1 00:00:32,100 --> 00:00:36,660 The Caledonian pinewoods of the Scottish Highlands. 2 00:00:41,900 --> 00:00:46,260 This patch in the Cairngorms National Park is one of the oldest 3 00:00:46,260 --> 00:00:51,620 remnants of this ancient, wild wood. 4 00:00:51,620 --> 00:00:56,300 It's the stage for an equally ancient drama. 5 00:00:56,300 --> 00:00:59,620 Woodland-dwelling golden eagles. 6 00:01:06,260 --> 00:01:09,540 These birds are clearly at home amongst the open, 7 00:01:09,540 --> 00:01:11,500 old-growth forest. 8 00:01:17,940 --> 00:01:21,700 Golden eagles once flew across much of the uplands of Britain 9 00:01:21,700 --> 00:01:23,980 and Ireland, but are now absent from many areas 10 00:01:23,980 --> 00:01:27,500 due to human persecution. 11 00:01:31,540 --> 00:01:35,420 So, their huge, three-metre nest on the edge of this 12 00:01:35,420 --> 00:01:38,340 wood is now a rare sight. 13 00:01:39,700 --> 00:01:44,220 The nest is home to two fully-grown chicks... 14 00:01:44,220 --> 00:01:47,300 ..unusual for golden eagles, 15 00:01:47,300 --> 00:01:52,740 whose stronger chick kills the weaker in 80% of the nests. 16 00:02:02,020 --> 00:02:07,060 Today, the chicks have only been given a tiny weasel. 17 00:02:07,060 --> 00:02:10,780 It could be a way of telling them it's almost time to leave. 18 00:02:20,020 --> 00:02:23,820 Only 1% of these native pine forests are left, 19 00:02:23,820 --> 00:02:26,380 so when the chicks do fledge, 20 00:02:26,380 --> 00:02:30,380 their chances of finding a woodland nest of their own are slim. 21 00:02:33,900 --> 00:02:39,340 Ancient woodlands like these are now rare and precious. 22 00:02:54,060 --> 00:02:59,580 This magnificent oak is a very special tree for me. 23 00:02:59,580 --> 00:03:03,180 I've known it for over 70 years. 24 00:03:03,180 --> 00:03:05,620 That may sound a long time, 25 00:03:05,620 --> 00:03:11,220 but it's only about a tenth of the life of this tree. 26 00:03:11,220 --> 00:03:17,220 It's probably over 700 years old. 27 00:03:17,220 --> 00:03:20,940 In England alone, we have more ancient oaks than the whole 28 00:03:20,940 --> 00:03:23,540 of the rest of Europe put together. 29 00:03:23,540 --> 00:03:29,460 But since I was born, we have lost almost half of our ancient woodland, 30 00:03:29,460 --> 00:03:33,900 and now we are one of the least forested countries in Europe. 31 00:03:38,980 --> 00:03:43,220 Woodland covers only 13% of the British Isles, 32 00:03:43,220 --> 00:03:47,780 and human influence can be seen in every single bit of it. 33 00:03:49,100 --> 00:03:52,540 But despite this, there's a remarkable variety in the woodland 34 00:03:52,540 --> 00:03:55,540 that remains. 35 00:03:55,540 --> 00:03:58,580 Pines in the north... 36 00:03:58,580 --> 00:04:02,980 ..broadleaved woodlands in the south... 37 00:04:02,980 --> 00:04:07,380 ..and even rainforests temperate ones - along our western shores. 38 00:04:09,900 --> 00:04:13,900 In this episode, we'll take you on a seasonal journey, 39 00:04:13,900 --> 00:04:18,500 to see how animals and plants respond to the challenges of life 40 00:04:18,500 --> 00:04:20,860 in our ever-changing woodlands. 41 00:04:26,860 --> 00:04:30,300 Our journey starts here in the Forest of Dean. 42 00:04:36,660 --> 00:04:38,140 It's winter. 43 00:04:43,540 --> 00:04:47,500 The low, weak sun brings little warmth. 44 00:04:57,700 --> 00:05:00,740 For some, this is a time for slumber. 45 00:05:03,700 --> 00:05:08,660 Hidden away, a tiny dormouse is hibernating. 46 00:05:11,300 --> 00:05:17,060 But not all the woodland residents can sleep throughout the winter. 47 00:05:17,060 --> 00:05:21,060 And one, in particular, has a problem. 48 00:05:21,060 --> 00:05:23,780 The robin. 49 00:05:25,740 --> 00:05:29,100 With snow blanketing the ground, 50 00:05:29,100 --> 00:05:33,940 the robin's favourite food - earthworms - are out of reach. 51 00:05:36,700 --> 00:05:41,180 Luckily, in this forest, help is at hand. 52 00:05:42,900 --> 00:05:46,580 Or rather, at snout! 53 00:05:53,580 --> 00:05:57,500 Wild boar once roamed woodlands right across Britain, 54 00:05:57,500 --> 00:06:02,540 but they were pushed to extinction by the 17th century. 55 00:06:06,620 --> 00:06:08,500 Now they're back, 56 00:06:08,500 --> 00:06:11,580 and although their return hasn't been welcomed by all... 57 00:06:11,580 --> 00:06:14,820 ..for this robin, they are invaluable. 58 00:06:21,780 --> 00:06:28,780 The boar use their strong, sensitive snouts to rip up the frozen ground. 59 00:06:32,220 --> 00:06:38,060 This exposes worms - and they are food for the robin. 60 00:06:40,140 --> 00:06:43,980 It's the restoration of an ancient relationship - 61 00:06:43,980 --> 00:06:49,700 and probably the reason why robins follow us around in the garden. 62 00:06:49,700 --> 00:06:54,460 For them, a human with a spade is just a pig on two legs. 63 00:07:00,220 --> 00:07:04,580 As winter loosens its grip - flowers emerge. 64 00:07:08,620 --> 00:07:10,620 Snowdrops are first, 65 00:07:10,620 --> 00:07:13,620 a sure sign that spring is just around the corner. 66 00:07:18,340 --> 00:07:22,420 Soon, more blooms appear, each adding a little colour 67 00:07:22,420 --> 00:07:24,420 to the dark forest floor... 68 00:07:29,500 --> 00:07:32,900 ..and inviting insects to spread their pollen. 69 00:07:39,340 --> 00:07:43,980 But while those on the ground take centre stage - the trees above 70 00:07:43,980 --> 00:07:46,780 put on a flower show that is just as dramatic. 71 00:07:50,140 --> 00:07:53,540 Willow catkins attract insects in early spring... 72 00:07:56,780 --> 00:07:58,860 ..but small birds also visit, 73 00:07:58,860 --> 00:08:01,420 feasting on the protein-rich pollen. 74 00:08:03,820 --> 00:08:08,620 Yellow smudges of it are carried on their foreheads from tree to tree. 75 00:08:12,420 --> 00:08:16,340 Willow trees are either male or female, 76 00:08:16,340 --> 00:08:19,860 and yews are like this, too. 77 00:08:21,140 --> 00:08:26,180 This group in Sussex are some of the oldest trees in Britain 78 00:08:26,180 --> 00:08:31,580 and they have a different technique to spread their pollen. 79 00:08:32,860 --> 00:08:36,140 On warm days in spring... 80 00:08:36,140 --> 00:08:40,580 ..the flowers of the male tree open 81 00:08:40,580 --> 00:08:45,060 and release huge clouds of pollen. 82 00:08:48,140 --> 00:08:50,180 The quantities are so great 83 00:08:50,180 --> 00:08:54,060 that the local fire brigade is sometimes called out by reports 84 00:08:54,060 --> 00:08:57,460 that the forest is burning. 85 00:09:00,820 --> 00:09:03,020 As the pollen drifts away, 86 00:09:03,020 --> 00:09:05,940 some of it may land on a female yew 87 00:09:05,940 --> 00:09:08,180 and, so, fertilise it. 88 00:09:16,860 --> 00:09:18,220 THROAT CLICKS 89 00:09:18,220 --> 00:09:20,540 In the Highlands of Scotland, 90 00:09:20,540 --> 00:09:24,140 something else drifts through the pine forests. 91 00:09:24,140 --> 00:09:26,700 THROAT CLICKS 92 00:09:26,700 --> 00:09:31,580 The voice of a male capercaillie. 93 00:09:31,580 --> 00:09:34,300 THROAT CLICKS 94 00:09:34,300 --> 00:09:40,060 With only around 500 left in these fragmented woodlands, 95 00:09:40,060 --> 00:09:45,060 this is one of the rarest birds in the British Isles. 96 00:09:50,140 --> 00:09:54,420 It's mid-April, breeding season, 97 00:09:54,420 --> 00:10:00,660 and this huge, turkey-sized male is strutting around his arena. 98 00:10:02,620 --> 00:10:07,420 In the trees above, a female, or hen, has arrived. 99 00:10:07,420 --> 00:10:09,940 THROAT CLICKS 100 00:10:09,940 --> 00:10:12,700 The male, or cock, will perform like this 101 00:10:12,700 --> 00:10:15,780 for over six hours, every morning. 102 00:10:15,780 --> 00:10:17,180 THROAT CLICKS 103 00:10:17,180 --> 00:10:18,380 GRUNTS 104 00:10:19,660 --> 00:10:21,780 And it works. 105 00:10:23,380 --> 00:10:24,900 GRUNTS 106 00:10:24,900 --> 00:10:28,380 Several hens have gathered around the prancing, 107 00:10:28,380 --> 00:10:30,260 preening alpha male. 108 00:10:32,700 --> 00:10:37,700 CLICKING AND GRUNTING 109 00:10:41,060 --> 00:10:44,780 But with great success comes great danger. 110 00:10:47,420 --> 00:10:51,780 Until now, the other males have kept well away... 111 00:10:56,220 --> 00:10:59,620 ..but powered by a stomach full of pine needles, 112 00:10:59,620 --> 00:11:02,660 a rival enters the arena. 113 00:11:05,260 --> 00:11:08,100 THROAT CLICKING 114 00:11:08,100 --> 00:11:10,700 He's almost a metre tall 115 00:11:10,700 --> 00:11:13,460 and weighs over four kilos. 116 00:11:13,460 --> 00:11:16,700 The two males size each other up, 117 00:11:16,700 --> 00:11:19,620 with a few preliminary pecks. 118 00:11:22,460 --> 00:11:25,060 But with so many hens to fight for - battle commences. 119 00:11:36,180 --> 00:11:41,460 Contests like these can easily end in broken bones - and even death. 120 00:12:05,900 --> 00:12:07,700 The rival is starting to lose face... 121 00:12:09,820 --> 00:12:14,620 ..literally. Some feathers have been torn from around his head. 122 00:12:16,860 --> 00:12:19,900 SQUAWKING 123 00:12:25,140 --> 00:12:29,340 He senses defeat and retreats from the alpha's territory. 124 00:12:29,340 --> 00:12:31,100 GROWLS 125 00:12:31,100 --> 00:12:33,820 CLICKS THROAT 126 00:12:37,940 --> 00:12:42,220 Bruised and battered, his time has not yet come... 127 00:12:45,740 --> 00:12:48,900 ..but at least he will live to fight another day. 128 00:12:53,500 --> 00:12:56,980 The alpha returns to where the fight started, 129 00:12:56,980 --> 00:13:01,620 tired but triumphant. 130 00:13:01,620 --> 00:13:04,860 His reward is to mate with all the females, 131 00:13:04,860 --> 00:13:09,060 who will then pass on his genes to the next generation. 132 00:13:10,940 --> 00:13:13,620 The species as a whole, however, is losing its battle 133 00:13:13,620 --> 00:13:18,780 to survive in the Scottish Highlands. 134 00:13:20,420 --> 00:13:23,100 Capercaillie became extinct in Britain once before, 135 00:13:23,100 --> 00:13:24,460 back in the 18th century... 136 00:13:26,740 --> 00:13:29,660 ..and now a combination of disturbance, 137 00:13:29,660 --> 00:13:32,660 predation and poor-quality habitat 138 00:13:32,660 --> 00:13:36,180 is pushing these birds to the brink once more. 139 00:13:38,420 --> 00:13:40,260 BIRD SOUNDS 140 00:13:40,260 --> 00:13:44,220 Soon these extraordinary sights and sounds may disappear from 141 00:13:44,220 --> 00:13:47,220 our woodlands - for a second time. 142 00:13:55,460 --> 00:13:59,140 In a deciduous woodland just outside London, 143 00:13:59,140 --> 00:14:02,940 the spring sun causes the trees to burst into life. 144 00:14:09,700 --> 00:14:12,900 On the forest floor, a huge mound, 145 00:14:12,900 --> 00:14:16,860 almost two metres high, comes to life as well. 146 00:14:18,340 --> 00:14:22,500 It's a nest of wood ants. 147 00:14:22,500 --> 00:14:27,500 The ants may be tiny, but they are well able to defend their home. 148 00:14:27,500 --> 00:14:30,140 Should any would-be predators approach, 149 00:14:30,140 --> 00:14:35,020 they defend themselves and their castle by squirting formic acid 150 00:14:35,020 --> 00:14:36,620 into the air. 151 00:14:38,980 --> 00:14:41,140 It's a brave bird, indeed, 152 00:14:41,140 --> 00:14:43,780 that would take on this army. 153 00:14:51,500 --> 00:14:54,540 Wood ants are insatiable hunters. 154 00:14:58,300 --> 00:15:00,540 They search the forest floor for food, 155 00:15:00,540 --> 00:15:02,900 swarming over anything that moves 156 00:15:02,900 --> 00:15:04,980 and dragging it back to the nest. 157 00:15:13,700 --> 00:15:16,020 It's thought that a single colony may consume 158 00:15:16,020 --> 00:15:21,100 over six million prey items every year. 159 00:15:24,500 --> 00:15:26,980 And not just on the forest floor. 160 00:15:31,820 --> 00:15:34,860 Up in the trees, caterpillars have emerged 161 00:15:34,860 --> 00:15:38,380 to take advantage of the newly opened leaves of spring... 162 00:15:42,660 --> 00:15:46,420 ..so the ants take to the trees 163 00:15:46,420 --> 00:15:49,540 Caterpillars may look defenceless, 164 00:15:49,540 --> 00:15:54,220 but they have several ways of avoiding capture. 165 00:15:58,260 --> 00:16:02,780 The first is to do nothing. 166 00:16:02,780 --> 00:16:06,900 If they stay still, the ants might march on by. 167 00:16:13,820 --> 00:16:18,180 If detected, the second option is to stand and fight. 168 00:16:24,900 --> 00:16:28,860 Some caterpillars have a surprisingly effective bite. 169 00:16:35,020 --> 00:16:39,700 If that also fails, they resort to their third and final option. 170 00:16:41,540 --> 00:16:45,620 They attach a line of silk to a leaf or stalk 171 00:16:45,620 --> 00:16:47,940 and descend into space. 172 00:16:51,820 --> 00:16:54,020 But this lifeline... 173 00:16:54,020 --> 00:16:55,700 ..can break. 174 00:17:05,540 --> 00:17:09,940 But these wood ants don't just prey on other species. 175 00:17:11,980 --> 00:17:13,900 They farm them, too. 176 00:17:18,820 --> 00:17:21,580 Aphids drill into the trees 177 00:17:21,580 --> 00:17:24,260 to collect the sap that is their only food... 178 00:17:26,340 --> 00:17:30,940 ..and they excrete a liquid waste we call, somewhat flatteringly, 179 00:17:30,940 --> 00:17:32,580 honeydew. 180 00:17:37,260 --> 00:17:39,420 The ants collect it, 181 00:17:39,420 --> 00:17:42,860 just as human farmers collect milk from cows. 182 00:17:45,060 --> 00:17:48,460 The honeydew is shared throughout the colony... 183 00:17:51,300 --> 00:17:55,580 ..which may consume a quarter of a tonne in a single year. 184 00:18:04,060 --> 00:18:07,580 From hunting caterpillars to milking aphids, 185 00:18:07,580 --> 00:18:11,780 the ants have a huge impact on the entire woodland. 186 00:18:14,740 --> 00:18:17,580 It's a delicately balanced system, 187 00:18:17,580 --> 00:18:22,220 but the presence of the ants is a sure sign of a healthy forest. 188 00:18:33,780 --> 00:18:37,940 A quiet corner of an ancient cemetery in Surrey. 189 00:18:42,540 --> 00:18:48,220 It's late spring, and a female roe deer is feeding on one of the oaks 190 00:18:48,220 --> 00:18:50,220 that have taken root here. 191 00:18:52,740 --> 00:18:55,140 She is on high alert. 192 00:18:56,780 --> 00:18:59,420 Because with her, amongst the graves, 193 00:18:59,420 --> 00:19:02,820 is new life - her fawn. 194 00:19:04,260 --> 00:19:06,500 Just a few days old 195 00:19:06,500 --> 00:19:09,220 and at his most vulnerable. 196 00:19:17,740 --> 00:19:21,980 Predators have also made a home amongst the old graves. 197 00:19:26,060 --> 00:19:29,540 A fox would make an easy meal of a fawn. 198 00:19:34,980 --> 00:19:37,580 While the youngster suckles, he's safe. 199 00:19:37,580 --> 00:19:41,580 A fox wouldn't dare take on a fully grown deer. 200 00:19:44,700 --> 00:19:49,260 But hiding silently nearby is her second fawn. 201 00:19:54,780 --> 00:19:59,140 Her speckled coat makes her less obvious in the dappled light. 202 00:20:02,300 --> 00:20:06,100 Once her brother has had his fill, he goes off and hides... 203 00:20:08,460 --> 00:20:11,220 ..giving her a chance to feed. 204 00:20:15,220 --> 00:20:18,300 Their mother keeps them apart 205 00:20:18,300 --> 00:20:22,460 so that if one is caught, the other might still escape. 206 00:20:27,780 --> 00:20:32,980 Soon, they will both be too big for a fox to be a danger, 207 00:20:32,980 --> 00:20:34,980 but in times gone by, 208 00:20:34,980 --> 00:20:38,660 wolves and lynx would have been a constant threat. 209 00:20:42,780 --> 00:20:46,500 Our woodlands now lack these bigger predators. 210 00:20:58,220 --> 00:21:01,380 Here on the Knepp Estate in Sussex, 211 00:21:01,380 --> 00:21:06,020 grazing animals have been used to recreate a type of woodland 212 00:21:06,020 --> 00:21:09,700 that once covered large parts of the British Isles. 213 00:21:10,700 --> 00:21:12,460 Wood pasture. 214 00:21:15,740 --> 00:21:20,300 In just 20 years, this has produced the conditions needed 215 00:21:20,300 --> 00:21:23,700 by one of our most spectacular insects. 216 00:21:30,220 --> 00:21:32,700 The purple emperor butterfly. 217 00:21:33,980 --> 00:21:37,180 It's midsummer, and from the top of an oak, 218 00:21:37,180 --> 00:21:41,220 the male can watch for females as they emerge from the scrub below. 219 00:21:42,780 --> 00:21:46,220 And he defends his tree-top throne with great vigour. 220 00:21:49,260 --> 00:21:53,620 He's one of our biggest butterflies and will take on any intruder. 221 00:21:55,940 --> 00:21:58,460 He even attacks passing birds. 222 00:22:08,300 --> 00:22:11,540 But only one intruder really matters - 223 00:22:11,540 --> 00:22:14,140 another male purple emperor. 224 00:22:16,180 --> 00:22:18,220 And one has appeared. 225 00:22:22,260 --> 00:22:24,820 The two circle at high speed. 226 00:22:26,780 --> 00:22:31,740 Only by slowing the picture down 30 times can we see what's going on. 227 00:22:37,260 --> 00:22:40,580 They use their 8cm wings as weapons, 228 00:22:40,580 --> 00:22:43,700 attempting to knock each other out of the sky. 229 00:22:48,940 --> 00:22:51,780 The males only live for a few weeks, 230 00:22:51,780 --> 00:22:54,580 so it's all or nothing in this fight. 231 00:22:57,220 --> 00:22:59,500 Soon, a third male appears. 232 00:23:09,780 --> 00:23:13,700 But the resident male sees off his challengers. 233 00:23:14,700 --> 00:23:17,020 His wings may be tattered, 234 00:23:17,020 --> 00:23:21,860 but he's held on to his tiny empire and, with it, his breeding rights. 235 00:23:28,020 --> 00:23:33,020 The Atlantic oakwoods are one of our rarest kind of woodlands. 236 00:23:34,020 --> 00:23:37,300 High rainfall, numerous rivers, 237 00:23:37,300 --> 00:23:42,220 and mild, humid conditions create a lush environment. 238 00:23:43,940 --> 00:23:47,260 These are temperate rainforests. 239 00:23:50,300 --> 00:23:54,020 They have now been reduced to a fraction of their original range 240 00:23:54,020 --> 00:23:56,460 across western Britain and Ireland. 241 00:24:00,340 --> 00:24:04,300 In this patch, in an isolated valley on Dartmoor, 242 00:24:04,300 --> 00:24:09,100 a dream-like scene plays out under the midsummer moon. 243 00:24:10,940 --> 00:24:13,660 An ash-black slug. 244 00:24:16,300 --> 00:24:22,260 Up to 30cm long, these are the largest land slugs in the world. 245 00:24:26,020 --> 00:24:30,380 They are almost exclusively found in ancient, wet woods... 246 00:24:32,020 --> 00:24:37,220 ..and on this damp night, this slug is looking for a partner. 247 00:24:40,540 --> 00:24:45,500 It lays down a trail of slime which carries powerful chemical signals. 248 00:24:48,260 --> 00:24:51,380 The scent is an irresistible invitation 249 00:24:51,380 --> 00:24:53,700 to another ash-black slug. 250 00:25:00,700 --> 00:25:03,900 Once the pair reach the tree-tops... 251 00:25:03,900 --> 00:25:06,460 ..they become more intimate. 252 00:25:08,780 --> 00:25:12,740 They nuzzle to make sure that they're suitably matched. 253 00:25:16,100 --> 00:25:18,300 Slugs are hermaphrodites, 254 00:25:18,300 --> 00:25:22,940 each equipped with both male and female sexual organs. 255 00:25:27,940 --> 00:25:30,780 Preliminaries complete, 256 00:25:30,780 --> 00:25:35,500 an overhanging branch provides a hold for the consummation. 257 00:25:38,300 --> 00:25:42,180 Twisting together, they hang down as one. 258 00:25:43,220 --> 00:25:46,220 Two penises start to protrude. 259 00:25:59,220 --> 00:26:01,300 Entwining together, 260 00:26:01,300 --> 00:26:05,340 each becomes as long as the rest of its owner's body. 261 00:26:24,780 --> 00:26:29,700 Each slug now passes a packet of sperm to the other. 262 00:26:38,060 --> 00:26:41,980 But the end of the relationship is abrupt. 263 00:26:43,980 --> 00:26:47,740 The left-over slime is the only evidence 264 00:26:47,740 --> 00:26:50,020 that the encounter ever happened. 265 00:26:53,700 --> 00:26:55,500 SQUAWKING 266 00:26:58,300 --> 00:27:04,020 Back in the pinewoods of Scotland, summer is the season of opportunity. 267 00:27:05,540 --> 00:27:09,460 The cones at the top of the trees are now ripe. 268 00:27:14,540 --> 00:27:18,220 A male red squirrel jumps into action. 269 00:27:30,260 --> 00:27:35,180 He starts to feed on the rich, oily seeds the cones contain. 270 00:27:38,020 --> 00:27:40,260 But he is a messy eater... 271 00:27:41,460 --> 00:27:45,820 ..and his left-overs alert others to what is now available. 272 00:27:47,180 --> 00:27:48,700 A female. 273 00:27:50,220 --> 00:27:52,540 She is late to the party. 274 00:27:59,260 --> 00:28:03,140 High above, the male sees her coming. 275 00:28:07,740 --> 00:28:09,700 He's in no mood to share. 276 00:28:30,300 --> 00:28:35,020 Driven off, the female considers her options. 277 00:28:36,300 --> 00:28:39,500 If she can sneak around the other side of the tree, 278 00:28:39,500 --> 00:28:41,940 she may be able to arrive unseen. 279 00:28:43,340 --> 00:28:48,180 But in this open woodland, that is easier said than done... 280 00:28:49,500 --> 00:28:53,900 ..so she does the one thing a red squirrel usually avoids. 281 00:28:57,180 --> 00:28:59,220 She leaves the trees. 282 00:29:00,540 --> 00:29:03,780 Leaping from tree to tree in old-growth pine woods 283 00:29:03,780 --> 00:29:08,260 is usually impossible, so the deer path is her only option. 284 00:29:11,020 --> 00:29:14,620 That ends where the pine trees give way to birch. 285 00:29:22,020 --> 00:29:25,900 These quick-growing trees stand between the pines 286 00:29:25,900 --> 00:29:29,980 and their slender branches provide alternative access for the female. 287 00:29:39,220 --> 00:29:41,460 One last obstacle remains. 288 00:29:45,780 --> 00:29:49,340 Get this wrong and it's a long way down. 289 00:29:58,580 --> 00:30:00,220 She's made it... 290 00:30:02,260 --> 00:30:05,580 ..back to the tree with the ripe pine cones. 291 00:30:08,740 --> 00:30:11,860 And the male hasn't even noticed. 292 00:30:11,860 --> 00:30:13,740 For now. 293 00:30:19,300 --> 00:30:22,900 It's the end of July in the New Forest. 294 00:30:23,980 --> 00:30:28,460 Two honey buzzard chicks are squabbling over their breakfast. 295 00:30:30,820 --> 00:30:35,540 It's late to be nesting, so they need to grow up fast, 296 00:30:35,540 --> 00:30:38,940 and although a frog is not their favourite food... 297 00:30:40,180 --> 00:30:42,220 ..beggars can't be choosers. 298 00:30:47,020 --> 00:30:50,940 Frog dispatched, a decent meal finally arrives. 299 00:30:53,540 --> 00:30:56,060 It's the comb from a wasp's nest... 300 00:30:57,180 --> 00:30:59,940 ..packed full of protein-rich grubs. 301 00:31:02,740 --> 00:31:04,940 This explains the timing. 302 00:31:06,980 --> 00:31:10,780 Their parents migrated here from Africa to nest 303 00:31:10,780 --> 00:31:15,180 just as the wasps reach their peak numbers in the late summer. 304 00:31:15,180 --> 00:31:17,180 BUZZING 305 00:31:20,020 --> 00:31:24,300 With a ready supply of rich food finally established, 306 00:31:24,300 --> 00:31:27,220 the chicks grow extremely fast. 307 00:31:31,340 --> 00:31:33,460 And they continue to fight. 308 00:31:35,500 --> 00:31:37,940 But, in typical British fashion... 309 00:31:39,300 --> 00:31:42,460 ..the weather makes things a bit miserable at times. 310 00:31:44,300 --> 00:31:48,860 It could be why honey buzzards are one of our rarest breeding birds. 311 00:31:50,220 --> 00:31:53,700 You can't always rely on a ready supply of wasps 312 00:31:53,700 --> 00:31:55,980 with summers like ours. 313 00:32:02,740 --> 00:32:06,460 By mid-August, the chicks are growing proper feathers. 314 00:32:08,260 --> 00:32:11,380 The males are mousy-brown 315 00:32:11,380 --> 00:32:14,460 and the female has a handsome white head. 316 00:32:15,860 --> 00:32:20,300 She usually dominates when it comes to squabbles over food. 317 00:32:23,460 --> 00:32:26,140 But there is plenty to go round... 318 00:32:26,140 --> 00:32:28,700 ..if you can get your beak on it! 319 00:32:34,980 --> 00:32:39,220 Some of the wasp larvae in the nest are hatching into adults... 320 00:32:40,260 --> 00:32:44,940 ..but overlapping feathers provide protection against possible stings. 321 00:32:46,460 --> 00:32:49,340 And a third transparent eyelid, 322 00:32:49,340 --> 00:32:51,940 called a nictitating membrane, 323 00:32:51,940 --> 00:32:53,740 protects their eyes. 324 00:32:58,300 --> 00:33:01,020 It's fast approaching the time when the chicks 325 00:33:01,020 --> 00:33:04,220 will have to leave the nest and fend for themselves. 326 00:33:06,580 --> 00:33:09,220 Flapping the wings builds their strength. 327 00:33:14,300 --> 00:33:17,460 And every day the chicks gain confidence. 328 00:33:19,220 --> 00:33:21,260 If not elegance. 329 00:33:29,300 --> 00:33:32,460 By late August, their time has come to leave. 330 00:33:36,300 --> 00:33:39,700 The female chick takes her first ever flight. 331 00:33:45,740 --> 00:33:49,460 Followed a few flaps later by her brother. 332 00:33:52,500 --> 00:33:56,940 They will soon set off on a 3,000-mile journey to Africa... 333 00:33:59,980 --> 00:34:04,220 ..escaping the approaching chill of our autumn days. 334 00:34:12,940 --> 00:34:15,460 With the arrival of the new season, 335 00:34:15,460 --> 00:34:18,940 our woodlands begin to shut down. 336 00:34:20,220 --> 00:34:22,180 The leaves change colour... 337 00:34:23,540 --> 00:34:27,460 ..and a hush descends on many of our forests. 338 00:34:32,940 --> 00:34:35,100 But not all of them. 339 00:34:36,540 --> 00:34:38,780 ROARING 340 00:34:39,820 --> 00:34:44,220 Fallow deer bucks have gathered to fight for the right to mate... 341 00:34:45,260 --> 00:34:48,940 ..advertising their presence by roaring. 342 00:34:54,740 --> 00:34:58,300 They were introduced in the 11th century by the Normans 343 00:34:58,300 --> 00:35:01,260 and initially kept in private parks. 344 00:35:02,300 --> 00:35:06,260 But they soon escaped and spread across much of the British Isles. 345 00:35:08,220 --> 00:35:10,300 The does watch on. 346 00:35:12,740 --> 00:35:15,220 They're likely to mate with the biggest 347 00:35:15,220 --> 00:35:17,260 and most persistent roarer here... 348 00:35:17,260 --> 00:35:18,860 ROARING 349 00:35:20,740 --> 00:35:23,260 ..but the choice is theirs. 350 00:35:24,340 --> 00:35:27,060 Some males thrash the undergrowth. 351 00:35:28,060 --> 00:35:29,900 ROARING 352 00:35:29,900 --> 00:35:34,100 And antlers become adorned with foliage. 353 00:35:37,220 --> 00:35:38,940 This young buck... 354 00:35:40,220 --> 00:35:42,220 ..has yet to impress. 355 00:35:46,820 --> 00:35:50,980 But he hangs around the edges, just in case. 356 00:35:52,940 --> 00:35:55,780 The frequency and quality of a buck's roar 357 00:35:55,780 --> 00:35:58,900 is an indication that he's in good condition. 358 00:35:58,900 --> 00:36:01,020 BUCK ROARS 359 00:36:02,060 --> 00:36:04,420 But, if a challenger approaches, 360 00:36:04,420 --> 00:36:08,220 the next step is the parallel walk. 361 00:36:15,300 --> 00:36:17,660 If it's an obvious mismatch, 362 00:36:17,660 --> 00:36:20,220 they might still save their energy. 363 00:36:20,220 --> 00:36:23,620 But this looks as if it could be a fair fight. 364 00:36:23,620 --> 00:36:27,020 ANTLERS CLASH 365 00:36:31,660 --> 00:36:35,260 The bucks can weigh up to 100 kilos. 366 00:36:42,500 --> 00:36:44,900 A wrong move now could be fatal. 367 00:37:01,780 --> 00:37:05,580 In the pandemonium, other males join the battle. 368 00:37:15,420 --> 00:37:19,140 BUCK ROARS 369 00:37:25,940 --> 00:37:29,260 As they fight, the does sidle away. 370 00:37:33,500 --> 00:37:37,060 They join the small male on the edge of the wood. 371 00:37:48,460 --> 00:37:51,780 Although his technique still needs a little improvement... 372 00:37:54,860 --> 00:37:57,900 ..this could be the young buck's lucky day. 373 00:38:00,340 --> 00:38:02,740 SOFT ROARS 374 00:38:08,060 --> 00:38:10,580 As the sounds of the rut fade, 375 00:38:10,580 --> 00:38:15,500 hitherto hidden players in the woodland drama appear. 376 00:38:24,700 --> 00:38:25,700 Fungi. 377 00:38:31,300 --> 00:38:35,300 The cool, wet days trigger an eruption of mushrooms 378 00:38:35,300 --> 00:38:38,180 and toadstools across the forest floor. 379 00:38:41,060 --> 00:38:43,780 These are the fungi's fruiting bodies 380 00:38:43,780 --> 00:38:46,060 and they have just one function - 381 00:38:46,060 --> 00:38:49,020 to spread their spores. 382 00:38:51,820 --> 00:38:55,260 Some simply allow their spores to slip out of the gills 383 00:38:55,260 --> 00:38:56,900 beneath their caps. 384 00:39:00,260 --> 00:39:04,740 Others wait for a gust of wind to carry theirs into the air. 385 00:39:13,140 --> 00:39:15,940 Puffballs rely on the rain. 386 00:39:19,300 --> 00:39:22,420 One droplet is enough to trigger the projection of a puffball's 387 00:39:22,420 --> 00:39:24,780 spores far and wide. 388 00:39:30,660 --> 00:39:33,460 Mushrooms and toadstools can be highly visible, 389 00:39:33,460 --> 00:39:36,820 but they are only a tiny part of each fungus. 390 00:39:36,820 --> 00:39:41,340 And it's only recently that we have started to understand what 391 00:39:41,340 --> 00:39:45,020 some of these organisms are doing when they're out of our sight. 392 00:39:46,700 --> 00:39:48,180 Underground, 393 00:39:48,180 --> 00:39:51,860 mycorrhizal fungi send out a web of tiny filaments 394 00:39:51,860 --> 00:39:53,100 called hyphae. 395 00:39:56,300 --> 00:39:58,780 These soon encounter tree roots. 396 00:39:58,780 --> 00:40:01,860 The two organisms then connect. 397 00:40:03,980 --> 00:40:06,580 And now they can share resources. 398 00:40:08,500 --> 00:40:11,300 The fungus gets sugars from the trees, 399 00:40:11,300 --> 00:40:14,580 and the tree gets water and minerals from the fungus. 400 00:40:17,740 --> 00:40:19,700 And the sharing doesn't stop there. 401 00:40:21,620 --> 00:40:24,140 The fungi link trees and plants together 402 00:40:24,140 --> 00:40:27,420 in a mutually beneficial network called, by some, 403 00:40:27,420 --> 00:40:29,260 The Wood Wide Web. 404 00:40:31,020 --> 00:40:33,220 We can see how this web works 405 00:40:33,220 --> 00:40:36,580 by speeding through the year in this Suffolk woodland. 406 00:40:38,220 --> 00:40:40,260 After a winter of dormancy, 407 00:40:40,260 --> 00:40:43,060 the woodland in spring bursts to life. 408 00:40:46,060 --> 00:40:48,900 Excess resources stored by the mature trees 409 00:40:48,900 --> 00:40:51,460 move through the fungal web 410 00:40:51,460 --> 00:40:54,020 and give sprouting saplings a good start. 411 00:40:56,460 --> 00:41:00,180 But new growth attracts leaf eaters. 412 00:41:01,420 --> 00:41:05,100 Plants under attack emit distress signals. 413 00:41:06,580 --> 00:41:08,980 By using specialised equipment, 414 00:41:08,980 --> 00:41:12,180 we can listen to these signals as they travel through the web. 415 00:41:17,260 --> 00:41:20,660 WHISTLES AND BEEPS 416 00:41:23,100 --> 00:41:26,220 This is the sound of plant communications, 417 00:41:26,220 --> 00:41:29,940 and those that detect it can activate chemical defences 418 00:41:29,940 --> 00:41:32,140 so that if they are attacked, 419 00:41:32,140 --> 00:41:34,580 their leaves are already distasteful. 420 00:41:37,820 --> 00:41:41,460 Summer brings its own danger - drought. 421 00:41:43,180 --> 00:41:44,900 Young trees may struggle 422 00:41:44,900 --> 00:41:48,460 as their limited liquid reserves are depleted. 423 00:41:50,420 --> 00:41:53,700 But the network can come to their rescue once again. 424 00:41:53,700 --> 00:41:58,780 Water moves from deep-rooted trees to others in greater need. 425 00:42:02,260 --> 00:42:06,740 These complex relationships exist in every woodland, 426 00:42:06,740 --> 00:42:10,940 and 90% of all our plants depend on them. 427 00:42:15,780 --> 00:42:18,780 But such networks take time to develop. 428 00:42:20,740 --> 00:42:22,740 Ancient, diverse woodlands 429 00:42:22,740 --> 00:42:24,860 have more fungal connections 430 00:42:24,860 --> 00:42:29,780 and support more life than young plantations 431 00:42:29,780 --> 00:42:32,300 that contain just a single species. 432 00:42:35,100 --> 00:42:40,420 Such monocultures usually consist of fast-growing, non-native trees, 433 00:42:40,420 --> 00:42:45,580 that today account for almost half of all our tree cover. 434 00:42:49,340 --> 00:42:51,020 This plantation, 435 00:42:51,020 --> 00:42:55,980 hemmed in by farmland on one side and Bodmin Moor on the other, 436 00:42:55,980 --> 00:42:59,220 is cold, dark, and inhospitable. 437 00:43:02,580 --> 00:43:06,740 But birds are using this wood as a temporary home, 438 00:43:06,740 --> 00:43:10,060 and its branches are caked with the evidence. 439 00:43:12,700 --> 00:43:15,180 As the late winter sun begins to sink, 440 00:43:15,180 --> 00:43:17,820 the tenants return. 441 00:43:19,660 --> 00:43:21,420 RUSHING SOUNDS 442 00:43:21,420 --> 00:43:23,180 Starlings. 443 00:43:23,180 --> 00:43:25,820 They've been out feeding all day, 444 00:43:25,820 --> 00:43:31,340 but, as the cold night draws in, their numbers start to increase. 445 00:43:31,340 --> 00:43:34,820 Up to a million birds will use this small plantation 446 00:43:34,820 --> 00:43:37,020 as their overnight roost. 447 00:43:38,740 --> 00:43:40,820 But others know this. 448 00:43:42,580 --> 00:43:46,180 Buzzards hope to snatch a weak bird from amongst the flock. 449 00:43:46,180 --> 00:43:49,100 TWITTERING AND RUSHING 450 00:43:54,700 --> 00:43:57,780 And, up above, a peregrine. 451 00:44:01,180 --> 00:44:04,300 The starling flocks swirl and coalesce 452 00:44:04,300 --> 00:44:07,820 as they react to the predator's presence. 453 00:44:23,060 --> 00:44:24,900 There's safety in numbers. 454 00:44:24,900 --> 00:44:27,180 By gathering in huge flocks, 455 00:44:27,180 --> 00:44:31,780 the chances of getting caught are reduced enormously for any one bird. 456 00:44:53,060 --> 00:44:54,820 The light starts to fade, 457 00:44:54,820 --> 00:44:57,540 and the starlings come down to roost. 458 00:45:03,740 --> 00:45:07,940 As their numbers increase, so does the noise. 459 00:45:07,940 --> 00:45:12,260 INTENSE TWITTERING 460 00:45:16,340 --> 00:45:19,700 In this chatter is information. 461 00:45:28,340 --> 00:45:32,940 Birds continue to join the roost long after the sun has set... 462 00:45:34,580 --> 00:45:37,140 ..revealed by thermal cameras. 463 00:45:46,740 --> 00:45:50,540 They pack ever more tightly into the plantation. 464 00:45:55,700 --> 00:45:58,100 Until, to our camera, 465 00:45:58,100 --> 00:46:01,780 the trees are illuminated like skyscrapers at night. 466 00:46:06,740 --> 00:46:09,300 In close-up, it becomes clear 467 00:46:09,300 --> 00:46:12,820 that there are vigorous arguments over the best perches. 468 00:46:14,620 --> 00:46:18,660 Because, even now, the starlings are not safe. 469 00:46:22,180 --> 00:46:23,940 A barn owl. 470 00:46:26,620 --> 00:46:29,780 Wraith-like, it hovers above the roost, 471 00:46:29,780 --> 00:46:33,380 causing panic among the birds perched beneath. 472 00:46:40,900 --> 00:46:43,100 The owl takes its time. 473 00:46:59,580 --> 00:47:02,140 It is a remarkable hunting technique, 474 00:47:02,140 --> 00:47:04,340 revealed for the first time 475 00:47:04,340 --> 00:47:06,820 by using these specialist cameras. 476 00:47:16,220 --> 00:47:18,100 As soon as dawn arrives, 477 00:47:18,100 --> 00:47:20,900 the birds leave to resume their feeding. 478 00:47:34,540 --> 00:47:38,060 The size of these winter flocks may give the impression 479 00:47:38,060 --> 00:47:39,700 that starlings are doing well, 480 00:47:39,700 --> 00:47:43,180 but in fact, their numbers in recent years 481 00:47:43,180 --> 00:47:45,860 have diminished by 80%. 482 00:47:52,660 --> 00:47:55,420 Our woodlands are now expanding, 483 00:47:55,420 --> 00:47:59,900 but the new plantations are mostly of low diversity. 484 00:48:02,060 --> 00:48:06,460 We need to give better protection to the native woodlands that remain... 485 00:48:07,860 --> 00:48:10,700 ..restore those that we have lost... 486 00:48:12,060 --> 00:48:17,460 ..and allow our trees the time and space to spread, naturally. 487 00:48:21,940 --> 00:48:26,300 It will take many years to recreate anything as rich as the woodlands 488 00:48:26,300 --> 00:48:28,140 that we once had... 489 00:48:30,380 --> 00:48:34,540 ..but surely it should be our target to do so. 490 00:48:48,300 --> 00:48:52,340 To reveal the intimate lives of two very different bird species, 491 00:48:52,340 --> 00:48:56,220 two teams filmed in two distinct types of woodland 492 00:48:56,220 --> 00:48:59,820 at opposite ends of our isles. 493 00:48:59,820 --> 00:49:03,180 In Scotland, a family of eagles 494 00:49:03,180 --> 00:49:07,220 take advantage of the open and spacious old growth forest. 495 00:49:09,500 --> 00:49:12,020 While in Cornwall, this dense strip of plantation 496 00:49:12,020 --> 00:49:16,300 is a winter roost for nearly a million starlings. 497 00:49:16,300 --> 00:49:20,820 They're well known for their astonishing murmurations, 498 00:49:20,820 --> 00:49:23,620 but the team want to get a more intimate look, 499 00:49:23,620 --> 00:49:28,020 and reveal what goes on in the roost after dark. 500 00:49:28,020 --> 00:49:33,220 To do that, they need to get amongst the closely planted trees, 501 00:49:33,220 --> 00:49:37,780 where it's dark, lifeless and rather smelly! 502 00:49:37,780 --> 00:49:39,140 Urgh, that's gross. 503 00:49:39,140 --> 00:49:40,700 This all looks pretty fresh. 504 00:49:40,700 --> 00:49:43,500 You can see, like, a good couple of centimetres 505 00:49:43,500 --> 00:49:45,420 of bird poo on the branches. 506 00:49:45,420 --> 00:49:48,300 As well as the visuals of all the birds coming in, 507 00:49:48,300 --> 00:49:50,580 we're trying to get... I'm really keen to try and get 508 00:49:50,580 --> 00:49:53,340 a real multi-sensory experience as much as possible. 509 00:49:53,340 --> 00:49:55,060 Sadly, we can't share the smell, 510 00:49:55,060 --> 00:49:57,860 and it's coating the ground as well, so there's probably, 511 00:49:57,860 --> 00:49:59,740 yeah, a good... 512 00:49:59,740 --> 00:50:02,700 ..four or five centimetres of bird poo there as well. 513 00:50:02,700 --> 00:50:04,660 So this definitely feels like 514 00:50:04,660 --> 00:50:06,620 it probably is the centre of the roost. 515 00:50:06,620 --> 00:50:08,940 Having sniffed out the roost, 516 00:50:08,940 --> 00:50:11,700 the team build a platform 517 00:50:11,700 --> 00:50:14,620 so that they can rig remotely operated cameras 518 00:50:14,620 --> 00:50:16,220 up in the canopy. 519 00:50:17,780 --> 00:50:19,740 We've got the full tower up now, so we're pretty much 520 00:50:19,740 --> 00:50:21,100 at the top of the trees, 521 00:50:21,100 --> 00:50:24,180 which really feels like you're in the middle of the roost. 522 00:50:24,180 --> 00:50:25,940 Hopefully the birds will surround us 523 00:50:25,940 --> 00:50:29,660 and we'll be able to get some nice, intimate close-up shots of them. 524 00:50:29,660 --> 00:50:32,300 The remote cameras allow cameraman Jo Charlesworth 525 00:50:32,300 --> 00:50:34,780 to hide out of sight below. 526 00:50:37,300 --> 00:50:39,220 So, everything's working. 527 00:50:39,220 --> 00:50:41,500 As long as the birds don't fly into the other end of the woods, 528 00:50:41,500 --> 00:50:44,420 it's just a case of waiting for them to arrive. 529 00:50:48,020 --> 00:50:50,420 450 miles to the north, 530 00:50:50,420 --> 00:50:55,060 cameraman Hamza Yassin is searching the Scottish Highlands 531 00:50:55,060 --> 00:50:58,620 for golden eagles, and their nest. 532 00:51:00,060 --> 00:51:03,900 I'm hiking through this amazing, amazing ancient woodland. 533 00:51:05,260 --> 00:51:08,060 There's still snow on the ground as you can see, 534 00:51:08,060 --> 00:51:10,100 and it's Baltic! 535 00:51:11,460 --> 00:51:13,900 With only 20 pairs of tree-nesting golden eagles 536 00:51:13,900 --> 00:51:16,180 in the whole of the British Isles, 537 00:51:16,180 --> 00:51:20,540 finding a nest that the team can film is no easy task. 538 00:51:20,540 --> 00:51:24,020 Hamza climbs to a good vantage point, 539 00:51:24,020 --> 00:51:27,300 where he can scan as much of the forest as possible. 540 00:51:29,260 --> 00:51:30,940 It's a waiting game. 541 00:51:35,780 --> 00:51:38,900 So, I'm scanning the high ridge line there, 542 00:51:38,900 --> 00:51:42,220 waiting for the golden eagles to pop up, 543 00:51:42,220 --> 00:51:44,740 and then figure out where they're coming 544 00:51:44,740 --> 00:51:45,980 down to their nest. 545 00:51:48,300 --> 00:51:50,460 Yes, we have contact! 546 00:51:50,460 --> 00:51:53,380 The first golden eagle has been spotted, 547 00:51:53,380 --> 00:51:57,420 and it's only...6:30 in the morning. 548 00:51:57,420 --> 00:51:58,700 Come on! 549 00:51:58,700 --> 00:52:01,820 Their nest is likely to be nearby. 550 00:52:03,500 --> 00:52:05,420 They're bringing in nesting material, 551 00:52:05,420 --> 00:52:06,940 which is the best thing ever, 552 00:52:06,940 --> 00:52:10,940 but still doesn't show me where the nest is exactly. 553 00:52:10,940 --> 00:52:13,220 Halfway there, halfway there. 554 00:52:15,100 --> 00:52:19,100 The next day, Hamza drives closer to pinpoint where they are. 555 00:52:20,660 --> 00:52:23,940 Ooh, here we go, here we go. Come on... 556 00:52:23,940 --> 00:52:26,380 Ah, finally! 557 00:52:26,380 --> 00:52:28,740 An adult leaving the nest 558 00:52:28,740 --> 00:52:31,580 reveals its exact location. 559 00:52:31,580 --> 00:52:33,860 Three days' work has paid off. 560 00:52:33,860 --> 00:52:35,980 That's incredible. 561 00:52:35,980 --> 00:52:38,380 The team can now return later in the year 562 00:52:38,380 --> 00:52:40,620 to film the chicks when they hatch. 563 00:52:44,700 --> 00:52:48,940 In Cornwall, the starlings are arriving back at their roost. 564 00:52:50,220 --> 00:52:52,220 Jo's hard work pays off, 565 00:52:52,220 --> 00:52:54,180 and he captures the starlings 566 00:52:54,180 --> 00:52:57,340 as they crowd into the canopy around his cameras. 567 00:52:59,980 --> 00:53:03,660 It gives a unique insight into what it's like to be amongst 568 00:53:03,660 --> 00:53:05,460 a million roosting birds. 569 00:53:05,460 --> 00:53:07,500 TWITTERING 570 00:53:07,500 --> 00:53:10,620 And the team also record the sound of the flock 571 00:53:10,620 --> 00:53:12,540 as they settle down for the night. 572 00:53:12,540 --> 00:53:16,740 INTENSE BIRD CHATTER 573 00:53:16,740 --> 00:53:19,020 This is actually insane now. 574 00:53:21,900 --> 00:53:24,420 We're literally in the middle of a starling roost. 575 00:53:30,180 --> 00:53:33,220 But the following day, the roost is silent, 576 00:53:33,220 --> 00:53:35,220 the birds have disappeared. 577 00:53:37,100 --> 00:53:39,940 You would have thought a million birds, or thereabouts, 578 00:53:39,940 --> 00:53:41,420 might be quite easy to spot. 579 00:53:42,500 --> 00:53:43,820 Apparently not. 580 00:53:43,820 --> 00:53:47,140 We're pretty sure they must be in the area, but... 581 00:53:47,140 --> 00:53:49,460 it's a big old area. 582 00:53:51,380 --> 00:53:55,060 While Chris has lost a million birds in Cornwall, 583 00:53:55,060 --> 00:54:00,460 in Scotland, the eagles are right where the team want them to be. 584 00:54:02,620 --> 00:54:05,220 In a hide installed by the estate, 585 00:54:05,220 --> 00:54:09,860 cameraman John Aitchison is able to film right into the nest. 586 00:54:11,100 --> 00:54:14,620 So, at the moment, I can see in the tree... 587 00:54:14,620 --> 00:54:16,540 which, I have to say, 588 00:54:16,540 --> 00:54:19,060 is probably the most beautiful eagle's nest I've ever seen, 589 00:54:19,060 --> 00:54:23,220 in the top of a big Caledonian pine - a Scots pine tree. 590 00:54:23,220 --> 00:54:25,740 They're just carrying on with their lives. 591 00:54:25,740 --> 00:54:27,300 Especially if I'm quiet, 592 00:54:27,300 --> 00:54:29,980 I shouldn't make any difference to them at all. 593 00:54:29,980 --> 00:54:33,900 Director Lily watches from the other side of the valley. 594 00:54:33,900 --> 00:54:35,980 They're exceptional parents. 595 00:54:35,980 --> 00:54:38,300 They're bringing in food constantly. 596 00:54:38,300 --> 00:54:40,380 That nest is so well-stocked. 597 00:54:40,380 --> 00:54:44,300 The hard-won view of the rare nest gives the crew 598 00:54:44,300 --> 00:54:49,300 a special insight into the lives of these tree-nesting eagles. 599 00:54:49,300 --> 00:54:51,380 There's so many things that I've learned 600 00:54:51,380 --> 00:54:53,020 over just these ten days being here, 601 00:54:53,020 --> 00:54:56,020 and it's been a real privilege getting to know these birds. 602 00:54:56,020 --> 00:54:58,460 Capturing these intimate moments 603 00:54:58,460 --> 00:55:00,300 took a huge effort from the crew, 604 00:55:00,300 --> 00:55:02,500 working alongside the local team 605 00:55:02,500 --> 00:55:06,380 who protect this ancient forest and its inhabitants. 606 00:55:10,580 --> 00:55:13,620 Back in Cornwall, the team have found the starlings, 607 00:55:13,620 --> 00:55:16,380 and it's time to take things a step further. 608 00:55:17,700 --> 00:55:20,820 A thermal imaging camera allows them to film the starlings 609 00:55:20,820 --> 00:55:25,580 in a new way, revealing their behaviour in the roost after dark. 610 00:55:28,460 --> 00:55:30,500 There's something very Christmassy about it. 611 00:55:30,500 --> 00:55:33,100 All these trees festooned with light. 612 00:55:33,100 --> 00:55:38,220 And they capture the exact moment that a night-time predator arrives. 613 00:55:38,220 --> 00:55:41,420 Yes! Yes! Good spot. 614 00:55:41,420 --> 00:55:46,020 A barn owl, only visible with the help of the thermal camera. 615 00:55:50,220 --> 00:55:53,740 The intimate moments captured in these very different forests 616 00:55:53,740 --> 00:55:56,460 are proof that many spectacular animals 617 00:55:56,460 --> 00:55:59,260 still call our woodlands home. 618 00:55:59,260 --> 00:56:01,860 These are important habitats. 619 00:56:01,860 --> 00:56:04,380 From the gorgeous, gorgeous golden eagle 620 00:56:04,380 --> 00:56:06,100 up in that nest in the Cairngorms, 621 00:56:06,100 --> 00:56:09,260 down to the starlings using this apparently pretty low-grade 622 00:56:09,260 --> 00:56:12,100 woodland on the edge of Bodmin Moor, 623 00:56:12,100 --> 00:56:14,620 every little bit is really important 624 00:56:14,620 --> 00:56:17,740 and we've got to look after it - it's precious and it's special. 625 00:56:23,620 --> 00:56:24,940 Next time... 626 00:56:24,940 --> 00:56:26,380 ..grasslands... 627 00:56:28,980 --> 00:56:30,540 ..where hidden stories... 628 00:56:33,020 --> 00:56:34,820 ..meet epic dramas. 629 00:56:48,540 --> 00:56:51,620 The Open University has produced a free poster 630 00:56:51,620 --> 00:56:53,820 exploring our Wild Isles 631 00:56:53,820 --> 00:56:56,580 and their diverse habitats and species. 632 00:56:56,580 --> 00:57:02,180 Order your copy by calling... 633 00:57:02,180 --> 00:57:11,300 ..or go to the website and follow the links to the Open University. 634 00:57:11,300 --> 00:57:15,020 If you'd like to play your part in the story of our Wild Isles 635 00:57:15,020 --> 00:57:17,940 and learn more about what you can do to help, 636 00:57:17,940 --> 00:57:21,740 just search "Wild Isles" on the BBC website.