So is it a different story for those living and working there?
0:22:42 > 0:22:44Being in the great outdoors -
0:22:44 > 0:22:47something many of us were brought up to value.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49As we've already discovered, though,
0:22:49 > 0:22:54only 1% of visitors out here are from ethnic minorities.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56But just how few black or Asian people
0:22:56 > 0:22:58live and work in the countryside?
0:22:58 > 0:23:02We won't know today's exact numbers for a few years yet.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05But the figures we do have, from a decade ago,
0:23:05 > 0:23:10show that just 3% of black or Asian people live in rural areas
0:23:10 > 0:23:12compared to 20% of white people.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18It's believed that figure is on the rise,
0:23:18 > 0:23:21but there's little doubt the countryside has a long way to go
0:23:21 > 0:23:24to shed its all-white persona.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29Why have so few ethnic minorities
0:23:29 > 0:23:32made their lives in the countryside?
0:23:32 > 0:23:35Tough year for growing maize, anyway, it's been so wet and cold.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37Very wet, very cold. TOM LAUGHS
0:23:38 > 0:23:42David Mwanaka arrived from Zimbabwe 21 years ago.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46He's one of only a handful of black or Asian farmers in the UK.
0:23:46 > 0:23:51He started farming, because he missed some of his home comforts.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55When I came to the UK, there was no white maize in this country.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59- I grew up eating this white maize. - You missed it?- I really missed it.
0:23:59 > 0:24:00I came to a point of thinking,
0:24:00 > 0:24:04"How long am I going to think someone is going to grow white maize for me?"
0:24:04 > 0:24:07And then, from that point,
0:24:07 > 0:24:11- I started experimenting growing white maize in my back garden.- Right. - For something like six years.
0:24:13 > 0:24:18'David found some land to grow his white maize just outside the M25.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20'He's now settled into his rural life,
0:24:20 > 0:24:24'but only after several visits from the police.'
0:24:24 > 0:24:28Some people have had suspicions of you, haven't they?
0:24:28 > 0:24:30Tell me the story of what happened.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33The first time we were harvesting maize and, um...
0:24:33 > 0:24:36the next moment is I see the police coming around and they say,
0:24:36 > 0:24:41"We've been called, some locals think you are stealing maize from this field."
0:24:41 > 0:24:43And I explained to them, I was just harvesting my crop.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45I think the problem was
0:24:45 > 0:24:50the locals had never seen any black person working the field,
0:24:50 > 0:24:53so their assumption was we were stealing the crop.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57It would seem to me a bit upsetting their first thought, judging really
0:24:57 > 0:25:00- by your skin colour...- Yeah. - ..is that you're stealing.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04Yes, but I would put it down to ignorance, not racism.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07David believes it's not just
0:25:07 > 0:25:11perceptions of people in the countryside that need to change,
0:25:11 > 0:25:14but his own community could do more too.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19When you look at your experience in the countryside,
0:25:19 > 0:25:21do you think Britain is a racially integrated country?
0:25:21 > 0:25:27Not much of the countryside, but of course in the inner cities, it is.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30Maybe the problem is also us ethnic minorities are not
0:25:30 > 0:25:33interested in going out into the countryside.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37There's also the feeling that part of the country doesn't belong to us,
0:25:37 > 0:25:40so we should never go out there.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Would you like to see a day when ethnic minorities were
0:25:43 > 0:25:44comfortable in the countryside
0:25:44 > 0:25:48and there were as many black people in the villages as there are in the towns?
0:25:48 > 0:25:51Yes, hopefully one day it will happen.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54It doesn't sound like you think it will be soon.
0:25:59 > 0:26:04David's enthusiasm, coupled with a thick skin, are making him
0:26:04 > 0:26:09successful in what is pretty much an all-white industry.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13But are experiences like his putting other people off?
0:26:14 > 0:26:17That's what Jabeer Butt's been finding out,
0:26:17 > 0:26:21as part of his work for the Race Equality Foundation.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24Jabeer, why are there few ethnic minorities living in the countryside?
0:26:24 > 0:26:28Well, it's down to the way the patterns of migration took place.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31So when minorities came to this country,
0:26:31 > 0:26:33they inevitably ended up in city areas,
0:26:33 > 0:26:35mainly to do with jobs.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39What barriers face ethnic minorities when they think about living
0:26:39 > 0:26:41and working in the countryside?
0:26:41 > 0:26:43I think they are the usual ones,
0:26:43 > 0:26:47it's not only getting a decent job, but it's also being able to ensure
0:26:47 > 0:26:50that your family is properly supported, the schools are accepting,
0:26:50 > 0:26:55that you can get the food you want, and other types of support you want,
0:26:55 > 0:26:57I think that proves to be a challenge.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00I think it's changing, however, and we've seen, for example,
0:27:00 > 0:27:03even with food, the availability of it across the country has
0:27:03 > 0:27:07changed dramatically in the last ten to 15 years.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16Jabeer believes we will see some big changes
0:27:16 > 0:27:18once the next census figures are published.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22But, with so few black and Asian people visiting, let alone living
0:27:22 > 0:27:27and working in the countryside, there is still a long way to go.
0:27:27 > 0:27:32I've been really encouraged and inspired by what I've heard
0:27:32 > 0:27:36from David and the newly converted outdoor enthusiasts here.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40But, whilst challenges remain, things are changing.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44The question is, how much longer will we have to wait
0:27:44 > 0:27:48before we all feel the countryside belongs to us?
0:27:56 > 0:27:58All along the Norfolk coast,
0:27:58 > 0:28:02there's a wealth of wildlife waiting to be discovered.
0:28:02 > 0:28:07Earlier, we went in search of some of the birds that flock every winter.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11But now, I'm on the lookout for a very different beast.
0:28:13 > 0:28:17This is a seasonal one that isn't difficult to find here,
0:28:17 > 0:28:20although I'm told it should be approached with caution.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25This exposed peninsula of salt marsh, shingle
0:28:25 > 0:28:28and golden sand is Blakeney Point.
0:28:28 > 0:28:30At this time of year,
0:28:30 > 0:28:34it's one great big maternity ward for a colony of grey seals.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42All these new mums and pups need someone to keep an eye on them
0:28:42 > 0:28:44and that is Edward Stubbings' job.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46- Hi, Eddie.- Hello.- Hello, hello.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48- How are you doing?- Good.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51These seals are three miles away at the end of this beach,
0:28:51 > 0:28:54so not many people come across them. Just as well,
0:28:54 > 0:28:57as these mums don't react well to people or dogs.
0:28:57 > 0:29:01Originally came with more of a bird-based background,
0:29:01 > 0:29:04and have been working with seals more and more
0:29:04 > 0:29:07as the seal population has increased.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10- So learning on the job?- Learning on the job and learning very quickly.
0:29:10 > 0:29:14Ten years ago, just 50 seal pups were born here.
0:29:14 > 0:29:18But this season, they are expecting ten times that number.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23Twice a week, Eddie comes to these windswept sands
0:29:23 > 0:29:26to count how many more pups have been born.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29With such a rapidly expanding colony,
0:29:29 > 0:29:32it's vital that Eddie keeps an eye on things.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36- Here we go.- Look at them all! What a spectacle!
0:29:36 > 0:29:40Yes, some have got mum with them, some haven't.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42Where do you start when it comes to counting?
0:29:42 > 0:29:44We are going to be on the top of the dunes.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47We are not going to approach the seals.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49- Unless we get blown into them. - Exactly.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52We'll walk alongside each other along the top of the dunes,
0:29:52 > 0:29:53both with a clicker.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56You will be counting on the right, I'll be counting on the left.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58Are you sure that's all right for you?
0:29:58 > 0:30:01- You've got more than I have. - You've got about three.
0:30:01 > 0:30:03It'll be a good baptism by fire.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06You don't click the clicker until you're level with the pup,
0:30:06 > 0:30:10then you walk on and don't click the next pup until you're level with it.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16With the cold swell of the North Sea pushing up the beach,
0:30:16 > 0:30:18we get clicking.
0:30:20 > 0:30:24- So, from here, we've got one, two, three, four...- Yes.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27- I'm counting that one next to mum, there.- Yes.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34- I can see another two, three.- Yes.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37- Four, five, six.- That's it.
0:30:37 > 0:30:41As I continue to click away, it's not hard to believe that
0:30:41 > 0:30:46around 40% of the world's population of grey seals breed in the UK.
0:30:48 > 0:30:54- So, one, two... - Three.- Three. OK, here we go.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57How old do you think that one is there?
0:30:57 > 0:31:01That one is probably just three days old, tops. Yes.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03Why are they all here?
0:31:03 > 0:31:06Taking it back to the 20th century,
0:31:06 > 0:31:10there were certain laws that were passed to protect seals
0:31:10 > 0:31:13and from that point onwards, they did start increasing.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16Then, they started working their way down the east coast
0:31:16 > 0:31:19and then, around the millennium, they hit Blakeney.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21Since then, they've just flourished.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24Presumably, if the colony keeps expanding,
0:31:24 > 0:31:27there is a danger that seals and humans will clash.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30Yes, absolutely. We're already seeing the evidence of it
0:31:30 > 0:31:33and the seals are spreading out across the whole reserve.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35It's becoming harder to manage.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39The team don't advise people to walk here during breeding season
0:31:39 > 0:31:42as the seals are easily disturbed.
0:31:42 > 0:31:46There are organised trips for enthusiasts.
0:31:46 > 0:31:51Time to tot up our numbers and see how many new arrivals there are.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53548 add 45 is 593.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56593 pups on this beach.
0:31:56 > 0:32:00Well, there's either something in the Norfolk air or something in the Norfolk water,
0:32:00 > 0:32:03but it is working, whatever it is.
0:32:03 > 0:32:04Phenomenal.
0:32:06 > 0:32:10The number of pups being born is up on this time last year.
0:32:10 > 0:32:15To keep track of the colony, Eddie plans to photo-ID some of the mums.
0:32:15 > 0:32:19- Is it easy to identify them? - It's not easy.
0:32:19 > 0:32:23Especially not here, when there are so many cows on one beach.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26But there are a few things you can look for.
0:32:26 > 0:32:30The side of the neck, there seems to be distinctive markings on the neck.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34If you have any with marks or scars, then take a photo of that area.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38Next year, Eddie hopes to take on
0:32:38 > 0:32:41some more experienced volunteers for this project.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44But for now, he'll have to make do with me.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54I'm meant to be taking pictures of adult females,
0:32:54 > 0:32:56but the pups are so cute, I can't help myself.
0:32:58 > 0:33:02And there are lots to take photos of.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08Then, Eddie spots one he recognises.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11So that's the hope of the photo ID programme,
0:33:11 > 0:33:14to be able to trace females like this one, year on year.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17Yes, it'll teach us more about the colony
0:33:17 > 0:33:20and build up a picture of the cows that are pupping here.
0:33:22 > 0:33:24Being with the seals has been wonderful.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27But what if you don't have wildlife close at hand?
0:33:27 > 0:33:31John has been discovering how, with a little help from Children In Need,
0:33:31 > 0:33:34even the busiest city can enjoy a bit of country life.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45Bristol, the biggest city in the South West.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49Here, you'll find a lively mix of locals, students and tourists,
0:33:49 > 0:33:53all vying for space in a city of nearly half a million people.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57It's the last place I expected to have to wear my country wellies.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00But here's a clue.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03Away from all the hustle and bustle,
0:34:03 > 0:34:07tucked in between a housing estate and the M5 motorway,
0:34:07 > 0:34:13there's this green oasis, where the countryside comes right into suburbia.
0:34:13 > 0:34:17Lawrence Weston community farm was set up to give urban people
0:34:17 > 0:34:18a taste of rural life.
0:34:18 > 0:34:22I'm here to learn about one particular scheme that is
0:34:22 > 0:34:23funded by Children In Need.
0:34:23 > 0:34:28But first, let's discover what daily life is like on this unusual farm.
0:34:29 > 0:34:34- Morning, everybody.- Good morning! - You are all the volunteers, are you?
0:34:34 > 0:34:36Obviously no shortage.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38- Which is Jo?- I'm Jo.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41- How are you?- Nice to meet you.
0:34:41 > 0:34:43What have you got lined up for the volunteers today?
0:34:43 > 0:34:45We've got a lot of different jobs on today.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48The first job of the day is to go around and check all the animals,
0:34:48 > 0:34:53feed the animals. We've got sheep, goats, chickens.
0:34:53 > 0:34:57- That's the first thing we need to do, so here's your gloves, John.- For me?
0:34:57 > 0:35:00- These are for you, and off we go. - Off we go.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05Helen, Katie and Pete, do you want to come with us,
0:35:05 > 0:35:07we're going to get the bear out.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10- Get the bear out?- Yes. We're going to get the bear out.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13I thought this was a community farm, not a wildlife park.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16It is a community farm, but we have a bear with a difference.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18Oh, right, let's have a look.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24Goodness me! That's a Kunekune pig, isn't it?
0:35:24 > 0:35:27- It is a Kunekune pig, yeah. - A very large one.
0:35:27 > 0:35:31- That's why he's called a bear, is it?- That's why he's called the Bear.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34The children love Bear, he's a local celebrity.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36But he looks pretty fierce, doesn't he?
0:35:36 > 0:35:40He does, but he's a big cuddly bear, he's very friendly.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43And probably quite hungry.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46- Let's go, John.- Food here. Entice him with his food.
0:35:46 > 0:35:51- Yes, entice him with his food, and we'll walk behind.- Come on, boy.
0:35:56 > 0:36:00- Just put his food down.- Just put it down? There you are.
0:36:00 > 0:36:05Breakfast time. For a bear that's really a pig.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14They aren't afraid to start them young round here.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17Although volunteers of all ages are welcome, these little ones
0:36:17 > 0:36:19are known as the farm tots.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22- Are you regular visitors here, your family?- Yes, we are.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24- They obviously love it here.- Yes.
0:36:24 > 0:36:28What kind of purpose do you think it serves, a farm like this?
0:36:28 > 0:36:30Oh, wow, it's brilliant for the community.
0:36:30 > 0:36:32It just teaches the kids about the animals
0:36:32 > 0:36:35because you can get up really close to them,
0:36:35 > 0:36:38that's what they love. They help herd the sheep, then they feed the goats
0:36:38 > 0:36:42and we get the guinea pigs out, so they just really enjoy that.
0:36:47 > 0:36:52It's hard to believe that 25 years ago this area was actually a rubbish tip.
0:36:52 > 0:36:57That was until local people got together and turned it into a farm.
0:36:57 > 0:36:59Now, it's a vital part of this community,
0:36:59 > 0:37:04giving local children new opportunities that otherwise they might never have.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08There is another project here that I'm really keen to see.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11It's called Farm Hands and it's sponsored by Children In Need.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13Thanks to that funding,
0:37:13 > 0:37:19projects like this can offer city kids a chance to get hands-on farmyard experience.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22- Hello, farm hands. - ALL: Hello!
0:37:22 > 0:37:25I was going to help you muck out, but I see you've done it already.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27Aren't I lucky?
0:37:27 > 0:37:32- So what else do you do apart from mucking out?- Groom sheep.
0:37:32 > 0:37:34And do planting.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38What kind of things do you learn when you are a farm hand?
0:37:38 > 0:37:43Well, we learn the five freedoms - love, water, food,
0:37:43 > 0:37:46care and all the stuff animals really need to do.
0:37:46 > 0:37:51- And do you like being with the animals?- Yes.- What's the best bit?
0:37:51 > 0:37:55Ooh, let's see. The mucking out.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58- You actually like mucking out, do you?- Yes.
0:37:58 > 0:38:02- It's nice to have a farm next door? - Yes.- Do you come here quite a lot?
0:38:02 > 0:38:09- Yes.- Are you proud to be a farm hand?- Yes. Really proud.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13If you'd like to help community farms like this one, or thousands of other projects
0:38:13 > 0:38:17right across the United Kingdom that are supported by Children In Need,
0:38:17 > 0:38:20one way to do it is to buy our calendar.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23- Isn't it, farm hands? - ALL: Yes!
0:38:26 > 0:38:30It costs £9, and at least £4 goes to Children In Need.
0:38:30 > 0:38:37You can order a copy right now either on our website...
0:38:37 > 0:38:44or call our order line on...
0:38:44 > 0:38:47Calls cost up to 5p a minute for most landlines
0:38:47 > 0:38:51and calls from mobiles may cost considerably more.
0:38:51 > 0:38:59To order by post, send your name, address, and a cheque to...
0:39:02 > 0:39:07Please make cheques payable to BBC Countryfile Calendar.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17On a very different farm across in the Cotswolds,
0:39:17 > 0:39:21the changing seasons bring their own challenges to family life.
0:39:21 > 0:39:26For Adam, work out in the field varies from month to month.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28Now that autumn has passed, he's in a reflective mood.
0:39:38 > 0:39:40It's almost the end of another farming year,
0:39:40 > 0:39:44and the autumn seemed to come and go so quickly.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46As a farmer, we're often rushing around,
0:39:46 > 0:39:49but it's lovely sometimes just to stand and take in
0:39:49 > 0:39:51the wonderful scenery that we work in,
0:39:51 > 0:39:54and autumn has got to be one of my favourites
0:39:54 > 0:39:58with that lovely soft light reflecting on all those autumn colours.
0:39:58 > 0:40:02And some amazing mushrooms we get down this valley.
0:40:02 > 0:40:06But now, the leaves have all gone, and the trees are bare
0:40:06 > 0:40:08and winter is on us.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15Luckily, we have a natural stream that cuts this valley in half.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17During the hot summer months,
0:40:17 > 0:40:19this offers a cool retreat for many of my livestock,
0:40:19 > 0:40:24especially the Highlands with their long shaggy coats.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29As well as the fresh cool water, the waterside edges provide
0:40:29 > 0:40:32lots of lush greenery for the animals to eat.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35But as soon as winter comes, it all changes.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38This is the Windrush that runs into the Thames,
0:40:38 > 0:40:42and what was a small trickle during the summer months
0:40:42 > 0:40:46has now become a bit of a torrent. The water level has really risen.
0:40:48 > 0:40:50This is a really lovely spot on the farm
0:40:50 > 0:40:53where this waterfall gushes over the wall here. During summer,
0:40:53 > 0:40:55it's an archway of leaves.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58All the bushes and trees just surround it.
0:40:58 > 0:41:00And then the winter comes,
0:41:00 > 0:41:03the leaves fall off and it opens up to the light
0:41:03 > 0:41:06and the water starts to flow faster as the rain comes.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14The cattle still enjoy coming down to the stream in the winter
0:41:14 > 0:41:16to get a drink because it never freezes.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19They're quite brave, they'll plough through the mud
0:41:19 > 0:41:23and plunge around in the water. There's one doing it there now.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26Of course, the dogs love to play in the stream as well.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31But not all my animals get to stay outside in winter.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34I like to bring some of my vulnerable young stock in.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38These are my White Park cattle.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41Some believe they were introduced to the country by the Romans.
0:41:41 > 0:41:43Then, when the Romans left Britain,
0:41:43 > 0:41:47they left some of the animals behind and the White Parks ended up
0:41:47 > 0:41:50isolated in some of the parklands, the Royal parklands,
0:41:50 > 0:41:53where the kings and knights used to hunt them
0:41:53 > 0:41:55on horseback with dogs and spears.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57Stunning-looking beasts.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00They have this lovely black nose, black eyes and black ears.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03Sadly, I've lost a few to TB over the last few years.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07Recently I had a TB test and lost two more.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10One that was a calf that I bottle-fed last year
0:42:10 > 0:42:13when its mother had to be slaughtered because of TB.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15And another one was Kylie,
0:42:15 > 0:42:18who was one of my White Park oxen that I'd trained for a film.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20It was so sad.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36We've separated these calves from their mothers.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39They no longer need the mother's milk,
0:42:39 > 0:42:42we'll be feeding them on silage and cattle nuts now.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45They are about six months old. There are three females
0:42:45 > 0:42:49and a young bull calf that we'll sell to another White Park breeding herd.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52Just got to get them loaded into the trailer
0:42:52 > 0:42:54and off to the shed. Go on then, babies.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57Go on, there's good babies. Go on.
0:43:08 > 0:43:12Many of my barns lie empty during summer and autumn.
0:43:12 > 0:43:15They're completely lifeless until winter arrives
0:43:15 > 0:43:18when we need to use every inch of them.
0:43:25 > 0:43:28Right, this is their winter home.
0:43:29 > 0:43:31Whoa! Steady, steady.
0:43:32 > 0:43:35There we go, they'll just mix in with the other calves now.
0:43:35 > 0:43:38We've got Belted Galloways, Highlands and Gloucesters.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41They might miss their mums for a day or two, but they'll soon settle down.
0:43:41 > 0:43:44They'll stay in these yards now for the winter
0:43:44 > 0:43:46and we'll turn them out on the grass in the spring.
0:43:46 > 0:43:48We'll feed them on the silage and then bed them down
0:43:48 > 0:43:51with wheat straw and give them cattle nuts.
0:43:51 > 0:43:54That's what the guys are doing next door. I can hear them.
0:43:54 > 0:43:55So I'll give them a hand.
0:43:55 > 0:43:59In my dad's day, three of us would have done this by hand.
0:43:59 > 0:44:02But thanks to this machine, we hardly need to get our hands dirty.
0:44:02 > 0:44:06The rotating blades propel the straw out of the front,
0:44:06 > 0:44:08carpeting the barn floor. Well, and the animals.
0:44:08 > 0:44:11With a quick makeover and some cattle nuts,
0:44:11 > 0:44:14it's soon transformed into a lovely home.
0:44:14 > 0:44:15Very different now.
0:44:20 > 0:44:25My hardy Highland cattle spend all year outside whatever the weather.
0:44:25 > 0:44:27But they still need a bit of TLC.
0:44:32 > 0:44:34Just like the other winter housing,
0:44:34 > 0:44:38this old barn provides shelter at this time of year.
0:44:38 > 0:44:42And this fresh bale of silage will certainly keep my Highlands happy.
0:44:49 > 0:44:51At this time of year, the grass is nearly all gone
0:44:51 > 0:44:54and what is left has a really low nutrient value,
0:44:54 > 0:44:57so I'm dropping this bale of silage for the Highlands.
0:44:57 > 0:44:59Silage is grass that we've cut in summer
0:44:59 > 0:45:01and then it was wrapped into plastic and basically
0:45:01 > 0:45:05pickles it and retains its high sugars and proteins.
0:45:05 > 0:45:07Very good for the cattle in winter.
0:45:07 > 0:45:10They're keen on it, some are running down the hill to get to it.
0:45:10 > 0:45:12Others have started feeding on it here.
0:45:12 > 0:45:15The Highlands are lovely animals, very hardy.
0:45:15 > 0:45:18They'll survive, come rain, sleet or snow in winter.
0:45:18 > 0:45:21They've got these great big thick coats,
0:45:21 > 0:45:22but I'm a bit soft on them really,
0:45:22 > 0:45:25they've got a shelter if it gets really bad.
0:45:30 > 0:45:32But it's not just my long-haired animals
0:45:32 > 0:45:35that can cope with life in the great outdoors.
0:45:36 > 0:45:39Just bedding down these pigs.
0:45:39 > 0:45:43Pigs have got hair on their bodies, but very thick skin as well,
0:45:43 > 0:45:46and that's what keeps them nice and warm.
0:45:46 > 0:45:50We just have these shelters for them to get out of the rain.
0:45:50 > 0:45:52Bed them down with a bit of straw.
0:45:52 > 0:45:56Pigs like being outdoors, but this wet weather
0:45:56 > 0:46:01and the rain has just been horrible, turning the place in the quagmire.
0:46:01 > 0:46:02It's so muddy.
0:46:05 > 0:46:08There's one sow gone in there already
0:46:08 > 0:46:12and she'll pick the straw up with her mouth and move it around to make a bed.
0:46:12 > 0:46:16They'll eat a bit of straw too. Now the boar's gone in.
0:46:16 > 0:46:17GRUNTING
0:46:17 > 0:46:21You can hear her talking to him. They grumble away to one another.
0:46:21 > 0:46:24They're quite chatty, really.
0:46:24 > 0:46:28Our animals keep us busy, as do our arable fields.
0:46:28 > 0:46:31We've got a variety of crops growing in 1,000 acres.
0:46:31 > 0:46:33When the seasons change,
0:46:33 > 0:46:37we're often faced with new challenges.
0:46:37 > 0:46:40Arable farming and growing crops is very dependent on the weather,
0:46:40 > 0:46:43and this year has been incredibly difficult.
0:46:43 > 0:46:45We had a very wet harvest that affected
0:46:45 > 0:46:48the quality of the grain, but also the yield.
0:46:48 > 0:46:52We have a rotation. It goes oil-seed rape, then wheat, then barley.
0:46:52 > 0:46:54So there's wheat growing in here now
0:46:54 > 0:46:57but last year the crop in here looked very different.
0:46:58 > 0:47:01Last autumn, we planted oil-seed rape in this field.
0:47:01 > 0:47:05As soon as the spring arrived, it began to grow at a phenomenal rate.
0:47:05 > 0:47:08It's the fastest-growing crop on the farm.
0:47:08 > 0:47:12By the middle of May, over the course of a couple of weeks,
0:47:12 > 0:47:16it started to flower and transform this whole landscape.
0:47:17 > 0:47:19When the flowers faded,
0:47:19 > 0:47:23we sprayed the crop to protect the valuable seedpods.
0:47:24 > 0:47:28As they died back and the seeds swelled, I kept a close eye on it
0:47:28 > 0:47:31to make sure the seed pods were progressing like they should.
0:47:31 > 0:47:35After a very wet summer, it eventually dried out
0:47:35 > 0:47:38and turned golden. When conditions were right,
0:47:38 > 0:47:41it was all hands to the deck to get the crop harvested.
0:47:41 > 0:47:46The combine worked overtime to clear the field before the rain came.
0:47:46 > 0:47:50As the combine swept across the crop in a cloud of dust,
0:47:50 > 0:47:52it churned its way up and down the field,
0:47:52 > 0:47:55leaving nothing but the bare stalks behind.
0:47:55 > 0:47:58But as soon as the oil-seed rape was in the shed,
0:47:58 > 0:48:00there was no time to waste.
0:48:00 > 0:48:03We had to put this field back to good use,
0:48:03 > 0:48:06so it was cultivated and planted again.
0:48:06 > 0:48:08And now we've got wheat growing in here
0:48:08 > 0:48:11and I'm just praying for a good growing season,
0:48:11 > 0:48:14with plenty of sunshine and a bumper harvest for 2013.
0:48:18 > 0:48:20Next week, I'm gearing up for Christmas,
0:48:20 > 0:48:23and it's all about the festive birds.
0:48:26 > 0:48:30But for now, I'm taking shelter, like the rest of my animals.
0:48:45 > 0:48:49Big skies and bird-filled fields and marshes.
0:48:49 > 0:48:54Snettisham RSPB reserve here in Norfolk is a birder's paradise,
0:48:54 > 0:48:57and very soon Julia and I will be meeting up
0:48:57 > 0:49:01hopefully to witness a very impressive flypast.
0:49:01 > 0:49:05But conditions, including the weather, have to be absolutely right
0:49:05 > 0:49:07and things are feeling pretty perfect at the moment.
0:49:07 > 0:49:10But, if the weather is important to your plans in the week ahead,
0:49:10 > 0:49:14let's find out what it's got in store with the Countryfile forecast.
0:51:50 > 0:51:57.
0:52:09 > 0:52:12Julia and I have been exploring the stark beauty
0:52:12 > 0:52:15of the North Norfolk coastline.
0:52:15 > 0:52:18While I've been getting lost in the reeds with a local legend,
0:52:18 > 0:52:21Julia's been on the trail of pink-footed geese.
0:52:21 > 0:52:25(There they are. They're watching.)
0:52:28 > 0:52:31Now we're back at the Snettisham Reserve,
0:52:31 > 0:52:34where hopefully it's my turn to catch a glimpse
0:52:34 > 0:52:36of the pink-footed seasonal spectacular,
0:52:36 > 0:52:40when thousands of geese return, en masse, to roost for the night.
0:52:42 > 0:52:47The weather's on our side. But there's no guarantee they'll fly back here this evening.
0:52:47 > 0:52:50They might choose a different roost or could even stay out all night
0:52:50 > 0:52:52feeding under the moonlight.
0:52:52 > 0:52:56But, if they do come back, it'll be around dusk.
0:53:01 > 0:53:05And that gives me time to find out about some very different birds.
0:53:05 > 0:53:09The tens of thousands of waders that feed on the estuary.
0:53:09 > 0:53:14While geese go for sugar beet, waders go for worms and shellfish.
0:53:14 > 0:53:16Jim, good to see you.
0:53:16 > 0:53:19You're digging up and seeing what's on the menu for some of these birds?
0:53:19 > 0:53:23- Yeah, let's see what we can find down here, really.- Yeah.
0:53:23 > 0:53:26- Oh, hang on!- Here we go.- Here we go. There we go. Look at that.
0:53:26 > 0:53:29- That's lovely.- That's a ragworm. - What bird would be after that?
0:53:29 > 0:53:32Anything with a bill long enough to get down there and get them,
0:53:32 > 0:53:36- so godwits...- Yeah.
0:53:36 > 0:53:40..redshank would probably go for them as well if it's not too far under the surface.
0:53:40 > 0:53:44You get things like Grey Plover and Dunlin feeding on the surface.
0:53:44 > 0:53:47So they're looking. The Dunlin are going along picking away
0:53:47 > 0:53:49at little snails on the surface.
0:53:49 > 0:53:52Plover might be looking, taking a few steps,
0:53:52 > 0:53:55having a go at something and then going after something else.
0:53:55 > 0:53:57The number of birds that you get here in The Wash,
0:53:57 > 0:54:02you can get anything up to 400,000-plus at peak times.
0:54:02 > 0:54:06The winter waders and wildfowl share so much food, it must be available...
0:54:06 > 0:54:08- Absolutely, yeah. - ..on these mudflats.
0:54:13 > 0:54:18Where there are such massive numbers of birds, there are bound to be birdwatchers.
0:54:18 > 0:54:21And our very own bird-watching cameraman, Richard,
0:54:21 > 0:54:23has got here just in time for the grand finale.
0:54:23 > 0:54:27I find myself back where I started today.
0:54:27 > 0:54:30I've got some lovely stuff of the knot out on the mud there.
0:54:30 > 0:54:33But what we're waiting for is the geese to come back off the fields.
0:54:33 > 0:54:37And the idea of coming back here to the estuary is safety.
0:54:37 > 0:54:41There are no predators out there, so they can spend the night
0:54:41 > 0:54:45free from worry and get a good night's sleep.
0:54:45 > 0:54:49All we've got to do now is watch and wait.
0:54:49 > 0:54:51There's something missing.
0:54:51 > 0:54:56It's OK, Matt, I've been following my pink-footed chums all day.
0:54:56 > 0:55:00And there's no way I'm going to miss them coming home for the night.
0:55:00 > 0:55:02- Oh!- Come under my blanket!
0:55:02 > 0:55:07- Aha! This is great! - I've got mince pies.- Have you?- Yeah.
0:55:07 > 0:55:10- Brilliant, thank you. - And a nice hot cup of tea.
0:55:10 > 0:55:13- Have you got coffee as well?- Yeah. I've got tea, you've got coffee. Cheers, love.
0:55:13 > 0:55:17- The scene is set.- It is. - Bring on the geese.- Yeah, lovely.
0:55:29 > 0:55:32Here we go, they're just appearing over the bank now.
0:55:32 > 0:55:36Great long strings of them,
0:55:36 > 0:55:38skeins of geese, they're called.
0:55:38 > 0:55:43Beautiful shifting lines in the sky.
0:55:43 > 0:55:46And they're going to go right over Matt and Julia's head.
0:55:55 > 0:55:58- Here they come. Oh, here they come! - Oh, look at that!
0:55:58 > 0:56:01- Oh, yes!- That is a fair number.
0:56:05 > 0:56:09This is lovely. Just as they're dropping down to the mud,
0:56:09 > 0:56:13some of them are turning completely on their sides.
0:56:13 > 0:56:15It's called whiffling.
0:56:15 > 0:56:20The idea is that they're trying to reduce their flight speed as quickly as possible
0:56:20 > 0:56:23so they can just drop out of the sky down to the roost.
0:56:32 > 0:56:36Lines in the sky. Look at that. That's absolutely mesmerising.
0:56:36 > 0:56:38- And I love the way they merge.- Yeah.
0:56:38 > 0:56:43The flocks merge into one another and create these beautiful patterns. Oh!
0:56:43 > 0:56:48Absolutely brilliant. Look at that! Come on in, come on in.
0:56:54 > 0:56:59I have to say the day started superbly just because of the sound.
0:56:59 > 0:57:02It was so amazing to hear the geese.
0:57:02 > 0:57:04Up they fly, straight overheard there.
0:57:04 > 0:57:07And then getting so close to them at the farmer's field
0:57:07 > 0:57:10was something I really, really didn't expect.
0:57:10 > 0:57:12And now we've got a glorious sunset.
0:57:12 > 0:57:19And geese in their thousands just landing out there to roost. What a fantastic day.
0:57:26 > 0:57:31As these pink-footed geese come in to land, it seems an appropriate way to end the programme.
0:57:31 > 0:57:33That's it for this week. Next week we'll be in Warwickshire,
0:57:33 > 0:57:36behind the scenes of a country Christmas.
0:57:36 > 0:57:38We will. We're going to be at Ragley Hall, helping them
0:57:38 > 0:57:42- to celebrate the season. See you then. Bye-bye.- Bye.
0:57:50 > 0:57:52Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd