Secret Life of The Forest

Cameras capture the various wildlife residing in England's most vast forest, Kielder in Northumberland, including roe deer, red squirrels, pipistrelle bats, otters, ospreys and more, as woodland changes occur throughout the seasons. It's springtime, with the lengthening days bringing a surge of life to this stunning wilderness. A rich collection of wildlife that has either spent the winter hidden away or in warmer climes is ready to return for a burst of activity.

It is summertime in Kielder Forest, with orchids and wildflowers coming into full bloom, the sound of buzzing insects filling the air and all wildlife facing a race to make the most of the sunshine. Across the forest are some of British wildlife's most famous sights, such as the dive of the kingfisher and the building skills of the wood ant. For conservationists, it's also a key time to reintroduce one of Britain's fastest declining mammals, the water vole.

Autumn arrives at Kielder Forest and there's a feeling of change in the air, with wildlife preparing for the colder months. The forest's red squirrels are busy hoarding nuts, Atlantic salmon make their incredible journey upstream and a range of fascinating fungi mysteriously appear within the area.

Winter in Kielder Forest, a time when the harsh beauty of frost and snow grips the landscape as wildlife battles to survive. While some creatures sleep through the season, certain animals continue to search for food, with red squirrels sniffing out their stored nuts, smaller birds joining forces to forage on the ground, and Britain's only aquatic songbird, the dipper, leaping into the freezing river to hunt its prey.