Pembrokeshire's puffins to feature in new BBC Wales nature series

The puffins of Skokholm Island will feature in two episodes of the new series Wales: Land of the Wild, a landmark natural history series showcasing the nation’s wildlife and landscapes over a dramatic 12 months.

Atlantic puffins visit Pembrokeshire’s islands, including Skokholm and Skomer, during the warmer months of the year.

The small birds spend most of their lives living out at sea, resting on waves when they are not in the air.

They return to land between April and August each year to nest, and visit the same nesting sites year after year.

The height of Pembrokeshire’s puffin season is between May and July, when the islands off the county’s coasts are crowded by the small colourful birds.

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Wales: Land of the Wild will follow the struggles of creatures great and small throughout the year from the white winter blizzards to parched summer droughts.

Narrated by Michael Sheen, the series sets out to capture every wild corner of Wales - from mountains to valleys, border to coastline - and it begins with the country frozen by the Beast from the East.

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As the land begins to warm and spring revives the natural world, cameras follow an ancient family of wild horses in the wilderness of Snowdonia, sand lizards and snakes in the desert-like dunes of Ynyslas, west Wales and the bizarre dancing courtship rituals of Great Crested Grebes in Cardiff Bay.

From buzzards and kites patrolling the skies, to red deer and badgers hiding in forests - and the octopuses and crabs of the Celtic deep - this is Wales' wildlife as it’s never been seen before.

Sir Karl Jenkins is the composer of the title music, with the incidental music by Jody Jenkins, and all performed and recorded by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.

Episode one of Wales: Land of the Wild will be broadcast tonight (Thursday, April 4) at 8pm on BBC One Wales.