[narrator] Where the Danube leaves the mountains, Hungary begins. A country like no other in Europe, influenced by the rhythms of its rivers. Hungary's inhabitants have learnt to cope with alternating floods and droughts.
This is an ancient cultural landscape where wildlife still finds refuge. Winter in the Puszta, the heart of the Great Plains of Hungary. Herdsmen cook the traditional goulash soup.
[men chatting] This idyllic picture is still alive in Hungary. Young men still choose the hard life of herding the shaggy gray cattle. These robust animals can withstand the harsh weather of the open plains all year round.
Herdsmen choose their dogs carefully and train them for several months. They make a perfect team. Only the bravest dogs can shepherd Hungarian gray cattle.
[dogs barking] [cattle mooing] [dog barking] The wintering geese show that these plains are not just dry land. But what was water is at present ice. A young white-tailed eagle is looking for food.
A sheep carcass makes a good breakfast, but first at the feast are the magpies. [magpies nattering] A greedy hooded crow, however, wants the whole sheep for itself. Such a tasty meal soon attracts a bigger competitor, a common buzzard.
There should be enough for everyone, but some just can't bear to share. The crow shows its frustration. [birds cawing] [bird coos] In winter, carrion is sometimes the only food the birds can find.
Suddenly, another buzzard arrives. [birds cawing] Eagles are cautious by nature. The young white-tailed eagle is still circling.
More and more predators gather. A red fox passes by, but the eagle wants a closer look. It hasn't made up its mind yet and the crow is pushing its luck.
But the presence of the king of the birds is, in the end, just too stressful. The Puszta lies in a broad plain in the east of Hungary. Further west, in the middle of the country, runs the River Danube.
Along its banks, well-preserved alluvial forests alternate with populated areas. [children shouting] The frozen channels and lakes are a winter paradise for children. A young otter is surprised by all the activity.
Hungary is densely populated and the wildlife often has to share its habitat with humans. [children yelling] Otters are common in Hungary but rarely seen. They maintain several dens within their territory.
The young otter moves on to its next burrow, a safe distance from the noisy company. The den usually has an underwater exit leading to one of channels that crisscross the forest. Due to the ice, the fish are now beyond the reach for the kingfisher.
Help arrives from an unexpected quarter. But the fisherman isn't interested in assisting either the otter or the kingfisher. The fisherman is looking after his aquatic livestock.
He makes a large hole in the ice to let poisonous gases out and oxygen in. He knows that fish are wintering beneath his feet. Catfish.
These otherwise solitary animals gather in groups during winter and stay together until spring. They don't hibernate but remain active without hunting. They stay in the safety of the pack and jockey for position while constantly biting each other, which can cause serious wounds.
The hole in the ice attracts some ravens. They're always up for some fun. An old white-tailed eagle is busy collecting nesting material.
Landing on ice is a tricky business, but the eagle has spotted something interesting. This bunch of dried grass might come in very handy. But no, it's not good enough after all.
The eagle carries on looking in the dry sedge. An eagle's nest, or eyrie, can be up to two meters wide. The sedge will act as insulation to keep the eggs warm.
In the 1970s, white-tailed eagles were close to extinction, but today about 200 pairs soar over Hungary. They start preparing their nests early in the year. This old couple have been together for 12 years.
Winter is a hard time for red deer. They're waiting for spring. [clanging] And they're not the only ones.
At the end of winter, men wearing bizarre masks and costumes appear in the flood plain forests of Southern Hungary, the Busho. Five centuries ago, the locals had to hide along the Danube to escape from the Turkish army. Legend has it that they put on terrifying costumes and made loud noises.
The Turks thought they were being attacked by demons and took flight. [crowd cheering] Every year, the people of Mohács, the town where all this happened, celebrate the walk of the Busho. Today, the ceremony has additional significance.
At the end of their walk, the Busho come together and symbolically bury the winter. [crowd chattering] Finally, the thaw begins. From the mountains that surround Hungary on all sides, millions of creeks run down to the heart of the basin.
The silent floodplain forest along the Danube undergoes a miraculous transformation. The dozen local species of frog and toad take on their mating colors, accompanied by a loud serenade. [frogs croaking] The spring snowflakes are well adapted to the temporary water coverage.
[frogs croaking] The alpine squill, too, awakes to new life. [eagle caws] The female white-tailed eagle is waiting for her mate. She needs a break from brooding.
[eagle calls] Despite being together for 12 years, the pair greet each other with audible affection. [eagle calls] The male takes over. The female now can stretch her wings and take care of other important business.
The male, meanwhile, feeds the one-week-old chicks, which are vulnerable to bad weather and attacks by ravens. But these tiny eaglets have very experienced parents and are thus safe. [eagle calls] The Balaton, Central Europe's biggest lake, lies west of the Danube.
The first sailors are out, but they have no idea what is about to begin underwater. Asp, a species of carp. When the water temperature reaches 10°C, they swim up the River Zala that feeds the Balaton.
[bird tweeting] The Zala runs through one of the most extensive areas of reeds in Europe, the Little Balaton. The asps migrate to their spawning place. First, the smaller males appear in groups, attracting eagles from afar.
But the half meter-long fish are too big to catch. The fish are close to their destination, but first they face some rapids. More and more birds arrive but not drawn by the asps.
Just like salmon, asps can jump rapids. The otter is just curious. The swan is searching for precious asp eggs.
But as yet there is only a little caviar to be found. The male asps reach the spawning place. Each chooses and defends its territory until the females arrive.
In the heat of the fight, accidents can happen. [duck quacks] A few eggs are already glued to the vegetation. The brown bullhead's favorite delicacy.
And just what the egrets have been waiting for. They're here to catch the fish that come to feed on the asp eggs. As the day comes to an end, the female asps arrive.
Each night, several hundred asps come together here, with one female to ten males. As the eggs are released, the males fight to fertilize them in the strong current. The males try to attract the bigger females with a vibrating dance.
An eel comes along to feed on the eggs. It had better be quick, the asp run only lasts a week. Today, most of the Hungarian wetlands have been drained and replaced by croplands.
But spring still sees the return of the white storks, an iconic bird for Hungarians. [storks croaking] Not all the wetlands have been lost. Hungary has well-preserved floodplain forests along the rivers.
The Gemenc forest, along the Danube River in Southern Hungary. In April, the woods are still underwater, creating a wildlife paradise. Red deer are a common sight in Gemenc.
The water offers shelter from stinging insects, but also plenty of fresh food. European pond turtles race each other for the best spots for sunbathing. But getting there isn't easy.
The marsh frog has attracted the attention of a water snake. But there are witnesses everywhere. A larger predator is also on the prowl.
With an estimated 10,000 animals, Hungary has one of the largest populations of common otters in Europe. When the otter starts hunting, the turtles, not wanting to be on the menu, move off. Once spotted, the frog has no chance.
Otters feed mainly on fish, but there's no doubt, one of their favorite meals is frog. Finally, even the turtle has made it to its sunny vantage point. In a few weeks, the red deer hinds of Gemenc will give birth somewhere in the depths of the forest.
Hungary still has a great number of alluvial forests. In the south, the flood area can extend up to ten kilometers wide along the Danube. A watery paradise for the catfish, one of the biggest freshwater fishes in Europe.
For the fisherman, it's harvest time. Down below, the catfish is building a nest. It clears the willow root with its muscular tail and then inspects its handiwork.
Now a female can come. The fisherman checks the traps on a daily basis. He learnt his trade from his father and grandfather.
Bream, pike and carp are caught in the nets. The old catfish has always been careful to avoid the traps. Eventually, a female shows up.
The love between catfish is not overly romantic. Blows from the male to her flank encourage the female to spawn, with success. The male will now guard the eggs till the young are ready to hatch in three days' time.
In May, the bee-eaters return from their winter quarters in Africa. They dig nests in the sandy wall that towers over a tributary of the Danube. The warm days are perfect for bathing.
Along the river, the birds find everything they need. A dragonfly is a welcome meal. The indigestible bits are simply spat out.
[birds chirping] It's the mating season and presenting a gift to a female brings rapid reward. Spring has now well and truly arrived. At the top of the oak tree, the eagle chicks are already five weeks old.
And they're getting hungry. [chicks cawing] The male is out hunting and the whole family is hoping he'll be successful. Will he catch anything?
Careless carp often feed close to the surface. A fatal error. The chicks can't wait.
White-tailed eagles have adapted well to their environment and are flexible regarding their food. But the adults have to mince the fish for the little ones. Carefully, the male feeds his young and takes a little bite for himself.
The eagle family has food in abundance close to the nest, so it's easy to raise two chicks a year. Late spring, and there is still water on the Great Hungarian Plains in the east of the country. The common pochards haven't started nesting yet but the pairs of graylag goose are already proudly showing their offspring.
The chicks are closely watched over by their parents. [geese garbling] A white-winged tern brings a present to its chosen mate. These rare birds nest on floating islands in the wetlands of the Puszta.
The Hungarian gray cattle are not typical water-dwellers but it takes time for the soil to soak up the water. [cattle mooing] [cattle mooing] Fresh grass is sprouting everywhere, but it's still thin and the cattle quickly graze it up. [cattle mooing] They have to cross dozens of channels on the flooded Puszta to reach new pastures.
The herdsman knows this can be dangerous for the calves. [cattle mooing] Cows try to stay with their young during the crossing, as the little ones might be accidentally trampled. Finally, they make it across.
40 years ago, this ancient breed of cattle was almost extinct, with only 160 animals left. Now, thanks to careful husbandry, 6,000 of them graze in Hungary. The Tisza River meanders through the Great Plains.
Its shores are home to the biggest colony of sand martins in Europe, with 4,000 nesting birds. Burrow after burrow for over a kilometer. The chicks leave the nest at the same time as a spectacular phenomenon called the blooming of the Tisza, the flight of the mayflies.
Mayflies spend three years in the mud before coming to the surface one summer afternoon to mate. Soon the females are surrounded by males. Perfect timing for the sand martins, the insects are a great start to life.
Others also profit from the mayflies mating ritual. The entire spectacle lasts one hour. After mating, the mayflies die.
The females have laid their eggs on the surface of the water from where they will sink into the mud and stay as larvae. The feast is over. For the white-tailed eagle, too, a good day comes to an end.
A June morning in the forests along the Danube. The eagle chicks are already quite big. The adults bring food only twice a day.
But the female no longer bothers with feeding. She leaves. It's the chicks which will now decide the hierarchy and sibling rivalry is inevitable.
[eagle caws] Until recently, pictures like these were the exception. Now after the death of many white-tailed eagles due to pesticide use and hunting, the Hungarian eagles are recovering. In a few days, the chicks will leave the nest.
It's time to practice. [cattle bell drums] Hungarian heat. On the Great Plains, it's like being baked in an oven, shade is scarce.
The white stork shelters its young from the sun. In the lakes and rivers, humans and wildlife alike enjoy the summer. Pigmy cormorants like bathing just as much as people do.
Despite the heat, life in the countryside goes on. In the forests, the changes are dramatic. Water levels have dropped drastically since the spring flood, leaving countless ponds where millions of fish are now trapped.
The black stork hunts together with gray herons and egrets. In such an abundance of food, rivalries don't matter. Such a feast doesn't go unnoticed by the otter.
Otters need to eat about a kilo of fish a day. These members of the marten family can cover large distances. This one traveled maybe 20km to find the pond.
As soon as a fish is caught, it's off to the safety of the dense undergrowth. Soon, the fish have to face their destiny. But, the very last moment, salvation arrives.
Clouds bring rain to the thirsty land. The water fills up the dried riverbeds in the Gemenc forest. It keeps coming and coming, with no sign of stopping.
An exodus begins. The ants hurry to rescue their eggs, their only hope of a future. Within hours, the flood overwhelms the forest.
The game is agitated. Wild boar and red deer are good swimmers, but there is no dry land left. In Gemenc, the water level can rise by eight meters in a couple of days.
Save on higher ground, the deer calves have stay where they are for several days, plagued by mosquitoes. One false step and the current will sweep them away. Once again, the alluvial forest is under water.
Many animals perish in the torrents. Others make the most of it. Otters rarely seek each other's company, but during the mating season they spend several days together.
They're not bothered by the fact that their chosen place is man-made, an open flood-gate. The fisherman now has to paddle some distance to his cottage. The dykes were built in the 19th century, but some land owners refused to pay the high costs.
For this reason, the dykes are occasionally quite a way from the river, allowing the Danube to roam free in its valley. The fisherman's come to check if all is in order at his fishing cottage, which, like the neighboring houses, is on stilts. The two eagle chicks have left the nest.
After three months together, the time has come to part. One of them leaves the alluvial forest. Who knows where in Hungary the winds will take it?
Its brother stays. It spots a family of mallards. The chicks look like easy pickings.
The eagles technique still needs working on. All the same the mother duck still has to keep watchful eye on her brood. Next time, the outcome could be very different.
[bird croaking] The foggy breeze is the first forerunner of autumn. [stag roars] The flood goes again as quickly as it came. [stag roaring] The time has come for the red deer to rut.
[stag roaring] In the reeds, a golden jackal is startled by the bull's bellowing. A sandy beach in the Gemenc forest is the perfect place for combat. A young bull challenges the lead stag.
The hinds meanwhile begin a rarely seen ritual. Dancing red deer, filmed for the first time. The fisherman is proud to continue the traditions of his ancestors.
It's been a good year, two floods helped keep the fish stocks healthy. The young catfish are seeking out places in which to shelter during the coming winter. 200km to the east, in the middle of the Great Plains, the corn harvest has begun.
Leftover seeds are picked up by cranes. The birds haven't nested in Hungary for a hundred years, but they still stop here on their way from Northern Europe to Africa. For the chicks, there's always something to play with.
The herdsman shares his lonely territory with the noisy guests for several weeks. On an autumn day, there can be up to 100,000 cranes on the Puszta. [cranes cawing] [cranes cawing] The cranes stay until the first snows of winter.
Every evening, they settle by large artificial lakes. In autumn, the big fishing lakes are emptied of water and fish. The perfect place for cranes to spend the night safely.
A young eagle passes by, possibly the one from the floodplain forest. It's spotted something. A dead crane wing might make an interesting meal.
But then again, maybe not. For birds like this young white-tailed eagle, the shallow lakes of the Puszta offer a rich supply of food, even in autumn. Many young eagles gather on the Puszta for the winter.
After leaving the nest, they usually roam around for five years before choosing their own territory. [cranes cawing] Dead fish is easy prey. The problem is getting your bill clean afterwards.
[birds cawing] The artificial lakes show how well wildlife and human activity can co-exist in Hungary. Soon, winter returns to the alluvial forests. The first sleet shows that the season is just flexing its muscles.
It looks as though the thin ice has broken under the weight of a young deer. A convenient lunch for the old eagles. One of the chicks may have flown off to the Puszta, but the other is still hanging around.
The adult male tries to chase it away. But it's the chick that scares its father off. [eagle calls] Quickly the adult calls for help.
[eagle calling] The female makes it clear, this is their territory and even their own chick has to leave. The youngster understands, it's time to go. The bond between the old couple is very strong.
As usual in wintertime, they will court and strengthen their alliance with the aim of raising chicks again next year in their nest in the floodplain forest. For the young otter, too, a good year comes to an end. It has developed well and will soon start a family.
There is still much of its watery empire left. The prospects are good that the floodplain forests of Hungary will be home to otters and eagles for centuries to come.
