0:00:24 > 0:00:26It's England's most northerly county,
0:00:26 > 0:00:31rugged countryside that's as bleak as it is beautiful.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33We're in Northumberland.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39Sheep farming on this remote spot on top of the moor,
0:00:39 > 0:00:41where the pastures are poor quality and rough,
0:00:41 > 0:00:44must be a pretty tough existence.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48But it's all in a day's work for one of our most intrepid young farmers.
0:00:49 > 0:00:55While Adam's on the mainland, I'm all at sea off the Northumberland coast near the Farne Islands.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02The sea is dark and cold,
0:01:02 > 0:01:05but I cannot wait to get in there because, when I do,
0:01:05 > 0:01:08I've been promised the experience of a lifetime,
0:01:08 > 0:01:11a close encounter with one of our most compelling mammals.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13Ready, Ben?
0:01:20 > 0:01:23And I'll be investigating claims that a lack of farm vets
0:01:23 > 0:01:25could leave the industry vulnerable
0:01:25 > 0:01:28to the outbreak of a serious disease, like foot and mouth.
0:01:28 > 0:01:33Also on tonight's programme, Katie's at a secret location
0:01:33 > 0:01:36to see some of our most spectacular birds of prey.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39And what's in here is what it's all about.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43Sea eagles.
0:01:43 > 0:01:48They're due for release but, with the Scottish weather at its worst, will they take to the skies?
0:02:00 > 0:02:03The Farne Islands, just off the coast of Northumberland.
0:02:03 > 0:02:09These rugged volcanic rocks, jutting out into the North Sea, may look desolate,
0:02:09 > 0:02:12but they're the perfect place for wildlife all year round.
0:02:12 > 0:02:17This is the beach in the town of Seahouses. And just out there are the Farne Islands.
0:02:17 > 0:02:22They're looked after by the National Trust who monitors the wildlife that lives there.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27'Wardens for the Trust spend the best part of the year living on the islands
0:02:27 > 0:02:29'and, in the winter months, that can be tough.'
0:02:29 > 0:02:34'They rely on deliveries from the mainland for just about everything.'
0:02:34 > 0:02:38That's because they don't have a large boat to deal with the unpredictable weather patterns.
0:02:38 > 0:02:46So their food, their post, even their drinking water, has to be shipped across on a much sturdier craft.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48- Hiya.- Morning, Ellie. - Thanks, very much.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56'There are 28 islands altogether,
0:02:56 > 0:02:59'some so small they're only visible at low tide.'
0:02:59 > 0:03:03'They are divided into Inner and Outer Farne. I'm off to Brownsman in the Outer Farnes
0:03:03 > 0:03:05'with local skipper William Shiel.'
0:03:05 > 0:03:09So William, you take supplies out most days, what sort of things do take out there?
0:03:09 > 0:03:12For the wardens here today, we've got their fresh water
0:03:12 > 0:03:14because there's no running water on the islands.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16We've got some post.
0:03:16 > 0:03:21They still get their letters even though they've got mobile phones and internet access now.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23And of course we've got fuel for their heating
0:03:23 > 0:03:27and power the boats as well, the little dinghies that they have.
0:03:27 > 0:03:32'To land on Brownsman, I need to jump ship first into the wardens' smaller boat
0:03:32 > 0:03:35'because, at low tide, William's can't get any closer.'
0:03:37 > 0:03:41'I'm joining wardens Ciaran Hatsell and Graeme Duncan on Brownsman.'
0:03:41 > 0:03:43'They look after the Outer Farnes.'
0:03:43 > 0:03:46Nice! So this is where the parties happen, is it?
0:03:46 > 0:03:48Sometimes, sometimes.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50It's all a bit wild out here.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54We'll put some water here. What have you got in terms of mod cons?
0:03:54 > 0:03:58We've got electricity in the form of solar power.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00We've also got a generator if that runs out,
0:04:00 > 0:04:03but we tend not to need to use it out here.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05If you get a little bit of sun, it's pretty good
0:04:05 > 0:04:07and it keeps everything going for a while.
0:04:07 > 0:04:13It's intriguing. How do you survive with just water from the mainland? You must have to ration it?
0:04:13 > 0:04:15Yeah, we've got to be pretty frugal.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Basically, with regards to washing,
0:04:17 > 0:04:19- we don't really wash that often. - Nice!
0:04:19 > 0:04:24You've got to conserve it because you don't know when you're getting your next batch of water.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27- We just use it for drinking, then washing up as well. - Confession time then!
0:04:27 > 0:04:29When did you last shower?
0:04:29 > 0:04:32- Um. About a week ago.- Yikes! - It's not that bad.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35No, it's good, it's not too bad. And you, Graeme?
0:04:35 > 0:04:41About the same time, a week ago. We all went into the mainland at the same time to wash.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48'With an old lock keeper's cottage to yourself and a view like this,
0:04:48 > 0:04:50'maybe the no washing issue isn't such a big deal.'
0:04:50 > 0:04:55'They have plenty in the way of biscuits and beverages to keep their spirits up.'
0:04:56 > 0:04:59Nice roof terrace, boys!
0:05:00 > 0:05:01Fantastic.
0:05:01 > 0:05:06'The Farnes are famous for their birdlife and, in the spring time, the islands are home to
0:05:06 > 0:05:10'30,000 pairs of puffins, and thousands of guillemots.'
0:05:10 > 0:05:13'Come autumn, it's a completely different story.'
0:05:13 > 0:05:16It's nice to stand here, it's a bit quieter for us.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20We start to notice the migrants coming through. Birds spend the winter in Britain
0:05:20 > 0:05:23and even further south into the Mediterranean.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25They'll be using the Farnes as a stopping point.
0:05:25 > 0:05:30Like thrushes, we're getting a lot of those at the moment. Lots of geese as well coming from Iceland.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34It juts out into the sea, the Farnes, and so it's the first land the birds see.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38A lot of them land. We put out seed and apples for the finches and thrushes.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42It's a good place to be if you're a migrant bird wanting a rest.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45- Absolutely. Or a keen birder. - Or a keen birder!
0:05:48 > 0:05:54Thousands of visitors flock to the Farnes every year, but not all of the islands are open to the public.
0:05:54 > 0:06:00Brownsman here is strictly off limits, although the wardens do get the odd squatter now and again.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02These migrants want a bit of a rest,
0:06:02 > 0:06:05and they find a nice warm house and end up against the windows.
0:06:05 > 0:06:10This is a red wing, one of the thrushes that come over in their thousands from Scandinavia.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14- You have to catch them and let them go now and then.- You can't stay in the dormitory, you have to go.
0:06:14 > 0:06:19Yep, he's got to do unfortunately, he'll be on his way. He'll enjoy it in the open, I think.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26'You definitely need the Robinson Crusoe gene for this job,
0:06:26 > 0:06:28'but it's a highly sought after position.'
0:06:28 > 0:06:32'Over 200 people apply every year for just a handful of jobs.'
0:06:32 > 0:06:37'Right now, the wardens are busy getting ready for the seal pupping season.'
0:06:37 > 0:06:40'To find out more, I need to do a little island hopping.'
0:06:40 > 0:06:42So, Ciaran, where are we heading to now?
0:06:42 > 0:06:46We're going to the North and South Wamses, a favourite place for the seals.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49It's a bit out of the way, they keep out of the way of us, most humans.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53So yeah, it's one of the smaller islands as well, one of the smaller Farnes.
0:06:57 > 0:07:02- What a whopper!- Yeah, he's a bull seal. You can see the back of his neck.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06It's lovely and thick and furry. That's what the bull seals will grab when they're fighting.
0:07:06 > 0:07:10They'll get a good show of strength but not, hopefully, injure each other too much.
0:07:10 > 0:07:16- There's a couple. We've got an audience behind us there.- They're very curious animals.- Very curious!.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18I'm just as interested!
0:07:19 > 0:07:25'Seals have been monitored here for 60 years, giving us a real insight into their lives.'
0:07:25 > 0:07:27'Pup season means it's time to start tagging.'
0:07:27 > 0:07:32'Soon these beaches will be packed with newborns. Ciaran and Graeme have their work cut out.'
0:07:33 > 0:07:35What's the idea behind the tagging?
0:07:35 > 0:07:38Basically, Graeme's got a dye in a bottle.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42It's got quite a long range on it. Basically he'll spray the pup from a distance.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46From that, every time we come, we can see whether the same pups are still here.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49And from that, we can calculate the mortality rate.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51Is the idea to tag every single pup?
0:07:51 > 0:07:55Yeah, as many as we can. We try to get to all the islands, cover all the colonies.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58- How many have you got at the moment? - Only 14 at the moment.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01- It's early on in the year?- It's very early, yeah.- So, by mid-December,
0:08:01 > 0:08:04we'll have about 1500 pups.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09'Mum isn't overly keen on her babies being graffitied,
0:08:09 > 0:08:13'so Ciaran's on distraction patrol, whilst Graeme goes in with the paint.'
0:08:13 > 0:08:16- That's it, he's got the dye there. Simple.- That's good.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20We're putting dye on now. But they used to be plastic clips which went on the tail.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22- Like a piercing?- Yeah.
0:08:22 > 0:08:27- Basically we had to have a vet present to do that. We don't do that now.- What a faff.- Yeah.
0:08:27 > 0:08:33- That was quite simple.- Yeah. It's hassle free and keeps stress levels to a minimum for the mother and pup.
0:08:33 > 0:08:38- They've almost forgotten.- There you go, they're pretty happy. - Forgotten we're here.- That's it.
0:08:38 > 0:08:43'Two pups down, 12 to go, and Graeme has spotted one on its own without mum, so I'm going in with the paint.'
0:08:43 > 0:08:48- Is this distance any good? A bit closer?- A little bit closer. Give it a go.
0:08:48 > 0:08:53- There we go. Just in front there. - So we're all right then? That's done, yeah. That's fine.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55Ooh, I'm sorry. It's all for science.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01'Grey seals have bred on the Farne Islands since historical records began.'
0:09:01 > 0:09:07'Way back in the 7th century, the Christian saints, who came here seeking solitude, wrote about them.'
0:09:07 > 0:09:09'Recently the colony has done well.'
0:09:09 > 0:09:11'But, whatever the future holds for them,
0:09:11 > 0:09:14'thanks to the work of wardens like Ciaran and Graeme,
0:09:14 > 0:09:18'we'll have 60 years' worth of research to help us make sense of it all.'
0:09:20 > 0:09:26Now, vets play a crucial role in keeping the farming industry healthy and running smoothly.
0:09:26 > 0:09:31But, as Tom's been discovering, there are a lot less of them
0:09:31 > 0:09:33than there used to be.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35The image of a farmyard vet
0:09:35 > 0:09:40is seared into the nations' consciousness through one programme.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45Watch yourself, Mr Herriot.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47But while the reality of a rural vet
0:09:47 > 0:09:51may never have quite matched up to this fictional image,
0:09:51 > 0:09:55in recent years, the job has radically changed.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58Family run practices have all but disappeared,
0:09:58 > 0:10:03and the number of vets willing to work with large farm animals
0:10:03 > 0:10:07has been falling fast in the last 20 years,
0:10:07 > 0:10:09so what effect has this exodus had?
0:10:09 > 0:10:14Is there a new, smarter way of working emerging to fill the gaps?
0:10:14 > 0:10:19Or are we leaving our livestock dangerously exposed to ill-health,
0:10:19 > 0:10:21and even an epidemic?
0:10:21 > 0:10:26I'm going 10 miles up the road to see a farmer at a local dairy farm.
0:10:26 > 0:10:27Very good.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35I'm starting my investigation by heading into the hills
0:10:35 > 0:10:38of the Lake District with local vet Rod Welford.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42Rod, tell me how long you've been working as a vet up here.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45About... just over 20 years now.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47And how has the practice changed in that time?
0:10:47 > 0:10:51I guess the early days in practice were a bit more Herriot-esque,
0:10:51 > 0:10:55a lot of dealing with the individual sick animal, more reactive work
0:10:55 > 0:10:59where we'd be called out to the emergency calving etc.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03Three chaps working out of a farmhouse in a village,
0:11:03 > 0:11:06and a lot of hard graft.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08Today, we work as a team of 15,
0:11:08 > 0:11:12and that represents what used to be four practices in the area,
0:11:12 > 0:11:14and within that team,
0:11:14 > 0:11:19not everybody's working the full-time mixed species roster.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23People tend to be more focused in specific areas.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28'The way vets work has changed alongside the farming industry.
0:11:28 > 0:11:33'There are now fewer farms, but each generally with larger numbers of animals.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38'As some farms have amalgamated, local vets have been lost,
0:11:38 > 0:11:43'and the ones that remain are now stretched over wider areas.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47'Add to this the pressure on farmers to save money,
0:11:47 > 0:11:51'and the reality is that the amount of time practices spend
0:11:51 > 0:11:55'treating farm animals has halved in less than a decade.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59'In response, a new way of working has emerged,
0:11:59 > 0:12:04'and Rod's visit today shows how much this job has been transformed.'
0:12:04 > 0:12:08This seems like traditional vet work. What's wrong with these cows?
0:12:08 > 0:12:10There's nothing wrong with these cows.
0:12:10 > 0:12:15The idea is, we're staying ahead of the game, we're looking at a preventative approach here.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19So for these dairy ladies, we're asking questions by taking a blood sample,
0:12:19 > 0:12:23making a metabolic profile which will tell us the animals' blood chemistry.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26- 1.2. - It's a bit like fine tuning your car.
0:12:26 > 0:12:31You get a better performance if that engine's working efficiently.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34Right. So, is this a good example of a new way of working,
0:12:34 > 0:12:37keeping on top of problems before they arise?
0:12:37 > 0:12:43It is, it's working alongside the farmer to get the best health
0:12:43 > 0:12:45and performance out of those animals.
0:12:46 > 0:12:51So if vets are doing less of the everyday care of herds and flocks,
0:12:51 > 0:12:55the big question is, who's taking their place?
0:12:55 > 0:12:59To find out, I'm travelling to a dairy farm in Lancashire
0:12:59 > 0:13:01to see a typical example of a new way of working.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03So, when you're listening to the womb,
0:13:03 > 0:13:06you need to go right at the back from the ribs.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10'Farmer Mark Verity's called out his local vet,
0:13:10 > 0:13:12'not to tend to a sick animal,
0:13:12 > 0:13:16'but to teach him how to take over some routine jobs himself.
0:13:16 > 0:13:22'With an annual vets bill of up to £20,000 for a dairy farm,
0:13:22 > 0:13:25'its easy to see why this could be an attractive option,
0:13:25 > 0:13:27'but is this the only reason?'
0:13:27 > 0:13:31What do you think about taking on some of these roles from the vet?
0:13:31 > 0:13:34I feel if we can try and do some of these roles ourselves,
0:13:34 > 0:13:38some of these tasks, we can save money on the vet,
0:13:38 > 0:13:41and we can use the vet for more preventative measures.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45You're a busy man. Farmers are always busy. Have you got time to give to this as well?
0:13:45 > 0:13:50It is tight squeezing it all in, but it's more...
0:13:50 > 0:13:53it's looking at two sides, the health of the cow
0:13:53 > 0:13:55and also for the financial side as well.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59So far, both sides seem happy with these changes
0:13:59 > 0:14:03because they've been driven by the needs of the industry itself.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07Now, though, they're facing further change,
0:14:07 > 0:14:10this time imposed on them as part of the government's proposal
0:14:10 > 0:14:13to cut £80 million from the animal health budget.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19Tasks like TB testing could be franchised out
0:14:19 > 0:14:24to a few private companies, a prospect which is dividing opinion.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28It may be different, but I think if it's planned
0:14:28 > 0:14:34and it's organised properly, then it should be all as it should,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37when it comes to dealing with this terrible disease.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41Many vets, though, remain unconvinced.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44It's basically taking a very technical task
0:14:44 > 0:14:49and outsourcing it for the greatest value for money,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52without necessarily looking at the effects that that really has
0:14:52 > 0:14:57on disease surveillance, and that is a danger they have to recognise,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00because what damage is caused now in the short term
0:15:00 > 0:15:04in the interests of financial gain, if you will, or financial savings,
0:15:04 > 0:15:10could severely damage and irrevocably damage the infrastructure for the future.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14It's this question of a disease outbreak
0:15:14 > 0:15:17that's raising serious concern,
0:15:17 > 0:15:20especially as we see fewer vets working on farms.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24What happens if another epidemic sweeps the country?
0:15:24 > 0:15:27Will we have enough vets to stop it?
0:15:27 > 0:15:30That's what I'll be investigating later in the programme.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49The deep, dark forest of Northumberland.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52It's the perfect place for one of Britain's best-loved,
0:15:52 > 0:15:55but most endangered creatures, the red squirrel.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03Not that I'm expecting to see any today.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06We've tried filming red squirrels on Countryfile before,
0:16:06 > 0:16:09and they're so quick, as soon as you turn the camera on them,
0:16:09 > 0:16:11they disappear round the other side of the tree.
0:16:11 > 0:16:17But today, I'm guaranteed to get up nice and close to Britain's most famous red squirrels.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22These four hit the headlines
0:16:22 > 0:16:25after their nest was blown from a tree during Hurricane Katia.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29They were only five weeks old, and with their mother nowhere to be found,
0:16:29 > 0:16:34would have certainly died if left to fend for themselves.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38We know they didn't die, because the story of their rescue was all over the newspapers,
0:16:38 > 0:16:42and they ended up here in a semi-detached house in Cramlington.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46They sleep in a cage in Eileen Welsh's bedroom and use her
0:16:46 > 0:16:49and the rest of her house as an assault course!
0:16:49 > 0:16:53She's a volunteer at the nearby Sanctuary Wildlife Care Centre
0:16:53 > 0:16:57and agreed to hand-rear the kittens until they're old enough to look after themselves.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01HE LAUGHS
0:17:01 > 0:17:05- Eileen, they're absolutely extraordinary!- They are, aren't they?
0:17:05 > 0:17:08So fast, aren't they?! Incredible! And is it difficult to rear them?
0:17:08 > 0:17:11Not really, no. It's time and lack of sleep.
0:17:11 > 0:17:17I don't do well with lack of sleep now, but no, they haven't been difficult at all.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21- These are lucky ones, aren't they, because they're going to be released? - Yes, they are.
0:17:21 > 0:17:26The idea is, we've already located a garden in the perfect habitat for them.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28They're going to what's known as a soft release pen,
0:17:28 > 0:17:30and they'll be fed over the winter
0:17:30 > 0:17:35because it's too late for them to have collected enough food to keep them fed over the winter,
0:17:35 > 0:17:41they're going there, they'll be fed by the owners of the house who don't speak, no contact, no encouragement.
0:17:41 > 0:17:46My husband and I will stay away for a good long time
0:17:46 > 0:17:50to kind of get them used to being away from us,
0:17:50 > 0:17:53and then in the spring, late spring, early summer, they'll be released.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57'At first glance, it's an odd scene, but letting these little ones
0:17:57 > 0:18:01'run around the house teaches them important skills.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04'It's a messy business, but Eileen's a specialist,
0:18:04 > 0:18:08'and knowing they will eventually be released into the wild makes it all worthwhile.'
0:18:08 > 0:18:12And for you, because there must be some emotional attachment,
0:18:12 > 0:18:15- they're remarkable little animals, how will you find it?- Yes.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19Bittersweet is how I would describe it.
0:18:19 > 0:18:24It's a sad moment when they go in the first place, but once they're released,
0:18:24 > 0:18:31it's just an overwhelming feeling of pride, I think, that we've done such a good job.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35These squirrels have certainly landed on their feet with Eileen,
0:18:35 > 0:18:38but when they're released, what will the future hold?
0:18:38 > 0:18:43It's a sad fact that reds are facing extinction in Britain.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46Its a volatile environment for Eileen's squirrels to return to.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48To find out why,
0:18:48 > 0:18:52I'm meeting Dr Toni Bunnell, who's been studying the decline.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54Over the last 50 years, 50% have declined,
0:18:54 > 0:18:57and it's looking as if in 20 years' time,
0:18:57 > 0:18:59we won't see a red squirrel in the British Isles.
0:18:59 > 0:19:04- And why is it looking so bleak? - We have the problem with, from the 1870s onwards,
0:19:04 > 0:19:07the North American grey was introduced to the UK intermittently,
0:19:07 > 0:19:10and this has actually out-competed the reds
0:19:10 > 0:19:14for habitat, for food,
0:19:14 > 0:19:17for nest sites, and in more recent years,
0:19:17 > 0:19:20we've got the problem with the squirrel parapox virus.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22Unfortunately for the reds,
0:19:22 > 0:19:28they are totally not resistant to the disease and they're succumbing to it, and it's fatal for the reds.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32Is it really the case that the greys are the bad and the reds are the good?
0:19:32 > 0:19:37Not at all. Some people falsely think the greys kill the red. They don't, they just out-compete them.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41They're bigger animals and they do better given the same circumstances in the forest.
0:19:41 > 0:19:46But what can be done to stop the red becoming extinct?
0:19:46 > 0:19:48Jamie Stewart is determined to prevent that happening.
0:19:48 > 0:19:53He thinks the answer lies in a new project, Red Squirrels Northern England.
0:19:53 > 0:19:54It's a unique approach,
0:19:54 > 0:19:58aimed at understanding squirrel behaviour across the entire region.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01They're keeping a close eye on the greys, too,
0:20:01 > 0:20:04and carrying out controls when needed.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07So what difference are you hoping to make?
0:20:07 > 0:20:09The aims of the project
0:20:09 > 0:20:12is to maintain and increase the range of the red squirrel in northern England,
0:20:12 > 0:20:17- in and near the strongholds, and the wider landscape. - Does that mean culling the greys?
0:20:17 > 0:20:22It does mean culling grey squirrels, but it's selective and targeted with the aim of protecting red squirrels.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26We're not advocating slaughter or the extinction of grey squirrels.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29- With the cameras, are you looking for greys?- We're looking for both.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32This is part of the work we'll be doing,
0:20:32 > 0:20:34by monitoring of red and grey squirrel populations.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38- What do you think you might have on there?- Shall we take it to my laptop and look?- Yes.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42- So how do you fancy your chances here?- Quite good, Adam.
0:20:42 > 0:20:47We are in a red squirrel reserve and some of the feed had gone out of one of the boxes, so I'm hopeful.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49Some pictures there, so it's been set off.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52Yeah, it's been triggered. There's something in this one.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55- Oh, it's a deer.- It's a roe deer.
0:20:55 > 0:21:01We have had red squirrels on cameras in this forest.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04- Unfortunately, this one hasn't caught any for us today.- No.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08And so this is an area that you've been looking carefully at to protect?
0:21:08 > 0:21:12Yeah, this is one of the core reserves which is in the middle of the stronghold itself.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15Our policy is to start at the reserve and work out from that.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19These are the best chances of the red squirrel surviving.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23There are some big challenges facing Eileen's baby red squirrels
0:21:23 > 0:21:25when they're eventually released back into the wild,
0:21:25 > 0:21:28as the future for the reds is far from certain.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31But to catch just the odd glimpse of a red bushy tail
0:21:31 > 0:21:35scampering through the trees is surely a sight worth seeing and saving.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38Maybe next time.
0:21:39 > 0:21:44There's one way to guarantee seeing wildlife, releasing your own into the countryside,
0:21:44 > 0:21:48and that's exactly what Katie Knapman helped with earlier in the year.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00Somewhere deep in this forest on Scotland's east coast,
0:22:00 > 0:22:02something special is happening.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08Where I'm headed is off-limits. CCTV watches every move.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13Few people know what's happening here,
0:22:13 > 0:22:15but I have been granted rare access,
0:22:15 > 0:22:18and even on a day like this, there's excitement in the air.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22What's in here is what it's all about...
0:22:25 > 0:22:28..sea eagles, and these birds are just chicks.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35This is the latest phase in a five-year mission to bring
0:22:35 > 0:22:39these birds back to places they haven't been seen for 100 years.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43And if the rain ever stops, the plan is to release these soggy sea eagles.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45It'll be their first fight.
0:22:45 > 0:22:50Tags on their wings make it easy to identify them once they've gone.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54Right now, though, it's feeding time, and venison is on the menu.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57'They would naturally find, what,'
0:22:57 > 0:23:00some dead deer and be able to pick at it?
0:23:00 > 0:23:02Yes, they're generalist predators,
0:23:02 > 0:23:05they're less active hunters than things like golden eagles.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08They're also much more lowland wetland birds,
0:23:08 > 0:23:11so they'll be taking fish during the breeding season.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13Also, they move on to ducks and geese in the autumn,
0:23:13 > 0:23:17and things like deer they'd find as carrion up on the hill, as well.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20And is this the last meal they'll get from you?
0:23:20 > 0:23:23- Today, if they're released, this is it?- Yes.- Better eat well!
0:23:23 > 0:23:26This is it in captivity, but once they're released
0:23:26 > 0:23:29they see their cages as the natal area, similar to the nest
0:23:29 > 0:23:31so we actually put venison up on the roof for them
0:23:31 > 0:23:34two or three times a week, so they'll be going away,
0:23:34 > 0:23:37trying to catch things, find their own food,
0:23:37 > 0:23:40if they're unsuccessful they can come back and get some food.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42That mimics the behaviour in the wild,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45where they'd be coming back to their parents and getting food, as well.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50Sea eagles, also known as white-tailed eagles,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53disappeared from our skies at the end of the First World War.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55They'd been driven to extinction by man.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59Birds were trapped, poisoned and shot as gamekeepers
0:23:59 > 0:24:02and farmers sought to protect their livestock.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04The story doesn't end there, though.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12Back in the '60s and '70s, conservation groups got together
0:24:12 > 0:24:14and released birds on Scotland's west coast.
0:24:14 > 0:24:19There's a thriving population there now, but not in the east.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22'Why are you bringing them back here'
0:24:22 > 0:24:24to this part of Scotland?
0:24:24 > 0:24:27White-tailed eagles would originally have been all over Scotland,
0:24:27 > 0:24:29all the way down to the south of England.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32The way they breed is by gradually in-filling areas,
0:24:32 > 0:24:36so by releasing them here we want to have an East Scotland population
0:24:36 > 0:24:40and decades in the future have a Scotland-wide population.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44Also, the thing with white-tailed eagles is they tend to spread
0:24:44 > 0:24:47and breed by gradually in-filling the available habitat,
0:24:47 > 0:24:51so we're unlikely to get a bird from Mull come over and breed in East Scotland.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53So, we're going to go and feed them in there?
0:24:53 > 0:24:55Yes, we have two birds in here.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58First we'll just have a check where the birds are through the peephole,
0:24:58 > 0:25:02- just so we know it's safe for you to put the food in. - Good idea!
0:25:02 > 0:25:05OK, they're on that perch over there.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07- They'll stay there, will they? - Yes, they should do.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10So, I just put my trusting arms in?
0:25:10 > 0:25:14And just pop it into the nest platform, which is just below.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17Will they come straight for me? Oh, hello.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19They probably won't, actually, at this stage.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21Oh, no, their wings are opening.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Oh, there's a nice dead rat there, lovely, lots of fish bones.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27There you are. Feeding time.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29They're not exactly desperate for it, are they?
0:25:29 > 0:25:31Is that the normal reaction?
0:25:31 > 0:25:34It is at this stage, because they are fully grown
0:25:34 > 0:25:37they're more focused on getting out than eating at the moment.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41They're not quite adults get.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44As young chicks they were taken from nests in Norway,
0:25:44 > 0:25:46where there's a big population.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50They were flown here in some style
0:25:50 > 0:25:52and touched down in Edinburgh in June.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00But not everyone's pleased to see them back.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04Kenny Horne is head gamekeeper at a 1,000 acre shooting estate in Fife.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07He says the sea eagles have been taking his young birds -
0:26:07 > 0:26:10or poults, as they're called - and he's got evidence.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12I actually witnessed this bird
0:26:12 > 0:26:15killing this poult in the release pen behind us.
0:26:15 > 0:26:21It flew out of the pen with the poult and settled on the stile here, which we're standing beside.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24You can see half the poult is missing already.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27Half gone within two minutes.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30That big strong beak there has been put to good use,
0:26:30 > 0:26:34and this one here, this bird here, clearly marked number five,
0:26:34 > 0:26:37and his friend, number one, that was the culprits
0:26:37 > 0:26:42that killed 100 poults up until September 16th last year.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46'Each bird lost costs Kenny around £30.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49'He says the sea eagles are eating up his profits.'
0:26:49 > 0:26:52Do you think se eagles should be reintroduced to Britain?
0:26:52 > 0:26:56Well, I hope there's been due consideration of people like myself,
0:26:56 > 0:27:01who live and work in the countryside and get their employment from the countryside.
0:27:01 > 0:27:07I am of the opinion that we've got a fantastic diversity of wildlife in Scotland anyway,
0:27:07 > 0:27:11without a bird that's been extinct for 100, 200 years.
0:27:11 > 0:27:12Do we really need it?
0:27:12 > 0:27:15Do we really need another apex predator in the food chain?
0:27:15 > 0:27:18But that's probably not for me to say, but I know they are
0:27:18 > 0:27:22definitely causing me problems and no-one's given me a solution yet.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26Others don't see it as such a problem.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31Gamekeepers, say, on a pheasant shoot,
0:27:31 > 0:27:36they will lose about 50% of those birds to other losses.
0:27:36 > 0:27:41Now, the sea eagles, yes, they might take several,
0:27:41 > 0:27:44but they'll be in the very low numbers, 10, 20.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47We would argue the numbers that sea eagles take
0:27:47 > 0:27:52are, in the grand scheme of things, that wider context, not overly significant.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55So, you'd tell him, "don't worry, it's not the sea eagles,
0:27:55 > 0:27:57"that are the biggest problem here?"
0:27:57 > 0:28:00We don't think it's the sea eagles that are the biggest problem.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04That's not to say that we don't sympathise with him.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08At the release site, the weather has cleared up.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10The birds are getting restless.
0:28:10 > 0:28:15The moment for them to spread their eight-foot wings is almost upon us.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21Two birds are being released today, 16 altogether this year.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24And even though his feathers are damp,
0:28:24 > 0:28:27the first bird is off like a rocket.
0:28:34 > 0:28:36The same cannot be said for his pal.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39He is a cautious one, this one.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41Like anybody's going to tangle with him!
0:28:49 > 0:28:51All safely away, how do you feel?
0:28:51 > 0:28:54It is really exciting. It is always a worry, their first flight.
0:28:57 > 0:29:01I have never seen anything like it, so thank you. Great.
0:29:03 > 0:29:08Whatever the rights or wrongs about reintroducing such a big predator,
0:29:08 > 0:29:12you cannot fail to be impressed
0:29:12 > 0:29:14by the sight of a sea eagle in flight.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20Later on Countryfile, I'll be making a new friend.
0:29:20 > 0:29:24- She is sticking around us!- Yes, they take a while to get used to you.
0:29:24 > 0:29:29'If you are taking to the water this week, you will want our Countryfile weather forecast.'
0:29:35 > 0:29:38Earlier, we heard claims that fewer farm vets
0:29:38 > 0:29:41could increase the risk of a serious disease outbreak
0:29:41 > 0:29:45but is it too late to do anything about it? Here's Tom.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48You may find some of the images in Tom's report distressing.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53I've discovered that fewer farm vets,
0:29:53 > 0:29:56combined with government plans to contract out TB tests,
0:29:56 > 0:30:03are raising fears that the start of a serious outbreak could be missed.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06And what could make this problem worse is a lack of vets
0:30:06 > 0:30:08with vital farm experience.
0:30:08 > 0:30:12The fact is, that of those going into the profession,
0:30:12 > 0:30:15many only last a few years in farm work. But why?
0:30:15 > 0:30:19Well, I have come to the University Of Liverpool's farm field station
0:30:19 > 0:30:21to talk to some of the young trainees
0:30:21 > 0:30:25and the first thing I notice is that James Herriot
0:30:25 > 0:30:28seems to have become Jane Herriot.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30Excellent. That's good.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33Some people claim this is why numbers are dropping off -
0:30:33 > 0:30:35women leaving to have children
0:30:35 > 0:30:40and then opting for the more flexible life of caring for family pets.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43- Right, lovely. - So you are in your final year.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46- Do you know enough to teach me a bit? - I like to think we do.- OK.
0:30:46 > 0:30:47How about turning the sheep over?
0:30:47 > 0:30:50- Can I manage that with your guidance?- Yes, definitely.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53I think we can give that a go.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56'These students have no problems working with farm animals.'
0:30:56 > 0:30:58A chance of me looking a fool!
0:30:58 > 0:31:01'But can I rustle up the skills to master the basics?'
0:31:01 > 0:31:03So, with a bit of help from you - a lot of help from you!
0:31:03 > 0:31:06Get her under the chin and pull the head around. That bit. Yes.
0:31:06 > 0:31:11- Pull downwards, sort of towards the floor.- Like that?- That's it.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13- Reach forwards.- These legs?- Yes. - Both?
0:31:13 > 0:31:18Both. Put them together and support her underneath
0:31:18 > 0:31:21- Back onto your legs. - She has gone there. Thank you.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23She is behaving very well.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27- There you go.- And off she goes!
0:31:27 > 0:31:28SHEEP BAAS >
0:31:28 > 0:31:32Don't know what Adam makes all that fuss about. It's a doddle!
0:31:34 > 0:31:36These trainees all say
0:31:36 > 0:31:39they'd like to experience life as a farmyard vet
0:31:39 > 0:31:41but would they stick at it?
0:31:42 > 0:31:45You say now you want to do farm work. You are on a farm.
0:31:45 > 0:31:47Your tutors are standing next to you.
0:31:47 > 0:31:48It is a bit more of a grind.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52Do you think you will stick to that desire to do farm work?
0:31:52 > 0:31:55I always came to vet school to...
0:31:55 > 0:31:58Not for the money but because I wanted to be a vet.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01And through uni I wanted to be a farm vet.
0:32:01 > 0:32:02So that is what I will stick with.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05I came to uni not with the view
0:32:05 > 0:32:08just to train to do any profession.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10I waned to be a vet, so I am excited to go out on the farms.
0:32:13 > 0:32:18This may sound good but the figures simply don't back up these sentiments.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20This university's own research
0:32:20 > 0:32:22shows an alarming drop off
0:32:22 > 0:32:25in all their graduates still doing farm work after three to four years.
0:32:25 > 0:32:30And it's a picture that's repeated across the country.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34But is the increase in female vets really to blame?
0:32:36 > 0:32:41At the moment, we are looking at about 80% qualifying at the moment who are female.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43That presents challenges.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45It is a fact of life for the profession
0:32:45 > 0:32:48that 80% of our vets are more likely to take
0:32:48 > 0:32:50longer protracted career breaks.
0:32:50 > 0:32:56Experts say it is not just the feminisation of farm vets that's costing the industry.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59The financial incentive for men or women
0:32:59 > 0:33:04to choose working animals over domestic pets doesn't add up either.
0:33:05 > 0:33:10If one job carries a one-in-four, one-in-five 24-hour rota,
0:33:10 > 0:33:14dealing with large, rough animals in the middle of the night
0:33:14 > 0:33:19and the other job is a 9-to-5 one with no on-call rota whatsoever,
0:33:19 > 0:33:21when those terms and conditions
0:33:21 > 0:33:23are compared against the same salary,
0:33:23 > 0:33:26I am afraid some of the vets speak with their feet.
0:33:26 > 0:33:30Losing vets just as they start to gain essential experience
0:33:30 > 0:33:31could one day cost us dear.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36Another hammer blow for Britain's farmers -
0:33:36 > 0:33:38the return of foot and mouth disease.
0:33:38 > 0:33:42During the foot and mouth outbreak of 2001,
0:33:42 > 0:33:46over 10 million cattle and sheep were culled.
0:33:46 > 0:33:50The years of knowledge accumulated by veteran vets
0:33:50 > 0:33:53often meant the difference between life and death,
0:33:53 > 0:33:58not only for the animals but for businesses which had been running for generations.
0:33:58 > 0:34:00One of those vets was Ian Richards.
0:34:00 > 0:34:05He made a crucial diagnosis at this cattle farm in Lancashire.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07Back in 2001, I was called here to examine a cow
0:34:07 > 0:34:09that was a possible foot and mouth
0:34:09 > 0:34:12but actually turned out to be mucosal disease.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15The symptoms of the two diseases are very, very similar.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18So it was a fairly tight call.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20That comes from experience.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23It's down to the skill of experienced farm vets
0:34:23 > 0:34:27and that's a resource that we are in danger of losing.
0:34:30 > 0:34:33Here, on the farm where Ian made that critical call,
0:34:33 > 0:34:38they are clear that this is experience we cannot afford to lose.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41What would it have meant if he had got that wrong
0:34:41 > 0:34:43and he had called foot and mouth when it wasn't?
0:34:43 > 0:34:45Well, for the nature of my business,
0:34:45 > 0:34:49I was very concerned that I did not want to go down with foot and mouth
0:34:49 > 0:34:50if we hadn't got it.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54That would have taken a lot of neighbours out of the area
0:34:54 > 0:34:58and probably a lot of people I deal with on a regular basis.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01So you felt that day proved the importance of having
0:35:01 > 0:35:04an experienced vet who'd spent a lot of time with cattle?
0:35:04 > 0:35:06Yes, it certainly did.
0:35:08 > 0:35:09Frank's farm was just one case
0:35:09 > 0:35:13but it was part of a much bigger picture
0:35:13 > 0:35:15and that's the real concern.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18With fewer farm vets, the really alarming question
0:35:18 > 0:35:23is what would happen in the event of a serious disease outbreak
0:35:23 > 0:35:26like the foot and mouth epidemic of 2001?
0:35:26 > 0:35:27Would we be able to cope?
0:35:27 > 0:35:30Well, that depends on who you ask.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35There is no doubt that there are fewer vets. There are fewer farmers.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38But I would have two bow to the expertise
0:35:38 > 0:35:41of our chief veterinary officer who reassures us
0:35:41 > 0:35:45that there are enough vets to cope in times of crisis.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48I fear that there would not be
0:35:48 > 0:35:50the right number of vets available from private practice
0:35:50 > 0:35:52to come forward as volunteers now
0:35:52 > 0:35:55and that does concern me.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57There does seem to be a consensus
0:35:57 > 0:36:01that when it comes to everyday farm animal welfare,
0:36:01 > 0:36:05the new way of working is dovetailing the demands of farmers
0:36:05 > 0:36:07with the skills of vets
0:36:07 > 0:36:12BUT it's yet to be tested by an animal health crisis
0:36:12 > 0:36:17and only then will we find out if it's truly robust.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33'While Ellie's on the Farne Islands,
0:36:33 > 0:36:37'I am back on the mainland, high up on the Northumberland Moors,
0:36:37 > 0:36:39'and I have some exploring to do.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42'I am on my way to a farm that is very, very different to mine.'
0:36:44 > 0:36:47I am very lucky to be a second-generation farmer.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49When I came back from agricultural college,
0:36:49 > 0:36:52I was fortunate enough to take on the farm tenancy from my dad
0:36:52 > 0:36:54and I love living and working in the Cotswolds.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56It's a beautiful place.
0:36:56 > 0:37:01And the Northumberland moorlands are equally stunning on a day like today
0:37:01 > 0:37:03but in the winter it's pretty bleak here.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06I am here to visit a farm right at the extreme.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09I'd think twice about taking it on
0:37:09 > 0:37:11and that makes it even more extraordinary
0:37:11 > 0:37:14that it's run single-handedly
0:37:14 > 0:37:18by a farmer's daughter starting out on her own.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20FARMER WHISTLES
0:37:20 > 0:37:25Emma Grey left her parents' farm in Scotland two years ago at the tender age of 23
0:37:25 > 0:37:28to take on this amazing 150 acre tenancy
0:37:28 > 0:37:30from the National Trust.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33She moved here to build up her own flock of sheep
0:37:33 > 0:37:37and funds her ambition by shepherding and training sheepdogs.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40FARMER WHISTLES
0:37:40 > 0:37:43- Emma, hi.- Hi, Adam.- Doing a bit of sheepdog training?- I am indeed.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47Some ducks this time, rather than sheep. So, how do you find them?
0:37:47 > 0:37:49The ducks, I think, are great.
0:37:49 > 0:37:53Great for training young dogs and older trial dogs who need extra polish on them.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56They work in exactly the same way as sheep.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59They flock together but they are not quite as fast - ideal.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01So you really enjoy training sheepdogs?
0:38:01 > 0:38:03Training sheepdogs is my passion.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06- That is what this allows me to do. - How many dogs have you?
0:38:06 > 0:38:10It is about 18, I am sad to say. Plenty of mouths to feed!
0:38:10 > 0:38:12Let's get on and look at them, shall we?
0:38:12 > 0:38:13That'll do, boy. Boy!
0:38:13 > 0:38:16He is lovely, isn't he?
0:38:20 > 0:38:24- There is a few in here. - There is, indeed. This is my pack.
0:38:24 > 0:38:28- So you have got some puppies? - I have. This is Trudy and Ludo.
0:38:28 > 0:38:32Ludo is about six or seven months old.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35Trudy, as you see, is just a baby. She is just about three months old.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38So how do you choose a good dog when they are puppies?
0:38:38 > 0:38:39It must be so difficult.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42It is. You cannot pick a champion from a litter
0:38:42 > 0:38:44but if you go for the right lines,
0:38:44 > 0:38:47a bit of good trialling blood and good working blood,
0:38:47 > 0:38:48you are halfway there.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51Let's get them out, shall we?
0:38:51 > 0:38:55Come on, Trudy. Trudy! Come on, Trudy. Good girl!
0:38:55 > 0:38:58Hello, Trudy. She knows where she is going. She's gone!
0:38:58 > 0:39:01- She's probably got a flock already! - Gone after the sheep.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04Sit!
0:39:04 > 0:39:07- I have got this one, Emma. - I have got this one.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09- Who have you got there then? - This is Blue.
0:39:09 > 0:39:13She is Blue, actually Trudy's sister. A different mother but same father.
0:39:13 > 0:39:15- Lovely. Quite an unusual colour. - She is gorgeous.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19A nice chestnut colour. Come on, Blue!
0:39:19 > 0:39:21I have a very old bitch and one that is not very good,
0:39:21 > 0:39:24so I have been looking for a collie bitch for some time now.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27Oh, well, you never know. This one might interest you.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29- What I'm after... Shall be hop in? - Yes.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31..is a fully trained dog, really.
0:39:31 > 0:39:35- Puppies are sweet but they are a lot of work.- They are, definitely.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38- Is she's showing any signs? - She is, actually.
0:39:38 > 0:39:39At the moment she is just chasing
0:39:39 > 0:39:43but she has the potential to be at least a good work dog,
0:39:43 > 0:39:44if not a trials dog. We will see.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47I will hold Blue. You let her have a run around.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49Come on, Trudy. Come on, then.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55You can see, she is getting her head down
0:39:55 > 0:39:58and showing a little bit of eye there.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00She has the right instincts, hasn't she?
0:40:00 > 0:40:03For such a young pup, I really have high hopes for her.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06Come on, Trudy. Come on!
0:40:06 > 0:40:11She is a little bit young to train but it is good to know the talent is there.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13So in a few months I can train her a bit more intensely.
0:40:13 > 0:40:17At the minute, I'm just letting her have a bit of a go.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20'I'd prefer an older dog but I am impressed with Trudy.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24'She has loads of potential. Time for Blue to have a go.'
0:40:26 > 0:40:27'She is a little bit older
0:40:27 > 0:40:30'and you can really see that extra training kicking in.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32'She is also very excitable
0:40:32 > 0:40:34'and prone to the odd nip,
0:40:34 > 0:40:37'which is why Emma keeps on a rope - just in case.'
0:40:37 > 0:40:41- Stand!- A bit of a nip there, when she gets excited.- Yes, I know.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44But all you are doing is controlling the wolf instinct.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47So always there is a little bit of that in the dog.
0:40:47 > 0:40:48You need that,
0:40:48 > 0:40:52otherwise you would not have much of a sheepdog. Stand! Come by.
0:40:52 > 0:40:56'As a farmer who knows how difficult this industry can be,
0:40:56 > 0:40:58'I find Emma's story remarkable,
0:40:58 > 0:41:02'not because of the job but the environment. It feels very cut off.'
0:41:04 > 0:41:08'I want to find out what motivates a woman in her 20s
0:41:08 > 0:41:10'to take on a place like this alone.'
0:41:10 > 0:41:13Now, a lovely day today but in the middle of the winter,
0:41:13 > 0:41:16on your own, up here, it must be pretty hard?
0:41:16 > 0:41:20It is. It is. I make no bones about it. It is really harsh up here.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22We get the worst of the weather.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25And, obviously, the four-mile track never gets ploughed.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28Yes, it is tough but it is beautiful.
0:41:28 > 0:41:32Farming is physical and I am sure you are strong but how do you cope?
0:41:32 > 0:41:34There are lots of physical activities in farming
0:41:34 > 0:41:38and lots you need brawn for but the average age in farming is so old
0:41:38 > 0:41:40and all those old guys manage.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44You just have to man up, harden up and get on with it.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46What inspired you to get into it in the first place?
0:41:46 > 0:41:50It is just my passion for farming. I just wanted to farm so badly.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53This was sort of the first step on the ladder for me.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56And it is not just about the animals.
0:41:56 > 0:42:01It is down to Emma to maintain the farm and keep everything working.
0:42:01 > 0:42:05It is a less glamorous side of the job but a really essential part of life on the land.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07- This looks like a major problem. - Yes.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09There is a lot of stone walls and,
0:42:09 > 0:42:11sadly, they are all in this state of repair.
0:42:11 > 0:42:17- I have dry-stone walls and I know how much they cost to repair.- Yes. It is. It is prohibitive, almost.
0:42:17 > 0:42:21I see you have a fence here. Presumably, you have to keep your stock separate?
0:42:21 > 0:42:23Absolutely. Especially at this time of year.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26It is coming up to tupping time and I have three batches of sheep
0:42:26 > 0:42:29that are going to different rams and I need to keep them separate.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31And when do you put the rams in with the ewes?
0:42:31 > 0:42:34The rams are going out in about two weeks.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37I am going to pick one this afternoon if you fancy helping me choose.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40I'd love to. A bit of farming away from home - can't beat it.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43Emma has a mixed flock of Mules,
0:42:43 > 0:42:46Texels and Scottish Blackface sheep,
0:42:46 > 0:42:47so a ram needs to be strong
0:42:47 > 0:42:51to put some weight and muscle into next year's lambs.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54We have come to a nearby farm to look at Charolais Beltex crosses.
0:42:54 > 0:42:58The owner, Vincent Milburn, has offered to lend Emma a tup.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01They are still lambs, so right at the start of their breeding life.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04- These are the ewes. - Wow, they are amazing.
0:43:04 > 0:43:08If the two of you would just like to go in and choose the ones you want.
0:43:08 > 0:43:11How many ewes are you going to put this tup to, Emma?
0:43:11 > 0:43:15- I was thinking of 40.- Why don't you choose two?- That would be amazing.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18- Thank you very much.- They are smart-looking rams, aren't they?
0:43:18 > 0:43:21- Aren't they just. - Look at the size of them!
0:43:21 > 0:43:24When I am looking for a meat ram, this is the business end.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27And that depth in the gigot, in the muscle there,
0:43:27 > 0:43:30sometimes there is more of a V but they have tremendous legs on them.
0:43:32 > 0:43:34'Choosing tups is always exciting.
0:43:34 > 0:43:38'It's important to make the best choice for your own farm
0:43:38 > 0:43:42'and that means Emma and I might be looking for a different qualities.'
0:43:42 > 0:43:45With the Charolais, you get a slightly finer fleece, don't you?
0:43:45 > 0:43:48A slightly tighter wool.
0:43:48 > 0:43:51- Being so high up on the moor, do you lamb outside?- Yes.
0:43:51 > 0:43:55- So you want a bit of wool. - They need a good covering to protect them against the elements.
0:43:55 > 0:43:58No point having a great carcass if they are freezing in the field.
0:44:05 > 0:44:08- Are there any more?- Woo! They have a good butt on them!
0:44:08 > 0:44:09LAUGHTER
0:44:09 > 0:44:13'We narrowed it down and Emma spotted her favourite.'
0:44:13 > 0:44:16- This one on the left here.- Yes.
0:44:16 > 0:44:20- He is a real smashing tup, he is. - Good choice. You have an eye for it.
0:44:20 > 0:44:23'She just needs to choose one more.'
0:44:23 > 0:44:25Let us check their teeth and testicles.
0:44:25 > 0:44:28So it is important those teeth, on the bottom jaw,
0:44:28 > 0:44:30hit the top pad so they can graze.
0:44:30 > 0:44:34- He is about to spot on. That's good. Yours all right?- He was, yes.
0:44:34 > 0:44:37- Yes, he is spot on.- Testicles. We want big testicles.
0:44:37 > 0:44:39These rams will be serving lots of ewes.
0:44:39 > 0:44:42So, out of the final two, which is your favourite?
0:44:42 > 0:44:47To be honest, I like this one. A good skin, good width, good length. He's got everything going for him.
0:44:47 > 0:44:50Perfect choice. That is it, then. Let us chuck this one out.
0:44:50 > 0:44:52You are a reject. Sorry, mate.
0:44:55 > 0:44:59- Lovely.- There. - Wow, what a treat! Wonderful being lent two rams like that.
0:44:59 > 0:45:02- They are worth a lot of money. - Yes, it is fantastic.
0:45:02 > 0:45:04You want to keep in with these farmers.
0:45:09 > 0:45:12When I first heard Emma's story about farming on her own
0:45:12 > 0:45:16in that remote spot up on the moorland, I really had my doubts.
0:45:16 > 0:45:18But now I've met her, I realise she is so passionate
0:45:18 > 0:45:21and determined to make farming work, and very capable.
0:45:21 > 0:45:23I have every confidence in her.
0:45:31 > 0:45:34The Farne Islands are a stronghold for grey seals
0:45:34 > 0:45:37and in a moment I'm going to be getting in the water with them.
0:45:37 > 0:45:40I am told it is one of the best ways to appreciate them.
0:45:40 > 0:45:42But first, the Countryfile calendar,
0:45:42 > 0:45:47made up of entries from this year's photo competition, is selling fast.
0:45:47 > 0:45:50Here is John with a reminder of what it is all about.
0:45:51 > 0:45:56A huge thank you to everyone who sent in their pictures.
0:45:56 > 0:45:59The theme of Best In Show was our most ambitious yet
0:45:59 > 0:46:01with finalists in 12 classes of pictures.
0:46:01 > 0:46:07Like the overall winner, Pulling Power, in the working animals class.
0:46:07 > 0:46:11Or the judges' favourite, from the leisure and pleasure class,
0:46:11 > 0:46:12By Hook Or By Crook.
0:46:12 > 0:46:15All 12 photographs take pride of place
0:46:15 > 0:46:17in the Countryfile calendar for 2012.
0:46:17 > 0:46:19The calendar costs £9
0:46:19 > 0:46:23and a minimum of £4 from each sale will go to Children In Need.
0:46:23 > 0:46:27You can order it right now on our website.
0:46:30 > 0:46:33Or you can call the order line.
0:46:38 > 0:46:40You can also order by post.
0:46:40 > 0:46:44Send your name, address and cheque to this address.
0:46:52 > 0:46:56And please make your cheques payable to BBC Countryfile Calendar.
0:46:58 > 0:47:01Now, in a moment, I am going to be heading back out to sea
0:47:01 > 0:47:02to swim with some seals
0:47:02 > 0:47:07but before I do that there is just time for the Countryfile weather forecast for the week ahead.
0:48:49 > 0:48:57.
0:49:09 > 0:49:13Just a few miles off the wild Northumberland coast
0:49:13 > 0:49:14lie the Farne Islands -
0:49:14 > 0:49:20rugged, rocky outcrops standing proud in the cold North Sea.
0:49:20 > 0:49:22They may look bleak but they are a magnet for wildlife
0:49:22 > 0:49:25and at this time of year
0:49:25 > 0:49:28they're home to a very special animal indeed.
0:49:28 > 0:49:30These Island shores are home to a colony
0:49:30 > 0:49:34of Britain's largest carnivore, the grey seal.
0:49:34 > 0:49:373,000-4,000 of them.
0:49:37 > 0:49:39October is the beginning of the pup season
0:49:39 > 0:49:42and apparently the very best time to get to know them better.
0:49:48 > 0:49:52Ben Burville is a GP with a passion for the grey seal.
0:49:52 > 0:49:55He loves interacting with them and filming their behaviour
0:49:55 > 0:49:58and over the years he has made some incredible discoveries.
0:49:58 > 0:50:01So, Ben, how much time have you spent in the water with the seals?
0:50:01 > 0:50:02I would say hundreds of hours.
0:50:02 > 0:50:05Hundreds of hours over the last 10 years.
0:50:05 > 0:50:09And this is the footage you got. It is amazing. Look how close you get.
0:50:09 > 0:50:13A real sense of interaction, as well.
0:50:13 > 0:50:15What sort of things have you observed?
0:50:15 > 0:50:17At this time, the seals are pupping
0:50:17 > 0:50:20and shortly after they pup, they mate.
0:50:20 > 0:50:23And around this time, bull seals, young male seals, are interacting
0:50:23 > 0:50:26with each other and vying for their position within the group.
0:50:26 > 0:50:29These are two males just sort of coming head-to-head
0:50:29 > 0:50:32and doing what is called a closed-mouth lunge,
0:50:32 > 0:50:34- when they lunge towards each other. - Incredible.
0:50:34 > 0:50:36Why would they interact with you?
0:50:36 > 0:50:39I think there is a few reasons why they may.
0:50:39 > 0:50:41One of them is to assert their position
0:50:41 > 0:50:44within the social structure of the seal group.
0:50:44 > 0:50:46So what I have noticed over time
0:50:46 > 0:50:49is that one seal may, for want of a better term, "own you".
0:50:49 > 0:50:53It may decide it wants to make the diver its property,
0:50:53 > 0:50:55its territory under water.
0:50:55 > 0:51:00And by doing so, I think it asserts its rank within the social group.
0:51:00 > 0:51:02It is an interesting time.
0:51:02 > 0:51:05I think there is a fluctuation in their hormone levels
0:51:05 > 0:51:08that make them interact more, not only with each other
0:51:08 > 0:51:12but they also interact more with me in the water at this time of year.
0:51:12 > 0:51:15- So this is a good time? - A really good time of year.
0:51:17 > 0:51:21The North Sea is a balmy 12 degrees but that's not going to deter me,
0:51:21 > 0:51:24as Ben's offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
0:51:24 > 0:51:26to share his unique relationship with them.
0:51:26 > 0:51:30I can already see some inquisitive seals waiting for us.
0:51:30 > 0:51:33I can't wait to jump in.
0:51:34 > 0:51:36Bit of a shock to start but,
0:51:36 > 0:51:39actually, it is not too bad once you are in.
0:51:39 > 0:51:41And straightaway we have got company.
0:51:41 > 0:51:45There is one to say hello. That's a female.
0:51:45 > 0:51:46Hello.
0:51:46 > 0:51:49'This is so incredible.
0:51:49 > 0:51:51'Usually Ben gets bull seals following him
0:51:51 > 0:51:55'and getting up close but this is a young female.
0:51:55 > 0:51:59'You can tell because females are smaller and have more rounded faces.
0:51:59 > 0:52:03'Males weigh up to 220 kilograms and have larger, Roman noses.'
0:52:05 > 0:52:07'This female pup is not at all nervous.
0:52:07 > 0:52:11'In fact, she is following me now and it is absolute magic.'
0:52:11 > 0:52:14- She is sticking around us. - Yes, she is.
0:52:14 > 0:52:17They take a while to get used to you.
0:52:17 > 0:52:20- They like to spend time with you. - She is just there.
0:52:20 > 0:52:21She is hovering underneath.
0:52:23 > 0:52:26'And just when I think it can't get any better...
0:52:27 > 0:52:32'..she comes in for a kiss. My first contact with a seal. Amazing.'
0:52:35 > 0:52:38'One thing you really become aware of when they are in the sea
0:52:38 > 0:52:40'is the amount of noise the seals make.'
0:52:40 > 0:52:43It is quite a haunting sound back there, isn't it?
0:52:43 > 0:52:46- It is the howling of the bull seals. - Is it just the bulls?
0:52:46 > 0:52:48No, all the seals make some noise
0:52:48 > 0:52:52but they are just ensuring they have their spot on the land
0:52:52 > 0:52:57and letting other seals know who is the boss.
0:53:00 > 0:53:04'Up close, there is something almost doglike about the seals.
0:53:04 > 0:53:09'They are so friendly and gentle you forget they are wild animals.'
0:53:11 > 0:53:15- And how to they hunt their food? - Their whiskers.
0:53:15 > 0:53:20There has been research in Germany that showed they could detect fish,
0:53:20 > 0:53:23in fact specific species of fish, over 100 metres away.
0:53:23 > 0:53:29Seals have highly tuned senses that can help them hunt for food.
0:53:29 > 0:53:32They taste and smell small changes in the sea's salt level,
0:53:32 > 0:53:35which alerts them that a fish supper may be swimming their way.
0:53:39 > 0:53:42A seal's favourite food is sand eel.
0:53:42 > 0:53:45It is the perfect food for them because it is a fish
0:53:45 > 0:53:46with a very high oil content,
0:53:46 > 0:53:49so it provides them with more energy.
0:53:51 > 0:53:54I think I'm gaining their trust now.
0:53:54 > 0:53:57I have got quite a few swimming really close to me.
0:53:57 > 0:54:00What is striking is just how different they are
0:54:00 > 0:54:01in and out of the water.
0:54:01 > 0:54:04On land, they look uncomfortable and lethargic.
0:54:04 > 0:54:07In the sea, they are fast and skilful swimmers.
0:54:09 > 0:54:11It's a massive investment in your time
0:54:11 > 0:54:15and you are clearly very busy anyway because you are a doctor.
0:54:15 > 0:54:17Why is it so important to you, this?
0:54:17 > 0:54:21Being close to nature and the effect it has on your general well-being,
0:54:21 > 0:54:24which I think is pretty vital.
0:54:24 > 0:54:26And also finding out scientific information
0:54:26 > 0:54:28that just has not been found before.
0:54:28 > 0:54:31In terms of behaviour underwater, knowing what the seals are doing,
0:54:31 > 0:54:34and what other wildlife is doing around the Farnes.
0:54:34 > 0:54:39I have referred to the Farnes as the Galapagos of the North. And it is!
0:54:39 > 0:54:42I have been in the water here with dolphins.
0:54:42 > 0:54:45There was a humpback whale off the Farnes last year.
0:54:45 > 0:54:46You never know what you will see
0:54:46 > 0:54:49and the seals are obviously a vital part of that.
0:54:54 > 0:54:57So, Ben, you have got all this incredible knowledge
0:54:57 > 0:55:00and understanding of their behaviour in the water now.
0:55:00 > 0:55:03What are you going to do with all that information?
0:55:03 > 0:55:05It is lovely to have the footage for your own use
0:55:05 > 0:55:08and to show friends but what is really nice is when it is
0:55:08 > 0:55:11used by organisations and the message goes further afield.
0:55:11 > 0:55:16- Yes.- My footage was used in Scotland in schools as an education project.
0:55:16 > 0:55:20It has been used by the Seal Protection Action Group.
0:55:20 > 0:55:24- You know, groups that campaign on behalf of conservation issues.- Yes.
0:55:24 > 0:55:27And it has been used by scientific projects
0:55:27 > 0:55:28to do with the noises underwater.
0:55:30 > 0:55:34Ben's developed a rare relationship with these wild mammals
0:55:34 > 0:55:36which is why we got close to them.
0:55:36 > 0:55:38But they are not pets and can be unpredictable,
0:55:38 > 0:55:42especially around their pups. So I would never do this alone.
0:55:43 > 0:55:45'I have barely noticed
0:55:45 > 0:55:48'I am five miles out, snorkelling in the cold North Sea.
0:55:48 > 0:55:51'Not now that I have been sealed with a kiss.'
0:55:51 > 0:55:55That was amazing!
0:55:55 > 0:55:57That was such a magical experience.
0:55:57 > 0:56:02I have seen seals on the land and in the water from a boat sometimes.
0:56:02 > 0:56:07I have been lucky. But getting in the water was like nothing else.
0:56:07 > 0:56:09There was this one pup,
0:56:09 > 0:56:11it seemed to take a bit of a shine to us after a while.
0:56:11 > 0:56:17It was this close. It was... It was awesome! It was awesome.
0:56:24 > 0:56:27Now, if this has inspired you to get out and about,
0:56:27 > 0:56:30then the BBC has teamed up with a range of partners
0:56:30 > 0:56:33to offer activities across the UK.
0:56:33 > 0:56:36Just log on to our website and click on things to do.
0:56:36 > 0:56:37Next week we will be in Wiltshire,
0:56:37 > 0:56:40where we will be looking back through the archives
0:56:40 > 0:56:44at the contribution our countryside made to Britain at war.
0:56:44 > 0:56:46Hope you can join us then. Bye-bye.
0:57:03 > 0:57:07Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd 2011
0:57:07 > 0:57:11E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk