Nature newbies

Brits are well into their birds - or so people say. Is there much truth behind the welly-wearing, bino-carrying, twitching stereotypes of the British? Listen in to find out...   Financial Times article: https://www.ft.com/content/51f9520b-2677-4c2e-aa45-fa16cc6bf3b2

This week I head out on a field trip to RSPB Snettisham to see the 'spectacle' and find out just what all the fuss is about. I l found that even at 6am car parks can be rammed, that I should probably invest in some long johns, and that the spectacle really is worth it.    Recordings: Male shelduck: Stein Ø. Nilsen, XC655359. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/655359. Female shelduck: Bernard BOUSQUET, XC631132. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/631132. Oystercatcher: Patrik Åberg, XC27054. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/27054 Knot: Mats Olsson, XC591742. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/591742

They're big, furry, with some smelly glands and bright orange teeth - they're beavers! And after going extinct in the UK 400 years ago, they're making a comeback. But some people are not on board. Why? Here I explore some of the pros and cons of the return of the beaver - jump on in for tree felling, forest fires, and some dam fine stats... Defra consultation: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/natural-environment-policy/beaver-reintroduction-and-management/consultation/intro/    Guardian article: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/aug/08/dam-it-how-beavers-save-britain-from-flooding  Sound file: https://www.nps.gov/media/video/view.htm%3Fid%3DF562D9EB-1DD8-B71C-071FF83752162E07 

I keep seeing articles about the rise of insects as food, and how people are putting them into everything from salads to energy drinks. But is that just a fad? And where are people eating insects now? In this episode I dive into the squirming, wriggling world of edible insects and see what I can find out.    Main sources: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/eating-bugs-cultural-cuisine https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/nbu.12291 https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/03/31/2202289/0/en/Edible-Insects-Market-Worth-4-63-billion-by-2027-Exclusive-Report-by-Meticulous-Research-Covering-Emerging-Growth-Factors-Latest-Trends-and-Forecasts-and-Pre-and-Post-COVID-19-Esti.html  Wren recording - Patrik Åberg, XC27114. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/27114

Why do pond plants not rot, even though they spend their lives submerged in water? I dive into some good old high school biology and find some fun plant facts on the way in my quest to find the answer...!   Book reference: Sandra Lawrence, Witch's Garden - Plants in Folklore, Magic and Traditional Medicine

Why are there always tons of snails and slugs around when it's rainy? Find out with me in this episode which covers the wide world of molluscs (watch out for those teeth!), and nature wows covering farming ants and goldfinch paintings.    Resource: Spirals in time: The secret life and curious afterlife of seashells, by Helen Scales. 

The sky has been full of screaming swifts for months. Where did they go? Find out about the heady heights and swirling sights of swifts in this episode about one of the UK's most spectacular migrating birds.    For info on how to help swifts:  https://swift-conservation.org/ https://actionforswifts.blogspot.com/    Main resource: Sarah Gibson's 'Swifts and Us'   Swift calls: Uku Paal, XC664459. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/664459.

Jellyfish can sting, yes, but are they intentionally trying to hurt us? Here I dive into their gelatinous world - how they swim, breathe, and scare the bejesus out of beachgoers. Resources: Smithsonian's video of jellyfish tentacles: https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/invertebrates/how-do-jellyfish-sting NPR's 'Japan battles jellyfish invasion' episode

Mosquitoes don't have the best rep - but is there anything good about them that we're overlooking? Join me as I scour through some of the research and uncover the wide world of these blood-sucking BBQ-ruiners...  Resources: 'A bug's death' - Op-ed from The New York Times  Have mosquitoes killed half the world? - BBC's More or Less

Tit. Shag. Booby. Some birds have names that sound a bit... comical. But where do these names come from? Prepare for a dive into English language and history as we get to the bottom of just where these tits came from.  Reference: Oxford English Dictionary, and Stephen Moss' wonderful book "Mrs Moreau's Warbler"

Wild mushrooms have a bit of a bed rep - but how dangerous actually is it to go foraging? This episodes explores the underground lives of fungi, how deadly they can be, and why they might just be the unsung heroes of our society.  My main sources were Merlin Sheldrake's Entangled Life and the Wildlife Trust's website. I highly recommend them both!

Spiders' webs are some of the most beautiful examples of natural architecture - but what are those building blocks made of? I explored what makes up those little strands, and along the way I found out about bird-eating spiders, the inspiration behind Spider Man, and why spiders are some of the unsung heroes of the natural world.  Much of this research came from National Geographic and the Natural History Museum who have fantastic resources if you wish to find out more. 

Cuckoos lay their eggs in other birds' nests - but why do those other birds raise them? I take a look at some of the tricks and deceits that the cuckoo employs in their sneaky reproduction strategy, and at how the hosts attempt to fight back.  These are some of the resources I drew upon in my research: The UK Wildlife Podcast interview with Professor Nick Davies 'Mrs Moreau's Warbler' by Stephen Moss 'All the Birds of the Air' by Frances Greenoak

Frogs and toads are incredible - they breathe underwater, migrate in their hundreds of thousands, and have inspired cultural tales. But do they lay eggs? Join me to find out in a dive into the world of amphibians, spawn, and pimple-erupting toads. 

Are bees really running the show when it comes to pollination? And why is pollination so important anyway? Jump on in to hear the buzz...   Some resources listed in the show for further information:  Vanessa Amaral-Rogers' book - Love Bees: A family guide to help keep bees buzzing Adrian Thomas' book - RSPB Gardening for Wildlife Buglife

Ever wondered why there are so many pigeons? Here we take a look at some of the reasons why, from their eating habits to their sloppy nest-building to how they helped build empires.