Entomologist and wildlife presenter George McGavin describes his lifelong fascination with the red-backed shrike. When George bought his first bird guide at the age of 10, this small shrike caught his eye because of its habit of impaling large insects and small vertebrates on thorns. This 'butcher bird' was once a common visitor to the south of England but was lost as a British breeding species by the 1990s - and it wasn't until 50 years after first reading about it that George finally got to see one.Presented by George McGavin and produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio in BristolFeaturing a recording from Xeno-canto by Elias A. Ryberg (Red-backed shrike - XC676551)
--------
1:38
--------
1:38
Paul Farley on the Redwing
Poet Paul Farley muses on the autumnal arrival of redwings, small thrushes that migrate here from continental and northern Europe to spend the winter. Paul watches a flock of redwings feast on a rowan tree laden with berries, and listens out for their high-pitched nocturnal call as they move under the cover of darkness.Presented by Paul Farley and produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio in Bristol.This programme features a recording from Xeno-canto by Mats Rellmar (Redwing - XC711115)
--------
1:34
--------
1:34
Hannah Stitfall on the Firecrest
As autumn ripens in Cornwall, wildlife filmmaker and TV presenter Hannah Stitfall goes out in search of the firecrest. For Hannah, the firecrest is a jewel of the forest, with its dazzling golden crest and bright white eye-stripe. The dense evergreen woodlands and mild climate in Cornwall offer the perfect shelter and feeding grounds. Most firecrests seen in Cornwall in autumn are migrants from central Europe, pausing here on their way to their wintering grounds in southern Europe and north Africa. Hannah finds them notoriously difficult to film, but if you're lucky you might spot one hunting for insects hidden in leaves and pine needles.Presented by Hannah Stitfall and produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio in Bristol.
--------
1:37
--------
1:37
Jo Wimpenny on the Moorhen
Standing on a lake edge and eager to spot some wildlife, zoologist and author Jo Wimpenny is disappointed to just find a moorhen. But then she stops herself - why does no one get excited about seeing these birds? From climbing trees to promiscuity and egg dumping, Jo finds out there is far more to moorhen life than its humble status suggests.Presented by Jo Wimpenny and produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio in BristolThis programme features recordings from Xeno-Canto by Simon Elliott (Common Moorhen - XC572582 and XC572900)
--------
1:30
--------
1:30
Tolga Aktas on the Jay
Conservation biologist Tolga Aktas remembers his first encounter with a jay, in a busy park in south London. Even though jays are widespread in the UK, they can be elusive, so to see such a colourful and exotic-looking bird in his humble park was a special moment. Autumn is a great time to look out for jays, when they're foraging for and burying acorns, to retrieve later in the winter.Presented by Tolga Aktas and produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio in BristolThis programme features a recording from Xeno-Canto by Arjun Dutta (Eurasian Jay - XC915378)
Discover birds through their songs and calls. Each Tweet of the Day begins with a call or song, followed by a story of fascinating ornithology inspired by the sound.
España