The Chronicles of Belfast

Spring is a season when the city's hills, woods and rivers begin to emerge from winter and come to life. This episode begins with local conservation volunteer Aaron as he goes up Black Mountain. While carrying out an early-morning wildlife survey, he hears a cuckoo - the first time he has heard one on the mountain, and a sign that spring has arrived.

In this episode, local conservationist Aaron travels from his home in Ballymurphy to spend the evening on Black Mountain, where he is hoping to spot long-eared owls, whose chicks are beginning to emerge from their nests. Down on Belfast Harbour, at RSPB NI's nature reserve, warden Maureen is hunting for bats, who come to feed on insects found around the reserve's lagoon.

As summer visitors leave RSPB NI's nature reserve in Belfast harbour, the warden, Maureen, is preparing for the arrival of Konik ponies, wild ponies who will stay on the reserve all winter, grazing the undergrowth and preparing the reserve for nesting birds in the Spring. Up on Black Mountain, local conservationist Aaron is continuing his mission to make the hill more diverse by building a pond. Down in Colin Glen, Alannah monitors the river for pollution by looking for small creatures buried in the mud.

Despite the challenges of the cold wet weather, there is a lot going on in the wilder parts of the City. We learn of the challenges water brings in Belfast and the work done to prevent the City flooding and to control the tide.