0:00:02 > 0:00:03Welcome to Nature's Top 40,
0:00:03 > 0:00:09your guide to the UK's biggest, best and the most magical things
0:00:09 > 0:00:10that you can see here in the UK.
0:00:10 > 0:00:14and we've been counting down from 40 to number 1,
0:00:14 > 0:00:18but this is our final programme so hold on to your seats, because
0:00:18 > 0:00:22we're going to reveal to you the UK's greatest wildlife spectacle.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34I'm Chris Packham, and what a journey we've been on -
0:00:34 > 0:00:38getting up close and personal with lots of great wildlife,
0:00:38 > 0:00:41like these grey seal pups here on the east coast of England.
0:00:41 > 0:00:46But here are a few more of the great pieces of wildlife magic that have
0:00:46 > 0:00:51made it into our charts, every one of them a winner.
0:00:51 > 0:00:57It's been an epic countdown of the very best of British wildlife.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00We took your suggestions, threw in a few of our own,
0:01:00 > 0:01:05- and our panel of experts ranked them for their sheer brilliance...- Woah!
0:01:05 > 0:01:06..and wow factor.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16Well, he's a bit of a cutey,
0:01:16 > 0:01:20but now we've reached our climax at number four.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23It's bizarre for sure, it's colourful,
0:01:23 > 0:01:24it's an extraordinary display,
0:01:24 > 0:01:27and the sound - once you've heard the sound
0:01:27 > 0:01:28you're never going to forget it.
0:01:28 > 0:01:33At number four it's the black grouse lek.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39I'm on my way to see some birds that are so sexy,
0:01:39 > 0:01:42they make super models look drab and boring
0:01:42 > 0:01:45and the magnificent display they put on beats the Moulin Rouge
0:01:45 > 0:01:48and the Bolshoi Ballet hands down.
0:01:49 > 0:01:50The male black grouse.
0:01:50 > 0:01:55Specialist bird of the northern uplands and a real looker to boot.
0:01:55 > 0:02:00You'll find them on moorland, like this spot at Llandegla near Wrexham.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07This is a lek site, where the males display to attract females,
0:02:07 > 0:02:09and I plan to be right in the thick of it.
0:02:11 > 0:02:12Ah, this must be it.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16Detached dwelling, it said in the brochure,
0:02:16 > 0:02:18with wonderful views over the Welsh Hills.
0:02:18 > 0:02:24Outside toilet, one careful owner, five not so careful owners, but this
0:02:24 > 0:02:28is going to let me get close up and personal to one of the best sites
0:02:28 > 0:02:30in the whole of the bird world.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40It's a bit of squeeze but worth it, because it'll get me close to
0:02:40 > 0:02:44the sight and sound of these special birds.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48And they really don't know I'm here.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53There we are, first one's arrived.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03Once you hear that schwe-oo-wee hiss, you kind of go...
0:03:03 > 0:03:05you know that they're here.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09That's just to advertise their presence and it's only after that
0:03:09 > 0:03:12they start bubbling like mad turkeys.
0:03:12 > 0:03:17The birds inflate an air sac in their neck to make that curious sound.
0:03:17 > 0:03:22It's a calling card that can can carry across the moors for up to 2km.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25They're called black grouse,
0:03:25 > 0:03:29but it really doesn't do them justice at all.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33They're not black, they're a green-ish purple-ish bluey sheeny
0:03:33 > 0:03:40colour, with this lovely red wattle, bit of red bare skin above the eye.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43But it's only when you see them close up displaying,
0:03:43 > 0:03:45that you see the lyre-shaped tail,
0:03:45 > 0:03:47and that's absolutely stunning,
0:03:47 > 0:03:51cos it surrounds a white bouquet of feathers.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54They're beautiful, stunning birds.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57BIRD HOOTS
0:04:00 > 0:04:02Two.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06The birds are easily disturbed when the lek is at its height in May,
0:04:06 > 0:04:08so that's why I'm here in mid-winter,
0:04:08 > 0:04:13a less intrusive time to see this amazing ritual.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19It may be freezing but the birds give it everything.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23It's mostly posturing and posing,
0:04:23 > 0:04:27but feathers can fly as dominance is established.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29It's all about getting the best spot.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31The closer you are to the centre of the lek,
0:04:31 > 0:04:34the more chance you have of mating in spring.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42This is just amazing.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45The more pumped up the males get,
0:04:45 > 0:04:50the more that red eyebrow or wattle becomes engorged with blood.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54It's a warning. Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough.
0:04:56 > 0:05:01Now, I really love black grouse, but Ron Plummer is an even bigger fan.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04- Hiya, Ron.- Hello, all right?
0:05:04 > 0:05:06- How many males on this lek then? - Oh, 15 at the moment.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09Now we've come to look at the lek in winter
0:05:09 > 0:05:12but the very best time is in spring, isn't it?
0:05:12 > 0:05:15It's got to be in spring -
0:05:15 > 0:05:18that's when all the males get together,
0:05:18 > 0:05:22jumping about, making loads and loads of noise, it's unbelievable.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24As soon as a female comes through,
0:05:24 > 0:05:28the display is absolutely stunning, it really is.
0:05:28 > 0:05:29Wings all over the place,
0:05:29 > 0:05:34the birds are jumping up in the air, juggling about.
0:05:34 > 0:05:35It's unbelievable, you know,
0:05:35 > 0:05:38it's one of the best sights I've ever seen in Wales.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42You want to see black grouse, this is the place to come.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45And this lekking now, this is all about sex, basically, isn't it?
0:05:45 > 0:05:46Yes, that's it.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49That's all it is - it's just showing off,
0:05:49 > 0:05:52get one over on your mates and get the best girl, that's it.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56But they are fantastic, I mean, you've got to come here early morning,
0:05:56 > 0:06:00you've got to make a lot of effort to come but when you see it, it's all worthwhile.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03You never forget it, you never forget the noise they make
0:06:03 > 0:06:06as you're walking through the forest before dawn.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, it really does.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12It's an absolutely wonderful sight.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14I reckon everybody should see it.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17Everybody should see a black grouse lek.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26So there you have it, one of Britain's rarest birds
0:06:26 > 0:06:28in stunning scenery,
0:06:28 > 0:06:32putting on a fantastic display just metres in front of the hide.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36So close in fact, I could have picked one up and taken it home with me.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39And all of that before breakfast.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41So come on - beat that if you can!
0:06:44 > 0:06:47Well, Iolo, you're right - it's a tough one to beat.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49But one thing's for sure, and that's that you
0:06:49 > 0:06:53have to get out there and see some of these things for yourself.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55There's some really good ideas of places to visit
0:06:55 > 0:06:57if you check out our website...
0:07:04 > 0:07:09OK, it's time for our top three now, and this one is really special -
0:07:09 > 0:07:12it's a species that migrates thousands of miles
0:07:12 > 0:07:14to put on a really spectacular show.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17At number three - it's migrating salmon.
0:07:24 > 0:07:29This is a spectacle that is simply one of finest to be seen anywhere,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32and I've got a front row seat.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59Just brilliant. I could and I'm going to
0:07:59 > 0:08:03sit here all day watching this - what a brilliant spectator sport!
0:08:05 > 0:08:08And it couldn't be more accessible either - this is the River Almond,
0:08:08 > 0:08:13just five miles from the centre of Perth in Scotland.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17This is one of the real log jam places.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21Apparently there could be as many as a couple of thousand salmon...wow!
0:08:21 > 0:08:23Look at that!
0:08:23 > 0:08:25HE LAUGHS
0:08:25 > 0:08:30Almost landed in my feet! That's amazing - bird watching? Nah.
0:08:30 > 0:08:31Plant spotting? Nah.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35Fish spotting has got to be the new religion.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38That almost knocked me over - it was wonderful!
0:08:40 > 0:08:41Whoa!
0:08:42 > 0:08:43Oh, look at that!
0:08:43 > 0:08:45Brilliant!
0:08:45 > 0:08:47Here it is, look at this!
0:08:47 > 0:08:50I'm tickling a salmon, everybody!
0:08:50 > 0:08:52That's absolutely amazing! It's just stuck here,
0:08:52 > 0:08:55I'm just pushing him off. There he goes!
0:08:55 > 0:08:58HE LAUGHS
0:08:59 > 0:09:03Driven by the urge to spawn, the salmon spent at least a year at sea,
0:09:03 > 0:09:07before using the earth's magnetic field and their sense of smell
0:09:07 > 0:09:11to guide them to the very same river in which they were hatched.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15Their return in the autumn brings out salmon watchers
0:09:15 > 0:09:17like fish expert, Dick Shelton.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20Dick, what a phenomenal spectacle - two, three, four at a time -
0:09:20 > 0:09:22we've got it spot on, haven't we?
0:09:22 > 0:09:25You've just caught the tail of the spate, and these fish
0:09:25 > 0:09:29are making their way up to spawn in the upper part of the River Almond.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31Oh, there we go, look!
0:09:31 > 0:09:33Oh, wonderful.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35Did you see the tail powering away?
0:09:35 > 0:09:36Superb.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39But it's the end for them of a very, very long journey, isn't it?
0:09:39 > 0:09:41- Yes, it is. - Why are they going to sea?
0:09:41 > 0:09:45Why not spend their whole life in the fresh water river system?
0:09:45 > 0:09:47There's not enough food in fresh water.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51If you want to have lots of big eggs the best place to get it is in the ocean,
0:09:51 > 0:09:56particularly where the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic mix - that's where all the food is.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58If you do that, you come home, out-compete
0:09:58 > 0:10:02the stay-at-home guys cos you've more fertile eggs than they have.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05I just heard a massive one splash behind us!
0:10:05 > 0:10:07- Absolutely. - It's very distracting seeing a fish
0:10:07 > 0:10:11jump out into your right ear and then popping out of your left ear!
0:10:11 > 0:10:12HE LAUGHS
0:10:12 > 0:10:15- I didn't feel a thing! - See, there's a few here.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18- Look, one, two, three, four, five, six...- Yes, quite amazing.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22So, Dick - I know you're biased, but if you had to pick
0:10:22 > 0:10:26one of Britain's greatest wildlife spectacles, where would this figure?
0:10:26 > 0:10:29It would figure as number 1A in my book.
0:10:29 > 0:10:30HE LAUGHS
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Whilst many of the leaps seem to end in heroic failure,
0:10:34 > 0:10:37the vast majority will reach the spawning grounds.
0:10:37 > 0:10:43To really appreciate the Atlantic salmon, you have to get close up and personal.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47We've had this one caught for us, for restocking purposes,
0:10:47 > 0:10:53and it gives a wonderful chance to see its breeding condition.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56This is a male, and you can tell that cos
0:10:56 > 0:10:57look at the size of the hook
0:10:57 > 0:11:01on the front of its lower mandible, that's called a kype.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05And as he moves into freshwater, he develops that especially
0:11:05 > 0:11:09to keep other males at bay when he's mating with the females.
0:11:09 > 0:11:13If you look down the flanks as well, look at those wonderful colours.
0:11:13 > 0:11:19That's called his breeding tartan, and they develop a lovely reddish colour underneath.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23And with his hooked jaw, and his lovely breeding plumage, hopefully
0:11:23 > 0:11:28he'll impress a few females - isn't he a beauty?
0:11:30 > 0:11:32Although the leaping fish are spectacular,
0:11:32 > 0:11:36it's only part of the story, because salmon of course, being fish,
0:11:36 > 0:11:41spend 99.99% of their time under the water.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44So this is where our cameraman Graham comes in -
0:11:44 > 0:11:46he's got what looks like a rod.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50There's a special camera on the end, and if you put that into water
0:11:50 > 0:11:54we can see what's underneath - a plunging mass of fish, hopefully.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01There we go, through the bubbles, through the water, right down...
0:12:01 > 0:12:02and we have salmon!
0:12:02 > 0:12:08That is remarkable, mate. It's really interesting - they're all pointing the same way, aren't they?
0:12:08 > 0:12:10That's right. I think there's an undertow,
0:12:10 > 0:12:13isn't there, that comes back right on the river bed?
0:12:13 > 0:12:17Gives you wonderful views of them. Look at that!
0:12:17 > 0:12:20Is that three, four, five, six, seven in one shot?
0:12:20 > 0:12:23Yes, and there must be many more that we can't see,
0:12:23 > 0:12:27because the camera can only see a short distance through the murk.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32And some of them have injuries that you can see
0:12:32 > 0:12:34from a shark attack or a seal attack,
0:12:34 > 0:12:36when they've been out at sea -
0:12:36 > 0:12:38like that one.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40What a privileged view.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54If you want to watch salmon leap, come after a period of heavy autumn rain -
0:12:54 > 0:12:58it's your best bet for seeing these animals at their most dynamic.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04From the moment I arrived till now, when I've got to leave,
0:13:04 > 0:13:07I've been absolutely transfixed by these fish.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10It's addictive - you can't stop watching them.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12As a naturalist,
0:13:12 > 0:13:15like many of us, I was a bit sniffy about fish, really.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18I thought bird watching, plant spotting...
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Getting soaked! It's absolutely brilliant,
0:13:23 > 0:13:26it's one of the best natural history experiences
0:13:26 > 0:13:29you can possibly hope to experience in Britain.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31This should be number one!
0:13:34 > 0:13:37Well, Mike, that was pretty special but what about this?!
0:13:37 > 0:13:42What about this? Skeins of pink-footed geese
0:13:42 > 0:13:45flying inland off the Norfolk coast first thing in the morning.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49It's a bit chilly but just listen and look - brilliant!
0:13:49 > 0:13:53Justifiable, too, because we're nudging closer to our top spot - we're at number two.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56A smaller bird, not quite as noisy,
0:13:56 > 0:14:00but when they get together, they do produce something pretty special.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04At number two it's swarms of starlings.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10The masses of starlings that come together in winter
0:14:10 > 0:14:15is without doubt one of the UK's great spectacles.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19And one which many, many of you suggested for our Top 40.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29The aerial displays of vast flocks of starlings gathering together
0:14:29 > 0:14:32to roost are a winter spectacular.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36At some sites the numbers reach several million birds,
0:14:36 > 0:14:40turning the sky quite literally black.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44The fact is, wherever you live in the UK,
0:14:44 > 0:14:48there's almost certainly a starling show near you.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54As for me, my first great starling spectacle is here,
0:14:54 > 0:14:56on the south coast on Brighton Pier.
0:14:59 > 0:15:04These birds started coming in from the north and the east about 3.30.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08Eventually they'll go and roost on the metal structures under the pier.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11But for the moment, they're just swirling around
0:15:11 > 0:15:15the sky like confetti, with their numbers swelling.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19They seem to be gathering now at this end of the pier,
0:15:19 > 0:15:23and I'm starting to think that any minute now
0:15:23 > 0:15:26they're going to shoot in under here and start their roosting.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31There they go, they're going under now.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38Now most of them have gone into the roost,
0:15:38 > 0:15:41there's this huge cacophony of sound underneath me.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45There's this terrific noise going on under here now.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47LOUD CHATTERING
0:15:48 > 0:15:50The great thing about Brighton
0:15:50 > 0:15:52is you get two shows for the price of one.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55Because when the birds have filled up this pier
0:15:55 > 0:15:59they then start to go into roost on the remnants of the old pier.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03The starlings have remained loyal to West Pier,
0:16:03 > 0:16:05despite it being derelict.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10And every evening they put on some of the very best
0:16:10 > 0:16:13shape-shifting displays in the land.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24Beautiful.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34Now for somewhere very different.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38Here in rural West Wales, I've been promised a roost
0:16:38 > 0:16:41that for sheer numbers is even better than Brighton.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45It all happens in the back yard of farmer Roger Mathias,
0:16:45 > 0:16:50who believes that his starlings will be the stars of our countdown.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55When we asked people for ideas for Top 40 wildlife spectacles,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58you, Roger - along with loads of other people -
0:16:58 > 0:17:02got in touch with us to say that starlings had to be in there.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04What is it that you like about them so much?
0:17:04 > 0:17:06I think there are several things.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08They're a very complex bird.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12When you see them in a flock on the floor, they're quite cheeky,
0:17:12 > 0:17:15they can be aggressive to each other.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19But they can totally change when you get them in a flock situation.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21They can almost become fluid.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25Roger, you're doubly lucky, cos not only have you got starlings all over the farm,
0:17:25 > 0:17:29you've also got a brilliant roost right in your own backyard.
0:17:29 > 0:17:30Yes, we have. Very close by,
0:17:30 > 0:17:34we've got hundreds of thousands of birds coming in every evening.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38They fly into this wood on the edge of Roger's land,
0:17:38 > 0:17:42coming in from every direction from miles around.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45Well, you've brought me right up to the edge of the wood -
0:17:45 > 0:17:47is this where the birds are gonna come in?
0:17:47 > 0:17:51- It is, indeed, Janet - in massive flocks coming in. - The moment of truth!
0:17:51 > 0:17:53Hundreds of thousands, you promised.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55Believe me, there will be.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58Some of them may come in high, but most of them will be coming in
0:17:58 > 0:18:00sort of at 100ft, 200ft, perhaps.
0:18:00 > 0:18:05Initially it could even be a few dozen and then as they approach
0:18:05 > 0:18:08they will gather up with other smaller flocks,
0:18:08 > 0:18:09and by the time they get here
0:18:09 > 0:18:12some of the flocks will be several thousand strong.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15Here we go - first flock coming in.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18Oh, there's another one, another flock there.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20- So it's started now?- Yeah.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22There's some more.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26Coming in - they do come in quite low, don't they?
0:18:26 > 0:18:27Yes. They are tonight anyway.
0:18:27 > 0:18:32- Wow!- Here we go, here we go.- They just snuck up on us, didn't they?
0:18:32 > 0:18:35Yeah, they just check the wind and come in at the right angle.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41You really do have to kind of swivel around,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44there's another group coming in up there.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47Coming in in a long skein, look. It's like you said, you know,
0:18:47 > 0:18:50they have a really fluid sort of motion, haven't they?
0:18:50 > 0:18:51Yep, they do.
0:18:51 > 0:18:56For nearly half an hour, these birds just kept on coming.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58WHOOSHING SOUND
0:18:58 > 0:19:01- Can you hear that?- Did you hear that? That is so like the sea.
0:19:01 > 0:19:06As the flock builds up, that's actually physically the wing beats.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10Look, there's just a constant stream coming in there.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12Pouring in now. Pouring in now.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15You don't get much better than this, do you?
0:19:15 > 0:19:18These birds are in Serengeti numbers, hundreds of thousands
0:19:18 > 0:19:19coming in here now.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22I can't believe the sheer volume, the numbers,
0:19:22 > 0:19:25- that's what's so staggering. - Streaming.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28We estimate probably half a million.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Probably half a million, we think.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34The sound is really starting to build now, isn't it?
0:19:34 > 0:19:37- It is.- That's them on their perches.- Yeah.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40They've settled down now, they've come in and they're having a chat.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42They're talking to each other.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44It's terrifically loud now.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48They'll murmur, they'll chat all night long - it's quite remarkable.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50LOUD CHATTERING
0:20:01 > 0:20:06The whole canopy is just alive with birds.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08I've never seen anything like that,
0:20:08 > 0:20:11and I've never heard anything like that.
0:20:11 > 0:20:12It's just absolutely awesome,
0:20:12 > 0:20:16and it definitely, definitely rates position number two.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19I'm sure it does, I'm certain it does.
0:20:21 > 0:20:22Good night, starlings.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31What can you say? Pretty amazing.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33And it's almost, almost time to reveal
0:20:33 > 0:20:37what's made it as the UK's greatest wildlife spectacle.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40But before we tell you what's the best of British,
0:20:40 > 0:20:43here's a recap of what made it into our top ten.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49Floating in at ten, hunting barn owls.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52At number nine, fish the size of a bus.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56There's two over there, there's a fin right here and there's one up ahead.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59I mean, we're surrounded by basking sharks!
0:20:59 > 0:21:02At eight, bizarre but brilliant -
0:21:02 > 0:21:04it's dancing adders.
0:21:04 > 0:21:09And at seven, the splendour of a British bluebell wood.
0:21:09 > 0:21:10Bluebell-tastic!
0:21:14 > 0:21:17Pumping up the volume to nearly 100 decibels,
0:21:17 > 0:21:18it's birdsong at six.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21A carpet of colour at five - hay meadows.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24At four,
0:21:24 > 0:21:27just bubbling under the top spot - black grouse.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31Top three now - leaping salmon, and what an experience!
0:21:31 > 0:21:33Here it is, look, look at this!
0:21:33 > 0:21:36I'm tickling the salmon, everybody!
0:21:36 > 0:21:41And at two, a super swarm of swirling starlings.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48OK, it's finally that time to reveal
0:21:48 > 0:21:53what is the UK's greatest wildlife spectacle, and I urge you to do
0:21:53 > 0:21:57everything within your power to see this for yourselves,
0:21:57 > 0:22:00because it is truly amazing.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03At number one, top of our wildlife pops,
0:22:03 > 0:22:06it's a feeding frenzy of gannets.
0:22:30 > 0:22:36Behind me is Bass Rock, a massive great lump of volcanic stone,
0:22:36 > 0:22:40covered with 100,000 of one of our favourite sea birds.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43Look at it - it's iced with gannets.
0:22:43 > 0:22:44GANNETS CAW
0:22:44 > 0:22:46That's 100,000 expert fishermen,
0:22:46 > 0:22:50only too happy to take advantage of a free meal.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06We're at the centre of a hurricane, a vortex of gannets,
0:23:06 > 0:23:08they're all swirling around here,
0:23:08 > 0:23:10all going in the same direction.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12You've got that cackle, you can smell the sea.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15And here, look at this.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17This has to be one of the most dynamic pieces
0:23:17 > 0:23:21of feeding behaviour that you can see anywhere in the world of any animal.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24And it's here on our British shores.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27These are large birds, chucking themselves
0:23:27 > 0:23:29into the sea at about 30mph.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41Now, gannets are really striking birds in terms of their coloration,
0:23:41 > 0:23:44and it's thought that's an adaptive advantage -
0:23:44 > 0:23:48they've evolved to be that way, obvious to other gannets.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50What happens is, they go out here into the North Sea,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53quartering hundreds of square miles
0:23:53 > 0:23:56looking for relatively localised shoals of fish.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59If one gannet spots them and dives down all of the other gannets
0:23:59 > 0:24:00can spot it easily.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03As the gannets attack, the shoal breaks up,
0:24:03 > 0:24:06so the birds can pick off the fish.
0:24:06 > 0:24:11Spectacle. Capital S. Filigree round the edges. This is fantastic.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15It's a truly mind-boggling experience -
0:24:15 > 0:24:18one enjoyed by marine biologist Ian Baird.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21Ian, it's phenomenal...
0:24:21 > 0:24:25It's incredible. I think awesome is just about the only word for it.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27- It is awesome. - But a lot of people like puffins
0:24:27 > 0:24:31and sometimes when I'm looking at gannets, I just think, why?
0:24:31 > 0:24:34Of all the British seabirds these must be the most elegant,
0:24:34 > 0:24:38the most beautiful, and they do such cool stuff.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42What about the rock as a whole? It is internationally important as a colony, isn't it?
0:24:42 > 0:24:46It's the biggest single rock colony in the world and some other colonies,
0:24:46 > 0:24:50St Kilda over in the west coast - large, but spread over a few stacks.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52This thing's absolutely massive.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55This is quite unusual, in that they're feeding -
0:24:55 > 0:24:59it's a bonus for them we're providing food so close to their breeding colony.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02But they'll travel hundreds of miles to find food.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05It's like a cheat to stick the fish in the water here and get them so close.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08We could go to Denmark, but it takes all afternoon!
0:25:08 > 0:25:10Exactly. They can go huge journeys
0:25:10 > 0:25:12and fishing trips can last a very long time.
0:25:12 > 0:25:17So you know, 30-35 hours is not unheard of for gannets
0:25:17 > 0:25:19disappearing off into the North Sea.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22Not quite the Arctic tern for distance travel, you know,
0:25:22 > 0:25:25but still nevertheless a great ocean wanderer, as a species.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28Yeah. I find - I mean a lot of people I think find that
0:25:28 > 0:25:31it's one of these things about birds that always amazes people,
0:25:31 > 0:25:36being able to go on your own to a destination hundreds of miles away
0:25:36 > 0:25:38without anyone telling you to do it.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41We're beginning to understand the science behind it,
0:25:41 > 0:25:44but it doesn't take away from the fact a little fluffy thing on there
0:25:44 > 0:25:48turns into a chocolate brown thing that flies to Africa with no map.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52Getting so close to these gannets was so good,
0:25:52 > 0:25:57there was only one option - to come back the next day.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01So, armed with more bait,
0:26:01 > 0:26:03and attracting the interest of the locals,
0:26:05 > 0:26:12I headed out again to feast my eyes on what is definitely the UK's best,
0:26:12 > 0:26:18most visual, most exciting, most dynamic wildlife wonder.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20And within minutes, the birds were ready.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27It's like a boiling mass of gannets in there -
0:26:27 > 0:26:29you can see them all underwater in a great big
0:26:29 > 0:26:32white writhing cloud as they sort of wrestle for the fish.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36Now typically, they would swallow them beneath the surface,
0:26:36 > 0:26:40because as they get to the surface there's a chance someone else will steal your fish.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43But some are coming up with the fish still in their mouth,
0:26:43 > 0:26:45quickly gulping it down before they take off.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48Now and again they all clear like this, possibly because
0:26:48 > 0:26:53the density has got too much and the risk of accident could be too great.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55And they'll all go, even if there's fish left,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58before they all start piling back in again,
0:26:58 > 0:27:00which is what's happening now.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04And they're superbly adapted for throwing themselves into the water.
0:27:04 > 0:27:09They've got air bags in their body to cushion the impact on the water.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13So German car manufacturers were thousands - hundreds of thousands,
0:27:13 > 0:27:17if not millions of years - too late in the design of the air bag.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19Gannets had it first.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45So there you are - up there at number one,
0:27:45 > 0:27:49it's gannets plunge-diving off the Bass Rock.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51It was simply amazing,
0:27:51 > 0:27:53clearly one of my favourites and I hope one of yours too.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57Thank you all very much for nominating your choices.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00But you know, I think there is one thing that we can all agree on -
0:28:00 > 0:28:05and that is that British wildlife is quite simply brilliant.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28Subtitles by Red Bee Media
0:28:28 > 0:28:31E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk