John Craven visits Farmoor Reservoir in Oxfordshire, where many bird species find sanctuary in the cold winter months. John joins up with a local bird spotter to hear about the vast array of species that call this place home during winter. He also meets a biologist who has created a series of ponds on the reserve, which are some of the most monitored in Europe. John discovers these wetland habitats are important for all sorts of life in winter - above and below the surface.

As the sun sets, John witnesses the spectacle of birds coming into roost and learns the importance of one of the UK’s least revered bird species – gulls. Throughout, we open the Countryfile archives to revisit winter wildlife stories from around the UK.