Podcasts about british trust

It’s time for another trip around the solar system on the BIGGER and BETTER Science Weekly! In this episode of the Fun Kids Science Weekly, we answer YOUR questions, have scientists battle it out to determine which science is the best, and this week we're learning all about the power of neurosurgery! Dan kicks off with the latest science news, starting with some hopeful news for one of the world's most endangered species. Next, as David Attenborough celebrates his 99th birthday, we take a look at one of the most important films of his legendary career. And finally, Jon Carter from the British Trust for Ornithology explains how the warm spring will bring exotic birds across the English Channel. Then, we answer your questions! Jess wants to know: Why babies are born with more bones than adults? And Dr. Thomas Woolley from Cardiff University answers Ziholi's question: How many milliseconds are there in 1000 centuries? In Dangerous Dan, we learn all about the Fennec Fox. In Battle of the Sciences, paediatric neurosurgeon Professor Ian Kamily from the Royal College of Surgeons of England explores the incredible workings of the brain — and why it’s one of the most important organs in the human body What do we learn about? · Good news for one of the world's rarest species · The arrival of exotic birds to the UK· Why babies have more bones than adults?· How many milliseconds are in 1000 centuries?· And in Battle of the Sciences, the importance of the brain! All on this week's episode of Science Weekly!Join Fun Kids Podcasts+: https://funkidslive.com/plusSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Ajay Tegala discovers that chaffinches, a small songbird, have a different accent every 30 miles, he's intrigued.  However, under threat from disease these birds are dying out in urban areas, and their unique urban songs may be lost for ever. But all is not lost. There's a way to find out how this disease is spreading...by recording their song.      Follow Ajay and ecologist and UKYouth4Nature advocate Şeniz Mustafa as they search for this disappearing birdsong.  To send Joe a chaffinch recording:   Identify a chaffinch. You can use apps like Merlin to help you make sure it's the right bird.   Point your phone at the chaffinch. Be safe and don't do anything you wouldn't normally do!   Record for anywhere up to 5 minutes.   Send to joe.cooper@bto.org  Your recording will be added to the database!  [Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure.    Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more.    Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor.    www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/      Production:    Hosts: Ajay Tegala and Rosie Holdsworth    Producer: Marnie Woodmeade  Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez  Contributors:   Şeniz Mustafa  Joe Cooper   Ian Johnson     Discover more:    Find out more about chaffinches and the British Trust for Ornithology here: https://www.bto.org/understanding-birds/birdfacts/chaffinch 

In this week's episode of Activity Quest, Bex is off to HMS Belfast and we're chatting to Jon from the British Trust for Ornithology about herons and how to find them where you areJoin Fun Kids Podcasts+: https://funkidslive.com/plusSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1Long The Scottish Crannog Centre on the banks of Loch Tay is a bustling model Iron Age village, filled with various craftspeople to demonstrate ancient crafts and technologies. Mark went along to find out how the site has grown over the past few years, and how the construction of the crannog over the water is coming along.Jenny Graham follows the Postie's Path – a route once taken by “Big John MacKenzie”, a post runner in the early 19th century, which runs along Strathconon Glen in the West Highlands, finishing at Achnasheen. The route used to take several days for the postman to complete on foot, but Jenny has opted to trace the route – or what remains of it – on her bike.Helen Needham has been out and about in the early morning to catch the best of the spring dawn chorus. Joining her is Ian Broadbent, the North East of Scotland's specialist bird recorder from the British Trust for Ornithology.Passing through West Lothian, it is hard to miss the huge angular mounds dotted across the landscape. However, the history of these mounds, or bings – and the shale oil industry that created them – may be lesser known. Mark met up with Nicola Donaldson from the Shale Museum to find out more about the historic industry, and how it created these man made landmarks.The Torridon Mountain Rescue Team that has been operating in the West Highlands since 1972. Jenny Graham has herself been a member of the group for 10 years, and she met up with some of the other team members to find out about the history of the team, and how mountain rescue has changed in the past 50 years.The Inchindown Oil Tanks are a relic of WWII, located near Invergordon, and are the site of the world's longest echo. Phil Sime went along to the vast underground space, to experience this echo for himself.Mark has been along to the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, to have a look at their huge collection of pressed and preserved plants. The Herbarium is home to over three million species, and Mark meets up with Amy Porteous to find out how the collection is used.

Choosing the five bird species to save from the ecological end of days for this episode is Dawn Balmer. Dawn has worked at the British Trust for Ornithology since 1992, and her roles include fieldwork, organising ringing projects, BirdTrack Organiser, Coordinator for Bird Atlas 2007-11 and now Head of Surveys, overseeing long-term schemes and projects. She has been a keen birdwatcher from a very… Source

Adam chats with the team at Haikubox about bioacoustics and to Viola from the British Trust for Ornithology in this week's episode of everyone's favourite 'stuff to do' podcast, Activity Quest Join Fun Kids Podcasts+: https://funkidslive.com/plusSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Free Range egg producers say the Government's latest measures to combat bird flu don't go far enough. The Chief Vet says that from Sunday, poultry in a further five English counties, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Lancashire, must be brought inside, joining restrictions already imposed in Hull, East and North Yorkshire, York, Norfolk, Suffolk and Shropshire. Gatherings of poultry have also been banned in England, and enhanced biosecurity measures are already in force across the country, but Gary Ford from the British Free Range Egg Producers Association tells us they want a stronger response.The British Trust for Ornithology says there's been an increase in the number of wild birds infected with avian flu, and as many species have had a massive shock to their population, it's all about whether they can recover and how long it will take.All this week we are celebrating rural community champions and today our reporter Sarah Swadling takes us to the winding lanes of the Exe valley in Devon. There a Church of England minister rides her Highland pony to services, and to visit parishioners in their homes.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Adam explores Edinburgh Zoo, meeting incredible animals like Monty the python, baby hippo Haggis, and over 150 penguins! We find out what makes this zoo so special and its important role in conservation. Plus, Jon Carter from the British Trust for Ornithology joins us to talk about great spotted woodpeckers—how to find them and why they drum.Join Fun Kids Podcasts+: https://funkidslive.com/plusSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Dan chats with Indy from the RSPB about the upcoming Big Garden Birdwatch, the world’s largest garden wildlife survey. Discover how you can help track the UK’s bird population by spending just one hour counting birds in your garden or local green space! Meanwhile, Adam explores the charm of one of Britain’s most beloved birds—the robin. With its bright red chest and winter song, this iconic bird is full of surprises, as Rob from the British Trust for Ornithology reveals fascinating insights about their territorial behaviour and cheerful melodies. RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch British Trust for Ornithology Join Fun Kids Podcasts+: https://funkidslive.com/plusSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam visits Hoxton Street Monster Supplies, a one-of-a-kind store in London that caters to local monsters (and curious humans). We find out about the store’s fascinating history, its peculiar products, and the incredible connection it has to the creative writing charity, the Ministry of Stories. We go behind the Scenes at Ministry of Stories, a creative writing hub where young people unleash their imaginations. Laura from the Ministry shares how the charity inspires children through writing workshops and more—all supported by the monster shop’s cursed profits. Can you spot a Blue Tit? Winter may be here, but this colourful blue tit is brightening up the season! Jenny from the British Trust for Ornithology takes us into the world of this lively little bird, exploring how it stays warm and thrives during the colder months. Links: Hoxton Street Monster Supplies: hoxtonstreetmonstersupplies.com Ministry of Stories: ministryofstories.org British Trust for Ornithology: bto.org Join Fun Kids Podcasts+: https://funkidslive.com/plusSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An innovative project that uses birdsong as a key to unlocking the secrets of wildlife has been launched in a collaboration between the UK Agri-Tech Centre and Chirrup.ai. Chirrup.ai launched the groundbreaking technology to make nature monitoring simpler and cheaper, making it an affordable solution for measuring and managing biodiversity. The project, 'ChirrupNano', with funding from Innovate UK, uses birdsong to monitor wildlife previously unseen in nature reserves and back garden bird counts. The next-generation bio-recorder is slimline, self-locating, remotely deployed, and designed and built right here in the UK. It's delivered straight to the farm and can be deployed in sun and shade, in remote fields, and woodland - wherever it's needed. Chirrup's AI already recognises over 100 species from Great Britain and Ireland. It is already getting major retraining to recognise all the important species that the UK's pioneering non-governmental organisations have drawn to our attention, thanks to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), The Wildlife Trusts and the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT). The redesigned website app lets farms compare their species lists to others, to standard benchmarks, and even their past performance. This empowers them to make more informed decisions about sustainable practices, leading to a richer, healthier ecosystem - such as increased plant diversity, better soil, and fewer pests. Birds are ecological barometers; they're everywhere, super responsive to change and their presence tells a story about the thriving life in the places they occupy - from insects and plants to clean water and the general quality of the ecosystem. With farmland covering a huge 71% of the UK, it is the ideal testing ground for the next-generation Chirrup.ai and farmers are being asked to respond to changing government and food company policies on pro-wildlife production. The ChirrupNano project is about making it easy, fast, and affordable. One hundred farmers were invited to a farmland trial to help refine the next-generation Chirrup.ai, and will also contribute to the future of environmental monitoring in the UK. Hayley Gerry, Project Manager at the UK Agri-Tech Centre, said, "The expanse of knowledge we can gain about biodiversity in an area using the bioacoustics of bird song is extremely impressive. "To enable sustainable farming, we need to encourage multi-species habitats to enrich the areas, which in turn makes the farming of livestock and arable products sustainable," continued Gerry. "In order to do this we need to be able to measure the baseline of the current situation, and that is where this project comes in." Dr Stella Peace, Executive Director for Healthy Living and Agriculture at Innovate UK, said, "These innovations are crucial for safeguarding our natural environment. "By investing in these pioneering projects, we're helping businesses unlock innovations that make life better, ensuring that the UK leads the way in developing sustainable solutions that benefit both our economy and our communities," said Peace. Next steps The project will be put to the test in the spring of 2025 across the UK. An expert ornithologist and ecologists will analyse and validate the results whilst the UK Agri-Tech Centre will help us to link outcomes to agricultural practices. To share the findings. Chirrup.ai will host two exciting events at the end of the project. Chirrup.ai helps farmers and land managers understand their land better. By listening to birds and using smart AI technology, they create tools that track biodiversity, help farms meet environmental goals, and support sustainable agriculture. Their mission is to make it easier for farmers, land managers, food intermediaries, brand companies and retailers to measure, protect, and improve local ecosystems.

Rick wants to know why the Canada geese he's been observing, who are preparing to migrate for the winter, are honking so incessantly while flying in formation. Viola Ross-Smith from the British Trust for Ornithology was on hand to help James Tytko with the answer... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week Matt is very lucky to have a walk around the grounds at the British Trust of Ornathology HQ with their Media Manager, Jon Carter. Jon is a life-longer birder and a fellow punk, so they had plenty to chat about! The BTO is such an important organisation and so it was a real honour to hear about some of their important work on this walk – and how you can get involved too! Make sure to follow BTO on Instagram, X and Facebook. If you want to find out more about volunteering for BTO head to www.BTO.org Email your birding questions to info@rocknrollbirder.com or DM us on socials @RocknRollBirder. Thank you to this week's sponsors Greenfeathers and Eco Bird Food. Don't forget to use our code RNRB20 for 20% off bird food fromEco Bird Food. And RNRB15 for 15% off Green Feathers. Hosted by Matt SpracklenProduced by Sarah SpracklenMusic by David JosephFor Wren Productions Ltd. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you go up to Calderdale's rough pasture and moorland during the spring and early summer you might encounter a variety of breeding birds – small ones like meadow pipits and skylarks and larger ones like oyster-catchers, golden plover, snipe and lapwings. There is perhaps none more distinctive though, both in its look and sound than the curlew – a large, elegant, brown wader with a very long curved beak and a strange, some say ghostly, bubbling song. Whilst numbers across Britain are going down and down, here in the South Pennines, we still experience their arrival every spring and seem to be holding on to our breeding curlew population. In this episode Cathy recounts her lifelong love for this iconic bird and discusses her British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) survey work, sharing insights on local population levels and how we might conserve them. We also visit a nearby beauty spot (the Bridestones) and speak to local expert Andrew Cockcroft about a community-led initiative to buy the 114-acre site and restore its peat bog and acid grassland ecosystems for the benefit of wading birds as well as other wildlife, and people.

Ett frö är en förhoppning om det som en dag ska gro, men det rymmer också information om det som har varit. På så vis liknar de idéer från tidigare kulturer, reflekterar Johan Landgren. Lyssna på alla avsnitt i Sveriges Radio Play. ESSÄ: Detta är en text där skribenten reflekterar över ett ämne eller ett verk. Åsikter som uttrycks är skribentens egna.Vad är ett frö, egentligen? Jag sitter vid köksbordet. Runt omkring mig ligger små påsar och burkar utspridda. Vissa med vackra målningar av grönsaker, andra hemvikta med nästintill oläsliga tecken på. Någonstans mellan femtio och hundra sorter skulle jag gissa att det är. I antal utgör de tusentals fröer. Vart och ett av dem bär inom sig en förhoppning. Att det en dag ska gro. Slå rot. Växa till. Bli något mer. Man kanske kan kalla det ett slags tro?Samtidigt, utanför fönstret, flyger fåglar i skytteltrafik mellan äppelträdets grenar och matstationen. Entita, blåmes, talgoxe, bergfink. För dem är frön något ytterst substantiellt: mat. Överlevnad för dagen. Enligt den brittiska intresseföreningen för fåglar, British Trust for Ornithology, behöver en blåmes energi motsvarande 24 solrosfrön, en femtedel av dess vikt, varje dag. Fröna på bordet framför mig skulle alltså kunna göda en blåmesfamilj en hel vinter! Om blåmesarna kan tänka sig att byta till en mer varierad diet, vill säga. För just de här fröerna har jag dock andra planer.Sedan femton år tillbaka kommer en del av den energi jag stoppar i mig från min egen trädgård. Jag odlar, mestadels sådant som går att äta. Det gör att jag samlat på mig en del fröer genom åren. Dels köpta, dels skördade på plats, dels tillbytta. Under denna period har jag också, den hårda vägen, lärt mig att fröförvaring är en konst. Och att jag definitivt är en amatör.I den byrå i vardagsrummet där jag förvarar mina fröer, i vilken temperaturen över året växlar mellan 15 och 30 grader, förlorar de flesta fröer sin förmåga att gro inom en femårsperiod. Vissa tidigare än andra. Exempelvis kan man undra hur palsternackan har kunnat klara sig i konkurrensen när dess grobarhet sjunker rejält redan efter ett års lagring. Att den därtill, i likhet med de flesta rötter vi odlar här i norr, inte sätter frö förrän andra året gör den inte till den enklaste grönsak att kultivera på egen hand. Mycket lättare är det med andra, som till exempel pumpa och tomat. Vad gäller dessa kan man både äta och ha kakan kvar. Varje fruktkropp innehåller mängder av fröer som enkelt kan torkas och sparas för eget bruk.Några som länge fått äran för att förvara fröer på ett exemplariskt vis är de gamla egyptierna. Enligt historien, som arkeologen Gabriel Moshenka undersöker närmare i en artikel om fröhistoria och myten om mumievetet, lyckades forskare i mitten av 1800-talet odla vete från fröer hittade i Cheopspyramiden. Som Moshenka visar är tyvärr hela historien en myt, och en synnerligen långlivad sådan. Än idag används den i olika sammanhang som en symbol för livskraft och återuppståndelse. En lämplig grogrund för att, som Moshenka uttrycker det, svindla turister, trädgårdsmästare och bönder. Som så mycket annat säljer fröer bättre om de serveras med en riktigt bra historia. Tilläggas bör kanske att egyptiernas tanke med att placera frö i sina gravkammare knappast var att fröerna, tusentals år senare, skulle planteras av ett gäng bleka kolonisatörer hundratals mil norrut. Fröna var tänkta för livet på andra sidan, i vilket grobarheten torde förhålla sig till helt andra parametrar än våra.Ett mer naturvetenskapligt förhållningssätt till frökonservering hittar man hos ”Svalbard Global Seed Vault”, ett internationellt frösamarbete finansierat av norska staten och administrerat av Nordiskt genresurscentrum. Frövalvet, som ligger någon kilometer utanför Longyearbyn, invigdes 2008 och består av ett antal lagerrum som sprängts ut 120 meter in berggrunden. På grund av permafrosten har lokalerna närmast perfekta förhållanden: låg luftfuktighet och en konstant temperatur på –18 grader. Även utan tekniska hjälpmedel kan man där förvara en stor del av världens frösorter på ett sätt som gör att de kan övervintra i hundratals år. Till Frövalvet kan stater vända sig för att säkerställa att lokala frösorter inte förloras för alltid, i händelse av storskaliga naturkatastrofer eller långvariga krig. För några år sedan kunde man läsa i dagstidningarna att ett första sådant uttag av fröer gjorts, av Syrien, några år efter att den egna fröbanken hamnat mitt i stridslinjen.Liksom fröförvaring är en konst är fröodling det. Visst går det att plocka en kärna från ett äpple du just köpt och stoppa ned den i jorden. Den kommer troligen att gro, och om förutsättningarna är någorlunda gynnsamma, växa upp till ett äppelträd. Men med största sannolikhet kommer det inte ge samma sorts frukt som den du just ätit, då äppelblomman som fröet härstammar från pollinerats av pollen från blommor på andra äppelsorter med delvis andra genuppsättningar. Kanske blir det ändå ett gott äpple, och en helt ny sort är född.Jag sitter med mina fröer. Väger dem i handen, mäter dem mellan fingertopparna. Allt som göms i dem. Inte bara gener, utan också information om vad vart och ett av fröna varit med om. Jordmån, vattentillgång, temperatur är registrerad. På så sätt liknar fröna de idéer från tidigare kulturer, nedtecknade på papyrusblad och pergament, som vi ännu idag går tillbaka till. Hoprullade skrifter. Också för de flesta av dem är originalen sedan länge förlorade. Vi vet till exempel inte vad som inspirerade Hesiodos att i ”Verk och dagar”, på sjungande hexameter, nedteckna en lång rad instruktioner och förmaningar om konsten att odla. Eller vilka odlingsexperiment som föregick Columellas lexikon om romerskt jordbruk, ”De Re Rustica”. De manuskript som existerar idag är till största del traderade kopior av tidigare manuskript, vilka nedtecknats och sparats i bibliotek runt om i världen.Och även om det största av biblioteken, det i Alexandria, brann upp, och med det många oersättliga tankar och idéer, är det tack vare de bibliotekarier och skrivare som arbetade där, och på andra platser i det vidsträckta romerska riket, som ändå något finns kvar. Vi kanske inte vet exakt vad som ligger bakom Hesiodos och Columellas tankegods – men vi har det viktigaste kvar – idéerna. På samma sätt är det med äpplen och päron, palsternackor och pumpor. Vi kan inte med säkerhet veta deras ursprung, men vi kan ta ett bett av dem. Känna smaken och konsistensen. Låta dem fylla magsäcken. Sönderdelas och spridas i kroppen.Skicka därför, när du smälter maten, en tanke till alla dåtida, nutida och framtida fröarkivarier och bibliotekarier. Till Svalbard, som sägs vara säkrat även för de värsta klimatscenarierna. Och till biblioteken som i kulvertar runt om i världen, ofta djupt under jord, förvarar vårt tankegods till kommande generationer.Johan Landgren, poet och litteraturvetareLitteratur:Gabriel Moshenska: “Esoteric Egyptology, Seed Science and the Myth of Mummy Wheat”, Open Library of Humanities 3(1), 2017. https://doi.org/10.16995/olh.83Hesiodos: Theogonin samt Verk och dagar. Översättning Ingvar Björkeson. Natur och kultur, 2003.Columella: Tolv böcker om lantbruk: en tvåtusenårig romersk lantbrukslära (De re rustica). Översättning Sten Hedberg. Kungl. Skogs- och Lantbruksakademien, 2009.

Air Ambulance - campaigners threaten legal action over plans to close air ambulances bases in WalesWe visit a heronry in Carmarthenshire to hear how their fairing after the British Trust for Ornithology reveals the latest findings from its long-running Heronries Census. Mystery beans - volunteers at the Seed Library in the Hive Community Space in Llandrindod investigate a donation of some seeds. “Glenys' Runner Beans" have been passed down through a number of generations - but how old are they and how can they help local growers? The Snowdon beetle is believed to be down to the last thousand on the slopes of the mountain where it lives. But we hear about plans to help save it from possible extinction.

In the final episode of this season of "Inside the Writer's Head" Manuel Iris interviews renowned British poet and writer Fiona Sampson. They discuss Sampson's musical background informs her writing, how poetry challenges us to read in a different way, the secret coherence that often arises in poems, and more.Fiona Sampson is a leading British poet and writer. Published in thirty-eight languages, she has published twenty-nine books. National honors include an MBE for services to literature, the Newdigate and Cholmondeley prizes, numerous awards from the Arts Councils of England and of Wales, Society of Authors, Poetry Book Society and Arts and Humanities Research Council, and Book of the Year selections. She has been a finalist for the T.S. Eliot and Forward Prizes multiple times. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, of the British Trust for Literary Romanticism, of the English Association, and formerly of the Royal Society of Arts. Alongside international poetry prizes in the US, Bosnia, India, and North Macedonia, she recently received the 2019 Naim Frashëri Laureateship, the 2020 European Lyric Atlas Prize, and, for Come Down, Wales Poetry Book of the Year 2021.

Lucinda, Andy and Emily discuss the leading stories and trends from the voluntary sector in 2023.Lucinda delivers an against-the-clock round-up of the year's charity news before the three discuss their selected top stories. These include the closure announcements by Children England and Lankelly Chase - for very different reasons - and the success of the Big Help Out volunteering initiative.They share their nominations for the year's strangest stories, namely the ongoing Captain Tom Foundation saga; tweets from the British Trust for Ornithology falling foul of Twitter; and the logistical nightmare facing the small charity that receives funding from 35 different sources.Finally, they reflect on some recurring trends in the sector's news over the course of the year, from the appetite for and reception to campaigning by charities to the rise in instances of strike action and thoughts on flexible working measures.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.Read the transcript. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Scotland Outdoors podcast Mark finds out about a project called Light is a Right – How to Winter Well. Glasgow University researchers have been looking into different things that might help us cope with the long, dark winter days. They explain to Mark what's been involved in their research. Rachel is in Ayrshire meeting the Wednesday Weekday Volunteers who are always happy to roll their sleeves up and get to work at the Gailes Marsh Nature Reserve near Irvine. Wildlife photographer John Speirs shows Mark that you don't have to venture far away from the busy streets of Oban to spot some interesting bird and wildlife. Kayaker Nick Ray hit the headlines earlier this year when he completed his yearlong paddle around the coast of Scotland. Nick's appeared on Out of Doors quite a few times in the past to tell us about his kayaking adventures as well as his struggles with his mental health. Mark caught up with him on Mull, where he lives, to find out what he's been up to since he finished his challenge and what's on the cards for the future. A few weeks ago, a team of volunteers, including staff from the British Trust for Ornithology, headed up Schiehallion under the cover of darkness to try and ring ptarmigan. We're joined live by Anthony Wetherhill who was part of the team to tell us more about these elusive birds. In 2021, Alex Moran and Mike Coppock completed the first ever non-stop Island Munros Triathlon. Rachel met up with Alex to find out what was involved in the challenge and how long it took them to complete. Rachels meets the Wobbly Cyclist, Karen Cox, who has been able to once again enjoy cycling after getting an e-bike. She tells Rachel about the importance of e-bikes in making the outdoors accessible to those with mobility issues. And following on from the recent storms, Mark heads to the coast to investigate the strange phenomenon of sea foam.

Following last year's episode investigating the 2022 outbreak of avian flu among Scottish seabird colonies, Jackie returns to St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve in the wake of new cases being reported. Joined by ranger Ciaran Hatsell, Jackie learns how this year's cases have been identified and exactly how the disease is impacting kittiwakes at St Abb's Head and beyond. Listen in to find out how Ciaran and other NTS staff are helping in the fight against avian influenza, and discover more about what you can do to report dead seabirds. To find out more about St Abb's Head, visit www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/st-abbs-head To find out more about the Save Our Seabirds campaign, visit www.nts.org.uk/campaigns/seabirds If you see a dead or dying bird, do not approach or touch it. Instead, report it to the DEFRA helpline on 03459 33 55 77 and alert a member of National Trust for Scotland staff if possible. You can also report findings of sick or dead birds through the UK Government website (www.gov.uk/guidance/report-dead-wild-birds), and, if you recognise the species, via the British Trust for Ornithology (www.bto.org/our-science/projects/birdtrack). Keep dogs on leads whenever you're in an area where there is a chance of dead seabirds.

Richard talks on today's show with Jeremy Smith on why we should take data seriously. On the show Jez tells us why we need to think and ask more questions to help solve real life problems such as biodiversity loss.   Jez Smith Jez is a research ecologist for the British Trust for Ornithology using data analysis to help understand the trends in bird demography.  He is also one of the directors at Eco-Explore a company founded by ecologists who provide training in Data Analysis to consultant ecologists, NGO's, PhD students, conservation scientists and government departments.  His background has often involved data analysis in one way or another and also ecology and Jez has a passion for teaching and helping people identify where understanding data better can help them.     About Eco-Explore Eco-explore Community Interest Company is a scientific research and communication enterprise, established in 2010. A start-up grant from Caerphilly Borough Council, and close links with Cardiff University and the Wildlife Trusts of South and West Wales, have enabled us to diversify into a variety of roles: Guided walks and Wildlife Events; citizen-science, collecting biodiversity data and experiencing Wales' wonderful wildlife Overseas expeditions; making discoveries and aiding conservation Environmental consultancy; providing data and advice on a range of conservation issues Data analysis; teaching statistics, data analysis consultancy and publishing our own data analysis guidebook School, Undergraduate and graduate training; with Cardiff University – hosting school work experience placements, university Professional Training Year placements, and co-supervision of PhD projects Promoting local conservation; practical conservation, grant funding and campaigning Supporting conservation NGOs; Eco-explore is a not-for profit organization – revenue is used to support joint projects in collaboration with conservation NGOs, primarily with the Wildlife Trusts Wales and through the Welsh Wildlife Partnership scheme, helping to conserve Wales' wildlife for future generations.   Connect via: Twitter: @Ecoexplore Facebook: Eco-Explore Community Interest Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eco-explore-community-interest-company/    New courses in 2023: http://www.eco-explore.co.uk/statistics-training/   

I met the Yonder Oak Wood team back in March to discover how this landscape will be transformed for people and wildlife, and what designing a new wood involves. The vision is to attract plentiful wildlife with healthy habitat that offers refuge from weather extremes and fights climate change. The local community has been involved from the off - volunteer Sally Burton joins us to explain what she gets up to, how excited everyone is about the future and what volunteering means to her. We also hear of efforts to make the site more sustainable, from re-usable fences to tree guard trials, and I get my hands dirty planting a tree. Don't forget to rate us and subscribe! Learn more about the Woodland Trust at woodlandtrust.org.uk Transcript You are listening to Woodland Walks, a podcast for the Woodland Trust presented by Adam Shaw. We protect and plant trees for people, for wildlife. Adam: Well, today I'm off to, well, the wonderfully named Yonder Oak Wood. And although it's called a wood, it's not really a wood yet. This is a very exciting project, but it's in the very early stages of creation. It's near Exmouth in Devon. The Woodland Trust plans on planting, I think something like 13,000 trees there, creating a new environment for nature and wildlife to bounce back. Sounds a great place to go, I'm going to meet a few people there. First off, though, is my contact at the Woodland Trust today, Rachel Harries. Rachel: So this site is Yonder Oak Wood, it's not quite a wood yet, as you can see, but the Woodland Trust bought it in March last year with the aim of creating, creating a new wooded landscape here. So it's 54 hectares, we think it is the biggest woodland creation site that the Trust has done in the South West in in 20 years, so 54 hectares, that's equivalent to about 100 football pitches, and it sits on the sort of two sides of a hidden valley, just a couple of miles inland from the South Coast of Devon. So where we're stood, we can actually see out to the mouth of the Exe estuary, to Dawlish and and possibly to Torquay there as well. Adam: I I think you can just see the estuary over there can't you, just beyond that last bunch of trees is that right? Rachel: You absolutely can, yeah, you absolutely can. And actually the other day when I was here, I saw a white bird fly over that was an egret that was obviously based in the estuary, so really exciting. Adam: And why, now this site, I happen to know is, it it's quite important because of the anniversary and just explain to me, explain to me a little bit about that. Rachel: That's right. Last year was the 50th anniversary of the Woodland Trust and the first site that our founder Ken Watkins ever bought was in Devon. So it's really emblematic that we are now creating a new woodland, probably I think it's about 30 miles away as the crow flies from the Avon Valley Woods where we were started. But we're now creating a new woodland in the county of our birthplace, which is incredibly exciting, and we wanted to create something that would have meaning for local people and it would like, it would be tied into the local environment, so we did things like we looked at the name of the stream, we looked at old field names and we came up with a shortlist of names that we could then offer out to the local community and ask them which one, which one they wanted and what they wanted to call this new site. And one of the field names was Yonder Oak Park. And that's really quite special because as you look across the site, you can see all these incredible old oak trees over yonder, off in the distance. So I have to admit that was my favourite but we let the community choose and they voted for Yonder Oak Wood. Adam: Right well you're gonna take me on a little walk around here, so just explain to me a little bit about what we're gonna see. Rachel: OK. Well, we're starting here on a sloping field that has old oak trees dotted about the landscape. Some of these are a couple of hundred years old and there's one in particular which we can see just off in the distance, which is one of my, one of my favourites that is standing almost on on stilts. And the stilts are actually its roots that would have once been embedded in a Devon bank, which is a sort of a solid hedgerow that we find in Devon that has trees planted on the top and the hedgerow and the bank has been taken away. So the tree now kind of stands about a metre above the height that it would have once been. Adam: Which one, I can't tell which one that is? Rachel: So can you see there's two in that field over there, we'll walk past it so we can have another look at it. Adam: Yes, I see that, I see that. OK, maybe my eyesight's not very good. So and this goes, these are currently separate fields and there's what a field and then a hedgerow, another field, then another hedgerow, then the tree supposedly on stilts and beyond that what looks like a solar panel farm. So is this the, what will be the new woodland all the way up to the solar panels? Rachel: We've worked to design a mixture of of habitats here, so we have about 5 different fields where we're doing much more intensive planting and that's what people would kind of imagine that would grow into what people would imagine a woodland would look like, but then in some of these other fields, so the field that we're stood in and a couple of other fields that you can kind of see off in the distance there, we're going to do a mix of open space, glades and groves. We'll plant some more of these kind of trees that will be allowed to to thrive and to spread on their own, but we'll also plant a mixture of of scrub and shrubs, so that's more lower growing trees, things like blackthorn, hawthorn dogrose, spindle, just to create a really good mix of habitats for all the birds and insects and bats that we, you know, we know are going to thrive here. Adam: And you, you've arranged for us to meet a a couple of people, haven't you? Rachel: Yeah. So we're going to be walking around with Paul Allen, he's our site manager and we're going to meet Sally Burton, who is one of our volunteers here. Adam: The weather's been kind to us so far, but it is a little nippy so we shouldn't keep them waiting. So do you wanna lead on and we'll go meet them. Rachel: Yes, let's go. Adam: And I'm told there there was some sea shantying going on here, which strikes me as odd because we're not, we're not in the middle of the sea or anything. So what's the story behind that? Rachel: Well, we're not far from the sea. We can see, we can see the, we can see the sea here. But we were contacted by a a group of local acapella singers who were inspired by what we're doing here and had decided to take some modern folk songs and to rewrite them to to reference the wood. So they came out one weekend and they sang to our to all of our planters, but we also talked a little bit about sea shanties, which I like the idea of becoming tree shanties. So they took a traditional sea shanty and they changed the lyrics. So we now have a song all about Yonder Oak Wood that we could sing along to. Adam: Great. And that we're going to hear that now from from you. So here's Rachel with her tree shanty. Is that right? No? Rachel *laughs* I don't think so. Adam: Do you have a recording of it? Rachel: I we do have a recording of it actually, yes. Adam: You never know. I don't know. Maybe a couple of teas or beers later, I might persuade you to sing. Alright. Brilliant, Rachel. Thank you very much. Rachel: Thank you. That's great. So here's Paul. He's the site manager and he's going to take us on a little walk down through Yonder Oak Wood. Adam: Paul, thank you very much. Nice to see you. So you are the site manager. Paul: Hello there. I am. Yes, I'm responsible for turning these fields into a wild, wildlife rich area. Adam: OK. Well, go on. Let's lead on. We can have a chat about that. Brilliant. So yeah. So these are early days, Paul. I understand you you are responsible for designing the woodland. What does that actually involve? Paul: So really, I mean the the the first place you you start is is kind of kind of getting a sense of where the place is and what the place is and the the key bit here as we walk through it is you can see these big old oak trees and so we've based a lot of the design on that. So you can picture in the future lots more of these big old trees that will have lots of deadwood, lots of rot holes where birds can nest, and invertebrates burrow in. And the way we're kind of going to maintain it is we're we're going to put animals in and have low intensity grazing and then you kind of build in where the views are. Adam: I mean it must be really exciting because it can't be that often that you you get actually a green field or literally a greenfield site. But it's more or less bare. It's a plain piece of paper for you to design. That's quite, I mean, it's exciting, quite an honour, perhaps a little daunting? Paul: I've I've done probably 30 years of nature conservation and most of what you do is you take bits of habitat and you try and restore them, you try and protect them. You very rarely get a chance to actually create something brand spanking new. It is really phenomenally exciting for all of us, because if you think about it in the future, 100 years time, this place will be on maps. It will be on aerial photographs, you know so not only are we doing stuff that's great for wildlife and great for climate, we're effectively creating history as well, which is an awesome thing to be a part of. Adam: Yeah, so on the map it should say Yonder Oak Wood, brackets Paul Allen. *both laugh* Rachel's in the background going it's my wood, it's my wood. There might be a battle for the name. Paul: I'm I'm doing the design that says it from the sky it'll say Paul was here. *both laugh* Adam: Yes, yes very good, on Google Maps you can, you know, in 100 years time they'll go well how did those trees get planted in the shape of Paul? *laughs* So, OK, look, we're, we're, I've paused because we're at the we're at the top of the hill, almost. So what will happen around us? At the moment there are three or four trees in a line and not much else. So what will be here? Paul: So if you if you picture it in the future, what we'll have is we'll have a a, a a scattering of big old oak trees like we can see across the site and if you look over to our left, you can see an area that actually was the former quarry on the site. But if you look at it, you can see gorse that's currently in flower, even though we're in a freezing day at the beginning of March. And all of that is really good for wildlife. It's got lots of pollen and and nectar and lots of edge that birds and insects really like. And essentially what we're gonna get in the future is a combination of these big old oak trees and that lovely scrubby stuff that's great for wildlife. Adam: So here not too dense? Paul: Not too dense here no, not at all. Adam: So you get the view, you get a nice view and it's a mixed habitat. Paul: You, you, you, you get a view, it's it's very, we've we've constantly said we're creating a kind of a wooded landscape not a wood. Adam: Right. Well, we should carry on walking out, I have a tendency, just not to walk. I can see right over there some white poles which look like tree guards. Which does raise this issue I mean of how you're going to protect the trees because plastic tree guards have become quite controversial. Do you have a plan around that? Paul: Yeah, so we've got we've got, last year the the Woodland Trust decided that it would stop using the virgin plastic tree guards on its sites, which is actually a bit problematic because there aren't really any other types of tree guard that are commercially available at scale, so we're doing a combination of things here. The the main way is we're going to deer fence the site to stop the deer coming in and then we're also in some places we're trialling different types of tree tubes, so we're looking at one at the moment that bizarrely, has been made of sugar beet so it smells like golden syrup when you walk up to it, which is quite weird, and the ones you can see over there are actually recycled from another site. So we're, we're still, we're still using the tree guards that are effectively usable. Adam: Right. You talk about trying to protect the trees from deer. Which does raise the issue of other wildlife. I mean, clearly, we're gonna be hoping that wildlife get attracted into the area once this starts growing. At the moment though, have you have you seen much evidence of sort of new wildlife or any wildlife? Paul: It's still very early days yet. But we've seen lots of buzzards there's there's actually quite a lot of hornets nests in, in the existing oak trees. Adam: Is that a good thing? That sounds terrifying. Paul: *laughs* I I I personally I quite like it. Adam: You're pleased about that, OK. I think a lot of people always feel it takes generations and generations to plant trees. I know I have been at planting events where some young people have planted and said, oh, I think my children and my grandchildren might come to see this tree and then are surprised, actually, they come back to see their own tree and it grows quicker than they might expect. How quickly is this going to develop into anything recognisable as woodland? Paul: So I mean, with within 10 years, it will absolutely look like a woodland, although obviously still a young woodland and different tree species grow at different rates. So the silver birches and the rowans will actually be 6 foot high within two or three years potentially, whereas the the oak trees clearly will grow a lot slower. Adam: Wow, silver birch and rowan, 6 foot high in how long? Paul: Two or three years, if they if they take well. I mean it it it it varies depending on the soil type and all that sort of stuff, but they do grow very, very quickly. Adam: Blimey. And tell me a bit about how you got into all of this. I mean, I know you say you've been doing this a while. Paul: I started well I started off volunteering actually with the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers a long time ago, and I got known by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust and rather randomly, I was having a beer in a pub and they went, do you fancy a job, and I went, alright then. Adam: Very good. So you've learnt on the job about trees? Paul: I I reeducated a few, some time ago but yeah a lot of it was learned as I went along. Adam: I've been very insulting, you've you've probably got a PhD in trees or something. But I do like the idea of, I got my job from a pub, I think I think that's always, I remember a story, so I don't know if you remember a film critic called Barry Norman, he always used to say, I I remember him telling a story, there's a pub around the BBC called, I think it's the White, White Horse or something like that. And he went when he was unemployed, he used to sit there pretending he was writing scripts so that BBC producers would come in for a lunchtime beer, which they don't do anymore, but they used to and they would go, oh, Barry, yeah there's a job we have and he wasn't working at all, he was just trying to be in the pub around and that's how he got his work, so that's clearly not just media, it's it's the tree world as well. Paul: It's it's it's very much very very clearly, a lot harder now than it was, because at that point in time, I guess nature conservation really wasn't a career. Adam: Yeah. We've come across a locked fence, but Paul has a key, there we are. There we are. Into the next next field. Ah, right away. Here's a very different type of fence, and I presume this is to keep the deer out. So first of all, massive fence, is this to keep the deer out? Paul: This is to keep the deer out. Yes, absolutely. And what will happen where we're standing, the hedgerow will creep out into the fence and obviously the wood that we're planting inside will also start to hide the fence. So the fence over time will disappear apart from the gateways. Adam: So I mean, there's a good 7 odd foot here between the hedgerow and the fence. You're saying that that hedgerow will naturally grow another 7 foot? Paul: Yep. So what what what we've got in this hedgerow, actually it's it's it's quite specific to this area is we've got a lot of a lot of small leaved elm and we've also got a lot of blackthorn in it and both of those sucker. So as as we've taken the the the intensive farming off the land the the shrubs will just sucker out and gradually spread into the field. Adam: And look, and we're standing by the main gate and there's a huge tree trunk here, which is holding the post. And I can see the bark coming off. Now is that is that deer trying to get in there do you think? Paul: No, that that's actually that's just part of the process of actually creating the post. Adam: Ohh, that's just that's just me being an idiot. OK, I thought I was being a clever nature detective *laughs* Paul: I mean what one of the one of the key bits about this fence though, is that that the Woodland Trust is now focusing very heavily on sustainability with everything it does. The, the, the reduction in use of plastic is one of those key bits. But these are sweet chestnut posts, so they there's no chemical preservatives in them or anything like that, and they're kind of the the the main posts at the corners, if you like, of the fence. And then we're using a metal fence with metal posts and and the idea is that when the trees have grown up after 20 years and they're no longer a threat from the deer, we can take this and reuse it elsewhere, so we're constantly thinking about that sustainability stuff all the time. Adam: Right. So we're in this more protected field. Which I can see has been laid out actually. Is this for the planting scheme, little posts and sort of lines of rope? Paul: Yeah. So one of the issues with going plastic free is it becomes very difficult to actually see what you've planted. Because if you look at here it just still looks like a field but actually there's somewhere in the region of well around 2 to 3000 trees already in there. Adam: Oh gosh, I didn't realise that. So yes, with the plastic safe, plastic guards on a tree you see these white telescopes sticking up all over the field, so there's thousands of trees here, we just can't see them. Right and a a lot of that has been planted by volunteers? Paul: We've had somewhere in the region of 400-500 members of the public come over four days, so we've got a a set of volunteers who have who've have have they've been brilliant actually, they've come and they've helped kind of manage all the public and they've helped work with the schools, they've helped us set out where the trees are going, we couldn't have done it without them at all. And here is one of our volunteers now, here's Sally. Adam: Brilliant. Alright, well, let's go over and chat to Sally. So Sally. Sally Burton. Hello. So I've heard lots of lovely things about you. So just tell me you're a volunteer, which in this context means what? Sally: Hello. That's nice. All sorts of things. I've helped this in during February with the public planting days and with the school planting days, helped children dig holes, some of the children are too small to get the spade in the ground very easily. I've planted quite a lot of trees myself. Adam: And why why did you get involved? Sally: I'd been looking for a while to volunteer for an organisation that does things outdoors and something a bit physical and so when the Woodland Trust appeared in the village hall I just went up and said do you need volunteers and they said yes please so I signed up straight away. Adam: And I mean, what does it offer you? Why is it a fun thing to do? Sally: I enjoy working with the other people. The staff are great and the other volunteers have been great fun. In fact, I've reconnected with someone I knew a few years ago and she's been helping up here as well, so that's been great. I like being outside, I love being outdoors. I don't mind about the weather. I like doing physical things and it's it's great to see, to make a difference. Adam: So yeah, so what what sort of difference do you feel you're making then? Sally: Well contributing to turning this basically what looks like an empty field into a forest. That's really amazing. People have been very excited about it. Lots of local people came up and planted on the public open days. Everyone's looking forward to being able to come up here and experience it themselves and enjoy the trees and the views obviously the views across the estuary and out to sea are beautiful. And there are lots of birds already. It's a very beautiful place. Adam: And so how much of your time does it actually take up? Sally: Well, during February and the beginning of March, quite a lot, I've been coming up for days, getting here about 8:15 and going home about 4 o'clock. Adam: Right. So why is that, why is that the the busy period? Sally: Because that's when the tree planting has been going on. Adam: First time you've ever planted a tree? Sally: I've planted a couple on my allotment, but certainly the first time I've planted on such a scale. Adam: Right. Have you kept count, how many trees are you in? Sally: No. Well, on one of the public planting days, I'd finished registering people and I planted 25 I kept count of those and on Wednesday this week, a school was in and when they cleared off, I finished planting the trees in their little area. And I think there was about 30 there. I'm not sure I lost count after about 12. Adam: There should be scouts or sort of brownie badges, shouldn't there, I'm I'm 100 tree-er, you know. Very good. Fantastic. Well, look, thank you very much. I can't believe this is the the the the field in which you've planted. Sally: It is, you can't see many of the trees. Adam: I I can't see any of the trees, what do you mean many of them. Ohh a couple yes. Sally: Across there you can see some with leaves on those are sessile oaks which were planted a little while ago, and they show up. Adam: Any of those yours? Sally: Possibly *laughs* They show up because of the leaves. But over there, most of the area there is planted. Adam: OK, brilliant. You're talking about planting, Rachel has appeared over the hill. She's brandishing a erm Sally: A spade. Adam: A spade *laughs* I forgot the name. You can see how ill equipped I am to do this. I forgot the name of what she's, so I think she's tempting us to go plant so let's go off. Adam: *coughs* Sorry, I'm already having a heart attack from the idea of physical exercise, I haven't done anything yet. OK, so we we have a spade and this is a virgin bit of land, no, no trees planted yet? Sally: No trees in this section yet. Adam: So I get the honour of planting the first tree. Sally: The first one. Adam: So you're gonna talk me through this and I'm gonna. Sally: So the first job... Adam: Oh yes alright, I'm already jumping ahead of myself. Sally: The first job is to screef? To screef the area... Adam: What what is what is screefing? Sally: ...which is where you do this to kick away the grass with your shoe to make a square or an area to get rid of the grass, doesn't have to be too big, not much wider than the blade of the spade, put the spade in there, and then don't lift it yet come round that side and make a square on that side. Yeah, cut it down. Then on that side... Adam: I feel I've hit the... Sally: One of the pebbles. And then the final side and then you could probably lever out a lump of turf. Adam: Then I can lift it out. Sally: OK, here's a tree. And we need to make sure when it's in the hole, the soil covers up to just above the top of the the highest root. So if we test that, that's not deep enough, so need to go deeper. Adam: It's not deep enough. Overall, I'm not doing particularly well I have to say. Sally: Let's have a look. That's looking good there. Adam: You think that's all right? Sally: Yeah, that's OK. So the next job is to crumble the soil. Adam: With our hands? Sally: With our hands, back into the hole, loose bits first. Adam: They didn't say I was actually gonna get my hands dirty. Sally: *laughs* And then if you've got any clods that have got grass on them make sure they go in with the grass facing down. Adam: Ok do you know why? Sally: So that the grass will die and then it won't be in competition with the tree as the grass uses a lot of the water. Adam: It's a bit leaning a bit, isn't it? Sally: It is a bit, let's push some more soil in. Adam: You see, it's fine now, in 20 years time, someone will come and go, who the hell planted that tree, it's at 45 degrees! Sally: Then the last job is you stand up. Adam: Yeah, stand up. Sally: And use your heel to press the soil down to push out all the gaps so that it doesn't dry out if it's sunny. Adam: And how compact, we don't want to make it too compact. Sally: Quite firm, quite firm. Adam: Yeah? Do you know what I don't, I feel that's leaning, that's no good. Sally: Don't worry, it'll straighten itself up. And the final thing is you do the tug test. Where you just get hold of it and just pull it gently. And if it stays where it is, then it's planted properly. Adam: I name this tree, well and truly planted. Sally: Congratulations. Adam: Thank you very much. Very good. That's brilliant. Well, I have to say although me and Sally were planting, Rachel and Paul were looking were looking on. So Paul's still here, how did I do? Paul: Well, let me just check, shall I? Adam: *laughs* You're doing the tug test. Paul: It's it's been really fun actually with with, with the the the public when you come and kind of just check it, you can see them all hold their breath to make sure they're doing it right. Adam: And it comes out *laughs* Is it alright? Paul: No, it's grand. Absolutely brilliant. Dog rose it, it's a little bit crooked, but you know dog rose will naturally straighten itself up. Adam: Will it correct itself? Paul: Yeah and it's kind of you can already see it's a bit of a straggly thing and it'll do its thing and it'll be fine. Adam: Fantastic. What is your sense, really, of of what this might be in the future and how exciting is that for you? Paul: I think in the future, you know, we're we're we're we've got something here that at the very beginning that is gonna be hopefully really important for wildlife and that most of the design is about trying to get as much wildlife here as possible because we're close to the pebblebed heaths it will it will act as a little bit of a refuge in the heat as potentially the climate heats up in the future and that's all really brilliant. And then the other exciting bit is the fact that we've started from the beginning with people involved. That, that, that scenario, but when you look in the future, the you know the the trees that we're planting today are going to be like these big old oak trees in 3-4 hundred years time that when you get your head around it is really quite amazing. And these trees and this wood will be on maps in in the future, and you know, we're creating history, we're changing landscapes and it's all such a a positive thing to be involved in. Adam: That is amazing that in 3-4 hundred years there'll be a woodland here, the history of who planted it, the history of us being here today will be lost. They won't know who planted these trees perhaps, they won't know the story, but the trees will be here. They'll be there, they'll tell their own story in the future. It's an amazing thing to be part of isn't it. Paul: Yeah and you know if if you think about how many times do you get to do something that will still be here in three, four, 500 years time? That's just incredible. Adam: Well, if you want to find a wood near you and don't have any idea of where to look, do go to the Woodland Trust website and its woodlandtrust.org.uk/findawood, so that's woodlandtrust.org.uk/findawood. Until next time, happy wandering. Thank you for listening to the Woodland Trust Woodland Walks with Adam Shaw. Join us next month, when Adam will be taking another walk in the company of Woodland Trust staff, partners and volunteers. Don't forget to subscribe to the series on iTunes or wherever you're listening to us and do give us a review and a rating. And why not send us a recording of your favourite woodland walk to be included in a future podcast? Keep it to a maximum of five minutes and please tell us what makes your woodland walk special or send us an e-mail with details of your favourite walk and what makes it special to you. Send any audio files to podcast@woodlandtrust.org.uk. We look forward to hearing from you.

This month we are thrilled to interview Dr Abigail Lowe, Community Science Officer at the Natural History Museum and an expert on plants and their pollinators. We also have a brief clip from the British Trust for Ornithology and a wildlife gardening correspondent too! If that's not enough, we then look at a spring delight, the charming Windflower or Anemone nemorosa.Help us keep the podcast running by making a donation! Every penny goes towards our running costs, and means there are no adverts or sponsors messages to listen to. We're grateful for any donations to PayPal.Our LinksFind the podcast in your podcast appThe Wildlife Garden Podcast | FacebookThe Wildlife Garden Podcast (@thewildgdn) | TwitterEllie's Wellies – Organic Gardening | FacebookThe Wild GDN | YoutubeWebsites for Wildlife GardenersSightingsHairy-footed flower bee - Bumblebee Conservation TrustLacewingsTwo-pronged BristletailsRed Dead-NettleGreenfinchWildlife Garden Forum SymposiumAll WLGF talksRob Jaques - Observing extreme weather events through weekly garden wildlife recordsDr Abigail LoweNature Overheard ProjectUrban Nature ProjectPlants, pollinators and their interactions under global ecological change: The role of pollen DNA metabarcodingShifts in honeybee foraging reveal historical changes in floral resourcesUsing DNA metabarcoding to investigate honey bee foraging reveals limited flower use despite high floral availabilitySeasonal progression and differences in major floral resource use by bees and hoverflies in a diverse horticultural and agricultural landscape revealed by DNA metabarcodingAnemone nemorosaWood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa) (plantlife.org.uk)Anemone nemorosa L. in BSBI Online Plant Atlas 2020Bilberry bumblebee - Bumblebee Conservation TrustMelanostoma mellinum | NatureSpotPlatycheirus discimanus | FlickrThe Fern | UKmothsEndophytus anemones [Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae] in Leaf and stem mines of British flies and other insects (ukflymines.co.uk)Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana | UKmothsSave The Trees Of Armarda WaySTRAW Plymouth (Save the TRees of Armada Way) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wildlifegardenpod.substack.com

Wildlife and conservation groups have criticised the government for the late publication of legally binding targets for environmental protection. The Wildlife Trusts and the Soil Association say failing to set key clean water targets is unacceptable and they also criticise a reduction in overall tree planting targets. However, DEFRA says the targets, which are requirements under the Environment Act "will drive forward action to tackle climate change, restore our natural capital and protect our much-loved landscapes and green spaces." A new deal to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and protect 30% of land and oceans across the world by 2030, has been agreed by almost 200 countries at the UN biodiversity summit, COP15. The Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey said the UK played a leading role in negotiations and the UK pledged up to 29 million pounds to help developing countries meet the ‘30by30' land target and other projects. Preliminary results of a new paper which has yet to be peer-reviewed, is reporting that the number of earthworms in soil may have reduced by a third over the last 25 years. The study by British Trust for Ornithology researchers collated 100 years of data. The Soil Nutrient Health Scheme is being rolled out by the Department for Agriculture in Northern Ireland and the Agri Food and BioSciences Institute, taking soil samples from 700,000 fields to provide farmers with detailed information on their soil. All week we're focusing on rural communities at Christmas. It's a time of year when we often spend a little more on food and at the Penllyn Estate in Cowbridge in Wales is encouraging shoppers to buy local produce over the festive season. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Around 100 million birds have been culled across Europe and the US in the past year following the 'worst-ever' outbreak of avian influenza.On the Sky News Daily podcast, Sally Lockwood speaks to poultry farmer Mark Gorton, director of science at the British Trust for Ornithology, James Pearce-Higgins, and Sky's science and technology editor Tom Clarke about how serious the threat is to business, consumers and wildlife.Senior podcast producer: Annie Joyce Podcast producer: Emma Rae Woodhouse Interviews producer: Alys Bowen Editor: Philly Beaumont

Leaving food out for the birds seems like a harmless and even generous idea, but research by the British Trust for Ornithology is showing that bird feeders might be doing more harm than good. Between 2008 and 2018, chaffinch numbers dropped by 29 per cent in the UK, while 67 per cent of the country's greenfinches were lost, the study reveals. How do bird feeders spread this disease? How can I keep using my bird feeder safely? Are there other ways to support birdlife in your garden? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the latest episodes, click here: Why will we be using liquefied natural gas to heat our homes this winter? How can I improve my concentration at work? What is Ramsay-Hunt syndrome, the disorder affecting Justin Bieber A Bababam Originals podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Topic: 01 The impact of drought on Britain's wildlife Topic: 02 How do we keep children safe online? - Far-right extremists targeting children Guest: 01 Mr Tom Stewart, British Trust for Ornithology 02 Dr Afzal Ashraf Presenters: Khalid Bhunnoo and Shahzeb Athar Researchers: Faiza Mansoor and Mahnab Rehman Producer: Sehar Ahmad

Episode 20 takes us on an early morning mission to catch a Cuckoo or two with the brilliant Lee Barber, from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). With a special net configuration and lure set up to entice the birds in, we waited like coiled springs to jump in to action if we saw one come into the nets. Tune in to hear if we were successful (we may have struck lucky otherwise this would have been a very short podcast!) and to learn more about this African migrant's story, and why satellite tagging contributes to integral research to learn more about why these long-distance migrants are facing difficulty on their journeys.

A not to be missed interview with Stuart Newson, lead scientist for the BTO Acoustic Pipeline, which brings cutting-edge sound identification of bats and other nocturnal wildlife to your desktop. During the interview, Richard discusses Stuart's love for big data analysis and problem solving and his work with the BTO. We talk about his career profile as a researcher and how his desire to identify and understand what bats were in and around Norwich set him up to launch a county wide programme for the whole of Norfolk and led him to develop the BTO Acoustic Pipeline. The Pipeline currently focuses on 34 species of European bat, but also identifies 14 small mammal species, 18 bush-cricket species and 2 moth species, where these are recorded as by-catch.    Top bat detector recording tips include: Consider the placement of your microphone -  Ideally the microphone, or detector (if the microphone is inbuilt) should be pole mounted, raised up into the bat's flyway, and positioned at least 1.5 meters away from any flat surfaces or vegetation. The worst thing that can be done is to attach a detector, particularly if it has an inbuilt microphone to a flat surface like a tree trunk, or to try and hide the detector and microphone within or close to vegetation. This can result in acoustic mush, that is difficult to do much with by any means, particularly for some of the more cryptic species where recording quality is most critical.  Positioning yourself near a bat roost - If recording at a bat roost, the performance of the pipeline will be considerably better if you position the bat detector directly away from emergence itself (10-15 meters away). If recording directly at emergence, the calls of bat are often elevated in frequency and are not very typical of the calls of free-flying individuals, on which the pipeline was trained. The performance of the pipeline is also likely to be reduced if recording is carried out inside a bat roost. In this situation, echolocation calls are often atypically short in duration (in extreme clutter), a broad range of social calls are often produced in this situation that are not encountered outside a roost, and the recordings can often be distorted, and or otherwise of poor quality.  Chose your file type to suit the purpose of your survey - It is also recommended that you do not convert full spectrum recordings to zero-crossing before auditing the recordings / results. This is most likely to be done by bat workers who have used zero-crossing in the past, but it will result in a significant proportion of recordings that would have be assigned to species, being missed. It may also introduce biases in your data, which could influence your interpretation, which I will explain with an example. Suppose that bat recording is carried out at two locations, where there is similar level of barbastelle (Barbastella barbastellus) activity. However, at one location, there is also high bushcricket activity. The pipeline is efficient at finding weak barbastelle calls in noisy recordings like this, so based on the pipeline, the activity of barbastelle according to the pipeline should be similar. However, when the recordings are converted to zerocrossing, the barbastelle calls may be lost where there are noisy bush-crickets. This example highlights why converting full spectrum recordings to zero-crossing for auditing should be avoided, and that it has the potential to result in an incorrect interpretation. Standardise your bat detector settings - Bat detectors are increasingly moving toward embedding metadata associated with e.g. the recording location, date and time in the wav file, using GUANO Metadata, which is a universal, extensible, open metadata format for bat acoustic recordings. It is important that wav files are named as described Bat detector file settings. Standardise your length of recordings/calls - Lastly, and specific to the pipeline we recommend that bat detector settings are used that define the maximum wav file length to be 5 seconds. 5 seconds is the optimum for the pipeline to be able to identify multiple species in a recording. Longer recordings can be uploaded and will be processed by the pipeline, but it is important to understand that long recordings are split automatically by the desktop app into 5 second sections before they are processed. Note that the desktop app provides the option for the user to save a copy of the wav files as they will be processed, so including split wav files.     Stuart Newson Bio: Senior Research Ecologist  in the Population Modelling and Ecology Research Team with the British Trust for Ornithology. He's responsible for survey design and analysis of data from large national surveys of wild bird and mammal populations. Projects include a number of collaborations involving the large-scale analyses of bat and bird survey data with UK and overseas university academics and NGO researchers. He has been awarded the Marsh Award for Innovative Ornithology, a Member of Natural England's Bat Expert Panel and Member of UK Avian Population Estimates Panel, a Research Fellowship on Bioacoustics, PhD and MSc supervisor and Norwich Bat Group committee member. Whilst the core of his work has been on birds, he has a personal interest in bats and acoustic monitoring, and in particular how technology can deliver new opportunities for conservation and provide new ways to engage with larger audiences. Stuart is the lead scientist for the BTO Acoustic Pipeline, which brings cutting-edge sound identification of bats and other nocturnal wildlife to your desktop.

In this podcast I talk with professional ecologists Tom Langton and Dominic Woodfield as we discuss a number of related issues that we've grouped together under the tite ‘Badger Culls, Biodiversity, Birds and the High Court'. It's a complex conversation, and it takes experts like Tom and Dominic to explain everything so clearly: it includes duties to protect wildlife and the repeated failure of statutory bodies with respect to those duties which – depending on an upcoming Court Appeal on July 26th– could bring the ‘Next Steps' 2020 badger cull policy crashing down; a report using volunteer data produced in 2018 by the British Trust for Ornithology, which supposedly looked at the impact on ground-nesting birds of carnivore or mesopredator release (a phenomenon in which populations of medium-sized predators eg foxes rapidly increase in ecosystems after the removal of larger, top carnivores eg badgers) – a report that was rejected by peer reviewers but still emerged – re-written – in 2021 and has been used to justify the badger cull since then; and something called ‘the no difference defence' used by government nature bodies to justify their actions, which - in my opinion - is just mind-blowing…For more information on the badger cull:BadgerCrowd Twitter feed - https://twitter.com/BadgerCrowdEuroBadger Twitter feed - https://twitter.com/euro_badgerTom Langton Twitter feed - https://twitter.com/tomlangton60Dominic Woodfield / Bioscan - http://bioscanuk.com/default.aspx

Seagulls in New Zealand are often referred to as the scavengers of the sky, ready to swoop on any food scraps and takeaways beachgoers throw their way. Some recent research shows Northern Hemisphere gulls are no different, but some are quite specific about their fried food. The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), used GPS tags to track the lives of Herring Gulls breeding in Scotland and northern England during the winter months. . Research Ecologist and study author, Dr Nina O'Hanlon says part of the monitoring was what they ate.

Hello and welcome to the Nature Garden Podcast, with me, Carl Stiansen, and the Weekending Show Team from Lionheart Radio. In this episode… There's a touch of natural tinsel with Tom Pattinson's guide to Christmas trees… Tom Cadwallender is following the highs and lows of the curlew…And have you ever wondered who keeps an eye on our coast and some two hundred miles of sea around us? …. Steve Lowe's here to tell us more…And, some festive music...  and a chance to put your feet up. Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P… All coming up on Nature Garden Podcast….  00:01:28 00:06:46  00:13:15  00:18:57  00:24:55  00:30:36***************Theme tune: Princess of the Ocean by Carl Cape Band featuring Steve Deegan, Carl Cape and Jamie Robb (fiddle).***************Carl: Your boughs so green in summertime, Stay bravely green in wintertime. O tannenbaum, O Christmas Tree… How lovely are thy branches! Nordmans, frasers, Norweigan spruces and noble firs… so many choices but which is the best? Here's Tom with some festive advice on getting the most out of your Christmas tree…Tom P:***************Now, it's one of the avian stars of the county, and the symbol of the Northumberland National Park. Tom Cadwallander from the British Trust for Ornithology is falling head over heels for the beautifully wistful call of the curlew… a rather sensitive bill. bird of the hill and the coast in our county***************Carl: Christmas is a time for celebration and a time to unwind.. but you might get the needle… or rather a lot of needles… if you opt for a real tree… so Tom is it possible to bring a tree in from the cold outside to the living room?Tom P:************Festive musical interlude:Carl: And now for something a bit different, we like to do on the radio show,  and now and then we do it on the podcast.. slow down, put the kettle on, have a cuppa and listen to a little bit of music and this week something festive... it's Winter's Kiss by Clear Blue Skies featuring Derek Allan… Song:  Winter's Kiss by Clear Blue Skies featuring Derek Allan…https://open.spotify.com/artist/2PQtuFM7h3SNxsFHgokgXR***************Managing the environment is an increasingly important job and our coastal areas are incredible habitats where complex interactions take place between people and nature. So how are these areas regulated and protected? Steve Lowe met up with Patrick Gray, Senior Marine Enforcement Officer, for the Marine Management Organisation team here in the region.***************Carl: And here's Tom with some things to be getting on with in the gardenTom P:Carl: You've been listening to gardener, Tom Pattinson; birder, Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology; and Steve Lowe from The Northumberland Rivers Trust and Cresswell Pele Tower. I'm Carl Stiansen and, don't forget, you can listen back to all the previous reports we've done on the Nature Garden Podcast… that's the Nature Garden Podcast… enjoy your gardening and time outdoors with nature… bye for now. Support the show

Welcome to the first half of a two-part recording made on November the 12th at the Manchester Art Gallery - and the inaugural Emily Williamson Festival. The Festival was created by author and campaigner Tessa Boase and activist and event organiser Tina Lindsay to honour the memory of Emily Williamson, who in 1889, determined to stop the ‘murderous millinery' of the plumage trade, founded an all-female group that just fifteen years later had become the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the RSPB.Tessa and Tina organised a fascinating discussion for the first evening of the festival, chaired by Zoologist and Wildlife TV Presenter Megan McCubbin, with a panel consisting of biologist, nature writer and campaigner Amy-Jane Beer; Beccy Speight, CEO of the RSPB, Juliet Vickery, CEO of the British Trust for Ornithology and President of the British Ornithologists Union, and the Chief Executive of BirdLife International Patricia Zurita.In this first part of the recording, we hear from Tessa Boase herself who explains how she uncovered Emily Williamson's forgotten history, before introducing behavioural scientist Professor Melissa Bateson – who has spent many years researching Starlings and is Emily Williamson's great, great niece. Megan then takes over to talk about the representation of women in conservation, introducing the panel who in turn discuss what nature means to them and explaining the backstory to an object that each has brought along to the Festival…Off the Leash Podcasts has been proud to support the Emily Williamson Festival, celebrating female voices in conservation and Emily's legacy, which goes to show that one voice - anyone's voice - can make a difference. The Festival website remains live of course, if you'd like to learn more please go to emilywilliamsonstatue.com/festival

Welcome to the first half of a two-part recording made on November the 12th at the Manchester Art Gallery - and the inaugural Emily Williamson Festival. The Festival was created by author and campaigner Tessa Boase and activist and event organiser Tina Lindsay to honour the memory of Emily Williamson, who in 1889, determined to stop the ‘murderous millinery' of the plumage trade, founded an all-female group that just fifteen years later had become the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the RSPB.In the first part of this recording we heard from Professor Melissa Bateson, Emily Williamson's great, great niece, and a fascinating panel discussion chaired by zoologist and wildlife TV presenter Megan McCubbin, with a panel consisting of biologist, nature writer and campaigner Amy-Jane Beer; Beccy Speight, CEO of the RSPB, Juliet Vickery, CEO of the British Trust for Ornithology and President of the British Ornithologists Union, and the Chief Executive of BirdLife International Patricia Zurita.In this second part of the recording, Megan begins by turning to the panel again to discuss what she calls ‘the elephant in the room' – the fact that everyone on the stage is a woman...and later invites questions from the audience. Because the audience weren't mic'd the three questions that were asked are inaudible but the answers given by the panel are far too important just to edit out – so at Tessa's suggestion Off the Leash's Charlie Moores will be repeating those questions and editing them in...we end with an evocative reading by Amy-Jane Beer of an essay she wrote after an evening spent on the Knepp Wildland Estate listening to one of the most remarkable singers on the planet…Off the Leash Podcasts has been proud to support the Emily Williamson Festival, celebrating female voices in conservation and Emily's legacy, which goes to show that one voice - anyone's voice - can make a difference. The Festival website remains live of course, if you'd like to learn more please go to emilywilliamsonstatue.com/festival

Tom Pattinson is propagating… and his guide can help you to make plants for free… and ooph up your borders and veg beds… Steve Lowe from the Cresswell Pele Tower Project and Northumberland Rivers Trust… is catching up on the heritage side of conservation…Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology is on a road trip to his Scottish birding roots and saving the osprey. Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P and music from Jason Vare/Shaggy: https://www.facebook.com/ShagpileMusic/ Support the show

Hello and welcome to the Nature Garden Podcast, with me, Carl Stiansen, and the Weekending Show Team from Lionheart Radio. It's a chance to take a wander down the garden path and country lane… with the birds and the bees and the flowers and trees…  and an opportunity to hear stories from the past and present…In this episode… Tom Pattinson is floating like a butterfly to see what kind of plants and shrubs attract them to the garden…Steve Lowe from the Northumberland Rivers Trust… has some tips on how to make your outdoor patch a haven for all kinds of nature…Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology has been watching the amazing habits of sparrows and how egrets survived the fads of fashionPlus some top tips for the garden from Tom P…Support the show

Tom Pattinson on the joys of greenhouse gardening…We're down in the grounds of the restoration project at Cresswell Pele Tower with Steve Lowe from the Northumberland Rivers Trust…Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology is excited about an albatross-related  visitor from afar...And, we'll be taking a musical interlude with Shipcote and Friends...Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P.Support the show

Tom Pattinson's taking stock of the fruit and veg and flowers in the garden and the benefits of good garden design and crop rotationTom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology is celebrating the success of a project helping the beautiful Roseate Tern to live here in Northumberland on Coquet Island.. Steve Lowe from the Northumberland Rivers Trust is checking out the floral gems to be found on derelict land...Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P… All coming up on Nature Garden Podcast….  Theme tune: Princess of the Ocean by Carl Cape Band featuring Steve Deegan, Carl Cape and Jamie Robb (fiddle).Support the show

On today's show: We're joining an amazing project that has helped Ospreys return to Northumberland… Tom Pattinson's here full of sunshine enjoying some warm gardening while keeping an eye on hazards… his advice could save your life…And... Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology is listening to birds and asking why do they sing?Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P… All coming up on Nature Garden Podcast….  All coming up on The Weekending Show…***************Support the show

Tom Pattinson's musing on the benefits of 'No Mow May' and keeping your grass long... We're down in the garden of Cresswell Pele Tower but not in the rockery… this week we're checking out the rookery with Steve Lowe and why do we say a ‘murder of crows'…?And…. Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology is looking AUK-ward this week… reporting on guillemots and all. And he has some fascinating facts about puffins.Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P… Support the show

We're getting herby and we're off to the west side of Northumberland …Tom Pattinson's here to tell us all about herbs and the famous herbalists of yore, including the great Morpethian and Northumbrian chap, William Turner. We're down in the garden of the magical Cresswell Pele Tower restoration with Steve Lowe from the Northumberland Rivers Trust…And, Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology is reflecting on bird surveys and the beautiful space that is Kielder Wildwood.Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P… and a warning on the F-word: F.R.O.S.T!Support the show

It's time to tiptoe through the tulips and yes, we're mad about them but not quite the way that people were in the seventeenth century… Tom's looking back at ‘tulipmania' and has some tips on how to grow terrific tulips.We're down by the river Coquet with Steve Lowe from the Northumberland Rivers Trust.And Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology is looking into the professor of the river banks and seashore… the grey heron.Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P…All coming up on Nature Garden Podcast….  Theme music, Princess of the Ocean, featuring Steve Deegan, Jamie Robb and Carl Cape.Carl Cape Band.Support the show

A bonny wee wander down the garden path and country lane with the birds and the bees and the flowers and trees…  and an opportunity to hear stories from the past and present…In this episode… You say potato and I say tomato… and Tom Pattinson's looking at both and at peppers sweet and hot…We're down by the river Coquet with Steve Lowe from the Northumberland Rivers Trust…And Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology is tracking the amazing journeys of migratory birds….Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P…All coming up on Nature Garden Podcast….  ***************04:00: Tom Pattinson: Tomatoes and potatoes are mainstays of many a table and dish across the world, hot or cold, from saag aloo to pasta… and rightly one of our go to crops in the garden or backyard…let's join Tom Pattinson who's been checking out his toms and tetties… ***************10:05: Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology: The comings and goings of birds have fascinated us from ancient times to modern and Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology is here to tell us more about the amazing journeys that birds undertake.*************14:38: Tom Pattinson: Peppers come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and they aren't that difficult to grow… and more and more of us are giving them a go… Here's a scorcher of a report from Tom Pattinson… ************20:33: Steve Lowe from the Northumberland Rivers Trust:Getting a job working with nature and in the countryside is a dream for many people and, in these days of a green revolution, it could be an area with more job opportunities. Let's hope so. Steve Lowe from the Northumberland Rivers Trust reports on a project that's good for the environment and is helping people to learn invaluable skills… ***************25:50: Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology: Tom Cadwallander's been tracking the fantastic journeys of our feathered friends and here's the second part of his look at bird migrations…29:54: And so to Tom with some things to be getting on with in the garden…35:08:  Carl Stiansen: You've been listening to gardener, Tom Pattinson; birder, Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology; and Steve Lowe from The Northumberland Rivers Trust. I'm Carl Stiansen and do check out our Twitter and Facebook page: The Nature Garden and we'll be back in soon and in the meantime, enjoy your gardening and time outdoors with nature… bye for now.Intro theme music:  Princess of the Ocean, Carl Cape Band: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gaia-Carl-Cape-Band/dp/B00SC1FT50Support the show

Easter gardening without the full-on lockdown, oh yes… and it seems that many of us are up with the larks... Tom Pattinson is getting set to enjoy the garden and the bursting buds and blossom this bank holiday … We go Fulmar spotting and beach cleaning with Steve Lowe…Some are little, some are tawny, but whatever their size or colour, we adore and revere owls, the magical birds of the night… we'll join Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology on a flight with Hedwig and co….Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P…Support the show

Hello and welcome to series 3 episode 6 of Prompted by Nature. I hope this one finds you well. so we are finally emerging slowly from our third period of lockdown here in the UK and I'm thrilled that my in-person events are starting up again. If you are local to Brighton and Hove or Sussex, my forest-based creativity day retreat at back at the wonderful Wilderness Woods and I now have new monthly sessions at both forest and seaside locations down here in Brighton and Hove. Just pop to the website for more information and to book onto any of those. And if you are feeling a little lacking in inspiration, my Patreon is now in full-swing with the start of a 30-day writing project for April plus there are a number of other nature-inspired creative writing resources including write-with-me sessions there for you if you'd like to join the community. Subscriptions are £3-£9 per month. Just go to www.patreon.com/promptedbynature to find out more. So back to today's episode. Today, I'm speaking with artist and illustrator, Jamey Anne Redway. I first saw Jamey on a Springwatch Instagram live in which she spoke about her love of the natural world and how she evokes this through her stunning illustrations. Jamey is a self-taught artist & illustrator based in the beautiful Suffolk, who has always taken inspiration from nature, as you will see throughout her work. She paints with watercolours and Indian ink, with the window open listening to the sounds of the Swifts during the Summer and the Tawny Owls in the Winter. Jamey is currently an MA Illustration student at Falmouth University. She works for the British Trust for Ornithology and is a Trustee for the Norfolk Badger Trust. In this conversation we discuss: Her work as an illustrator and her journey The part that storytelling plays in her work How she uses watercolours and Indian ink to create movement and to capture the ‘aura' of the animal How art evokes conversation about the natural world and its conservation Art as communication and literacy The need for more support and encouragement for creatives When she feels at her most creative The place that mindfulness plays in her creative process Her creative self care practice What her journey thus far has taught her Her hope for the future This was such a lovely conversation and Jamey's passion for her work and for the natural world is infectious. I know you're going to love this one! You can find Jamey on her website www.jameyanndesigns.com and on Instagram @jameydraws or over on Twitter @jredway95 As always, I'm on www.promptedbynature.co.uk where you can find more information about my Patreon community, my upcoming events as well as my own writing and words. Remember to stay around until the end of the episode when I'll tell you about the writing prompt that follows this conversation. Happy listening and I'll speak to you after!

To celebrate National Nestbox Week, we are talking about a fantastic book by the British Trust for Ornithology and discussing the wildlife wonder-plant that is our native Ivy. We cover some of the latest news and upcoming events too. Find all the information we talked about in this episode on our website https://ellieswellies.com/2021/02/16/nestboxes-and-ivy/ Help us keep the podcast running by making a donation! Every penny goes towards our running costs, and means there are no adverts or sponsors messages to listen to. We're grateful for any donations to PayPal.Me/thewildgdn Watch us on Youtube The Wild GDN Follow us on Facebook or Twitter too, if you are so inclined!

In this episode… we're looking at the wonders of October:Tom Pattinson's here to explain the chemistry that creates the colours of autumn and the fall of leaves… Tom Cadwallander, British Trust for Ornithology, has been tracking the amazing arrivals of birds from all over the world to our coast and we take a countryside walk with him…And happy fish reports from the rivers of Northumberland, Steve Lowe has been catching up with the Northumberland Rivers Trust…And We've got more great top tips from Tom and some jobs for the week… All coming up on Nature Garden Podcast… Support the show

We're marking the change of the season from summer into autumn and catching up on seasonal reports from our correspondents… Tom Pattinson is looking at the importance of short and long day flowering and how the light affects our plants… We're catching up on many of the comings and goings of birds over the recent weeks with Tom Cadwallander, British Trust for Ornithology, who also has news of a rare visitor to our shores… Creepy crawly fans unite! Spider fan, Steve Lowe, Northumberland Rivers Trust, is here to tell us all about amorous spiders and their attraction to our bathrooms. And We've got more great top tips for the garden from Tom and some jobs for the week… Support the show

Everything's rosy in the magical gardens at Alnwick and Howick, and there is great news for fans of Earl Grey tea... The magnificent Union chain suspension bridge over the River Tweed between Scotland and England is 200 years old and we're celebrating its beauty and wonderful engineering...Steve Lowe is walking the south Northumberland coast and looking out for dolphins, sea glass and watch towers… Tom Cadwallander tells us the heartwarming story of the rare Roseate Tern and how Coquet island has helped.Plus top tips and jobs for the week in the garden.Featuring: gardener, Tom Pattinson; birder, Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology, Steve Lowe from The Rivers Trust and Naturally Northumbria, and Martha Andrews, a trustee of the Union Chain Bridge, with the Nature Garden host, Carl Stiansen.Update to show info: the three house martin chicks have now fledged…  check out our Twitter (@TheNatureGarden), Facebook page (@TheNatureGarden) and our website: www.naturegardennotebook for more information on our stories and notes.We're away for a few weeks on a summer break but we'll be back in September. A muckle ‘Big thanks' to all our contributors who make the show happen and to you dear listener - wishing you a great rest of the summer… Bye for now : )Support the show

Scientists have logged one of the longest animal migrations ever recorded. British ornithologists tracked cuckoo birds on a migration more than 7,500 miles, spanning southern Africa and East Asia. Chris Hewson, a senior research ecologist at the British Trust for Ornithology. Also, Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd is like a lot of other parents around the country, wondering when it's safe to send his daughter back to daycare. Meanwhile, childcare centers will reopen to a world of new restrictions that will affect their economic viability.

Episode 20 of School Britannia Podcast, a fortnightly show serving you British History gems from the perspective of two Aussie upstarts. When did the youths get so darn rowdy? And why all the hullabaloo about foxes? All this and more! Editing by Claire www.clairegawne.com Artwork by Lucy Maddox www.lucymaddox.com Sources: https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/longview/longview_20030408.shtml https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_corporal_punishment#United_Kingdom https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burston_Strike_School http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/2867923.stm https://libcom.org/history/timeline-uk-schoolchildrens-strikes https://www.theguardian.com/education/2010/nov/10/student-protest-fees-violent BBC -Bid to close loopholes in Scottish fox hunting ban https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-46813439 The Conversation: http://theconversation.com/no-wonder-fox-hunting-is-still-prevalent-the-ban-is-designed-to-fail-british-wildlife-110454 Historic UK: https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Fox-Hunting-in-Britain/ Fox Hunters: http://www.foxhunters.com.au/fox-hunting-shooting-down-under/ Masters of Foxhounds Association: https://thehuntingoffice.org.uk/mfha/mfha-about.html The Hunting Office: https://thehuntingoffice.org.uk/ The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2004/nov/19/hunting.immigrationpolicy League Against Cruel Sports: https://www.league.org.uk/fox-hunting The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/dec/26/foxhunting-ban-being-ignored-say-environmental-groups Hunt Saboteurs: https://www.huntsabs.org.uk/ BBC 3 - Battle In The Country, Hunt Saboteurs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsAJo1-191o Unilad - The Dark Side of Britain, The Hunt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSvD09AaAXY Peta - 10 Facts about Foxes: https://www.peta.org.uk/blog/10-fascinating-facts-about-foxes-with-photos/ British Trust for Ornithology - Mammal Monitoring - https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/bbs/latest-results/mammal-monitoring Wikipedia - red foxes in Australia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_foxes_in_Australia New Scientist - Urban Read more: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2116583-there-are-five-times-more-urban-foxes-in-england-than-we-thought/#ixzz5yq2yth7W How Stuff Works.com, Fox Hunting: https://adventure.howstuffworks.com/outdoor-activities/hunting/principles/fox-hunting.htm League against cruel sports - foxes: https://www.league.org.uk/foxes https://www.countryside-alliance.org/our-work/campaigns/campaign-for-hunting Scottish Government: https://www.gov.scot/news/new-legislation-on-fox-hunting/

This week, I’m talking garden birds with Kate Risely, Garden BirdWatch Organiser at the British Trust for Ornithology. Kate talks us through the trends that have occurred in our garden bird populations over the past 40 years, what and when to feed them, diseases that are on the rise and how you can attract more birds in your garden. Plus, Kate answers my question; are magpies vandals, living off the fat of our songbirds? About Kate: Kate leads the BTO's Garden Ecology team and co-ordinates the programme of garden ecology surveys and research, within the Communications department. Kate has overall responsibility for running for Garden BirdWatch, a 'citizen science' project where volunteers record birds and other taxa using their gardens on a weekly, year-round basis, as well as additional garden-based surveys. Kate is interested in the research and conservation applications of our garden wildlife data. We discuss: The BTO Garden BirdWatch & how you can take part Why the data collected through the Garden BirdWatch is so important Trends around garden birds over the last 40 years When and what to feed your garden birds Diseases in garden birds How to attract more birds to your garden Links: British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU Tel: 01842 750050 Garden BirdWatch www.bto.org/gbw Garden Wildlife Health: https://www.gardenwildlifehealth.org/ Feeding affecting bird communities: https://www.bto.org/our-science/publications/peer-reviewed-papers/composition-british-bird-communities-associated-long Blackcaps: https://www.bto.org/our-science/publications/peer-reviewed-papers/supplementary-feeding-gardens-driver-evolutionary Disease risks of bird feeding: https://www.bto.org/our-science/publications/peer-reviewed-papers/health-hazards-wild-birds-and-risk-factors-associated Greenfinch declines due to disease: https://www.bto.org/our-science/publications/peer-reviewed-papers/emergence-and-spread-finch-trichomonosis-british-isles Predator effects on bird populations: https://www.bto.org/our-science/publications/peer-reviewed-papers/population-change-avian-predators-and-grey-squirrels   Get in touch; Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  Website www.rootsandall.co.uk  Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Facebook @rootsandalluk   Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall 

I talk to Claire Boothby, from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), about feeding garden birds, feeder hygiene and the BTO Garden Birdwatch. (Bird feeding tips below) Don't miss an episode - subscribe to the show (Subscribing is free) Follow me on - Twitter: @CasualBirderPod Instagram: @CasualBirderPodcast or join the Facebook group at bit.ly/CasualBirderFB _____ LINKS BTO Garden Bird Watch Link to www.bto.org/gbw   Great tips from the Audubon society: https://www.audubon.org/news/bird-feeding-tips    RSPB Garden Birdwatch https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/birdwatch/   Report to www.Gardenwildlifehealth.org For all types of disease in garden wildlife, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians   Contributions in this episode from: Kate from Pups n PopCulture podcast http://www.pupsnpopculture.com/   Susan from The Dead Ladies Show podcast https://deadladiesshow.com/podcast/   The theme music is Short Sleeved Shirt by The Drones. Thanks to them for letting me use it. Check out their website at www.dronesmusic.net     Additional material - Tips on feeding garden birds. Foods to Avoid: NO fat from cooking meat because it can be salty and will decay quickly NO Soft fats, ones that are soft at room temperature - can interfere with plumage NO Bread - it is nutritional poor NO Mouldy seeds If peanuts aren’t being eaten, check they haven’t gone mouldy. Only put out what will be eaten over a few days   Foods to try: Apples - good for Thrushes Sunflower hearts - favourite with Goldfinches Fats, suet blocks, fat balls - Blackcaps, Tits, Woodpeckers (Remember: remove netting from fat balls, as birds can get caught in it) Grated mild cheese is good for Robins   Homemade fat cake treat from the RSPB:  - Take a block of hard fat like store-bought lard or suet,   - mix in birdseed, raisins and unsalted nuts  - press the mixture around a pine cone.   - Hang it from a tree with string and you have a food source that will appeal to the acrobatic tit family.   - Or place one on a mesh ground feeder tray and allow the Blackbirds, Robins and Dunnocks to also enjoy your creation!   Hygiene: Clean feeders regularly. If there are a lot of birds visiting, clean them more frequently Use mild disinfectant and rinse, and leave to air dry Have smaller feeders at different locations, and rotate feeding stations so contaminants aren’t building up at the base of the feeder.  Provide fresh water every day (even through the winter ) and clean out bird baths regularly Only put out enough food that will be eaten in 2-3 days   Sick birds If you find birds displaying the following symptoms:  - Lethargic, being fluffed up, difficulty swallowing, messy faces  - Look obviously ill    Report them to www.Gardenwildlifehealth.org For all types of disease in garden wildlife, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians    Take food away and don’t feed for a couple of weeks, to encourage birds to disperse. Give all feeders a thorough clean Further tips can be found on the BTO website at https://www.bto.org/  

Brett Westwood introduces this week's collection of episodes, which features contributions from members of the British Trust for Ornithology.

Andy Clements of the British Trust for Ornithology explains why he rates the song of the Garden Warbler above that of the similar sounding Blackcap, or even the Nightingale. Tweet of the Day has captivated the Radio 4 audience with its daily 90 seconds of birdsong. But what of the listener to this avian chorus? In this new series of Tweet of the Day, we bring to the airwaves the conversational voices of those who listen to and are inspired by birds. Building on the previous series, a more informal approach to learning alongside a renewed emphasis on encounters with nature and reflections on our relationship with the natural world. Producer: Sarah Blunt Photograph: Rhys Thatcher.

Sarah Harris of the British Trust for Ornithology recalls the excitement of watching clouds of migrating blackbirds arriving at Spurn in East Yorkshire from the continent as they seek out the milder winter weather here. Producer: Sarah Blunt Photograph: Emilpix.

Nick Moran of the British Trust for Ornithology describes the surprise he got when he listened back to a recording he had made during the night of birds on the move. Tweet of the Day has captivated the Radio 4 audience with its daily 90 seconds of birdsong. But what of the listener to this avian chorus? In this new series of Tweet of the Day, we bring to the airwaves the conversational voices of those who listen to and are inspired by birds. Building on the previous series, a more informal approach to learning alongside a renewed emphasis on encounter with nature and reflection in our relationship with the natural world. Producer: Sarah Blunt Photograph: Ian Logan.

Jennifer Border of the British Trust for Ornithology has a special affection for whinchats even though research trips don't always go to plan as she recalls when following the song of a whinchat resulted in a broken signpost and a cracked car bumper! Tweet of the Day has captivated the Radio 4 audience with its daily 90 seconds of birdsong. But what of the listener to this avian chorus? In this new series of Tweet of the Day, we bring to the airwaves the conversational voices of those who listen to and are inspired by birds. Building on the previous series, a more informal approach to learning alongside a renewed emphasis on encounters with nature and reflections on our relationship with the natural world. Producer: Sarah Blunt Photograph: Jez Nunn.

Andy Clements of the British Trust for Ornithology explains why he finds the sound of Pink-footed Geese so exciting as they fly overhead calling to one another. Tweet of the Day has captivated the Radio 4 audience with its daily 90 seconds of birdsong. But what of the listener to this avian chorus? In this new series of Tweet of the Day, we bring to the airwaves the conversational voices of those who listen to and are inspired by birds. Building on the previous series, a more informal approach to learning alongside a renewed emphasis on encounters with nature and reflections on our relationship with the natural world. Producer: Sarah Blunt Photograph: Mark Rhodes.

Mike Toms and his colleagues from the British Trust for Ornithology present their bird-related tales and encounters.

Mike Toms of the British Trust for Ornithology describes his night-time encounters with Tawny Owls in Thetford Forest in Norfolk. Tweet of the Day has captivated the Radio 4 audience with its daily 90 seconds of birdsong. But what of the listener to this avian chorus? In this new series of Tweet of the Day, we bring to the airwaves the conversational voices of those who listen to and are inspired by birds. Building on the previous series, a more informal approach to learning alongside a renewed emphasis on encounter with nature and reflection in our relationship with the natural world. Producer: Sarah Blunt Photograph: Neil Cowley.

Ben Darvill of the British Trust for Ornithology recalls his first encounter with the Common Rosefinch after it woke him up when he was camping on the Island of Canna in Scotland. Tweet of the Day has captivated the Radio 4 audience with its daily 90 seconds of birdsong. But what of the listener to this avian chorus? In this new series of Tweet of the Day, we bring to the airwaves the conversational voices of those who listen to and are inspired by birds. Building on the previous series, a more informal approach to learning alongside a renewed emphasis on encounter with nature and reflection in our relationship with the natural world. Producer: Sarah Blunt Photograph: Eero Kiuru.

Dave Leech from the British Trust for Ornithology describes his excitement at finding a Water Rail nest containing the most beautiful eggs after having spent three years searching for a nest. Tweet of the Day has captivated the Radio 4 audience with its daily 90 seconds of birdsong. But what of the listener to this avian chorus? In this new series of Tweet of the Day, we bring to the airwaves the conversational voices of those who listen to and are inspired by birds. Building on the previous series, a more informal approach to learning alongside a renewed emphasis on encounter with nature and reflection in our relationship with the natural world. Producer: Sarah Blunt Photograph: Nathian Brook.

Bonita Johnson of the British Trust for Ornithology recalls seeing a pair of Robins locked in combat on a woodland floor until they were surprised by her approach and flew apart, one of them almost colliding with her! Producer: Sarah Blunt Photograph: Sam Linton.

Andy Clements of the British Trust for Ornithology describes how he was first bewitched by the captivating sound of the Golden Plover in summer above the moors. Tweet of the Day has captivated the Radio 4 audience with its daily 90 seconds of birdsong. But what of the listener to this avian chorus? In this new series of Tweet of the Day, we bring to the airwaves the conversational voices of those who listen to and are inspired by birds. Building on the previous series, a more informal approach to learning alongside a renewed emphasis on encounter with nature and reflection in our relationship with the natural world. Producer: Sarah Blunt Photograph: Simon Stobart.

This year's State of the UK's Birds report highlights how climate change is affecting our wintering and breeding birds. This annual 'stock take' of bird numbers is a collaboration between the RSPB, the British Trust for Ornithology and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust with the UK's statutory conservation bodies. On this month's Nature's Voice Jane Markham finds out more from RSPB conservation scientist Dr Daniel Hayhow and Dr Teresa Frost from the BTO. 

Scottish Mountain Hare  www.hareoftherabbit.com There is a special place high up in the Cairngorms where the mountain hares hide. Andy Howard knows it well, as only a person can who has spent up to five hours at a time lying in snow waiting for a moment such as this. It is winter in Scotland, some 2500 miles from the Arctic, and a cold like no other is sinking into his bones. He dare not move, not even one inch, or he risks startling the animal barely a few feet from him. She's fast, he's seen her run before. If she wants to, she can take off like a silver bullet, leaping into the mountain mist like a salmon into a river. He takes a shallow breath - in-two-three and out-two-three. She moves. He freezes. Her paws pad softly over the rocks, graceful as ever in her silence. She sits herself down beside him, oblivious or deliberating ignoring the loud thumping of his heart, and delicately nibbles at the heather. She's beautiful, her pearl grey coat soft as down and the tips of her ears dark, as though dipped in coal dust. "I call her Mrs Grey," he says. "She's really quite special." Mrs Grey is his most recent subject and the images he is able to take of her are captivating. Andy often goes out in the middle of winter, Andy describes these moments as addictive as a drug - being close enough to wild animals like hares when they trust you enough to relax and behave as though you aren't there. "There is no fear, no worry, they're just carrying away on their own," he says. "That's a real privilege, for a wild animal to trust you that much." Andy is an award-winning wildlife photographer who has sat in more snow drifts and bogs than most. The wild creatures almost seem to deliberately pose for him and he has become adept at capturing their fleeting expressions and personalities, as he has with other wildlife. His ethos is always stay quiet and don't interfere. "You cannot harm them or disturb them," he says. "You must respect them and know when to leave them in peace." "I've been photographing her since September and I want to head up there and photograph her every month so I can get a full cycle," he says. Andy is trying to capture a full year in the life of his own Mrs Grey. Many professionals wait for weather windows and can plan shots years, even decades, in advance. "Sometimes, you have to wait a full year for the exact conditions to come again," explains Andy. Hares are herbivorous mammals closely related to rabbits. Two species are found in Scotland - the brown hare and the mountain hare. Mountain hares are smaller than brown hares and have shorter ears. They molt their grey coat in early winter, turning white to blend in with the snow on the uplands. They are very timid and mainly nocturnal, although they can be active during the day if undisturbed by humans. If danger is near, they crouch motionless with their ears down and at the last minute, can dart uphill at high speed. After about 50m, they stop to stand up on their hind legs and look back at what startled them. They are mainly solitary animals, especially when resting, but often graze in groups, feeding along well-trampled trails through long vegetation. On this episode we are going to explore the Scottish Mountain Hare. The mountain hare has grey/brown fur often with a slightly blueish tinge in summer and a white tail. In winter it molts to a white coat, although some animals do not become completely white. The mountain hare also has black tips to its ears. In Britain, hares are animals of open ground, relying on their good eyesight, camouflage and high speed to avoid predators. Only the mountain hare is native and is the only truly arctic mammal. Mountain hares are most likely to be seen on heather moorland that is actively managed for red grouse. The mountain hare often uses patches of woodland including conifer plantations, on the margins heather moorland. Sometimes called the 'blue' hare because of the tinge of its fur in spring and autumn, you can see mountain hares on the middle and upper levels of heathery hills and some other places besides. A mountain hare in its winter coat has a mix of white, blue-grey and black (on the ears) fur. The summer coat is much greyer, but still paler than the brown hare of lowland farmland. Be alert for the outline of large ears above heather, or for hares in winter whites that show-up against snow-free areas on hillsides. A mountain hare’s broad feet act like snowshoes (it’s North American cousins are called 'snowshoe hares'), spreading the animal’s weight over snow. Mountain hares thrive on healthy young heather, so can be abundant on the middle slopes of hills managed as grouse moors. There are mountain hares in some unusual places, such as the boggy flatlands of Flanders Moss between Stirling and Aberfoyle. They can be quite easy to see on moorland in Shetland (where the local animals don’t turn white in winter). Strongholds are in grouse-moor areas such as the hills of Deeside in the Cairngorms. Travel the A939 road from Cock Bridge to Tomintoul (traditionally, one of the first to get blocked by snow) to journey across mountain-hare-rich moors. Mountain hare bones between 114,000 and 131,000 years old have been found in the Joint Mitnor cave in Devon and in the Thames Valley. Today, the mountain hare is confined to Scotland where it is indigenous and the Isle of Man and the Peak District of Derbyshire where it was re-introduced. Mountain hares were also introduced to the Snowdonia district of Wales, but died out. Mountain hares are smaller and have a more compact shape than brown hares, but vary geographically depending upon habitat and altitude. In Britain they are only found above 500m. However, eventual weakening of the Gulf Stream could make Britain colder and increase habitat for mountain hares. Mountain hares have a very wide, virtually circumpolar distribution extending throughout the tundra regions of eastern and northern Europe, with the closely related Arctic hare (Lepus articus) in Canada and Alaska. In the Old World their habitat extends southward throughout the boreal zone to the fringes of agricultural land or open grassland. In North America the Arctic hare is restricted by the boreal forest, which is inhabited by the snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus). This world-wide pattern of restriction by both habitat and other species of hare explains the distribution of the mountain hare within Britain. After the introduction of the brown hare to England in Roman times, mountain hares became restricted to upland regions where they were able to hold their own, feeding on heather and other moorland plants, while the brown hares fed on lowland grasses and agricultural crops. By the early 19th century mountain hares were found only in the Scottish Highlands. Towards the middle and end of the 19th century - accompanying the development of grouse shooting and the management of heather for grouse - some landowners released mountain hares across the remaining British uplands. Many of these re-introduced populations have died out, leaving the large core population in the Scottish Highlands, a well established population in the Southern Uplands and a small one in the Peak District, while that in northern Wales has probably died out in the last two decades. Mountain Hares live in Scotland and the North. They graze on vegetation and nibble bark from young trees and bushes. Hares shelter in a 'form', which is simply a shallow depression in the ground or heather, but when disturbed, can be seen bounding across the moors using their powerful hind legs to propel them forwards, often in a zigzag pattern. Mountain Hares live in upland areas and are most common on heathland; they are at their most visible in spring, when the snow has melted but the Hares are still white. Total body length ranges between 430 and 610 mm. and the black tipped ears from 60 to 80 mm. Unlike brown hares the ears of mountain hares would not reach the tip of the nose if pulled forward. Like brown hares, males are slightly smaller than females. There are three moults and during the second from October to January the coat changes from russet brown to white or grey and back to brown from February to May. Both tail surfaces remain white. Mountain hares can become very conspicuous if still in their winter coats when the snow melts or if there is unseasonable snowfall. The current number of mountain hares in Scotland is unclear but the latest annual research published in 2013 by the BTO has indicated a disturbing decline of 43 per cent since 1995. Population densities are known to vary at least ten fold, reaching a peak approximately every ten years. The reasons for these fluctuations are unclear, but may possibly be related to parasite burdens. Mating begins at the end of January and pregnancy lasts about 50 days. Most leverets are born between March to August inclusive. Mountain hares are less fussy than brown hares regarding the quality of their forage and this is a major reason why mountain hares have the competitive edge at high altitudes. On Scottish moors they prefer short, young heather, but will resort to older woody plants if necessary. They will also feed on gorse, willow, birch, rowan and juniper. But in spite of their adaptable diet they prefer to eat grasses when available during the summer months. Reproduction Females typically have three litters per year between March and August. 1- 4 young (leverets) are born in each litter, fully furred and with their eyes open. The mother suckles them for about four weeks until they become independent. The most recent estimate suggests that there are approximately 350,000 hares across this range. As recent GWCT research shows, this is a relatively high density of hares compared to mountain hare populations anywhere else in Europe. As well as having affected the distribution of mountain hares through historical introductions, upland game management still affects their abundance as mountain hares seem to do best in areas managed for red grouse. Indeed it is probably the intensive fox control combined with rotational burning that benefits grouse and hares. However, where grouse suffer from tick and the tick-borne louping-ill virus, hares can sustain high levels of these parasites and help perpetuate the disease. As there is no alternative form of treatment, in these cases hare numbers may need to be temporarily reduced to suppress the disease. Mountain hare are also affected by a gut parasite, Trichostrongylosis retortaeformis, which causes similar cyclical effects on population numbers as strongyle worms in red grouse. On some grouse moors, hare shooting is a popular sport and provides additional income, supports keeper employment and moorland management. However, such sporting bags and other culls may be substantial and it is important to demonstrate that modern practices are sustainable and in line with good management. This should be a research and subsequently conservation objective as it is a requirement under the European Habitats Directive. There is increasing concern about the status of the mountain hare with reports of it being virtually extinct in some parts of Scotland where it was previously abundant. In some areas excessive grazing by deer, sheep and cattle have depleted the heather so that less food and cover is available for the hares. However, they have also declined on moorland devoid of deer and sheep, leading to the conclusion that human interference is responsible for the decline in hares. How are they protected? Both hare species are protected by the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). This law makes it illegal to intentionally or recklessly kill, injure or take either hare species during their close seasons or to poach these species (and rabbit) at any time. Also, the mountain hare is a species of Community interest listed on Annex V the Habitats Directive . The taking of these animals and their exploitation may be subject to management measures to ensure their conservation status is favorable. The mountain hare is listed in Annex 5 of the EC Habitats Directive (1992) as a species: "of community interest whose taking in the wild and exploitation may be subject to management measures." This means that certain methods of capture such as snaring are prohibited, except under license. Mountain hares have historically been considered as "small game" but shooting is becoming increasingly commercialized. In one case a refrigerated van had been brought over by a party of Italian guns who intended to shoot 1,000 mountain hares and sell them in Italy to pay for the shooting holiday. Local mountain hare population sizes can fluctuate widely. Both species of hare are quarry species and may be legally controlled. In the case of mountain hares, control usually takes place on managed grouse moors to reduce tick numbers, or to protect young trees, but the impact of culling on mountain hare populations is not well understood. Whilst reviewing the management of mountain hares we have agreed an interim position external site on this issue with the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) and Scottish Land & Estates. Research is also underway in partnership with GWCT and the James Hutton Institute to trial methods of assessing mountain hare numbers to provide population density estimates. With this knowledge we can then improve our understanding of the overall status of mountain hares and the sustainability of hare management measures. Offenses It is an offense to intentionally or recklessly: kill, injure or take a brown or mountain hare in its close season. kill, injure or take a brown or mountain hare without a legal right to do so. The close season for the mountain hare is 1st March to 31 July. It is also an offense to: possess or control, sell or offer for sale or transport for the purpose of sale any live or dead hare (or rabbit), or any derivative of such an animal, which has been killed without a legal right to do so. Licensing and hares Licenses are available to allow specified people to carry out actions that could otherwise constitute an offense. Licenses can only be issued for specific purposes that are set out in the legislation. If you are planning any activities that could affect hares, you should make sure that you stay within the law. While the mountain hare is persecuted directly for sport it is also snared and shot in large numbers because it allegedly carries a tick borne virus which kills grouse chicks and is therefore seen as a threat to the grouse shooting industry. The Habitats Directive requires member states to ensure exploitation of Annex 5 species is: "compatible with their being maintained at a favorable conservation status." Since there are no official records of the number of hares being killed it is difficult to see how this requirement can be met. But anecdotal evidence of culling levels strongly suggests that EC wildlife law is being broken in Scotland. Now with that, we have an article titled: Culling of Scotland's mountain hares should be banned, says charity Unregulated culling of Scotland’s mountain hares should be banned and the species protected, according to a report that says shooting the animals for sport is inhumane and uncontrolled. Landowners can shoot the hares without a license from August to February and claim culls are necessary to protect game, especially red grouse, from disease. Campaigners say death rates of hares, which are native to the Highlands and thrive on grouse moors, are not monitored. The charity OneKind, in a report published on Monday, said: “Population data is sparse but suggests mountain hares are in decline. Yet they are widely persecuted for sport and as part of organized culls.” At least 25 game estates were currently offering the opportunity to shoot mountain hares for sport, it said, with no guarantees this was not driving decline. It estimates about 40% of hares killed were for shot for sport, while about 50% died as part of organized culls. It was impossible to know how many were killed as mountain hare killing was secretive and carried out in remote locations, the charity said. One estimate was that 25,000 were killed in 2006-07 – a figure now 10 years old, OneKind said. The report highlights three culls that it claims took place on grouse moors, including two carried out last year on the Balmoral estate in Royal Deeside. The Scottish government has called for voluntary restraint on the issue. A spokesman said: “We have been very clear that we will not tolerate large-scale culls of mountain hares but we recognize that numbers need to be controlled in some specific circumstances.” It is setting up an independent review to examine the sustainability of grouse moor management, including hare-culling. Data on hare populations is widely disputed. The last estimate was made in 1995 when 350,000 mountain hares were thought to exist. OneKind states the population could be between 175,000 and 500,000 hares, fluctuating year-on-year, but said monitoring by the British Trust of Ornithology – albeit for a limited sample size – suggested an overall decline of 34% between 1996 and 2014. Harry Huyton, OneKind’s director, said: “Mountain hares are an iconic species in Scotland that should be protected. Our report shows that instead they are persecuted in enormous numbers for entertainment. The killing is unregulated, and there are no guarantees that it is not further driving the decline of these species or causing unacceptable suffering. “Today, the day before the open season begins, OneKind is calling on the Scottish government to take urgent action and introduce a moratorium on large-scale hunts and culls before the season gets into full swing.” Hares can be killed under license from Scottish National Heritage. But, in addition to organized culls there are driven and walked-up shooting of the hares offered as one of many “country sports” by Scottish estates, the charity said. Its research found 25 companies offering mountain hare hunting online, eight of which were promoted by the Scottish Country Sports Tourism Group, which listed SNH and Visit Scotland as partner organizations. The report states: “For almost half the year, from March to July inclusive, mountain hares are protected and any persecution without a license from SNH is illegal. But, for the remainder of the year, they can be killed freely with no permissions and no transparency, and as such are persecuted on a large scale.” Driven hunts involved flushing hares towards a line of waiting guns. But hares were “notoriously challenging to shoot” as they were small and fast and the risk of causing injury rather than clean kills was heightened, it added. OneKind calls for a ban on hare killing, except under license, and complete protection within national parks. Now news from this past winter: UK's white mountain hares at risk from predators due to worst snowfall in 10 years http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/02/uks-white-mountain-hares-risk-predators-due-worst-snowfall-10/ Britain's mountain hares are at greater risk from predators because of a lack of snow caused by the mild winter, conservationists have warned. White mountain hares are being made an easy target as they have nowhere to hide in the Scottish Highlands after the worst snowfall in 10 years. It means the creatures, which may have been here since the Ice Age, are now particularly vulnerable to predators such as golden eagles, foxes and stoats. Rob Raynor, Scottish Natural Heritage's mammal specialist, said: "This year we have less snow in Scotland than usual. "Every spring, while their fur is still mainly white, mountain hares have to deal with difficulties evading predators as the snow disappears and they're more visible against brown heather before they moult back to grey/brown. "You can sometimes even see them among the brown heather when snow is nearby. But with less snow this year, the risk to hares of predators could begin earlier and be higher than normal." First mountain hare reared by Scottish SPCA released 1 August 2017 The Scottish SPCA has released a mountain hare back into the wild after he was found at less than a week old. We were alerted after the hare was discovered by a member of the public in Balblair in Ross-shire on 23 May. The adorable little hare was rehabilitated at the charity’s National Wildlife Rescue Center in Fishcross, where he was named Nevis. Center Manager Colin Seddon said, “Nevis was the first mountain hare we’ve ever hand reared at our center in Fishcross so it was exciting. “He was hand reared by Nicola Turnbull, one of our wildlife assistants. “Their natural habitat is In the mountains and hills so they’re rarely picked up.” “Nevis was successfully released back into the wild at a carefully selected site. Sadly mountain hares are still heavily persecuted so we’ve ensured he’s in an area where there is no form of control or culling.” Anyone who discovers an injured or distressed wild animal should call the Scottish SPCA animal helpline on 03000 999 999. https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/species/mountain-hare/ http://www.snh.gov.uk/protecting-scotlands-nature/protected-species/which-and-how/mammals/hares/ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jul/31/mountain-hares-scotland-culling-highlands-onekind http://www.hare-preservation-trust.co.uk/mountain.php https://www.gwct.org.uk/research/species/mammals/mountain-hare/ http://www.welcometoscotland.com/about-scotland/wildlife-around-scotland/scottish-mammals/mountain-hare http://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/groups/ecological-sciences/landscape-and-spatial-ecology/mountain-hares https://ptes.org/get-informed/facts-figures/mountain-irish-hare/ https://www.scottishspca.org/newsroom/latest-news/first-mountain-hare-reared-by-scottish-spca-released/ https://stv.tv/news/features/1386680-snow-white-secrets-of-scotland-s-mountain-hare-whisperer/ Rabbit Wool Socks Now occasionally I like bring you an item on Amazon that I personally use or has been purchased by many members of the audience, and I have researched enough to recommend. A few years ago I received rabbit wool socks for a Christmas. Out of the package I noticed how soft and fuzzy they were. They are a thick sock. You can call them plush, but they are not like plush material. They are very soft thick socks. My feet have been warm and comfortable wearing them. They are very fine outside, but they are a thick sock, so they may not fit into tight shoe. They can be too warm for wearing all day indoors in a shoe. They wash well and have not lost their shape. The elastic top was just right holding up the socks without being too tight. I have no complaint about the fit. My wife likes to wear them as slippers inside do to how warm they keep your feet. These are amazing socks, they are very soft and not itchy at all! We will have a link to the socks in the show notes. Word of the week: Risk The Rabbit Herd Europe http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0570.html#ashliman Once upon a time there was a king who had a daughter that would not laugh. His jugglers, clowns, and jesters performed their utmost for her, but she could not, or would not, even break a smile. Finally the king proclaimed that whatever man -- rich or poor, young or old, strong or frail -- could break his daughter's spell should take her to wife, and receive half the kingdom as well. Men and boys came from every direction to try their luck but no one was successful, until.... The news finally reached a remote corner of the kingdom where a poor peasant lived with his three sons. The youngest -- we'll call him Hans (although some say that his name was Jack, or Ivan, or Juan) -- decided that he too would try his luck at winning the hand of the princess. He was a droll sort -- some called him silly, others just plain stupid -- whose capers often brought the villagers to laughter. Yes, he would give it a try. And he set forth, pursued by the jeers of his older and wiser brothers, on the path that led to the king's palace. At midday he was looking for a shady spot where he could rest and eat the crust of bread he had brought, when suddenly he came upon an old man by the side of the road. "Would you share your bread with a weary traveler?" asked the stranger. "Half a dry crust is quite as good as a whole one," replied Hans, and broke off a piece for the old man. "Bless you, my son," responded the stranger. "I cannot reward you with gold, but this whistle will lead you to that, and more." So saying, he offered Hans a tiny silver flute. Hans put the flute to his lips, and it began to play, first a marching tune, then a cheerful air, and then a pensive hymn. Before he knew it, Hans had arrived at the palace, and the guards, charmed by his tuneful music, let him pass. His heart leapt for joy, and the flute broke into a lusty jig. The princess, hearing the tune, opened her window and looked out. She nodded her head to the beat, then gave a cautious grin, and then an open smile. She chuckled softly to herself, then broke into a happy laugh. The king, hearing her joyful laughter, was beside himself with glee, until -- that is -- until he saw the lad who was playing the flute. Hans, you see, did have the look of a peasant and of a simpleton, and the king, in spite of his promise, was hoping for a finer man. "That is all well and good," said the king to Hans, "but before you can receive the princess, there is yet another task that you must fulfill." He then had one hundred wild rabbits set loose in a nearby forest. "Keep these animals together in a herd," said the king, and in three days the princess and half the kingdom shall be yours. But if you lose a single rabbit, you shall forfeit everything. Even as they spoke the rabbits ran to the four winds, but Hans did not despair. He blew a few notes into the silver flute, and as if by magic, the hundred rabbits assembled at his feet. Reassured, he made himself comfortable in the shade of a large tree, and waited for the three days to pass. The king, seeing how easily Hans kept the herd together was filled with worry and anger. No other solution presented itself, so finally he sent his daughter into the woods, telling her to do whatever was necessary to get a rabbit away from the peasant herdsman. The princess presented herself to Hans, and asked him ever so politely if she might not purchase one of his rabbits. His answer made her blush. "You don't mean that I would have to ...," she said, and didn't know whether to pout or to smile. No, he would accept no other offer, said Hans. "Take it, or leave it." And so she took it. The princess left the woods carrying a rabbit in her basket. But well before she arrived home, Hans put the magic flute to his lips, and in an instant the rabbit jumped from her basket and raced back to the herd. The next day the king, ever more desperate, sent his own wife into the woods with instructions to bring home a rabbit, whatever the cost. When Hans named his price, the queen, like the princess before her, first pouted, then smiled, and then gave in. But she too lost her rabbit when Hans called it back with his magic flute. On the third day the king himself went into the woods to bargain for a rabbit. Hans, as before, was willing to trade, but this time the price -- no, I cannot bring myself to say more than that it involved a mare that was grazing in a nearby clearing. Red with shame, the king took his rabbit and started off for home, but again the flute called the rabbit back into the herd. The three days had passed, and the rabbit herd was still intact, but now the king found yet another task that Hans would have to fulfill before he could claim the princess and half the kingdom. "A trifle," explained the king. "Just sing three bags full." "I can manage that," said Hans. "Bring me three empty bags, and I'll sing them full to the top, but only in the presence of the finest lords and ladies of the kingdom. The king, believing that at last he would be rid of the peasant lad, assembled the lords and ladies in a great hall, then brought in Hans and three empty bags. Hans picked up a bag and started to sing: Our princess went into the woods; She thought she'd try her luck, ... "Stop!" called out the princess. That bag is full!" Hans obligingly stopped singing, tied a string around the mouth of the bag, picked up the next one, and started a new song: Our queen she went into the woods; She thought she'd try her luck, ... "Stop!" shouted the queen. That bag is full!" Hans stopped, tied this bag shut, picked up the last one, and commenced singing: Our king he went into the woods; He thought he'd try his luck, ... "Stop!" bellowed the king. The last bag is full!" With that, the king proclaimed that Hans had won the princess's hand in marriage and half the kingdom. The wedding was celebrated that same day. All the lords and ladies attended the great feast that followed. I too was invited, but I lost my way in the woods and arrived only as the last toast was being drunk. This tale, recorded with varying degrees of raciness, is found throughout Europe. Hello Listener! Thank you for listening. If you would like to support the podcast, and keep the lights on, you can support us whenever you use Amazon through the link below: It will not cost you anything extra, and I can not see who purchased what. Or you can become a Fluffle Supporter by donating through Patreon.com at the link below: Patreon/Hare of the Rabbit What's this Patreon? Patreon is an established online platform that allows fans to provide regular financial support to creators. Patreon was created by a musician who needed a easy way for fans to support his band. Please support Hare of the Rabbit Podcast financially by becoming a Patron. Patrons agree to a regular contribution, starting at $1 per episode. Patreon.com takes a token amount as a small processing fee, but most of your money will go directly towards supporting the Hare of the Rabbit Podcast. You can change or stop your payments at any time. You can also support by donating through PayPal.com at the link below: Hare of the Rabbit PayPal Thank you for your support, Jeff Hittinger. © Copyrighted

Gathering and analysing data from thousands of volunteers is the focus of the British Trust for Ornithology Garden Birdwatch campaign. Kelvin Jones, from North Wales branch of the Trust explains the importance of the work.

Could declining insect populations be the reason windscreens don't seem to be as bug-splattered as they used to be? Two recent publications in Science—an article in 2014 and another in 2017—suggest that's the case. This may also relate to the decline in House sparrow populations overseas—see work by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the British Trust for Ornithology.(If you're interested in local bird numbers, you could take part in a survey like those run by the Friends of Merri Creek—see their website www.friendsofmerricreek.org.au).How about social media, is that good or bad for your mental health? Well, according to psychologist Peggy Kern from the University of Melbourne, it depends.Alright then, should you be worried about nematode worms in your sushi? Not as much as you should worry about bacteria such as Salmonella and Bacillus cereus!

Kate talks about the Trusts Garden Birdwatch study at BBC Gardeners World Live 2016

We all have at least some musical talent. But very few of us can play the piano like Vladimir Horowitz. His talent was rarefied, and at the tail end of the bell curve of musical ability – that tiny sliver of the distribution where you find the true outliers. Outliers also exist with natural events: hurricane Katrina, for example, or the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs. Such events are rare, but they often have outsized effects. In this hour we imagine the unimaginable – including the unexpected events labeled “black swans” – and how we weigh the risk for any of them. Also, how a supervolcano explosion at Yellowstone National Park could obliterate the western U.S. but shouldn't stop you from putting the park on your vacation itinerary. Guests: Donald Prothero – Paleontologist, geologist, author of many books, among them, Catastrophes!: Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Tornadoes, and Other Earth-Shattering Disasters Dawn Balmer – Ornithologist at the British Trust for Ornithology Jake Lowenstern – Geologist, USGS, Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory Hank Heasler – Yellowstone National Park geologist Andrew Maynard – Director of the Risk Science Center at the University of Michigan First released October 19, 2014. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ENCORE  We all have at least some musical talent. But very few of us can play the piano like Vladimir Horowitz. His talent was rarefied, and at the tail end of the bell curve of musical ability – that tiny sliver of the distribution where you find the true outliers. Outliers also exist with natural events: hurricane Katrina, for example, or the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs. Such events are rare, but they often have outsized effects. In this hour we imagine the unimaginable – including the unexpected events labeled “black swans” – and how we weigh the risk for any of them. Also, how a supervolcano explosion at Yellowstone National Park could obliterate the western U.S. but shouldn’t stop you from putting the park on your vacation itinerary. Guests: Donald Prothero – Paleontologist, geologist, author of many books, among them, Catastrophes!: Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Tornadoes, and Other Earth-Shattering Disasters Dawn Balmer – Ornithologist at the British Trust for Ornithology Jake Lowenstern – Geologist, USGS, Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory Hank Heasler – Yellowstone National Park geologist Andrew Maynard – Director of the Risk Science Center at the University of Michigan First released October 19, 2014.

Amazing research now suggests that Beijing's swifts, the tiny creatures most residents pass by without noticing, are some of the most well-travelled birds on the planet, averaging an astonishing 124,000 miles of flight in their life, barely landing for years on end, and migrating as far as the southern tip of Africa. This week on Sinica, Kaiser Kuo and Jeremy Goldkorn spoke with Terry Townshend, founder of the environmental education and travel organization EcoAction China and creator of the "Birding Beijing" website, for an inside look at how the scientific community discovered these amazing facts. We also discuss how the changing urban landscape of Beijing is affecting the natural environment for these amazing creatures. Recommendations:   Birding Beijing http://birdingbeijing.com/ Action for Swifts http://actionforswifts.blogspot.com British Trust for Ornithology http://www.bto.org Purity: A Novel, by Jonathan Franzen http://www.amazon.com/Purity-A-Novel-Jonathan-Franzen/dp/0374239215 Cement and Pig Consumption Reveal China's Huge Changes http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-33802777

Every twenty years there's a detailed survey of the birds of the UK and Ireland and today, the 2007-2011 Bird Atlas is published. Adam Rutherford hears from Dawn Balmer from the British Trust for Ornithology about the citizen scientists, the forty thousand volunteers who collected data on a staggering 19 million birds - 502 different species - and meets their record breaking volunteer, Chris Reynolds. A 73 year old retired maths teacher, Chris took part in the previous three atlases and walked thousands of miles in all seasons across his patch in the Outer Hebrides. Dawn describes the avifaunal picture revealed in this latest Atlas.In 2009, Williams developed a flywheel - which temporarily stores energy - for their formula 1 car. After the Research and Development was done, the F1 governing body changed the rules, and there was no longer space for a flywheel on their car. No matter, these things have other uses. Mark Smout from Smout Allen has proposed a design for the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, which uses banks of these flywheels to regulate the energy from the nearby wind farm. It also uses spare electricity to grow a sea defence for the island. Marnie Chesterton reports on this flywheel technology and Tim Fox, energy expert at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers describes to Adam other potential solutions for storing energy on the National Grid.Professor Bill Sutherland from the University of Cambridge is a co-author on a new "cheat sheet", published in this week's Nature, to help politicians and policy makers sort the good scientific research from the bad. He talks to Adam about why it's more important and faster, to teach a scientific approach than simply to teach facts.Producer: Fiona Hill.

One of Britain's scarcest birds is also one of its most beautiful. The flame-coloured golden pheasant is a riot of red, orange and bronze and is native to Chinese forests. The birds are popular around the world as ornamental species and over the years have been introduced on country estates. Brett Westwood joins Paul Stancliffe of the British Trust for Ornithology in search of wild golden pheasants in the conifer woods of Norfolk. Here, in spite of their bright colours, they are very elusive and behave much as they do in their native China, skulking in dense undergrowth and glimpsed only as they dash across rides. As numbers in China are in decline, do our UK pheasants have an international importance? They prefer to run rather than fly and call loudly at dusk in spring, so this visit is the best chance that Paul and Brett have to see one - a bird that's one of the toughest challenges that the countryside can offer.