Ian Salisbury: I have an average sized garden which I want to use to attract as much wildlife as possible. I live in the middle of the town of Flint. What do you recommend that I plant to achieve my aim ?

Iolo Williams: I would try and plant as many native species as possible like Ivy. Ivy is very good because berries come out in the winter and winter food is important for the birds and provides shelter for them to breed and again in winter... it'll be worth planting Rowan or Mountain Ash which provide berries in autumn and winter. A blackthorn hedge is good because of the berries and the thorns provide protection for nesting birds. Even a few exotic species like Cotoneaster and even the hated leylandii are very good for all kinds of wildlife. The other thing to do is to provide a pond and avoid using slug pellets.

Jim Clarkson: Do you think there are Great White's off the Welsh coast ? I know there have been sightings in Scotland.....

Iolo Williams: Great white sharks wander all over the world but tend to keep to the warmer waters. However, one or two have been seen off the Cornish coast -- quite far off the Cornish coast but as yet, thankfully, not off the Welsh coasts.

David Jones: Iolo - absolutely brilliant series - will there be another?

Iolo Williams: We're working on a few ideas at the moment and hope to have another series out early next year. I'm pleased you enjoyed it!

Tim: Iolo, first of all congrats on a great series, so watchable. My question is what magnification binoculars do you recommend for bird watching?

Iolo Williams: By far the best magnification is 8x32 up to 10x50. I use 8x32 because they're lighter. Thanks for watching - I'm glad you enjoy the series!

Howard James: As a police officer, I have a keen interest in Wildlife Crime, I know with the RSPB you played a part in the legal side of things...do you feel enough is done by agencies like the police, rspca, rspb and voluntary groups in Wales to tackle the problem? Is there an umberella organisation to pull the agencies together?

Iolo Williams: These days, I think the police and other organisations are working very closely together and there is a partnership called PAW - Partnership Against Wildlife Crime and involves the police, RSPB, customs and other organisations. Having worked very closely with the police for many years, I think we're often let down by the court who give very small fines for serious wildlife crimes.

Michael Hickling: Over winter we have had siskins on our bird feeders (peanuts & sunflower hearts). Today we found a male siskin on the ground by the feedrers, He seems ditressed - panting - and is unable to fly up to the feeder. He has been there all afternoon and unwilling to fly away from us. Tonight we have put him in a box for protection from polecats, etc., with water and seed. Is there anything else we can do?

Iolo Williams: If he's in the same condition in the morning it'd be worth taking him down to the vet. Check to make sure that the peanuts aren't infected, because that often kills a lot of birds.You're better off buying your peanuts from an approved outlet which has a Trading Standards stamp on its produce. Hope it gets better!

Joanne Ralph: I am a teacheer at Cymer Afan Comprehensive School. We have set up a fledgeling bird watching club. I am a complete novice. what advice can you give me. (and is it possible for you to send us any information or visit us Thanks)

Iolo Williams: Well done for setting up the group! Please get in touch with the RSPB in Cardiff, as they can send you all kinds of posters, leaflets etc. Another good idea would be to take the children on a field trip to a local reserve but by far the best way to learn is just to watch them and learn, with a bird book in your hand. If I'm passing by, I'll definitely call by! I hope there'll be a cup of tea waiting for me!

Gemma Griffiths: I'm doing a Biology degree at Cardiff Uni and am going on a field trip to Skokholm Island in June. Do you have an idea for an interesting project I could undertake?

Iolo Williams: Contact the Wildlife Trust for West Wales at Haverfordwest as they run the island. I'm sure they'll have a lot of interesting projects on Manx Shearwaters, Storm Petrels, and other sea birds. Good luck with this!

David Jones: A long time ago there used to be mountain hares in Wales have these all disappeared now?

Iolo Williams: Yes, they have. And actually there were attempts to reintroduce them to North Wales early in the last century. But it eventually failed. It's a shame as they're stunning animals.

John Pope: What are your views on the possibility of large cats living in the forests of wales.As a forestry worker of 12 years I have never seen one myself but would not like to dismiss the possibility given the extent of our forested areas and the abundance of stories.

Iolo Williams: I'm sure there have been large cats in Wales that were freed after the Dangerous Animal Act came in some twenty years ago. These days, I suspect quite a few people are seeing dogs, cats, and other wildlife but some of our forests are large enough to hold a puma or a panther without anyone seeing it for months at a time.

Paul Phillips: Hi Iolo Ilive on the Gower and I have found lots of stripped fir cones, are therE red squirrels on the Gower?

Iolo Williams: Unfortunately, Red Squirrels disappeared from the Gower some 30 years ago. Your stripcones will be from Grey Squirrels. The only two reliable places to find red squirrels in Wales these days are Pentraeth Forest on Anglesey and Clocaenog Forest near Ruthin.

Gemma Griffiths: How did you make the transition from RSPB officer to a career in television?

Iolo Williams: I worked for the RSPB for 15 years on species like red kites, black grouse and peregrins and therefore had to deal with the media constantly. I disagreed with the policy of closing the mid-Wales RSPB office therefore I knew it was time for me to move on and the opportunity arose for me to work in the media. I still maintain links with the RSPB and other conservation organisations and find time to get out to study hen harriers, honey buzzards, ring ouzels and other birds.

Dai Evans: Do you think the ban on fox hunting will affect the balance of nature in the countryisde? Was this decision taken with the interests of the countryside at heart?

Iolo Williams: I think the main way it'll affect the countryside is that we'll see an increase in illegal poisoning. This not only kills foxes and crows, but also scavenging birds like buzzards and red kites. It's a big worry.....

Howard James: Why is it that even the most up-to-date books, do not show that Wales has a Goshawk population.....yet we all know they are everywhere!......Your programme on S4C last week gave estimates of the figures in the UK. Is there some conspiracy going on?

Iolo Williams: You're quite right that none of the books show a healthy goshawk population in Wales. The truth is that we now have somewhere in the order of 350 pairs. So whenever you're near a woodland in the early morning, keep your eyes open!

Joe Lewis: The episode on Red Kites was great. Do you think they will survive and grow in numbers?

Iolo Williams: Red Kite has been a huge success story for Wales. I've no doubt at all that now we're past the 250 pairs mark, they will continue to increase and expand to all parts of Wales. It's great to have a success story when so much of our other wildlife is disappearing.

David Jones: Can you tell me if Shads still survive in welsh costal waters?

Iolo Williams: Two years ago, there was a series poisoning incident on the Dee. Obviously this had a devastating effect on the wildlife of the river, but one thing it did show was that Shad still occurred in the estuary. Therefore they do still survive, but they are extremely rare, and almost impossible to survey.

Joe Lewis: Is global warming affecting hibernating animals?

Iolo Williams: Last winter, we had intended to film doormice. But at a time when they would usually have been hibernating, the animals were still active. Undoubtedly, global warming will have a detrimental effect on species like doormice and bats which have to hibernate to avoid periods of food shortage over the winter.

Malcolm: There were a pair of gooseanders on the Taff near Blackweir. Is this a rare sighting this close to Cardiff. I also have seen a family of Little Grebes further down river.

Iolo Williams: Cardiff is a fantastic place to watch wildlife not least because the river Taff runs right through the middle of it. 100 years ago, it would have been a filthy river with no wildlife. Today, it's clean, with salmon, gooseanders, dippers, grey wagtails, otters and a whole host of other wildlife on it. It's great news that you've seen a pair of gooseanders on the weir, let's hope they breed successfully.

Gemma Griffiths: Approximately how many dormice are left in Wales?

Iolo Williams: It's interesting with doormice because over the past 10 years, people have started looking for them. It would appear that the more they look, the more they find. But it is a predominantly a lowland and eastland species in Wales. As for exact numbers, I haven't got a clue!

Tim: Iolo, where do you recommend the best place for bird watching in South Wales please?

Iolo Williams: Hotspots for bird watching in South Wales, going from West to East are Skomer Island in Pembrokeshire (in the summer!) The Loughor estuary - particularly in winter, Penclacwydd near Llanelli all the year round , Cosmoston Pools, near Cardiff, in summer and the new Gwent Levels Reserve near Newport, all year round but your local garden or park is as good a place as anywhere. Especially now that many of the birds are starting to feed and nest.

Joe Lewis: Were you surprised how big the crayfish was in tonight's episode?

Iolo Williams: Yes, it was surprising to find such a large crayfish in such a small stream. It was interesting that the species we looked at only had one claw following a fight but the other claw was starting to grow back.

John Pope: How are the after effects of the FMD crises showing through in welsh wildlife has there been a posiive effect do you think?

Iolo Williams: In the short term, the removal of sheep suddenly benefitted a whole range of wildlife
including some rare plants in Snowdonia, and birds like skylarks and curlew in the worst hit areas like the Brecon Beacons a and Montgomeryshire. Now, however, most of the sheep are back on the land, and it appears that nothing's changed. I hope that in the long term, we realise the effects that over-grazing is having on our wildlife and that we can take more sheep off the hills.

Gareth Jenkins: After the Birdman episode with Choughs on Gower I have been regularly visiting the cliffs to watch the spectacular birds. How is the Gower population faring now?

Iolo Williams: When we filmed Birdman, it was only a year after two of the birds had been shot.
Fortunately, there are now 3 pairs nesting on the Gower, and it would appear that the population is increasing each year but incidentally, Gower also has breeding Dartford Warblers, so keep an eye out for these too!

Paul Phillips: I live on the Loughor estuary and can hear the waders song throuout the day and night however I find it difficult to atribute these songs to the birds, is there a website ore something where I can hear birdsong and be able to identify the birds?

Iolo Williams: If you contact the RSPB they should be able to give you all the information on websites
but it's also useful to buy CDs of bird songs so you can swot up on those whenever you go out!

Tim: Do you use Leica bins?

Iolo Williams: I use a 8x32 BN I find that optically, they're superb, but they're also light enough for me to carry over the moors!

Joe Lewis: I saw oystercatchers at Ogmore a few weeks ago. They seemed to be grazing on grass. What is their normal diet - apart from oysters?

Iolo Williams: Oystercatchers main diet is cockles, mussels and inverterbrates. The ones you saw would undoubtedly have been feeding on earthworms on a grassy field. They'll feed here when the tide is high and they're unable to get at the mudflats and sandbags.

David: Is the Polecat now found in every county in Wales?

Iolo Williams: When it was exterminated from Scotland and England the Polecat survived only in a few mid -Wales counties, it's now spread back into England and all over Wales. Recently one or two individuals have been killed on roads on Anglesey so yes, now it's found in every Welsh county.

Gerwyn Thomas: What do you think the impact on wild life will be when more of our canals are opened up and cleaned ?

Iolo Williams: Many of our canals and vitally important habitats for wildlife from common species like moorhens and mallards
IOLO WILLIAMS to rarieties like the water vole and otter. If these are opened up, there is no doubt that it will have a serious effect on wildlife in some areas where other water bodies have been lost.

Fluff :What effect does the Gulf Stream have on welsh wildlife and does it really make much difference ?

Iolo Williams: The Gulfstream is vitally important to all of us in Wales otherwise our climate would be akin to that of Northern Canada. Therefore it goes without saying that it is vitally important for our wildlife and particularly our seabirds.

Evvsy: Did you un earth any amazing creatures during the making of the series?

Iolo Williams: Probably the most amazing creature we found was the long-bodied water scorpion you saw at the beginning of tonight's episode. I'd never actually seen one before until we went pond-dipping and hey presto, there it was. It was an amazing beast, about 5 cm long and feeds mainly on tadpoles and other inverterbrates.

Lewis: A Heron flies past my house most days, and it is always being mobbed by Seagulls. Are they likely to do it damage, and why are they threatened by it?

Iolo Williams: It's unlikely that the Seagulls will damage the Heron. They're mobbing it because the Heron would damage and kill seabird chicks. This is why birds like Crows, Thrushes and Gulls mob Buzzards, Ravens and other birds of prey.

Howard James: Where is the best place to see Nightjars in Wales, I know forest enterprise have been working with RSPB, and that there are many pairs now in wales, any hints for best times and places to see them?

Iolo Williams: Your best time is late-evening - on a warm still evening in late June and the best place is any large clear fell conifer forest in upland Wales.

Paul Phillips: Are Otters are they becoming more coastal as in Scotland ?

Iolo Williams: There is some evidence to show that Otters are starting to become coastal but at the moment, the main increase is inland. Today they're found on most Welsh rivers and sightings even in the middle of towns are becoming more common. It's also worrying that more and more are being killed on our roads. I suspect that they will never become a common coastal animal like in Scotland because of the number of people visiting our beaches.

Dusty: I'm sure I've seen a Sea Otter in Pembrokeshire but my friends laugh at me and tell me this isn't possible - is it ?

Iolo Williams: ha ha ha ha! There are no sea otters in the UK - this would probably have been a European otter, but it's still a very scarce record to find it in the sea.

David: On a visit to Skomer is it a realistic proposition to see a Skomer Vole?

Iolo Williams: No, they're extremely difficult to see as they are mainly nocturnal and feed on the bracken.
I visited Skomer Is. about a dozen times, and I've only ever seen dead ones in a Short-Eared Owl's nest.

Gareth Jenkins: You are a keen rugby man, being from North Wales, do you follow any of the South Wales clubs, or just the national team?

Iolo Williams: Yes, I'm a mad keen rugby player. I follow all the Welsh teams when they play in Europe s and I used to be proud to say I followed the national team. However... Actually, I'm mid-Walian, not North-Walian!

Michael Hickling: What is the difference between the BTO & the RSPB? We have been told that the RSPB is very "political".

Iolo Williams: The RSPB has over 1000 staff in the UK with over 30 of these in Wales. They tend to use professional ornithologists whereas the BTO, which has only one full-time staff member in Wales use volunteers to undertake survey work.
Both work in very close unison, and the BTO often provides information for the RSPB to use.

Jessica T: What are your thoughts on the Cardiff Bay developement and the loss of such important mud flats for birds?

Iolo Williams: The construction of a barrage across Cardiff Bay was a national disgrace. Especially as the whole area was a site of special scientific interest. The new Gwent Level Reserve designed to compensate for the loss of the Bay, is actually attracting different species of birds. You can never compenstate for the loss of an estuary.

Gemma Griffiths: Can you suggest anywhere that's good for pond-dipping in Mid Wales?

Iolo Williams: Contact your local wildlife trust as they have reserves with ponds specifically designed for pond-dipping.

Seal lover: What can be done to protect our wildlife from oil spills ?

Iolo Williams: We need to keep oil tankers well away from sensitive areas of the Welsh coast and all should be double-hulled so that disasters like the Sea Empress never happen again.

Chas: I'm interested in joining the RSPB as an officer, what are the best steps and do I need Biology ' A' level ?

Iolo Williams: Most people working for the RSPB have three or four years experience and many have Biology A-Level or even a Biology degree. Your best bet is to volunteer on your local reserve and to take it from there.

Tim: How do birds cope with our winters? why don't all birds migrate to warmer parts ?

Iolo Williams: The birds that migrate to warmer parts are mainly insect-eating birds which have to move to warmer climes because most of our insects become dormant in winter. The birds that stay are much more catholic in their choice of tastes. They will eat inverterbrates, berries etc. Don't forget that some birds actually migrate to Britain for the winter because our winters are very mild compared to Greenland, or Iceland.

Alun: Do you ever go fishing ? and do think fish feel pain ?

Iolo Williams: I used to do a lot of fishing as a lad. But now I don't mainly because I don't have the time. I imagine fish must feel some pain being caught on a hook. So it's difficult to argue against the case that fishing is a cruel sport. However, just how much pain fish feel is debatable.

Won G: Do land animals really like watersports e.g. surfing dogs, water skiing squirrels etc ?

Iolo Williams: No, I don't think they do enjoy watersports. These are things that man has taught them to do but I guess they wouldn't do it if they really didn't like it.

Gareth Jenkins: Is the Honey Buzzard population picking up now in Wales?

Iolo Williams: The Honey Buzzard is still extremely rare in Wales, with only 6-10 pairs Undoubtedly, some pairs go unnoticed and it's probably more widespread - although still very scarce. Keep your eyes open!

J Lewis: Why are Cormorants moving up the rivers from the coast?

Iolo Williams: The Cormorants that come in land in winter are continental birds.Our resident cormorants tend to stay on the coast. Recently these continental birds have started to nest inland in parts of central England and it may be that they will nest inland of Wales in the near future - much to the disgust of fishermen!

Bobby N: How can I get rid of moles chewing up my garden in a humane way ? I've tried leaving out sausages but it doesn't work?

Iolo Williams: I don't know of any humane way to get rid of moles from gardens. All the methods I've heard of involve the killing of the animals whether it's trapping or poisoning. Sorry!

D.Dowling: Did you see the lioness in Africa which adopted a baby deer ? Why did it do this and have you come across similar examples over here ?

Iolo Williams: As far as I know, this is unique. It's a fascinating phenomenon and one for which no-one has any explanaition unless the lioness had lost a cub of her own. I have known an incident whereby wild ducklings have been adopted by chickens but nothing like this before!

Neil Andrews: My grandad is from Scotland and claims that seals are attracted to singing and will come in close to the shore to investigate? Any truth in this?

Iolo Williams: This is actually quite true. Seals are inquisitive creatures and can be attracted by singing or making funny noises.
Other animals which do this include weasels and stoats which gamekeepers used to attract in the olden days by imitating squealing rabbits.