Select an episodes listen to or download from the list below

And check out our Youtube channel for the UK Wildlife Podcast Live and other content

And you can support us via our Buy Me A Coffee account

EP62 – Fungi with Lee Davies

We talk to Lee Davies, mycologist and Fungarium Curator at the Royal Botanical Gardens Kew, all about Fungi! We finally talk about this whole kingdom of life so far largely ignored by this podcast, discussing what fungi are, their different ecologies, the mycorrhiza fungi and their symbiotic relationships with trees, and how many are poisonous…

Details

EP61 – Being a Young Naturalist with Mya Bambrick and Ben Rumsby

We talk to 2 young naturalists Mya Bambrick and Ben Rumsby abut their experiences being a young naturalist in the UK today. We discuss what got them into wildlife, the upsides of social media from a young naturalist’s perspective, bird camps and Mya’s work with the Cameron Bespolka Trust, Vlogging and what Noc-Mig is.

Details

EP60 – Craneflies with Pete Boardman

We talk Craneflies with Pete Boardman, national organiser for the UK Cranefly Recording Scheme. We talk about what craneflies are, the confusion when using the name daddy long legs, the diversity and lifecycle of the craneflies, and why there are so many about at this time of year.

Details

EP59 – Basking Sharks and other British Sharks with Dr Isla Hodgson

We talk to Dr Isla Hodgson about the sharks found in UK waters, including Basking Sharks. We answer your questions on sharks and talk how little we do know about these often misunderstood and unfairly maligned creatures. We also discuss Isla’s work with Basking Shark Scotland and the Save Our Seas Foundation which includes their…

Details

EP58 – European Eels with Jack Wootton

We talk to Jack Wootton, Aquatic Ecologist for the Forth Rivers Trust, about European eels We discuss their lifecycle, diet and issues threatening their survival, and talk about the Forgotten Fish Project he started and the work they do to help eels and other fish.

Details

EP57 – Kittiwakes and Albatross on a visit Flamborough Cliffs with Zeiss

A slightly different episode talking about Neil’s recent trips to Yorkshire, one with Zeiss to test out their Victory SF binoculars while enjoying the wildlife of Flamborough Cliffs and hoping to see the Albatross that had been seen there, and a 2nd trip to….well listen to find out! We also take a closer look at…

Details

EP56 – The British Dragonfly Society with Fiona McKenna and Dave Smallshire

We talk to Fiona McKenna and Dave Smallshire of the British Dragonfly Society (BDS) and the work they and the BDS do to engage people, record and conserve dragonflies and damselflies. We also find out what their favourite species of this fascinating group is!

Details

EP55 – The Emerald Damselflies

In this episode we look at the Emerald damselflies, the Lestidae, found in the UK. The Common, Scarce, Southern and Willow Emeralds, looking at how to identify them, their habitat preferences, egg laying and larva habits, the recent arrival and spread in the UK of the Willow and Southern Emeralds and some more geeky info…

Details

EP54 – The Blue Butterflies

Vic and Neil talk about our 9 resident Blue Butterfly species, looking at each species and their preferred habitats, larval food plants and their relationship that some have with ants, including how they trick the poor ant hosts into caring for their caterpillars.

EP53 – A threat to the Legal Protection for Wildlife

The Legal Protection for some of the UK’s most vulnerable Wildlife, including adder, pine martens and mountain hares, is under threat from new proposals by the JNCC to only allow those that are classified as Endangered or Critically Endangered, or a European Protected Species (EPS) to be protected by law. Neil and Steve Allain look…

Details

EP52 – Making birding a safe place for women with Lucy McRobert

Just a heads up In this episode we talk about women being subject to harassment and worse. We talk to Lucy McRobert about the subject of her ‘Call it out’ article she wrote for Bird Guides (do have a read if you haven’t already), how birding or simply being out in nature alone can make…

Details

EP51 – Freshwater Ecoacoustics with Jack Greenhalgh

We talk to Jack Greenhalgh, who is studying a PhD on the wonderful underwater acoustic world of ponds & rivers. We talk about his research and listen to some of the noises made by freshwater invertebrates underwater.

Details

EP50 – 9 wildlife podcasters in 1 podcast

Something a bit different for episode 50, we invited 7 other wildlife podcasters onto the show: Susy Buttress from Casual Birder , Ryan Dalton from Into the Wild, Emma Bridson from For What is Earth, Jack perks from the Bearded Tit, Rachael Horowitz from Hidden Wings and Bloodlust and Ellie and Ben from the Wildlife…

Details

Ep5 UK Wildlife Podcast – Pond life in Winter

What pond creatures, such as the pond oilve mayfly, do to survive the cold in winter, and give some tips on how to look after your pond when it freezes over. Kestrel decline and our first memory’s of garden wildlife, and what surprises us about nature. Seal pup deaths and should dogs be allowed in nature reserves.

Details

Ep49 – Wood Ants with Dr. Jenni Stockan

In this episode we talk to Dr Jenni Stockan about Wood Ants, which are 3 of our largest and arguably most interesting species of ants. We discuss how they live, what effect they have on the habitats they live in and the somewhat bizarre stories of people relocating them, sometimes to some far off places!

Details

Ep48 – Field Crickets with Back from the Brink

Our first ever in the field interview, and it is with Mike Coates, warden for RSPB Farnham, where we discuss the Back from the Brink backed Field Cricket reintroduction project and these wonderful insects. In news I cover dogs chasing deer, a bad few weeks for BOP persecution and a project to help the Twaite…

Details

Ep47 – Bluebells and Wood Anemones

In the second of our spring flowers episodes we talk about the the Bluebell and the Wood Anemone; how and where they grow, why they spread so slowly and the neat trick bluebells use to get phosphorous. In news we talk about the Big Garden Birdwatch results, Large Marsh Grasshopper being reintroduced to Norfolk, the…

Details

Ep46 – Pasque Flower and Snake’s-Head Fritillary

In the first of 2 spring flower episode we take an in depth look at the Pasque Flower and Snake’s-Head Fritillary, their ecology, native status and uses in history. In news we discuss Freddie the seal being attacked by a dog, Puffin numbers booming to 1940s-level high on Skokholm, Buglife’s investigation finding ‘I’m a Celebrity’…

Details

Ep45 – Cuckoos with Professor Nick Davies

We discuss cuckoos with Professor Nick Davies, field naturalist and author of the book ‘Cuckoo: cheating by nature’. We talk about the cuckoos diet, migration and their extraordinary nest parasitism. Over many years of study Nick and his colleagues have answered many of the questions around how the cuckoo gets away with laying it eggs…

Details