- 2 days ago
Paddling through crystal clear Scottish waters, viewing rare wildlife, and sleeping under the stars.This remote archipelago offers breathtaking rock arches and empty white sandy beaches...
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AnimalsTranscript
00:14My name is Hamzai Yassin. I am a wildlife cameraman and naturalist and in this series
00:20I'm going to show you the incredible hidden wildlife that we have here in the British Isles.
00:25These islands are full of wildlife and amazing spectacles but some are so hidden they're not always easy to find.
00:35All you need to know is how and where to look.
00:39I'll be showing you animals so rare that we hardly ever see them.
00:45I'll be taking you to places so remote that very few people visit.
00:52And uncovering wildlife hiding in plain sight in our towns and our cities.
00:58You legend! You legend!
01:02Whilst using the very latest technology to reveal a whole range of hard to find animals and behaviours.
01:09Look at that!
01:13What?
01:18This is phenomenal.
01:20This is a new look at Britain's hidden wildlife.
01:24Yes! Come on!
01:25Cresty and the Cairngorns.
01:29Cresty and the Cairngorns.
01:30Cresty and the Cairngorns.
01:53High summer on the Celtic Sea.
01:58The sun is beating down on a vast stretch of open ocean, 40 miles of the coast of southwest Wales.
02:09And hiding somewhere under these rolling waves is a needle in the biggest, deepest haystack.
02:21Something I bet you never would have expected to see in British waters.
02:26Now, way out at sea, we get a beautiful, majestic creature that comes due to our temperate climate.
02:34And I'm hoping today I'll get to capture it.
02:44The only way I can introduce you to this mysterious ocean dweller is to leave my world and dive into
02:52theirs.
02:54So, alongside my underwater crew, it's time to enter the Big Blue.
03:07There are nothing but sunbeams in any direction.
03:11This is truly vast open water.
03:17But thankfully, the creature I've come to see can detect strangers in the water over great distances.
03:31This is a blue shark.
03:33Two metres long and the first one I have ever seen.
03:37And it's right here in the UK.
03:46It's come here from the Caribbean.
03:50Following its food as it rides the Gulf Stream.
03:58For just a few short weeks in summer, our waters are home to a handful of these far travelling wanderers.
04:10At first, it keeps its distance.
04:17But as it gets more used to our presence, the shark comes to investigate us, the alien visitors in its
04:26familiar world.
04:32It even shows us its battle scars.
04:37Tooth marks from a hard life on the high seas.
04:47I'm in absolute heaven.
04:49Blue sharks are my new favourite animal in the sea.
04:53I love them so much.
04:56I don't want to get out.
05:03And it's a good job I didn't.
05:08Because now, I'm sharing the water with not just one, but two blue sharks.
05:20To be able to share this experience with something as beautiful and as powerful as these amazing creatures, for the
05:29very first time, is an enormous privilege.
05:34But there's a sad reality that hits me in this moment.
05:40Like many shark species, time is running out for these stunning creatures.
05:46On their global migration, as many as 10 million blue sharks are caught and killed each year.
05:54And so, it's a real reminder that we need to provide proper protection for the lucky few that make it
06:01back to British waters.
06:06Blue sharks have opened up a whole new world for me.
06:10I might change my career and become an underwater cameraman.
06:14These guys are just...
06:18Oh, they're amazing.
06:21I can tell already, this is going to be a summer to remember.
06:32Welcome to my home on the west coast of Scotland.
06:39And it's another typical Scottish summer's day.
06:46I first moved here 16 years ago.
06:50And one person took me in perhaps more than any other.
06:56Come in.
06:57My wonderful neighbour.
06:58Hello.
06:59Amanda.
07:00Hello.
07:01How you doing?
07:02I'm good.
07:03Come in, come in.
07:04How are you?
07:04How are you?
07:04I'm just making a cup of tea.
07:06Okay.
07:07Do you want one?
07:08Yeah, I'd love one.
07:09Okay.
07:10I often think of her as my Scottish mother.
07:13Someone who's helped me through some of the toughest moments of my life.
07:20Typical summer, isn't it?
07:21It is a typical summer, yeah.
07:24Here's me telling you, let's go and look for some waters together.
07:27Let's spend some time together.
07:28And this is the day that we pick.
07:30But this is the thing I love about being home.
07:34It just feels perfect.
07:36Yeah.
07:37It feels like this is where I want to be.
07:40It feels relaxing.
07:41It feels...
07:44Space.
07:44If you know what I mean.
07:45Yeah.
07:46We've got nature all around us.
07:48But I think, for anyone in the UK, it's just a matter of getting out.
07:55Yeah.
07:56And looking.
07:57Yes.
07:57Look around you.
07:58I mean, I see it here sometimes.
07:59There was a couple walking past the house and there were bottlenose dolphins in the bay.
08:04And I went out and said, I don't know if you noticed, but there were actually dolphins out there.
08:08And they hadn't realised.
08:09It makes me feel happy that you do that.
08:12Yeah.
08:12And I don't know.
08:13I don't think I rubbed that off on you.
08:14I think you had the love of wildlife already.
08:17I think I did.
08:17I did.
08:18Definitely.
08:19But you've taught me so much.
08:22Are we going to see an otter in this?
08:28The weather condition at the moment, with the waves and everything else, it makes it harder to spot.
08:33Because the otters are still going to be out in this.
08:35Yeah.
08:36For them, it's still a matter of life and death.
08:39They still need to feed, but I don't think they care about a little bit of rain.
08:44Well, we shouldn't then.
08:46Right.
08:47Come on then.
08:48Let's make the most of it.
08:53The west coast of Scotland is a good place for spotting otters.
08:58But even Amanda rarely sees them, because they're shy, evasive animals.
09:05I'd love to show her one today as a special treat.
09:10For people who are not used to spotting otters, there are a few hidden signs to look out for.
09:18Have a look at this.
09:23See that?
09:24What?
09:26Yeah.
09:27Yeah.
09:27See how green it is?
09:28Yeah.
09:29That's due to the fertilisation of otter poo.
09:33Sprint.
09:34And I'm going to pick it up, which I know a lot of people are going to go,
09:37oh, disgusting.
09:40But, in reality, it's not.
09:42And I'll show you why.
09:45Smell that.
09:47You're not going to flick it up on my face, are you?
09:49No, you're going to be fine.
09:53It's fragrant, actually, isn't it?
09:55Exactly.
09:55It's not stinky at all.
09:57It's not stinky.
09:58Everyone would think it's stinky.
09:59But, to me, it's like a hint of jasmine with fish.
10:03They have such a quick turnaround of what they eat.
10:05They're constantly pooing.
10:07They need to mark their territory.
10:10That's the mark.
10:11So, the otter, either female or male, will have this territory here.
10:14She'll come along, sprint on this area, and then move off.
10:18Now, whoever's coming next will sniff it,
10:21and that otter will kind of go,
10:23OK, she's a female, she's in season.
10:26OK, this is my day, maybe.
10:28Or I'll sniff it, ah, she's already got babies, no point for me.
10:32But it's also like a marker.
10:34Out of my territory.
10:35This is my territory.
10:37I would never have noticed that.
10:39All we need to do now is clap eyes on an otter.
10:44With the low tide imminent, which is the best hunting time for otters,
10:48we might just get lucky.
10:50It's the perfect moment to grab my camera and hope for the best.
10:54Let's just tuck in here.
10:57For you.
10:58I've just got to set up the camera.
11:00If you look for it for me.
11:01OK, OK, OK.
11:02If you find it, just give me a shout.
11:06Come on, otter.
11:08Where are you?
11:10You sometimes just get a sense that something's there.
11:13They can only hold their breath for up to about a minute.
11:16If you think you've seen it, wait another 30 seconds,
11:20give it maximum a minute.
11:21Yeah.
11:21If it hasn't popped up, then it's not an otter.
11:31Oh, there it is.
11:32There it is.
11:32There it is.
11:34Are you serious?
11:35Yeah, yeah.
11:35Oh, wow.
11:37Yeah, otter.
11:39You want him?
11:40Yeah, I got him.
11:43Good spot, Hamza.
11:45Fantastic.
11:46It just put his head up and it just did a kind of bob.
11:51OK.
11:52So as soon as it kind of does like a porpoise dive in and out,
11:55that's it letting the air out of its lungs on its way up.
11:59As soon as it breaks the surface, it takes a breath
12:01and then it goes back in again.
12:02That means it's in proper hunting mode.
12:06In places like this, food is plentiful for a hungry otter.
12:10Using their large web paws and their long streamlined bodies,
12:15otters are perfectly adapted to a life of searching the seabed
12:18for small fish and crabs.
12:25There he is.
12:28He's eating quite a lot.
12:30You can see your heads up in the water.
12:33It's munching, isn't it?
12:35It really is.
12:42It's great.
12:43It's cool, aren't it?
12:45I mean, it's always like you called them up.
12:48Well, I wanted to spend a bit of time with you.
12:50I've been on the road quite a lot, so that's the way to do it.
12:55It was absolutely fabulous.
13:00Do you know, it makes me feel so happy to be able to spend
13:04a morning with you, just like relaxing and chilling
13:08and just like showing you some really cool, beautiful wildlife.
13:12I'm a very lucky girl.
13:15I have my African son.
13:27Summer is a time when our home welcomes a whole host of seasonal visitors.
13:32And if you know where to look, you will find things that will truly surprise you.
13:39I'm in Dorset in search of a mysterious creature shrouded in folklore.
13:47Arn is beautiful.
13:49It's got a plethora of wildlife and habitats.
13:52And it's this particular habitat here, the lowland heath,
13:57that is home to one of the most beautiful birds we get in the British Isles.
14:01And unfortunately, one of the hardest to see.
14:10They are masters of camouflage.
14:15The nightjar.
14:18During the day, they are almost impossible to spot,
14:21as they silently hunker down on their nest,
14:24perfectly camouflaged amongst the heather, gorse and bark.
14:30But by night, their alien-like eyes and cavernous mouth
14:35make the nightjar a precise predator when hunting on the wing.
14:43And for me, as a cameraman, there lies the challenge.
14:48Filming these guys hunting at night for the very first time.
14:52So I say, bring it on.
14:56Whilst nightjars are doing well at Arn,
14:59they're still incredibly rare birds across the UK.
15:03Which makes revealing their behaviour at night even more special.
15:14As a youngster, I remember flicking through birding books
15:17and seeing this alien-looking creature.
15:19And ever since then, I've always wanted to film them.
15:24Nightjars only begin to fly
15:26as the very last rays of sunlight cling to the heath.
15:33This gives me about 40 minutes to film them
15:36before my camera can't cope with the darkness.
15:42I know I'm from Scotland and I'm normally used to the midges,
15:45but tonight the midges are extra bad.
15:50It went straight into my eye.
15:53So I've actually started spreading my team around
15:55and I've got Elle over here
15:57just as an extra pair of ears
15:59so that if she sees nightjars or hears them more importantly,
16:02she can point me in that direction.
16:09Come on, nightjars.
16:13There we go.
16:17Oh, that was the most briefest little sound.
16:20A churring.
16:27Nightjars make their bizarre continuous call
16:30to warn their competition to stay away
16:32and to entice a potential partner
16:34to join them on the heath.
16:39They're able to produce up to 40 notes per second,
16:43amazingly, on their inhale and exhale.
16:47It's a crazy sound.
16:48It is.
16:52Where did that come from?
16:54I can hear them but I can't see them.
16:58Oh, mate. There. There. Just above the horizon.
17:01Oh, there's one. There's one. There's one. There's one.
17:06Oh, come on.
17:11Yeah, this is super hard.
17:15They just disappear in plain sight.
17:21There's two. There's two. There's two. There's two.
17:24There's two on the horizon.
17:35Love it. Absolutely love it.
17:38What a beautiful night.
17:41Like puppets on a string,
17:43the nightjars are dancing all around me.
17:45But even my super sensitive low light camera
17:48is struggling against the oncoming night.
17:53I still really want to see them hunting on the wing,
17:57so I'm going to come back tomorrow with a secret weapon.
18:16It's the next night and I am back on the heath.
18:19And this time I have brought support.
18:25Hey, what's up, Mark?
18:26Hey, Hamza.
18:27You made it.
18:28Mark Yates is a fellow wildlife cameraman
18:30with years of experience filming nightjars.
18:33And tonight he's brought along a game-changing camera
18:37that will pull back the cover of darkness.
18:40I've never used anything like this before.
18:43It's pretty special.
18:45Yeah, no, it's an amazing bit of kit.
18:47It's like a real privilege to be able to see after dark
18:49without using any lights on anything
18:51and just sort of see natural behaviour.
18:53This is one of the most powerful thermal imaging cameras
18:56in the world.
18:57And Mark is one of the few people who knows how to operate it.
19:02It detects heat signals
19:03and it should be able to pick up any wildlife
19:06hiding on the heath.
19:08Are we going to disturb the birds at all by being here?
19:11No, not at all.
19:11No.
19:12They'll have no idea that we're here.
19:13Amazing, amazing.
19:14We'll be at one with nature.
19:22Oh!
19:24Is that one?
19:25I don't know.
19:26It's definitely not a nightjar.
19:29I think that's a bat.
19:31Oh, hang on.
19:31I can hear one.
19:35Here we go, here we go, here we go, here we go.
19:37Right in front of the tree.
19:38Right in front of the tree.
19:39Oh, it's that, that, that, that, that, that.
19:40Oh, my gosh.
19:47Nightjars.
19:49Wow.
19:52We might even go a nest.
19:54Having the ability to peek under the blanket of night
19:57really does open up a whole new world for us.
20:05There's two, there's two, there's two, there's two of them.
20:19They seem to be flying in harmony with each other rather than chasing each other off.
20:24These birds have probably already paired up
20:27and are likely maintaining their bond with a courtship display.
20:43This is absolutely awesome.
20:49Slowly, slowly, I am building a mental picture of what they're doing in the middle of the night.
20:56When the moon is this bright, nightjars are most active.
21:01Their foraging activities can more than double on nights like this.
21:11Yes, I just saw it!
21:13Yes!
21:13It just caught it out of frame, didn't it?
21:15I've not seen that before, that's for sure.
21:19And I'm pretty sure this has never been filmed before either.
21:27But with Mark's skills, we may do even better than that.
21:36If that lands on there right now, I'm going to lose my mind.
21:41Oh!
21:43Yes!
21:44Come on!
21:46Look at that!
21:49You legend!
21:52No, it's great to see it so close.
21:54Oh, it's calling, look.
22:08Literally catching moths from these perch.
22:11Wow!
22:14Mark, you don't understand how amazing that is.
22:37Not all creatures at Arn make themselves known with elaborate calls and intricate displays.
22:45There is a hidden world that is often overlooked and incredibly complex.
22:51These woods are patrolled by secret guardians.
22:55Hidden communities, millions upon millions strong.
22:59All working together to the benefit of the entire forest.
23:04Every single individual has a role to play as they raise the earth and shape the landscape.
23:11To reveal these hidden architects, we're going to need specialist macro camera equipment.
23:19I've enlisted the help of my friend and ant expert Lucy Hodson to enter a world that is tiny enough
23:27to overlook, but too gigantic to ignore.
23:32These are wood ants.
23:34And here at Arn, they're everywhere.
23:39Ants are pretty cool, aren't they?
23:40Ants are awesome.
23:41They're absolutely brilliant little things.
23:43The floor almost looks like it's glittering, doesn't it?
23:45Yeah.
23:46So much activity going on.
23:49I must admit, I tend to film big animals.
23:52I don't really focus on the small stuff, but they are so important, aren't they?
23:56Yeah.
23:57And I'm a massive advocate for having a look at the small stuff because big animals are great.
24:01Yep.
24:01I love them too.
24:02But the drama that goes on in the invertebrate world, yeah, it's mind blowing.
24:08Let's have a, let's have a closer look here.
24:11You can see the activity.
24:13It's so busy.
24:15So what's exactly happening at the moment then?
24:18So you'll see, you know, if we look a little bit wider than the mound here, there's various different routes
24:22going off where there's trails of ants.
24:23It's almost like little ant motorways.
24:27Every mound is home to its own colony, each housing up to a quarter of a million ants.
24:39This part visible above the ground is just the tip of the iceberg, with underground chambers protecting their queen and
24:47raising their larvae stretching out much further.
24:51Each year, when digging out their new nests, the combined colonies can excavate as many as 13 tonnes of soil
25:00per hectare.
25:02On their own, ants can shift stones and carry twigs, but together they can build mines and move mountains.
25:14They're always kind of maintaining and building and adding to that thatch.
25:18It has two different functions.
25:20In order to help the activity of the ant hill be at its best, it needs to be warm.
25:24Yeah.
25:24So if they can arrange that thatch in a way so that it intercepts the sun's rays, they can absorb
25:29that heat.
25:30The other thing the thatchers are good for is basically a brolly, an umbrella.
25:34If you think of heavy rain, they need some kind of defence to stop the tunnels being washed away.
25:38If you have that interlocking thatch that's arranged in a very architecturally sound way, it stops the rain washing everything
25:43away and just runs off without damaging it.
25:45See, Mother Nature's so clever.
25:48As much as the ants depend on the forest, the forest depends on the ants.
25:53They hunt down and eat caterpillars that munch on the leaves in the canopy, helping to keep the trees healthy
26:00and strong.
26:01And ants are the ultimate clean-up crew.
26:05One colony can collect as many as six million insects a year to bring back to the nest, which recycles
26:11nutrients and puts them back into the soil.
26:16But they're not just expert pest control.
26:19These ants are heading to great heights for another incredible reason.
26:28Like farmers tending to their herds, wood ants have cultivated a relationship with aphids, who produce a sugary energy-fueled
26:36substance called honeydew, a favourite snack for the ants.
26:42And in turn, the aphids benefit from their own private army, thousands of soldiers strong, to protect them from predators.
26:53Because these ants aren't without defences.
26:57Have you been bitten yet?
26:59A couple of times.
27:00A couple of times, okay.
27:00I mean, I've got one on my hand just now.
27:02They're struggling to get a hold of me, but yeah, it's not that uncomfortable.
27:05I think just an opportunity to have a look up close at their anatomy.
27:09You can see those stripes on the bum there.
27:11Yes.
27:12And you can see the segments in them as well.
27:14Yes.
27:14Those jaws, you know.
27:16I was trying to nip my skin there.
27:17But if you think about it, if you're a caterpillar and you're faced with those, it's quite intimidating, isn't it?
27:20Yeah.
27:21I guess so.
27:22They really are trying to bite, aren't they?
27:25Yeah.
27:25And this is the thing...
27:26Ah!
27:26You ass!
27:28Go on, buddy.
27:30And they don't actually, you know, put any venom into you.
27:32It's just a little bit of a nip.
27:33Yeah.
27:34So you can tolerate that.
27:35It doesn't even leave a mark.
27:36It's the back end you've got to watch.
27:40The thing about wood ants is, you know, part of their family name is formica.
27:43Yeah.
27:44Sounds quite familiar because we know formic acid.
27:46If we were to poke this, you'd see that it'll immediately go on the defence and start spraying that acid
27:52right in your face.
27:53If you get a face full of that if you're a predator, it might just put you off.
27:59Wood ants are notoriously aggressive and are the only group of ants in the world that can spray acid like
28:05this.
28:07I mean, I've got one on me now.
28:09Oh, yeah.
28:10He's already going into a revenge mode.
28:11Here's what you made earlier.
28:12And crawling all over me.
28:13But you can see immediately there, he starts rearing up towards the danger.
28:17Yeah.
28:17You can see that little bottom's tucked underneath it.
28:19Yeah.
28:19And if I...
28:20Yeah, if I give my finger a smell...
28:24Vinegar!
28:24Doesn't it?
28:25It smells like the chippy.
28:26That's exactly what the chippy smells like.
28:28Doesn't it?
28:29Oh, wow.
28:30It's really quite pungent and obviously if you get thousands of them kicking off at once, the smell is, you
28:36know, it's really quite vivid.
28:37I'm getting bitten again, look.
28:39We've got another hitchhiker.
28:41They're saying the last word here, that's for sure.
28:48There are a few species that can change the landscape, but there is one that takes it to the extreme.
28:58I'm here in my home country of Scotland to show you an animal that has been missing for 400 years.
29:05Everyone's heard of it, but not many people have seen it.
29:09The creature itself is often hidden from view because it's shy, nocturnal and is only found in a handful of
29:17places across the UK.
29:19But where they are found, it's impossible to miss the signs of their handiwork.
29:26It's the beaver.
29:33Beavers are really cool.
29:35I just want to show you this.
29:36Have a look at this tree.
29:38You can actually see the individual marks of each tooth.
29:43The little mini chisels, four chisels at the front of their mouth.
29:47You can see the gap where the two teeth kind of cut with the other bottom two teeth like this.
29:52Just phenomenal.
29:53Absolutely phenomenal.
29:56Everyone kind of asks, how do beavers actually gnaw down a tree?
30:00Because it's dangerous.
30:00They don't want to be biting right to the last minute and this thing falls on them.
30:05All of this, this is going to fall soon.
30:09And what they do is they gnaw away and as they gnaw, they sit and listen.
30:13Then they gnaw some more and sit and listen.
30:16And what they're listening for is little cracks in the trunk.
30:20And as they hear more cracks, then they leave.
30:23And what they wait for is for mother nature to have a windy day and for the wind to do
30:29the rest of the job.
30:29The next day this will be on the floor.
30:31Then they can start working on the tops of the trees, getting the leaves and the juicy bits out and
30:36taking it back up to the dam.
30:39The beavers' unique tree-felling ability has the power to completely transform the landscape to the benefit of nature.
30:49They use small streams like canals to drag their logs back to the dam.
30:58It doesn't stop the flow entirely, but it has held back enough water to increase this one small pond by
31:07at least one million extra litres.
31:12More water in the ponds means more space for wildlife.
31:18And by felling trees, the beavers open up the canopy and allow sunlight to hit the water surface, bringing with
31:26it warmth and life.
31:36Beavers help countless other species just by being beavers.
31:52Because they're so secretive, actually filming the animals themselves will be exceptionally tricky.
31:59But in a woodland as chewed up as this one, I reckon I'm going to be in luck.
32:11This is liquid sunshine.
32:14I have no choice but to sit tight and wait out the rain with my high-tech waterproofing system.
32:30But thankfully, it isn't long before the rain stops and the conditions are perfect.
32:38The one thing that's playing to my benefit is the wind has died down and it's made the pond so
32:46calm.
32:47So any movement, I'll be able to spot the beavers.
32:58I've got a beaver, I've got a beaver.
33:01Oh my God.
33:09Beaver.
33:12That's amazing.
33:13First beaver, the first beaver.
33:17I can track the beaver using their bubbles under the water.
33:35Look at him.
33:51These animals have slotted back into the landscape so seamlessly.
33:56To the untrained eye, you could easily miss them.
34:09That was so good.
34:14I can't begin to tell you how special it is to share such intimate views of wild beavers.
34:27And just when I thought it couldn't get any better, I spot a mother and her kit.
34:34And you can see the size difference now between the mum and the baby.
34:39Just look how cute they are.
34:44Come on.
34:47Beavers live in small family groups and form close bonds with one another.
34:53And if the amount of felled trees in this valley is anything to go by, this family must be a
35:00big one.
35:10Living as a large family group pays off for beavers.
35:14Even the kits get involved gathering materials to maintain their structures.
35:20He's going to break the branch. Go on.
35:24Go on, young man. Go on. You can do it.
35:29He's got it.
35:36Wow. You are beautiful.
35:52That's an animal that has been missing from our landscape for 400 years.
35:58And I'm getting the opportunity to film it now.
36:03You can't see it, but I've got goosebumps all over me.
36:07This is phenomenal.
36:19It's no secret that some of our wildlife is under real stress.
36:25And the animal I want to reveal next is one of the rarest species in the British Isles.
36:34In fact, over the past century, we have lost 90% of them.
36:40And they are now found in only a handful of places like this historic building.
36:50Once a stable on a country estate, it's now a collection of flats inhabited by people.
36:56And over a thousand greater horseshoe bats.
37:01Maybe more than 10% of the UK's entire population.
37:08Tonight is going to be an epic night.
37:11Now, that little hatch there, it's pretty small.
37:14It just looks like an attic hatch.
37:15That's where greater horseshoe bats are going to come out of.
37:19I am over the moon, to be perfectly honest.
37:23I'm not sure what's going to happen.
37:25But I've got a high-tech trick up my sleeve.
37:28These special infrared lights will reveal their world without them even knowing.
37:34We can't see these lights, but my specialist camera can.
37:38Which allows me to film these bats without disturbing them.
37:42And to say that I'm excited is an understatement.
37:48With help from my crewmate Johnny, we're working to get things up and running before nightfall.
37:54And it's not just lights that Johnny is helping me with.
37:59Last night, alongside a licensed expert, when the adults had left the building to hunt, Johnny had another job.
38:08Up in the attic.
38:10The cramped, dark, sweaty attic.
38:13Layered with years of poo from a very special ancient bat roost.
38:21Sorry, mate.
38:28Having Johnny's remote-controlled infrared camera in the roost gives us an early warning system to see when the bats
38:36start to wake up.
38:39Okay.
38:40You get it?
38:42Yeah.
38:44Look at that.
38:45That's cool, isn't it?
38:47That's amazing.
38:49That is such a...
38:51Well done, mate.
38:52That's a lot of bats.
38:53There's loads of them at the back there as well.
38:55Mate, it's just such a cluster.
38:57There's 1,000 bats and their pups.
39:00And I think there's normally about half of the mothers are giving birth, so it could be 500 pups in
39:05there as well.
39:06Wow.
39:081,500 bats.
39:09Now we're talking.
39:10This is a maternity roost, almost exclusively females, who will leave their pups behind to hunt moths and other insects.
39:19That is well worth you going up there and sorting that camera out.
39:22It was stressful.
39:24I bet.
39:25It was very stressful, but look at that.
39:26That is definitely worth it.
39:28Whoa.
39:29I bet it stinks up there.
39:30It does.
39:31It does.
39:32It does.
39:33I'm glad he's doing this and not me.
39:35The activity in the roost is rising, so it's time for us to get into position.
39:40This is exactly what we need.
39:42We need to be able to see into the monitor here.
39:45That gives me the first early warning sign that they're about to leave.
39:54Oh, that is cool.
40:07It's any minute now.
40:08Any minute.
40:08There we go.
40:09There we go.
40:09There we go.
40:09There we go.
40:11There's two.
40:12There's two.
40:13There's two.
40:15Greater horseshoe bats are one of the biggest species we get in the UK, and they can have
40:20a wingspan of up to 40 centimetres.
40:24Oh my.
40:25Wow.
40:27Wow.
40:30Look at them.
40:31And they're shooting back in again.
40:34So still not dark enough for them.
40:37They're coming out, and they're actually figuring out and communicating with each other.
40:45And then eventually going back up and telling the rest of them.
40:50And I'm sure if I can hear what Bat is saying, he's talking to them.
40:55Where were you feeding?
40:56What were you doing?
40:57Did you find enough food and water?
40:59Greater horseshoe bats get their name thanks to their big, horseshoe-shaped noses, which
41:05act a bit like a satellite dish.
41:08This allows the bats to narrow their echolocation calls into such a narrow beam, it makes it very
41:14difficult for their prey to detect them coming.
41:19Oh, this is great.
41:20They're swarming.
41:22This is wonderful.
41:24I've never ever seen bats like this.
41:30Oh, and they're going through the archway.
41:35Ah.
41:35I thought they were going to come out and come towards me.
41:40But in reality, they're going straight out that way.
41:44Right, I'm going to reposition and get a little bit closer.
41:51Ha.
41:53Ha.
41:53So much better.
42:01Look at them.
42:03Hmm.
42:04Ah.
42:11Oh.
42:13Wow.
42:14They're all kicking off now.
42:25Great horseshoe bats have been recorded living up to 30 years.
42:29So it's wonderful to think that some of the females here could have been using this roost
42:34as long as I have been alive.
42:45They come out in batches of about 15 to 20.
42:49They all fly around the entrance.
42:50And then once they've got their orientation.
43:07These bats are able to pass wisdom and experience down through generations.
43:13And the flight path they use could be as ancient as the historic building itself.
43:22All the female bats have gone out of the roost to go and find food for their pups.
43:27The humans have gone to bed.
43:29And I think it's my turn to hit the hay.
43:32Because today was phenomenal and I'll be dreaming about it for many, many years.
43:48Do you know what I love?
43:50I love when a community comes together and stands up for nature.
43:55And I wish every single street in the British Isles could do this.
44:00For my next challenge I've come to this seemingly ordinary street in Leeds.
44:05Where the local residents have created a hidden sanctuary for one of our most beloved summer visitors.
44:12The Swift.
44:17For me, as a wildlife cameraman, it's hard to think of anything more difficult to film
44:22than the fastest recorded bird in level flight.
44:26And they're only here for a fleeting hundred days each summer.
44:31And to make matters worse, we've lost two thirds of them in less than 30 years.
44:41By modernizing our buildings and sealing up gaps in our roofs,
44:46we have removed historic nesting sites for entire Swift colonies up and down the country.
44:54Twelve years ago, there were only a couple of pairs left on this street.
45:00But thanks to one man's astounding dedication,
45:04that number has gone against the national decline
45:06and increased dramatically to over 40 breeding pairs.
45:12It was about 2012 when it was suggested to me that Swift would take the nest boxes.
45:18So we put some boxes up, more in hope than anything else.
45:21We played calls from the boxes.
45:23And luckily, the second year, there were three pairs moved in.
45:28And we built up from there.
45:31The more we put up, the more Swift's moved in.
45:34So it seemed a shame to stop.
45:37About eight years ago, we knew that we had some birds nesting in the eaves.
45:40It was a small piece of our house.
45:42We weren't entirely sure what species until we got a knock on the door one day
45:47and it was Martin saying, you know, you've got Swifts.
45:51So next thing you know, he's up a ladder putting nesting boxes in.
45:56Then they were having chicks.
45:57So it just kind of evolved from there, really.
46:01I can't wait to meet this group here.
46:04More importantly, I can't wait to meet their Swifts.
46:07Wow!
46:09You can put cameras in boxes for them to look at their own Swifts.
46:12And people then take ownership of their Swifts.
46:14So, you know, my Swifts haven't come back yet or my Swifts have come back.
46:18This modern technology gives us a secret glimpse into the private lives of Swifts.
46:25We've got a box next to Erin's window.
46:29They nest in it.
46:31And we have a camera on our phones.
46:34And you can look to see if the Swifts are doing well or not.
46:39And sometimes we can see them flying into their box, can't we Erin?
46:42Yeah.
46:42And feeding.
46:43And feeding, yeah.
46:44Watch the parents bring food to the little babies.
46:50Swifts pair for life and love to nest in large colonies surrounded by their neighbours.
46:56So really, they're not that different from us.
47:01But all I've got to do now is figure out how to film a small bird that flies at almost
47:0870 miles per hour.
47:18That's what people call the sound of summer.
47:20And it just goes...
47:24They're just shooting through the streets.
47:28It's become a talking point.
47:31You know, people are outside observing.
47:33I see little kids with their little binoculars.
47:35I like the way that their wings, they're like, they're pointy so they go faster.
47:43Yeah, that's it.
47:45Nice!
47:47The community just gets bigger and bigger and obviously as a consequence so does the colony.
47:57Swifts are so suited for a life in the air that they only need to land when it's time to
48:03breed.
48:03And they can even sleep whilst flying.
48:07When a chick fledges, it might not touch solid ground again for up to four years.
48:14It's just wonderful to hear that sound.
48:20They spend so long flying on their annual migration from the UK to Africa
48:25that the average swift will cover 126,000 miles over the course of its life.
48:32That's five times around the planet.
48:34And when these birds come back here, they will nest in exactly the same box as last year.
48:41Maybe the only solid ground they will ever touch.
48:46All the kids have been given permission to stay up late and watch the swift screaming.
48:52It's just wonderful.
48:53And the swifts are still going.
49:02There we go, there we go, there we go, there we go, there we go, there we go.
49:06These birds are so quick, I can't take an eye off them for even a second.
49:13Here he comes, coming round the corner.
49:17Made a handbrake turn, he's going to dip closer towards us.
49:20Banks left, then Banks right again.
49:23They're like Formula One cars, aren't they?
49:25That was so cool!
49:30You enjoyed your time in Leeds?
49:31Yeah man, it's great to see this many swifts.
49:34I don't think I've ever seen this many, let alone in Yorkshire.
49:38It's fantastic.
49:39Swift Park Avenue.
49:41Would you rename it that, do you think?
49:43You know what, it'd be great.
49:44I think we need to get a petition signed, don't we?
49:45Yeah.
49:46To update the street now, that would be pretty sweet.
49:48Swift Park Avenue.
49:49I like it.
49:52You know, this is the thing I love about communities like here in Yorkshire.
49:58It took one man, Martin, to raise the awareness of Swifts.
50:03And it's brought the whole community together.
50:06They're all enjoying being outdoors.
50:09And to think that all of these guys here are united by Swifts is wonderful.
50:15But the question I always have to ask is,
50:17did Swifts reunite this community?
50:21Or did the community reunite the Swift colony?
50:39The
50:40To end my summer of hidden wildlife, I want to head back out on the water to find something that
50:46could be absolutely anywhere.
50:49anywhere I've just come back to Pembrokeshire because I heard there is
50:54some incredible behavior happening way out at sea there's a real sense of
51:01anticipation amongst the crew this expedition is going to be a hard one to
51:06pull off all right ready yeah British waters are globally important for a
51:13whole range of marine wildlife and we've heard rumors of a large pod of common
51:18dolphins patrolling the vast Celtic sea permission to come aboard marine
51:25wildlife is notoriously difficult to find these dolphins are always on the move
51:31got it right there's no chance they'll come investigating us we've got to search
51:38miles and miles of open ocean for them and I can't wait
51:44look everyone good morning to you sir on this break a sunny day just departed
51:52Billford marina
52:03three hours later and we're out on the high seas with nothing to be seen in any
52:10direction apart from the rocking boat the real challenge for us are the strong
52:19local currents that determine the distribution of life
52:28just below the surface tiny plants and creatures called plankton are thriving in
52:35the warm waters pushed up from the Gulf Stream
52:41where there is plankton there is small fish to eat it and from there it's just a
52:50straight run up the food chain
53:02the currents that bring warmth and energy to the water also push this food in all
53:07directions it could be anywhere but luckily we're not alone in our search
53:19gannets are also looking for the same fish as our dolphins when it comes to spotting food these birds are
53:28the ultimate guides
53:34eventually we spot what we're searching for
53:40we're using a three-pronged attack for this I'm filming from the side of the boat
53:46Al can you point in that direction for me underwater camera woman Katie is going
53:53beneath the surface and Johnny is in the air with his drone
54:00and he's the first to catch a glimpse of what we're here for
54:06in the miles and miles of empty ocean we have found our dolphins
54:14so I could see them in the distance there
54:19jumping and moving around
54:30there's a whole load of them coming straight towards us
54:56and now they've come close enough for Katie to get an unparalleled experience with these incredible marine
55:08dolphins are curious intelligent animals but they're also easily bored
55:18as quickly as it began the dolphins disappear on the hunt for their next meal
55:29we are so lucky to have a great variety of dolphins and porpoises here in the UK
55:36and it's a real testament to how special our local seas are
55:42some adult dolphins need to eat as much as 33,000 calories a day
55:49that's 25 kilograms of fish
55:51and that can only happen because our waters are so rich
56:02with increased protection around the British coastline
56:05I hope we can share the waves with these wonderful intelligent and joyous animals for many years to come
56:26next time autumn
56:29where I spend the night alone in a London cemetery to try and meet the locals
56:42I'll reveal the hidden lives on the back of a leaf in extreme close-up
56:47this is so cool Katie
56:50now who are you young man
56:52and there's an extraordinary first for me
56:54the return
56:55just up ahead
56:56of a legend
56:58yes
56:59ha ha
57:00here we go
57:02whoa
57:03that is amazing
57:11the open university
57:12the open university has produced a booklet and postcards exploring hidden nature across our wild isles
57:17to order your free copy
57:19to order your free copy call 0300 303 2062
57:23scan the QR code on the screen
57:24or visit bbc.co.uk
57:27forward slash
57:28Hamza's hidden wild isles
57:30and follow the links to the open university
57:32to discover more about how to help the hidden nature near you
57:36just search Hamza on the BBC website
57:40presents
57:41irons
57:41youtube
57:41are
57:41doing
57:41uh
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