0:00:27 > 0:00:30When you look at the Devon countryside, what do you see?
0:00:32 > 0:00:36Nature in all its glory or the hand of man shaping it all
0:00:36 > 0:00:38from fields to forests?
0:00:41 > 0:00:43Once upon a time,
0:00:43 > 0:00:47conifer plantations like this one were all the rage. But not any more.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50These days, it's all about restoring native woodland,
0:00:50 > 0:00:52so the conifers have to go.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54And I'm here to get stuck in.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59Not far away, Ellie is finding that it's the hand of an entirely
0:00:59 > 0:01:02different creature that's changing the landscape.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04This is Culm wetland.
0:01:04 > 0:01:09It's incredibly rare and needs to be carefully managed.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13But thankfully, here, we've got just the animal for the job.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17And it should be making an appearance for its next shift very soon.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22Tom's working on a pet project.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26Cats are the nation's favourite pet.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28But the minute they step out of the door,
0:01:28 > 0:01:32their wild animal instincts tend to kick in.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36And so, with millions of moggies across the country,
0:01:36 > 0:01:41is their appetite for birds and small animals damaging our wildlife?
0:01:41 > 0:01:44I'll be investigating. And it may be harvest,
0:01:44 > 0:01:47but Adam's animals are keeping him on his toes.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49There's a lot going on in the farm at the moment.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51We're in the middle of sorting out ewes and rams
0:01:51 > 0:01:53for the pedigree autumn sales.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55The harvest team are hard at work.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57We've got cows giving birth.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01And Eric, my Highland bull, has been a bit of a naughty boy.
0:02:08 > 0:02:09Glorious Devon -
0:02:09 > 0:02:12a fertile landscape providing for farmers, wildlife
0:02:12 > 0:02:14and the occasional surprise visitor.
0:02:14 > 0:02:15JET ROARS
0:02:20 > 0:02:23A county good to look at, with breathtaking views from every
0:02:23 > 0:02:25hilltop and valley bottom.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32We find ourselves today in the heart of Devonian countryside,
0:02:32 > 0:02:34on the northern edge of Dartmoor.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41The magnificent swathes of trees behind me make up Fingle Woods,
0:02:41 > 0:02:45825 acres of woodlands.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49Now, this land has just been snapped up to be given back to the public.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54For the first time in their histories, the National Trust
0:02:54 > 0:02:58and the Woodland Trust have joined forces to buy this enormous site
0:02:58 > 0:03:01and slowly return it to its former glory.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06What brought these two agencies together was the chance
0:03:06 > 0:03:10to get their hands on one of the last bits of ancient UK woodland
0:03:10 > 0:03:13still in private ownership.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17Fingle Woods is really a sort of once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20It's very rare for sites of this size, scale
0:03:20 > 0:03:23and this importance to come to the market.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27It sits in probably one of the most picturesque landscapes
0:03:27 > 0:03:30of Northern Dartmoor, and the other thing that is so important about this site,
0:03:30 > 0:03:34there's about three quarters of it is ancient semi-natural woodland.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37And we can see in the patchwork in the hillside a bit of that
0:03:37 > 0:03:38that remains today.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42So that sort of broccoli shape over there on the hillside, and there's another
0:03:42 > 0:03:47sort of shape that runs up round the hillside, which is actually the old oak coppice.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51But amongst the broccoli patches of oak are rows and rows
0:03:51 > 0:03:55of non-native species. So what are these doing here?
0:03:56 > 0:03:59These conifers are from North America.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01There was a big drive, particularly after
0:04:01 > 0:04:03the end of the First World War
0:04:03 > 0:04:06and again after the end of the Second World War, where the country
0:04:06 > 0:04:10was exposed, really, as having insufficient of a timber resource.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14And so this is part of the strategic reserve that was
0:04:14 > 0:04:17conceived by the Forestry Commission when it was set up in 1919.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22These reserves were seen as a good cash crop after the war.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24And the woodlands were worked hard.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28But the conifers were never meant to be here, so they've got to go.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35We're looking to try and restore this site over a generation -
0:04:35 > 0:04:3860 to 80 years - to native woodland.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40Is it open to the public now?
0:04:40 > 0:04:44We're intending to open the whole woodland in the spring of next year.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48About 35 to 45 kilometres of footpath track.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50So they'll be available for people to mountain bike,
0:04:50 > 0:04:55to ride on horses, to walk. It'll be great to see people using the site.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58Because it's big enough, it really is big enough to get lost in.
0:05:03 > 0:05:04And Dave wasn't wrong.
0:05:04 > 0:05:05Once beneath the canopy,
0:05:05 > 0:05:08the sheer size of the woodland is awe-inspiring.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12My guide through the trees is Adrian Colston,
0:05:12 > 0:05:15Dartmoor's general manager for the National Trust.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Adrian, this is a shocking difference, isn't it?
0:05:23 > 0:05:25You've brought me to this point where you can see, obviously,
0:05:25 > 0:05:28what is going on in the conifer side, and then the broadleaf here.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30I'm astounded by this.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34Well, this is exactly the reason why this project is so important.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36You can just look through the broadleaves over there
0:05:36 > 0:05:38and you can see the sky behind it.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40Look into the conifers back there
0:05:40 > 0:05:42and you can only see two or three trees back.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45So that's the amount of light actually coming to the ground
0:05:45 > 0:05:46and that's completely reflected.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50You can see there's absolutely nothing growing on the floor down there. No.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Whereas under there, there's a carpet of bilberry
0:05:53 > 0:05:56and lots of kind of ancient woodland plants. What is the plan?
0:05:56 > 0:05:58The plan is to slowly
0:05:58 > 0:06:00but surely start removing the conifers.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04So what that will mean is we'll take them one row at a time.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06That will encourage the light to come in.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09That will get the ancient woodland flora to start to creep back
0:06:09 > 0:06:12from the deciduous woodland into the conifer.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15There are some key indicators just down here in front of us. Absolutely.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18You've got things like wood sorrel, the common cow wheat.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21You've got various of these lovely green ferns.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24So we'll see these gradually creeping back in.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26We'll also see some of the other wildlife
0:06:26 > 0:06:29coming back like some of the birds and butterflies.
0:06:31 > 0:06:32We are about to open up
0:06:32 > 0:06:36this place to access for people on 40 kilometres of woodland.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38But I don't think this sign is really appropriate.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Perhaps you'd do us the honours? I will do the honours for you, no problem.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43You obviously want me to leave this one. Let's leave that one.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45Remove the "private" one. People will know where we are.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52'The leaves will be fallen before I've finished.'
0:06:52 > 0:06:54Long screws.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57THEY LAUGH
0:07:02 > 0:07:06Adrian, there you are, my friend. How is that? Thank you very much.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08Congratulations on taking this place over.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11I look forward to coming back and seeing how you get on. Brilliant.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14All right. Here's the screwdriver back.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18Do you want that as well, in case you want to put it on some other woodland?
0:07:22 > 0:07:26Whilst wildlife is being encouraged to return to these woodlands,
0:07:26 > 0:07:27in some parts of the country,
0:07:27 > 0:07:31it's being scared away by a more domestic predator.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34The cat. So we sent our Tom to investigate.
0:07:39 > 0:07:45We now have more pet cats in the UK than at any point in history.
0:07:45 > 0:07:46Around ten million.
0:07:48 > 0:07:54But are our favourite felines sleepy, cuddly pets or predatory killers?
0:07:56 > 0:08:00Now the claws are out, with some conservationists claiming cats
0:08:00 > 0:08:02are a major threat to wildlife.
0:08:02 > 0:08:03CAT YOWLS
0:08:05 > 0:08:07No cat owner likes to see it.
0:08:07 > 0:08:08SHE SCREAMS
0:08:08 > 0:08:13The pile of feathers on the lawn or a dead present on the doormat.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19But how much damage is really caused to our wildlife
0:08:19 > 0:08:21by our penchant for pets?
0:08:23 > 0:08:27For the Wildlives animal rescue and rehabilitation centre
0:08:27 > 0:08:30here in Essex, cats are a big problem.
0:08:30 > 0:08:35In fact, 80% of their admissions have been injured by pets on the prowl.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39'I'm going to find out more from the aptly named Rosie Catford
0:08:39 > 0:08:42'with her faithful friend, Florence the sheep.'
0:08:42 > 0:08:44A devoted follower.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47So this is your hospital, is it? Yes. Can I have a look?
0:08:47 > 0:08:51Most of it... Most of the problem is cats. It is, yes.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53It's really upsetting.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57We see the damage, and then a lot of the animals,
0:08:57 > 0:09:00we do have to put to sleep because they have been eaten alive.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02And, of course,
0:09:02 > 0:09:05you are only seeing the ones that have survived at least long enough to get in here.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09A lot have presumably been killed out there in the garden and in the wild.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12A lot are being killed out there or cats have just finished
0:09:12 > 0:09:15playing with them and they let them go.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19Is this just a problem of individual animals suffering
0:09:19 > 0:09:22or does it go a bit wider than that? It goes a lot wider.
0:09:22 > 0:09:27Because with climate change, with all the buildings, roads,
0:09:27 > 0:09:31intensive farming, our wildlife is finding it harder
0:09:31 > 0:09:34and harder to adapt to the 21st century.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38It's happening too quick for everything to evolve.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43The cat is then too much for it to handle.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49Are cats the final straw for struggling species?
0:09:49 > 0:09:53Their populations have more than doubled over the last 40 years.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55In that same time,
0:09:55 > 0:09:59there has been a dramatic decline in some bird populations.
0:09:59 > 0:10:04So, are millions of us harbouring bloodthirsty killers in our homes?
0:10:07 > 0:10:11The Mammal Society has estimated that cats kill 275 million
0:10:11 > 0:10:16items of prey every year, 55 million of which are birds.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18But isn't it just in their nature?
0:10:18 > 0:10:23Animal behaviourist John Bradshaw has been studying cats for over 25 years.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29Cats today - do they need to hunt any more? No, they don't.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31I mean, that is the sad truth.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Modern cat food gives them absolutely everything they need.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37That's a comparatively recent development.
0:10:37 > 0:10:4050 years ago, even commercial cat food didn't necessarily
0:10:40 > 0:10:42have everything and so they would continue to hunt.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45And of course, in many parts of the world where cat food isn't
0:10:45 > 0:10:48so widely available, they do still carry on hunting.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50I suppose what upsets people is, then, that idea
0:10:50 > 0:10:54that they are killing for fun. It does.
0:10:54 > 0:10:55You can interpret it in that way.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58I think a better way of looking at it is that they are just
0:10:58 > 0:11:00living out their natural instincts.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02It's something we've encouraged in them for many thousands of years.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06We started taking them in because they were such efficient mousers.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09It's only recently we've decided we don't really like it any more.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12As they are not hunting for survival,
0:11:12 > 0:11:15John thinks the domesticated cat of the future will hunt less.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20But what about these big headline-grabbing tallies -
0:11:20 > 0:11:24the claim that 275 million birds
0:11:24 > 0:11:28and other animals are being killed by British cats every year?
0:11:30 > 0:11:35Can we really be so accurate about the impact of cats on wildlife, though?
0:11:36 > 0:11:40Dr Phil Baker, a conservation biologist at the University of Reading,
0:11:40 > 0:11:43says the figures should be taken in context.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49You've got a lot laid out on the slab, there, Phil. Yes.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51This is a collection of prey animals that we've
0:11:51 > 0:11:55recovered from houses in and around Reading in just the last six months.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59So it gives you a good idea of the range of species taken.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03The most common is the wood mouse, a fair few juvenile rats
0:12:03 > 0:12:05and even the odd squirrel.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08These three specimens here are taken from one large male cat.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12Then, of course, the inevitable selection of bird species,
0:12:12 > 0:12:15several whose numbers are dwindling.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17What's the estimate of the number of birds or perhaps
0:12:17 > 0:12:20the number of individual species killed across country by cats?
0:12:20 > 0:12:24I think our studies have suggested that you have to be
0:12:24 > 0:12:27very careful making those kind of extrapolations,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30because there is a huge variation in the numbers
0:12:30 > 0:12:32killed between different locations.
0:12:32 > 0:12:37So getting an average number across locations is exceedingly difficult.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41So when people try and estimate the numbers killed at a national level,
0:12:41 > 0:12:43I think you have to take those figures with a pinch of salt.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46We have a population that is estimated around about ten million
0:12:46 > 0:12:50pet cats now. If each of those only brings home a couple of things
0:12:50 > 0:12:53each year, that's 20 million animals and birds that are killed
0:12:53 > 0:12:56each and every year, according to these estimates.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58How does that compare with the number of birds or
0:12:58 > 0:12:59the number of young they are having?
0:12:59 > 0:13:01One recent national study suggested that
0:13:01 > 0:13:04cats were killing in order of around about four million house sparrows.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07But what we do know is that the population of house sparrows is
0:13:07 > 0:13:09producing around about 16 million chicks every year.
0:13:09 > 0:13:14So four million, in the absence of that context, is a massive figure.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Within that context, it's much less important.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Some would still say there are vulnerable species
0:13:20 > 0:13:23being put at risk by an unprecedented number of cats.
0:13:24 > 0:13:29It may seem hard to believe when you see Daisy looking as soft as this,
0:13:29 > 0:13:34but there is no doubt that cats do pose some threat to wildlife.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37So what can we do about it? That's what I'll be looking at later.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46Devon is a county rich in diverse and special landscapes.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48None more so than Culm grassland.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57Also known as purple moor grass rush pasture,
0:13:57 > 0:13:59it might not be that much to look at,
0:13:59 > 0:14:02but this stuff is really quite something.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08It's tussocky and clumpy.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12And it's a vital home to all sorts of insects.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14But that's not all.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17It also holds water in the ground,
0:14:17 > 0:14:20making it really valuable in flood defence.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23The trouble is, it's rapidly disappearing.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27Culm wetland has been losing out to scrub since the 1950s,
0:14:27 > 0:14:31and that's causing it to dry out.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35In the past, man would have kept on top of this invasive growth
0:14:35 > 0:14:39but here, the Devon Wildlife Trust is trying something new.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42They are using beavers, nature's lumberjacks,
0:14:42 > 0:14:45once native in this land.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48They were released into an enclosure on private farmland
0:14:48 > 0:14:52back in 2011 and already they're having an effect.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54Mark Elliott from the Trust explains.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58What's happening, particularly in the area upstream where the beavers
0:14:58 > 0:15:02are most active, is the water level has become higher and more stable.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06So what's happening is the beavers are storing water behind the dams
0:15:06 > 0:15:09and that's actually having quite an impact on the stream
0:15:09 > 0:15:12and potentially on the flows downstream.
0:15:12 > 0:15:13So that's good for the grassland.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16It's great for the grassland, it's great for wetland species,
0:15:16 > 0:15:19but it's also great for communities living downstream,
0:15:19 > 0:15:20because the flood risk is reduced,
0:15:20 > 0:15:24and also we have a more constant flow of water when it's dry.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29The beavers have created nine pools,
0:15:29 > 0:15:33now holding around 400 cubic metres of water.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36So all the way across here the beavers have built a little dam
0:15:36 > 0:15:39out of mud and sticks. Isn't that remarkable, and how strong it is?
0:15:39 > 0:15:42I'm standing on it. It's really good. That's really incredible.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47This is one of the first trees that the beavers took off.
0:15:47 > 0:15:48It's quite a big tree.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50That's one of the very first ones they attacked,
0:15:50 > 0:15:55and there's a canal there coming down into the pond, and that's the lodge.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57Oh, you can't miss it! It's huge. You can see a lot more of it
0:15:57 > 0:16:00at the moment cos the water level in the pond's dropped quite a long way.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03There's an underwater entrance as well that the beavers created
0:16:03 > 0:16:07to allow them to come and go without coming onto the surface.
0:16:09 > 0:16:10Looking at this lodge,
0:16:10 > 0:16:13the beavers have clearly made themselves at home here,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16and it's almost late enough for me to see them,
0:16:16 > 0:16:19but first I want to meet their landlord.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26John Morgan's the farmer whose stock now includes beaver.
0:16:27 > 0:16:32What was it that made you decide to accept beavers on your land?
0:16:32 > 0:16:33Well, I was approached
0:16:33 > 0:16:36because I had some ground that was suitable for them,
0:16:36 > 0:16:39and they were fenced in so it didn't really matter,
0:16:39 > 0:16:41it wasn't going to affect anybody. That's true.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44And I thought it was a very good idea to bring them
0:16:44 > 0:16:45back to where they should be.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48What do you like the most about having them here?
0:16:48 > 0:16:50Just to see how clever they are.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52I mean, they're such clever engineers the way they build
0:16:52 > 0:16:58and so on. We've had one or two of the dams washed out once or twice.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01The next night they just put it back together.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05John's certainly a fan, and their extensive landscaping is
0:17:05 > 0:17:10doing a great job so far at helping the grass fight off the scrub.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13But I wonder if I'm going to be lucky enough to see one.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17This is just a bit of a waiting game now.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20I'm hoping it's not going to be too long,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23because it's evening and they're crepuscular,
0:17:23 > 0:17:26which means they come out at dawn and dusk, rather than nocturnal.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29We're definitely in the right spot. There are signs of them everywhere.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32There's obviously the lodge right there,
0:17:32 > 0:17:35which is where they'll be at the moment, and this still pool,
0:17:35 > 0:17:38which if there isn't a natural one, they'll make
0:17:38 > 0:17:40so that they can float all of their food
0:17:40 > 0:17:43and their building materials, all these pieces of wood
0:17:43 > 0:17:46across the water, rather than dragging it over land.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49So we're in the right spot. We've just got to wait.
0:17:49 > 0:17:50And wait.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53And wait.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04Don't lose heart. The waiting's worth it.
0:18:11 > 0:18:16Yay! I see one already. Just look at this one here.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18Very relaxed out in this pool.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22They're the second biggest rodent, so they are really big
0:18:22 > 0:18:25and they do blow your mind that way.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27It's just like sort of puffing out there.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35It's back again, it just popped underneath for a little while.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38They can stay under for anything up to 15 minutes.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40Look at this one, the tail,
0:18:40 > 0:18:43that tail is an indication of how well it's doing.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45The fatter, the better.
0:18:51 > 0:18:56So that's it. It's dark, so I think the show's over for me.
0:18:56 > 0:18:57Now, Countryfile has been marking
0:18:57 > 0:19:00the BBC's Summer Of Wildlife campaign
0:19:00 > 0:19:03with a series of films by wildlife cameraman Richard Taylor-Jones.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07Tonight he shows us how he captures the end of the summer
0:19:07 > 0:19:08in a very special way.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22The BBC Summer Of Wildlife is all about discovering plants
0:19:22 > 0:19:24and animals that live on your doorstep.
0:19:27 > 0:19:32On my local patch, Deal in Kent, I filmed some pretty difficult species,
0:19:32 > 0:19:35from seals to kingfishers.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39But to do that, I had to use some very specialist filming kit.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44And so today I'm going to show you how you can enjoy nature
0:19:44 > 0:19:47in a lot more accessible way using stills cameras.
0:19:47 > 0:19:52Some, expensive and complicated, and another that's a lot more simple.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57Most of us have a small point and shoot camera like this,
0:19:57 > 0:19:59and with a bit of thought
0:19:59 > 0:20:02you can use them to get some great wildlife shots.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04These rather lovely little birds scooting around
0:20:04 > 0:20:07on the end of the pier here are called Turnstones.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10They spend their summers breeding up in the Arctic,
0:20:10 > 0:20:12and they come here to spend the winter. Why?
0:20:12 > 0:20:15Well, if you look behind me you can probably see some fisherman,
0:20:15 > 0:20:19and they often leave bits of worm and squid lying around, their bait.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24The birds have worked out it's an easy meal for them.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26Much easier than foraging out in the beach
0:20:26 > 0:20:28where they would normally be found.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31I figure they won't be able to resist some squid
0:20:31 > 0:20:33if I leave it in front of my camera.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36And I stand back with a remote control.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Sure enough, they come in to have a look.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44This one's looking brave. This one's looking really good.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49Oh, he just ducked away at the last-minute. He came very close.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53But it's only a matter of time before the birds give in.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55And, bingo.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01Right, then, let's see how I got on.
0:21:01 > 0:21:02It's never easy with a remote,
0:21:02 > 0:21:04cos often when you press the button
0:21:04 > 0:21:06there's a delay before the camera fires,
0:21:06 > 0:21:10so you have to kind of anticipate what the birds are going to do.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12And yeah...
0:21:12 > 0:21:15The first few shots I've just got a head appearing in frame,
0:21:15 > 0:21:18or a tail leaving.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21Not quite got it yet. But I had plenty of goes.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25Aww! That's the one! That's the one I was after.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28That's just fantastic. The bait in the foreground
0:21:28 > 0:21:31and the turnstone in the background eying it up.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35Just goes to show you don't need big expensive telephoto lenses
0:21:35 > 0:21:38to get cracking wildlife images.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50Who doesn't love a bit of rock pooling?
0:21:50 > 0:21:55It's a great way to get up close to the wildlife on the seashore.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58But you've got to tempt it in first,
0:21:58 > 0:22:03so I'm using a bit of leftover roast beef dropped into my net.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07A crab has been hiding away under the edge of the rocks
0:22:07 > 0:22:10and he can smell my roast beef.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13If I just move the net around, it'll probably scare him off a bit.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20But he might be so latched on to my beef,
0:22:20 > 0:22:21that he's quite happy...
0:22:24 > 0:22:27There we go! Hey, hey, hey!
0:22:27 > 0:22:29There we go. Proof that that works.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33What a cracking crab we've got here. Look at him. There you go.
0:22:33 > 0:22:34A bit of... Ow!
0:22:34 > 0:22:37A bit of roast beef in a net,
0:22:37 > 0:22:42and within just two minutes I've got myself a nice rock pool subject.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46But how do you get a shot of it underwater
0:22:46 > 0:22:50if you haven't got an expensive underwater camera?
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Easy.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55Grab yourself a cheap fish tank, and hey presto,
0:22:55 > 0:22:57instant underwater studio.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00The biggest problem with this technique
0:23:00 > 0:23:02is reflections from the glass.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05But just pop your coat, or perhaps beach towel over your head,
0:23:05 > 0:23:09to block the light and the problem's sorted.
0:23:09 > 0:23:10It really works.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14Use this method and I guarantee you'll get some great results.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24Now, I won't deny that this is a very simple method
0:23:24 > 0:23:27of photographing animals underwater, but it is quite effective,
0:23:27 > 0:23:29especially if you're on a budget.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31Now, just before I completely finish,
0:23:31 > 0:23:34there is one golden rule of rock pooling you must remember,
0:23:34 > 0:23:38and that is when you've enjoyed looking or photographing animals,
0:23:38 > 0:23:40just put them back where you found them.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48From seas to stars, it's the end of the summer
0:23:48 > 0:23:51and the nights are coming down more quickly.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54Here beneath the white cliffs of Dover, that's a bonus.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59I absolutely adore these cliffs.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03They are, to me, one of nature's most timeless monuments.
0:24:03 > 0:24:08And what better way to record them than by altering time itself.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12And you can do that with all sorts of cameras. Even the ones on your phone.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18The method I'm using is called time-lapsing.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22There are free apps for your phone that make it easy to do.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26They take one picture every few seconds for, say, about ten minutes,
0:24:26 > 0:24:30and then when done, the app plays them all together at once.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33Suddenly, ten minutes becomes ten seconds.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41To take my time-lapses one stage further, to end all this off,
0:24:41 > 0:24:44I want to do something that I feel is truly spectacular,
0:24:44 > 0:24:46and that's create star-lapses.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49To do it, I will need some hand-warmers,
0:24:49 > 0:24:51some tape and a plastic bag.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53Rather odd, you might think, but let me explain.
0:24:53 > 0:24:58As this camera gets colder and colder because the sun's gone down
0:24:58 > 0:24:59and the night's setting in,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02condensation will start to form on the lens.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04So, if I simply take these hand-warmers
0:25:04 > 0:25:08and wrap them around the lens,
0:25:09 > 0:25:12that lens is going to stay nice and warm.
0:25:12 > 0:25:18If I then also put this plastic bag over the front of the camera,
0:25:18 > 0:25:22those hand-warmers will also keep the majority of the camera warm.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26That stops any condensation settling
0:25:26 > 0:25:29and ruining my shot over the next four or five hours.
0:25:29 > 0:25:30Follow that simple rule
0:25:30 > 0:25:33and you should end up with spectacular star-lapses.
0:25:55 > 0:26:00For me, seeing the stars wheeling above the heavens,
0:26:00 > 0:26:05just reminds me what truly magnificent and timeless icons
0:26:05 > 0:26:06these cliffs really are.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15A great way to say goodbye to what's been a great summer.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19And I hope you've been encouraged to get out and have a go.
0:26:19 > 0:26:24Find out more about the BBC Summer Of Wildlife on the Countryfile website.
0:26:34 > 0:26:35I'm at Fingle Woods,
0:26:35 > 0:26:39an area of ancient woodland that's about to undergo restoration.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43It'll take 60, maybe 80 years to bring it back.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50But just down the road, there's a template for how it might work.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52These are Bovey Valley Woodlands,
0:26:52 > 0:26:56where they've already thinned out conifers to help the local wildlife.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59Well, this is woodland management,
0:26:59 > 0:27:03a fair few decades ahead of what they've got in mind at Fingle.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06So I'm here to help out with a little bit of conservation,
0:27:06 > 0:27:07and the group that I'm joining,
0:27:07 > 0:27:09well, they're a pretty enthusiastic bunch.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15Introducing the Wildlife Hit Squad.
0:27:16 > 0:27:21Here today to improve the lot of this woodland's rare butterflies.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24It's a tough name, and it's a tough job. Lads, you're doing all right!
0:27:24 > 0:27:27You're getting through it, yeah? Oh, yeah, we are. Good.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29Right, well, I'll get the gloves on and I'll give you a hand.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31Let's go have a chat with Jenny down here.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Right, so, for you then, it's all about butterflies, isn't it?
0:27:34 > 0:27:36It is all about butterflies for me. Indeed it is.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40And what's the plan in this area and why are we here?
0:27:40 > 0:27:45We're here because we're trying to create some better connectivity
0:27:45 > 0:27:47between some open habitat on the other side of the river,
0:27:47 > 0:27:50and between the glade that's behind us.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53So we're trying to punch holes through all of this thicket
0:27:53 > 0:27:57of holly and other scrub, just to maintain the connectivity.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00To make it easier for them to fly through.
0:28:00 > 0:28:01What type of butterflies are they?
0:28:01 > 0:28:04Well, there are two very rare butterflies that we find here,
0:28:04 > 0:28:06which are the Pearl-bordered Fritillary
0:28:06 > 0:28:08and the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary,
0:28:08 > 0:28:10and a whole host of other woodland species.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14Back in the day, these woodlands would've been coppice
0:28:14 > 0:28:16on a regular basis.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19The perfect balance of wood production and wildlife.
0:28:19 > 0:28:20But today, it's down to us
0:28:20 > 0:28:24to clear some of these branches to link up the butterfly habitats.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27And having thinned one side of the flight path,
0:28:27 > 0:28:28it's time to cross the water.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35Feel free to just hack out any of the smaller pieces of holly.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44If I were a butterfly, I'd fly through now. Yeah.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47Careful management of these woodlands is already
0:28:47 > 0:28:49making a difference.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53Lichens like this need pristine environments,
0:28:53 > 0:28:54so things here must be pretty good.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00Ooh!
0:29:01 > 0:29:03Just thought I'd ramp it up a bit.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06It's not going to happen, I'm not going to fall in,
0:29:06 > 0:29:07so don't even bother waiting.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19Well, I was hoping to meet another group down here
0:29:19 > 0:29:22who are doing their bit to create the perfect habitat
0:29:22 > 0:29:25for butterflies, but as I'm experiencing,
0:29:25 > 0:29:28they're prone to wandering off and doing their own thing.
0:29:31 > 0:29:35They're not over there, Simon. OK. Must be over this way somewhere.
0:29:35 > 0:29:36Yeah.
0:29:36 > 0:29:41How often to do you get them into the woodlands to do this work?
0:29:41 > 0:29:44This group are in for about six to eight weeks in this area. Yeah.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48And then they're in 24 hours a day doing their thing. Yeah.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52It's quite easy to lose track of them. Very easy.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55But looking at the areas that they've already been working in,
0:29:55 > 0:29:57something tells me we're getting close.
0:29:59 > 0:30:02Oh, there they are! There they are! I've got them! Here they are.
0:30:02 > 0:30:08So this then is the Dartmoor Heritage Pony. Yeah.
0:30:08 > 0:30:1115 in the woods in total. Right.
0:30:11 > 0:30:13And then we've got four in this particular paddock
0:30:13 > 0:30:17and we move them around from place to place to do a job.
0:30:17 > 0:30:21They're quite heavy, so they've trampled the bracken down,
0:30:21 > 0:30:24they'll go for scrub, bits of willow, bits of hazel,
0:30:24 > 0:30:26and that's what we want them to do.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29We want them to do a double job of doing some thinning of scrub
0:30:29 > 0:30:32and bits of woody material as well as grazing the grass.
0:30:33 > 0:30:38We can move them onto their next job of work. Come on, girls.
0:30:38 > 0:30:39Off we go.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41They're very obliging, aren't they?
0:30:41 > 0:30:44They need to be obliging enough that we can move them around
0:30:44 > 0:30:47and handle them, but not so friendly
0:30:47 > 0:30:50that they end up being a nuisance to members of the public.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59The ponies seem at ease in their open plan office.
0:30:59 > 0:31:01And thanks to equine and human help,
0:31:01 > 0:31:04Bovey Valley Woodlands are flourishing.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15Earlier, we looked at the impact that cats are having
0:31:15 > 0:31:17on our wildlife.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20Minor or major, there are those who think it's time to act,
0:31:20 > 0:31:22as Tom's been finding out.
0:31:28 > 0:31:33With a quarter of UK households now having at least one pet cat,
0:31:33 > 0:31:36there are growing concerns over the amount of prey they kill.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43Some countries have rules like night-time curfews
0:31:43 > 0:31:46to reduce the amount of prey caught by cats.
0:31:46 > 0:31:50And here in Britain we have plenty of laws for our dogs,
0:31:50 > 0:31:52is it time we got more tough with our cats?
0:31:54 > 0:31:58At the Animal Rehabilitation Centre I visited earlier in Essex,
0:31:58 > 0:32:01Rosie Catford thinks so.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04What do you think we should do about the problem of cat predation?
0:32:04 > 0:32:08I'd like to see owners take responsibility for the actions
0:32:08 > 0:32:09of their cats.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13In Australia they've got a lot of very small marsupials,
0:32:13 > 0:32:17and these marsupials have started to be wiped out
0:32:17 > 0:32:20because the cats are out at night.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23So they've brought in a law that the cats must be kept in
0:32:23 > 0:32:26between dusk and dawn.
0:32:26 > 0:32:31Any cats that are found out after those hours, cat-catchers,
0:32:31 > 0:32:35whatever, they're taken in and kept overnight, the owners informed,
0:32:35 > 0:32:38and then they have to pay a fine to get their cat back.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40So would you like to see a law or something similar to that
0:32:40 > 0:32:44here in the UK? I think the first step is for cat owners to take
0:32:44 > 0:32:46responsibility for the actions of their cats.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48Dog owners don't go to bed at night
0:32:48 > 0:32:51and put their dogs out on the street.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54So dog owners, the majority take responsibility
0:32:54 > 0:32:56and keep their dogs in at night.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59I'd like cat owners to do the same thing.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04It may sound extreme to us in the UK,
0:33:04 > 0:33:08but scientists in Australia have even called for restricted numbers of cats
0:33:08 > 0:33:11per household, and mandatory sterilisation.
0:33:14 > 0:33:18Others have taken a less controversial approach.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22Ex-engineer Bill Hookie gets a bit twitchy at the idea of cats
0:33:22 > 0:33:28getting the birds in his garden. So he's devised some cunning solutions.
0:33:28 > 0:33:32So this is like a water trap. It's a water trap.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34I see you've got it going...
0:33:34 > 0:33:37You've got to go all the way round the corner. Yes, you do.
0:33:37 > 0:33:43It's a chore. And that's to protect what exactly? Yes, the nest.
0:33:43 > 0:33:44There's this year's nest.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47Once a cat has heard the nestlings chirping away,
0:33:47 > 0:33:50there's very little is going to stop them. But I've found that this does.
0:33:50 > 0:33:53So, it's true, cats are so reluctant to get their feet wet,
0:33:53 > 0:33:56they won't even chase a bird through it. Yeah.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59Bill doesn't stop at anti-cat paddling pools,
0:33:59 > 0:34:02he's also paw-proofed his trees.
0:34:02 > 0:34:09I try and erect a piece of corrugated roofing plastic
0:34:09 > 0:34:13high enough so that a cat cannot leap up to it,
0:34:13 > 0:34:16and therefore it stops the cat getting up into the...
0:34:16 > 0:34:19So if a cat's determined enough to climb this bit of the trunk,
0:34:19 > 0:34:22when it gets to here... Yes. ..it can't get its claws into that.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25That's the idea. And the bird is safe. Wow.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28In the nesting season, any cat on the prowl in Bill's garden...
0:34:28 > 0:34:32Nailed nicely on both sides, and bottom.
0:34:32 > 0:34:36..can expect to snag their predatory claws on one of these contraptions.
0:34:36 > 0:34:40How do you feel about the fact you're having to go to pretty great lengths
0:34:40 > 0:34:42to protect birds?
0:34:42 > 0:34:44I must admit, although I enjoy doing this,
0:34:44 > 0:34:47I do feel the boot's on the wrong foot.
0:34:47 > 0:34:52I really feel there should be more control from the cat owners.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55I don't think it should be upon us, the bird lovers,
0:34:55 > 0:34:59to go to such extreme lengths.
0:34:59 > 0:35:03But are there simpler ways to save wildlife from cats?
0:35:06 > 0:35:08Jeff Knott is from the organisation
0:35:08 > 0:35:11set up to protect wild birds - the RSPB.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17And what's the key to making sure that the birds get well fed,
0:35:17 > 0:35:19but the cats don't dine on the birds?
0:35:19 > 0:35:22The most important thing is siting feeders a little bit out
0:35:22 > 0:35:25in the open, so about two metres away from any cover.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27That's far enough away that it means cats can't come out
0:35:27 > 0:35:29and ambush the birds while they're feeding,
0:35:29 > 0:35:32but close enough that if they feel scared or threatened by anything
0:35:32 > 0:35:35while they're feeding, the birds can dash off into the cover
0:35:35 > 0:35:37and get away. They've got an escape plan.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41We've heard about some rather more drastic measures to help birds,
0:35:41 > 0:35:45like curfews for cats. What do you think about that?
0:35:45 > 0:35:48Well, keeping cats in at night at dawn and dusk does make sense
0:35:48 > 0:35:51for reducing predation on small mammals,
0:35:51 > 0:35:53which are very active overnight.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57Birds are most active at dawn and dusk, so it would help do that.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01Perhaps a more practical solution is a simple collar with a bell,
0:36:01 > 0:36:06then there's no danger of a stealthy approach.
0:36:06 > 0:36:10But for the RSPB, there are bigger threats than cats.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12The real factors that are driving the decline
0:36:12 > 0:36:15to some of our best-loved birds, it's loss of habitat,
0:36:15 > 0:36:18intensification of the way our countryside is managed
0:36:18 > 0:36:21in farmland and woods and other places.
0:36:21 > 0:36:23In our gardens we can actually do our own little bit to help
0:36:23 > 0:36:27reverse that, to help provide some fantastic habitat, some food,
0:36:27 > 0:36:29some nesting sites, and give nature a home in our garden
0:36:29 > 0:36:32safe in the knowledge cats are well down that list.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35In the grand scheme of things, then,
0:36:35 > 0:36:38the bigger threat is our modern landscape.
0:36:39 > 0:36:43So, on the charge of decimating numbers of our wild birds,
0:36:43 > 0:36:48the verdict for cats seems to be not guilty.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52But, if you have a Sylvester nearby with an unquenchable
0:36:52 > 0:36:55appetite for the Tweety Pies in your garden,
0:36:55 > 0:36:58there are plenty of things you can do to protect them.
0:36:58 > 0:37:02Cat owner or not, we would love to know what you think.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05Should more be done to control their animal instincts,
0:37:05 > 0:37:08or should cats be left to their own devices?
0:37:08 > 0:37:11Let us know your views via the Countryfile website.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23Down on Adam's farm, the harvest continues,
0:37:23 > 0:37:25but it's not all about the crops.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27He's still got his animals to look after,
0:37:27 > 0:37:30so it's time for a seasonal stock-take.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41This is my new Gloucester Old Spot boar,
0:37:41 > 0:37:42and he's settled in really well.
0:37:42 > 0:37:44He's everything I hoped for.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47He's got wonderful physique, and hopefully that will pass
0:37:47 > 0:37:50through into his piglets and we'll get some great porkers.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53He's settled in with his new wife really well
0:37:53 > 0:37:57and hopefully we'll have piglets in about three months' time.
0:37:57 > 0:37:58So it's all worked out very well.
0:38:01 > 0:38:02There's another of my animals
0:38:02 > 0:38:05who already knows what it's like to be a dad.
0:38:05 > 0:38:06Eric.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13Eric has fathered five lovely calves this year.
0:38:13 > 0:38:18We've got three females and two males and they've been growing very well.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21They're looking fantastic,
0:38:21 > 0:38:25and there's one little calf that was born quite an unusual colour.
0:38:25 > 0:38:30He was very silver when he was born, and I've named him Nevis.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33That's the name you all came up with, and just look at him now.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39And he's just in at the back there. He's a young bull calf.
0:38:39 > 0:38:43He's got a lovely dossan, this hairy bit on the front of his forehead,
0:38:43 > 0:38:46and he's quite hairy all over, but he's well made up,
0:38:46 > 0:38:48he's a stocky bull, and I'm very pleased with him.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52BULL BELLOWS
0:38:58 > 0:39:01I love that noise these bulls make,
0:39:01 > 0:39:06sort of stamping their mark of authority, that deep, throaty bellow,
0:39:06 > 0:39:10and he's basically warning off any other bulls in the area.
0:39:10 > 0:39:12And unfortunately, recently,
0:39:12 > 0:39:16he bust down a fence and got in with my White Park bull.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22And Eric came off worse. He's cut his lip quite badly.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24We had to get the vet to have a look at it
0:39:24 > 0:39:27and put him on a course of antibiotics,
0:39:27 > 0:39:30and it's mending quite well, although it's still hanging down a bit.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33I think he's feeling a little bit sorry for himself.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39There are calves everywhere on the farm
0:39:39 > 0:39:43and one of my favourite cows gave birth last night.
0:39:45 > 0:39:49A cow udder is made up of four quarters, so each teat has
0:39:49 > 0:39:52a separate compartment attached to it where it produces the milk.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55And this calf has been sucking on the front teats,
0:39:55 > 0:39:56but not so much on the back ones,
0:39:56 > 0:39:59and it's good, it's just starting to get onto the back one now,
0:39:59 > 0:40:03and so it will drink the milk evenly from all four quarters.
0:40:03 > 0:40:08And a calf butts the cow like that to encourage her to let the milk down.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11She produces a hormone and the milk is released down into the teat.
0:40:23 > 0:40:24Steady.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26HE WHISTLES Sit! Sit!
0:40:26 > 0:40:29WHISPERS: Sit. Sit. Sit.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31Pearl's a lovely little dog.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33Sadly, when she was a puppy, she got run over
0:40:33 > 0:40:36and has now got pins in her leg, and just recently,
0:40:36 > 0:40:38she damaged her tendons in the lower leg,
0:40:38 > 0:40:41and the vet tells me that she's still OK to run around,
0:40:41 > 0:40:45but she won't ever get the use of those tendons again, and while she's
0:40:45 > 0:40:47happy working sheep and she's in no pain,
0:40:47 > 0:40:50then I'm pleased to have her out here helping me.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55Today, she's helping me round up some sheep that I'm taking to a sale.
0:40:55 > 0:40:57At this time of year up and down the country
0:40:57 > 0:41:01the breeding sheep sales are taking place for both ewes and rams.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06Right, I've got some female sheep in here, some young ewes,
0:41:06 > 0:41:09and I've just got to sort out the ones I want to keep
0:41:09 > 0:41:13and the ones I want to sell. So the first ones I'm going to work with,
0:41:13 > 0:41:15I think, are the Castlemilk Moorits.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18The Castlemilk Moorit is a rare breed that
0:41:18 > 0:41:20originates from the Scottish Borders.
0:41:23 > 0:41:27If I just grab one and show you what I want in a good Castlemilk Moorit.
0:41:33 > 0:41:38Ooh, Missus! They're certainly a lively breed. Here we are.
0:41:38 > 0:41:42What I need is a nice head on them, nice horns but not too wide,
0:41:42 > 0:41:46not too close, a good gap in between the horns
0:41:46 > 0:41:50and then the wool on the Castlemilk Moorit is important.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53The colour on the surface is very bleached by the sun where it's
0:41:53 > 0:41:56gone pale, but Moorit is Gaelic for mousey brown,
0:41:56 > 0:41:59and they have this lovely brown fleece on them.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02But on the whole, she's a well made up ewe, she's a good size,
0:42:02 > 0:42:03she'll be able to carry lambs well,
0:42:03 > 0:42:05and I like her. I think I'll keep this one.
0:42:07 > 0:42:08Let's pop her out in the field.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11I'll keep a couple more of the Moorits back. The rest I'll sell.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18Next up is one of the most common breeds.
0:42:21 > 0:42:26These are some Suffolk crosses, they're a commercial breed of sheep,
0:42:26 > 0:42:31really for producing lamb for the table that we've bred on the farm here.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34They're surplus to our requirements and we'll sell them on.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37And with modern-day breeds of sheep, most of their wool are white
0:42:37 > 0:42:40so that it can be dyed any colour,
0:42:40 > 0:42:44so these have got lovely white fine fleeces.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47It's really quite staggering
0:42:47 > 0:42:49when you compare the old traditional breeds
0:42:49 > 0:42:51with the modern commercial breeds.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54I've just put a Suffolk cross and a Castlemilk Moorit together for you
0:42:54 > 0:42:57so you can see the difference between a modern-day sheep
0:42:57 > 0:42:59and an ancient, primitive breed.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01These females are the same age,
0:43:01 > 0:43:05but have got totally different confirmation and look about them.
0:43:05 > 0:43:08And you can see, really, how, over hundreds of years,
0:43:08 > 0:43:11farmers have improved and developed sheep
0:43:11 > 0:43:14so they can produce a much bigger, better carcass.
0:43:17 > 0:43:20That's my animals sorted. Better get back to the fields.
0:43:26 > 0:43:30The combine has just started cutting in this field, which is oilseed rape.
0:43:30 > 0:43:33It's been in wheat and in barley and now it's come into this crop,
0:43:33 > 0:43:35and we thought it was going to be a disaster
0:43:35 > 0:43:39because of the horrible spring, but actually it's come quite well.
0:43:39 > 0:43:42This is the crop that has those lovely yellow flowers.
0:43:42 > 0:43:46It sets its seed and the seed is this little,
0:43:46 > 0:43:50tiny black ball bearings that my neighbour cold-presses
0:43:50 > 0:43:55to produce oilseed rape oil that you can use in cooking and in dressings.
0:43:55 > 0:43:57And this is looking pretty tidy. I'm quite pleased with this.
0:44:04 > 0:44:07Dave's driving the combine, who's one of the guys on the farm.
0:44:07 > 0:44:09This is the first year he's been driving it,
0:44:09 > 0:44:11and he's doing really well.
0:44:11 > 0:44:14It's incredibly technical, the job in there, all computer-driven,
0:44:14 > 0:44:16loads of buttons.
0:44:17 > 0:44:18But he loves it!
0:44:20 > 0:44:23After a dodgy start to the year with bad weather,
0:44:23 > 0:44:26it looks like being a decent harvest, and that's a big relief.
0:44:32 > 0:44:37Devon is a patchwork of thatched cottages and hidden hamlets.
0:44:37 > 0:44:40And the picture-postcard village of Iddesleigh
0:44:40 > 0:44:42might look like any other in this part of the world,
0:44:42 > 0:44:45but today a very special horse is coming home.
0:44:45 > 0:44:48MARCHING BAND PLAYS
0:44:48 > 0:44:52This is Joey, star of the hit stage show War Horse.
0:44:56 > 0:44:57JOEY WHINNIES
0:44:57 > 0:45:01Fresh from the National Theatre and in advance of a UK tour,
0:45:01 > 0:45:04he's in Iddesleigh for the first time since he was dreamt up
0:45:04 > 0:45:08by local author Michael Morpurgo some 30 years ago.
0:45:11 > 0:45:15The story is based on the plight of the horses in the First World War.
0:45:16 > 0:45:20Used in cavalry units and to pull cannons and artillery,
0:45:20 > 0:45:23it's estimated eight million died.
0:45:23 > 0:45:25Faced with machine guns and tanks,
0:45:25 > 0:45:28their flesh was no match for bullets and barbed wire.
0:45:31 > 0:45:33Michael started the book after speaking
0:45:33 > 0:45:36to three World War I veterans who lived here.
0:45:38 > 0:45:41One of them was a cavalry officer named Captain Budgett.
0:45:42 > 0:45:46I went to see him and I said, "You were in the First World War."
0:45:46 > 0:45:48He said, "Yeah, I was there with horses,"
0:45:48 > 0:45:52and he started talking again about the horses in the First World War.
0:45:52 > 0:45:55And what came across to me then was something
0:45:55 > 0:45:57I found intensely moving,
0:45:57 > 0:46:00was the relationship which he had with his horse
0:46:00 > 0:46:04and how important that was, how he would go to the horse lines
0:46:04 > 0:46:07at night and he would talk to the horse and he would tell this horse
0:46:07 > 0:46:09things that he wouldn't dream of telling his pals,
0:46:09 > 0:46:11because his pals all had the same terrible anxieties
0:46:11 > 0:46:15going on in their heads. They'd just seen terrible things happen that day,
0:46:15 > 0:46:17they were fearful for their lives every day,
0:46:17 > 0:46:19and they were longing for home,
0:46:19 > 0:46:21and he could say these things to his horse.
0:46:24 > 0:46:26Both sides suffered,
0:46:26 > 0:46:29but telling the story from Joey the horse's point of view
0:46:29 > 0:46:31allowed Michael to be impartial.
0:46:33 > 0:46:37Bringing that vision to life for the National Theatre involved
0:46:37 > 0:46:39a set of very skilled puppeteers.
0:46:42 > 0:46:47It is amazing how lifelike Joey is. That's really remarkable.
0:46:49 > 0:46:51Just down the road from Iddesleigh
0:46:51 > 0:46:54is Lower Upcott Farm where Ben May's shire horses
0:46:54 > 0:46:58helped creators bring the idea of Joey to life.
0:46:58 > 0:47:02Today they're coming face-to-face for the very first time.
0:47:06 > 0:47:08Jimmy, this is such an amazing experience.
0:47:08 > 0:47:11This isn't the first time I've seen Joey, because I went to the play
0:47:11 > 0:47:14and he really moves people, people end up crying, even,
0:47:14 > 0:47:16and I'm not much of a crier. Why is that?
0:47:16 > 0:47:19It's quite an unusual experience, because you can see the puppeteers,
0:47:19 > 0:47:23so you know they're creating this impression of life with the puppet,
0:47:23 > 0:47:26but at the same time, all these details, the movement,
0:47:26 > 0:47:28the breath, you're kind of convinced it's alive,
0:47:28 > 0:47:31so it's working on lots of different levels.
0:47:31 > 0:47:34All of these movements, they are so reminiscent
0:47:34 > 0:47:35of the real horses behind me.
0:47:35 > 0:47:38How have you managed to create something that looks so real.
0:47:38 > 0:47:41One of the things you just picked out is important, the micro movements,
0:47:41 > 0:47:43so whether it's just a tiny flick in the ear,
0:47:43 > 0:47:47or a tiny adjustment in the horse's focus or a little flick of the tail,
0:47:47 > 0:47:48all these tiny little details
0:47:48 > 0:47:51are things that add up to the impression of life.
0:47:51 > 0:47:54But it's not just about the physical movements, it's the sounds as well.
0:47:54 > 0:47:56Yes, and that starts with the breath.
0:47:56 > 0:47:59It's important for the puppeteers to communicate with each other,
0:47:59 > 0:48:01is the breath and breathing together,
0:48:01 > 0:48:03and we can see it in the chest of the horse
0:48:03 > 0:48:07that they are all breathing and aware of each other's breaths
0:48:07 > 0:48:09and from there we start to have
0:48:09 > 0:48:12the sound of the snort and the nose blows.
0:48:12 > 0:48:16JOEY GRUMBLES
0:48:18 > 0:48:19SNORTS
0:48:21 > 0:48:23I wasn't sure where that was coming from!
0:48:23 > 0:48:26And it's all three purposes that make those sounds, not just one,
0:48:26 > 0:48:28so the sound travels through the horse.
0:48:28 > 0:48:31And why was the decision made to use a puppet
0:48:31 > 0:48:34rather than a live horse or an alternative?
0:48:34 > 0:48:37There are obviously complications trying to rehearse and work with
0:48:37 > 0:48:40a live horse on stage, but I guess
0:48:40 > 0:48:43if you're watching the show, you can see the magical experience
0:48:43 > 0:48:46of something where you know it's not a live animal,
0:48:46 > 0:48:47you know it's a puppet,
0:48:47 > 0:48:51but actually you start to suspend your disbelief and see it as a real
0:48:51 > 0:48:55living animal, and that's part of the magic of it and the spectacle of it.
0:48:55 > 0:48:57And just as he does on the stage,
0:48:57 > 0:49:01the spectacle of Joey back home in Iddesleigh has attracted big crowds.
0:49:09 > 0:49:11He's been all over the world, but this is the first time
0:49:11 > 0:49:15he's been here in Devon for 30 years since he was first created.
0:49:15 > 0:49:18Wow! Hello!
0:49:18 > 0:49:22And the whole village has come out to welcome him home.
0:49:23 > 0:49:26Incredible. An incredible experience.
0:49:26 > 0:49:29It's lovely for the village. The actual puppet, amazing.
0:49:29 > 0:49:32I saw him from a distance and I thought it was a real horse.
0:49:32 > 0:49:36The way his ears move definitely looks like a real horse.
0:49:36 > 0:49:41BUGLE PLAYS "LAST POST"
0:49:47 > 0:49:50When you think of all those thousands and thousands
0:49:50 > 0:49:55of horses who died, it does bring it back and it is very emotional.
0:49:59 > 0:50:01Well, as much as I would love to stay,
0:50:01 > 0:50:04I've got to go and catch up with Matt.
0:50:04 > 0:50:06He's been set a rather tricky challenge
0:50:06 > 0:50:08and could do with all the help he can get.
0:50:08 > 0:50:11Before then, let me hand you over to the weather centre
0:50:11 > 0:50:13for the Countryfile five-day forecast.