Get Birding

In this episode, we're discovering how a love of birding can change lives and bring people together.

We join birdwatcher and community builder Lira Valencia on her local patch in London, where she shares how discovering the birds on her doorstep opened up a whole new world. Lira also challenges perceptions of who belongs in the great outdoors, exploring why representation matters and making the case for a more diverse and inclusive birding community.

Plus, we meet Shell, founder of The Birds and the Bells, an all-women birdwatching and photography group in Yorkshire. After a life-changing illness left her facing disability and an uncertain future, a trip to see puffins at Bempton Cliffs helped Shell rediscover joy and purpose. One Facebook post asking if other women wanted to go birdwatching has since grown into a thriving community, on a mission to redress the historic gender inequality in birdwatching and create safe, supportive spaces for everyone.

We also meet author and wildlife documentary maker Katie Stacey, founder of the Wild Shift and co-founder of Wild Finca, a rewilding project in northern Spain. Katie shares her approach to reconnecting families with nature, from finding wonder in everyday moments to rediscovering the curiosity and sense of adventure that children bring to the natural world.

Plus, Dr Mya-Rose Craig returns to answer your birding questions!

Produced by Hana Walker-Brown. The Executive Producer is Jane Gerber.

Outside with Lira Valencia https://www.instagram.com/outsidewithlira/?hl=en
The Birds and the Belles https://birdsandthebelles.co.uk/
The Wild Shift Community: https://www.skool.com/the-wild-shift/about
You get the first 7 days free to see if it's the place for you
Rewilding with Wild Finca Community: https://www.skool.com/rewilding-with-wild-finca-4590/about
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Sean Bean joins Poet Laureate Simon Armitage at RSPB Arne to explore how birds have inspired poetry and literature, and the books that first sparked a love of the natural world.

Plus, we meet writer and artist Jackie Morris, co-creator of The Lost Words and The Lost Spells, to hear how birds inspire her work, from the ravens flying overhead to The Book of Birds, her collaboration with Robert Macfarlane celebrating 49 threatened British bird species. We’ll also discover Spell Songs in Thin Air, inspired by The Book of Birds and the alarming thinning of our skies as birdlife disappears. Through music, poetry and art, the project aims to rekindle our love of nature and inspire us to protect it.

Bird biographer Stephen Moss explores the surprising history of puffins and the myths surrounding owls, revealing how our stories and traditions shape the way we see birds — and why understanding them is vital to protecting their future.

Produced by Hana Walker-Brown. The Executive Producer is Jane Gerber.

Spell Songs https://www.thelostwords.org/spell-songs/
The Book of Birds https://www.thelostwords.org/thebookofbirds/
The Bird Biographer Series by Stephen Moss https://www.penguin.co.uk/series/BRDBIO/the-bird-biography-series
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, host Sean Bean returns to RSPB Arne in Dorset, where autumn migration is bringing birds in from further north. We’ll discover why Poole Harbour is such an important winter haven for waders and waterfowl, and get to know some of the reserve’s remarkable birds of prey.

Plus, we’ll meet musician Ben Watt, best known as a member of Everything But The Girl, as he takes us around his local patch at Brent Reservoir in North London. Ben shares how he fell in love with birding and why he’s campaigning to protect the wildlife and habitats on his doorstep.

We’ll also hear about the devastating wildfires at Dunwich Heath in Suffolk and their impact on the birds and habitats that will take years to recover. Meanwhile, the BTO’s satellite-tagged cuckoo, Bean, continues his remarkable journey south.

Dr Mya-Rose Craig is back with her dad, Chris, to answer your birding questions about migration after dark, and Maya takes a closer look at spotting scopes and what might be best for your birding.

Produced by Hana Walker-Brown. The Executive Producer is Jane Gerber.

Learn more about Ben Watt’s environmental group, Cool Oak
https://www.cooloakgroup.com/

And the Brent Resovoir
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/canals-and-rivers/places-to-visit/brent-reservoir-welsh-harp

Track our satellite tagged cuckoo, Bean. https://www.bto.org/get-involved/volunteer/projects/cuckoo-tracking/bean
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, host Sean Bean is joined by Poet Laureate Simon Armitage at RSPB Arne, where they explore the reserve and discover how Dartford Warblers have bounced back, from just two pairs at Arne in 1965 to 97 pairs last year. Simon talks about how birds have found their way into his poetry, his love of their names, and one very questionable identification during a 24-hour bird race.

We’ll also get ready for October Big Day with Stephen Menzie from Merlin, as birders around the world head out on 10th October to record the birds they see. We’ll hear how hundreds of thousands of people can come together to build a picture of birds around the world, and discover why Falsterbo in Sweden is such an incredible place to watch autumn migration.

Plus, Dr Mya-Rose Craig is back to answer your birding questions and help you get to grips with what all those numbers on your binoculars really mean.

Produced by Hana Walker-Brown. The Executive Producer is Jane Gerber.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we’re exploring generational birding and how a love of nature is passed down through families. Sean Bean is joined by lifelong birders Dr. Mya-Rose Craig and her dad Chris at RSPB Arne, who share memories of birding together, from Mya-Rose’s first twitch at just nine days old to an overnight trip to Orkney to see a rare Sandhill Crane.

We’ll also meet 16-year-old conservationist Joe Scorey and his dad Paul in Bushy Park, where they reveal how birdwatching has brought them closer in a digital age when father-son relationships can be difficult, giving them a way to talk, travel and explore together.

Plus, Rachel, London Ambassador for Birds and the Belles, takes us back to where her love of birding began and how it has given her moments of mindfulness while navigating the grief of losing a parent. We’ll also answer your autumn birding questions, from departing summer migrants to the arrival of winter visitors.

Produced by Hana Walker-Brown. The Executive Producer is Jane Gerber.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.