0:00:05 > 0:00:08Right now, nearly 4,500 miles away,
0:00:08 > 0:00:11Matt Baker and the Wild Alaska Live team are witness to
0:00:11 > 0:00:14the world's biggest feast.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16After months of being frozen,
0:00:16 > 0:00:21the arrival of summer brings a four-month rush to feed and breed,
0:00:21 > 0:00:24attracting eagles, sharks, bears and wolves,
0:00:24 > 0:00:28all triggered by the annual arrival of Pacific salmon
0:00:28 > 0:00:30to this vast wilderness.
0:00:30 > 0:00:34Wild Alaska Live is capturing this incredible spectacle on TV
0:00:34 > 0:00:36and online.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40The Alaskan wilderness may seem a world away,
0:00:40 > 0:00:42but we are here every day this week
0:00:42 > 0:00:45to show you the wilder side closer to home,
0:00:45 > 0:00:48right here in the UK.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51As a wildlife cameraman, I've travelled all over the world,
0:00:51 > 0:00:54but the wildlife and wild landscapes of these islands
0:00:54 > 0:00:56hold a special place in my heart,
0:00:56 > 0:01:00and are full of inspirational and surprising wildlife stories.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04As a zoologist, I love getting out and about to the wilder parts of
0:01:04 > 0:01:07the UK, to discover conservation projects
0:01:07 > 0:01:09that help keep places -
0:01:09 > 0:01:12like this corner of the Western Highlands - wild.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15Over this series, we're travelling from rivers to mountains,
0:01:15 > 0:01:16from forests to seas,
0:01:16 > 0:01:19and even celebrating some of our wildest cities
0:01:19 > 0:01:22to bring you the best our country has to offer.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26The UK is a lot wilder than you may think.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28This is Wild UK.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55Each day this week, we'll be looking at a different wilderness in the UK.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59Today, we're revealing the wildness of our forests and woodlands.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05This is the Caledonian Forest and, you know,
0:02:05 > 0:02:07there's a real sense of wilderness here.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11Perhaps because it's been here ever since the last Ice Age.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15But, of course, it's a remnant of what was once an enormous forest
0:02:15 > 0:02:18that, once upon a time, would have covered the whole of the UK.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22It's made up of a mixture of Scots pine, birch and rowan,
0:02:22 > 0:02:25and is home to some of our rarest wildlife,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28such as the Scottish wildcat and capercaillie,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31a bird which is found nowhere else in the UK
0:02:31 > 0:02:33other than this unique Caledonian Forest.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36It's also the habitat that was once home to wildlife
0:02:36 > 0:02:39surprisingly similar to that found in Alaska.
0:02:39 > 0:02:45European brown bears and grey wolves once roamed these forests.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48And, once upon a time, you could even find wild boar here,
0:02:48 > 0:02:50which is an animal that's made a dramatic recovery
0:02:50 > 0:02:52in some of our southern forests,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55and we're going to find out more about that success story
0:02:55 > 0:02:57later on in the programme.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01I'll be on the trail of the elusive pine marten here in Scotland.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03If we want to do a proper job and identify it,
0:03:03 > 0:03:05I guess we should actually have a sniff, though.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08- We are going to have to put it to the test.- OK.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10We're joined by some familiar faces,
0:03:10 > 0:03:12sharing their best past experiences
0:03:12 > 0:03:15of the wildlife that rely on our forests and woodlands
0:03:15 > 0:03:19and the conservation success stories that have helped them.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22I haven't seen a red kite spectacle as good as this, ever.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25And Colin travels deep into the heart of Kielder Forest
0:03:25 > 0:03:27for some peace and quiet.
0:03:27 > 0:03:32You don't have to go far into a woodland before you really feel
0:03:32 > 0:03:35that you've entered an entirely new world.
0:03:35 > 0:03:40But first, time for a snapshot of our wild forests and woodlands.
0:03:42 > 0:03:48There are over 3.1 million hectares of wild woodland across the UK -
0:03:48 > 0:03:53nearly a quarter of a million more than covered our landscapes in 1998.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58Woodland now covers over a tenth of the UK's total land area.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03These forest areas range in size and shape,
0:04:03 > 0:04:06from old-growth, mixed deciduous forests,
0:04:06 > 0:04:08containing species such as oak and birch,
0:04:08 > 0:04:12through to large, human-made plantations of conifers.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17Ancient woodlands support over 200 of our rarest
0:04:17 > 0:04:22and most threatened species, such as dormice and goshawk.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31They also play host to one of our most spectacular seasonal sights -
0:04:31 > 0:04:33the bluebell blossoms of spring.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41Natural and planted conifer woodlands
0:04:41 > 0:04:44provide home for species such as pine marten,
0:04:44 > 0:04:46as well as being the last refuge of
0:04:46 > 0:04:48the charismatic red squirrel.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55At the heart of Sherwood Forest today stands one of
0:04:55 > 0:05:00the UK's oldest trees, estimated between 800 and 1,000 years old.
0:05:03 > 0:05:04One thing's for sure,
0:05:04 > 0:05:08if you go down to the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16One of the things that I really love about forests is they're just
0:05:16 > 0:05:19great places to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22I mean, your mobile phone doesn't really work
0:05:22 > 0:05:25and you're amongst all of these ancient trees
0:05:25 > 0:05:27and there's just a real sense of remoteness,
0:05:27 > 0:05:29even in the smallest of woodlands.
0:05:29 > 0:05:34Last month, Colin travelled to Kielder Forest in Northumberland,
0:05:34 > 0:05:36where remoteness is a virtue.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43Kielder Forest is one of the largest forests in the UK.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46But, surprisingly, it is relatively new.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50It was established after the First World War to provide
0:05:50 > 0:05:52the UK with more timber.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Thanks to its enormous size and remote location,
0:05:55 > 0:05:58it's the perfect place to escape into the wilderness.
0:06:00 > 0:06:05You don't have to go far into a woodland before you really feel that
0:06:05 > 0:06:07you've entered an entirely new world.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10As soon as you let it envelop you,
0:06:10 > 0:06:13you somehow leave the rest of the world behind.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19A whole host of creatures have made this forest their home,
0:06:19 > 0:06:23including roe deer, the goshawk
0:06:23 > 0:06:27and the crossbill, which has adapted perfectly to the food on offer.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32It's also home to one of Britain's favourite animals -
0:06:32 > 0:06:34the red squirrel.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37But getting an encounter takes a bit of patience.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43A red squirrel's going to be really difficult to see.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45They spend so much of their time in the treetops.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49But they find peanuts hard to resist.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54And, sure enough, there's one now.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58Beautiful little creatures.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02I love their little tufted ears and it seems like he's using his tail
0:07:02 > 0:07:04as an umbrella today.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08It's such a pity that they disappeared over so much of England.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11As soon as grey squirrels were introduced,
0:07:11 > 0:07:15the red squirrel population went into dramatic decline.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17Grey squirrels aren't so fussy about what they eat
0:07:17 > 0:07:19and they tend to get to the food first.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22But this is a real stronghold for the red squirrel -
0:07:22 > 0:07:2650% of the English population is found in this forest.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33Kielder Forest is also home to another successful tree dweller -
0:07:33 > 0:07:34the tawny owl.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39I joined Martin Davison from the Forestry Commission
0:07:39 > 0:07:43as he was carrying out a population study on this year's brood.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47Ah, look at that.
0:07:47 > 0:07:48Just pop it in this bag.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53Just get the chick out.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56- And, here we go.- Ah, look. I love them at this stage,
0:07:56 > 0:07:58when they've still got that little bit of down on,
0:07:58 > 0:07:59they look their very best.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01But the feathers are starting to come through.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04You know, as they grow, they start to moult their down out
0:08:04 > 0:08:05and, as you can see,
0:08:05 > 0:08:08they are starting to grow in their flight feathers.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10Martin, is he just sleeping or is that a bit of a defence mechanism?
0:08:10 > 0:08:14He's just having a sleep. They don't get fed during the day at all.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16They just basically go into sleep mode
0:08:16 > 0:08:18and then all night they would be fed.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20It's the reverse of our lives.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22How many tawnies have you ringed this year?
0:08:22 > 0:08:24It's been an excellent year.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26We've ringed just over 200 this year.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29So, is that all to do with prey availability, Martin?
0:08:29 > 0:08:32It is, Colin, you're quite right. The more food there is,
0:08:32 > 0:08:34the more eggs they lay, the more chicks they have.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36It's as simple as that.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38I would expect this chick to do really well
0:08:38 > 0:08:39because it's a lone chick.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41And lots of food coming in,
0:08:41 > 0:08:45so it's going to grow very quickly and fledge around 35 days.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47Just pop him back in the bag now.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52Thanks to Martin and the team,
0:08:52 > 0:08:54tawny owls in Kielder are really thriving.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00The vast size and remote location of this woodland wilderness
0:09:00 > 0:09:03has given rise to another important scientific study,
0:09:03 > 0:09:07which has nothing to do with Kielder's wildlife.
0:09:07 > 0:09:08To discover more,
0:09:08 > 0:09:11I'm off to the park's very own observatory.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18Hayden Goodfellow is one of the astronomers here
0:09:18 > 0:09:21and helps to operate the observatory's giant telescope.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23- How are you?- Hello.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25Ah, it is pretty impressive.
0:09:27 > 0:09:28It's a very nice piece of kit.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30So, Hayden, if it's not a silly question,
0:09:30 > 0:09:34how far can you actually see with something like this?
0:09:34 > 0:09:37The furthest I've observed with his telescope
0:09:37 > 0:09:39is a galaxy about 42 million light years away.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42But some of my colleagues say they can see billions,
0:09:42 > 0:09:45which is pretty much all the way out to the edge of the universe.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47And, so, why is this here?
0:09:47 > 0:09:49Is it just because it's so dark, is that a big advantage?
0:09:49 > 0:09:51Yeah, it's just the darkness.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55When you're in a city, between you and the night-time sky,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58there is a huge blanket of yellow-white street lights.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00By getting away from all of that light pollution,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03we can allow that signal from the sky to come through
0:10:03 > 0:10:06and we can see fainter, more distant objects.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08I've heard that there are many people who live in England
0:10:08 > 0:10:12who have never seen a really true night sky?
0:10:12 > 0:10:1590, 95% of people in England can't go out into
0:10:15 > 0:10:17the back garden and see the Milky Way.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19It's kind of sad, really, isn't it?
0:10:19 > 0:10:22One of the first goals of the observatory when we opened,
0:10:22 > 0:10:25taking advantage of the dark skies, was to ensure they stayed that way.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28There's no point building an observatory if,
0:10:28 > 0:10:29in 20 or 30 years' time,
0:10:29 > 0:10:32the light pollution from Tyneside has crept up the valley
0:10:32 > 0:10:35and we are now surrounded by supermarkets and street lights.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38We want to keep this area dark for generations to come.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48Ah!
0:10:48 > 0:10:50Looking for wildlife in forests can often be a bit challenging
0:10:50 > 0:10:52because there is just so much cover.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55But the animals do leave clues, don't they, Colin?
0:10:55 > 0:10:57Thankfully, they do.
0:10:57 > 0:10:58What do you reckon about that?
0:10:58 > 0:11:00I'd say that is a red squirrel.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02That's exactly what I was thinking.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04The teeth have gnawed away at that.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07This one, on the other hand, though, I think that's a crossbill.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09Exactly. And, once they prise them apart,
0:11:09 > 0:11:12they get their tongues inside and take out the little seeds.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15And you know, of late too, we've been able to use all sorts of
0:11:15 > 0:11:17new camera technologies, and I love these
0:11:17 > 0:11:19cos it means I don't have to spend all day in the forest!
0:11:19 > 0:11:22But you can actually attach them, say,
0:11:22 > 0:11:23on to a tree or something like that,
0:11:23 > 0:11:26and they will record pictures when you're not there.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29- And they often record the most amazing things.- Yeah.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32Badgers are an animal that are regularly recorded
0:11:32 > 0:11:35in many of our woodlands, especially in the south and west.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38Now, in the forest around Thetford in East Anglia,
0:11:38 > 0:11:42there is a small breeding population of a rare golden pheasant -
0:11:42 > 0:11:46a bird introduced from China back in the 1700s.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49There's one animal that leaves very obvious marks in our forests
0:11:49 > 0:11:54and regularly turns up on camera traps, and that's the wild boar.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58Now, this is one of our long-lost beasts that would have been at home,
0:11:58 > 0:12:01roaming around medieval forests, but was hunted to extinction.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04But, as of 40 years ago, it's back,
0:12:04 > 0:12:08and Sabet Choudhury went to the Forest of Dean to find out why.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15I've been a rambler for 25 years,
0:12:15 > 0:12:17and walked a lot of the English countryside.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20But, for the last ten years... Spanky, come here.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22..I've had a little companion.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25Now, we've both grown up in Gloucestershire,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28but we've never actually been to the Forest of Dean
0:12:28 > 0:12:30and, what a day to come,
0:12:30 > 0:12:33to find out about one of its largest inhabitants.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40Wild boar have been in the Forest of Dean for nearly 20 years.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44Since then, their population has increased rapidly
0:12:44 > 0:12:48and some of their activities are getting them into trouble.
0:12:48 > 0:12:49They root up the ground,
0:12:49 > 0:12:53leaving their mark on the forest and surrounding areas.
0:12:54 > 0:12:59This has a cost to local farmers, businesses and residents.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01The job of monitoring and controlling
0:13:01 > 0:13:04the burgeoning population falls to Ian Harvey from
0:13:04 > 0:13:06the Forestry Commission.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08OK, what we've got here, Sab,
0:13:08 > 0:13:11is typical of the wallows that the boars create.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15They're rubbing there, obviously, the wet mud will get on their coats,
0:13:15 > 0:13:19any parasites, ticks, insects like that, bloodsucking insects,
0:13:19 > 0:13:22will attach to the mud. Then, they rub on the post, as you can see.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24They'll also rub on surrounding trees as well.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26The same sort of thing. There are certainly boar in the area,
0:13:26 > 0:13:29as all the evidence is suggesting.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31What happens if you come across one yourself?
0:13:31 > 0:13:33What's the safest practice?
0:13:33 > 0:13:36The simple answer, really, Sab, is to give them some space.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38If you've got a dog, keep it under control.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41On a lead ,if it's not very well-trained.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43Avoid areas of very thick vegetation, if you can,
0:13:43 > 0:13:46stick to the main tracks because, again, that's one of the problems,
0:13:46 > 0:13:48particularly as the year goes on and all the vegetation grows up,
0:13:48 > 0:13:50it's hard to see the animals.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54Is the forest big enough to keep an unchecked breeding population?
0:13:54 > 0:13:56You've got...
0:13:56 > 0:13:5912,000 hectares of perfect habitat for them.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02Nice climate, favourable conditions, they're thriving.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06Left unchecked, the only major cause of mortality would be
0:14:06 > 0:14:08road traffic accidents, they would increase.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10It's a factor of their population now that
0:14:10 > 0:14:12the numbers can increase very quickly.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14Without any natural predators,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17there is no real alternative but to limit the population growth
0:14:17 > 0:14:20by culling.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22As the population increases,
0:14:22 > 0:14:26the wild boar are coming into contact with people more and more.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28Would you believe it? Along this busy road,
0:14:28 > 0:14:31we've just spotted an entire family of wild boar.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33There's the mother, the sow.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37Now, she has got five or six little humbugs with her.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39This is incredible.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42They've brought the entire busy road to a standstill.
0:14:43 > 0:14:48I've never actually seen a wild boar before and...
0:14:48 > 0:14:52now I'm watching an entire family cross the road!
0:14:52 > 0:14:55This is utterly, utterly amazing.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00But what do the locals and visitors
0:15:00 > 0:15:03make of this recent addition to the forest?
0:15:03 > 0:15:06What do you guys make of the wild boar here?
0:15:08 > 0:15:10I mean, it would be nice to see them.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13Ah, I think, I like to see them,
0:15:13 > 0:15:16but I think there are too many of them.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19They are part of the ecosystem now, and they do a lot for it,
0:15:19 > 0:15:20turning over the earth.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23You go to some areas and it's completely dug up,
0:15:23 > 0:15:26and it looks like it's a warzone, almost.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28Culls are always a difficult thing.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Obviously, personally, for me, I don't think it's necessary.
0:15:31 > 0:15:36We have culls on squirrels or the deer, so why not the boar?
0:15:36 > 0:15:38We introduce the wolf, and that will keep them down!
0:15:38 > 0:15:42So, the wolf is your way to keep them...?
0:15:42 > 0:15:46- Yeah.- As Gary says, if the wolf or something else was there,
0:15:46 > 0:15:48there'd be a balance, but there isn't a balance.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51Whilst not overly aggressive, boar can react to dogs -
0:15:51 > 0:15:55the closest thing to a predator in these woods.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57Are you scared of them?
0:15:57 > 0:16:00I am sometimes, if I've got the dog with me.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03- So, you still get excited when you see them?- Oh, God, yeah.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07Yeah, I've been trying to find them today but, you know,
0:16:07 > 0:16:10they're one of those mythical things that are out there somewhere,
0:16:10 > 0:16:13but if I bump into them, then, yeah, great, it would be amazing.
0:16:14 > 0:16:20So, after a 300-year absence from our forests, the wild boar are back.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24And, while they're not problem-free, they are here to stay.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33They are really just so beautiful to see.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36They're not even bothered by
0:16:36 > 0:16:38the huge amount of traffic that's going past this road.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40This is a busy road we're talking about.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45The mother's just a little bit further on from them.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47They know we're here.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58That was amazing. That was truly amazing.
0:16:58 > 0:17:03I had so many mixed reviews about these animals but, actually,
0:17:03 > 0:17:05seeing them up so close...
0:17:06 > 0:17:08..it's totally blown me away.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17Now, I think it's great that such a substantial mammal
0:17:17 > 0:17:20has found its home in our forest once again because
0:17:20 > 0:17:22once they were an integral part of our woodlands,
0:17:22 > 0:17:25and, in fact, they're very beneficial for them.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28But small animals can make a big impact as well.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31I mean, just take this Scots pine here.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33You can see it's riddled with holes.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37And you can see here what's made them - this is a tiger beetle here.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41And this soft wood of the Scots pine is favoured by its grubs.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43And these very neat,
0:17:43 > 0:17:46round holes are where the grubs have made their way out naturally.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50But these more jagged holes here are where woodpeckers have
0:17:50 > 0:17:52pecked away to have the grubs for dinner.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55And something bigger has been in search of them too.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57That looks to me, maybe, what do you reckon -
0:17:57 > 0:17:58badgers, pine martens or something?
0:17:58 > 0:18:00Pine marten, could be either, couldn't it?
0:18:00 > 0:18:02So, knowing where to look is really key
0:18:02 > 0:18:05if you want to sort of unravel the mysteries that
0:18:05 > 0:18:07the forest has to offer.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09And in 2014,
0:18:09 > 0:18:11The One Show's George McGavin travelled to Devon
0:18:11 > 0:18:15for a surprise encounter with a very special animal.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19Dartmoor National Park,
0:18:19 > 0:18:21home to some of the wildest
0:18:21 > 0:18:24and bleakest country in southern England.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27It's most famous for rugged moorlands,
0:18:27 > 0:18:31but its wooded valleys are home to one of Britain's rarer
0:18:31 > 0:18:33and lesser-known creatures.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37I've only seen the blue ground beetle as a pin specimen
0:18:37 > 0:18:39or a picture in books.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43It's so rare, it was once considered extinct in the UK.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47Without inside information, they're almost impossible to find,
0:18:47 > 0:18:49so I'm meeting expert John Walters
0:18:49 > 0:18:54who's been studying the blue ground beetle for almost 20 years.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57It's Britain's biggest ground beetle, it's quite a monster.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00It's very rare, just found in a handful of sites,
0:19:00 > 0:19:03maybe ten sites along the southern edges of Dartmoor and Bodmin.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06Now, this ancient woodland is prime habitat, isn't it?
0:19:06 > 0:19:11It likes warm places, but they also need to be damp and moist as well.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14So, in this valley, the lovely south-facing valley on
0:19:14 > 0:19:16the side here, it's nice and warm,
0:19:16 > 0:19:19whereas the north-facing side over there is a bit colder,
0:19:19 > 0:19:20and they don't like that so much.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24The beetles are restricted to rare ancient woodlands like this,
0:19:24 > 0:19:27rich in deadwood and moss, where they like to hide.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32Once darkness falls, they emerge to hunt,
0:19:32 > 0:19:35so we settle in to wait for dusk.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37The common name "ground beetle" sort of implies
0:19:37 > 0:19:40you find them in the ground. That's not actually true, is it?
0:19:40 > 0:19:43Not with this one, this is an unusual type of ground beetle
0:19:43 > 0:19:46which lives up trees and it hunts the tree slugs.
0:19:46 > 0:19:47And that's what it's after.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50This is one of the world's biggest slugs, the ash black slug.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52And this is quite a small one, actually.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56And this thing can grow up to 20, 30 centimetres long.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00I have to say, there's always for me a really special thrill when I know
0:20:00 > 0:20:02there's a very good chance that I'm just about to see something
0:20:02 > 0:20:04that I've never seen before.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10As night falls, and the slugs start to emerge from their hiding places,
0:20:10 > 0:20:11we begin our search.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15And remarkably quickly, we have success.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20- There's one.- What? Where? - Here we go.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22The blue ground beetle.
0:20:22 > 0:20:23Look at that.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25It IS very blue, isn't it?
0:20:25 > 0:20:28It's a beauty, shimmering in the torchlight.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30It's absolutely gorgeous.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32This one is a male, I'm pretty sure.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34- I'll pick him up.- How do you tell?
0:20:34 > 0:20:37Well, the main features are... Get your torch on that.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39If you look closely at the front legs,
0:20:39 > 0:20:43- just at the end it's got a series of pads, quite broad.- Yeah.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46And they are used for the male while he's gripping hold of the female
0:20:46 > 0:20:48- while mating. - That is an amazing colour.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51The males are much brighter than the females as well.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54What I'd love to see now is it actually eating a slug.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57After a bit more hunting,
0:20:57 > 0:21:00we find something that's not quite what we were looking for,
0:21:00 > 0:21:03but it is an incredibly rare thing to see.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05Oh, wow! A mating pair.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07Oh, it's two!
0:21:07 > 0:21:09Now, I've seen maybe 800 of these beetles,
0:21:09 > 0:21:12but I've only seen them mating a handful of times.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14And the male is a slimline creature,
0:21:14 > 0:21:16and he is mounted on top of her,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19using those pads I showed you earlier.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23Now, the female is considerably broader than the male.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25She's obviously full of eggs.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27What an evening for me.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29That's the first time I've seen that species ever,
0:21:29 > 0:21:31and I have found a mating pair!
0:21:33 > 0:21:36We carry on looking and find plenty more beetles.
0:21:37 > 0:21:42But after hours of searching, we don't manage to spot one hunting.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45Luckily our cameraman was out with John last night
0:21:45 > 0:21:47and got some unique footage.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50We managed to see this. Fantastic.
0:21:50 > 0:21:51This is amazing.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54As soon as the beetle has grabbed it, it's really got no chance.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56Squeezing it out, isn't it?
0:21:56 > 0:21:58Squeezing sort of toothpaste.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02This is unbelievable film.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06You can see the way the pads are just sort of around the slug.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10It's gory, but yet it is fascinating.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12It just draws you in.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15You can't take your eyes off it.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18Oh, it's a shame I couldn't see that first-hand.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21This is just as good.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31So few people get to see these secretive beetles that, for me,
0:22:31 > 0:22:35it's been a real privilege to find them and film them in action
0:22:35 > 0:22:38in their natural habitat for the first time.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47What a great little animal that was.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50I often find that the smaller the animal,
0:22:50 > 0:22:52the more interesting lifestyle it has.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55Absolutely. And such surprising woodlands.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57I mean, the river valleys of Dartmoor
0:22:57 > 0:23:00are not normally somewhere you associate with trees,
0:23:00 > 0:23:02it's more heathland that you think of.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05And yet, that is one of the last strongholds of that beetle.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08Our woodlands are, in fact, home to probably
0:23:08 > 0:23:12the greatest diversity of species in any landscape in the UK.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16In fact, over 200 of our rarest animals depend on forests
0:23:16 > 0:23:18and woodlands for their survival.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22But there's one that is particularly synonymous with woodlands
0:23:22 > 0:23:25and almost disappeared in the 1900s.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28But now, with a little help, it's making a comeback.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30And Lucy was lucky enough to go in search of
0:23:30 > 0:23:33the elusive creature in Strathyre.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41If you want to find a pine marten, the clue is in the name.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44This tree-loving mammal was once our second-most-common carnivore
0:23:44 > 0:23:48and its range stretched right across the UK.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52However, during the 18th and 19th centuries,
0:23:52 > 0:23:57deforestation and persecution caused their numbers to plummet.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59And by 1915,
0:23:59 > 0:24:03the pine marten was confined to our most remote landscapes.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05Luckily in 1988,
0:24:05 > 0:24:07the pine marten was thrown a lifeline
0:24:07 > 0:24:09and given full legal protection.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12Since then, the numbers have been on the rise
0:24:12 > 0:24:16and I've been told that woodland like this, just east of Loch Lomond,
0:24:16 > 0:24:19is a great place to go pine marten spotting.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26Lizzie Croose has been studying the pine marten for seven years.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31So, what makes an environment like this good for pine martens?
0:24:31 > 0:24:34Pine martens are a woodlands specialists,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37so they are really well adapted to living in woodland.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40They are really reliant on woodland cover, for finding shelter,
0:24:40 > 0:24:45raising their young, avoiding predators and also finding food.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48And how can you tell if there are pine martens about -
0:24:48 > 0:24:49are they easy to find?
0:24:49 > 0:24:52So, we can look for their scats or droppings,
0:24:52 > 0:24:54which they leave on forest tracks.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56So, is that what we are going to do today,
0:24:56 > 0:24:59go and search out some pine marten scat?
0:24:59 > 0:25:00Yes, let's go and have a look.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06And it didn't take us long to find our first potential poo.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09So, here is a scat, Lizzie. What do you think that is?
0:25:09 > 0:25:10I actually think this is a fox scat.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12Oh, how can we tell?
0:25:12 > 0:25:15So, the main way to tell is fox scats
0:25:15 > 0:25:18are very disgusting and smelly.
0:25:18 > 0:25:19Oh, great.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22If we want to do a proper job and identify it,
0:25:22 > 0:25:24I guess we should actually have a sniff, though.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26We are going to have to put it to the test. OK.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31- Yeah.- Yeah.- It's not nice, is it?
0:25:31 > 0:25:33- We'll just leave that.- Yeah.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35How does it contrast with a pine marten poo?
0:25:35 > 0:25:38So, pine marten scat is very sweet smelling
0:25:38 > 0:25:41and just not unpleasant at all.
0:25:41 > 0:25:42With that in mind,
0:25:42 > 0:25:45we continued our search for the pine marten poo
0:25:45 > 0:25:47and soon found what we were looking for.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51Gosh, there's a lot here, isn't there?
0:25:51 > 0:25:53Yes, so where you get a lot of marten scats together,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56it is often the sign of a territory boundary,
0:25:56 > 0:25:59so you have different martens marking their territory and saying,
0:25:59 > 0:26:01"Hey, this is mine, I live here."
0:26:01 > 0:26:04So, how can you tell this is a pine marten scat?
0:26:04 > 0:26:06So, if you look at this one,
0:26:06 > 0:26:09it has got a characteristic twisty appearance,
0:26:09 > 0:26:11which is what you tend to get with pine martens.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13It's very dark in colour.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15You can also tell by the smell.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17- OK.- So...
0:26:17 > 0:26:19- Should we dive in?- Let's do it.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21The joy of my job.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23OK. What am I smelling for?
0:26:23 > 0:26:25Well, you might get a sweet smell.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28Some people say they smell like Parma Violets.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31Sometimes you might get a kind of fishy undertone as well.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36So sorry.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38Does it smell really bad?
0:26:38 > 0:26:40That was a fishy undertone I got!
0:26:40 > 0:26:44There was no Parma Violets, I'm not convinced by the Parma Violets.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47So, we can actually tell a lot from scats.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50So, we can get the DNA analysed, and you can actually get
0:26:50 > 0:26:52an individual fingerprint from each scat,
0:26:52 > 0:26:55which will tell you which individual pine marten left that scat.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58And if you do that throughout a whole forest,
0:26:58 > 0:27:00then you can estimate how many pine martens
0:27:00 > 0:27:02are in that particular forest.
0:27:02 > 0:27:03In 2015,
0:27:03 > 0:27:07Lizzie and her colleagues started an ambitious project to help
0:27:07 > 0:27:10the pine marten spread the range further.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14So, we have been translocating pine martens from forests in Scotland,
0:27:14 > 0:27:17where they are doing really well, to sites in mid Wales,
0:27:17 > 0:27:19where the pine marten population was almost extinct.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21And over two years,
0:27:21 > 0:27:26we've translocated 39 pine martens, and the population is doing really,
0:27:26 > 0:27:28- really well.- Fantastic.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31All of the reintroduced martens have been released into
0:27:31 > 0:27:33the Ceredigion Valley,
0:27:33 > 0:27:36with the final release due to take place later this year.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40The project has proved to be a resounding success,
0:27:40 > 0:27:43with tracking data showing that each released marten
0:27:43 > 0:27:45has set up its own home territory close to
0:27:45 > 0:27:48the original release site.
0:27:48 > 0:27:49And a few months ago,
0:27:49 > 0:27:51one of the project's remote cameras
0:27:51 > 0:27:54recorded some incredibly special footage.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58So, this family here, it is a female with three kits,
0:27:58 > 0:28:02they were born probably March this year.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04This female was translocated in 2015
0:28:04 > 0:28:08and this is the first family that have been conceived in Wales,
0:28:08 > 0:28:12so these are Welsh kits that have been born and bred in Wales,
0:28:12 > 0:28:15so we now have a self-sustaining,
0:28:15 > 0:28:17healthy pine marten population in Wales for
0:28:17 > 0:28:20the first time in probably over 100 years.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23Oh, congratulations, that's fantastic news.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25- You must be very proud.- Yeah.
0:28:30 > 0:28:31And the next stage, of course,
0:28:31 > 0:28:34would be to introduce the pine marten to England.
0:28:34 > 0:28:39I remember, once upon a time, they were incredibly rare in Ireland,
0:28:39 > 0:28:40and when I was a kid,
0:28:40 > 0:28:43I had a little book and I can see the photo of them now,
0:28:43 > 0:28:46and I thought, that would be brilliant to see them one day.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50Never thinking I would, but they are actually very common now.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52And they're such charismatic little creatures.
0:28:52 > 0:28:54Yes, I was pretty gutted not to see one,
0:28:54 > 0:28:58but it just gives me an excuse to get out there and try another time,
0:28:58 > 0:29:01and that's what we want to do here at Wild UK,
0:29:01 > 0:29:04is encourage you to go out and explore.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07It's not hard to find a patch of woodland,
0:29:07 > 0:29:10but if you need a little bit of extra inspiration,
0:29:10 > 0:29:12here is our guide to where the wild things are.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20In the autumn, our deciduous woodlands burst into colour
0:29:20 > 0:29:24to deliver one of nature's most spectacular displays.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27This phenomenon can be witnessed wherever you are in the UK,
0:29:27 > 0:29:32but there were a few hidden gems in Northern Ireland's ancient forests.
0:29:36 > 0:29:40If you look carefully, you might see some of our special butterflies,
0:29:40 > 0:29:43such as the pearl-bordered fritillary.
0:29:45 > 0:29:47It can be found as early as April in
0:29:47 > 0:29:50the deciduous forests of Scotland and southern England.
0:29:58 > 0:30:01We have three species of woodpecker -
0:30:01 > 0:30:04the greater, the lesser spotted
0:30:04 > 0:30:06and the green.
0:30:06 > 0:30:08The green woodpecker is the biggest
0:30:08 > 0:30:12and can be found across most of England, Wales and Scotland.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16It is often heard before it's seen
0:30:16 > 0:30:20and uses its long tongue to tuck into its favourite snack - ants.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28The dormouse is one of our nocturnal favourites
0:30:28 > 0:30:32and leaves its own unique mark in the hazelnuts it nibbles.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37While you are unlikely to see one in the wild,
0:30:37 > 0:30:40you've got a good chance of discovering its evidence trails
0:30:40 > 0:30:43in forest across southern England and Wales.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51One of the great pleasures for me of exploring wild places
0:30:51 > 0:30:53is taking photos of them,
0:30:53 > 0:30:56so I always try and make sure I've got a camera
0:30:56 > 0:30:58or at least a mobile phone.
0:30:58 > 0:31:00And it seems that you guys do too,
0:31:00 > 0:31:03because you've sent some fantastic images of woodlands through using
0:31:03 > 0:31:06the hashtag #mywilderness.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12Like this frosty view of Thetford Forest in Norfolk.
0:31:14 > 0:31:19And this, of bluebells carpeting the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24Please do keep sharing your wild experiences online at
0:31:24 > 0:31:26the hashtag #mywilderness.
0:31:26 > 0:31:30Now, the wilderness of Alaska is being revealed all this week,
0:31:30 > 0:31:34both online and on BBC One by the Wild Alaska Live crew.
0:31:34 > 0:31:36Over the last few months,
0:31:36 > 0:31:39their crews have been travelling far and wide to capture
0:31:39 > 0:31:42the incredible wildlife that lives there.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45In June, one of the teams was on a mission to capture
0:31:45 > 0:31:46the lives of brown bears,
0:31:46 > 0:31:49but things didn't get off to the start they'd hoped.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57The bear crew had planned to film in the very remote location of
0:31:57 > 0:31:59Katmai National Park in Alaska, to capture
0:31:59 > 0:32:04the lives of the brown bears just before the start of the salmon run.
0:32:04 > 0:32:08But all good plans can be derailed by the Alaskan weather,
0:32:08 > 0:32:11as director Charlie Bingham and wildlife cameraman Ian Llewellyn
0:32:11 > 0:32:13know too well.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17We allowed four and a half, five days.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19Because of the weather closing in,
0:32:19 > 0:32:22that has been reduced to what will now be...
0:32:22 > 0:32:23Well, once we get there...
0:32:23 > 0:32:26Well, two, two and a half, absolute max.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28So, it's going to be a real challenge,
0:32:28 > 0:32:30we're going to work round the clock. One good thing,
0:32:30 > 0:32:32it basically doesn't get any darker than this.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34At this time of the year, I don't think it's going to be
0:32:34 > 0:32:36particularly difficult to find the bears,
0:32:36 > 0:32:40but we are pushing it in terms of getting a really beautiful sequence.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43- Right, let's go.- Don't forget, I have bagsied the front seat.- Yeah.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48With the weather window finally open for them,
0:32:48 > 0:32:50the crew were keen to get to location.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55It's a 19-minute flight from Homer across some of
0:32:55 > 0:32:58the most remote wilderness Alaska has to offer.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01And at the end, there isn't even a runaway -
0:33:01 > 0:33:03the landing strip is the beach.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09We made it.
0:33:11 > 0:33:13What a journey in. I've done a lot of plane journeys,
0:33:13 > 0:33:15but I don't think I've ever done one as beautiful as that -
0:33:15 > 0:33:19that was spectacular. And it's amazing to finally get here,
0:33:19 > 0:33:21I'm really happy, very, very happy.
0:33:21 > 0:33:23Let's film some bears.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26Time is of the essence,
0:33:26 > 0:33:29but before the crews can head out to find the bears with expert guide
0:33:29 > 0:33:34Samira, they are given advice on how to behave around these large
0:33:34 > 0:33:36and potentially dangerous animals.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39All right, sitting is a very nonthreatening body language,
0:33:39 > 0:33:42that's why, as soon as we get to an area,
0:33:42 > 0:33:45we sit down immediately and we let them see us doing that.
0:33:45 > 0:33:47And you will see that activity as well.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49If there's a bear in the meadow and another bear comes in,
0:33:49 > 0:33:52you will see that the bear that is already in the meadow sit down,
0:33:52 > 0:33:55and the other one will sit down because they are showing each other
0:33:55 > 0:33:57that both of them want to be non-confrontational,
0:33:57 > 0:33:59they just want to share the meadow together.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01Standing is more of a threatening body language,
0:34:01 > 0:34:04so we want to keep the bears as comfortable as possible.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09There are no vehicles in this part of the park, so to get anywhere,
0:34:09 > 0:34:11it's all on foot.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14And the crew need to take all their equipment with them,
0:34:14 > 0:34:16so travelling light isn't easy,
0:34:16 > 0:34:20as cameraman Mark Sharman is discovering.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22It's a very heavy set-up.
0:34:22 > 0:34:27Not perfect for trekking for a 45-minute journey, that's for sure.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30I already regret having such a large tripod.
0:34:33 > 0:34:36Their trek takes them through the woodlands and finally to a meadow
0:34:36 > 0:34:40where the bears are regularly found.
0:34:40 > 0:34:41But not today.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44And it's not until the crew are heading back to camp
0:34:44 > 0:34:48that they get their first encounter with a large male grizzly.
0:34:48 > 0:34:50He's not wanting us any closer.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55He's cowboy walking, he's being very territorial right now,
0:34:55 > 0:34:57so we aren't going to get any closer.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03It's a start, but it's just one shot.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07They need more, and they've got just one more day to get it.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10Thankfully, day two begins much more positively.
0:35:11 > 0:35:12After all this waiting,
0:35:12 > 0:35:15it looks like we've got a mum and three cubs on the tidal flats.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19This could be exactly what we've been waiting for.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23They move into position,
0:35:23 > 0:35:25the family of bears are hunting for clams
0:35:25 > 0:35:28which live just under the surface of the beach.
0:35:28 > 0:35:30You'll see the mom swinging her head back and forth
0:35:30 > 0:35:32as she is walking across the tidal flats.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35The clams underneath can feel the pressure of her footprints,
0:35:35 > 0:35:38and when it moves all of a sudden,
0:35:38 > 0:35:40it shoots out a little shoot of water that comes up.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43As soon as she sees one of those, she starts digging.
0:35:45 > 0:35:49Hey, bear. Hey, bear.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54I've filmed grizzlies quite a few times now,
0:35:54 > 0:35:56but that was a really special little moment.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58You could actually see them digging the clams out
0:35:58 > 0:36:00and very delicately opening them up
0:36:00 > 0:36:03and extracting that very nutritious meal inside,
0:36:03 > 0:36:05so that was a fantastic spectacle,
0:36:05 > 0:36:07and they came right past us with the mountains in the background,
0:36:07 > 0:36:09that's up there with the best things. Yeah!
0:36:10 > 0:36:12As the weather cools down,
0:36:12 > 0:36:15the bears move off the beach and into the meadow,
0:36:15 > 0:36:16and the crew follow.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20They need to make the most of their last filming day,
0:36:20 > 0:36:23and there's one bear that is giving the crew all the close-ups
0:36:23 > 0:36:25they could ever wish for.
0:36:51 > 0:36:56I never thought I'd be this close to a grizzly bear!
0:37:02 > 0:37:03That was awesome.
0:37:06 > 0:37:11Two long filming days have finally paid off and the crew have got more
0:37:11 > 0:37:13than the bare necessities they came here for.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22Wild Alaska Live will have more about those bears
0:37:22 > 0:37:25on Wednesday night, BBC One, 8pm.
0:37:25 > 0:37:31Many of our birds rely on woodlands and trees for building their nests
0:37:31 > 0:37:33and for roosting,
0:37:33 > 0:37:36and I remember the first job I ever had as a wildlife cameraman
0:37:36 > 0:37:38was to go and film one particular nest,
0:37:38 > 0:37:40and the exact location had to be kept a secret
0:37:40 > 0:37:43because the bird at that time was in danger of extinction.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45That was the red kite.
0:37:45 > 0:37:47And it only seems like yesterday.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50And now, of course, they are the stars of Springwatch.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54These large birds of prey build pretty untidy nests
0:37:54 > 0:37:57and have been known to build on top of abandoned crows' nests
0:37:57 > 0:37:58or squirrel drays.
0:37:58 > 0:38:00Their nests are often lined with sheep's wool
0:38:00 > 0:38:04and found usually on tall trees on the edge of woodlands and forests,
0:38:04 > 0:38:07which allow the large-winged parents
0:38:07 > 0:38:09an easy flight path back to the nest
0:38:09 > 0:38:13after searching for food in the surrounding countryside.
0:38:13 > 0:38:14A couple of years ago,
0:38:14 > 0:38:18the naturalist Mike Dilger headed to the Chilterns,
0:38:18 > 0:38:21which is one of the birthplaces of this wild success story.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27For the last 25 years, farmers in the Chilterns
0:38:27 > 0:38:30have been welcoming a new visitor to their fields.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32A former city bird.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34The red kite.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37This species was almost extinct in England towards
0:38:37 > 0:38:40the end of the 19th century, and then,
0:38:40 > 0:38:42just a handful of birds were released here into
0:38:42 > 0:38:45the Chilterns in the late 1980s.
0:38:45 > 0:38:49Now, with over 1,000 breeding pairs in just this area alone,
0:38:49 > 0:38:54it's safe to say the red kite has made a storming comeback.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59I've come to Little Horsenden Farm
0:38:59 > 0:39:02to meet owner and farmer Neil McIntosh,
0:39:02 > 0:39:05who has a special relationship with the red kite.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08On my drive over here this morning, Neil, I saw a lot of red kites,
0:39:08 > 0:39:11but I imagine growing up here, you never saw them as a child.
0:39:11 > 0:39:13No, no, we didn't see them here at all.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16Since their reintroduction 25 years ago,
0:39:16 > 0:39:20feeding stations have driven the kites to record levels.
0:39:20 > 0:39:24But these birds are naturally opportunistic scavengers.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27And as farmland covers over two-thirds of the Chilterns,
0:39:27 > 0:39:32216 square miles devoted purely to agriculture,
0:39:32 > 0:39:34the kites have seized on an opportunity
0:39:34 > 0:39:38which presents itself as farmers sow the seeds of spring.
0:39:39 > 0:39:43Well, you would have thought that wildlife would stay well clear
0:39:43 > 0:39:46of a huge hulking beast like this tractor.
0:39:46 > 0:39:50But hopefully, this camera should prove otherwise.
0:39:53 > 0:39:57Now the tractor is rigged up with cameras, it's time to get ploughing.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01I just hope the kites are ready for their close-up.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04So, it might take the red kites a while to see the tractor.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07Do you think they know you are about to start ploughing?
0:40:07 > 0:40:10No, it won't take them very long, not normally.
0:40:10 > 0:40:12I can see them actually gathering.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14They obviously know that feeding time is coming.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16They're looking hungry, they're just waiting for it.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21Wow! Two behind the tractor.
0:40:21 > 0:40:25- Yeah, they're coming in already. - Look at that, fabulous.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29I can see one, two, three, four, five in the air.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31What's the maximum number you've seen coming in?
0:40:31 > 0:40:34I've seen between 40 and 50 behind me at one time.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36- Really?!- Yes.
0:40:38 > 0:40:40The kites are coming down to feed on worms,
0:40:40 > 0:40:44beetles and other invertebrates that Neal's plough unearths
0:40:44 > 0:40:47as it churns up the soil beneath us.
0:40:47 > 0:40:48Kites are diverse hunters
0:40:48 > 0:40:52and although capable of spotting food from high in the sky,
0:40:52 > 0:40:55it's their exceptional ability to surf the air currents close to
0:40:55 > 0:40:59the ground that allows them to brave the blades of Neal's plough.
0:41:01 > 0:41:05You get a real chance to see their lovely plumage as well.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07You don't often get this close.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10Lovely kind of powder grey hair, that gorgeous red tail.
0:41:10 > 0:41:15On the top of the wings, that lovely kind of fawn band.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17Look at that ahead of us.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20They're just flying ahead of the tractor.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23That's absolutely amazing, that is such a brilliant sight.
0:41:25 > 0:41:27Weighing in at just over a kilogram,
0:41:27 > 0:41:30and suspended on wings of almost two metres,
0:41:30 > 0:41:33the red kite is a masterful flyer.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36If necessary, they can remain stock-still in midair
0:41:36 > 0:41:40with only their tail twisting in relation to airflow,
0:41:40 > 0:41:41just like a rudder.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44I love the way when they just want to come down,
0:41:44 > 0:41:46they just fold their wings in, stall,
0:41:46 > 0:41:48and then just spiral out of the air.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51Beautiful. Look how close they are.
0:41:52 > 0:41:56This farm has been passed down through three generations,
0:41:56 > 0:41:58but Neal will be the first of his family to have had
0:41:58 > 0:42:02the company of kites in these fields throughout his career.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07I don't think there's many spectacles
0:42:07 > 0:42:08I've not seen wildlife-wise,
0:42:08 > 0:42:11I constantly think I've pretty much seen everything.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14I haven't seen a red kite spectacle as good as this, ever.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24Red kites are now found right across the UK,
0:42:24 > 0:42:26not just in Wales and the Chilterns,
0:42:26 > 0:42:29but also in Yorkshire and north-east England.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31And for their continued success,
0:42:31 > 0:42:34they're going to need areas of open countryside
0:42:34 > 0:42:37as well as forests, in order to build their nests.
0:42:40 > 0:42:42Tomorrow on Wild UK,
0:42:42 > 0:42:45we turn our attention to seas, and the wildlife that make
0:42:45 > 0:42:48the waters around our islands their home.
0:42:49 > 0:42:53Colin travels to the Farne Islands for a sea bird spectacular.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56I'm sorry, we are just passing through.
0:42:56 > 0:43:00Lucy finds out more about the project that brought back
0:43:00 > 0:43:03the spectacular white-tailed sea eagle to the UK.
0:43:04 > 0:43:09And we set sail with the Wild Alaska team on the trail of the orca.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12You can keep up with the latest news
0:43:12 > 0:43:15from the Wild Alaska team online all this week.
0:43:15 > 0:43:19And of course, join us again tomorrow, 9.15pm, BBC One,
0:43:19 > 0:43:21for more Wild UK.