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  • 6/10/2025
Springwatch 2025 episode 10

Category

🐳
Animals
Transcript
00:00For a live update.
00:04You're doing some DIY on your shabby nest and you take a look next door.
00:10There he is, frisky Phil.
00:13Good looking, massive house, irresistible to the opposite sex.
00:18How on earth can you compete?
00:21Well, spineless Psy never gave up hope.
00:26And it paid off as he became a legend on Springwatch.
00:53Hello and welcome to Springwatch.
00:56Coming to you live from the Longshore Estate in the Peak District National Park.
01:00And we've got smiles on our faces because today we've had a sunrise.
01:05Oh my goodness me, it's good, it's good, isn't it?
01:08And we've got a great show coming up for you tonight.
01:10Well, I say a great show.
01:12We're going to be featuring one of the animals that I can guarantee that 99.9% recurring of you positively loathe.
01:19But we are going to big it up.
01:21We're going to show you that it can use electro-reception and tribo-electrification to get on to you.
01:28And you don't get that on Countryfile.
01:30In fact, you don't get that on Attenborough.
01:32You only get that on Springwatch.
01:34And that is what you pay your licence fee for.
01:37Just be ready for it.
01:38It's sensational, seriously.
01:39And the demonstration is going to be amazing, isn't it?
01:41Well, I'll tell you, that is what we do here.
01:43We change people's attitudes.
01:45We make you appreciate the underappreciated.
01:49But anyway, as Chris is saying, we have had a stunning day here.
01:52And our wildlife crews have been out.
01:54And as the sun rays warmed the woodland floor, they saw this summer spectacle.
02:00Look at that.
02:01These are yellow-barred longhorn moths.
02:04Longhorn by name, longhorn by nature.
02:07Look at that.
02:08That's balmy.
02:09It's not balmy with an L, but balmy with an R.
02:11Because they're three centimetres long, those antennae.
02:15And they're all males.
02:17And they're basically performing to try and attract a female.
02:21You've heard of lecking with birds.
02:23So this is a moth leck.
02:25And they do this dance to try and impress any passing females.
02:31I mean, it is absolutely beautiful, isn't it?
02:34They're daytime flying moths.
02:36So obviously the females can see that display,
02:39unlike nighttime flying moths, which use pheromones.
02:42But really stunning, isn't it?
02:44Stunning.
02:44Those males know how to party hard, don't they?
02:46But you know it goes further than that.
02:48People think that they may have seedy, bristly little hairs,
02:51and scales at the base of those antennae, which actually produce sounds.
02:56They're having their own little Disco 2000 out there,
02:58trying to attract those females.
03:01So they really are all dancing, all singing moths.
03:04They certainly are.
03:05I like those moths.
03:06They're my kind of moths.
03:06Amazing stuff.
03:07Amazing stuff.
03:08I'll tell you what, though, without further ado,
03:09let's take a look at our live nest and see what we've got there.
03:12Still plenty of nests there, despite all the fledgings
03:15that we've been looking at over the past few days.
03:17My eye is drawn to the bottom right, to that white blob.
03:20What is that white blob?
03:22Well, it's a white blob in the form of a long-eared owl chick.
03:28And there you can see no flies on us, but there's a fly on the chick.
03:32And there on the left-hand side, you can see its beak.
03:35There were two young in that nest, and we've been keeping a close eye on you.
03:41You said the adult Chris was grumpy, but just look at that adult long-eared owl.
03:46It is absolutely stunning.
03:48It's been feeding those chicks, and they've certainly been growing.
03:52You can see the grey feathers beginning to come through.
03:55They're losing the white down.
03:57And if we look at their faces, this is where you can see things have really developed.
04:01Look at the eyes.
04:02See that orange, that flash of yellow and orange,
04:06which is very distinctive of the long-eared owls.
04:09And I was looking at them thinking, have they grown?
04:11But then if we go back seven days, they certainly have.
04:14Look at them.
04:15They're tiny there, very white, downy chicks.
04:18And it's great to see them develop.
04:21But there's been quite a lot of action in that nest.
04:22Some trials and tribulations because they've had some unwanted visitors.
04:26Yes.
04:27Listen.
04:28That's the clicking beep of the female as part of her threat display.
04:35You'll also notice she's got her long ears fully erected,
04:38and she's glaring with those bright orange eyes up at the top of the nest,
04:43because who's arrived?
04:45The carrion crow.
04:47Potential predator of those chicks, of course.
04:50And here, trying to intimidate the owl.
04:52The owl is doing what many owl species of about this size.
04:57Well, I'll say that.
04:58In fact, eagle owls do it the same.
05:00What they do is they try and make themselves look much bigger than they are.
05:03In reality, and you can see some scale there with the crow in the image,
05:08that long-eared owls are no bigger than a wood pigeon.
05:11So what they do is that they roll their wings forward,
05:15erect their secondary feathers to make those wings as big as possible,
05:18and then fluff out all of their other feathers,
05:20again, to expand their size, put up their ear tufts,
05:24and then glare at any potential intruder, whilst clicking that beak.
05:30Look how smart the crows are.
05:31They're breaking up twigs and dropping them through the roof of the nest.
05:34They're doing everything they can to intimidate this female.
05:39And I'm sure that what they're trying to do, working in a pair,
05:43is to get her to lose her temper, bolt off of that nest and chase one of them,
05:47and then the other would be straight in there to nick those chicks.
05:52Would it be successful?
05:53Well, we looked at a study published in 2000,
05:56which showed that, in fact,
05:58long-eared owls were always able to overcome carrion crows.
06:03Where they met their match and lost was if a buzzard tried to steal the chicks.
06:09But just look at that to wrap up with.
06:11Look at the eyes now.
06:12Look.
06:12Look at that when she looks right down the lens.
06:13Look, look.
06:14Oh, yes.
06:16That's not a grumpy owl, is it?
06:17That's an angry owl.
06:19What an amazing thing to see, though.
06:21Amazing action, isn't it?
06:22I really hope that those chicks are safe.
06:25And obviously, you can carry on watching our live cameras on the website and the iPlayer, too.
06:30OK, let's go over to Northern Ireland, to Strangford Loch, where Yolo is.
06:35And I'm going to give you a clue to what he's hoping to see.
06:38Because just to prove that I don't throw my wardrobe together.
06:41Oh, no, no, no, Chris.
06:42Because the clue is on my T-shirt.
06:44Look at that.
06:44What's that?
06:45Yesterday's lunch?
06:45No.
06:46All right.
06:46Yes, indeed, a lovely shirt, Michele.
06:53A beautiful shirt.
06:54And it is a beautiful evening here as well.
06:57No clouds in the sky, no wind at all.
07:01Welcome to Mount Stewart, owned and managed by the National Trust.
07:06And we've moved location from the very wet woodland we were in last night to the center of the estate
07:11and to the beautiful old buildings of the home farm here.
07:16And it dates back to the 1700s.
07:19Some of these buildings got a walled garden and an orchard.
07:22And that would have fed the occupants of the big house.
07:26Also, some of it would have been put over to the quarters of servants.
07:30Some of it would have been for farm animals.
07:33And much of it would have been stabling because they kept stud horses here as well.
07:39But as much as I like my history, I've not come to admire the old buildings.
07:42No, I've come to look for the beautiful birds that is the harbinger of spring, the swallow.
07:49Now, we were told by the rangers that usually they arrive about the length of April.
07:54But it's been an odd year.
07:55This year, the first pair arrived at the end of March.
07:59And the others didn't arrive for over a month after that.
08:02But when they arrive, look at what is waiting for them.
08:05An old building with doors open.
08:07Beautiful birds as well.
08:09Iridescent blue and that red cheek.
08:12Now, on the whole estate, they reckon there's upwards of 50 pairs.
08:16Now, that is a fair population.
08:18Associated with humans, of course, nesting in old ruins and in barns like this.
08:25And that mud cup nest.
08:27Well, they reckon up to 1,450 mud pellets goes into building that.
08:33Then they line it with bits of grass and feathers.
08:37They lay their five or six eggs in there.
08:39Then, a couple of weeks later, they hatch out to these lovely little chicks.
08:43They'll be in there for about three weeks.
08:46Now, some have well-grown chicks in the nest.
08:50But for others, the chicks have already fledged.
08:53And they've been out and about feeding them on the wires.
08:58Now, speaking of Toby Edwards, who is the head ranger here,
09:01and he maintains that they used to have pairs that would rear three broods.
09:08If they start egg-laying in early April and finish in early September,
09:12they could rear three broods.
09:13But that hasn't happened now for over four years.
09:17What's going on?
09:18Well, Toby thinks it's the changing weather patterns here.
09:21You get cold, wet weather at the wrong time,
09:25and it'll suppress the invertebrates.
09:28And that is a knock-on effect on these birds.
09:31But there's no doubt that they are aerial masters.
09:34But to really appreciate that, you need to watch them in slow motion.
09:39We've slowed this down 40 times.
09:42Otherwise, you'd see nothing but a flash of blue.
09:46Stunning birds.
09:47Long wings.
09:49Long fork-tail.
09:51And females choose the males for the length and the symmetry
09:56of those long-tail streamers there.
10:00That's how they choose their partners.
10:03And just look at the way they're going in and out of that building there.
10:09Brilliant.
10:09Now, the building in question, we saw them going in and out of there,
10:13is over here.
10:14Come with me, and I'll show you.
10:15There's one calling above my head as I speak now.
10:18This is the building they're going into and out of here.
10:22That's all well and good.
10:23Plenty of room in there.
10:24But what happens when the staff have to go home
10:28and lock up this building at night?
10:31Well, let's close the door.
10:35Lock up that.
10:37They padlock it as well, of course.
10:39But what they've done is the way that they've hung the doors
10:42has left a small entrance, just a tiny little entrance up there.
10:46Now, it doesn't look big enough to allow a swallow to get in.
10:51But believe me, it is.
10:53Again, we've slowed this right down 40 times again.
10:58Swallow comes in, beautiful tail, and in it goes.
11:03Briefly, then it comes out again, feeding the chicks.
11:07There's two pairs nesting in there,
11:09so sometimes you get a little bit of a fracker,
11:11a little bit of falling out as they tumble away.
11:14But they've been coming in and out all day from there.
11:18Absolutely.
11:19It's a joy to watch.
11:21And what's been brilliant is coming somewhere like this way
11:23where you've got so many pairs
11:24and you can hear them chattering all around you.
11:28Now, from birds now to butterflies.
11:31Now, have you ever pondered, as you're at home
11:34with your cup of tea and your favourite cake,
11:36Victoria Spuns maybe,
11:37have you ever pondered about the courtship
11:40of the small blue butterfly?
11:42The spring sunshine has sparked the final transformation of our smallest resident butterfly.
12:01The small blue, no bigger than a thumbnail.
12:06It's Latin name, cupido minimus, means the smallest desire.
12:13A moniker never more appropriate than now, when it's time to find a mate.
12:21In his new aerial form, this male surveys his patch.
12:29Its name is deceptive, as although its colouration hints at blue in certain light,
12:39in reality, he wears more of a dusky colouring, much like the female he's trying to attract.
12:49But to do that, he's going to need to refuel.
12:52A bounty of bird's foot trefoil will certainly do as an appetiser.
13:02He probes his proboscis into the flowers, drinking nectar through it like a straw.
13:10But while nectar fuels his flight, it can't provide all the nutrients small blue males need.
13:16For these, he'll need to follow in the footsteps of foxes.
13:30This is a magnet for males,
13:34who make the most of the salts and minerals it provides.
13:41Feeding on mud, excrement, and even rotting flesh in this way
13:45is known as puddling,
13:48and it's thought to be essential for successful breeding.
13:54Now fully fortified, he can resume his hunt for a female.
14:02He's chosen a tall stem of grass to search for his soulmate.
14:10At the merest hint of an invader, he launches from his perch.
14:15Small blue males are fiercely territorial
14:19and will chase away anything that comes their way.
14:26Unless, of course, it's a female small blue.
14:30With a perfect match in his sights,
14:36he wastes no time in acquainting himself,
14:39joining his abdomen with hers.
14:43And from here, he takes his time.
14:48Small blue mating can last for hours.
14:51Only after he's transferred his sperm packet into the female's body
14:58do they separate.
15:06While he heads off to find a spot to roost for the evening,
15:12her work is just beginning.
15:14She must find a spot to lay her eggs.
15:19And only one place will suffice.
15:25Kidney vetch is the sole food plant of her young.
15:30Here, she carefully lays a single egg.
15:37Protected inside the fluffy petals,
15:39it will emerge within a week as a caterpillar
15:41to its first energy-rich meal.
15:50She will continue this process across the hillside,
15:53one egg at a time.
16:00Planting seeds of future generations
16:02across the Dorset hillsides.
16:05Beautiful, beautiful little butterflies,
16:12like sapphires flitting about on the vegetation.
16:16And I have to say,
16:16that if you've got a patch of wasteland,
16:18even in the heart of our cities,
16:19you can see those little blue butterflies.
16:21Keep your eyes peeled.
16:22Last year, butterflies had a terrible time.
16:25Of course, butterfly conservation,
16:26this big butterfly count is starting pretty soon.
16:28You might want to get involved with that
16:29and spot yourself a blue.
16:30They're stunning.
16:31They really are pretty little things, aren't they?
16:33Now, this series, we've had a little bit of an owl fest
16:36with our live cameras.
16:37We've had shorted owls,
16:38we've had longed owls,
16:39and we've had tawny owls.
16:41And I don't think I've really made it a secret,
16:42have I?
16:43The tawny owl is my favourite.
16:45The little single chick that we've called Spud.
16:48Let's take a look at that live.
16:50He's obviously not in the nest anymore
16:51because he's come out of the nest.
16:53Oh, my goodness.
16:54I'm sure he's grown since yesterday.
16:56Look at those feathers that have started to come through.
16:58That is amazing how quickly that has happened.
17:02He's been hanging around in the tree in the day,
17:05but at night he starts to move about,
17:08branching from one branch to another,
17:11exploring his immediate surroundings.
17:14He's not alone there, though.
17:15There's the adult.
17:17The adult's still watching the chick and provisioning.
17:20And this will continue for some time
17:23until Spud develops his flight feathers
17:25and perfects his flying.
17:27We've seen him flapping a bit.
17:28We saw him take a little bit of a flight yesterday.
17:31Didn't end up too well.
17:32He landed, crash-landed, on the ground.
17:35But he's certainly branching out to those higher branches.
17:39And there's our Spud doing exactly what we'd expect him to do.
17:43But as I say, it's amazing how those feathers have changed
17:46just in a day, isn't it?
17:47So he might not be around for much longer,
17:50but great to see him.
17:52He obviously started off in a nest box,
17:54so the safety of a nest box.
17:56But what about the nests that we featured
17:58that are ground-nesting birds?
18:00It's unbelievable where you find these nests.
18:03But I wanted to show you,
18:04so I went out earlier
18:05to show you exactly where our tree pipettes are.
18:08It really is amazing where this nest is.
18:15I mean, this is the road.
18:17This is the woodland edge.
18:20I mean, it could be anywhere in there.
18:23Ground-nesting birds.
18:25See the foxglove?
18:26That's where the nest is.
18:28So when those chicks fledge,
18:31they'll just wander around through the grasses.
18:34I mean, I cannot believe how vulnerable they're going to be.
18:39Anything could stand on the nest or on them.
18:42You know, people, dogs, predators.
18:49Well, look, there's the adult.
18:51Looks like it's got...
18:53Is that a cricket?
18:54It's taking into the nest.
18:55You can hear it.
18:56It's alarm calling.
18:58That's actually probably because we're here.
19:00So let's leave it alone.
19:05So when you see where that nest is,
19:08it's quite amazing that anything survives, isn't it?
19:11But they have survived,
19:13and they've been doing very well.
19:15Here they are, all the chicks.
19:16That was six days ago.
19:18Just look how quickly these chicks develop.
19:21That was three days ago.
19:22That's our tree pipette chicks.
19:25And then this is today.
19:27I mean, that is astonishing, isn't it?
19:30Look how much they've developed.
19:31I mean, they are squashed in that nest now.
19:34Look at all those little faces.
19:36They are flapping and ready to go,
19:38and off one of them went at 10.29.
19:41I love the other chicks' faces looking on.
19:43Where are you going?
19:43Where are you going?
19:44Wait for me.
19:45Then another one decides to join its friend,
19:48its sibling,
19:49and then there's the adult,
19:51still with food in its beak,
19:53flies down.
19:54It's interesting when they fly down
19:56because they don't go straight into the nest.
19:58They go on the ground nearby,
20:00and then they run in,
20:02often run straight through.
20:05One decides to follow,
20:06so we've got three left.
20:08Now there's two left.
20:10Oh no, what's going on, they say.
20:11And then we've got 11.20,
20:13just one little scruffy chick left in the nest.
20:17The adult comes in with some food,
20:20tempts it,
20:21and says,
20:22come on, follow me, follow me.
20:23Come on, off we go.
20:24You're the last one.
20:25I need you out of here.
20:26Oh, just about manages to stumble off.
20:29And it really is stumbling off.
20:31They semi-fledge.
20:32They don't just fly out of that nest.
20:35They stumble out into the grass.
20:37Adult comes back in to check they've all gone.
20:40And then the adult will continue feeding them.
20:43Which is quite a challenge
20:44when you've got six chicks in that grassland
20:47to try and find all six of them
20:50and make sure they're all fed.
20:52They are extremely exposed.
20:55Now you know the sort of vegetation that that nest is in.
20:59As I say, it is amazing
21:00that any of them manage to survive.
21:03Our cameras probably won't be able to follow them now,
21:05so in my little head,
21:06they lived happily ever after.
21:08Well, fingers crossed, fingers crossed.
21:10But the devil's always in the detail.
21:13When the tree pipit was running through there,
21:14did you notice its toe?
21:17Yeah, its toe.
21:17I'm talking about its toe and the claw on that toe.
21:19Look at them.
21:20They are very, very long.
21:23They've got these massively long toes
21:25because they spend quite a bit of time
21:27running around on the ground.
21:30They're essentially bipedal birds, of course,
21:33but they're also spending a lot of time on the ground.
21:35Now, I've got a little diagram here,
21:37and I've got the two pipits.
21:38They're relatively similar in shape and size,
21:40as are their feet,
21:41but there are some differences.
21:43So let's go to the tree pipit first.
21:44Those are ours.
21:44So their toe's 20 millimetres long,
21:47and the claw on it is 7.5.
21:49Now, the meadow pipit has got a toe of the same length,
21:52but its claw is 10.5 millimetres long.
21:55These are massive claws in proportion to their body.
21:59Now, in fact, when we measure from one side of the foot
22:02to the other like this,
22:03they represent 28% of the body length of the bird
22:07for the meadow pipit,
22:08and 23% for the tree pipit.
22:10Probably a little bit small on the tree pipit
22:12because they spend a bit more time in the trees.
22:16Now, our feet, if you measure ours
22:18in proportion to our height on average,
22:19about 14%, and we've got quite big feet,
22:23and that's because we too are bipedal,
22:25spending a lot of time walking around on the ground.
22:28With the pipits as well,
22:29they spread their toes out a bit like snowshoes,
22:32so when they're walking over soft grass,
22:34it allows them to balance on that
22:36whilst they're probing down for their insect prey.
22:39There we are.
22:40Fantastic stuff.
22:42Let's see it in action.
22:43We've got a meadow pipit here.
22:45Remember, this is the one with the longer toe.
22:47So keep your eyes peeled there
22:49for the toe.
22:50There, you can see it sticking down
22:51on the back of its foot
22:53as it balances on the bracken,
22:55but then does a much better job
22:57of walking along on the ground,
22:59which is where it spends most of its time
23:01foraging for its insect food.
23:04What about that?
23:05Do you know, I often look at my feet,
23:07because I've got quite small feet,
23:08size four.
23:08I often wonder why I don't fall over.
23:10I don't think it's enough surface, really,
23:12to stand up.
23:12Size four?
23:13Yes, very small feet.
23:14Those are children's feet, aren't they?
23:16Those are children's feet.
23:17We've known each other for 35 years.
23:19I've only just noticed you've got tiny feet.
23:21I've got very small feet.
23:24It's a good job I'm not a tree pipit.
23:25What about that?
23:27Now, if you were watching yesterday,
23:29Lira Valencia went out into Sheffield
23:31and found something pretty special,
23:33a nesting Alexandrine parakeet.
23:35She was very, very excited about that.
23:37We couldn't hold her back.
23:38She's passionately keen
23:39when it comes to urban wildlife,
23:41particularly bird life.
23:42So she headed off to Sheffield again
23:44to look for some spring arrivals.
23:50There are around 150 miles
23:53of rivers and canals in Sheffield,
23:55which provide a vital habitat
23:58for urban wildlife.
24:00And one river in particular
24:02offers a tale of hope for us all.
24:05The River Don was once infamous
24:07for being declared biologically dead
24:09because of pollution from industry.
24:14But thanks to targeted efforts
24:16to clean it up,
24:18things have changed.
24:19And now,
24:20there's a range of different wildlife here.
24:24And in the last two decades,
24:26San Martins have moved in
24:27to take advantage of the urban landscape.
24:32There's so many!
24:34Look at them!
24:36They skim the water so closely,
24:38feeding on aquatic insects.
24:43In all honesty,
24:44I've never been so close to them.
24:46I have seen them at my local wetlands,
24:47but nothing like this.
24:49They're literally skimming over my head.
24:52These birds have made the epic migration
24:54over from Africa
24:56to spend the breeding season
24:58on our shores.
24:59And it's crazy to think
25:02that a bird that weighs
25:02only around 14 grams,
25:04which is the same as a two-pound coin,
25:06can do this large migration
25:08around two and a half thousand miles.
25:10I can barely navigate through London
25:12without getting lost.
25:14And they are making the most
25:16of their urban setting.
25:19San Martins are burrow-nesting birds
25:21and naturally,
25:22you'll see them nesting
25:23in riverbanks and sandy cliffs,
25:25but here,
25:26they're using the old walls.
25:31People often think of the swallow
25:33as the first sign of spring,
25:34but actually,
25:35these guys come first,
25:36a week or two ahead of them.
25:37In fact,
25:40they are often confused
25:42for swallows and house martins.
25:44And they do all look
25:45very, very similar.
25:46But the San Martin
25:47is the smallest,
25:48has a pale belly,
25:49round feathers
25:50and has a distinctive collar
25:52on its neck.
25:56Considering the river's
25:57chequered past,
25:58it's so great to see them
25:59thriving here once again.
26:02Seeing them feeding
26:02and breeding here
26:03is a good sign
26:04of river health.
26:07And this is a really
26:09good example
26:10that if we just look after
26:11and prepare for our rivers,
26:12nature will recover.
26:14I mean,
26:14just look at this.
26:15Look at them go.
26:19Look at them go indeed.
26:20Fantastic,
26:21those San Martins,
26:22right in the heart
26:23of Sheffield
26:23and doing something
26:24I've never seen them do before
26:25because typically,
26:26they nest in soft,
26:27sandy banks.
26:28There,
26:29they were on those
26:30brick-lined banks
26:31of that river.
26:32Fantastic.
26:33They've managed to adapt,
26:33haven't they?
26:34Yeah.
26:34I think we have mentioned
26:36that it's our 20th anniversary
26:37this year,
26:38but it's great,
26:39isn't it?
26:39Because it's given us
26:40the chance to look back
26:41to reminisce.
26:42And today,
26:43we're going to celebrate
26:44the rare sightings
26:45that we've seen.
26:46And the first one
26:47we're going to look at
26:48is because of the advancement
26:49in thermal cameras.
26:51And this has allowed us
26:52to see things at night.
26:54And if you remember
26:55back to Wild Ken Hill,
26:572022,
26:58this is on the wetland
26:59using our thermal camera,
27:00lots of widgeon.
27:02And you can see
27:02the thermal camera
27:03has picked up
27:04the heat of a stoat.
27:05And the stoat
27:07is going out hunting,
27:09looking at those widgeon,
27:10thinking that they
27:10would make a nice meal.
27:13Then we thought
27:13maybe it had cached
27:14something,
27:15and that's what
27:15it's doing there.
27:17But then,
27:17as we continue
27:18to watch on our camera,
27:20it wasn't the only predator.
27:21A fox came along.
27:24A fox perhaps
27:25also looking at the widgeon.
27:26But then the fox
27:28spots the stoat.
27:30And this is what we saw.
27:32As I say,
27:33this amazing footage,
27:35a fight between the fox
27:37and the stoat.
27:39We weren't quite sure
27:41what had happened here.
27:41We held our breath.
27:44And unfortunately
27:45for the stoat,
27:47it didn't win the battle
27:49and the fox carried it off.
27:51But just amazing.
27:52I mean,
27:53that's the sort of thing
27:53that we just wouldn't
27:55have been able to see
27:55years ago
27:56before we got
27:57those thermal cameras.
27:58Astonishing.
27:59Absolutely astonishing.
28:00Let's go to 2011 now.
28:02Martin Hughes,
28:02Games and I
28:03got very excited
28:04when we found
28:04a veritable medusa
28:06of grass snakes
28:07on a compost heap
28:09which was very,
28:10very close to the studio
28:11where we were working.
28:12Here they are.
28:14Shall we go across here?
28:15Because we can actually
28:16see the place
28:17where the snakes are.
28:19This is the snake,
28:21what would you call it, Chris?
28:22Well, this is where
28:23they've all come to lay
28:24their eggs, I think, Martin.
28:25Now, now,
28:27they're in bed
28:28and have a look
28:29at what this looked like
28:30earlier as well.
28:31Have a look.
28:32Now you can see the snakes.
28:34This is a time lapse.
28:35Not one, Chris.
28:36Not two.
28:37I know.
28:38Loads of snakes.
28:39It's not masses
28:39against the grasses here.
28:41I think what we've got here
28:42is a huge number
28:43of female grass snakes
28:44that have come
28:45to this compost heap
28:46to lay their eggs
28:47because as it ferments there
28:49it generates heat
28:50and it's that
28:50that they use
28:51to incubate their eggs.
28:52Let's take a look at this
28:53because here's a closer view
28:55of these snakes.
28:56Now, the females
28:57are generally
28:58a bit more robust.
28:59Their heads
28:59are a little bit wider.
29:01There might be
29:01some males in here too.
29:02They might have come along
29:03being inquisitive
29:04but they do return
29:05to these egg-laying sites
29:07traditionally
29:08and they're very
29:09important these days.
29:10And they travel
29:11enormous distances,
29:12grass snakes,
29:12don't they, relatively?
29:13Most mobile
29:14of all of our snakes.
29:15They might have come,
29:16you know,
29:16half a kilometre at least
29:17to get to this site.
29:21Fantastic.
29:21I love grass snakes.
29:22I've always loved grass snakes.
29:23That was a real treat
29:24to see so many
29:25in one place.
29:26And I'm going to give you
29:27a random grass snake fact now.
29:29Go on then.
29:29Nothing to do with the fact
29:30that they lay up to 40 eggs.
29:31They're about three centimetres long.
29:33They're covered in a sort of
29:34a leathery white covering
29:35and they hatch
29:36at the end of summer.
29:36Not that at all.
29:37The fact that in Latvia
29:39they were revered
29:41as symbols of fertility
29:42and when people got married
29:44they would put grass snakes
29:45under their bed.
29:47Really?
29:48Oh yes.
29:49And in fact
29:49they were so sacred
29:50that they had a saying
29:51he who kills a grass snake
29:53kills his happiness.
29:56Do you think
29:56they still put them
29:57under their bed?
29:58Not now, no.
29:58Latvia's moved on.
30:00It's moved on.
30:01Can I just say as well
30:02you look so young
30:02in that clip.
30:04I'm not supposed to say that
30:05am I?
30:05I'm supposed to say
30:06gosh you haven't
30:07changed at all.
30:09You've got a portrait
30:10up in your attic.
30:11I can't wait
30:11to the end of the programme now.
30:14Guess what's going to happen
30:15the minute we're off air.
30:16Let's go back
30:17to Wildcane Hill
30:18to 2022
30:19because we had
30:21a night jar nest.
30:23I mean it's a real treat
30:24to be able to put
30:25a camera
30:26on a night jar nest.
30:28Most of the time
30:29in the day
30:29it just sat still
30:30but then we saw it
30:30do this.
30:32Look, look.
30:33It starts to move
30:35its head.
30:36Look.
30:37It's amazing, isn't it?
30:39It looks completely
30:41robotic.
30:43It almost
30:44well it does
30:44it turns its head
30:45more than 180 degrees
30:46then it turns it back.
30:48If you didn't know better
30:49you could think
30:50that that was a model
30:51with some sort of
30:52remote control camera
30:53inside it.
30:55I mean that was
30:55an astonishing thing
30:57to see in the day.
30:58Frankly it's bonkers.
31:00Barmy.
31:01It's barmy.
31:01Barmy with an R.
31:02Barmy.
31:03And then of course
31:04it's a nocturnal animal
31:06so we had our
31:07infrared cameras on it
31:09and we saw something
31:10really astonishing
31:12and really surprising
31:13and well quite frankly
31:14shocking.
31:15So there it is
31:17on the nest
31:18and it's feeding
31:19one chick.
31:20That's what it's doing.
31:21It's got the
31:22beak in the beak
31:23of the chick
31:24and that's feeding.
31:27And then
31:27as it stood up
31:28we saw
31:29the egg
31:30of the second chick
31:32that had hatched.
31:32So it's got two chicks
31:33in there
31:33as it flies off
31:34flying off
31:35to get some food
31:36to bring back.
31:37and we were
31:40watching these chicks
31:41and it was
31:41absolutely delightful
31:42to watch them.
31:43And then as I say
31:44we saw something
31:44really shocking
31:45when the adult
31:47came back
31:47we thought it was
31:48feeding the chick
31:49and then we saw
31:51the chick being
31:51picked up.
31:52It's still alive
31:53and then the night
31:55child swallowed
31:56the chick
31:57alive
31:58and whole
32:00that had never
32:01been seen before
32:02never been recorded
32:03no one could
32:03quite believe
32:04that it had done that
32:05none of us
32:06could work out
32:06why
32:07but again
32:08you know
32:09it's a rare sighting
32:10and we only saw that
32:11because we had
32:11those amazing
32:12infrared cameras
32:13on that nest.
32:14Amazing
32:14and to this day
32:16people have
32:16conversations about that
32:17I've met them
32:18in car parks
32:18around the world
32:19and no one
32:20knows why
32:21that night
32:22child did that
32:23but listen
32:23we've got live
32:24badgers at the moment
32:25on one of our cameras
32:26we can go to them
32:27live
32:28here we are
32:29the one on the left
32:30is called YOLO
32:31and the one on the right
32:33is called Williams
32:34YOLO and Williams
32:35out live
32:36now
32:36on our screens
32:38isn't that amazing
32:39though Chris
32:39I mean we haven't
32:40seen much of the
32:41badgers
32:41because the weather
32:42has been so bad
32:43that's exactly right
32:44and as soon as
32:44the weather changes
32:45out they come
32:46and they're active
32:47and don't they look
32:48gorgeous in that light
32:49going past the fox club
32:51what they don't like
32:51is the wind
32:52I've noticed this
32:53in my years of
32:54badger watching
32:54if it's really windy
32:55they can't hear anything
32:57and because their
32:57eyesight's not good
32:58and also
32:59the wind is going to
33:00blow all the sense
33:01around
33:01because they're relying
33:02really on their sense
33:03of hearing and smell
33:04they hate it
33:06when it's windy
33:06and they generally
33:07don't come out
33:08until it drops
33:10a little bit
33:10anyway listen
33:11what about the
33:11mountain blackbird
33:12you remember the
33:13ringoozel in week one
33:14we were fortunate
33:15to have a camera
33:16on a nest
33:16and we showed you that
33:17well I fancied seeing
33:18the mountain blackbird
33:20myself
33:20I see plenty of blackbirds
33:22of course
33:22they're easy to see
33:23they're on all of our lawns
33:24they're on our rooftops
33:25singing away
33:26but the mountain blackbird
33:28is much much harder
33:29nevertheless
33:30I set off
33:31with an intrepid team
33:32in tow
33:33this is it
33:37prepped
33:41prepared
33:42stimulated
33:43fascinated
33:43I'm on
33:44the great
33:45ringoozel hunt
33:47oh yes
33:47where are you
33:50birding up here
33:52is hard at work
33:53you see
33:53I'm on
33:55a piece of moorland
33:56rather than being
33:57in a woodland
33:58when you're on
33:59moorland
34:00there's less
34:01spaces for life
34:02there's less
34:02productivity
34:03and as a consequence
34:04all of the things
34:05that are living here
34:06are fewer
34:07and further
34:07between
34:08of course
34:09when you find them
34:10they're great
34:10because they're
34:11specialist species
34:13that bouldersque
34:14there
34:14that's pretty
34:15oozily
34:16I'd say
34:16that was
34:17very oozily
34:18having a pair
34:20of binoculars
34:21is great
34:21but
34:22what I really
34:23need is
34:24some sort
34:24of monster
34:25telescope
34:25I'm here
34:29with Mark Yates
34:30our long lens
34:31cameraman
34:31morning Mark
34:32morning
34:32I'm pleased
34:33to be with you
34:34do you know why
34:34no I'm always
34:36pleased to be with you
34:36oh okay
34:37because you've got
34:38the James Webb
34:39it's got the James Webb
34:40of lenses here
34:41what's that
34:46that's
34:48nothing
34:49if at first
34:55you don't succeed
34:56become impatient
34:57give me this
35:03a little bit
35:03there's a black
35:03something
35:04I got it
35:06well you couldn't
35:07make it up
35:08it's actually a
35:09blackbird
35:09not a green oozily
35:10yes it is
35:11it's got an
35:12orange bill
35:13and it's got no
35:13attractive white
35:15gorget
35:15what's a blackbird
35:17doing out here
35:18what an imposter
35:20oh my goodness me
35:22I want an
35:23ornithological refund
35:24come on oozles
35:27soon I've roped
35:30the whole team
35:31in
35:31see the yellow
35:33in the rocks
35:34at the top
35:34there
35:35go all the way
35:36to the top
35:37see it
35:38it's just on top
35:39of this rock
35:39it's perched
35:40there at the moment
35:40see it
35:41a pigeon
35:44oh
35:45Tim
35:46Tim
35:47Tim
35:48brilliant
35:51brilliant
35:51on sound
35:52pigeon
35:55I've got a nice
35:56shot of it though
35:56stoke
35:58stoke
35:59shut up
35:59no just there
36:00just there
36:00just got into the
36:01bushes
36:01don't be ridiculous
36:04it's very well
36:08pointing like on
36:09the top of a hill
36:10into the distance
36:11of another one
36:12oh oh
36:14no no
36:14no
36:15oh
36:18stone chat
36:20on top of that
36:20is that stone chat
36:21no
36:22could be
36:24I mean essentially
36:25we're looking at a bird
36:26which is closer to
36:27Sheffield
36:28than it is to us
36:29is there any cafes
36:35around here
36:35there I see it
36:38on top of that rock
36:39there
36:39straight on
36:40is that on the rock
36:41there
36:41right head
36:42yeah
36:42yeah we've got it
36:43got it
36:44you've got it
36:45on the skyline
36:48yeah
36:48oh the oozle
36:50let's do it
36:51yeah
36:52oh I saw the oozle
36:54I saw the oozle
36:55I saw it for about
36:561.27 seconds
36:59before it flew off
37:01did you get a shot of it Mark
37:02got a shot yeah
37:03excellent
37:03oh my goodness mate
37:06lunch
37:06the oozle
37:11the oozle
37:12did pop out
37:12again
37:13it did
37:13and I saw it
37:14for the sum
37:15title of about
37:159.32 seconds
37:17it was really
37:18in and out
37:19but anyway
37:19massive thanks
37:20to the Eastern
37:20Moors Partnership
37:21who managed
37:21that part
37:22of the landscape
37:23up there
37:23not just ring oozles
37:24tree pipits
37:25they've got up there
37:26occasionally
37:26hen harriers
37:27shorted owls
37:28as well
37:28so top spot
37:29it was very funny
37:30that
37:30but I'll tell you
37:31what it did do
37:31it made us
37:32really appreciate
37:33how much work
37:34goes into
37:35and time
37:36goes into
37:37spotting wildlife
37:38I think it's made us
37:39appreciate
37:40Yolo Williams
37:40and his team
37:41a bit more
37:41in Northern
37:42Oh yeah
37:42definitely
37:42yeah
37:43Yolo
37:43we appreciate
37:44you mate
37:45yeah
37:48that's enough
37:48sympathy
37:49the badger
37:50is very much
37:50yesterday's mammal
37:51we've moved on
37:53we've moved on
37:54welcome back
37:55to Mount Stewart
37:56and you might notice
37:57a big mature
37:58sycamore tree
37:59here has been
37:59blown over
38:00and the winter storms
38:01have a devastating
38:02effect on a lot
38:03of the mature
38:04trees here
38:05I'll be looking
38:06at that
38:06and its effect
38:07on the wildlife
38:08tomorrow
38:08now earlier on
38:09I was looking
38:10at swallows
38:10and often I've
38:11quite a few people
38:12ask me
38:13what's the difference
38:14between a swallow
38:15a house martin
38:16and the birds
38:18we saw earlier on
38:19the sand martin
38:20where all three
38:20are in the
38:21hirundine family
38:23so let's have a look
38:24I'll point out
38:24some of the
38:25distinguishing features
38:26here
38:26I'll even throw in
38:27a swift
38:28for good measure
38:29not in the same
38:30family
38:30but a similar
38:31type of bird
38:32and we saw these
38:33of course in
38:33Belfast
38:34that is a swift
38:36more or less
38:37life size
38:37very dark brown
38:39when it's up in the sky
38:40it looks almost black
38:41if you're lucky
38:42to see it fairly close
38:43you'll see it has
38:44a pale chin
38:45so that's the swift
38:47and then the swallow
38:49the one we've been
38:49looking at here
38:50iridescent blue
38:53beautiful bird
38:54and the distinguishing
38:55feature are these
38:57long long tail streamers
38:59longer on the male
39:01than it is on the female
39:03and then underneath
39:04of course you've got
39:05that bright red chin
39:07stunning stunning bird
39:10now the two martins
39:11and these may be
39:12the hardest ones
39:13to tell the part
39:14especially in the sky
39:15the house martin
39:17nests underneath
39:18our eaves
39:19blue
39:20dark blue
39:21back and tail
39:22and a bright
39:23white rump
39:24that is quite visible
39:26from a distance
39:27turn it over
39:28it's quite pale
39:29with little bits of blue
39:30on a short
39:31forked tail there
39:33that is the house martin
39:35finally the sand martins
39:37that Lyra was looking at
39:39before
39:39and from above
39:40it looks kind of a sandy
39:42brown gull
39:43quite a small bird
39:45short
39:46chunky forked tail
39:48and underneath
39:49it's got that brown
39:51band
39:52across its chest
39:54so that's how to
39:55distinguish
39:56these four apart
39:58and actually even
39:59at a distance
39:59often
40:00if you watch
40:02swifts feeding
40:03as we did in Belfast
40:04they'll feed quite high up
40:06gathering small insects
40:08they'll form this
40:09bolus of food
40:10in a neck pouch
40:11in a throat pouch
40:12and carry that back
40:14to feed the youngsters
40:15swallows on the other hand
40:17they tend to use
40:19the features of the landscape
40:21trees
40:21hedgerows
40:22and of course
40:23open farmland
40:24now I went for a walk
40:26earlier
40:26walking through the very field
40:28where you see
40:28these birds feeding
40:29there were invertebrates
40:31everywhere
40:32frog hoppers
40:33cuckoo spit
40:34swallow came
40:35picked off the invertebrates
40:37as I was
40:38walking around there
40:40and the National Trust
40:41of course
40:41trying to restore
40:42flower rich meadows
40:43brilliant for these birds
40:45and then if you've got cattle
40:48they'll often feed around cattle
40:50because cattle do
40:51exactly the same thing
40:53in that they'll kick
40:54the vegetation
40:55the insects come up
40:56the swallows come down
40:58and feed
40:59so that's not always the case
41:01but it often is
41:03now yesterday
41:04you saw that we set out
41:05a remote camera
41:07in a woodland
41:07on the other side
41:08of the estate here
41:09we had quite a bit of activity
41:11red squirrel activity there
41:13but two nights ago
41:15we had another mammal
41:16turned up
41:17and we were very
41:18very excited about this
41:20yes
41:21it's a pine marty
41:229.38
41:23very wary
41:25this
41:26neophobic
41:27is a term
41:28they use for
41:28creatures that are
41:30afraid of new things
41:31and of course
41:31we put up a camera
41:32we put infrared lights
41:34all new
41:35to this animal
41:36so it was wary
41:37didn't stay for long
41:39had a look at the food
41:40and then left
41:42and then
41:42just before
41:44quarter past ten
41:44when it was dark
41:45our infrared lights
41:47caught this
41:48another pine martin
41:49coming in
41:49stayed long
41:51and still wary
41:52but less wary
41:53than the first one
41:54and it fed a little
41:57short while
41:58they are omnivores
41:59opportunistic
42:00they'll eat
42:00yes
42:01they'll eat
42:01grease grills of course
42:02they'll eat mice
42:03and they'll eat voles
42:04but they will eat seeds
42:05and fruits
42:06and berries
42:07as well
42:07fantastic
42:09the fact that we had
42:10two different pine martins
42:12on the one night
42:13and of course
42:14we'll keep our way
42:15on that camera
42:16right up until
42:17the end of Springwatch
42:19and if we see any more
42:20we will let you know
42:22now some people
42:24have incredibly
42:25interesting jobs
42:26and forensic scientist
42:28Professor Patricia Wiltshire
42:31is certainly
42:32one of them
42:33from botany
42:34to microscopy
42:35to helping to solve
42:37a wildlife crime
42:38she's done it all
42:40I was brought up
42:46in the country
42:47in the open air
42:49always in the open air
42:50there was so much
42:52wildlife around us
42:54I was very close
42:56to my grandmother
42:57and she taught me
42:59an awful lot
43:00about wildlife
43:01I love small things
43:05I love bacteria
43:08fungi
43:08I like pollen
43:10for Patricia
43:12there's magic
43:14in the microscopic
43:15it's a teeming
43:18teeming
43:19massive activity
43:20and you can't see it
43:22and you can't hear it
43:23and you can't feel it
43:24this passion led to her
43:28becoming an ecologist
43:29specializing in a field
43:31called palynology
43:32which is the study of
43:34microscopic particles
43:35like pollen and spores
43:37so here we have a birch
43:42pollen grain
43:43it's about 40 microns
43:46across I suppose
43:47this is grass
43:51a little round ball
43:53with one paw
43:55it was her expertise
43:58in this
43:59that led her
44:00to a life of crime
44:01on the right side
44:03of the law
44:04in forensics
44:05every crime scene
44:08has to be sampled
44:09these samples
44:11determine the likelihood
44:12of a suspect
44:13having been there
44:14or not
44:15pollen and spores
44:18are very difficult
44:19to avoid
44:19and once they get
44:20in your fabric
44:21on your clothing
44:22and your footwear
44:22you can't get them out
44:24this is a prunus
44:26if someone bumped up
44:28into all this
44:29they'd be covered
44:30in prunus pollen
44:31tremendous marker
44:33funnily enough
44:34I did have a case
44:35where someone fell
44:37into a prunus hedge
44:38and said they'd never
44:39been there
44:40and actually
44:41they were covered
44:42in prunus
44:43airborne pollen
44:46can travel long distances
44:47so each sample
44:50of soil is unique
44:51to a location
44:52containing traces
44:53of plants
44:54near and far
44:56you have to identify
45:00and count
45:01everything
45:02when you get
45:03all the
45:04quantities
45:05you've got a profile
45:07knowing about
45:09all the plants
45:10I can conjure up
45:12these pictures
45:12from a sheet of numbers
45:13the more samples
45:17you have
45:18the better
45:19the visualization
45:20nature provides
45:28the clues
45:28but revealing
45:29and interpreting
45:30them
45:31can be painstaking work
45:33this area here
45:37shows you
45:38how complicated
45:39any pollen profile
45:41could become
45:42we have a tangle
45:43of bramble
45:44with bluebells
45:45coming up
45:46so there'll be
45:47pollen from bluebells
45:48coming up through there
45:49I turn round
45:50and what do I see
45:52the anemones
45:53and no bramble
45:55and wonderful
45:56new fronds
45:57of bracken
45:58coming up
45:59if someone
46:00had committed
46:01a crime down there
46:03the profile
46:05I would get
46:05from them
46:06from their shoes
46:07their clothes
46:08whatever whatever
46:08would be different
46:10from if they'd done it
46:11up there
46:11and they hadn't
46:12gone into that
46:13it's fantastic
46:15having loved animals
46:22from her early years
46:23Patricia
46:24was honoured
46:25to be asked
46:25to help
46:26in a case
46:26of wildlife crime
46:27it was an example
46:29of the so-called
46:31sport
46:31of badger
46:32baiting
46:33where they send
46:34dogs down
46:34a badger set
46:35to find a badger
46:36dig it out
46:37and kill it
46:38the RSVCA
46:42caught someone
46:43and managed
46:45to confiscate
46:45their vehicle
46:46and some spades
46:47were those spades
46:50used to dig
46:51the hole
46:52to dig out
46:53the badgers
46:53that was the question
46:55well
46:58got back to the lab
46:59lo and behold
47:01the profile
47:02was tremendously
47:03similar
47:04and on top
47:06of that
47:06we got
47:07fungal spores
47:08and it was
47:09a truffle
47:09now
47:11this truffle
47:12grows
47:13on the roots
47:13of oak trees
47:14and there were
47:15oak trees
47:16about 100 metres
47:17from the set
47:18this badger
47:19had been
47:20taking the truffles
47:21back to its set
47:22and the spores
47:24were in the set
47:24they were on the spade
47:26they were on the set
47:27the court felt
47:29the evidence
47:30was overwhelming
47:31and the man
47:33was convicted
47:34they'd never managed
47:38to convict anyone
47:39for this before
47:39I was so pleased
47:41the idea
47:45that nature
47:45is storing evidence
47:47and that it can help
47:48bring evildoers
47:49to justice
47:50is just amazing
47:52the soil
47:54holds secrets
47:55for everyone
47:57it is magical
47:59I love that
48:06I love that a lot
48:07what I love
48:08is you can think
48:09you're a criminal
48:09mastermind okay
48:10and you're pulling off
48:11some hideous crime
48:12out in the woods
48:13doing something
48:14unspeakable out there
48:15but then when you get back
48:16you've got the mark
48:16of the devil on you
48:17in the form of
48:18tiny little pollen grains
48:19and it's that
48:20that is going to get you
48:21found out
48:22a bit of biology
48:23is going to bury you
48:24in prison for a long time
48:26I love that
48:26I loved her knowledge
48:28I mean
48:28Professor Patricia's
48:30pollen knowledge
48:31I see that as a book
48:32don't you
48:32it's a great title
48:33for a book
48:34you should write a book
48:34now you know
48:36one of the things
48:36we do on the watches
48:37is try and make you
48:38appreciate the underappreciated
48:41to make popular
48:42the unpopular
48:44and we've really set ourselves
48:45a little bit of a challenge
48:47tonight
48:47because we're going to try
48:48and make you fall in love
48:49with
48:50the tiny tick
48:52I'll tell you
48:52this is something
48:53I'm trying to make
48:54the whole of our crew
48:55fall in love with ticks
48:56because they have had
48:57quite a few of them
48:58attach themselves
48:59to their legs
48:59every day
49:00every day
49:01it's a tick-a-thon
49:01everyone's on
49:02about the ticks
49:03I've found a tick
49:04I've got a tick
49:04on my sock
49:05I've got a tick
49:05on my nose
49:06I've got a tick
49:06in other places
49:07you know
49:08every single day
49:09but we are going
49:10to tell you something
49:11astonishing
49:11about ticks
49:13tonight
49:13first of all
49:14let's have a look
49:15at a tick
49:15we've got a little
49:15macro studio
49:17going on
49:17here we've got
49:18James on the camera
49:19let's just put the 20p
49:20in there
49:20so you can see
49:21just how small
49:22it is
49:23there it is
49:24in close up
49:25it's got
49:26eight tiny legs
49:27you can see that
49:28it's a red upper body
49:2920 species
49:30in the UK
49:31we have
49:32and they all
49:32have different hosts
49:33now this one
49:34is Exodes ricinus
49:37it's a deer
49:38or sheep tick
49:38but it also
49:39attaches itself
49:40to dogs
49:41cats
49:41and yes
49:42us humans
49:44but there's some
49:44recent studies
49:46that are going to
49:46tell you something
49:47that is incredible
49:49about the biology
49:50of these ticks
49:50okay
49:51imagine you're a tick
49:52you're out in the woods
49:53okay
49:53you need to get
49:54onto your host
49:54why do you need
49:55to get onto that host
49:56well you need a blood meal
49:57you've got to grow
49:58and ultimately
49:59in the end
49:59you've got to mate
50:00and you've got to
50:00produce your eggs
50:01you need protein
50:02you're going to get it
50:03from normally
50:04a mammal
50:04as Mick says
50:05his deer
50:06it could be us
50:07as well
50:07but then you've got
50:08to find your host
50:09what tools have you got
50:11at your disposal
50:11well the senses are
50:13being able to detect
50:14carbon dioxide
50:15yes
50:16when we breathe out
50:17ticks can sense that
50:18you can also
50:19be detecting
50:21body heat
50:22they can detect
50:22our body heat
50:23then of course
50:24there's the vibrations
50:25we make
50:26whilst we're moving
50:26through the woods
50:28now look
50:28I've got a deer
50:29leg here
50:30and some woods
50:31and what's interesting
50:32is the deer
50:32is going to be
50:33mincing through the woods
50:34like this
50:34now if the tick
50:36is at the bottom
50:37of the grass
50:38like that
50:38it's never going to
50:39get onto the leg
50:39is it
50:40no
50:41so what the tick
50:42does is it comes
50:42to the top
50:43of the grass
50:44like this
50:45and it starts
50:45doing something
50:46we call
50:47questing
50:48and what it does
50:49is it flexes
50:50if I can just get
50:51hold of the little
50:51bead here
50:52there we are
50:53look
50:53it flexes
50:54its forelimbs
50:55like that
50:56back and forth
50:57back and forth
50:58because they are
50:59tipped
51:00with microscopic
51:01but highly effective
51:02little hooks
51:03which will cling on
51:05to anything
51:06that brushes
51:06against it
51:07so here's the deer
51:08mincing through the woods
51:10it comes too close
51:11to the tick
51:11and the tick
51:13is on the deer
51:14it gets carried away
51:16and of course
51:17it buries down
51:18underneath the pellage
51:19underneath the fur
51:20finds a safe little spot
51:22and start sucking
51:23the blood
51:24nice
51:24now we have always
51:25thought that
51:27you would have to
51:27brush past
51:28physically
51:29brush past a tick
51:31for it to be able
51:32to actually attach
51:33itself to you
51:34or the deer
51:35or whatever
51:35the sheep
51:36recent studies
51:38are proving
51:39otherwise
51:39and it's all to do
51:40with static electricity
51:41and I'm going to
51:42demonstrate
51:43with a balloon
51:44I mean this is
51:45something you've
51:45probably all done
51:47rubbed your hair
51:49with a balloon
51:49come on
51:50yesterday
51:50only last night
51:52in fact I was doing
51:52that
51:52and I'm going to
51:53create an electrical
51:54charge
51:55and when I take
51:55the balloon away
51:56if we go in close
51:57up you should see
51:58that my hair
51:59is attracted
52:00to the balloon
52:02there's a positive
52:03and negative charge
52:04and that causes
52:05this attraction
52:06and there we go
52:09okay
52:09well what's interesting
52:10is that
52:12when two insulators
52:13are rubbed together
52:14like Mick's hair
52:16and the balloon
52:17it generates that charge
52:18can be positive
52:19positive or negative
52:20and it's a process
52:21called tribo electrification
52:23and curiously
52:24when the deer
52:25is walking through
52:26the woods like this
52:26rubbing its fur
52:28an insulator
52:28against the grass
52:30another insulator
52:31it too
52:32becomes charged
52:33tribo electrified
52:35with static electricity
52:36when it approaches
52:38the tick
52:39what is extraordinary
52:40is that when
52:40the questing tick
52:42is at the top here
52:43the deer approaches
52:44it like this
52:45and bear in mind
52:46that the tick
52:46can't jump
52:47it doesn't have
52:48that capacity
52:49but the static
52:51electricity
52:51causes it
52:53to flip across
52:54onto the deer's leg
52:56and then it's carried away
52:57and the process begins
52:59as it did before
52:59it finds somewhere
53:00safe to burrow in
53:02and it starts
53:02to suck its blood
53:03so it can't jump
53:04but it can
53:05defy gravity
53:07a tick
53:08that's top work
53:09and now
53:09we are going to
53:10demonstrate that
53:10you may be wondering
53:11what I've been doing
53:12I've been trying to get
53:13an electrical charge
53:15with this blanket
53:16and the balloon
53:16we're going to go back
53:17to our macro studio
53:19we're going to show you
53:19a close up
53:20of the tick
53:22okay
53:23there we go
53:24you can see the tick
53:25I'm going to come in
53:26with my balloon
53:27just watch the shadow
53:28of the balloon
53:29as it comes in
53:31and we should see
53:33the tick
53:34oh no
53:38this works so well
53:40it works
53:40I'm going to give it
53:43another go
53:43I'm going to give it
53:44another go
53:45passively
53:45it really did
53:46I promise you
53:47it worked really well
53:48come on
53:49let's try again
53:50let's get the close up
53:51here we go
53:53it's coming in
53:54it's coming
53:54oh
53:56it worked
54:03just at the last second
54:06it worked
54:08we did do that
54:10we did do that earlier
54:10so let's
54:11let's have a little
54:12replay of that
54:14let's see
54:15let's see that
54:16because it is amazing
54:18you see that
54:19you see that
54:20that's the one
54:22we did earlier
54:23I think that tick
54:24might have been
54:24dead actually
54:25the tick is fine
54:30the tick is fine
54:30listen mate
54:31I know
54:32they've made a fool
54:32of you
54:32I'm going to take
54:33you outside
54:34and you'll find
54:35a nice deer tomorrow
54:36find yourself a nice deer tomorrow
54:38now
54:39but it is incredible
54:41isn't it
54:41I mean that
54:41that does make you
54:42appreciate
54:43what is going on
54:44in that tiny tick
54:46I hope it's made you
54:47you know
54:48oh my goodness
54:49it just jumped again
54:50it really did
54:51it just jumped
54:52one of us
54:52it's probably on my hair
54:54or something
54:54but actually
54:55that is a serious point
54:57to make
54:57I mean if they do
54:58attach themselves to you
54:59then you do need
55:00to get them off
55:01much as we now
55:02love the tick
55:03don't let it hang around
55:04sucking your blood
55:05and there are details
55:06about how to get them off you
55:07if one does attach
55:09on our website
55:09what's even more extraordinary
55:11and it's just happened
55:11is that the tick
55:13may have
55:14may have the capacity
55:15to basically
55:16you know
55:17detect
55:18the electricity
55:19in the passing host
55:21as it comes by
55:22basically
55:23it's got electroreceptors
55:24and what happened there
55:25was it detected Mick
55:27or myself
55:28and I think somewhere
55:28the tick is on one of us now
55:30oh my goodness me
55:31that was good wasn't it
55:32I'll tell you
55:33I think we all need to calm down
55:34I'm loving it
55:35I think that was quite exciting
55:36I think at this point
55:36we need to be a bit
55:37a bit more mindful
55:38let's be mindful
55:40let's be mindful
55:40let's be mindful
55:50I don't know.
56:20I don't know.
56:50Are we feeling calm or are we actually scratching because we're still thinking about the tick?
57:10It's definitely in either my hair or on you somewhere.
57:14Anyway, that's brought us to the end of tonight's show.
57:16We'll see you tomorrow.
57:18And this is what we've got coming up.
57:20We will be delving into the curious world of a plant with a trick to trap unsuspecting visitors to the cemetery.
57:28And I'll be having a more detailed look at Mount Stewart's wonderful red squirrels.
57:36We'll also be heading up onto the moorland to look at one of the most enigmatic species that we have here, the beautiful male hen harrier.
57:44What about that?
57:46Now then, do stay tuned to BBC at the moment because if you go to iPlayer or our website, you can join Lyra, who's going to be there with Hannah Stutfield for Watch Out.
57:58It should be great.
57:58Remember, keep your eyes on those lists.
58:0110 till 10, you can watch those.
58:04And of course, we'll be back tomorrow night at 8 o'clock.
58:08We found the tick.
58:09Bye.
58:10Good night.
58:12The Open University have designed an interactive online hike, which allows you to explore some of the habitat changes that have taken place since Springwatch first aired.
58:21To find it, scan the QR code on your screen now or visit bbc.co.uk forward slash Springwatch and follow the links to The Open University.
58:31We'll see you next time.
59:01All down for this moment.
59:05Let's go!
59:07Bottom of India.
59:07High jump.