Spectacles filmed for new BBC One wildlife series Wild Isles can be witnessed first-hand by the public.

The five-part nature documentary series will see Sir David Attenborough celebrate the wonders of the islands around the UK, revealing surprising and dramatic habitats that exist right on our doorstep. 

Wild Isles begins on BBC One this Sunday, March 12 at 7pm. 

Billed as the most ambitious and epic documentary series about wildlife on our doorstep, it features scenes of orcas stalking seals in kelp channels, bluefin tuna chasing baitballs and 15cm-long leeches hunting toadlets.

Series producer Alistair Fothergill said: “There are lots of big spectacles in our country that people don’t know about.

“We have extraordinary slugs with penises the length of their own body, and an amazing bee that lays its eggs in a snail shell and makes a wigwam from twigs to protect it.”

Sir David, in the opening scene of the series, said: "In my long life, I’ve been lucky enough to travel to almost every part of the globe and gaze upon some of its most beautiful and dramatic sights.

“But I can assure you that nature in these islands – if you know where to look – can be just as dramatic and spectacular as anything that I’ve seen elsewhere.”

This series is a rare outing for the 96-year-old veteran wildlife presenter, who’s made the decision to stop travelling.

Where to spot the wildlife featured in Wild Isles

Orcas in the Shetlands

Regarded as one of the best places in the British Isles to spot wildlife, the Shetlands – an archipelago lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands and Norway – is annually visited by killer whales.

Join a cruise to track their movements and perhaps even catch them hunting seals.

How: A nine-night Northern Isles cruise can cost around £2,880pp, excluding flights. It Departs June 30 from Inverness, or July 10 from Shetland.

Seals in the Scilly Isles

The uninhabited Eastern Isles have some of the most active populations of Atlantic grey seals, along with a variety of seabirds.

As part of a tailormade five-day Isles of Scilly Discovery trip, Wexas can arrange short half-day cruises, operated locally, to access hidden coves and unspoilt coastlines.

Chelmsford Weekly News: Seals can be seen in the uninhabited Eastern IslesSeals can be seen in the uninhabited Eastern Isles (Image: PA)

How: From £865pp, Wexas offers B&B accommodation and ferry travel from Penzance.

Red squirrels in Scotland

Like something straight out of a Disney movie, our native red squirrels are endearingly cute.

While numbers have dropped significantly in many parts of the country, there’s still a healthy population in Scotland.

See them at Abernethy National Nature Reserve as part of the small group Wildlife Of The Scottish Highlands & Coast tour with Gane and Marshall.

How: Gane and Marshall offers six-night escorted tours from £1,995pp, including full-board accommodation and transport to and from Inverness. Various departures from April 29.

Red deer in Killarney National Park, Ireland

Fiery by both name and nature, red deer have a temper during rutting season.

Stags can be seen battling from late September until early November in Killarney National Park in County Kerry, where Ireland’s last surviving indigenous herd has resided since Neolithic times.

Beyond the fierce battles, however, the scenery is even more dramatic.

The Emerald Isle’s oldest protected wilderness features several walking trails winding through lakes, glens, waterfalls, and forests, against a mountain backdrop.

How: Macs Adventure offers a five-day Kerry Way short break from £455pp, including B&B accommodation, baggage transfers and GPS navigation map. Transport to and from the start point is extra.

Red knots at Snettisham, Norfolk

Chelmsford Weekly News: Around 100,000 knots gather on the mudflats at The Wash in Norfolk each summer and autumn.Around 100,000 knots gather on the mudflats at The Wash in Norfolk each summer and autumn. (Image: PA)

Every summer and autumn, 100,000 knots gather on the mudflats at The Wash in Norfolk.

Spring tides send them skyward, where they create patterns similar to the murmurations performed by starlings.

Wildlife photographer Paul Goldstein arranges short weekend breaks timed to coincide with the phenomenon, with accommodation in a family-run riverside farmhouse.

How: Exodus offers three days half-board from £579pp, own car required. Various departures in October.