Wild Kingdom

Britain is in the grip of winter. A magical landscape shrouded in swirling frost and mist. As this innovative nature documentary shows, water becomes the enemy as it freezes, and the wildlife must cope. Red squirrels resort to subterfuge and kites track a farmer ploughing to find worms beneath the frost. As winter fades, snakes bask in the sun and the woodland floor erupts with snowdrops.

As spring arrives, trees explode with blossom and mornings fill with birdsong. Long-tailed tits frantically build nests whilst, in the oceans, seahorses sway to a graceful courtship dance. This remarkable nature documentary spies on a stoat mother hunting young rabbits to feed her own playful young. As spring becomes summer, guillemot chicks leap from their cliffs to begin life at sea.

As summer begins, more sun means more food, but competition amongst animals is fierce. This fascinating nature documentary follows hunters who time their arrival from Africa to feast on the huge glut of flying insects. Hobbies race after dragonflies, and thermal cameras reveal the illusive, mysterious nightjar nesting on a heath while thunderstorms bring out hordes of hungry snails.

Autumn heralds a time of storms and unpredictable weather. Trees go dormant, but not before a final fling of color. For animals, the shortening days are a cue to hibernate and hoard for the dark times ahead. For some, it’s still a time to breed. This remarkable nature documentary watches deers rut, seals giving birth and the Atlantic salmon leaping waterfalls in order to lay its eggs.