0:00:38 > 0:00:43"This precious stone, set in the silver sea.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47"This other Eden...
0:00:50 > 0:00:53"..a fortress built by nature."
0:00:53 > 0:00:59Shakespeare's words to describe the glories of his homeland.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07And who wouldn't agree that the hundreds of islands
0:01:07 > 0:01:11that make up Britain are individual jewels of great beauty?
0:01:17 > 0:01:22This is a place we should all be proud to call home,
0:01:22 > 0:01:27somewhere with which we can all feel a very personal connection.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32I don't know about you, but for me a walk on the beach
0:01:32 > 0:01:35always brings back fond memories of childhood adventures,
0:01:35 > 0:01:40fishing in rock pools with a net and a bucket bought on the prom.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42We've all got treasured moments like these.
0:01:42 > 0:01:47Watching frogspawn turn into tadpoles in a jam jar on the classroom windowsill,
0:01:47 > 0:01:50or just feeding the ducks in the park.
0:01:50 > 0:01:55For many of us, they're the start of a love affair with the nature of Britain.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01And there's plenty to fall in love with.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07You'll be amazed at the spectacular wild sights that Britain has to offer.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16Most of us only ever scratch the surface of our rich heritage
0:02:16 > 0:02:20and see just a fraction of the natural wonders we can call our own.
0:02:24 > 0:02:29In this series, I'll be travelling to every corner of our islands
0:02:29 > 0:02:31in search of the very best of British wildlife.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37To celebrate the remarkable animals and plants
0:02:37 > 0:02:39with which we share our home.
0:02:46 > 0:02:52All these living things have their own incredible stories to tell...
0:02:55 > 0:03:00..that reveal an intricate web of extraordinary relationships between
0:03:00 > 0:03:06animals and plants, the landscapes they live in, and our lives, too.
0:03:12 > 0:03:17Over the coming weeks, I'll be exploring and uncovering these relationships
0:03:17 > 0:03:23to piece together the jigsaw that makes up the nature of Britain.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27But for all our natural wonders, the truth of the matter is
0:03:27 > 0:03:30that we don't have the tallest mountains in the world,
0:03:30 > 0:03:32or the hottest deserts, or the deepest seas,
0:03:32 > 0:03:35and yet we all feel that there's something special,
0:03:35 > 0:03:39something uniquely, well, British about our countryside.
0:03:39 > 0:03:44So, the first question to answer is - is it more than just a feeling?
0:03:44 > 0:03:49Or is there something truly special about our countryside
0:03:49 > 0:03:50and our wildlife?
0:03:50 > 0:03:52Let's find out.
0:04:05 > 0:04:10And to begin the search for what might make our island home special,
0:04:10 > 0:04:12I'm heading to the far North.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18These are the remote Shetland Islands,
0:04:18 > 0:04:21closer to the Arctic Circle than they are to London,
0:04:21 > 0:04:25and I'm about to risk life and limb for my first clue.
0:04:27 > 0:04:32The creature I've come to see is known locally as a Scooty Allan.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37It's no relation. It's got a fearsome reputation...
0:04:37 > 0:04:38BIRD CALLS
0:04:38 > 0:04:41..so I'm walking slowly and rather tentatively!
0:04:42 > 0:04:44Oh! BIRD SWOOSHES
0:04:44 > 0:04:46Oh! HE LAUGHS
0:04:46 > 0:04:47Crumbs!
0:04:49 > 0:04:52These angry aerial acrobats are skuas,
0:04:52 > 0:04:56and I'm trespassing on their patch.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00Dive-bombing's their way of letting any intruders know
0:05:00 > 0:05:02they're not welcome.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04And it certainly does the trick!
0:05:08 > 0:05:11See why they call them skuas.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14One false move and you're skewered!
0:05:14 > 0:05:17SKUA SCREECHES
0:05:17 > 0:05:18Whoof!
0:05:21 > 0:05:24They're big birds, aren't they?!
0:05:24 > 0:05:26Talk about your life in their hands!
0:05:26 > 0:05:28They come at you from all angles!
0:05:37 > 0:05:39Oh, charming.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44And what are these skuas defending?
0:05:44 > 0:05:48Well, that's what I've come here to see.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58It's a chick, about a week old, and it's very precious,
0:05:58 > 0:06:01not just to its parents,
0:06:01 > 0:06:03but also to us, cos this is one of just
0:06:03 > 0:06:06a handful of breeding sites in the British Isles.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10It's not just any old skua, it's an Arctic skua, whose breeding grounds
0:06:10 > 0:06:13are mainly on the Arctic tundra,
0:06:13 > 0:06:16and this is the very southern-most point of its breeding range.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26Most Arctic skuas nest much nearer the Arctic Circle,
0:06:26 > 0:06:30in places like Iceland, but in the far north of Scotland
0:06:30 > 0:06:33it's just close enough to allow them to breed.
0:06:37 > 0:06:42Only because our long, thin chain of islands stretches so far north
0:06:42 > 0:06:46are we lucky enough to have this bird and other Arctic species breeding here.
0:06:46 > 0:06:52It's a good example of our geography and our position on the world map influencing our wildlife.
0:06:52 > 0:06:57But I think, for now, I'd better give its parents a bit of peace and get out of here.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59SKUA CALLS
0:07:01 > 0:07:05It's time to head from one extreme to the other -
0:07:07 > 0:07:13To the hot sun and warm sand of our most southerly outposts.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16Because what makes us really special
0:07:16 > 0:07:20is we've also got our very own miniature Mediterranean...
0:07:21 > 0:07:25..complete with some exotic-looking wildlife.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29Egrets, for example.
0:07:29 > 0:07:34And who'd have thought these vibrant green lizards lived in Britain?
0:07:40 > 0:07:42There's even a Mediterranean creature
0:07:42 > 0:07:45you might see in your own back garden.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55The hummingbird hawk-moth is a regular visitor to the South,
0:07:55 > 0:07:59and in a warm year can be found as far north as Scotland.
0:07:59 > 0:08:04If you're lucky enough to catch sight of one, it's worth stopping a while
0:08:04 > 0:08:07to appreciate quite what a remarkable creature this is.
0:08:19 > 0:08:25Slowed down 40 times, its precision flying abilities become clear
0:08:25 > 0:08:29as it sips nectar from each individual floret.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42The muscles that power these aerial manoeuvres
0:08:42 > 0:08:44can only operate in a warm climate,
0:08:44 > 0:08:48so Britain is about as far north as it can breed.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58So the British Isles sit across a boundary.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02We have one foot in the cold Arctic north and the other foot
0:09:02 > 0:09:08in a warmer, more Mediterranean south giving us a special mix of wildlife.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10And the importance of our position
0:09:10 > 0:09:16in shaping the big list of British plants and animals doesn't end there.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23Our prime location, sitting at the edge of Europe
0:09:23 > 0:09:26and looking out at the rest of the world,
0:09:26 > 0:09:28has made Britain a global crossroads
0:09:28 > 0:09:35for human explorers, traders and invaders for thousands of years.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38And they've brought with them their own contributions
0:09:38 > 0:09:42to the animals and plants that you can find in modern-day Britain.
0:09:45 > 0:09:51Pheasants - they were brought over by the Normans, 1066, and all that.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58Fallow deer came with the Normans too.
0:09:58 > 0:10:03Grey squirrels were brought from America in 1876,
0:10:03 > 0:10:07and no-one's quite sure who let the parakeets out,
0:10:07 > 0:10:10though they've made themselves quite at home.
0:10:12 > 0:10:18But I'm here to see an animal brought to Britain by the Romans.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25A bright spring morning near Cambridge,
0:10:25 > 0:10:30and the inhabitants of this field are beginning to gather.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36For brown hares, there's love in the air.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43But the girls are playing hard to get.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54This female uses fisticuffs to let the male know
0:10:54 > 0:10:57his attentions are not welcome,
0:10:57 > 0:11:00or perhaps to test that he's strong and healthy enough
0:11:00 > 0:11:02to be a worthy mate.
0:11:12 > 0:11:17For us, catching sight of the mad March hares on a cold, crisp morning
0:11:17 > 0:11:21is something to gladden the heart.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31A magic, natural moment
0:11:31 > 0:11:32to treasure for ever.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16It seems that this time, the male's persistence has paid off.
0:12:22 > 0:12:27The animals and plants brought here by people passing through our shores
0:12:27 > 0:12:30all help make up our unique mixture of wildlife,
0:12:30 > 0:12:33found nowhere else in the world,
0:12:33 > 0:12:38and which owes a great deal to where we sit on the global map.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41And there's one final way in which our position
0:12:41 > 0:12:46helps give the British countryside its unique character.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55A British woodland in winter.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58CROWS CAW
0:12:58 > 0:13:01It seems lifeless...
0:13:02 > 0:13:05..barren.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08Very little stirs.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10But it's all about to change.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12Because of our position on the globe,
0:13:12 > 0:13:15this woodland and the entire British countryside
0:13:15 > 0:13:19is about to undergo a dramatic transformation,
0:13:19 > 0:13:22all driven by the power of the sun.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31Because Britain sits well above the equator,
0:13:31 > 0:13:36the amount of sun we get varies enormously through the year.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38Winter days are short,
0:13:38 > 0:13:43and the sun sits low in the sky, weakening the power of its rays.
0:13:45 > 0:13:46But as the sun rises higher,
0:13:46 > 0:13:50more and more life-giving energy is beamed onto Britain.
0:13:55 > 0:14:01The moment of change is approaching,
0:14:01 > 0:14:05and when I say change, I mean change.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23In one of the most dramatic transformations on the planet,
0:14:23 > 0:14:30the dead, dark woodland becomes a lush, green wonderland.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32CUCKOO! CUCKOO!
0:14:39 > 0:14:45As the forest is reborn, its animal inhabitants also spring back to life.
0:14:58 > 0:15:04Flowers burst open to greet the sun that fuels their growth.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08Their vibrant beauty,
0:15:08 > 0:15:13a celebration of the life which has so quickly returned.
0:15:15 > 0:15:20It's a floral extravaganza to match any on Earth,
0:15:20 > 0:15:26and it's right here, on our doorstep.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40The seasons dictate the calendar of natural events
0:15:40 > 0:15:43that give our countryside so much of its character.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54And, for me, there's nowhere else in the world
0:15:54 > 0:15:58that can quite match the glories of a British spring.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10So, Britain's position on the face of the Earth
0:16:10 > 0:16:13definitely helps to make us special.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15It gives us our distinctive seasons,
0:16:15 > 0:16:19and it defines our uniquely British mix of wildlife.
0:16:19 > 0:16:25It's clear that where we are influences what we are.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32For the next clue as to what makes Britain special,
0:16:32 > 0:16:35it's time to head back up North.
0:16:36 > 0:16:42This time to a very particular beach, not far from Inverness,
0:16:42 > 0:16:46which is home to a quite remarkable coastal performance.
0:16:50 > 0:16:55Every day throughout the summer, crowds of people gather here
0:16:55 > 0:16:58in the hope of witnessing something rather wonderful.
0:17:03 > 0:17:10Scanning the ocean, they hope to catch a glimpse of movement,
0:17:10 > 0:17:16which might be the first sign of a sight few would expect in Britain.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38Our coast is home to some of the largest bottlenose dolphins in the world,
0:17:38 > 0:17:44twice as long as a grown man and eight times the weight.
0:17:45 > 0:17:51This is one of the few places on Earth where you can reliably see them
0:17:51 > 0:17:53quite so close to dry land.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02And having quite so much fun!
0:18:22 > 0:18:24They've come here to catch salmon,
0:18:24 > 0:18:26which are heading back into the rivers to spawn.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31But they're not above playing with their food first!
0:18:39 > 0:18:41And maybe it's just me
0:18:41 > 0:18:44but the dolphins seem to enjoy their fishing
0:18:44 > 0:18:47at least as much as we enjoy watching it.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20And to really see how rich our coastal waters are,
0:19:20 > 0:19:24I need to take a look beneath the waves.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32This is the first dive I've ever made.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36I can tell you, it's a whole new world down here.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43I can't quite get used to the feeling of breathing underwater!
0:19:50 > 0:19:52There are things here
0:19:52 > 0:19:54I've never seen before.
0:19:56 > 0:19:57Oh, look,
0:19:57 > 0:20:00I think that's a pipe fish.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02He's a relative of the seahorse.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04I never thought they got this big!
0:20:12 > 0:20:16It's pretty murky down here, but that's actually a good sign.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20It's countless millions of microscopic plankton
0:20:20 > 0:20:22that are clouding the water.
0:20:23 > 0:20:28And they're thriving thanks to the plentiful nutrients in our seas.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34The tentacles of this snakelocks anemone
0:20:34 > 0:20:37are catching the plankton as they drift past.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40Seeing it like this, it looks like some sort of alien.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44There's nothing like this up there on land.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48I can only explore the very fringes of this underwater world,
0:20:48 > 0:20:53but head out into deeper water and the sea is full of surprises.
0:21:06 > 0:21:12# Somewhere beyond the sea
0:21:12 > 0:21:14# Somewhere waiting for me
0:21:17 > 0:21:21# My lover stands on golden sands
0:21:21 > 0:21:23# And watches the ships
0:21:23 > 0:21:29# That go sailing by... #
0:21:40 > 0:21:44This kaleidoscope of marine life is only here
0:21:44 > 0:21:48because Britain's coastal waters are so rich in nutrients.
0:21:50 > 0:21:55In fact, our seas are among the most productive anywhere on Earth.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05And if you want final proof of just how productive they are
0:22:05 > 0:22:09then there's no better place to find it than here.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16The remote Monach Isles off the west coast of Scotland...
0:22:18 > 0:22:21..home to another British speciality.
0:22:24 > 0:22:29Our coastal waters support more grey seals than anywhere else in the world,
0:22:29 > 0:22:33and this is the largest breeding colony in Britain.
0:22:34 > 0:22:39All fed by our rich and productive seas.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46The mothers convert their diet of fish
0:22:46 > 0:22:52into an incredibly nutritious milk to fuel the growth of their young pups.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55And the youngsters need it.
0:22:55 > 0:22:56In just 18 days,
0:22:56 > 0:23:01they have to build up the strength to face the cold Atlantic waters alone.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07Peace does not reign on the Monachs for long, though.
0:23:07 > 0:23:14Soon after the females give birth, they're ready to mate.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16Rival males eye each other up.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21All looking for a chance to take over a prime piece of beach
0:23:21 > 0:23:24full of willing females.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32SEAL GROWLS
0:23:38 > 0:23:42Snarls and posturing will see off lesser rivals.
0:23:48 > 0:23:53But sometimes there's no alternative but to fight.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04Battles break out all along the beach.
0:24:14 > 0:24:19These two-ton leviathans don't hold back.
0:24:19 > 0:24:25Fights are vicious, bloody, and sometimes fatal.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47This is nature in the raw.
0:25:11 > 0:25:16It's a desperate battle for the all-important chance
0:25:16 > 0:25:18to father the next generation.
0:25:37 > 0:25:43Our rich coastal waters are a great and undervalued national treasure,
0:25:43 > 0:25:47but the sea isn't just important because of the wildlife that lives in it,
0:25:47 > 0:25:52on it and around it, it also has a more dramatic role to play in our story,
0:25:52 > 0:25:59and that's because it has an enormously powerful influence on our weather.
0:26:05 > 0:26:10Love it or loathe it, Britain just wouldn't be the same without rain.
0:26:21 > 0:26:28Whether it's April showers, sudden summer downpours at Wimbledon,
0:26:28 > 0:26:32cold autumn drizzle, or freezing sleet in winter,
0:26:32 > 0:26:38sometimes it seems as though it never stops raining in Britain.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48In fact, we do get far more rain than most of continental Europe,
0:26:48 > 0:26:54and that's because so much of our weather sweeps in across the sea that surrounds us.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01It picks up moisture from the Atlantic Ocean on the way,
0:27:01 > 0:27:07creating rain-laden clouds that then drop most of their contents on us.
0:27:13 > 0:27:19But far from complaining about the rain, we should take pride in it
0:27:19 > 0:27:24because it, too, goes a long way towards making Britain special.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37As any gardener knows, plants like nothing more than a good soak,
0:27:37 > 0:27:41and all this rain creates a lush carpet
0:27:41 > 0:27:46that makes our land so green and pleasant.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53Rain feeds rushing streams and rivers,
0:27:53 > 0:27:55and the power of these waterways
0:27:55 > 0:27:58has carved away at Britain's bedrock
0:27:58 > 0:28:04for thousands of years to create some of our most dramatic countryside.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11Rain has shaped the landscapes,
0:28:11 > 0:28:15which have inspired so many of our great artists and writers.
0:28:17 > 0:28:23After all, where would the Lake District be without a regular refilling from the heavens?
0:28:25 > 0:28:32One way or another, all that rain, which we spend so much time talking about,
0:28:32 > 0:28:38plays a huge part in making Britain such a special place.
0:28:41 > 0:28:46And our plentiful supply of rain also has some rather surprising effects on our wildlife.
0:28:52 > 0:28:54Take badgers, for example.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00British badgers are special,
0:29:00 > 0:29:03much friendlier than their relatives on the European mainland.
0:29:05 > 0:29:12I've come to a badger sett in south-west England to see it for myself and to find out why.
0:29:13 > 0:29:17And I've put out a few peanuts to give them something to nibble on
0:29:17 > 0:29:20and hopefully to give us a better view.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27It's wonderful to see them so close,
0:29:27 > 0:29:29but they're so intent on what they're doing,
0:29:29 > 0:29:32if I keep me voice down,
0:29:32 > 0:29:34they won't even notice.
0:29:41 > 0:29:43Can hear them chomping away.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49That's quite a goodly number
0:29:49 > 0:29:52here on one patch of ground
0:29:52 > 0:29:56and that's why they're different from European badgers.
0:29:56 > 0:30:01On the continent they tend to be much more solitary in ones and twos.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05Here they're in much larger groups and believe it or not
0:30:05 > 0:30:09it's all because of our weather that our badgers
0:30:09 > 0:30:13are so much more sociable than their continental cousins.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17To find out exactly what's going on
0:30:17 > 0:30:20we need to follow the badgers out of the forest
0:30:20 > 0:30:21to where they find their food
0:30:21 > 0:30:25and that's going to need some pretty serious technology.
0:30:29 > 0:30:31This is an amazing bit of kit.
0:30:31 > 0:30:37It's a full military specification image intensifying camera.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40It doesn't use infra-red, instead it has the capacity
0:30:40 > 0:30:47to multiply the available moonlight to between 12 and 15,000 times
0:30:47 > 0:30:51and that means that it can reveal a mysterious night-time world
0:30:51 > 0:30:54that most of us never see.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57And that looks like a hungry badger to me!
0:31:04 > 0:31:09He'll be using his sense of smell to sniff out a meal from the moist soil,
0:31:09 > 0:31:16because moist soil means worms and there are lots of worms here.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24Worms make great badger food - plentiful, packed full of protein
0:31:24 > 0:31:27and easy to dig up from the damp earth.
0:31:29 > 0:31:34On mainland Europe, where it's generally a bit dryer and food can be harder to find,
0:31:34 > 0:31:37a single badger needs a much bigger territory.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43Our mild, damp and drizzly climate, on the other hand,
0:31:43 > 0:31:47is perfect for worms, so there's a lot more food easily available
0:31:47 > 0:31:52and badgers can live more sociable lives in much larger groups.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56So there we are.
0:31:56 > 0:31:58Because we're surrounded by sea
0:31:58 > 0:32:03that means we get lots of rain, lots of rain means lots of worms
0:32:03 > 0:32:07and that means we can sustain large groups of badgers.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09Sorted!
0:32:09 > 0:32:14But there's one more way the sea adds something special to Britain.
0:32:21 > 0:32:25Christmas Day on Brighton Beach.
0:32:27 > 0:32:33And in the great spirit of British eccentricity, dozens of people take part in a seasonal splash.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38# It's the season
0:32:38 > 0:32:40# Love and understanding
0:32:40 > 0:32:43# Merry Christmas... #
0:32:43 > 0:32:45You wouldn't catch me in there!
0:32:47 > 0:32:52But it's not quite as cold as it looks and for two very good reasons.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57The temperature of our sea is raised by warmer water
0:32:57 > 0:33:01brought to Britain from the tropics on the currents of the Gulf Stream.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07And, during summer, the shallow sea soaks up
0:33:07 > 0:33:10the warmth of the sun, releasing it slowly through the winter.
0:33:10 > 0:33:15So the sea can actually be warmer in December that it is on May Day.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19and that's important to more than just the Brighton swimmers.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23Even when we do get a white Christmas
0:33:23 > 0:33:27the warmth from the sea keeps Britain from getting too cold.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36It boosts the temperatures across the whole of the British Isles,
0:33:36 > 0:33:38only by a couple of degrees,
0:33:38 > 0:33:43but enough to give us milder winters than much of continental Europe.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47And that attracts millions of wild visitors to Britain each year.
0:33:50 > 0:33:51Believe it or not,
0:33:51 > 0:33:56many of the apparently familiar birds visiting your back garden in winter
0:33:56 > 0:33:58are actually foreigners.
0:33:58 > 0:34:00Our winters may seem bitter,
0:34:00 > 0:34:03but compared to where some of these birds have come from,
0:34:03 > 0:34:06it's positively balmy
0:34:06 > 0:34:09and that's all thanks to the warming effects of the sea.
0:34:16 > 0:34:20There's one of these winter visitors that arrives in such numbers
0:34:20 > 0:34:24that it creates what's arguably the most mesmerising natural spectacle in Britain.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30You catch a glimpse of a single bird,
0:34:30 > 0:34:35perhaps a small flock of three or four.
0:34:41 > 0:34:47Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the flocks build and as birds fly in
0:34:47 > 0:34:53from all directions, the groups merge and grow in number.
0:35:09 > 0:35:16Then, quite suddenly, it seems as if the sky is full of starlings.
0:35:19 > 0:35:24But this is only the beginning.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36Numbers can be truly staggering
0:35:36 > 0:35:41with up to seven million birds in a single flock.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54A swarm of biblical proportions...
0:36:01 > 0:36:06..all waiting for someone to be the first to fly down
0:36:06 > 0:36:08into the reed bed below.
0:36:33 > 0:36:39Sometimes the whole flock drops down quickly into the reeds
0:36:39 > 0:36:44but sometimes they perform an extraordinary aerial dance
0:36:44 > 0:36:47that leaves you breathless.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30It's like a living sculpture in the sky.
0:37:35 > 0:37:40A perfectly choreographed natural ballet.
0:37:54 > 0:38:00And then, all at once, the birds begin to plummet into the reeds
0:38:00 > 0:38:03and the magic moment is over.
0:38:08 > 0:38:10STARLINGS CHATTER
0:38:15 > 0:38:19The silence of the aerial dance is replaced by the noisy chatter
0:38:19 > 0:38:23of the roosting birds as the day draws to an end.
0:38:41 > 0:38:46So far, we've gone a long way to discovering what makes the British Isles such a special place.
0:38:46 > 0:38:51We've seen how our position on the planet influences the animals and plants that live here
0:38:51 > 0:38:54and gives us our distinctive seasons.
0:38:54 > 0:39:00How the incredible productivity of our coastal waters makes them among the richest in the world
0:39:00 > 0:39:03and how the sea that surrounds us
0:39:03 > 0:39:05gives us our unique British weather
0:39:05 > 0:39:08and shapes our countryside and our wildlife.
0:39:08 > 0:39:13But there are two important bits of the puzzle missing
0:39:13 > 0:39:18and I've come here to the island of Alderney to find one of them.
0:39:22 > 0:39:26MUSIC: "Pink Panther theme tune"
0:39:28 > 0:39:32Alderney, one of the smallest of the Channel Islands,
0:39:32 > 0:39:37is the perfect place to see how being stuck on an island can make you...
0:39:37 > 0:39:38well, special.
0:39:38 > 0:39:40CAT MEOWS
0:39:40 > 0:39:47There's an animal found here which has changed,
0:39:47 > 0:39:48developed,
0:39:48 > 0:39:50evolved,
0:39:50 > 0:39:55to become a ghost-like mutation of its mainland relatives.
0:40:02 > 0:40:07And here it is, a blonde hedgehog.
0:40:07 > 0:40:12It's blonde because of a genetic quirk that means there's no pigment in its spines,
0:40:12 > 0:40:16a bit like blondeness in humans, but much, much rarer.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19Hedgehogs like this are one in a million on the mainland,
0:40:19 > 0:40:22but here on Alderney there are hundreds of them
0:40:22 > 0:40:27and all because they're stuck on an island.
0:40:27 > 0:40:29Let me explain...
0:40:29 > 0:40:33Hedgehogs were introduced to Alderney
0:40:33 > 0:40:38and the original animals just happened to have that blonde genetic quirk.
0:40:38 > 0:40:43And with such a small population on this isolated island,
0:40:43 > 0:40:46inbreeding has helped blonde hedgehogs
0:40:46 > 0:40:48become more and more common.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52The residents of Alderney have really taken these blonde hedgehogs to their hearts.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55For a start, they get fed most evenings
0:40:55 > 0:40:58and they have other benefits over normal hedgehogs.
0:40:58 > 0:41:03For one thing, nobody seems to know why, but they don't get fleas.
0:41:03 > 0:41:09And when it comes to road safety they have a distinct advantage.
0:41:09 > 0:41:14It's always been easier to spot a blonde in your headlights.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18CAR SCREECHES TO A HALT
0:41:20 > 0:41:22Alderney isn't the only island
0:41:22 > 0:41:26to have its own unique race of a familiar animal.
0:41:26 > 0:41:31In fact, we've got lots of island specialities - the Skomer vole,
0:41:31 > 0:41:33the St Kilda wren,
0:41:33 > 0:41:37even a Lundy cabbage found nowhere else in the world...
0:41:39 > 0:41:44..all because Britain is an island of islands...
0:41:47 > 0:41:52..more than 6,000 of them in all from Muckle Flugga to the Isle of Annet.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02Our island character is essential in giving us
0:42:02 > 0:42:06some of our most memorable natural treasures.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13BIRDS SQUAWK
0:42:13 > 0:42:18And top of the list are some of the largest, noisiest and most
0:42:18 > 0:42:22spectacular seabird colonies found anywhere in the world.
0:42:22 > 0:42:28More than two thirds of the world's gannets nest in the British Isles
0:42:28 > 0:42:32and this colony on St Kilda is the largest on Earth.
0:42:38 > 0:42:42The isolation of islands like this one provides sanctuary
0:42:42 > 0:42:46from mainland predators like stoats, weasels and foxes,
0:42:46 > 0:42:50which would devastate the nests and young of these seabirds.
0:42:52 > 0:42:58And that's why these birds come here in such numbers.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03Razorbills, guillemots, kittiwakes -
0:43:03 > 0:43:08every nook, cranny and ledge seems to be home to somebody.
0:43:12 > 0:43:16The precious isolation provided by our thousands of offshore islands
0:43:16 > 0:43:20is another vital part of what makes us special.
0:43:22 > 0:43:27But for the final, and perhaps most important piece of the puzzle,
0:43:27 > 0:43:30I need to look further inland...
0:43:37 > 0:43:42..in one of our most beautiful and majestic landscapes.
0:43:47 > 0:43:53With over 800 square miles of some of the most unspoilt countryside in Britain
0:43:53 > 0:43:57this is Snowdonia National Park.
0:44:04 > 0:44:08For me this is journey's end
0:44:08 > 0:44:12but I'm not here just to admire the view.
0:44:17 > 0:44:22I'm looking for something on a much smaller scale which can help me
0:44:22 > 0:44:27explain the most special thing of all about the nature of Britain.
0:44:28 > 0:44:33And for me, it's the fulfilment of a lifelong ambition.
0:44:33 > 0:44:37It's something I've wanted to see for many years
0:44:37 > 0:44:39and this is its ideal habitat,
0:44:39 > 0:44:43but it's not exactly my idea of a perfect place to live.
0:44:43 > 0:44:47These north facing slopes get no sun at all.
0:44:47 > 0:44:53There's hardly any soil in these cool dank crevices, but they're home to lots of specialist plants.
0:44:53 > 0:45:00Things like the roseroot with its succulent leaves, the miners used to use this as a cure for toothache.
0:45:00 > 0:45:03And here we've got the feathery, foliaged thalictrum.
0:45:03 > 0:45:05Down there, thyme.
0:45:05 > 0:45:08There appears to be nothing here, but when you look closely
0:45:08 > 0:45:11you find lots of things that are adapted to dwelling here.
0:45:12 > 0:45:15Living in these harsh conditions
0:45:15 > 0:45:17means plants have to put up with a lot.
0:45:17 > 0:45:24Rarely seeing the sunlight and enduring winter temperatures which can plummet to minus 20.
0:45:26 > 0:45:28There's one that's tougher than all the rest
0:45:28 > 0:45:32and that's what we've come all this way to see and here it is -
0:45:32 > 0:45:34the Snowdon lily.
0:45:34 > 0:45:39This one's just beginning to go over now and it's so rare, it grows nowhere else in Britain
0:45:39 > 0:45:46except in Snowdonia and then only in these little isolated crevices in rock where it's shady and cool.
0:45:46 > 0:45:50It was discovered in the 17th century by a local man
0:45:50 > 0:45:55called Edward Llwyd and named after him, Lloydia serotina.
0:45:55 > 0:46:00It's taken me to my mid 50s to set eyes on it in the wild.
0:46:00 > 0:46:02Quite a thrill!
0:46:04 > 0:46:08The Snowdon lily certainly isn't the most spectacular British plant,
0:46:08 > 0:46:13though it has a certain simple charm, but it's a great example
0:46:13 > 0:46:17of a living thing perfectly adapted to very specific conditions.
0:46:17 > 0:46:22However harsh this environment is, the Snowdon lily grows here
0:46:22 > 0:46:25not despite the conditions, but because of them.
0:46:25 > 0:46:30Some plants and animals are generalist and can thrive almost anywhere
0:46:30 > 0:46:33but others, like the Snowdon lily, are specialists
0:46:33 > 0:46:36and need particular conditions in order to thrive
0:46:36 > 0:46:38and that's the final key
0:46:38 > 0:46:41to understanding what makes Britain so special,
0:46:41 > 0:46:45because we have such an incredible number of these different habitats,
0:46:45 > 0:46:50that are home to different combinations of plants and animals,
0:46:50 > 0:46:52the British Isles are unique.
0:46:57 > 0:47:00We might not be the biggest country in the world,
0:47:00 > 0:47:03but when it comes to diversity of landscapes
0:47:03 > 0:47:06we really do take some beating
0:47:06 > 0:47:11and all these habitats have their own special blend of wildlife.
0:47:20 > 0:47:23We've begun to explore some of them in this programme,
0:47:23 > 0:47:25but there's so much more to reveal
0:47:25 > 0:47:30and over the coming weeks that's exactly what I'll be doing.
0:47:46 > 0:47:49From the lonely wilderness to the ever changing coast,
0:47:49 > 0:47:52through forests, lakes and rivers,
0:47:52 > 0:47:55to the landscapes we've created ourselves.
0:47:55 > 0:47:58We'll seek out the most beautiful wildlife,
0:47:58 > 0:48:00the most spectacular scenery
0:48:00 > 0:48:03and the most remarkable stories
0:48:03 > 0:48:09to discover the unique qualities that make each one so precious.
0:48:09 > 0:48:14There's simply nowhere else in the world
0:48:14 > 0:48:19that has quite so much quite so packed into such a small space.
0:48:19 > 0:48:22Final proof, if any were truly needed,
0:48:22 > 0:48:27that the British Isles really are a special place.
0:48:34 > 0:48:38Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:48:38 > 0:48:43Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk