Hugh's Wild West
Nature, Outdoors, Documentary
1 seasonEnglish
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall pursues his fascination with the wildlife of the West Country. Filmed over an entire year, Hugh joins forces with the people working to celebrate and safeguard the region's charismatic and captivating cast of creatures.
Subtitles:
English (CC)
Country:
UK
Directors:
Advice:
Mature Themes, This program includes animal treatment that may concern
1. Dippers
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall explores the wildlife of the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean, the hideaway for some very particular creatures. He becomes captivated by the extraordinary life of the dipper, the UK's only aquatic songbird.
2. Cuttlefish
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall explores the Jurassic Coast to investigate the life of its most curious creatures and to meet the locals dedicated to helping them. His fascination for marine life centres on an intriguing ocean oddity: the cuttlefish.
3. Longtailed Tits
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall explores Dartmoor on a quest to find out more about his favourite garden bird, the long-tailed tit. He joins local naturalist John Walters to discover how family life is the key to survival for these little birds.
4. Beavers
Hugh's on his home patch of the Dorset/Devon border, where he investigates the return of an animal that hasn't been spotted here since the 16th century, the beaver, and discovers how these dam-building rodents are changing the landscape.
5. Starlings
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is in the Somerset Levels to witness huge winter flocks of starlings swirling in the sky as they come in to roost. The reedcbeds where they seek refuge have been created from old peat quarries.
6. Wild Boar
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is on the trail of woodland creatures in the Forest of Dean with the help of dedicated local naturalists. Hugh goes in search of the imposing wild boar that have returned to the forest after three centuries.
7. Buzzards
Hugh's journey takes him across Dartmoor from the granite peaks to the sea. Hugh follows the fortunes of a buzzard family as their single chick fledges and heads towards independence, and he seeks out salmon as they migrate upstream.
8. Dorset Deer
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall explores the diverse county of Dorset where the mild climate creates ideal conditions for all kinds of creatures. In spring, Hugh joins ornithologist Martin Cade at Portland Bird Observatory to monitor migrating birds.
9. Barbel
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is in the Wye Valley hoping to come face-to-face with an animal that's intrigued him since boyhood: the barbel. With the help of local angling guide, Hugh wants to fulfil his dream of swimming with these large, regal fish.
10. Swallows
Hugh discovers how the people and animals of Dartmoor live alongside each other in this challenging landscape. He visits an ancient hill farm with dozens of nesting house martins and swallows that thrive thanks to careful farming practices.
11. Badgers
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall explores the Somerset Levels. He visits Worthy Farm, the home of Glastonbury Festival, to see how the wildlife copes when a quarter of a million festivalgoers descend on the countryside.
Advice: A, W
12. Hedgehogs
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall pays tribute to the wildlife heroes who are protecting the West Country's creatures. He meets Beryl Casey who has transformed her home into a hedgehog hospital, nursing sick and injured hogs back to health.