Wild Ireland: The Edge of the World (2017): Season 1, Episode 1 - Episode #1.1 - full transcript
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[BIRDS CALLING]
MAN: THE WEST COAST OF
IRELAND FOR MILLENNIA
WAS REALLY, I GUESS,
THE EDGE OF THE KNOWN WORLD.
OUR ANCESTORS HAD NO IDEA
WHAT LAY BEYOND THE HORIZON.
THE VAST ATLANTIC WAS A PLACE
OF COMPLETE MYSTERY.
[WAVES CRASHING]
MY NAME IS
COLIN STAFFORD-JOHNSON.
I'VE SPENT 30 YEARS WORKING
AS A WILDLIFE CAMERAMAN
AROUND THE WORLD, AND I'VE SEEN
SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
PLACES ON EARTH, BUT SOMEHOW
I'M ALWAYS DRAWN BACK
TO THE WEST COAST OF IRELAND.
AND THIS IS WHERE
I NOW CALL HOME.
ONCE YOU'VE LIVED BY THE SEA
FOR PART OF YOUR LIFE,
IT'S VERY HARD
TO LEAVE IT BEHIND.
I LOVE ITS ISOLATION
AND ITS WILDNESS.
[DOLPHIN CLICKING]
I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO TRAVEL
THE LENGTH OF IRELAND'S
ATLANTIC COAST, SEEKING
OUT ITS SECRET PLACES
AND WILD CREATURES.
[SNORTING]
SO MUCH OF LIFE IS SORT OF
TIMETABLED, AND WHEN YOU DON'T
HAVE A TIMETABLE,
YOU CAN'T BE LATE.
WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE
A DESTINATION,
YOU CAN'T GET LOST.
I SUPPOSE IN WAYS, I'LL
BE WANDERING UP THE WEST COAST.
AND IF MY JOURNEY HAS ANY
DIRECTION, I GUESS IT'S
ROUGHLY NORTH.
AND I THINK IT'S GOING
TO CHANGE MY VIEW OF THE ISLAND
THAT I'VE LIVED ON
FOR MUCH OF MY LIFE.
[SEA GULLS CALLING]
[WINGS FLUTTERING]
[BIRDS CALLING]
COLIN: UP TILL NOW, I'VE SPENT
MOST OF MY LIFE VERY MUCH REALLY
A LANDLUBBER, BUT TRAVEL
100 METERS FROM THE SHORE
AND THE SOUNDSCAPE
CHANGES COMPLETELY.
YOU LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT GOING ON
A JOURNEY, YOU'VE GOT TO THINK
OF A PLACE TO BEGIN.
AND WHEN I THOUGHT OF WHAT IT
WOULD BE LIKE TO PADDLE UP
THE WEST COAST-- WHERE WILL
I BEGIN-- THERE WAS REALLY
ONLY ONE PLACE.
FOR ME, THE SKELLIGS,
IT'S SUCH AN ICON
FOR THE WEST OF IRELAND,
I GUESS.
ISOLATED, WILD, DESOLATE PLACE.
TWO JAGGED PYRAMIDS
OF SANDSTONE, ONE OF THEM HOME
TO THE SECOND-LARGEST COLONY
OF GANNETS IN THE WORLD.
COME SPRING, SOME 70,000
INDIVIDUALS ARRIVE
ON LITTLE SKELLIG.
[GANNETS CALLING]
THEY'RE CONSTANTLY SCOURING
THE OCEAN, LOOKING FOR FOOD.
AND ANY FISH THAT'S WITHIN THEIR
RANGE HAS VERY LITTLE CHANCE.
THEY'RE DOING REALLY WELL HERE.
YEAR ON YEAR, THIS COLONY
IS GETTING BIGGER.
THERE'S NO PLACE FOR ANOTHER
NEST, IT SEEMS TO BE NOW.
THIS ROCK IS NOW FULL.
THERE'S REALLY NOWHERE
IN THE WORLD QUITE LIKE
SKELLIG MICHAEL.
NO WONDER IT'S A WORLD
HERITAGE SITE, BECAUSE IT'S
TRULY UNIQUE.
IT WAS A MONASTIC SETTLEMENT
1,500 YEARS AGO.
HOW THEY SURVIVED,
IT'S JUST HARD TO IMAGINE.
BUT AN EXTRAORDINARY
DECISION TO MAKE,
TO SET OFF IN A BOAT FROM
THE WEST COAST OF IRELAND
TO COME HERE.
WE MAY ONLY BE 12 MILES
OFFSHORE, BUT THEY CAN BE
12 VERY DANGEROUS MILES.
IT'S JUST HARD TO IMAGINE
THE EFFORT TO CONSTRUCT THESE
BEEHIVE HOMES AND CHURCHES.
THEY MUST HAVE BEEN A SPECIAL
KIND OF PEOPLE, THOUGH,
BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN
EVERYONE'S CUP OF TEA.
AND THE MONKS WHO CHOSE
TO BUILD THIS MONASTERY HERE
THOUGHT THIS PLACE WAS
THE VERY EDGE OF THE WORLD.
IT WAS THE EDGE OF THE KNOWN
WORLD FOR EUROPEAN MAN
AT THAT TIME.
THE OCEAN TO THEM WAS
JUST VAST AND ENDLESS,
THIS ENDLESS VOID.
AND THE PEOPLE WHO CAME HERE
CAME HERE TO CONTEMPLATE LIFE.
AND I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER
PLACE TO DO IT, A TOUGH PLACE
TO DO IT, PHYSICALLY
HARD AND CHALLENGING.
ALL THEY HAD TO KEEP THEM
COMPANY WERE THE ELEMENTS...
AND THE SEABIRDS IN SUMMER.
EVERY YEAR, PUFFINS JUST
ARRIVE OUT OF THE BLUE.
THEY'VE SPENT THE WINTER OUT IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN
BEING TOSSED
AROUND IN STORMS,
AND IT ALWAYS AMAZES ME HOW THEY
ACTUALLY ARRIVE UNSCATHED.
[PUFFINS CALLING]
THEY LOOK PERFECT.
EXTRAORDINARY LITTLE BIRDS,
CONSTANTLY BUSY,
CONSTANTLY MOANING
AND GROANING
AND CHATTING TO EACH OTHER.
EVERY PLACE YOU GO
ON THIS ISLAND IN SUMMER,
LITTLE PUFFINS WADDLING
ALL OVER THE PLACE.
WHEN THEY START BILL-TAPPING--
A WAY OF REAFFIRMING THE BOND
IS TO DO THIS LITTLE
BILL-TAPPING CEREMONY,
AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING
THAT YOU NEVER TIRE OF.
SOME OF THE YOUNGER,
NON-BREEDING BIRDS,
THEY LITERALLY LOAF AROUND.
THERE ARE THESE ROCKS CALLED
"LOAFING ROCKS," WHERE THE
YOUNG NON-BREEDING BIRDS GATHER,
AND THEY WILL JUST ARRIVE
AND SORT OF STRUT
AROUND THE PLACE MAYBE
WITH FISH IN THEIR MOUTHS AS IF
SHOWING TO POTENTIAL FUTURE
PARTNERS, "LOOK I CAN FISH.
I KNOW THIS PLACE."
ONE THING PUFFINS CAN DO,
WHICH IS REMARKABLE, THE BILL IS
DESIGNED TO CATCH
AND HOLD MULTIPLE FISH.
WELL, ON THE BILL, IT'S GOT
THESE LITTLE GROOVES, SO AS
SOON AS THEY CATCH
THE FIRST ONE BETWEEN THE BILL
AND THE TONGUE, THEY CAN
JUST KIND OF STORE IT THERE
AND THEN OPEN THEIR BILL
AND CATCH A SECOND ONE.
SO IT'S ALL PRETTY CLEVER.
[SQUAWKING]
THERE'S JUST ONE SINGLE
PUFFLING BORN EVERY SEASON,
AND FOR 3 MONTHS,
THE PARENTS' ONLY GOAL IS TO
KEEP THEM SAFE AND WELL-FED.
IT'S ONLY WHEN YOU
LOOK AT THEM CLOSELY,
YOU REALIZE THAT
THEY'RE NOT JUST COMICAL
LITTLE GUYS, BUT THEY'RE
ACTUALLY CONSTANTLY LOOKING OUT
FOR PREDATORS.
HERE THE BIGGEST PREDATORS
ARE THE BLACK-BACKED GULLS
AND THE HERRING GULLS.
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF
BURROWS ON THIS ISLAND.
THE PUFFINS, THEY FIND
SANCTUARY UNDERGROUND.
IT DOESN'T SEEM IT ON
THE SURFACE, BUT IT REALLY IS
A JUNGLE OUT HERE, YOU KNOW.
THE GULLS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE PUFFINS BEING PRETTY MUCH
ON TENTERHOOKS ALL DAY LONG,
EVEN THOUGH A PUFFIN NEVER
REALLY LOOKS LIKE
IT'S ON TENTERHOOKS.
AT NIGHT, THEN, EVERYTHING
CHANGES COMPLETELY.
THE DAY BIRDS HAVE NOW
PRETTY MUCH STOPPED CALLING,
AND THE ISLAND GOES STRANGELY
QUIET JUST AFTER SUNSET.
BUT OUT AT SEA, THERE ARE BIRDS
GATHERING, AND THEY'RE WAITING
TO COME ASHORE.
IT'S ONLY SAFE FOR THEM
TO COME ASHORE UNDER COVER
OF DARKNESS,
COMPLETE DARKNESS.
[BIRDS CALLING LOUDLY]
THIS IS REALLY A VERY IRISH
SOUND, BECAUSE MANX SHEARWATERS
BREED ON THE WEST COAST OF
IRELAND IN REALLY BIG NUMBERS.
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF BURROWS
ON THIS ISLAND, AND THERE'S
GREAT COMPETITION
FOR THOSE BURROWS.
SO MUCH SO THAT SOME OF
THE SHEARWATERS HAVE ACTUALLY
STARTED NESTING ABOVE GROUND
IN THESE OLD BEEHIVE HUTS.
[CALLING CONTINUES]
THEY'RE JUST CALLING TO LET
THEIR MATES KNOW THAT THEY'RE
ON THEIR WAY.
[CALLING]
YOU WILL ALSO THEN HEAR
THE RESPONSE COMING
FROM UNDERGROUND.
IT'S AS IF THE MATE
UNDERGROUND HAS SAID,
"LOOK, I'M HERE.
"YOU'RE IN THE RIGHT AREA,
AND I'M GOING TO LURE YOU
INTO THIS VERY SPOT."
IT'S INCUBATION TIME.
THE PARTNERS OF THESE BIRDS
HAVE BEEN SITTING
PATIENTLY UNDERGROUND,
WAITING FOR THEIR MATES
TO RETURN FROM THE SEA.
THEY LOVE THE DARKNESS.
THIS IS WHAT PROTECTS THEM
FROM PREDATORS LIKE GULLS.
THEY ARE SO POOR ON LAND.
THEIR FEET ARE SET VERY FAR BACK
ON THEIR BODIES, AND THEY
REALLY ARE VERY UNGAINLY.
IF YOU'RE A SHEARWATER, YOU
REALLY WANT TO LAND AS CLOSE
TO YOUR NEST AS POSSIBLE.
SOMETIMES IF THERE ARE BRIGHT
NIGHTS, THE POOR OLD BIRD
SITTING ON THE EGG WILL BE
THERE FOR DAYS ON END,
WAITING FOR THEIR MATE
TO RELIEVE THEM OF DUTY.
AND THEY'LL SPEND SOME TIME
IN EACH OTHER'S COMPANY.
YOU KNOW, OTHER BIRDS...
I OFTEN FIND THEY WILL
JUST LITERALLY SWAP OVER
WITHOUT MAKING ANY CONTACT.
AS SOON AS ONE ARRIVES,
THE OTHER ONE LEAVES.
NOT THE CASE WITH SHEARWATERS.
[CALLING]
THEY START PREENING EACH OTHER
AND BILL-TAPPING, AND IT SEEMS
LIKE THEY'RE DELIGHTED
TO SEE EACH OTHER.
PERHAPS ROMANCE IS NOT JUST
CONFINED TO THE HUMAN WORLD.
THE SHEARWATERS SPEND
ALL WINTER TRAVELING
AROUND THE ATLANTIC,
FLYING OVER AS FAR AS BRAZIL
IN SEARCH OF FOOD, AND THEN
THEY MAKE THEIR WAY BACK
AND FIND THE VERY SAME BURROW
THAT THEY NESTED IN LAST YEAR.
AND THEY'LL DO THAT
FOR POSSIBLY DECADES
'CAUSE THEY'RE A VERY
LONG-LIVED BIRD.
AND THIS IS WHERE
THEY FIND SANCTUARY,
LIKE THE MONKS DID LONG AGO.
IRELAND LOOKS REALLY LIKE
AN ISLAND FROM OUT HERE.
I THINK THAT'S THE THING
ABOUT A COASTAL JOURNEY.
MAKES YOU SEE A COUNTRY
IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT.
THE LAND HAS CHANGED.
HUMAN INFLUENCE
TENDS TO MOLD THE LAND,
BUT THAT DOESN'T CHANGE
THE SURFACE OF THE OCEAN.
THAT JUST SORT OF DEFINES
ITSELF IN SOME WAY.
IT CAN'T BE TAMED AS SUCH.
AND EVEN WHEN YOU SET OUT
FOR A DAY AT SEA BY YOURSELF,
YOU'RE NEVER ALONE FOR LONG, NOT
ON THE WEST COAST OF IRELAND.
EVEN WHEN YOU STOP,
IT'S NOT LONG BEFORE
THE COMMON DOLPHINS FIND YOU.
THEY SEEM TO
JUST LOVE COMPANY.
AND I LOVE THEIRS.
THERE'S SOMETHING VERY
REASSURING ABOUT SEEING SUCH
A CONCENTRATION OF MAMMALS
ALONG THIS COAST, BECAUSE IT
MEANS THERE MUST BE PLENTY
OF LIFE LEFT IN THE SEA.
[WAVES CRASHING]
MY FAVORITE PLACES IN IRELAND
HAVE GOT TO BE THESE
OFFSHORE ISLANDS.
AND WHEN YOU COME OUT TO THESE
PLACES, THAT'S WHERE YOU GET
A REAL SENSE OF WILDNESS AND
A REAL SENSE OF WHAT THE WHOLE
COAST MUST HAVE BEEN
LIKE ONCE UPON A TIME.
YOU REALLY FEEL LIKE YOU'RE
ON THE VERY EDGE OF EUROPE.
NOTHING TO STOP THE WAVES
BETWEEN HERE AND AMERICA.
THE BLASKET ISLANDS MAY BE ONLY
20 MILES NORTH OF THE SKELLIGS,
BUT THEY FEEL LIKE
A TOTALLY DIFFERENT WORLD.
THESE WEST COAST ISLANDS
WOULD ONCE HAVE BEEN
INTENSIVELY FARMED.
THE OLD RUINS OF THE HOUSES
ARE STILL HERE
BUT THEY WON'T LAST FOREVER.
I'M SURE IN ANOTHER
HUNDRED YEARS OR SO,
THERE'LL HARDLY BE A SIGN
THAT MAN WAS EVER HERE.
SO MANY OF THE ISLANDS
OFF THE WEST COAST HAVE BEEN
DESERTED BY PEOPLE
IN THE LAST 60, 70, 80 YEARS,
AND WILDLIFE HAS MOVED IN.
IF YOU COME TO THE GREAT BLASKET
AT THE RIGHT TIME OF YEAR,
YOU'LL SEE A SIGHT THAT FEW
PEOPLE HAVE EVER WITNESSED.
CERTAINLY THE ISLANDERS WHO
LIVED HERE ONCE WOULD HAVE
BEEN VERY FAMILIAR WITH THESE
CREATURES, BUT THEY NEVER WOULD
HAVE SEEN THEM IN
NUMBERS LIKE THIS.
[GRUNTING]
THESE ANIMALS ARE ONLY HERE NOW
BECAUSE MAN HAS LEFT THIS PLACE.
THIS WAS THE MAIN BEACH
IN FRONT OF WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN
A BUSTLING VILLAGE
ONCE UPON A TIME.
[CALLS]
IT'S LOVELY TO SEE THEM
ALL LYING SIDE BY SIDE.
IT'S MORE LIKE A SIGHT YOU'D
SEE ON A SUB-ANTARCTIC ISLAND
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THIS MUST BE THE GREATEST
GATHERING OF MAMMALS IN IRELAND.
SOME DAYS, YOU CAN SEE OVER
A THOUSAND GREY SEALS
ALL HAULED OUT ON THE BEACH.
IT'S THEIR ISLAND NOW.
[WAVES CRASHING]
FOR CENTURIES, THEY WERE HUNTED
AND HARASSED, AND THEIR NUMBERS
HAD PLUMMETED.
BUT GREY SEALS, IN FACT, THEY
WERE THE FIRST PROTECTED ANIMAL
IN THE WORLD.
THE NUMBERS HAVE COME BACK,
BUT WE STILL HAVE A DUTY
AND RESPONSIBILITY TO
LOOK AFTER THEM HERE.
THEY'RE NOT BUILT FOR LAND,
THAT'S FOR SURE.
YOU GOT TO FEEL SORRY FOR THEM,
'CAUSE THERE'S NOTHING WORSE
THAN HAVING AN ITCH YOU
CAN'T SCRATCH, AND IF YOUR ARMS
ARE ONLY A FOOT LONG,
IT'S NOT EASY GETTING TO ALL
THE BITS OF THE BODY
YOU'VE GOT TO GET TO.
SOMETIMES YOU NEED
A NEIGHBOR TO LEND A HAND.
THEY'RE SUPREME SWIMMERS.
THEY CAN DIVE
TO DEPTHS OF 600 FEET.
AND SNOOZING UNDERWATER,
NOT A PROBLEM.
AT BREEDING TIME,
THERE'S LOADS OF AGGRESSION.
FEMALES ARE BARKING
AT FEMALES,
AND THE BULLS HAVE
COME TO MATE.
SO THEY'RE VERY AGGRESSIVE
TOWARDS EACH OTHER.
EVERYONE'S SORT OF TRYING
TO PROTECT THEIR PATCH.
[GRUNTING]
THE ENTIRE YEAR IS SPENT
BUILDING UP TO THIS TIME.
THEY'RE DOING ALL THIS
ON AN EMPTY STOMACH, TOO.
THEY'RE BEING
DRIVEN BY HORMONES.
AND THIS FIGHTING CAN
BE DIFFICULT TO WATCH.
IT CAN BE EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVE,
AND THEY CAN INFLICT SERIOUS
DAMAGE ON EACH OTHER.
[CRYING]
[CRIES]
IF YOU BECOME THE DOMINANT
MALE OF A PATCH OF BEACH,
THAT MEANS YOU WILL HAVE ACCESS
TO ALL THE FEMALES THAT
LIE THEREIN.
MATING FOR GREY SEALS IS NOT
A VERY ELEGANT PROCESS.
THE MALE HAS GOT TO KEEP AWAY
OTHER MALES AT THIS TIME,
AND HE'S ALSO THINKING
THAT AS SOON AS HE'S
FINISHED WITH ONE FEMALE,
HE'S GOT TO GET ON
TO THE NEXT ONE.
WHEN THEY LEAVE HERE, THEY WILL
SPEND THE NEXT 6 MONTHS OR SO
JUST WANDERING ON THEIR OWN,
BECAUSE THEY CAN TRAVEL
FROM HERE ALL THE WAY UP AS
FAR AS SCOTLAND OR DOWN
TO THE BAY OF BISCAY,
WANDERING AROUND, FORAGING.
SO MUCH OF EUROPE'S COASTLINE
HAS BEEN DEVELOPED,
AND UNDISTURBED PLACES
LIKE THIS
ARE BECOMING RARER AND RARER
IN THE WORLD NOW.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
FOR GREAT STRETCHES OF
THE WEST COAST, MOUNTAINS DROP
STRAIGHT INTO THE OCEAN,
AND TRAVELING JUST A FEW MILES
INLAND CAN TRANSPORT YOU TO
A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WORLD.
THESE ARE THE MacGILLYCUDDY'S
REEKS, IRELAND'S GREATEST
MOUNTAIN RANGE.
THERE'S SOMEHOW ALWAYS LIKE
A DULL ROAR COMING FROM THE SEA,
BUT THAT'S ABSENT HERE.
A LAKE DOESN'T HAVE THAT
SAME KIND OF ENERGY.
STILL WATERS LIKE THIS--
SUCH A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE.
LAST NIGHT WAS A PERFECTLY
CLEAR NIGHT, AND AS A RESULT,
THIS SEEMS LIKE THE COLDEST
MORNING OF THE YEAR SO FAR.
THERE'S A REAL
CHILL IN THE AIR.
[LOUD GRUNTING]
THESE MOUNTAINS AND THESE
VALLEYS HAVE BORNE WITNESS TO
THIS SOUND FOR
THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
THESE ARE THE CALLS
OF MALE RED DEER...
PROCLAIMING THEIR TERRITORIES.
THE RUT HAS BEGUN.
[GRUNTING]
AND THAT VOICE.
[LOW GRUNTING]
IT'S TELLING THE OTHER
MALES TO STAY AWAY.
"DON'T MESS WITH ME."
SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN
ROLLING IN THE MUD,
SOMETIMES YOU'LL GET THEM
WITH GRASS ATTACHED
TO THEIR ANTLERS, AND THAT'S
ALL ABOUT MAKING THEMSELVES
LOOK BIGGER.
[GRUNTING]
THE ONLY THING THAT THESE GUYS
HAVE ON THEIR MIND RIGHT NOW
IS FATHERHOOD.
IT'S FATHERHOOD OR FAILURE.
IT'S ALL THEY LIVE FOR, AND
IF YOU'RE NOT STRONG ENOUGH
AND POWERFUL ENOUGH, THEN YOU
WILL NEVER BECOME A FATHER.
[GRUNTING]
BIGGEST
LAND ANIMAL IN IRELAND.
AND THERE ARE SEVERAL BIG STAGS
DISPLAYING THIS MORNING,
BUT THERE'S ONE OF THEM WHO IS
JUST...BIGGER AND MORE POWERFUL
THAN ALL THE REST,
AND HE'S THE ONE THAT'S
GOT ALL THE FEMALES.
ONCE A STAG HAS GATHERED
A HAREM, HE'S GOT TO
KEEP A VERY CLOSE EYE ON THEM.
SOMETIMES, ONE OF THEM WILL
SLIP AWAY, PERHAPS ATTRACTED
BY OTHER CALLS.
AND AS SOON AS HE SPOTS HER,
HE GOES BACK
AND RETRIEVES HER
IN NO UNCERTAIN MANNER.
HE'S GONE TO ALL THAT
TROUBLE GATHERING THEM...
[GRUNTING]
HE'S NOT FOR SHARING.
NOW, STAGS WILL DO WHATEVER
THEY CAN TO AVOID CONFLICT
BECAUSE IT'S DANGEROUS
FOR BOTH PARTIES.
THOSE CALLS AND THAT POSTURING
IS NORMALLY ENOUGH TO KEEP
RIVALS APART.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE TWO MALES
OF SIMILAR SIZE, SOMETIMES
NEITHER OF THEM
WILL BACK DOWN.
[ANTLERS RATTLING]
[GRUNTING]
THE LOSER LOOKS
UTTERLY EXHAUSTED.
EVERYONE HAS SEEN
THAT HE'S BEEN BEATEN.
THE FEMALES HAVE SEEN IT,
THE MALES HAVE SEEN IT,
AND SO HE WILL NOT
BE FEARED AGAIN.
IT'S THE SOLE PURPOSE
OF THEIR LIVES, I GUESS,
IS TO BECOME FATHERS,
AND THEY WILL PUT ALL THEIR
ENERGIES INTO DOING THAT,
AND THERE ARE SOME WINNERS
BUT MORE LOSERS.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE STONE AGE MAN
BROUGHT THIS HERD HERE
5,000 YEARS AGO, AND
THEY'VE BEEN HERE EVER SINCE.
THEY'VE BEEN HUNTED
AND HARASSED FOR MILLENNIA,
BUT IT'S SOMETHING VERY
REASSURING THAT THEY'RE
STILL HERE.
[GRUNTING]
THEY ARE SUCH POWERFUL ANIMALS
AND SOMEHOW A REAL SYMBOL
OF ANCIENT IRELAND.
[WAVES CRASHING]
JUST 20 MILES NORTH
AS THE CROW FLIES
IS THE DINGLE PENINSULA.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
WHEN YOU WANDER THE DUNES
HERE BY DAY, YOU HAVE
THIS WONDERFUL SOUNDSCAPE
OF SKYLARKS AND STONECHATS
AND LINNETS, AND THOSE
SOUNDS SLOWLY DISAPPEAR
WITH THE SETTING SUN.
[OVERLAPPING SOUNDS OF CROAKING]
THIS IS A SOUND
THAT YOU ONLY HEAR
IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY.
WONDERFUL SOUND.
ALMOST SEEMS
OTHERWORLDLY TO ME,
OR CERTAINLY IT'S HARD TO
BELIEVE SOMETIMES THAT YOU'RE
IN IRELAND.
YOU KNOW, IN IRELAND,
WE'VE ONLY GOT 3 DIFFERENT
KINDS OF AMPHIBIANS.
WE'VE GOT A NEWT, WE'VE
GOT A FROG, AND ONE TOAD.
FOR SOME REASON, THE NATTERJACK
TOADS ENDED UP HERE, AND NO ONE
QUITE KNOWS HOW.
SOME FUNNY ANOMALY FROM
THE ICE AGE MAYBE, AND A LITTLE
POPULATION GOT LEFT HERE.
RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE LOTS
OF MALE NATTERJACK TOADS
IN THE PONDS HIDDEN...
AND THEY'RE CALLING
FOR ONE PURPOSE
AND ONE PURPOSE ONLY--
AND THAT IS TO LURE
THE FEMALES IN FROM
THE SURROUNDING DUNES.
THEY'VE BEEN WAKING UP
FROM THEIR WINTER SLUMBER,
AND THEY'RE LISTENING TO THESE
CALLS NOW, AND I WONDER
WHAT THEY'RE THINKING.
WELL, THE FEMALES COULD BE
WELL SPREAD OUT, THEY COULD BE
SEVERAL HUNDRED METERS AWAY,
WHICH DOESN'T SOUND THAT FAR,
BUT IF YOU'RE ONLY A COUPLE
OF INCHES LONG,
IT'S QUITE A LONG JOURNEY.
[LOUD CROAKING]
THESE LITTLE MALES
HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS EVENT
ALL WINTER LONG.
THAT'S PROBABLY THE LOUDEST
NATURAL SOUND IN IRELAND
WHEN THEY ALL GET GOING.
YOU CAN HEAR THEM, I RECKON,
A MILE AWAY ON A CALM NIGHT.
AND THOSE LITTLE FEMALES
THAT ARE STIRRING ON THE DUNES
RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE GOING
TO BECOME CRAWLING,
LADEN WITH EGGS.
AS SOON AS A FEMALE ARRIVES ON
THE EDGE OF THIS POND AND IS
SPOTTED, THERE'S GOING TO BE
A LITTLE BIT OF A FRENZY TO SEE
WHO CAN GET TO HER FIRST.
[SPLASHING]
ONCE HE ACTUALLY GETS INTO
WHAT'S KNOWN AS AMPLEXUS,
WHEN HE TUCKS
HIS ARMS UNDER HER,
HE WILL NOT LET GO
FOR LOVE OR MONEY.
HE'LL STAY WITH HER RIGHT
THROUGH THE SPAWNING PROCESS.
THEY LAY THESE
LONG STRINGS OF EGGS,
AND THE MALE FERTILIZES THEM
AS THEY EMERGE,
AND THAT'S IT-- DONE.
[CROAKING]
OH, THIS IS WHAT THIS LITTLE
CORNER OF IRELAND HAS SOUNDED
LIKE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
YOU COULD ALMOST BE
BY A WATERHOLE IN AFRICA
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THAT'S WHAT IT SORT
OF REMINDS ME OF...
JUST TO BE IN A PLACE
WITH NATURAL SOUNDS.
YOU SOMEHOW FEEL
THAT THIS IS WHAT
THE WORLD SHOULD BE LIKE.
YOU FEEL VERY SMALL
OUT HERE SOMETIMES.
[SEA GULLS CRYING]
MY BOAT IS A CURRACH.
IT'S A TRADITIONAL BOAT
THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN USED
RIGHT ALONG THIS COAST
FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.
THEY'RE OFTEN MADE JUST
FROM SCRAP WOOD AND CANVAS.
IT'S THE PERFECT WAY
FOR EXPLORING THIS COAST
BECAUSE IT WAS DESIGNED HERE,
IT WAS DESIGNED
FOR THESE CONDITIONS.
THERE'S A WONDERFUL STORY
FROM THESE PARTS.
IT'S SAID THAT THERE WERE
A GROUP OF MEN ROWING
THEIR CURRACH BACK TO THEIR HOME
ON THE BLASKET ISLANDS, AND AS
THEY ROWED, THEY HEARD
THIS VERY STRANGE SOUND,
SOUNDS THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD
BEFORE IN THEIR LIVES
THAT SEEMED TO COME
FROM THE VERY OCEAN ITSELF
THROUGH THE SKIN OF THEIR BOAT.
[SEA GULLS CRYING]
NOW, ONE OF THE FELLAS
ON THE BOAT WAS A MUSICIAN.
AND WHEN HE GOT
HOME THAT NIGHT, HE STARTED
COMPOSING A PIECE OF MUSIC
BASED ON THE STRANGE SOUNDS
THAT HE HAD HEARD.
NOW, THAT PIECE OF MUSIC BECAME
A VERY FAMOUS IRISH TUNE.
[IRISH TUNE PLAYING]
IN THE IRISH LANGUAGE, IT
WAS KNOWN AS "PORT NA BPUCAI,"
THE SONG OF THE FAIRIES.
AND YEARS LATER, SOMEONE WAS
LISTENING TO IT, AND WHEN THEY
THOUGHT ABOUT IT, THEY REALIZED
THAT IT REMINDED THEM OF
THE SONG OF THE HUMPBACK WHALE.
NOW, PEOPLE SAID, THERE IS
NO WAY THEY COULD HAVE HEARD
A HUMPBACK SINGING, AS YOU JUST
DIDN'T FIND HUMPBACK WHALES
IN THESE WATERS.
[WHOOSH]
[WHOOSH]
[WHOOSH]
AMONGST THE DOLPHINS,
WE HAVE A VISITOR,
AND IT'S WONDERFUL
TO SEE THEM BACK.
[WHOOSH]
LOVE THE SOUNDS
OF THEIR BREATHING.
[WHOOSH]
WHEN I WAS GROWING UP,
I REMEMBER I HAD THAT SORT OF
ICONIC PHOTOGRAPH OF A HUMPBACK
FLUKE ON MY BEDROOM WALL.
AND I REMEMBER THINKING I'D LOVE
TO SEE ONE OF THOSE ONE DAY.
YOU KNOW, WELL, NEVER IN
A MILLION YEARS DID I THINK
I'D BE WATCHING SIGHTS
LIKE THIS HERE.
THIS IS NOW A RELATIVELY
COMMON SIGHT OFF THE WEST COAST
OF IRELAND.
THESE ARE ALMOST
RESIDENT HUMPBACK WHALES.
AND THE LOCALS RECOGNIZE
ONE MALE HUMPBACK THAT'S BEEN
COMING HERE FOR YEARS.
HE COMES BACK SO OFTEN,
THEY CALL HIM BOOMERANG.
[WHOOSH]
IT SEEMS THAT ONCE
ONE CREATURE FINDS
A BALL OF FOOD, A BAIT BALL,
ALL THE OTHER CREATURES
ARE SORT OF CALLED IN.
THEY COULD BE ANYWHERE IN
THE WHOLE OCEAN, BUT THEY CHOOSE
TO BE HERE.
MAKES YOU FEEL
A BIT SPECIAL.
HUMPBACKS HAVE DEVELOPED
THEIR OWN UNIQUE HUNTING METHOD.
THEY BLOW CIRCLES OF BUBBLES
TO FRIGHTEN AND TO CORRAL
A SHOAL OF FISH...
AND THEN SWALLOW THE LOT.
THEY'RE THE ONLY WHALE THAT
HAS DEVELOPED THIS PARTICULAR
HUNTING TECHNIQUE,
AND IT SEEMS TO WORK
INCREDIBLY EFFECTIVELY.
[WHOOSH]
WHEN THEY'VE HAD A GOOD DAY'S
FORAGING, WHAT BETTER WAY
TO END THE DAY THAN TO LIE ON
YOUR BACK AND JUST FLAIL
YOUR LIMBS AROUND YOU?
WHY NOT?
HELLO!
[WHOOSH]
THERE'S SOMETHING
YOUTHFUL ABOUT THEM.
IT'S ALMOST AS IF THEY'RE
JUST ENJOYING THEMSELVES.
I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT
OTHER ANIMALS CAN BE HAPPY.
SO MANY WHALE SPECIES JUST
BRIEFLY VISIT THE SURFACE WHEN
THEY HAVE TO, TO LITERALLY
PICK UP AIR AND DISAPPEAR INTO
THE DEPTHS AGAIN, BUT HUMPBACKS
SEEM TO SORT OF ENJOY THAT
TRANSITION BETWEEN SEA AND AIR,
BETWEEN THOSE TWO DIMENSIONS.
IT SEEMS LIKE CESSATION OF
WHALING HAS BEEN A MASSIVE
CONSERVATION SUCCESS STORY,
AND IT'S TAKEN A FEW DECADES
FOR THEIR NUMBERS TO COME BACK,
BUT THE WHOLE COAST OF IRELAND
IS A WHALE SANCTUARY NOW,
SO THEY'RE SAFE HERE.
SO ISN'T IT A WONDERFUL
THOUGHT THAT MAYBE, JUST MAYBE
ALL THOSE YEARS AGO, AS THIS
GROUP OF MEN WERE PADDLING
THEMSELVES OUT TO THEIR ISLAND
HOME, THERE WAS A HUMPBACK
HANGING IN THE WATER AND THAT
IT WAS ACTUALLY SOMEHOW THEIR
CRAFT, THE SKIN OF THEIR
CURRACH HAD SOMEHOW MANAGED TO
PICK UP THESE CALLS
OF THE HUMPBACK.
[SEA GULLS CRYING]
50 MILES NORTH OF KERRY,
COUNTY CLARE IS HOME
TO ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE
LANDSCAPES IN IRELAND.
THE DAWN CHORUS AT THIS TIME
OF YEAR SEEMS TO HARDLY STOP
ALL DAY SOMETIMES.
IT'S AT ITS STRONGEST EARLY
IN THE MORNING, BUT IT SEEMS
TO KEEP GOING FOR HOURS.
[CHIRPING]
THE WEATHER'S NICE,
AND BIRDS JUST
SEEM TO SING ALL DAY LONG.
YOU SIT IN A PLACE LIKE THIS
IN THE BURREN, YOU CAN'T
HELP BUT THINK ABOUT CHANGE
AND HOW-- HOW THE VERY LANDSCAPE
AND NATURE JUST CHANGES
AND ADAPTS ALL THE TIME.
ALL THAT EXPOSED LIMESTONE WAS
ONCE AT THE BOTTOM OF AN OCEAN.
THIS SEABED MOVED UP HERE
FROM THE EQUATOR, GOT PUSHED UP
INTO MOUNTAINS,
AND NOW YOU'VE GOT THIS
EXTRAORDINARY LANDSCAPE...
A PLACE THAT FROM A DISTANCE
MAY LOOK SORT OF BARREN
AND LIFELESS AND ALMOST
LIKE A MOONSCAPE, BUT IT'S
FAR FROM IT.
THIS PLACE IS FULL OF LIFE.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
LOOKING DOWN ON A BEAUTIFUL
OLD ABBEY, IT MUST HAVE BEEN
SUCH A HIVE OF HUMAN
ACTIVITY ONCE UPON A TIME.
THE PEOPLE WHO BUILT IT COULD
NEVER FORESEE THE DAY WHEN IT
WOULD BE ABANDONED
AND JUST OVERTAKEN BY BIRDS.
GREAT FORAGING TO BE HAD
IN THIS LANDSCAPE.
GOOD PLACE TO BE A KESTREL.
[CHIRPING]
THEY'LL DELIVER ALL SORTS OF
THINGS BACK TO THE NEST--
MICE, BIRDS, EVEN REPTILES.
THEY'RE A REGULAR ON THE-- ON
THE DINNER TABLE FOR KESTRELS.
[CHIRPING]
YOU'D WONDER HOW THE KESTRELS
MANAGED TO GAIN A FOOTHOLD
HERE THIS YEAR AT ALL,
BUT MY GUESS IS THERE
MUST HAVE BEEN A PRETTY
DETERMINED FEMALE INVOLVED.
NOT EASY TO NEST AMONGST
THESE JACKDAWS, NOT EASY TO
FIND A SPACE.
SHE MUST HAVE JUST BEEN LUCKY
TO BE IN BEFORE THE JACKDAWS
ARRIVED OR GOT
TOO TERRITORIAL.
SOMEHOW SHE MANAGED TO HOLD
HER GROUND BECAUSE THERE'S BIG
COMPETITION FOR SPACE HERE.
[SQUAWKING]
NOISY NEIGHBORS, BUT STILL
A GOOD PLACE TO BE A KESTREL.
THEY FIX THE GROUND
WITH SUCH A GAZE.
[CHIRPING]
KESTRELS PERCEIVE THE WORLD
IN A VERY DIFFERENT WAY
THAN WE DO.
WHEN THEY'RE SCANNING
A PATCH OF GROUND,
THEY CAN ACTUALLY SOMETIMES
SEE LITTLE URINE TRAILS
THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT
BY RODENTS.
A LOT OF THE RODENTS
LEAVE TRAILS,
AND THAT CAN BE THEIR UNDOING
BECAUSE THEN KESTRELS
ARE NOT JUST LOOKING
AT A PATCH OF GRASS.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT
A SYSTEM OF LITTLE SORT OF
RODENT HIGHWAYS.
THEY FOLLOW THEM
AND LOOK FOR MOVEMENT.
LOOKS LIKE THIS FAMILY ARE GONNA
DO PRETTY WELL NOW THIS YEAR.
SURE, WHAT MORE WOULD ANYONE
WANT BUT A FAMILY, SECURITY,
AND FOOD?
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE IN COMMON
WITH ALL CREATURES, I GUESS.
THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT ROWING.
IT'S JUST SO GENTLE
ON THE WATER,
GENTLE ON THE PLANET.
AND YOU'RE MUCH MORE CONNECTED
WITH THE OCEAN WHEN YOU'RE
IN A ROWING BOAT.
YOU REALLY SORT OF APPRECIATE
AND YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT'S
GOING ON UNDERNEATH...
ALL THE CREATURES
DRIFTING IN THE TIDE.
THE WEST OF IRELAND HAS ALWAYS
SORT OF ATTRACTED THESE
LONE INDIVIDUAL DOLPHINS.
SOME OF THEM HAVE LIVED FOR
30 YEARS OR MORE ON THEIR OWN.
THIS IS DUSTY, AND SHE
LIVES HER LIFE OFF
THE COAST OF CLARE.
SHE'S A BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN, AND
IT'S ALWAYS BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS
THAT BECOME THESE
SORT OF LONE INDIVIDUALS.
NO ONE QUITE KNOWS WHY.
THEY'RE PROBABLY
MISFITS IN SOME WAY.
DON'T KNOW IF THEY GET LOST
OR MAYBE THEY WERE THROWN OUT
OF THE POD.
FOR SOME REASON, THEY DIDN'T
FIT IN IN SOME WAY, BUT THEY
DON'T LIKE BEING ON THEIR OWN,
AND THEY SOON
SEEK OUT HUMAN COMPANY.
DOLPHINS MAKE SUCH GREAT
TRAVELING COMPANIONS,
AND THEY HAVE SUCH AN AURA
OF REAL INTELLIGENCE
AND ALMOST COMPASSION.
BUT SOON, SHE'LL
LEAVE ME BEHIND.
SHE'S GOT HER HOME,
AND I'VE GOT MINE.
WELL, THIS IS WHERE
I NOW CALL HOME.
I FIRST DISCOVERED CLEW BAY, I
GUESS, ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO OR SO.
I WAS MOVING UP AND DOWN
THE WEST COAST OF IRELAND
AND SORT OF LOOKING FOR A PLACE
TO SETTLE AFTER YEARS OF TRAVEL.
AND I REMEMBER JUST THINKING
THERE WAS SOMETHING VERY RESTFUL
AND PEACEFUL ABOUT THIS PLACE.
THIS IS REALLY
MY HALFWAY POINT.
I SEE CLEW BAY AS THE HALFWAY
POINT ALONG THE WEST COAST
OF IRELAND.
EVERYTHING CHANGES
NORTH OF HERE NOW.
NORTH OF HERE IS SOMEHOW
SORT OF WILDER, LESS TAMED,
LESS VISITED.
LOTS OF LITTLE ISLANDS.
I DON'T KNOW IT WELL.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
GETTING TO KNOW IT BETTER.
MAKE THIS PROGRAM POSSIBLE
PLEASE GIVE TO YOUR PBS STATION
[BIRDS CALLING]
MAN: THE WEST COAST OF
IRELAND FOR MILLENNIA
WAS REALLY, I GUESS,
THE EDGE OF THE KNOWN WORLD.
OUR ANCESTORS HAD NO IDEA
WHAT LAY BEYOND THE HORIZON.
THE VAST ATLANTIC WAS A PLACE
OF COMPLETE MYSTERY.
[WAVES CRASHING]
MY NAME IS
COLIN STAFFORD-JOHNSON.
I'VE SPENT 30 YEARS WORKING
AS A WILDLIFE CAMERAMAN
AROUND THE WORLD, AND I'VE SEEN
SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
PLACES ON EARTH, BUT SOMEHOW
I'M ALWAYS DRAWN BACK
TO THE WEST COAST OF IRELAND.
AND THIS IS WHERE
I NOW CALL HOME.
ONCE YOU'VE LIVED BY THE SEA
FOR PART OF YOUR LIFE,
IT'S VERY HARD
TO LEAVE IT BEHIND.
I LOVE ITS ISOLATION
AND ITS WILDNESS.
[DOLPHIN CLICKING]
I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO TRAVEL
THE LENGTH OF IRELAND'S
ATLANTIC COAST, SEEKING
OUT ITS SECRET PLACES
AND WILD CREATURES.
[SNORTING]
SO MUCH OF LIFE IS SORT OF
TIMETABLED, AND WHEN YOU DON'T
HAVE A TIMETABLE,
YOU CAN'T BE LATE.
WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE
A DESTINATION,
YOU CAN'T GET LOST.
I SUPPOSE IN WAYS, I'LL
BE WANDERING UP THE WEST COAST.
AND IF MY JOURNEY HAS ANY
DIRECTION, I GUESS IT'S
ROUGHLY NORTH.
AND I THINK IT'S GOING
TO CHANGE MY VIEW OF THE ISLAND
THAT I'VE LIVED ON
FOR MUCH OF MY LIFE.
[SEA GULLS CALLING]
[WINGS FLUTTERING]
[BIRDS CALLING]
COLIN: UP TILL NOW, I'VE SPENT
MOST OF MY LIFE VERY MUCH REALLY
A LANDLUBBER, BUT TRAVEL
100 METERS FROM THE SHORE
AND THE SOUNDSCAPE
CHANGES COMPLETELY.
YOU LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT GOING ON
A JOURNEY, YOU'VE GOT TO THINK
OF A PLACE TO BEGIN.
AND WHEN I THOUGHT OF WHAT IT
WOULD BE LIKE TO PADDLE UP
THE WEST COAST-- WHERE WILL
I BEGIN-- THERE WAS REALLY
ONLY ONE PLACE.
FOR ME, THE SKELLIGS,
IT'S SUCH AN ICON
FOR THE WEST OF IRELAND,
I GUESS.
ISOLATED, WILD, DESOLATE PLACE.
TWO JAGGED PYRAMIDS
OF SANDSTONE, ONE OF THEM HOME
TO THE SECOND-LARGEST COLONY
OF GANNETS IN THE WORLD.
COME SPRING, SOME 70,000
INDIVIDUALS ARRIVE
ON LITTLE SKELLIG.
[GANNETS CALLING]
THEY'RE CONSTANTLY SCOURING
THE OCEAN, LOOKING FOR FOOD.
AND ANY FISH THAT'S WITHIN THEIR
RANGE HAS VERY LITTLE CHANCE.
THEY'RE DOING REALLY WELL HERE.
YEAR ON YEAR, THIS COLONY
IS GETTING BIGGER.
THERE'S NO PLACE FOR ANOTHER
NEST, IT SEEMS TO BE NOW.
THIS ROCK IS NOW FULL.
THERE'S REALLY NOWHERE
IN THE WORLD QUITE LIKE
SKELLIG MICHAEL.
NO WONDER IT'S A WORLD
HERITAGE SITE, BECAUSE IT'S
TRULY UNIQUE.
IT WAS A MONASTIC SETTLEMENT
1,500 YEARS AGO.
HOW THEY SURVIVED,
IT'S JUST HARD TO IMAGINE.
BUT AN EXTRAORDINARY
DECISION TO MAKE,
TO SET OFF IN A BOAT FROM
THE WEST COAST OF IRELAND
TO COME HERE.
WE MAY ONLY BE 12 MILES
OFFSHORE, BUT THEY CAN BE
12 VERY DANGEROUS MILES.
IT'S JUST HARD TO IMAGINE
THE EFFORT TO CONSTRUCT THESE
BEEHIVE HOMES AND CHURCHES.
THEY MUST HAVE BEEN A SPECIAL
KIND OF PEOPLE, THOUGH,
BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN
EVERYONE'S CUP OF TEA.
AND THE MONKS WHO CHOSE
TO BUILD THIS MONASTERY HERE
THOUGHT THIS PLACE WAS
THE VERY EDGE OF THE WORLD.
IT WAS THE EDGE OF THE KNOWN
WORLD FOR EUROPEAN MAN
AT THAT TIME.
THE OCEAN TO THEM WAS
JUST VAST AND ENDLESS,
THIS ENDLESS VOID.
AND THE PEOPLE WHO CAME HERE
CAME HERE TO CONTEMPLATE LIFE.
AND I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER
PLACE TO DO IT, A TOUGH PLACE
TO DO IT, PHYSICALLY
HARD AND CHALLENGING.
ALL THEY HAD TO KEEP THEM
COMPANY WERE THE ELEMENTS...
AND THE SEABIRDS IN SUMMER.
EVERY YEAR, PUFFINS JUST
ARRIVE OUT OF THE BLUE.
THEY'VE SPENT THE WINTER OUT IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN
BEING TOSSED
AROUND IN STORMS,
AND IT ALWAYS AMAZES ME HOW THEY
ACTUALLY ARRIVE UNSCATHED.
[PUFFINS CALLING]
THEY LOOK PERFECT.
EXTRAORDINARY LITTLE BIRDS,
CONSTANTLY BUSY,
CONSTANTLY MOANING
AND GROANING
AND CHATTING TO EACH OTHER.
EVERY PLACE YOU GO
ON THIS ISLAND IN SUMMER,
LITTLE PUFFINS WADDLING
ALL OVER THE PLACE.
WHEN THEY START BILL-TAPPING--
A WAY OF REAFFIRMING THE BOND
IS TO DO THIS LITTLE
BILL-TAPPING CEREMONY,
AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING
THAT YOU NEVER TIRE OF.
SOME OF THE YOUNGER,
NON-BREEDING BIRDS,
THEY LITERALLY LOAF AROUND.
THERE ARE THESE ROCKS CALLED
"LOAFING ROCKS," WHERE THE
YOUNG NON-BREEDING BIRDS GATHER,
AND THEY WILL JUST ARRIVE
AND SORT OF STRUT
AROUND THE PLACE MAYBE
WITH FISH IN THEIR MOUTHS AS IF
SHOWING TO POTENTIAL FUTURE
PARTNERS, "LOOK I CAN FISH.
I KNOW THIS PLACE."
ONE THING PUFFINS CAN DO,
WHICH IS REMARKABLE, THE BILL IS
DESIGNED TO CATCH
AND HOLD MULTIPLE FISH.
WELL, ON THE BILL, IT'S GOT
THESE LITTLE GROOVES, SO AS
SOON AS THEY CATCH
THE FIRST ONE BETWEEN THE BILL
AND THE TONGUE, THEY CAN
JUST KIND OF STORE IT THERE
AND THEN OPEN THEIR BILL
AND CATCH A SECOND ONE.
SO IT'S ALL PRETTY CLEVER.
[SQUAWKING]
THERE'S JUST ONE SINGLE
PUFFLING BORN EVERY SEASON,
AND FOR 3 MONTHS,
THE PARENTS' ONLY GOAL IS TO
KEEP THEM SAFE AND WELL-FED.
IT'S ONLY WHEN YOU
LOOK AT THEM CLOSELY,
YOU REALIZE THAT
THEY'RE NOT JUST COMICAL
LITTLE GUYS, BUT THEY'RE
ACTUALLY CONSTANTLY LOOKING OUT
FOR PREDATORS.
HERE THE BIGGEST PREDATORS
ARE THE BLACK-BACKED GULLS
AND THE HERRING GULLS.
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF
BURROWS ON THIS ISLAND.
THE PUFFINS, THEY FIND
SANCTUARY UNDERGROUND.
IT DOESN'T SEEM IT ON
THE SURFACE, BUT IT REALLY IS
A JUNGLE OUT HERE, YOU KNOW.
THE GULLS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE PUFFINS BEING PRETTY MUCH
ON TENTERHOOKS ALL DAY LONG,
EVEN THOUGH A PUFFIN NEVER
REALLY LOOKS LIKE
IT'S ON TENTERHOOKS.
AT NIGHT, THEN, EVERYTHING
CHANGES COMPLETELY.
THE DAY BIRDS HAVE NOW
PRETTY MUCH STOPPED CALLING,
AND THE ISLAND GOES STRANGELY
QUIET JUST AFTER SUNSET.
BUT OUT AT SEA, THERE ARE BIRDS
GATHERING, AND THEY'RE WAITING
TO COME ASHORE.
IT'S ONLY SAFE FOR THEM
TO COME ASHORE UNDER COVER
OF DARKNESS,
COMPLETE DARKNESS.
[BIRDS CALLING LOUDLY]
THIS IS REALLY A VERY IRISH
SOUND, BECAUSE MANX SHEARWATERS
BREED ON THE WEST COAST OF
IRELAND IN REALLY BIG NUMBERS.
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF BURROWS
ON THIS ISLAND, AND THERE'S
GREAT COMPETITION
FOR THOSE BURROWS.
SO MUCH SO THAT SOME OF
THE SHEARWATERS HAVE ACTUALLY
STARTED NESTING ABOVE GROUND
IN THESE OLD BEEHIVE HUTS.
[CALLING CONTINUES]
THEY'RE JUST CALLING TO LET
THEIR MATES KNOW THAT THEY'RE
ON THEIR WAY.
[CALLING]
YOU WILL ALSO THEN HEAR
THE RESPONSE COMING
FROM UNDERGROUND.
IT'S AS IF THE MATE
UNDERGROUND HAS SAID,
"LOOK, I'M HERE.
"YOU'RE IN THE RIGHT AREA,
AND I'M GOING TO LURE YOU
INTO THIS VERY SPOT."
IT'S INCUBATION TIME.
THE PARTNERS OF THESE BIRDS
HAVE BEEN SITTING
PATIENTLY UNDERGROUND,
WAITING FOR THEIR MATES
TO RETURN FROM THE SEA.
THEY LOVE THE DARKNESS.
THIS IS WHAT PROTECTS THEM
FROM PREDATORS LIKE GULLS.
THEY ARE SO POOR ON LAND.
THEIR FEET ARE SET VERY FAR BACK
ON THEIR BODIES, AND THEY
REALLY ARE VERY UNGAINLY.
IF YOU'RE A SHEARWATER, YOU
REALLY WANT TO LAND AS CLOSE
TO YOUR NEST AS POSSIBLE.
SOMETIMES IF THERE ARE BRIGHT
NIGHTS, THE POOR OLD BIRD
SITTING ON THE EGG WILL BE
THERE FOR DAYS ON END,
WAITING FOR THEIR MATE
TO RELIEVE THEM OF DUTY.
AND THEY'LL SPEND SOME TIME
IN EACH OTHER'S COMPANY.
YOU KNOW, OTHER BIRDS...
I OFTEN FIND THEY WILL
JUST LITERALLY SWAP OVER
WITHOUT MAKING ANY CONTACT.
AS SOON AS ONE ARRIVES,
THE OTHER ONE LEAVES.
NOT THE CASE WITH SHEARWATERS.
[CALLING]
THEY START PREENING EACH OTHER
AND BILL-TAPPING, AND IT SEEMS
LIKE THEY'RE DELIGHTED
TO SEE EACH OTHER.
PERHAPS ROMANCE IS NOT JUST
CONFINED TO THE HUMAN WORLD.
THE SHEARWATERS SPEND
ALL WINTER TRAVELING
AROUND THE ATLANTIC,
FLYING OVER AS FAR AS BRAZIL
IN SEARCH OF FOOD, AND THEN
THEY MAKE THEIR WAY BACK
AND FIND THE VERY SAME BURROW
THAT THEY NESTED IN LAST YEAR.
AND THEY'LL DO THAT
FOR POSSIBLY DECADES
'CAUSE THEY'RE A VERY
LONG-LIVED BIRD.
AND THIS IS WHERE
THEY FIND SANCTUARY,
LIKE THE MONKS DID LONG AGO.
IRELAND LOOKS REALLY LIKE
AN ISLAND FROM OUT HERE.
I THINK THAT'S THE THING
ABOUT A COASTAL JOURNEY.
MAKES YOU SEE A COUNTRY
IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT.
THE LAND HAS CHANGED.
HUMAN INFLUENCE
TENDS TO MOLD THE LAND,
BUT THAT DOESN'T CHANGE
THE SURFACE OF THE OCEAN.
THAT JUST SORT OF DEFINES
ITSELF IN SOME WAY.
IT CAN'T BE TAMED AS SUCH.
AND EVEN WHEN YOU SET OUT
FOR A DAY AT SEA BY YOURSELF,
YOU'RE NEVER ALONE FOR LONG, NOT
ON THE WEST COAST OF IRELAND.
EVEN WHEN YOU STOP,
IT'S NOT LONG BEFORE
THE COMMON DOLPHINS FIND YOU.
THEY SEEM TO
JUST LOVE COMPANY.
AND I LOVE THEIRS.
THERE'S SOMETHING VERY
REASSURING ABOUT SEEING SUCH
A CONCENTRATION OF MAMMALS
ALONG THIS COAST, BECAUSE IT
MEANS THERE MUST BE PLENTY
OF LIFE LEFT IN THE SEA.
[WAVES CRASHING]
MY FAVORITE PLACES IN IRELAND
HAVE GOT TO BE THESE
OFFSHORE ISLANDS.
AND WHEN YOU COME OUT TO THESE
PLACES, THAT'S WHERE YOU GET
A REAL SENSE OF WILDNESS AND
A REAL SENSE OF WHAT THE WHOLE
COAST MUST HAVE BEEN
LIKE ONCE UPON A TIME.
YOU REALLY FEEL LIKE YOU'RE
ON THE VERY EDGE OF EUROPE.
NOTHING TO STOP THE WAVES
BETWEEN HERE AND AMERICA.
THE BLASKET ISLANDS MAY BE ONLY
20 MILES NORTH OF THE SKELLIGS,
BUT THEY FEEL LIKE
A TOTALLY DIFFERENT WORLD.
THESE WEST COAST ISLANDS
WOULD ONCE HAVE BEEN
INTENSIVELY FARMED.
THE OLD RUINS OF THE HOUSES
ARE STILL HERE
BUT THEY WON'T LAST FOREVER.
I'M SURE IN ANOTHER
HUNDRED YEARS OR SO,
THERE'LL HARDLY BE A SIGN
THAT MAN WAS EVER HERE.
SO MANY OF THE ISLANDS
OFF THE WEST COAST HAVE BEEN
DESERTED BY PEOPLE
IN THE LAST 60, 70, 80 YEARS,
AND WILDLIFE HAS MOVED IN.
IF YOU COME TO THE GREAT BLASKET
AT THE RIGHT TIME OF YEAR,
YOU'LL SEE A SIGHT THAT FEW
PEOPLE HAVE EVER WITNESSED.
CERTAINLY THE ISLANDERS WHO
LIVED HERE ONCE WOULD HAVE
BEEN VERY FAMILIAR WITH THESE
CREATURES, BUT THEY NEVER WOULD
HAVE SEEN THEM IN
NUMBERS LIKE THIS.
[GRUNTING]
THESE ANIMALS ARE ONLY HERE NOW
BECAUSE MAN HAS LEFT THIS PLACE.
THIS WAS THE MAIN BEACH
IN FRONT OF WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN
A BUSTLING VILLAGE
ONCE UPON A TIME.
[CALLS]
IT'S LOVELY TO SEE THEM
ALL LYING SIDE BY SIDE.
IT'S MORE LIKE A SIGHT YOU'D
SEE ON A SUB-ANTARCTIC ISLAND
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THIS MUST BE THE GREATEST
GATHERING OF MAMMALS IN IRELAND.
SOME DAYS, YOU CAN SEE OVER
A THOUSAND GREY SEALS
ALL HAULED OUT ON THE BEACH.
IT'S THEIR ISLAND NOW.
[WAVES CRASHING]
FOR CENTURIES, THEY WERE HUNTED
AND HARASSED, AND THEIR NUMBERS
HAD PLUMMETED.
BUT GREY SEALS, IN FACT, THEY
WERE THE FIRST PROTECTED ANIMAL
IN THE WORLD.
THE NUMBERS HAVE COME BACK,
BUT WE STILL HAVE A DUTY
AND RESPONSIBILITY TO
LOOK AFTER THEM HERE.
THEY'RE NOT BUILT FOR LAND,
THAT'S FOR SURE.
YOU GOT TO FEEL SORRY FOR THEM,
'CAUSE THERE'S NOTHING WORSE
THAN HAVING AN ITCH YOU
CAN'T SCRATCH, AND IF YOUR ARMS
ARE ONLY A FOOT LONG,
IT'S NOT EASY GETTING TO ALL
THE BITS OF THE BODY
YOU'VE GOT TO GET TO.
SOMETIMES YOU NEED
A NEIGHBOR TO LEND A HAND.
THEY'RE SUPREME SWIMMERS.
THEY CAN DIVE
TO DEPTHS OF 600 FEET.
AND SNOOZING UNDERWATER,
NOT A PROBLEM.
AT BREEDING TIME,
THERE'S LOADS OF AGGRESSION.
FEMALES ARE BARKING
AT FEMALES,
AND THE BULLS HAVE
COME TO MATE.
SO THEY'RE VERY AGGRESSIVE
TOWARDS EACH OTHER.
EVERYONE'S SORT OF TRYING
TO PROTECT THEIR PATCH.
[GRUNTING]
THE ENTIRE YEAR IS SPENT
BUILDING UP TO THIS TIME.
THEY'RE DOING ALL THIS
ON AN EMPTY STOMACH, TOO.
THEY'RE BEING
DRIVEN BY HORMONES.
AND THIS FIGHTING CAN
BE DIFFICULT TO WATCH.
IT CAN BE EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVE,
AND THEY CAN INFLICT SERIOUS
DAMAGE ON EACH OTHER.
[CRYING]
[CRIES]
IF YOU BECOME THE DOMINANT
MALE OF A PATCH OF BEACH,
THAT MEANS YOU WILL HAVE ACCESS
TO ALL THE FEMALES THAT
LIE THEREIN.
MATING FOR GREY SEALS IS NOT
A VERY ELEGANT PROCESS.
THE MALE HAS GOT TO KEEP AWAY
OTHER MALES AT THIS TIME,
AND HE'S ALSO THINKING
THAT AS SOON AS HE'S
FINISHED WITH ONE FEMALE,
HE'S GOT TO GET ON
TO THE NEXT ONE.
WHEN THEY LEAVE HERE, THEY WILL
SPEND THE NEXT 6 MONTHS OR SO
JUST WANDERING ON THEIR OWN,
BECAUSE THEY CAN TRAVEL
FROM HERE ALL THE WAY UP AS
FAR AS SCOTLAND OR DOWN
TO THE BAY OF BISCAY,
WANDERING AROUND, FORAGING.
SO MUCH OF EUROPE'S COASTLINE
HAS BEEN DEVELOPED,
AND UNDISTURBED PLACES
LIKE THIS
ARE BECOMING RARER AND RARER
IN THE WORLD NOW.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
FOR GREAT STRETCHES OF
THE WEST COAST, MOUNTAINS DROP
STRAIGHT INTO THE OCEAN,
AND TRAVELING JUST A FEW MILES
INLAND CAN TRANSPORT YOU TO
A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WORLD.
THESE ARE THE MacGILLYCUDDY'S
REEKS, IRELAND'S GREATEST
MOUNTAIN RANGE.
THERE'S SOMEHOW ALWAYS LIKE
A DULL ROAR COMING FROM THE SEA,
BUT THAT'S ABSENT HERE.
A LAKE DOESN'T HAVE THAT
SAME KIND OF ENERGY.
STILL WATERS LIKE THIS--
SUCH A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE.
LAST NIGHT WAS A PERFECTLY
CLEAR NIGHT, AND AS A RESULT,
THIS SEEMS LIKE THE COLDEST
MORNING OF THE YEAR SO FAR.
THERE'S A REAL
CHILL IN THE AIR.
[LOUD GRUNTING]
THESE MOUNTAINS AND THESE
VALLEYS HAVE BORNE WITNESS TO
THIS SOUND FOR
THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
THESE ARE THE CALLS
OF MALE RED DEER...
PROCLAIMING THEIR TERRITORIES.
THE RUT HAS BEGUN.
[GRUNTING]
AND THAT VOICE.
[LOW GRUNTING]
IT'S TELLING THE OTHER
MALES TO STAY AWAY.
"DON'T MESS WITH ME."
SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN
ROLLING IN THE MUD,
SOMETIMES YOU'LL GET THEM
WITH GRASS ATTACHED
TO THEIR ANTLERS, AND THAT'S
ALL ABOUT MAKING THEMSELVES
LOOK BIGGER.
[GRUNTING]
THE ONLY THING THAT THESE GUYS
HAVE ON THEIR MIND RIGHT NOW
IS FATHERHOOD.
IT'S FATHERHOOD OR FAILURE.
IT'S ALL THEY LIVE FOR, AND
IF YOU'RE NOT STRONG ENOUGH
AND POWERFUL ENOUGH, THEN YOU
WILL NEVER BECOME A FATHER.
[GRUNTING]
BIGGEST
LAND ANIMAL IN IRELAND.
AND THERE ARE SEVERAL BIG STAGS
DISPLAYING THIS MORNING,
BUT THERE'S ONE OF THEM WHO IS
JUST...BIGGER AND MORE POWERFUL
THAN ALL THE REST,
AND HE'S THE ONE THAT'S
GOT ALL THE FEMALES.
ONCE A STAG HAS GATHERED
A HAREM, HE'S GOT TO
KEEP A VERY CLOSE EYE ON THEM.
SOMETIMES, ONE OF THEM WILL
SLIP AWAY, PERHAPS ATTRACTED
BY OTHER CALLS.
AND AS SOON AS HE SPOTS HER,
HE GOES BACK
AND RETRIEVES HER
IN NO UNCERTAIN MANNER.
HE'S GONE TO ALL THAT
TROUBLE GATHERING THEM...
[GRUNTING]
HE'S NOT FOR SHARING.
NOW, STAGS WILL DO WHATEVER
THEY CAN TO AVOID CONFLICT
BECAUSE IT'S DANGEROUS
FOR BOTH PARTIES.
THOSE CALLS AND THAT POSTURING
IS NORMALLY ENOUGH TO KEEP
RIVALS APART.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE TWO MALES
OF SIMILAR SIZE, SOMETIMES
NEITHER OF THEM
WILL BACK DOWN.
[ANTLERS RATTLING]
[GRUNTING]
THE LOSER LOOKS
UTTERLY EXHAUSTED.
EVERYONE HAS SEEN
THAT HE'S BEEN BEATEN.
THE FEMALES HAVE SEEN IT,
THE MALES HAVE SEEN IT,
AND SO HE WILL NOT
BE FEARED AGAIN.
IT'S THE SOLE PURPOSE
OF THEIR LIVES, I GUESS,
IS TO BECOME FATHERS,
AND THEY WILL PUT ALL THEIR
ENERGIES INTO DOING THAT,
AND THERE ARE SOME WINNERS
BUT MORE LOSERS.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE STONE AGE MAN
BROUGHT THIS HERD HERE
5,000 YEARS AGO, AND
THEY'VE BEEN HERE EVER SINCE.
THEY'VE BEEN HUNTED
AND HARASSED FOR MILLENNIA,
BUT IT'S SOMETHING VERY
REASSURING THAT THEY'RE
STILL HERE.
[GRUNTING]
THEY ARE SUCH POWERFUL ANIMALS
AND SOMEHOW A REAL SYMBOL
OF ANCIENT IRELAND.
[WAVES CRASHING]
JUST 20 MILES NORTH
AS THE CROW FLIES
IS THE DINGLE PENINSULA.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
WHEN YOU WANDER THE DUNES
HERE BY DAY, YOU HAVE
THIS WONDERFUL SOUNDSCAPE
OF SKYLARKS AND STONECHATS
AND LINNETS, AND THOSE
SOUNDS SLOWLY DISAPPEAR
WITH THE SETTING SUN.
[OVERLAPPING SOUNDS OF CROAKING]
THIS IS A SOUND
THAT YOU ONLY HEAR
IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY.
WONDERFUL SOUND.
ALMOST SEEMS
OTHERWORLDLY TO ME,
OR CERTAINLY IT'S HARD TO
BELIEVE SOMETIMES THAT YOU'RE
IN IRELAND.
YOU KNOW, IN IRELAND,
WE'VE ONLY GOT 3 DIFFERENT
KINDS OF AMPHIBIANS.
WE'VE GOT A NEWT, WE'VE
GOT A FROG, AND ONE TOAD.
FOR SOME REASON, THE NATTERJACK
TOADS ENDED UP HERE, AND NO ONE
QUITE KNOWS HOW.
SOME FUNNY ANOMALY FROM
THE ICE AGE MAYBE, AND A LITTLE
POPULATION GOT LEFT HERE.
RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE LOTS
OF MALE NATTERJACK TOADS
IN THE PONDS HIDDEN...
AND THEY'RE CALLING
FOR ONE PURPOSE
AND ONE PURPOSE ONLY--
AND THAT IS TO LURE
THE FEMALES IN FROM
THE SURROUNDING DUNES.
THEY'VE BEEN WAKING UP
FROM THEIR WINTER SLUMBER,
AND THEY'RE LISTENING TO THESE
CALLS NOW, AND I WONDER
WHAT THEY'RE THINKING.
WELL, THE FEMALES COULD BE
WELL SPREAD OUT, THEY COULD BE
SEVERAL HUNDRED METERS AWAY,
WHICH DOESN'T SOUND THAT FAR,
BUT IF YOU'RE ONLY A COUPLE
OF INCHES LONG,
IT'S QUITE A LONG JOURNEY.
[LOUD CROAKING]
THESE LITTLE MALES
HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS EVENT
ALL WINTER LONG.
THAT'S PROBABLY THE LOUDEST
NATURAL SOUND IN IRELAND
WHEN THEY ALL GET GOING.
YOU CAN HEAR THEM, I RECKON,
A MILE AWAY ON A CALM NIGHT.
AND THOSE LITTLE FEMALES
THAT ARE STIRRING ON THE DUNES
RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE GOING
TO BECOME CRAWLING,
LADEN WITH EGGS.
AS SOON AS A FEMALE ARRIVES ON
THE EDGE OF THIS POND AND IS
SPOTTED, THERE'S GOING TO BE
A LITTLE BIT OF A FRENZY TO SEE
WHO CAN GET TO HER FIRST.
[SPLASHING]
ONCE HE ACTUALLY GETS INTO
WHAT'S KNOWN AS AMPLEXUS,
WHEN HE TUCKS
HIS ARMS UNDER HER,
HE WILL NOT LET GO
FOR LOVE OR MONEY.
HE'LL STAY WITH HER RIGHT
THROUGH THE SPAWNING PROCESS.
THEY LAY THESE
LONG STRINGS OF EGGS,
AND THE MALE FERTILIZES THEM
AS THEY EMERGE,
AND THAT'S IT-- DONE.
[CROAKING]
OH, THIS IS WHAT THIS LITTLE
CORNER OF IRELAND HAS SOUNDED
LIKE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
YOU COULD ALMOST BE
BY A WATERHOLE IN AFRICA
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THAT'S WHAT IT SORT
OF REMINDS ME OF...
JUST TO BE IN A PLACE
WITH NATURAL SOUNDS.
YOU SOMEHOW FEEL
THAT THIS IS WHAT
THE WORLD SHOULD BE LIKE.
YOU FEEL VERY SMALL
OUT HERE SOMETIMES.
[SEA GULLS CRYING]
MY BOAT IS A CURRACH.
IT'S A TRADITIONAL BOAT
THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN USED
RIGHT ALONG THIS COAST
FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.
THEY'RE OFTEN MADE JUST
FROM SCRAP WOOD AND CANVAS.
IT'S THE PERFECT WAY
FOR EXPLORING THIS COAST
BECAUSE IT WAS DESIGNED HERE,
IT WAS DESIGNED
FOR THESE CONDITIONS.
THERE'S A WONDERFUL STORY
FROM THESE PARTS.
IT'S SAID THAT THERE WERE
A GROUP OF MEN ROWING
THEIR CURRACH BACK TO THEIR HOME
ON THE BLASKET ISLANDS, AND AS
THEY ROWED, THEY HEARD
THIS VERY STRANGE SOUND,
SOUNDS THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD
BEFORE IN THEIR LIVES
THAT SEEMED TO COME
FROM THE VERY OCEAN ITSELF
THROUGH THE SKIN OF THEIR BOAT.
[SEA GULLS CRYING]
NOW, ONE OF THE FELLAS
ON THE BOAT WAS A MUSICIAN.
AND WHEN HE GOT
HOME THAT NIGHT, HE STARTED
COMPOSING A PIECE OF MUSIC
BASED ON THE STRANGE SOUNDS
THAT HE HAD HEARD.
NOW, THAT PIECE OF MUSIC BECAME
A VERY FAMOUS IRISH TUNE.
[IRISH TUNE PLAYING]
IN THE IRISH LANGUAGE, IT
WAS KNOWN AS "PORT NA BPUCAI,"
THE SONG OF THE FAIRIES.
AND YEARS LATER, SOMEONE WAS
LISTENING TO IT, AND WHEN THEY
THOUGHT ABOUT IT, THEY REALIZED
THAT IT REMINDED THEM OF
THE SONG OF THE HUMPBACK WHALE.
NOW, PEOPLE SAID, THERE IS
NO WAY THEY COULD HAVE HEARD
A HUMPBACK SINGING, AS YOU JUST
DIDN'T FIND HUMPBACK WHALES
IN THESE WATERS.
[WHOOSH]
[WHOOSH]
[WHOOSH]
AMONGST THE DOLPHINS,
WE HAVE A VISITOR,
AND IT'S WONDERFUL
TO SEE THEM BACK.
[WHOOSH]
LOVE THE SOUNDS
OF THEIR BREATHING.
[WHOOSH]
WHEN I WAS GROWING UP,
I REMEMBER I HAD THAT SORT OF
ICONIC PHOTOGRAPH OF A HUMPBACK
FLUKE ON MY BEDROOM WALL.
AND I REMEMBER THINKING I'D LOVE
TO SEE ONE OF THOSE ONE DAY.
YOU KNOW, WELL, NEVER IN
A MILLION YEARS DID I THINK
I'D BE WATCHING SIGHTS
LIKE THIS HERE.
THIS IS NOW A RELATIVELY
COMMON SIGHT OFF THE WEST COAST
OF IRELAND.
THESE ARE ALMOST
RESIDENT HUMPBACK WHALES.
AND THE LOCALS RECOGNIZE
ONE MALE HUMPBACK THAT'S BEEN
COMING HERE FOR YEARS.
HE COMES BACK SO OFTEN,
THEY CALL HIM BOOMERANG.
[WHOOSH]
IT SEEMS THAT ONCE
ONE CREATURE FINDS
A BALL OF FOOD, A BAIT BALL,
ALL THE OTHER CREATURES
ARE SORT OF CALLED IN.
THEY COULD BE ANYWHERE IN
THE WHOLE OCEAN, BUT THEY CHOOSE
TO BE HERE.
MAKES YOU FEEL
A BIT SPECIAL.
HUMPBACKS HAVE DEVELOPED
THEIR OWN UNIQUE HUNTING METHOD.
THEY BLOW CIRCLES OF BUBBLES
TO FRIGHTEN AND TO CORRAL
A SHOAL OF FISH...
AND THEN SWALLOW THE LOT.
THEY'RE THE ONLY WHALE THAT
HAS DEVELOPED THIS PARTICULAR
HUNTING TECHNIQUE,
AND IT SEEMS TO WORK
INCREDIBLY EFFECTIVELY.
[WHOOSH]
WHEN THEY'VE HAD A GOOD DAY'S
FORAGING, WHAT BETTER WAY
TO END THE DAY THAN TO LIE ON
YOUR BACK AND JUST FLAIL
YOUR LIMBS AROUND YOU?
WHY NOT?
HELLO!
[WHOOSH]
THERE'S SOMETHING
YOUTHFUL ABOUT THEM.
IT'S ALMOST AS IF THEY'RE
JUST ENJOYING THEMSELVES.
I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT
OTHER ANIMALS CAN BE HAPPY.
SO MANY WHALE SPECIES JUST
BRIEFLY VISIT THE SURFACE WHEN
THEY HAVE TO, TO LITERALLY
PICK UP AIR AND DISAPPEAR INTO
THE DEPTHS AGAIN, BUT HUMPBACKS
SEEM TO SORT OF ENJOY THAT
TRANSITION BETWEEN SEA AND AIR,
BETWEEN THOSE TWO DIMENSIONS.
IT SEEMS LIKE CESSATION OF
WHALING HAS BEEN A MASSIVE
CONSERVATION SUCCESS STORY,
AND IT'S TAKEN A FEW DECADES
FOR THEIR NUMBERS TO COME BACK,
BUT THE WHOLE COAST OF IRELAND
IS A WHALE SANCTUARY NOW,
SO THEY'RE SAFE HERE.
SO ISN'T IT A WONDERFUL
THOUGHT THAT MAYBE, JUST MAYBE
ALL THOSE YEARS AGO, AS THIS
GROUP OF MEN WERE PADDLING
THEMSELVES OUT TO THEIR ISLAND
HOME, THERE WAS A HUMPBACK
HANGING IN THE WATER AND THAT
IT WAS ACTUALLY SOMEHOW THEIR
CRAFT, THE SKIN OF THEIR
CURRACH HAD SOMEHOW MANAGED TO
PICK UP THESE CALLS
OF THE HUMPBACK.
[SEA GULLS CRYING]
50 MILES NORTH OF KERRY,
COUNTY CLARE IS HOME
TO ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE
LANDSCAPES IN IRELAND.
THE DAWN CHORUS AT THIS TIME
OF YEAR SEEMS TO HARDLY STOP
ALL DAY SOMETIMES.
IT'S AT ITS STRONGEST EARLY
IN THE MORNING, BUT IT SEEMS
TO KEEP GOING FOR HOURS.
[CHIRPING]
THE WEATHER'S NICE,
AND BIRDS JUST
SEEM TO SING ALL DAY LONG.
YOU SIT IN A PLACE LIKE THIS
IN THE BURREN, YOU CAN'T
HELP BUT THINK ABOUT CHANGE
AND HOW-- HOW THE VERY LANDSCAPE
AND NATURE JUST CHANGES
AND ADAPTS ALL THE TIME.
ALL THAT EXPOSED LIMESTONE WAS
ONCE AT THE BOTTOM OF AN OCEAN.
THIS SEABED MOVED UP HERE
FROM THE EQUATOR, GOT PUSHED UP
INTO MOUNTAINS,
AND NOW YOU'VE GOT THIS
EXTRAORDINARY LANDSCAPE...
A PLACE THAT FROM A DISTANCE
MAY LOOK SORT OF BARREN
AND LIFELESS AND ALMOST
LIKE A MOONSCAPE, BUT IT'S
FAR FROM IT.
THIS PLACE IS FULL OF LIFE.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
LOOKING DOWN ON A BEAUTIFUL
OLD ABBEY, IT MUST HAVE BEEN
SUCH A HIVE OF HUMAN
ACTIVITY ONCE UPON A TIME.
THE PEOPLE WHO BUILT IT COULD
NEVER FORESEE THE DAY WHEN IT
WOULD BE ABANDONED
AND JUST OVERTAKEN BY BIRDS.
GREAT FORAGING TO BE HAD
IN THIS LANDSCAPE.
GOOD PLACE TO BE A KESTREL.
[CHIRPING]
THEY'LL DELIVER ALL SORTS OF
THINGS BACK TO THE NEST--
MICE, BIRDS, EVEN REPTILES.
THEY'RE A REGULAR ON THE-- ON
THE DINNER TABLE FOR KESTRELS.
[CHIRPING]
YOU'D WONDER HOW THE KESTRELS
MANAGED TO GAIN A FOOTHOLD
HERE THIS YEAR AT ALL,
BUT MY GUESS IS THERE
MUST HAVE BEEN A PRETTY
DETERMINED FEMALE INVOLVED.
NOT EASY TO NEST AMONGST
THESE JACKDAWS, NOT EASY TO
FIND A SPACE.
SHE MUST HAVE JUST BEEN LUCKY
TO BE IN BEFORE THE JACKDAWS
ARRIVED OR GOT
TOO TERRITORIAL.
SOMEHOW SHE MANAGED TO HOLD
HER GROUND BECAUSE THERE'S BIG
COMPETITION FOR SPACE HERE.
[SQUAWKING]
NOISY NEIGHBORS, BUT STILL
A GOOD PLACE TO BE A KESTREL.
THEY FIX THE GROUND
WITH SUCH A GAZE.
[CHIRPING]
KESTRELS PERCEIVE THE WORLD
IN A VERY DIFFERENT WAY
THAN WE DO.
WHEN THEY'RE SCANNING
A PATCH OF GROUND,
THEY CAN ACTUALLY SOMETIMES
SEE LITTLE URINE TRAILS
THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT
BY RODENTS.
A LOT OF THE RODENTS
LEAVE TRAILS,
AND THAT CAN BE THEIR UNDOING
BECAUSE THEN KESTRELS
ARE NOT JUST LOOKING
AT A PATCH OF GRASS.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT
A SYSTEM OF LITTLE SORT OF
RODENT HIGHWAYS.
THEY FOLLOW THEM
AND LOOK FOR MOVEMENT.
LOOKS LIKE THIS FAMILY ARE GONNA
DO PRETTY WELL NOW THIS YEAR.
SURE, WHAT MORE WOULD ANYONE
WANT BUT A FAMILY, SECURITY,
AND FOOD?
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE IN COMMON
WITH ALL CREATURES, I GUESS.
THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT ROWING.
IT'S JUST SO GENTLE
ON THE WATER,
GENTLE ON THE PLANET.
AND YOU'RE MUCH MORE CONNECTED
WITH THE OCEAN WHEN YOU'RE
IN A ROWING BOAT.
YOU REALLY SORT OF APPRECIATE
AND YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT'S
GOING ON UNDERNEATH...
ALL THE CREATURES
DRIFTING IN THE TIDE.
THE WEST OF IRELAND HAS ALWAYS
SORT OF ATTRACTED THESE
LONE INDIVIDUAL DOLPHINS.
SOME OF THEM HAVE LIVED FOR
30 YEARS OR MORE ON THEIR OWN.
THIS IS DUSTY, AND SHE
LIVES HER LIFE OFF
THE COAST OF CLARE.
SHE'S A BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN, AND
IT'S ALWAYS BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS
THAT BECOME THESE
SORT OF LONE INDIVIDUALS.
NO ONE QUITE KNOWS WHY.
THEY'RE PROBABLY
MISFITS IN SOME WAY.
DON'T KNOW IF THEY GET LOST
OR MAYBE THEY WERE THROWN OUT
OF THE POD.
FOR SOME REASON, THEY DIDN'T
FIT IN IN SOME WAY, BUT THEY
DON'T LIKE BEING ON THEIR OWN,
AND THEY SOON
SEEK OUT HUMAN COMPANY.
DOLPHINS MAKE SUCH GREAT
TRAVELING COMPANIONS,
AND THEY HAVE SUCH AN AURA
OF REAL INTELLIGENCE
AND ALMOST COMPASSION.
BUT SOON, SHE'LL
LEAVE ME BEHIND.
SHE'S GOT HER HOME,
AND I'VE GOT MINE.
WELL, THIS IS WHERE
I NOW CALL HOME.
I FIRST DISCOVERED CLEW BAY, I
GUESS, ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO OR SO.
I WAS MOVING UP AND DOWN
THE WEST COAST OF IRELAND
AND SORT OF LOOKING FOR A PLACE
TO SETTLE AFTER YEARS OF TRAVEL.
AND I REMEMBER JUST THINKING
THERE WAS SOMETHING VERY RESTFUL
AND PEACEFUL ABOUT THIS PLACE.
THIS IS REALLY
MY HALFWAY POINT.
I SEE CLEW BAY AS THE HALFWAY
POINT ALONG THE WEST COAST
OF IRELAND.
EVERYTHING CHANGES
NORTH OF HERE NOW.
NORTH OF HERE IS SOMEHOW
SORT OF WILDER, LESS TAMED,
LESS VISITED.
LOTS OF LITTLE ISLANDS.
I DON'T KNOW IT WELL.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
GETTING TO KNOW IT BETTER.