All language subtitles for BBC.Highlands.Scotlands.Wild.Heart.2of4.Summer.The.Greatest.Race.720p.HDTV.x264.AAC.MVGroup.org

to conceal their nest, which makes
them vulnerable to an early autumn.

Scoured by ice
and weathered by storms...

..20,000 square miles of rugged
coastline, lochs and mountains.

On the face of it,
it looks bleak and lifeless.

But wildlife is thriving in this
unforgiving place,

if you know where to look.

The seasons may be harsh
and the opportunities fleeting,

but animals and people have
found ways to succeed here,

turning adversity into advantage.

This is Scotland's
wild heart - the Highlands.

Of all the seasons in the Highlands,

summer is the most intense.

But it's also the richest,

with seas and mountains
yielding their greatest bounty.

By midsummer, the sun will rule
for nearly 18 hours a day.

For the animals of the Highlands,
it's a race to raise offspring

before the days shorten and
the storms of autumn arrive.

Some work together in pairs,

whilst others are single mothers,

fishing, hunting
and caring for their young.

Nowhere feels this intensity more
than the northern Highlands...

..with over 1,000 miles
of wild coast

and some of the largest
peat bogs on the planet.

This is a true wilderness.

And it's wildlife, not people,
that dominate this landscape.

Handa Island,
just off the Sutherland coast,

is of global importance.

Every crevice of the 400-foot
sandstone cliffs is occupied.

Puffins, razorbills, kittiwakes
and fulmars all breed here.

But it's guillemots that dominate.

Over 30,000 pairs come to these
cliffs each summer to breed.

It's one of the most important
colonies in Europe.

Guillemots have evolved to
fill the same ecological niche

as their southern cousins, penguins.

And, although they can fly,
it's fair to describe them

as the penguins of the north.

Marine specialists, their wings are
built more for diving than flying.

And, like penguins,
they're clumsy on land.

Spaces are fiercely guarded,

each pair defending a patch
only a few inches wide.

Eggs are already appearing.

Each has a unique signature pattern
so that the parents can recognise it

laying on the bare rock, less than
four inches from the edge.

The bond between this lifelong pair
is now critical

as they take turns
to brood their egg.

They won't leave it
unguarded for a second.

It's a wise move.

Predators have arrived.

At double the size
and weight of a guillemot,

this herring gull
is a serious threat.

He knows these cliffs well

and has timed his own brood
to coincide with this bounty.

A specialist hunter,

he's learned how to steal
the large guillemot eggs.

He patrols the vast cliff ledges...

..watching intently
for a break in the ranks.

Sensing his movements,
the guillemot calls escalate.

GUILLEMOT CALLS LOUDEN

But there are advantages to
nesting so tightly packed.

Their bills are razor sharp...

..and, like a line of spears, they
protect their precious eggs below.

It's effective.

But the gull has spotted
a new opportunity.

An egg has rolled out of line.

He takes his chance...

..and is finally rewarded.

Losing their egg this early,

the pair should have
a chance to lay again.

But they'll be behind and their
chick smaller than its neighbours.

All the chicks here have an
even greater challenge to face.

At just three weeks old
and unable to fly,

they must make an epic leap,

400 feet down to
the swell of the Atlantic.

And a new array of predators
is already gathering.

100 miles south of Handa,
near the Isle of Mull,

the early morning tide
is on the rise,

sweeping fish closer to the shore.

The local fishermen are in action.

It's a family of otters.

Early summer means
the seas are warming,

bringing more food to
the Highland coasts.

And this family
are fishing on every tide.

Born in a secret shoreside holt
early in the year,

these two six-month-old cubs are at
a turning point in their lives.

Their hardworking single mother
must now teach them

how to catch their own food, seeking
out hidden crabs and chasing fish.

But the cubs still
have a lot to learn.

Handling a live fish
takes practise...

..and they're constantly
squabbling over the prize.

Whilst they're occupied,
she can fish for her own meal.

She's determined to keep this one
away from the cubs.

In these calm conditions,
fishing is easy.

But when the autumn storms arrive,
it'll be a different story.

The cubs must learn
these skills soon.

Waiting for the next tide to resume
lessons, the family settles.

Otter fur is amongst
the densest in the world.

Nearly 400,000 hairs per square inch
helps keep these animals warm

and waterproof so
they need to regularly maintain it.

She'll make the most of these
bountiful summer days,

ceaselessly teaching her cubs the
skills they need for independence.

Finding and maintaining
the best territory

is half the battle for
all the animals here.

Everyone wants a piece
of the Highlands in summer.

It'll be some months
before the peaks are free from snow.

But on the small lochans
of the Cairngorms,

new arrivals from the coast

are laying claim to
their summer patch...

..Slavonian grebes.

One of Scotland's rarest birds,
less than 30 pairs breed here.

They're often the last of all
the Highland birds to breed

as they must wait for
the vegetation to grow tall enough

to conceal their nest, which makes
them vulnerable to an early autumn.

Some of their neighbours
are much further ahead.

Goldeneye ducks are making use
of specially provided boxes

and, since the 1970s,
have become regular breeders here.

This female has been brooding
her eggs for weeks,

but, in the last 12 hours,
everything has changed.

Newly hatched ducklings.

She needs to get her brood
to the water fast.

Noise will attract predators.

The local pine marten has already
arrived to investigate.

A duckling is an ideal meal.

DUCK CALLS

She calls them out.

DUCKLING TWEETS

And at just a few hours old,

the ducklings make their first leap
into the summer sun...

CHIRPING

..and straight to the loch.

Instinct kicks in immediately
and they start diving for food.

Hatching early in the season,

these ducklings will have the whole
summer to reach adulthood.

And the water is safe...

..as long as they stay together.

With the sun now rising
at 5am each day,

the breeding season
is now well under way.

Castles like this one in Deeside
are havens for wildlife.

Their well tended gardens
are already buzzing with insects.

House martins,

one of the last summer
migrants to arrive from Africa,

find Balmoral's turrets and windows
the perfect nesting spots.

And are the ideal perch
to watch for royal visitors.

But the one who truly deserves
the title King of the Highlands

is the top predator of
these hills and glens.

The golden eagle.

With a seven-foot wingspan, it soars
across the landscape with ease.

Territories cover thousands
of acres of rugged mountain,

forests and heather moor.

The Highlands have some of

the highest breeding
densities in the world.

And hidden deep in the forest,

40 feet up in an ancient Caledonian
pine, is the eagle's eyrie.

This year, the nest is full.

One of Britain's largest
birds of prey,

these eaglets will take
nearly three months to fledge.

So, to reap the availability
of summer prey,

eggs were laid when snow still
covered the ground.

Now, at eight weeks old,
they are growing fast.

They'll one day rule these skies.

But for now,
they're totally dependent.

Despite their size and power,
golden eagles are shy birds,

wary of any disturbance.

At the nest,
they show a tender side...

..carefully selecting choice
morsels for their young.

They must hunt often.

Eaglets can eat 700g of meat a day.

The male will do
most of the early hunting.

He need these long summer days to
provide for his growing chicks.

The surrounding hills
are perfect for hunting.

Mountain hare leverets born a few
weeks ago are now in peak numbers.

It pays to be alert.

Young hares make up more than
half of this pair's diet...

..with parents catching
up to three a day.

On the guillemot ledges,

weeks of guarding and brooding
the eggs have paid off.

The first chicks have hatched.

SEA BIRDS CRY

The parents now shield them
from the hot summer sun.

Highland summers are warming,

altering the complex
ocean dynamics

and making fish shoals
harder to reach.

If the parents can't catch enough,

chicks will simply
starve on the ledges.

A tragic consequence
of climate change

and one all sea birds
here may face in the future.

The pair must now work tirelessly
to feed their single chick.

Expert fishermen,

they can travel nearly 60 miles to
reach the best fishing grounds...

..and can dive more
than 600 feet to catch fish.

But with wings evolved more for
swimming, landing is difficult.

BIRD SQUAWKS

And running the gauntlet
of their neighbours is hard work

with a fish supper on show.

BIRDS CALL

The chick finally gets its meal.

It will need three of these which
sand eels a day if it's to

grow large enough to jump
alongside the others.

High up in the forest canopy,

the young eagles are still
waiting for their next meal.

Hunger can drive eaglets to
extreme behaviour...

..attacking their siblings,
to ensure they alone are fed.

The first hatchling is
always larger and stronger

and has the advantage.

And there's nowhere to hide.

Moving too close to the edge is
risky. A fall would be fatal.

And young eaglets often tumble
to their deaths in this situation.

At last, it is an adult
with a freshly killed hare,

and the larger chick puts itself
right in front for the feed.

EAGLETS CHIRP

A long and eventful road
still lies ahead for this pair.

The eaglets won't fly
until summer has almost passed.

Beneath the nest,
on the forest floor,

another predator is on a mission.

It's a female pine marten.

During winter and spring,
she is only active at night.

But now, as daylight lengthens, she
is becoming more and more visible.

Like the female otter, she is solely
responsible for raising her kits,

and has found the perfect den
for her young family.

A cosy rooftop.

The loft insulation
makes for excellent bedding,

and the kits are warm and secure
while she's out hunting.

KITS SQUEAK

The martens happily tolerate
the owner working below.

They've grown accustomed to
the sounds of the workshop.

Now, with their eyes open,

these inquisitive young kits
are starting to explore.

KITS SQUEAK

They won't be here for much longer.

The mother will soon need
to give them prey,

and she can't carry that
to the roof.

They'll have to move
out to the forest,

and these cosy days
will soon be over.

Handa island is now at its busiest.

Constant fishing trips are needed
to feed the growing chicks.

SEA BIRDS CALL

It's a risky commute.

BIRDS CALL

Great skuas patrol
the cliff face like pirates,

ready to rob the guillemots
of their hard-earned fish.

Skuas are agile birds.

Their longer wingspan
makes them perfectly adapted

to twist and turn...

..outmanoeuvring the guillemots.

The guillemots are bullied
into dropping their catch.

Chases can be long and intense...

..and the only way
to escape is to dive.

Such constant bombardment is costly.

The parents have lost over
15% of their body weight

since the chick hatched.

They desperately need to
get their chick out to sea,

closer to the fish
and away from the predators.

But it's a long way down

and the chicks still can't fly.

It's midsummer

and the Highlands
are approaching their longest day.

The solstice has arrived.

With the sun above the horizon
for over 18 hours,

light now rules.

But from now on,
day length will shorten.

The scales of the season
have tipped.

For the wildlife,

it's now a race to the finish.

At the furthest northern tip
of the Highlands,

Caithness and Sutherland
are closer to the Arctic Circle

than parts of southern England.

They're home to one of
the world's rarest habitats -

the blanket peat bog.

Known here as the Flow Country,
over 200,000 hectares

of deep-layered peat are studded
with a myriad of small pools.

It's an otherworldly landscape...

..where submerged plants
are compressed over millennia...

..storing 400 million
tonnes of carbon...

..more than twice that found in
all of Britain's forests combined.

On the surface,

this place can appear
bleak and lifeless.

But look closely
and it's teeming with life.

On a warm midsummer's evening,

a drama unfolds in
the depths of a peat pool.

This world is inhabited by strange
and alien-looking creatures.

Dragonfly nymphs
hunt in the open water.

Caddisfly larvae create protective
cases from plants and tiny stones...

..each species making its own
unique and intricate design.

This emerald damselfly nymph
is ready to leave this world.

For the short three months
of its life,

it's only known this small pool...

..yet the warm evening makes it
do something unthinkable.

He wriggles to break
open his casing...

..revealing his new form.

No longer water creature

but unable to fly yet,

he's now vulnerable.

Over the next few hours, he pumps
special fluid into his abdomen

and wings, making them
gradually unfold and harden.

And with enough warmth in the air,

he finally takes flight.

For most of the year,

the human population of
the Highlands is small.

But once summer holidays arrive,
numbers more than double.

Towns like Oban are busy hubs
for travel to the islands.

HORN HONKS

These summer months may be
the busiest for tourists,

but they aren't necessarily
the sunniest...

THUNDER RUMBLES

..and a large percentage of
the 150 inches of rain a year

is almost guaranteed to fall now.

The Handa guillemots
have seen it all before.

They can live to be 30 years old,

so they'll encounter many
wet summers in their lives.

Adult plumage is waterproof,

but the chicks are still covered
in down and can easily chill,

so they huddle close to the adults.

150 miles south,

the mountains of Jura are directly
in the path of incoming rain clouds,

making it one of the wettest
places in the Highlands.

THUNDER RUMBLES

Red deer can't wait
for the rain to lift.

Now heavily pregnant,
the hinds have carried their young

through the toughest winter months
and must give birth soon.

New calves are appearing
everywhere in the wet grass.

It's a harsh habitat
to be born into.

Most hinds here only produce
a calf every other year.

At a few weeks old,
this male calf is still

dependent on his mother's milk
and will not venture far.

Once the rain finally clears there's
another problem to contend with.

The Scottish midge.

Attracted by the carbon dioxide
in the deer's breath,

midge swarms build to their
trillions as summer progresses.

Against the light they're
mesmerizing, almost beautiful...

..but they're intolerable to
the young calf and his mother.

Luckily, there is something
that feasts on the midges.

Surprisingly, it's a plant.

Carnivorous sundew
now carpet the wet bogs.

Their glistening droplets
are irresistible to insects,

luring them in.

Once trapped in the sticky drops,

the sundews slowly digest
the insects...

..an important source of nitrogen
in these nutrient-poor soils.

The strength of the summer sun
is now waning...

..and the eaglets on their
tree-top nest are close to fledging.

Having consumed hundreds of
prey items between them,

each chick now weighs
close to four kilos.

The pile of waste, bones and flies
is becoming unbearable.

It's one of the reasons eagles
regularly change their nest sites.

Their behaviour is changing too

and they practise gripping with
their huge two-inch-long talons.

This eaglet already
instinctively shields its food...

..though it hasn't quite
perfected the art yet.

But their greatest challenge
is still to come...

..learning to fly...

..and joining their parents
in the highland skies.

They'll need to cover huge distances
to find enough food to survive here.

Wing flapping is important
to build up flight muscles.

There aren't many of these
summer days left

and even a slight breeze
now rocks the nest.

It won't be long before
they must take to the skies.

On Jura, the red deer calf is
starting to explore his world.

Something new has
caught his attention.

It's a group of stags
moving down from the hills.

In near-peak condition, with their
antlers still cased in soft velvet,

they're intent on eating, fattening
themselves up for the autumn rut

when bulk and strength
will be crucial.

The calf isn't sure what
to make of them.

He instinctively
seems to know what to do...

..finally getting his attention.

It's not impossible
that in five years' time,

he could fight this stag for real

and have his chance
to roar in these glens.

It's late summer

and, once more, the sun is shining
throughout the Highlands.

It's time to celebrate.

TANNOY: 'There does seem
to be one or two...'

Clan gatherings, like these
at Lochearnhead in Perthshire,

are happening
right across the region.

With people spread
over such a vast landscape,

a sense of community is important.

The traditional events
go back centuries

and test many of the skills that
wildlife, too, needs to thrive here.

Speed...

..strength...

..stamina...

..and agility.

On Handa Island, the sea birds are
also preparing for a dramatic event.

For nearly two months,

the guillemots have endured
endless attacks from predators,

while desperately trying
to feed their growing chicks.

They can no longer
keep up with the demand.

They must get their chicks to sea.

It's time to jump.

Adults call, luring their chicks
towards the edge.

Some are less developed than others,

but once one jumps,
they'll all go for it.

Males call from the sea,

a stomach-churning 400 feet below.

The young chicks,
known as jumplings,

move towards the edge
for the first time.

ADULT CROWS

Finally, one makes the leap.

With tiny, unformed wings,

they have little control

over their death-defying jump.

Flattening their bodies,
they try to slow their descent

before hitting the water

at breakneck speed.

The whole colony is on the move...

..with chicks diving
from every ledge...

..while the sea below fills
with re-united families.

But one chick is smaller
than the others...

..and is reluctant
to leave the ledge.

Despite persistent calls
from its parents below,

it will not jump.

CHICK CHIRPS

Being the last left on the cliffs,
it's in real danger.

Evening is approaching
and predators are arriving.

A lone chick will not last long.

Others have also left home.

The pine marten loft is empty.

The forest is now the kits' home.

This late summer evening
may be one of the last

in which they see daylight.

One kit is already hunting
for himself,

making use of his mother's territory
to catch his first mouse.

Fantastic climbers,

they're perfectly at home
in the tree tops,

and their sense of smell
will guide them once darkness falls.

They must learn all they can
from their mother now.

In the autumn,
as food becomes scarce,

she'll drive them
out of her territory.

Nearby, the Slavonian grebes
are still resident on the loch.

For two summers, they have
failed to produce any young.

But this year is different.

Their single precious chick

is fed on aquatic larvae
and sticklebacks.

Among the last breeding birds
of the Highland summer,

this pair have just
a few short weeks

to nurture their chick
to independence.

Back on the ledges,
the mood is not so calm.

Darkness is fast approaching...

..and the lone guillemot chick
still hasn't jumped.

Its parent returns,
desperately calling,

encouraging it down.

But its jump is not far enough...

..and now there's a new problem.

It's wandered
into razorbill territory.

They'll attack intruders
on their ledge.

The parent calls it out.

But at each step,

the guillemots enter
a new territory.

The chick is under constant attack
and there's still a long way to go.

Ledge by ledge,
they descend together.

But the chick is now tiring.

It's reached the last ledge.

The parent can do no more.

A razorbill makes a final attack.

LOUD CAWS

Unable to steer,
it's heading straight for the rocks.

But guillemot chicks
have dense, downy feathers...

..and, incredibly,
it's unharmed by the fall...

..and finds its father.

Raising young like this

is one of the highest-risk
strategies in the bird world.

But now safely at sea
with its parent by its side,

the chick can begin
the real challenge

of learning to be a sea bird...

..spending two years
on the wild ocean

before seeing these cliffs again.

Not all will leave
their local patch.

The otter family
has good fishing territory here

and will remain close
to this stretch of coastline.

But the female senses
the seasons changing.

Keeping her cubs close,

she'll guide them through
their first Highland winter...

..and together,
they'll face the weather to come.

And weather will certainly come.

Already, winds are building
from the Atlantic.

Time for breeding has run out.

Beyond the wild coasts
of Duncansby Head,

a pod of orcas
roll and play in the surf.

Gale-force winds and towering seas
are no challenge to them.

But for the breeding animals
of the Highlands,

everything has changed...

..and they'll need new strategies
to cope with the season to come.

The great race of summer is over.

But the trials of the season
have been worthwhile.

The young eagles have
finally taken to the skies...

..and the next generation
are ready to face the autumn.

Next time, as autumn storms hit,

seal pups fight for their lives
against all odds...

..and the winter freeze arrives...

..testing the animals
of the Highlands

to their absolute limits.