Spring

Wildlife cameraman Hamza Yassin spends the spring travelling across the UK to track down and film some of the most-hidden wildlife spectacles the British Isles have to offer.

Hamza’s hidden wildlife journey kicks off with a boom at RSPB Minsmere in Suffolk, where he witnesses something very few people ever have the chance to see, let alone film. The bittern is a rare, secretive bird which in full song creates a boom that can be heard over three miles away.

A trip to the bluebell woods of Sussex is next, and Hamza is joined by his two nieces, whom he hopes to give a wildlife encounter to remember. Sitting quietly in the sun-dappled light of late evening, the trio are treated to an eye-to-eye experience with one of our most-loved yet rarely seen creatures: a clan of wild badgers emerging from their sett for the evening.

From here, he heads to the wild wooded hills of Dartmoor with wildlife sound recordist Ellie Williams to attend one of the finest natural concerts in the world: the dawn chorus. By focusing on unique songs and calls, Hamza and Ellie are able to pinpoint exact species and individual bird calls in the woods.

Inner-city Cardiff might not seem a likely place to witness a wild romance. Hamza, nevertheless, heads to a small nature reserve right next to the docks to watch the famous courtship display of the great crested grebe. Gift giving, elaborate dance moves and gentle displays of affection – this is the ultimate love story, unfolding before the backdrop of steel and concrete.

Back in Suffolk, Hamza heads to a working farm with a difference. The Barker family have developed a way to farm that benefits people and nature whilst turning a profit and encouraging wildlife. And one species has made its home here remarkably well: the brown hare. The adults are easy to see as they feed in open fields and play while the sunset casts golden light over the grass and crops. But the baby hares, known as leverets, are a different story. They stay stock-still all day, hidden in tall grass, waiting for their mother to come and feed them in the evening. Hamza enlists help from his crew and a thermal drone to try to track them down – but it will be far from easy.

Next, Hamza heads to the Wirral to try to film one of the weirdest events in Britain. A high spring tide forces small mammals to leave their homes in the marsh and head to higher ground, providing a frenzy for a range of predators. Joined by fellow cameraman Simon King, they brave the elements of a particularly wet and windy spring day to watch this once-a-year spectacle.

Hamza then heads to Herefordshire in search of Britain’s only venomous snake, the adder, and the man who’s dedicated his life to protecting them. Nigel Hand’s love for adders runs deep, and he’s spent the last 20 years working to save this beautiful and threatened snake.

As spring gives way to summer, Hamza heads back to Suffolk and a special bit of scrubland on Westleton Heath. As the sun sets, the star of the show begins his performance – a nightingale in full song. Once heard across the UK, they are now restricted to a few small pockets in the south of England. Hamza is treated to perhaps the most beautiful and intricate natural encounter we get in the UK – a perfect way to end his spring season.