Autumnwatch New England

OKAY, CHRIS, LET'S GO.

WE'VE GOT A SHOW TO DO.

HAVE YOU GOT ONE?

I'VE GOT ONE.

WE ARE HEADED STRAIGHT INTO THE HARVEST AND HALLOWEEN ON TONIGHT'S SHOW.

HOW DID YOU LIKE MY TWIST ON THE BOBBING FOR APPLES?

WHAT DO YOU MEAN LITTLE TWIST?

WE DON'T REALLY BOB FOR CRANBERRIES.

IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

SO YOU CONNED ME?

I DID.

I KID WHEN I LOVE.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT, SAM?

ON THE WHOLE, I THINK I'D RATHER BE WORKING WITH THAT GUY TONIGHT.

LISTEN, YOU ARE IN FOR A SLIGHTLY SPOOKY AND WILD CELEBRATION OF THE FALL.

I'M SAMANTHA BROWN.

WELCOME TO "AUTUMNWATCH NEW ENGLAND."

WELL, HELLO.

WE ARE A LITTLE CHILLY TONIGHT, BUT WE CERTAINLY HOPE YOU ARE ALL WARM AND COZY AS YOU JOIN US FOR ANOTHER WONDERFUL EVENING.

I'M SAMANTHA BROWN.

I AM THE HOST OF "PLACES TO LOVE," WHICH AIRS ON YOUR PBS STATIONS.

AND EVEN THOUGH YOU SEE ME TRAVELING JUST ALL OVER THE WORLD, I AM FINALLY HOME.

I WAS BROUGHT UP HERE IN STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, WHICH IS WHERE WE ARE COMING TO YOU LIVE.

AND I'M CHRIS PACKHAM, AND I'VE COME ALL THE WAY FROM THE STATE OF OLD HAMPSHIRE, OR THE COUNTY OF OLD HAMPSHIRE, I SHOULD SAY, IN THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND.

AND IT'S BEEN AN ENORMOUS PRIVILEGE TO COME AND INVESTIGATE THE FALL HERE IN NEW ENGLAND FOR THE FIRST TIME.

FABULOUS AMOUNT OF WILDLIFE AND SPECTACULAR COLORS CURING THE DAYTIME.

I'VE GOT TO SAY VERY, VERY BEAUTIFUL.

I'M A CONVERT.

I LOVE THAT.

AND WE ARE GOING TO CAPTURE AND CELEBRATE EVERYTHING THAT WE LOVE ABOUT THIS TIME OF YEAR, FROM THE FOOD TO THE FESTIVALS, OUR WILDLIFE.

WE'RE GOING TO GO ACROSS ALL OF OUR SIX STATES WHERE RIGHT NOW THE MAJOR ATTRACTION OF COURSE IS OUR FALL FOLIAGE.

WHEN AUTUMN ARRIVES, THERE'S NO BETTER PLACE TO BE THAN IN NEW ENGLAND, THOUGH I MAY BE BIASED.

BUT AS A NEW ENGLANDER, WE NEVER BOAST UNTIL NOW, RIGHT?

RIGHT NOW WE BOAST ABOUT OUR AMAZING NATURAL BEAUTY, OUR BEAUTIFUL WILDLIFE, AND OF COURSE BECAUSE OF THE CRISPNESS IN THE AIR, WE'VE GOT A LITTLE BOUNCE IN OUR STEP, A LITTLE BOB.

GET IT?

BOB TO GO TO OUR FESTIVALS.

I WON'T BE DOING ANY MORE BOBBING, I HAVE TO SAY.

BUT WE'VE HAD SOME PHOTOS SENT IN.

WE DO HAVE SOME PHOTOS SENT IN.

RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT ONE FROM JOSEPH CYR.

THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.

THIS IS FROM ARIZONA, WHERE THEY HAVE FALL, TOO, OF COURSE.

AND THESE ARE ASPEN TREES I BELIEVE.

YEAH, THEY ARE ASPENS.

AND WE'D STILL LIKE TO SEE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS, SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEND THEM TO US, SEND THEM TO #AUTUMNWATCHPBS.

#AUTUMNWATCHPBS.

DO SEND THEM IN.

WE'D LOVE TO SEE THEM.

IF YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS, WE'LL TRY TO ANSWER THOSE AS WELL.

WE'VE GOT A FANTASTIC PROGRAM COMING UP TONIGHT, THOUGH.

WE'RE GOING TO MEET SOME BIRDS THAT HAVE TAKEN TO THE STREETS FROM BOSTON.

YES, THEY'RE A BIT BOLSHY.

THEY'RE BRUISING THE NATIVES, YES, THEY'RE GIVING THEM A RUN FOR THEIR MONEY.

WHICH IS NICE TO SEE FROM A TURKEY.

WE ALSO HEAD DOWN TO A PUMPKIN FESTIVAL VERY CLOSE TO WHERE WE ARE HERE AT LACONIA.

MASSES OF PUMPKINS.

PUMPKIN CRAZY DOWN THERE.

AND FINALLY, I GET TO MEET ONE OF MY ORNITHOLOGICAL HEROES, A BRILLIANT BIRDER, DAVID SIBLEY.

I'LL EVEN GET A TIPS ON HOW TO SKETCH BIRDS, TOO.

AS A TOP TIP AS WELL, I CAN TELL YOU COMING UP LATER IN THE PROGRAM WE'VE GOT SOME LIVE ANIMALS WHICH ARE GOING TO BE GREAT, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THANATOSIS.

THANATOSIS.

NOT HALITOSIS.

WE'VE BEEN CLEANING OUR TEETH, I CAN ASSURE YOU.

THAT IS SO UNFAIR.

OKAY, THE BOBBING FOR CRANBERRY, I DESERVED THAT.

I GET IT.

I GET IT.

NOW, LISTEN, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOVE ABOUT CHRIS PACKHAM HERE IS THAT HE IS SUCH A GREAT NATURALIST.

AND YOU HAVE BEEN BRILLIANTLY BREAKING DOWN THE BEHAVIOR OF ALL OF THE ANIMALS THAT WE SEE ON ALL OF OUR LIVE CAMERAS THAT WE'VE GOT GOING ABOUT.

SHALL WE TAKE A LOOK AROUND?

YEAH.

WHAT HAVE WE GOT ON OUR LIVE CAMERAS AT THE MOMENT?

LET'S HAVE A LOOK.

OH, WELL-- OH, LOOK.

FLYING SQUIRRELS.

IS THAT A FLYING SQUIRREL?

YOU KNOW THAT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITES.

YEAH, LOOK AT THAT.

SEE THE MASSIVE EYE, SAM, BECAUSE THESE ARE NOCTURNAL ANIMALS.

THE BIGGER THE EYE, THE MORE LIGHT THAT IS THERE CAN BE LET IN, THE BETTER IMAGE THEY'RE GOING TO DEVELOP OR PRODUCE IN THEIR BRAINS.

AND HERE IS ONE FEASTING AWAY ON SOME NUTS.

WE CAN'T SEE IT FLYING, OF COURSE, BUT THEY ARE CHARMING LITTLE ANIMALS.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO FLY AWAY.

OH, LOOK.

THERE IS ONE IN FULL COLOR.

LOOK AT THAT.

AND THAT IS LIVE.

THAT'S COMING TO US LIVE RIGHT NOW.

THEY'RE SO QUICK, AREN'T THEY?

SO QUICK, SO NIMBLE, SO NIMBLE.

WHAT'S ON THE PICNIC TABLE?

WELL, NOT MUCH AT THE MOMENT.

NOT MUCH.

WOW, THAT'S SURPRISING.

BUT IT HAS BEEN VERY, VERY BUSY, THE PICNIC TABLE.

THE PICNIC TABLE HAS ACTUALLY BEEN THE PLACE TO BE, I'VE GOT TO SAY, WE'VE GOT THE FAMILY OF RACCOONS.

I'M GETTING USED TO THESE GUYS.

NOT MY FAVORITE ANIMALS, BUT CHRIS IS CONVINCING ME OTHERWISE.

THEY'VE GOT SOME GREAT ANTICS THAT WE SEE RIGHT HERE.

GREAT BEHAVIOR.

YEAH, THEY'RE CHARMING.

THIS LITTLE SOCIAL GROUP HAVE BEEN BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE WEEK.

NOW, THEY DO ALL KNOW ONE ANOTHER AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THEY ALL LIKE ONE ANOTHER, BUT THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, PERFECTLY ABLE TO SCRAP OVER A LITTLE BIT OF FOOD.

YOU SEE THE WAY THEY'RE BACKING INTO ONE ANOTHER.

UH-HUH.

THAT'S A GOOD STRATEGY.

YOU KEEP YOUR BACK TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND YOUR FOOD TO YOURSELF.

AND THAT'S WHEN IT GOES WRONG, WHEN THEY'RE FACE TO FACE.

BUT, YEAH, THEY'RE VERY HAPPY.

APART FROM THIS, LOOK, THIS ONE GETS VERY AGITATED AT THE ARRIVAL OF A GRAY FOX, WHICH THEN DECIDES TO CHASE ONE OF THE OTHER RACCOONS.

THAT DOESN'T SEEM TOO SMART.

THE LAST RACCOON THINKS, OH, WELL, I'LL HELP MY FRIENDS OUT, BUT THEN IT CHANGES ITS MIND, AND SHORTLY AFTER THAT, IT WENT BACK TO THE FEEDING TABLE AND CARRIED ON EATING.

THAT'S WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE PERSONALLY.

JUST GO BACK TO WHERE THE FOOD IS.

FORGET ABOUT THE FOX.

NOW, WE DO HAVE RACCOONS IN EUROPE, YOU KNOW.

OH, YOU DO?

YEAH, MILLIONS OF THEM ALL OVER GERMANY AND INTO PARTS OF FRANCE.

BUT THEY DO MAKE A BIT OF A NUISANCE OF THEMSELVES.

BUT THEY'RE NATIVE TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

AND ANOTHER THING I LEARNED ABOUT YOUR NATIVE FLORA AND FAUNA TODAY, WAS THAT YOU ONLY HAVE THREE TYPES OF FRUIT WHICH ARE NATIVE TO AMERICA.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT.

NONE OF YOUR LEMONS, NONE OF YOUR ORANGES.

TOMATOES, AVOCADOS AND CRANBERRIES.

WELL, YES, I KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE CRANBERRIES.

THESE ACTUALLY FLOATED BEAUTIFULLY IN YOUR BOWL AT THE BEGINNING, DIDN'T THEY?

AND THERE WAS A REASON FOR THAT.

AND IF YOU POP THEM, I WILL SHOW YOU WHY.

JUST GIVE IT A SNAP.

THERE WE GO.

I'M GOING TO BREAK IT OPEN HERE.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE-- YOU GOT ONE?

THERE'S LITTLE POCKETS OF AIR IN THERE.

I SHOW THAT TO YOU.

THOSE LITTLE POCKETS OF AIR, THERE'S FOUR OF THEM, THEY ACT AS SORT OF A LIFE PRESERVER THAT ALLOWS THEM TO FLOAT TO THE TOP.

NOW THIS IS THE KEY TO HOW THESE BERRIES ARE COMMERCIALLY HARVESTED.

AND THIS IS WHAT I FOUND OUT WHEN I TRAVELED DOWN TO THE MOUTH OF BEAUTIFUL CAPE COD IN MASSACHUSETTS.

MILLIONS OF CRANBERRIES ARE GROWN IN THE U.S. EACH YEAR, AND THERE'S NOWHERE MORE FAMOUS FOR PRODUCING THEM THAN MASSACHUSETTS.

LAST YEAR, ALMOST TWO MILLION BARRELS WERE HARVESTED IN THIS STATE ALONE.

I MET DAWN GATES-ALLEN FROM THE CAPE COD CRANBERRY GROWERS ASSOCIATION TO FIND OUT WHY THIS AREA HAS BECOME SO PRODUCTIVE.

DAWN, I'VE NEVER WALKED IN A CRANBERRY BOG.

WELCOME.

THIS IS A CRANBERRY BOG, AND THIS IS REALLY WHERE CRANBERRIES BEGAN.

WE TALK ABOUT THE CRANBERRY BEING AN AMERICAN FRUIT, AND YET IT IS FROM CAPE COD.

THIS IS TRUE.

THIS IS THE HOME, THE HISTORY AND THE HERITAGE OF THE CRANBERRY INDUSTRY.

SO WHAT IS IT ABOUT CAPE COD AND ITS SOIL AND ITS AIR AND THE WEATHER THAT CREATES THIS BERRY?

SO AS YOU NOTICE AND LOOK AROUND, THERE'S PINE TREES IN THE BACKGROUND.

AND IT'S THE PERFECT ENVIRONMENT FOR CRANBERRIES TO GROW.

THEY LOVE THE ACIDIC PEAT SOIL.

AND SO DOWN ON CAPE COD, CAPTAIN HENRY HULL, BACK IN THE 1800S, ACTUALLY NOTICED THAT SAND BLOWING OUT OF THE SAN DUNES ACTED AS A NATURAL FERTILIZER FOR GROWING NEW CRANBERRY VINES.

HE WAS THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY COMMERCIALIZED THE CRANBERRY INDUSTRY FOR MASSACHUSETTS AND THIS INDUSTRY.

AND YET IT WAS THE NATIVE AMERICANS WHO ACTUALLY INTRODUCED THIS FRUIT TO THE SETTLERS HERE.

CORRECT.

SO THEY WERE ACTUALLY USING CRANBERRIES IN THEIR FOOD PREPARATION, THEY WERE USING THEM FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES, FOR WOUND CARE, FOR HEALTH, FOR WELLNESS.

I'M GOING TO ASK YOU THE $64,000 QUESTION.

PLEASE DON'T BREAK MY HEART.

WERE CRANBERRIES SERVED AT THE FIRST THANKSGIVING?

ALL OF MY READINGS, AND I'M GOING TO TRUST WHAT I READ, I READ THAT THEY WERE THERE.

I WASN'T.

I'M GOING TO CARRY FORWARD THAT MISSION.

AND YOU'VE BEEN A CRANBERRY FARMER FOR HOW LONG?

FOUR GENERATIONS.

YEAH, IT'S A PRIVILEGE.

WHO BROUGHT IT TO YOU?

SO MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER ADELA GATES WAS MY ENTREPRENEUR GRANDMOTHER.

THAT'S PRETTY RARE.

IT IS RARE.

SO IT'S A UNIQUE SITUATION TO SAY YOU'RE FROM A FARM THAT WAS STARTED BY YOUR GREAT GRANDMOTHER.

AND OUR NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS IN OUR FARM WOULD BE MY TWIN DAUGHTERS NICOLE AND MARIAH.

SO THE NEXT LEADERSHIP WILL BE WOMEN AGAIN.

SO IT'S KIND OF NICE TO SEE.

I LOVE IT.

SAMANTHA: FALL IS A CRITICAL TIME IN THE CRANBERRY GROWING CALENDAR.

AS SOON AS THEY BECOME RIPE, THEY NEED TO BE HARVESTED.

HERE AT A.D. MAKEPEACE, THE WORLD'S LARGEST CRANBERRY FARM, THIS IS DONE ON A MASSIVE SCALE.

THEY HARVEST EVERY DAY FOR AROUND TWO MONTHS.

SO YOU WERE ON A DRY BOG EARLIER.

SO WHAT WE DID HERE IS WE ADDED WATER TO THE BOG.

IT'S ONLY ANKLE DEEP, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT DEEPER, JUST ENOUGH TO GET THE CRANBERRIES TO WANT TO FLOAT UP, BUT THEY'RE STILL ATTACHED TO THE VINE.

WE BRING THE PICKING MACHINES IN HERE.

EVEN THOUGH WE CALL THEM PICKING MACHINES, THEY'RE NOT REALLY PICKING THEM.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY JUST KNOCKING THEM OFF THE VINES.

SLOWLY KIND OF ROLLING OVER THEM.

THAT'S RIGHT.

AS THEY KNOCK OFF, THEY FLOAT.

WE GATHER THEM ALL TOGETHER IN A CRANBOON AND BRING THEM TO ONE SHORE.

WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO VACUUM THEM OFF THE BOG, AND THAT'S WHERE YOU COME IN.

YOU'RE GOING TO HELP US WITH THAT.

I'M GOING TO VACUUM CRANBERRIES?

THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S AWESOME.

LOOK AT THIS.

WOW.

[LAUGHS] I FEEL LIKE ONE OF THOSE KIDS ON ONE OF THOSE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, BOUNCY CASTLES WHERE THEY HAVE ALL THE BALLS AND I CAN JUST GET IN AND PLAY.

RIGHT.

YEAH.

JUST STEP IN?

ALL RIGHT.

JUST STEP IN.

THERE YOU GO.

MY GOODNESS.

LOOK AT ALL OF THEM.

HOW DO YOU MEASURE THE AMOUNT OF CRANBERRIES?

WE MEASURE THE CRANBERRIES BY THE BARREL, WHICH IS ACTUALLY 100 POUNDS.

WHY IS THAT?

IT'S THE OLD MEASUREMENT.

BACK WHEN THEY WERE COMING TO THE NEW WORLD, THE SAILORS FOUND THAT CRANBERRIES HAD VITAMIN C AND THEY COULD FIGHT OFF SCURVY.

SO AS THEY CAME OVER TO THE NEW WORLD, THEY'D EMPTY THEIR WATER BARRELS AND FILL THOSE FULL OF CRANBERRIES FOR THE TRIP BACK, AND WE'VE USED THAT MEASUREMENT EVER SINCE.

WOW.

ALL RIGHT, SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE HAVE ALL THE CRANBERRIES CORRALLED IN A BIG CIRCLE.

WE HAVE A VACUUM HEAD UNDER THE SURFACE OF THE WATER, SO THEY'RE GOING TO GO INTO THE VACUUM, UP THE HOSE, UP TO THE TOP.

THE CRANBERRIES ARE GOING TO GET SEPARATED FROM THE WATER.

CLEAN CRANBERRIES ARE GOING TO GO INTO THAT BIG TRACTOR TRAILER, ALL THE DIRT'S GOING TO GO INTO THAT SMALL TRUCK, AND ALL THE WATER'S GOING TO COME BACK INTO THE BOG.

AND THEN THE CRANBERRIES GO ON THEIR WAY.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE GOING TO GET YOU HOOKED UP WITH A RAKE.

SAMANTHA: BY THE END OF THE SEASON UP TO 100,000 POUNDS OF CRANBERRIES WILL BE HARVESTED FROM THESE WET BOGS, READY TO BE TURNED INTO JUICE AND OTHER DELICIOUS PRODUCTS.

IS THIS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE YEAR?

YES?

OH, YEAH.

YOU SEE ALL YOUR HARD WORK FINALLY COMING TO FRUITION.

THAT'S RIGHT.

I TELL YOU, THERE IS SOMETHING REALLY JUST SO RELAXING ABOUT THIS.

WELL, I FEEL VERY GOOD THAT I'VE DONE MY PART IN MAKING SURE THAT AT LEAST 200 CRANBERRIES OUT OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF THEM ARE NOW ON A TRUCK AND ON THEIR WAY.

AND LISTEN, BEING HERE ON THE FARM AND UNDERSTANDING THE HISTORY AS WELL AS THE EFFORT THAT GOES INTO GROWING AND THEN HARVESTING THIS BERRY, I HAVE A NEWFOUND RESPECT FOR OUR NATIVE FRUIT.

CHEERS.

COULD USE A LITTLE VODKA.

IT COULD HAVE USED A LITTLE VODKA, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

WHAT I WANTED TO DO SO MUCH, CHRIS, WHEN I WAS THERE WAS I JUST WANTED TO DO THE BACK STROKE.

I JUST REALLY WANTED TO SWIM IN THAT POOL OF CRANBERRIES, LIKE DIVE RIGHT IN AND COME UP AND JUST LIKE SPIT OUT CRANBERRIES.

IT REALLY DID MAKE ME FEEL LIKE A KID.

SOME SORT OF BUSBY BERKELEY ROUTINE.

YES, EXACTLY.

ESTHER WILLIAMS.

THAT SORT OF THING.

WELL, YOU KNOW SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT THESE CRANBERRIES.

WE'VE GOT SOME HERE.

THE PIGMENT THAT GIVES THEM THIS BEAUTIFUL RED COLOR IS A TYPE OF PIGMENT WHICH IS ACTUALLY VERY COMMON IN OTHER TYPES OF PLANTS.

WE DON'T ONLY SEE IT IN OTHER FRUITS, WE ALSO SEE IT IN LEAVES AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.

I'VE GOT A SELECTION OF LEAVES OVER HERE.

I'VE GOT A SELECTION OF LEAVES, TOO.

HERE WE ARE.

LOOK.

AND THEY START OFF AS GREEN, OBVIOUSLY, AND THEY GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, AND THEY TURN OUT RED JUST LIKE THIS.

ANTHOCYANIN IS THE PIGMENT.

AND WHAT'S IN THE LEAF IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS WHAT'S IN HERE.

SO OBVIOUSLY THE TREES AREN'T DOING THIS FOR OUR PHOTOGRAPHS, RIGHT?

NOT FOR OUR PLEASURE.

WE'RE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE COMMENT, WHY DOES THE LEAF CHANGE?

LIKE WHY DO WE NEED YELLOW?

IN NATURE, NOTHING HAPPENS FOR NO REASON AT ALL.

THERE'S NO REDUNDANCY.

THERE'S GOT TO BE A VERY GOOD PURPOSE TO EVERYTHING.

NOW, OF COURSE, THROUGHOUT THE SPRING AND SUMMER, THE LEAVES HAVE ALL BEEN GREEN, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE PACKED FULL OF A PIGMENT CALLED CHLOROPHYLL.

CHLOROPHYLL TAKES CO-2, WATER, AND SUNLIGHT, AND PRODUCES THE SUGARS THAT THE TREES NEED.

NOW, COME THE WINTER, THEY CAN'T HANG ON TO THOSE LEAVES, BUT THEY DO WANT TO RETRIEVE AS MUCH OF THOSE SUGARS AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN, AND IT'S THIS THAT LEADS TO THE CHANGE IN COLOR AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE SEE.

WE GO FROM GREEN INTO ALL THESE OTHER COLORS HERE.

IT'S SPARKED AN ENTIRE TOURISM INDUSTRY.

PEOPLE COME FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD TO TAKE PICTURES OF THAT CHANGE.

YEAH.

THE THING IS, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE LEAVES AND WHY DO THEY DO THAT?

THE INTERESTING THING IS THAT THEY TAKE OUT THE CHLOROPHYLL, BUT THEN THE LEAVES STAY YELLOW, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT CAROTENE AND XANTHOPHYLL, ANOTHER PIGMENT, AND THAT'S BEEN THERE ALL THE TIME.

THE REALLY INTERESTING THING, SAM, IS THAT THE RED PIGMENT IS ONLY PRODUCED AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.

SO AS THE LEAF IS GOING INTO SENESCENCE, IT'S ABOUT TO DIE, IT'S ACTUALLY PRODUCING ANOTHER PIGMENT.

WELL, WHY WOULD IT DO THAT?

WHY WOULD IT WORK HARDER WHEN IT NEEDS TO RESERVE MORE ENERGY?

IT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION, AND I KNOW A LADY WITH A THEORY.

ABBY VAN DEN BERG FROM VERMONT UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN LOOKING INTO THIS, AND I WENT TO MEET HER.

CHRIS: TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHY THESE ANTHOCYANINS ARE PRODUCED, AND CAUSE THE VIBRANT REDS OF FALL, WE NEED TO GET A CLOSER LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING INSIDE THE LEAF.

THAT IS FANTASTIC, AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL, TOO.

IT LOOKS STUNNING.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE SCIENCE?

TALK ME THROUGH WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE.

WELL, WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TOP OF THE LEAF DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LEAF.

SO YOU CAN KIND OF GET AN IDEA FOR WHAT ANTHOCYANINS MIGHT BE DOING SIMPLY BY LOOKING AT WHERE THEY ARE IN THE PLANT.

THE ANTHOCYANINS ARE CLOSEST TO WHERE THE LIGHT IS HITTING THE LEAF, SO THAT GIVES US SOME KIND OF AN INDICATION THAT THEY MAY BE THERE TO FUNCTION AS SOME KIND OF A SUNSCREEN.

CHRIS: THE THEORY IS THAT WHILST THE TREES ARE WITHDRAWING, THEY ALSO BECOME MORE VULNERABLE TO DAMAGE BY THE WARM AUTUMNAL SUN, POTENTIALLY LOSING ENERGY JUST WHEN THEY SHOULD BE SAVING IT.

IF THE RED PIGMENT ACTS AS A SUNSCREEN, IT MAY BE BUYING THE TREE PRECIOUS EXTRA TIME AGAINST THAT DAMAGE, ENABLING IT TO REABSORB THOSE PRECIOUS REMAINING NUTRIENTS BEFORE THE LEAVES FALL OFF.

THE THEORY IS BACKED UP BY THE FACT THAT THE LEAVES THAT ARE AT THE TOP OF THE CANOPY IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT PRODUCE MORE OF THE RED COLORATION THAN THOSE THAT ARE SHADED LOWER DOWN.

BUT AS I SEE IT, THERE'S NO CONCRETE EVIDENCE YET TO SAY THAT THE INDIVIDUAL PLANT BENEFITS THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

BUT I DO KNOW ONE THING, ABBY.

IN NATURE, NOTHING IS WASTED.

NOTHING OCCURS IN NATURE FOR NO REASON.

IF THERE ARE ANTHOCYANINS THERE, THEY'RE THERE FOR A PURPOSE, AND AT THIS POINT IN TIME I'D PUT MY DOLLAR ON SUNSCREEN.

I'D BE RIGHT THERE WITH YOU.

IT'S SUNSCREEN.

IT'S AN S.P.F.

YEAH.

I WOULD HAVE NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT, BECAUSE, I MEAN, I ALWAYS THOUGHT... WELL, THE SUN IN OCTOBER, IT'S NOT THAT STRONG.

THESE ARE BIG TREES.

I DON'T EVEN USE SUNSCREEN NOW.

BUT YOU'VE GOT NATURAL SUNSCREEN.

YOU'VE GOT MELANIN IN YOUR SKIN WHICH IS PROTECTING YOUR SKIN FROM THE SUN.

OBVIOUSLY NOT AS MUCH MELANIN AS A BLACK PERSON, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT'S THERE FOR, TO PROTECT US FROM THE SUN.

IMAGINE YOU WERE "ALBEENO," AN ALBINO AS YOU SAY.

THEN YOU COULDN'T GO OUT IN THE AUTUMN SUN.

IT WOULD STILL BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU.

AND THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT THE LEAVES ARE BECOMING AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.

AS THEY PULL ALL THAT GREEN PROTECTION OUT, THEY NEED SOME LAST LITTLE BIT OF SUNSCREEN JUST TO PROTECT THE LAST FEW SUGARS AS THEY CAN WHIP THEM OUT, AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE SEE OBSESSION.

OBSESSION.

WHAT IS-- OBSESS.

GO ON.

THAT'S WHEN THE LEAVES DROP.

THE PROCESS OF OBSESSION.

THIS IS A TIME OF OBSESSION.

WE CALL IT FALL.

YOU CALL IT OBSESSION.

YEAH.

WELL, YOU DO CALL IT FALL.

WE ALSO CALL IT AUTUMN.

YOU DO USE AUTUMN AS WELL.

NO.

DO YOU USE FALL?

YOU DON'T?

NO, NO, DEFINITELY NOT.

DEFINITELY NOT.

[LAUGHS] YOU KNOW, THE INTERESTING THING IS THAT THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO, THERE WERE ONLY TWO SEASONS.

THERE WAS ONLY SUMMER AND WINTER.

AND IT WAS ONLY AROUND THE SORT OF 1600S WHEN THEY THOUGHT, YOU KNOW WHAT?

WE NEED A COUPLE MORE SEASONS.

AND THEY CAME UP WITH TWO EXPRESSIONS, SPRING OF THE LEAF, THE OPENING OF THE LEAVES, AND FALL OF THE LEAF, FALLING OF THE LEAVES.

AND WHEN THE PURITANS, THE PILGRIM FATHERS CAME OVER TO THIS PART OF AMERICA, WHEN THEY GOT HERE, THEY DROPPED AUTUMN AND USED FALL OF THE LEAVES, AND THAT'S WHERE YOU GET YOUR FALL FROM.

BUT WE FORGOT ABOUT IT IN THE U.K. AND WE'VE STUCK WITH AUTUMN, AND HENCE THE ETYMOLOGICAL DIVIDE.

TWO COUNTRIES SEPARATED BY A COMMON SEASON.

NOW I'M JUST HEARING THAT WE'VE GOT ANIMALS LIVE OUR CARNIVORE CAM.

AND WE CAN GO TO IT NOW.

SO THIS IS A DEER CARCASS THAT WE GOT FROM U.S.

FISH AND GAME.

NOT FIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.

AND THAT, WELL, THAT'S THE END OF IT.

THAT'S ALL OF THAT CAM.

[LAUGHS] SO WE'VE HAD COYOTE COMING IN THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE WEEK FEEDING ON THAT CARCASS.

THEY'VE JUST ABOUT FINISHED IT OFF.

IT WAS NOTHING MORE THAN A PILE OF BONES.

BUT THAT COYOTE IS GOING TO BE CRUNCHING AWAY IN THE BUSHES FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW I IMAGINE.

WELL, I THINK NOW WE SHOULD GO TO BOB POOLE, OUR WILDLIFE CAMERAMAN.

I THINK HE'S DOWN BY THE LAKE SOMEWHERE, BUT IT'S PITCH DARK OUT.

AND, BOB, YOU COULD BE RIGHT BEHIND ME, AND I WOULDN'T SEE YOU.

ARE YOU THERE, BOB?

OH, I AM, AND IT'S ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL DOWN HERE.

WHAT A GORGEOUS NIGHT.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S ANIMALS ALL AROUND US.

THIS PLACE JUST DELIVERS NIGHT AND DAY.

IT'S INCREDIBLE, YOU KNOW.

IF YOU COME HERE DURING THE DAYTIME, THE ANIMAL YOU WANT TO SEE ON SQUAM LAKE IS A LOON.

AND THIS IS AN ANIMAL I HAVE A GREAT SOFT SPOT FOR BECAUSE IT WAS THE VERY FIRST ANIMAL I WENT OUT TO FILM ON ASSIGNMENT AS A WILDLIFE CAMERAMAN, AND I REALLY THINK THEY'RE SPECIAL.

LET'S HAVE A LOOK AT THE FOOTAGE THAT WAS GATHERED JUST A LITTLE WHILE AGO OF LOONS.

AMAZING ANIMALS.

YOU KNOW, THEY USE THEIR EYES WHEN THEY DIVE DOWN TO GET THE FISH THAT THEY'RE AFTER.

INCREDIBLE ANIMALS.

YOU KNOW, THE THING ABOUT THEM THAT I REMEMBER MOST, THOUGH, IS THE BEAUTIFUL SOUND THAT THEY MAKE.

LET'S HAVE A LISTEN TO THAT.

[LOONS WARBLE] ISN'T THAT INCREDIBLE?

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SOUND, I THINK.

WELL, THOSE BIRDS SADLY WILL BE FLYING SOUTH SOON BECAUSE THE LAKE WILL FREEZE OVER, AND THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO DIVE DOWN ANYMORE.

AND SO THEY LEAVE WHEN IT GETS COLD LIKE THAT.

BUT OTHER ANIMALS ARE BUSY GETTING READY FOR WINTER, AND THERE'S NOTHING MORE BUSY THAN A BEAVER THIS TIME OF YEAR.

HAVE A LOOK AT THIS AMAZING NIGHTTIME FOOTAGE OF A BEAVER.

LOOK AT THE WAY THE THERMAL CAMERA PICKS THAT BEAVER UP.

AND HERE HE IS RIGHT NOW, CLIMBING UP ONTO HIS LODGE AND WORKING ON THE LODGE.

YOU KNOW, THIS TIME OF YEAR, THEY REALLY HAVE TO GET THAT LODGE READY FOR WINTER, SO THEY'RE PILING ON MORE MUD AND STICKS.

IN THE LODGE THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GET IN THERE UNDER THE WATER, UNDER THE ICE.

AND THAT'S WHERE THEY'LL HAVE THEIR KITS, THAT'S WHERE THEY'LL RAISE THEIR YOUNG, AND THEY'LL SPEND A COZY TIME IN THE WINTER.

A FABULOUS PLACE.

AS A WILDLIFE CAMERAMAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S THESE REMARKABLE IMAGES THAT WE'RE AFTER AND THAT MAKE US SO EXCITED WHEN WE'RE OUT HERE TO GET.

BUT I TELL YOU, WE HAVE DONE SOME REALLY GREAT THINGS.

THE TEAM THAT WE'VE BEEN OUT HERE WITH HAVE CAPTURED SOME AMAZING FOOTAGE, AND OF ALL THAT FOOTAGE, MY FAVORITE FOOTAGE OF ALL IS THIS CLIP RIGHT HERE.

HAVE A LOOK AT THIS.

THIS IS A BOBCAT.

IMAGINE.

LOOK AT HOW BEAUTIFUL THIS ANIMAL IS, AND HOW IT'S SO CAPTURED ON THIS THERMAL.

AND THAT IS WHAT YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR HOUSE CAT TO DO TO YOUR FURNITURE BACK HOME.

HE'S GOT TO MARK HIS TERRITORY LIKE THIS.

BOBCATS HAVE A TERRITORY THAT CAN COVER 20 SQUARE MILES.

INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF TERRITORY TO PATROL THERE.

AND HERE HE IS, LUCKILY ALONG THE EDGE OF HIS TERRITORY, THE LAKESHORE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CATCH THIS.

LET'S JUST HAVE A CLOSE LOOK AT THIS ANIMAL FOR A LITTLE BIT.

REALLY REMARKABLE.

WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ANY BOBCATS ON THE SHORE RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'RE GOING TO STICK AROUND AND SEE WHAT DOES COME OUT.

IT'S JUST SO BEAUTIFUL TO BE OUT HERE.

SO BACK TO YOU.

WOW.

BOB AND THE BOBCAT.

I LOVE IT.

FANTASTIC VIEWS.

WALKING ALONG THE SIDE OF THE BEAVER POND THERE, THAT WAS ONE OF THE BEST VIEWS OF NOCTURNAL WILDLIFE WE'VE EVER HAD.

BE NICE TO SEE IT IN THE DAYLIGHT, THOUGH.

THIS IS WHAT A BOBCAT LOOKS LIKE IN THE DAYLIGHT.

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ONE, SAM?

I HAVE.

I'VE TAKEN A PICTURE OF ONE.

REALLY?

YEAH.

IT CAME UP MY DRIVEWAY, AND WHAT I SAID WHEN I SAW IT I CANNOT REPEAT ON TELEVISION, BUT I GRABBED MY CAMERA, I WAS PRETTY QUICK ABOUT IT, AND I GOT IT RIGHT BEFORE IT CAME INTO THE WOODS.

IT WAS AMAZING.

A BLURRED PICTURE OF A BOBCAT.

I'M PROUD OF IT.

I'VE NOT SEEN ONE.

I'VE NOT SEEN A BOBCAT YET.

NOT ON MY LIST.

BUT MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN TOWNS ARE SEEING BOBCATS.

YES, THEY'RE BECOMING AN URBAN ANIMAL.

THEY TYPICALLY FEED ON SMALL MAMMALS WHEN THEY'RE OUT IN THE WOODS, THINGS LIKE SNOWSHOE HARES, WOODCHUCK, CHIPMUNKS, THAT SORT OF THING.

NOW, WE THINK THAT ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THEY MIGHT BE MOVING INTO TOWNS IS THAT PEOPLE ARE FEEDING THEIR BIRDS THERE, AND THERE'S AN INCREASE IN THE POPULATION OF GREY SQUIRRELS.

THEY'RE JUST THE RIGHT SIZE FOR BOBCATS.

AND NOW DOWN IN CONNECTICUT, THE DEEP WILDLIFE DIVISION HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATING THESE CATS.

THEY'VE BEEN RADIO COLLARING THEM AND FITTING EAR TAGS.

SO FAR THEY'VE RADIO COLLARED 47 OF THESE ANIMALS, AND THEY'RE FINDING OUT A LOT ABOUT THE WAY THAT THEY'RE USING THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT.

THEY'RE TESTING ALL OF THEIR DATA FROM DIFFERENT DENSITIES OF HUMAN HABITATION.

ALL OF THE CATS, OR COURSE, ARE BEING SAFELY RELEASED AND THEN THEY'RE TRACKING THEM FOR MONTHS, IF NOT YEARS AFTERWARDS, FINDING OUT ALL SORTS OF INTERESTING THINGS.

THEY NORMALLY TRAVEL ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF MILES A DAY WHEN THEY'RE OUT FORAGING.

BUT CRITICALLY, THEY'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN BUILD WILDLIFE CORRIDORS INTO OUR URBAN DEVELOPMENTS TO HELP THESE SORTS OF ANIMALS LIVE ALONGSIDE US.

AND YOU CAN HELP THEM WITH THAT WORK.

LISTEN, IF YOU ARE IN CONNECTICUT AND YOU HAVE ANY OBSERVATIONS OF BOBCATS, YOU JUST SEND IN YOUR PHOTOS, YOU CAN REPORT YOUR SIGHTINGS, THERE'S AN APP FOR IT.

IF YOU JUST GO ON OUR WEBSITE PBS.ORG, WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION FOR YOU.

SO IT'S AN IMPORTANT WORK.

AND THEY'RE NOT THE ONLY ANIMALS THAT ARE COMING FROM OUT OF THE WOODS AND INTO THE TOWN.

DOWN IN BOSTON, SOME BIRDS ARE PUSHING THEIR LUCK.

CHRIS: A ONCE-COMMON CREATURE HAS MOVED INTO THE MEAN STREETS OF BOSTON, BUT NOT EVERYONE IS GIVING THANKS.

WELL, THEY'RE GETTING TOGETHER IN GROUPS, IN BIG GROUPS.

NO ONE WANTS TO GET ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THEM.

THEY CAN BE QUITE INTIMIDATING.

THEY'RE RATHER LARGE, AND THEY'RE NOT AFRAID OF PEOPLE.

CHRIS: AND THEY WON'T LET ANYTHING OR ANYONE GET IN THEIR WAY.

YOU GOT TO BE VERY CAREFUL.

I'VE SEEN PEOPLE CHASED BEFORE IN THE PAST.

I'VE ALSO BEEN CHASED MYSELF.

BUT WHAT COULD BE STRIKING FEAR INTO THE CITY'S RESIDENTS?

THERE'S A LOT OF SORT OF POSTURING, A LOT OF GOBBLING THAT HAPPENS.

[GOBBLES] CHRIS: TURKEYS?

WITH A DISTINCTIVE BALD HEAD AND METALLIC IRIDESCENT PLUMAGE, THE WILD TURKEY IS AN ICONIC AMERICAN BIRD.

USED IN DISPLAYS, MALES AND SOME FEMALES HAVE A BEARD THAT HANGS LIKE COARSE HORSE HAIR FROM THEIR CHESTS, AND A SNOOD, A FLAP OF SKIN ABOVE THE BEAK.

MALES WITH A LONGER SNOOD ATTRACT THE MOST MATES.

SO FOR TURKEYS, SIZE REALLY DOES MATTER.

[GOBBLES] NOW, IT'S SAID THAT BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WOULD HAVE PREFERRED THE WILD TURKEY TO THE BALD EAGLE AS THE NATIONAL SYMBOL OF THE U.S.A.

BUT DON'T BE FOOLED INTO THINKING THAT THIS WILD TURKEY IS ANY LESS IMPRESSIVE THAN THAT EAGLE.

THEY'RE BIG, BOLD, POWERFUL BIRDS, AND THEY'RE QUITE AT HOME ROAMING FREELY AROUND MASSACHUSETTS.

I THINK THE MOST DANGEROUS ANIMAL HERE IS PROBABLY THE TURKEY.

THEY HAVE SHARP DAGGERS RIGHT ABOVE THEIR TALONS THAT WILL ACTUALLY CUT YOU.

THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHERE I'VE BEEN IN MY CAR AND THERE'S JUST A GROUP OF THEM AND THEY'RE SURROUNDING ME.

THEY PACE AROUND AND AROUND THE CAR.

[GOBBLING] THE DAMAGE I'VE NOTICED BEFORE IS QUITE A BIT ON CARS, REMOVING PAINT.

SCRAPES, SCRATCHES.

CHRIS: BUT THIS WASN'T ALWAYS THE CASE.

BY AROUND 1850, THE WILD TURKEY WAS PRETTY MUCH WIPED OUT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND.

UP UNTIL 1996, THERE WAS AN EFFORT TO REPOPULATE THE TURKEYS IN MASSACHUSETTS, AND SO THEY WERE BRINGING THEM IN FROM OTHER AREAS.

CHRIS: THEN IN THE 1970S, 37 WILD TRAPPED BIRDS FROM NEW YORK STATE WERE RELEASED INTO RURAL MASSACHUSETTS, AND THE BIRDS BOUNCED BACK WITH A BANG, IN WHAT'S CONSIDERED A MAJOR WILDLIFE REINTRODUCTION SUCCESS STORY.

WE'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB, AND MAYBE TOO EXCELLENT OF A JOB.

AND WE ESTIMATE THERE'S ABOUT 25,000 TURKEYS IN MASSACHUSETTS AT THIS TIME.

CHRIS: ATTRACTED TO THE BIG CITY FOR A LIFE OF MORE FOOD AND LESS PREDATORS.

PEOPLE THINK OF BOSTON AS A VERY URBAN AREA, BUT WE ARE LIVING WITH A LOT OF WILDLIFE, INCLUDING QUITE A FEW TURKEYS.

WE HAD AN ISSUE WITH THEM FOR A WHILE, AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT WAS EVERY MORNING DURING RUSH HOUR, AND THEY WERE BLOCKING TRAFFIC.

CHRIS: NOW OPINION SEEMS TO BE DIVIDED ON THESE BIRDS.

I LIKE THEM, YOU KNOW.

I DON'T GET TOO CLOSE TO THEM, BUT I LIKE TO HAVE THEM AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

CHRIS: AND WITH A CURRENT POPULATION OF A QUARTER OF A MILLION ACROSS NEW ENGLAND, LOVE THEM OR LOATH THEM, IT LOOKS LIKE THESE BRAZEN BIRDS ARE CLEARLY HERE TO STAY.

[LAUGHS] SOMETHING TELLS ME, CHRIS, THAT TURKEYS DISRUPTING HUMANKIND JUST WARMS YOUR HEART.

WELL, IT'S NOT THAT THEY'RE DISRUPTING HUMANKIND, BUT I DO THINK WE OUGHT TO BE MORE TOLERANT WHEN IT COMES TO LIVING WITH OTHER ANIMALS THAT CAN LIVE AROUND US, JUST LIKE THE BOBCAT AND THE TURKEY.

IF WE JUST, YOU KNOW, GET A LITTLE BIT MORE RELAXED.

THEY WERE DETAILING A CAR, CHRIS.

THEY WERE PUTTING SCRATCHES ON THAT.

JUST THE PAINT OF A CAR.

ENRICH YOUR LIFE BY HAVING MORE BIRDS IN IT.

THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY.

HAVING SAID THAT, MY LOVE FOR TURKEYS DOES HAVE SOME LIMITS.

I WOULDN'T DATE ONE.

I MEAN, I'M NOT INTO THAT WHOLE WATTLE, THAT SNOOD THING THAT THEY HAVE THERE.

AND IT'S NOT JUST THE SIZE, SAM, THAT'S IMPORTANT.

IT'S THE COLORS, TOO.

LOOK, HERE THEY ARE.

YOU SEE, THEY'RE NOT ONLY RED, THEY CAN PRODUCE THAT RED COLOR BY PUMPING BLOOD INTO THEIR SNOOD.

IF THEY WITHDRAW ALL OF THE BLOOD, THEY CAN PRODUCE THIS BLUE COLORING.

AND AGAIN, THERE'S NOT A PIGMENT THERE IN THIS CASE.

THIS IS CAUSE BY SOMETHING CALLED TYNDALL SCATTERING, AND IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME PHYSICAL PHENOMENA THAT WE SEE IN THE BLUE SKY.

IT'S THE LIGHT BOUNCING OFF TINY MICROSCOPIC PARTS OF THE TURKEY'S SKIN PRODUCING THAT BLUE COLORING.

IT'S WHAT WE CALL STRUCTURAL COLOR.

AND SO DOES THE OTHER TURKEY PICK UP THAT COLOR AND UNDERSTAND THE OTHER TURKEY'S MOOD?

IT'S ALL ABOUT COMMUNICATION.

OH, MY GOSH, I WISH MY HUSBAND HAD ONE OF THOSE.

[LAUGHS] NOW, WE'VE ALREADY SEEN ON OUR CARNIVORE CAM TONIGHT THE COYOTE MAKING OFF WITH A CARCASS.

BUT FORTUNATELY BEFORE THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO RECORD SOME MORE MATERIAL OF OUR COYOTES.

WE'VE HAD AS MANY AS THREE OF THEM COMING IN TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME.

IT APPEARS TO BE ONE ADULT, THE ANIMAL ON THE LEFT, AND THEN A COUPLE OF THIS YEARS' CUBS, REACHING PRETTY MUCH MATURITY.

AND AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, IT'S WHEN THEY GET CHUCKED OUT OF THE PACK.

SO WE HAVE SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF AGGRESSION AS WELL.

SO THEY DON'T SHARE?

WELL, THEY'LL SHARE UP TO A POINT, BUT, YOU KNOW, GOING INTO THE WINTER, OBVIOUSLY THE ADULT COYOTES WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S ENOUGH RESOURCES LEFT IN THEIR TERRITORY OR THEIR RANGE FOR THEMSELVES.

THEY CAN'T KEEP ALL OF THEIR CUBS THERE, AND SO SOME OF THEM HAVE TO DISPERSE.

WHAT YOU TYPICALLY SEE IS THAT THE DOMINANT COYOTE CUBS THAT STAY IN THE PACK, THE LESS DOMINANT ONES, PERHAPS THAT ONE, JUST HAVE TO LEG IT AND FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE.

BUT IN DAYLIGHT, WE GET A FANTASTIC VIEW.

YOU GOT TO ADMIT, THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL ANIMALS.

THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL, AND YOU DON'T GET TO SEE THEM, DO YOU?

AND YOU NEVER SEE THEM-- AND THERE IS GOES.

MY GOSH.

SO FROM THE CARNIVORE CAM, NOW WE'RE GOING TO TAKE YOU TO SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE POLITE, THE PUMPKIN CAM.

AND THIS IS ON OUR PICNIC TABLE, WHICH WE SAID HAS BEEN A HOT BED OF ACTIVITY.

WE'VE GOT A LITTLE SQUIRREL THERE, AND JUST GOING AWAY.

THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE IT GOES, STARTS EATING THE PUMPKIN, PERFORMING A LITTLE DENTAL SURGERY ON IT.

I LOVE THE PUMPKIN CONTINUING THE HALLOWEEN THEME THAT WE'RE GOING FOR HERE.

AND, OF COURSE, SQUIRRELS LOVE PUMPKINS, BUT PEOPLE LOVE PUMPKINS, TOO.

WELL, JOINING ME AGAIN IS VIVIAN HOWARD.

VIVIAN, YOU'VE GOT A SPECIAL COMING UP.

WHAT'S IT CALLED?

THE FINAL HARVEST.

THE FINAL HARVEST OF A CHEF'S LIFE.

YES.

IT'S THE SERIES FINALE.

LOVELY.

AND THAT AIRS NEST WEEK ON PBS STATIONS.

WE'VE GOT TO CATCH THAT.

WELL, YOU'VE GATHERED A BUNCH OF PUMPKINS HERE.

THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT, BUT ARE THEY ALL GOOD FOR EATING?

ALL PUMPKINS ARE EDIBLE, BUT THEY ARE NOT ALL THE SAME.

THIS IS MY FAVORITE.

THIS ONE RIGHT HERE?

YES, BOTH FOR EATING AND DECORATING.

NOW, WHY IS THAT?

WELL, IT'S CALLED A CINDERELLA PUMPKIN OR A FAIRY PUMPKIN, AND YOU CAN PROBABLY GUESS WHY.

OKAY, IT LOOKS LIKE THE PUMPKIN THAT TURNS INTO THE CARRIAGE.

YES, AND THE FLESH OF IT IS SWEET AND DENSE AND CREAMY.

WOW, NICE.

SO I MIGHT JUST KEEP IT AROUND IF I CAN'T GET A RIDE BACK TO MY HOTEL TONIGHT.

TAKE IT BACK TO BROOKLYN.

WELL, EVERYBODY LOVES A PUMPKIN.

SOMEONE'S GOT TO KEEP UP WITH ALL THE DEMAND, SO LET'S CATCH UP WITH A MAN WHO TRULY KNOWS HIS PUMPKIN, FARMER JOHN MOULTON.

WE GROW APPROXIMATELY 20 VARIETIES OF PUMPKINS.

PUMPKINS RANGE IN SIZE FROM JUST A FEW OUNCES TO UP TO 30 TO 40, EVEN 50 POUNDS.

THE FARM HAS BEEN IN MY FAMILY SINCE THE LATE 1800S.

A PUMPKIN CROP WAS THE FIRST CROP I SOLD WHEN I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD.

PUMPKINS AND THE SQUASHES ARE LONG-TERM GROWERS.

THEY REQUIRE ANYWHERE FROM 90 TO 100 DAYS TO MATURE.

WE'VE HAD A GREAT HARVEST.

WE'VE HAD A GREAT MARKET SO FAR.

I REALLY DON'T EAT A LOT OF PUMPKIN OTHER THAN PUMPKIN PIE.

JOHN, THIS ONE'S FOR YOU.

IF YOU LOVE PUMPKIN PIE, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE PUMPKIN PIE.

ARE WE GOING TO MAKE PUMPKIN PIE?

WE ARE, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE NO OTHER PUMPKIN PIE YOU'VE PROBABLY EVER HAD.

SO PUMPKIN PIE AS WE KNOW IT CAME TO BE BECAUSE THE COLONISTS WANTED TO MAKE PIE FOR THE FIRST THANKSGIVING, BUT DIDN'T HAVE WHEAT FLOUR OR BUTTER TO MAKE CRUST.

SO THEY USED A PUMPKIN AS A PIE SHELL.

I KNOW.

WOW.

SO THEY BAKED BASICALLY THE PIE IN THE SHELL?

AND THE WHOLE THING'S EDIBLE SO-- WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

SO YOU HOLLOW IT OUT, AND TAKE OUT ALL THE SEEDS AND THE PITH.

THAT'S RIGHT THERE.

AND THEN I LIKE TO RESCUE THE SEEDS FROM THE PITH, AND THEN ROAST THEM FOR A SNACK.

WELL, EVERYONE LOVES ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS.

AND THEY'RE VERY GOOD FOR YOU.

AND GREAT ON SALADS, TOO.

LOVE IT.

SO THEN YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE THE PUMPKIN SHELL AND ROAST IT IN THE OVEN LIKE AT 400 DEGREES FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS.

WOW.

400 DEGREES, TWO HOURS.

THAT IS SO SOFT AND LOVELY.

SO I COULD EAT THAT RIGHT NOW, BASICALLY.

YEAH.

ABSOLUTELY.

BUT YOU SEE IT'S NOT MUSHY.

AND THEN WE MAKE A LITTLE CUSTARD FILLING.

AND CAN YOU POUR THAT IN THERE?

THAT'S JUST LIKE EGGS AND CREAM AND SPICES.

PUMPKIN PIE WITHOUT THE PUMPKIN.

LOVELY.

OH, LOOK AT THAT FILL THE LITTLE PUMPKIN.

THIS IS GREAT.

AND THEN THAT WOULD GO IN A 350-DEGREE OVEN FOR ANOTHER HOUR.

SO THREE HOURS.

I MEAN, THIS IS A LOT OF WORK FOR A PUMPKIN PIE.

USUALLY I JUST WALK INTO A SUPERMARKET, BUY ONE AND LEAVE.

WELL, THIS WILL BE LIKE ZERO TO 60 FOR YOU, ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S AN INVESTMENT, BUT I THINK IT'S SO IMPRESSIVE.

EXACTLY.

I THINK THIS THANKSGIVING I MIGHT PULL THIS RECIPE OUT.

THANKS, VIVIAN.

I'M GOING TO CLAIM IT AS MY OWN, THOUGH.

AND I'LL TELL THEM ABOUT THE COLONISTS, SO-- OKAY.

[LAUGHS] ALL RIGHT, SO WE'VE GOT THIS, BUT WHAT IF--OH.

I'VE BEEN BUSY.

WHILST YOU'VE BEEN CHATTING OVER HERE-- LOOK AT THAT PUMPKIN PIE.

I'VE BEEN SLAVING OVER A BONFIRE MAKING YOU A PUMPKIN PIE.

YOU'RE QUITE THE MAN.

THERE WE ARE.

SO I MADE THIS.

YES, YOU'RE RIGHT.

AND I'M SO PROUD OF IT.

THIS IS IN A CINDERELLA PUMPKIN RIGHT HERE, AND YOU CAN SEE HOW PRETTY IT IS.

AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO LIKE CUT A PIECE OF PIE.

AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO EAT IT LIKE SLICES.

I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO PICK UP SPOONS AND JUST EAT IT ALTOGETHER LIKE IT WAS AN ICE CREAM SUNDAE.

NO, IT'S A SLICE OF PIE.

LOOK AT THAT.

OH, MY GOSH.

THAT IS GORGEOUS.

SO THAT REALLY IS LIKE A CRUST.

YES.

INSTEAD OF A CRUST, YOU'VE GOT THE PUMPKIN.

I THINK I MIGHT LIKE THIS BETTER THAN A TRADITIONAL-- HAVE YOU EVER HAD A PUMPKIN PIE?

YOU KNOW WHAT?

I'VE NEVER, EVER TASTED PUMPKIN PIE.

IT'S NOT ONE OF OUR THINGS IN THE U.K.

SO CAN I GO FIRST?

OKAY.

ABSOLUTELY.

THIS IS A GREAT MOMENT WE'RE HAVING, CHRIS.

HOW DO YOU LIKE IT?

MMM.

VERY GOOD THANK YOU.

LOTS OF SPICES.

NOW I'LL TRY A LITTLE BIT OF PUMPKIN AS WELL.

I'VE HAD PUMPKIN, OF COURSE, BUT NOT PUMPKIN PIE.

IT'S PHENOMENAL.

AND I THINK IT'S GLUTEN FREE.

I KNOW IT IS, 'CAUSE I MADE IT.

BUT IT JUST OCCURRED TO ME NOW.

SO WE HAVE A GLUTEN FREE PUMPKIN PIE.

I'M GOING TO PASS ON ANYMORE BECAUSE I'M GOING TO CARRY ON WORKING, OKAY?

DESPITE THE FABULOUS PUMPKIN PIE, BOB POOLE, OUR WILDLIFE CAMERAMAN, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WENT ON A VERY ROMANTIC TRIP.

HE WAS FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF HIS FATHER, WHO HAD A PASSION FOR HAWKS, PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY WERE MIGRATING.

SO BOB WENT BACK TO ONE OF THE MOUNTAINS WHERE HIS FATHER HAD WATCHED HAWKS FOR LOTS AND LOTS OF YEARS.

BOB: IT'S DAWN AND I'M ARRIVING NOW ON TOP OF PACK MONADNOCK MOUNTAIN.

THE SUN HASN'T COME UP YET, AND IT'S JUST INCREDIBLY MISTY.

AS A WILDLIFE FILMMAKER, IT'S NORMAL TO BE UP BEFORE THE FIRST LIGHT.

IT'S REALLY THAT TRANSITION BETWEEN DAYTIME AND NIGHTTIME WHEN ANIMALS ARE OFTEN MOST ACTIVE, AND SO IT'S A GREAT TIME TO BE OUT FILMING.

AND YOU ALSO HAVE THE BEST LIGHT OF DAY.

THERE'S SO MUCH MOISTURE IN THE AIR, AND IT CLINGS TO EVERYTHING.

IT'S THE BEGINNING OF WHAT FEELS LIKE A VERY BIG DAY, BECAUSE WHAT I'M REALLY HERE FOR IS TO FILM SOMETHING I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE, A HAWK MIGRATION, AND IT'S IN THE PLACE WHERE I CAME FROM.

MY FATHER ENJOYED WATCHING HAWKS.

I IMAGINE I WOULD HAVE DONE THIS WITH MY FATHER, BUT UNFORTUNATELY HE DIED WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER.

BUT I KNOW THAT LOVE FOR GOING TO WATCH MIGRATING HAWKS THAT, YOU KNOW, HE INSTILLED IN US WHEN WE WERE YOUNG, THAT LED ME TO BE HERE RIGHT NOW.

I NEED TO WAIT FOR THE SUN TO WARM UP THE AIR AND START TO CREATE THE THERMALS THAT THESE MIGRATING RAPTORS USE TO GET WAY UP HIGH IN THE SKY SO THEY CAN SOAR SOUTH.

PACK MONADNOCK IS A MOUNTAIN THAT STICKS UP WAY HIGH ABOVE THE REST OF THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE.

THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER SPECIES OF BIRDS UP HERE AND SMALL MAMMALS.

AND SO I'VE BEEN ENJOYING MYSELF JUST FILMING THE BLUE JAYS AND THE SQUIRRELS AND CHIPMUNKS AND ALL SORTS OF OTHER THINGS RUNNING AROUND.

AS THE MORNING PROGRESSES, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE SHOWING UP, AND EVERYBODY ANTICIPATING, YOU KNOW, TO SEE LARGE NUMBERS OF HAWKS MOVING, AND IT'S QUITE A SCENE.

BEEN HERE 5 1/2 HOURS.

NO BIRDS.

BUT OUT IN THE DISTANCE YOU CAN SEE THE CUMULUS CLOUDS ARE JUST BUILDING, AND THAT'S AN INDICATION THAT THINGS ARE HEATING UP.

THE BIRD WATCHERS HERE APPARENTLY HAVE JUST SPOTTED TWO BIRDS WAY OUT IN THE DISTANCE.

SO NOT SURE WHAT THEY ARE YET, BUT HOPEFULLY THEY'RE MIGRATING HAWKS.

IT APPEARS TO BE QUITE AN ANNUAL EVENT.

PEOPLE ARE TAKING TIME OFF FROM THEIR JOBS, AND IT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE.

[HAWKS SCREECH] AS MID-DAY APPROACHES, WE'RE GETTING OUR FIRST GLIMPSE OF MIGRATING HAWKS.

THESE ARE BROAD-WINGED HAWKS.

GORGEOUS.

LOOK AT THAT.

WAY OFF IN THE DISTANCE, I CAN SEE A GROUP THAT ARE KETTLING.

IN OTHER WORDS HAVE BANDED TOGETHER AND THEY'RE USING THE THERMALS TO CYCLE HIGHER AND HIGHER AND HIGHER UP INTO THE SKY.

THEY'RE EVEN DISAPPEARING INTO THE CLOUDS.

AND THEY GO SO HIGH UP INTO THE BLUE SKY THAT YOU JUST CAN'T SEE THEM ANYMORE.

AND BECAUSE THEY GATHER IN SUCH HUGE NUMBERS, IT'S A REAL SPECTACLE TO SEE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF HAWKS GATHERED TOGETHER MAKING THIS JOURNEY SOUTH.

WELL, THAT'S A LOT OF BIRDS NOW.

AS THE DAY PROGRESSES, IT'S GETTING MUCH MORE INTERESTING.

EVERY NOW AND THEN WE'RE GETTING A BALD EAGLE.

OH, THAT'S GREAT.

OH, YOU CAN JUST SEE HOW FAST HE'S GOING.

IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.

WOW.

IT'S LIKE A JETLINER.

SHEEEEEW.

THE BROAD-WINGED HAWKS THAT WE'RE SEEING ARE JUST STARTING THEIR 4,000 MILE JOURNEY TO SOUTH AMERICA, AND THEY CAN REALLY ONLY COVER 70 MILES IN A DAY.

SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY, LONG JOURNEY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE, AND THEY'RE ONLY JUST GETTING STARTED.

BEING UP ON TOP OF THIS MOUNTAIN AND WATCHING THESE MIGRATING HAWKS IS JUST SUCH AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE.

AND I'VE KNOWN ABOUT THIS ALL MY LIFE, BUT IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER SEEN IT FOR MYSELF.

MY FATHER USED TO FOLLOW THE MIGRATING HAWKS AROUND NEW ENGLAND, SO I'VE SEEN PICTURES OF IT SINCE I WAS A LITTLE BOY.

BUT IT'S GREAT TO HAVE FINALLY GOT UP HERE AND EXPERIENCED IT FOR MYSELF.

WOW.

BOB, WHAT A FILM.

OH, MY GOSH.

I TELL YOU, NOTHING COULD HAVE LURED ME OFF THAT LAKE MORE THAN THIS.

LOOK AT HOW BEAUTIFUL THIS IS.

A BROAD-WINGED HAWK.

WOW.

WHAT A MAGNIFICENT BIRD, CHRIS.

IT'S GREAT TO SEE THEM SO CLOSE UP.

IN THE FILM YOU WERE GETTING FANTASTIC VIEWS OF A LOT OF THEM, BUT THEY WERE A LONG WAY OFF.

NOW WE CAN SEE EVERY LITTLE DETAIL.

EVERY LITTLE DETAIL.

YEAH, IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE.

I MEAN, I NEVER GOT ANYWHERE NEAR CLOSE ENOUGH TO SEE WHAT THE LITTLE MARKINGS ARE LIKE AND THE EYES.

A BEAUTIFUL BEAK.

WHAT A MAGNIFICENT BIRD.

BUT GOING BACK UP THERE IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF YOUR FATHER, THAT WAS QUITE SOMETHING.

YEAH, I KNOW.

I WISH I COULD HAVE DONE THAT WITH HIM, BUT AT LEAST I FINALLY GOT UP THERE.

YEAH, AND IT WAS QUITE A SPECTACLE.

THAT EAGLE JUST WHIZZED BY.

JEEZ, THAT WAS AMAZING.

I MEAN, TO SEE IT FROM ALMOST LOOKING DOWN REALLY, AND TO SEE HOW FAST IT WAS GOING, JUST INCREDIBLE STUFF REALLY.

REALLY SPECIAL.

AND OF COURSE THESE THINGS, THE BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, COVER AN ENORMOUS DISTANCE.

THEY'LL DO 200 TO 300 MILES A DAY.

ON THAT MIGRATION, MOVING ALL THE WAY FROM CANADA AND THE NORTHEAST HERE RIGHT THE WAY DOWN THROUGH PANAMA, THROUGH THAT ISTHMUS, INTO THE NORTHERN PARTS OF SOUTH AMERICA, BRAZIL, BOLIVIA.

AND THEY'RE GOING FROM BROAD LEAF FORESTS, WHERE THEY'RE FORAGING HERE FOR SMALL MAMMALS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND THEN THEY GO DOWN AND LIVE IN TROPICAL RAIN FORESTS FOR THE WINTER.

YEAH.

WHAT ARE THEY EATING DOWN THERE?

WELL, THEY SWITCH THEIR DIET.

THEY EAT A LOT MORE AMPHIBIANS, THEY EAT A LOT MORE REPTILES, THEY'LL TAKE BIRDS AS WELL, OF COURSE.

BUT BECAUSE OF THE FOREST, THEY'RE NOT GETTING DOWN ONTO THE GROUND TO FEED ON THOSE SMALL MAMMALS.

WHAT'S INTERESTING-- THERE YOU GO, THERE YOU GO, THAT'S OKAY.

IS THAT, YOU KNOW, ONCE THEY'RE DOWN THERE, THEY STAY WITHIN ABOUT A SQUARE MILE FOR THE ENTIRE WINTER BEFORE THEY SET OFF AND COME BACK IN THE SPRINGTIME.

IT'S A REMARKABLE JOURNEY.

INCREDIBLE.

AND HOW MANY OF THEM ARE DOWN THERE?

I MEAN, THE THING IS, THOUSANDS GO, AND IN SOME PLACES IN MEXICO, YOU GET MILLIONS OF THESE BROAD-WINGED HAWKS MOVING THROUGH DURING THE COURSE OF A SEASON.

NOW, THIS ONE WAS BROUGHT IN AS A YOUNG BIRD TO THE SQUAM LAKES NATURAL SCIENCE CENTER.

IT CAN'T FLY, SO IT'S NEVER BEEN ABLE TO BE REHABILITATED, BUT IT'S GREAT FOR OUTREACH, GETS TO MEET LOTS OF KIDS, AND THEY'RE EQUALLY ENCHANTED BY IT AS WE ARE.

IT'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, SERVING AS AN AMBASSADOR FOR HAWK-KIND AS IT WERE.

YEAH, BECAUSE WHO COULDN'T BE FASCINATED BY THIS?

I MEAN, YOU GET TO SEE IT IN SUCH DETAIL WITH THE CLAWS, THE TALONS, YOU KNOW, RIGHT DOWN IN THERE, AND THAT AMAZING BEAK.

I MEAN, IT'S QUITE A FORMIDABLE LITTLE PREDATOR, ISN'T IT?

IT IS, SMALL, BUT AS YOU SAY, IF YOU'RE A CHIPMUNK, YOU'RE LIVING IN FEAR OF THESE GUYS.

BUT I REMEMBER SEEING MY FIRST BROAD-WINGED HAWK, AND THE REASON I REMEMBER THAT IS BECAUSE I STRUGGLED TO IDENTIFY IT.

I'D COME OVER TO THE UNITED STATES BIRDING FOR THE FIRST TIME.

I'D GOT MYSELF A COUPLE OF BOOKS, AND HERE'S ONE OF THEM.

AND HERE'S THE PAGE WITH THE BROAD-WINGED HAWKS ON.

AND THESE BOOKS WERE PRODUCED BY DAVID SIBLEY.

HE'S ONE OF AMERICA'S GREATEST BIRDERS, RESPONSIBLE FOR PRODUCING THESE WONDERFUL FIELD GUIDES THAT HAVE OPENED THE EYES OF PROBABLY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.

AND IT WAS AN ENORMOUS PRIVILEGE FOR ME TO MEET DAVID THE OTHER DAY DOWN AT THE NATURAL SCIENCE CENTER HERE AT SQUAM LAKES, AN WE EVEN DID A BIT OF SKETCHING TOGETHER.

THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE TO DRAWING BIRDS IS JUST SEEING THEM.

YEAH, FEEDERS ARE JUST A FANTASTIC PLACE TO STUDY BIRDS.

YOU'RE CLOSE.

THE BIRDS COME AND GO OVER AND OVER.

BUT IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO BE CLOSE, CLOSE ENOUGH TO SEE A LOT OF DETAIL ON A BIRD WHEN YOU'RE DRAWING.

LOOK AT THAT JAY NOW.

THE JAY AT THE MOMENT IS CROUCHING LOW, ISN'T IT, TO PICK UP THOSE SEEDS.

IT'S NOT SITTING UPRIGHT.

IT'S ALMOST DOWN ON ITS BELLY.

YEAH, IT LOOKS LIKE AN AMERICAN FOOTBALL PLAYER JUST BEFORE THE PLAY STARTS.

HE IS BIG AND SET, READY TO JUMP.

WELL, WE SHOULD DO A BIT OF DRAWING.

THERE'S THE PURPLE FINCH SITTING IN THE BUSH RIGHT HERE.

IT'S COMING UP.

YEAH.

YEAH.

FEMALE.

THEY'RE QUITE BIG, AREN'T THEY?

THAT'S THE THING ABOUT DRAWING BIRDS.

WHEN YOU SUDDENLY START TO LOOK AT THEM IN DETAIL, YOU BEGIN TO SEE-- OH, LOOK.

A CARDINAL BEHIND THAT FINCH.

BUT YOU BEGIN TO SEE MORE ABOUT HOW THEY WORK.

THERE'S NOTHING THAT MAKES YOU LOOK MORE CAREFULLY THAN DRAWING.

IT JUST FORCES YOU TO LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE DETAIL AND TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT DETAIL.

THERE'S A QUOTE THAT I LIKE.

IT SAYS A DRAWING IS A PICTURE OF OUR UNDERSTANDING.

IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING, YOU CAN'T DRAW IT.

WHAT'S THE FIRST PART OF THE BIRD'S ANATOMY THAT GOES ONTO THE PAGE VIA THE PENCIL?

I START WITH THE BILL.

THE BILL.

AND BUILD OUT FROM THERE.

BUT IF I'M TRYING TO CAPTURE SOME ACTION OR POSTURE, DRAWING THE WHOLE BIRD, I'LL START WITH THE OVAL FOR THE BODY, A CIRCLE FOR THE HEAD, AND TRY TO GET THOSE POSITIONED CORRECTLY.

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INTIMIDATED BY THE IDEA OF DRAWING ANIMALS, AREN'T THEY?

A SKETCH IS NOT REALLY MEANT TO BE FRAMED AND HUNG ON THE WALL.

A SKETCH IS AN EXPLORATION, AN INVESTIGATION, DOODLING, BUT WITH SOME DIRECTION.

I LIKE THE IDEA THAT I'M DOODLING WITH DIRECTION.

I'M IN THE SURE WHICH DIRECTION IT'S IN.

I MIGHT BE GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, BUT THAT'S OKAY.

LIKE YOU SAY, IT'S PRACTICE THAT MAKES PERFECT.

YEAH.

WHY IS IT THAT BIRDERS LIKE MYSELF, DAVID, ALWAYS GO BACK TO THE ILLUSTRATED FIELD GUIDES?

WE DON'T LIKE THE PHOTOGRAPHIC ONES.

SO A PHOTOGRAPH IS JUST A RECORD OF THAT INDIVIDUAL BIRD AT THAT INSTANT IN ITS LIFE.

IT'S GOT LIGHTING, HABITAT, EVERYTHING TELLING A STORY.

AND IT'S HARD TO RELATE THAT TO YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE.

WHEREAS A FIELD GUIDE ILLUSTRATION ON A PLAIN BACKGROUND IS KIND OF A BLANK SLATE.

SO IT'S A DISTILLATION.

YOU'VE KEPT THE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS AND FOCUSED ON THOSE.

OKAY, WELL, THEY'RE GONE.

THAT'S MY--SORRY, I DIDN'T GET VERY FAR BEFORE IT MOVED.

THAT'S MY FINCH.

NICE.

THE HEAD'S A BIT TOO BIG FOR THE BODY, I WOULD SAY.

MY EYE LOOKS LIKE IT'S BEEN DONE FOR DISNEY.

ANYWAY, OKAY.

HOW'D YOU GET ON?

I GOT THE HEAD.

OH, YOU JUST GOT THE HEAD.

OBVIOUSLY WHAT WE'VE JUST BEEN DOING IS LOOKING AT THE BIRDS, NOT JUST SEEING THEM, AND THERE'S A GREAT JOY IN THAT, I THINK.

ALMOST REDISCOVERING THEM, ISN'T IT?

WELL, WE ARE HAVING AN ARTISTIC THEME TONIGHT HERE ON "AUTUMNWATCH."

NOW, VIVIAN AND I HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY CARVING ALL THESE PUMPKINS.

HAVEN'T WE, VIVIAN?

ALL DAY.

ALL DAY.

JUST TO BRING THESE TO YOU.

IT'S AN INCREDIBLE ARRAY OF PUMPKINS.

A BOBCAT, WE'VE GOT YOUR CLASSIC JACK-O-LANTERN.

WHAT'S THAT SMELL?

WHAT IS-- IS THAT A RUTABAGA?

YES.

WHY ARE THERE RUTABAGAS HERE?

RUTABAGAS WERE ACTUALLY THE FIRST JACK-O-LANTERNS.

SO THE TRADITION COMES FROM IRELAND, AND IRISH FOLKS WOULD CARVE RUTABAGAS OR SWEDES, AS THEY CALL THEM, TURNIPS OR POTATOES, AND PUT AN EMBER INSIDE OF THEM AND PUT IT OUTSIDE THEIR HOUSE TO WARD OFF EVIL SPIRITS.

OH, OKAY.

SO WHEN THEY MOVED TO THE STATES OR WHEN THEY MOVED TO AMERICA, THEY SAW THESE GIANT PUMPKINS AND REALIZED THAT WOULD BE A LOT EASIER TO CARVE THAN THAT HARD, HARD RUTABAGA.

AND NOW WE KNOW THAT WHEN A JACK-O-LANTERN IS LIT, THAT HOUSE HAS CANDY FOR THE TRICK OR TREATER, RIGHT?

YEAH.

IT'S ALMOST THE OPPOSITE OF THE ORIGINAL.

RIGHT, IT'S LIKE WELCOME.

IT'S VERY WELCOMING.

WELL, WE HAVE ASKED YOU FOR YOUR PHOTOS ABOUT PUMPKINS, AND WHEN IT CAME TO PUMPKINS, YOU DID NOT DISAPPOINT.

LET'S GO TO OUR FIRST PICTURE, OUR ONLY PICTURE IS DIANA PEEL-- DEANNA PEEL FROM MARYLAND.

OH, MY GOSH.

WOW.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE POUNDAGE OF THAT PUMPKIN IS?

I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO STAY THERE FOREVER.

I WAS GOING TO SAY IT HOW DID IT GET THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE?

LIKE SHE MUST HAVE GROWN IT.

IMPRESSIVE, DEANNA.

WE LOVE THAT PICTURE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, NOTHING QUITE INSPIRES THE PUMPKIN CARVER THAN THE PUMPKIN FESTIVAL IN LACONIA, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

WHAT PUMPKINS MEAN TO ME IS JUST A SYMBOL OF THE HOLIDAYS.

FOR ME, PUMPKINS REALLY MEAN LIKE FAMILY AND LIKE GATHERING, AND IT'S JUST LIKE EVERYBODY COMING TOGETHER FOR SOME FUN AND HAPPINESS.

MY FAVORITE BIT OF IT WAS LIKE JUST SEEING EVERY PUMPKIN.

IT'S JUST REALLY COOL TO SEE WHAT EVERYONE CARVED.

ALL THESE PUMPKINS ARE REALLY NICE AT NIGHT, AND I LOVE ALL THE DIFFERENT EMOTIONS AND ALL THE DIFFERENT NAMES AND SIGNS.

IT'S REALLY FUN AND BEAUTIFUL.

SAM, YOU KNOW THE PORCUPINE?

SURE.

YOU KNOW, I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE PORCUPINE.

I KNOW.

I KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING.

I'VE GOT SOMETHING GOING FOR A POSSUM NOW.

IT'S A FACE, HANDS, FEET AND TAIL AND FUR THAT ONLY A MOTHER COULD LOVE.

I WISH YOU THE BEST WITH THAT POSSUM.

NO, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL ANIMAL.

IT'S A VERY UNUSUAL ANIMAL.

I LOVE HEARING HIM EAT.

I MEAN, IT IS LOUD AND BOISTEROUS.

BUT THIS IS A MARSUPIAL.

AND MOST OF THE WORLD'S MARSUPIALS ARE IN AUSTRALASIA, OF COURSE.

NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA.

BUT THESE, THE POSSUMS, ARE IN SOUTH AMERICA AND NORTH AMERICA.

SO HE'S GOT A POUCH.

HE'S GOT A POUCH.

WE TALKED ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY.

IT'S THE COUSIN TO THE KANGAROO.

THAT'S RIGHT, DISTANT COUSIN TO THE KANGAROO.

BETTER WATCH MY FINGERS HERE.

THEY'VE GOT VERY SHARP TEETH BECAUSE THEY HAVE A DIET WHICH IS VERY BROADLY OMNIVOROUS.

SO THEY'RE EATING FRUITS.

EATING A PEAR AT THE MOMENT.

BUT THEY WILL EAT, YOU KNOW, A SMALL MOUSE-- [GASPS] AS WELL.

YOU GOT IT?

YOU OKAY?

YEAH, NO, I'M FINE.

HOW MANY RABIES SHOTS DO YOU HAVE, CHRIS?

I HAVE PLENTY OF RABIES SHOTS.

DON'T WORRY.

I'M GOOD WHEN IT COMES TO THE RABIES.

I JUST NEEDED A LONGER PIECE OF PEAR.

BUT LET'S GET BACK TO THE POSSUM.

THE KEY THING IS LOOK AT THE FUR.

IT'S NOT AS THICK AS THAT PORCUPINE, IS IT?

FLIMSY.

IT'S QUITE A SKINNY FUR.

YEAH, IT'S QUITE FLIMSY FUR, YOU KNOW.

AND THIS MEANS IT CAN'T LIVE MUCH FURTHER NORTH THAN HERE.

AND IT'S GOT BARE FEET AND A BARE TAIL.

AND IN THE WINTERTIME, IF THEY COME OUT INTO THE SNOW, WHICH THEY HAVE TO DO OCCASIONALLY, THEY CAN EVEN GET FROSTBITTEN.

I'M TRYING TO FIND A NICE LONG PIECE.

YEAH, EXACTLY.

GO FOR THE LONGER ONES.

DROPPED THAT PIECE.

DO THEY HIBERNATE AT ALL?

NO, THEY WON'T HIBERNATE.

THEY WILL SLOW DOWN, OKAY, BUT THEY WON'T ACTUALLY HIBERNATE.

AND THAT LONG TAIL.

I REMEMBER THE ILLUSTRATIONS, SOMETIMES THEY WOULD HANG FROM THAT TAIL.

IS THAT A MYTH?

IT IS A MYTH.

THEY WERE SAID TO BE SLEEPING FROM THEIR TAIL, BUT THEY WON'T DO THAT.

THEY WILL ACTUALLY WRAP LEAVES UP IN THEIR TAIL AND TAKE THEM BACK TOWARD THEIR NEST.

BUT THAT TAIL LOOKS STRONG.

YEAH, IT IS STRONG.

IT'S PREHENSILE.

THEY WILL USE IT FOR LIKE A FIFTH LIMB FOR HANGING ON.

OKAY?

COME ON, POSSUM.

COME ON BACK UP HERE.

HERE HE COMES.

AND DO THEY PLAY DEAD?

YES, THEY DO.

PLAYING POSSUM IS THE THING THAT THEY'RE MOST FAMOUS FOR.

THAT'S THE THANATOSIS I WAS TALKING ABOUT AT THE TOP OF THE SHOW.

SO WHAT HAPPENS, IF THEY'RE THREATENED BY A PREDATOR, THEY WILL PRETEND TO BE DEAD.

AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS THAT MANY PREDATORS LIKE TO EAT FRESH PREY.

THEY KNOW IF THEY KILLED IT, THEN THE MEAT IS FRESH.

THEY DON'T LIKE SCAVENGING, AND THAT WILL PUT OFF SOME PREDATORS.

BUT THE PROBLEM IS, OF COURSE, THAT WHEN THESE THINGS ARE OUT AT NIGHT-- THEY ARE NOCTURNAL-- THEY WILL HAPPEN ACROSS PREDATORS LIKE THE COYOTE WHICH ARE QUITE HAPPY TO EAT THINGS WHICH ARE DEAD.

SO THEY'VE GOT ANOTHER TRICK UP THEIR SLEEVE, ONE, IN FACT, NOT UP THEIR SLEEVE, BUT IN THEIR ANAL GLANDS.

BECAUSE THEY SECRETE A GREEN MUCUS WHICH SMELLS OF ROTTING FLESH.

SO THEN IT'S SENDING OUT A SECOND MESSAGE.

NOT ONLY AM I DEAD, BUT I'M ROTTEN, AND NOT MANY ANIMALS LIKE EATING ROTTEN FOOD BECAUSE OF THE BOTULISM, THE SALMONELLA, THE BACTERIA IN THERE WILL PUT THEM OFF.

SO THIS WORKS AS A STRATEGY.

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ONE PLAYING DEAD?

WELL, I HAVE SEEN ONE PLAY-- I KNOW MY FRIEND SAW ONE PLAY DEAD.

ACTUALLY, SHE HAD A NEW CAR.

WENT OUT FOR SHOPPING.

LEFT THE CAR DOOR OPEN OVERNIGHT.

GOES BACK TO THE CAR.

THE CAR IS TORN TO SHREDS.

ALL THE LEATHER INTERIOR, BRAND NEW.

SEES THE DEAD, SMELLY POSSUM IN THE BACK SEAT.

GOES BACK TO TELL HER HUSBAND.

AND THEY COME OUT, THE POSSUM'S GONE.

[LAUGHS] YEAH.

TOP WORK FROM THE POSSUM.

PLAYING DEAD WORKED FOR YOUR FRIEND.

OH, MY GOSH.

WELL, SMELLY, GHOULISH, SCARY.

THE POSSUM'S GOT HIS HALLOWEEN ACT DOWN.

NOW, HALLOWEEN.

IT'S JUST LIKE TWO WEEKS AWAY, I THINK, CHRIS.

THIS IS HUGE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

DO YOU CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN IN THE U.K.?

NO.

IT'S CAUGHT ON IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, THE LAST, OH, 15, 20 YEARS.

BUT, NO, IT'S NOT A BIG FESTIVAL FOR US.

WATCH OUT, BECAUSE IT JUST GETS BIGGER AND BIGGER HERE IN THE STATES.

I FEEL LIKE THIS HAS BECOME-- [LAUGHS] WHO'S IN THERE?

MR. FOX.

AND YOU BROUGHT TRICK-OR-TREATS.

NO, IT'S ME.

OH, BOB.

NICE TO SEE YOU UP HERE BY THE FIRE.

IT'S NICE TO BE BY THE FIRE FINALLY.

YOU KNOW.

I'M SURE IT IS.

LOVELY.

AND VIVIAN'S BROUGHT THE PUMPKIN PIE.

I'VE GOT THE PIE.

WE'VE GOT EVERYTHING GOING FOR US.

I TELL YOU WHAT.

WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, THOUGH, SO LET'S LOOK AT A FEW OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR SERIES HERE IN NEW ENGLAND.

CHRIS: WE'VE COME HERE BECAUSE IT'S PROBABLY THE BEST PLACE ON THE ENTIRE PLANET TO EXPERIENCE AUTUMN.

WE ARE AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME, CHRIS.

I'VE FALLEN IN LOVE.

IS THAT RIGHT?

YEAH.

I LOVE PORCUPINES!

OOH-HOO-HOO-HOO.

[SLURPING] I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU CAN DO THAT.

THERE'S A LOT OF WINE TASTING IN MY LIFE.

CHRIS: THE RACCOON FANCIES HIMSELF AS A CAMERAMAN.

SAMANTHA: HE'S CHECKING HIS FOCUS.

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?

THIS IS NOT OLD.

[LAUGHS] SAMANTHA: THIS IS LIVE.

IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

CHRIS: WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW.

BOB: OH, THAT'S GREAT.

OH, YOU CAN JUST SEE HOW FAST HE'S GOING.

IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.

SAMANTHA: AW.

THAT IS AMAZING.

OH, MY GOSH.

WOW, SAM.

I'M A CONVERT.

YES.

YEAH?

YOU WANT TO MOVE HERE?

YOU'VE GOT TO SAY "WICKED AWESOME."

WICKED AWESOME.

SAY WICKED AWESOME.

IT'S WICKED AWESOME.

IT'S BEEN WICKED AWESOME.

BOB, THANKS SO MUCH FOR COMING ALONG.

VIVIAN, YOUR COOKING HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTFUL.

WE'VE GOT TO THANK ALL THE PEOPLE HERE AT SQUAM CAMP AND, OR COURSE, THE PEOPLE AT NATURAL SCIENCES, THE SQUAM LAKES NATURAL SCIENCES CENTER, WHO BROUGHT THE ANIMALS ALONG.

IT'S BEEN FANTASTIC SERIES.

WE'VE REALLY ENJOYED OURSELVES.

WE HOPE THAT YOU HAVE, TOO.

GOOD NIGHT FROM NEW ENGLAND.

GOODBYE.

"AUTUMNWATCH NEW ENGLAND" WAS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART A BOX THAT SHOWED YOU A WORLD BEYOND YOUR OWN.

IT WAS JUST A BOX BUT THE WORLD IS CHANGED AND SO HAVE WE AND NOW, THE BOX CAN BE ALMOST ANY SIZE OR SHAPE AND YOU DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO EXPLORE ANYTIME ANY PLACE BREAK OUT OF THE BOX WITH PBS