Screaming Swifts | Living Life on the Fly

Every summer, swifts return to our skies, screaming overhead in joyful, acrobatic flight. But behind their spectacular aerial displays lies a stark reality: these much-loved birds are in serious decline. Join ranger Rosie Holdsworth in Sheffield as she meets two swift lovers doing everything they can to keep them flying high.  [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/  Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts  Production Presenter: Rosie Holdsworth Producer and sound designer: Nikki Ruck Contributors Flora Jeferzade Chet Cuñago Discover more Find out more about swift conservation at Sheffield Swift Network   Find out about swift bricks and boxes at Action for Swifts Follow us @wildtalesnt Instagram account If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]

Bioluminescent tides are often described as the northern lights of the ocean.   Marine biologist, Dr Yasmin Meeda, has only witnessed this natural phenomenon once. She says seeing bioluminescence is one of the most magical things she’s ever experienced.    Yaz takes us into the strange world of bioluminescent life to meet the species whose bodies light up from the inside, due to a chemical reaction.  From bioluminescent tides caused by microscopic dinoflagellates to angler fish and glow worms, uncover nature's light displays in the dark.  [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.    https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/   Production:   Host: Rosie Holdsworth   Producer: Michelle Douglass  Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez   Special thanks to Dr Yasmin Meeda @marinebiologywithyaz for exploring the weird world of bioluminescence with Wild Tales.  Follow Yaz @marinebiologywithyaz on instagram   Image (c) Kezan24 | iStock Discover more:  Find out about the UK Glow Worm Survey and look for organised walks:   https://glowworms.org.uk/  Follow Wild Tales on your favourite podcast app or on Instagram @wildtalesnt If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a wild tale you’re like to hear, you can contact us at [email protected]  

How did two beetles cause a gay panic?  There's much more to a cockchafer or ‘maybug’ than meets the eye.  Join ecologist, Connor Butler, to find out more about what these charismatic creatures can teach us about science, humanity and the fluidity of the natural world.  Discover more:      You can find out more about Connor’s work and the queer ecology walks here: https://www.connorbutler.co.uk/  To visit Osterley Park and House and gardens, or to find out more about its spectacular grounds, find out more here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/london/osterley-park-and-house  Further reading:   This is a HUGE topic of which we’ve only scratched the surface. As part of our research and if you wanted to dig a little deeper, we read:  Of Maybugs and Men: A History and Philosophy of the Sciences of Homosexuality by Pieter R. Adriaens and Andreas De Block  and  Biological Exuberance by Bruce Baghemil  Special thanks to Laine Kaplan-Levenson from A Field Guide to Gay Animals for taking the time to speak with us while we developed the episode.   [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.    https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/      Production:    Host: Rosie Holdsworth    Producer: Marnie Woodmeade   Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez      Follow Wild Tales on your favourite podcast app or on Instagram @wildtalesnt. If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected to our wild world, you can contact us at [email protected] 

Wild Talk: In this bonus episode Ajay chats with wildlife legend Chris Packham about their shared love of birds.  After 3 weeks of filming Springwatch at the Longshaw Estate, Ajay wants to hear more about the stunning cast of characters on this year's show.     In particular, the black and white birds that choose to spend their summer here: the migrant pied flycatchers.     Ajay meets Chris for a walk on the Springwatch set where they share their passion for birds, birding and what we must do to help wildlife.     Production:   Host: Ajay Tegala  Producer: Marnie Woodmeade   Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez   Special thanks to Chris Packham for recording with us and the Springwatch TV team for being so welcoming!      Discover more:   Find out more about Chris Packham’s work and what’s coming up: https://www.chrispackham.co.uk/   Learn more about pied flycatchers from the British Trust for Ornithology website: https://www.bto.org/learn/about-birds/birdfacts/pied-flycatcher Follow Wild Tales on your favourite podcast app or on Instagram @wildtalesnt If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a wild tale you’re like to hear, you can contact us at [email protected]  

There’s not a lot better than getting out in nature and it’s something Linda Stuart realised 40 years ago.  She visits Packwood House and Garden almost daily to get a nature fix, and credits it with getting her through some really challenging times.  Join Linda as she shares her story with Heather Birkett.  [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  Presenter: Heather Birkett  Producer: Claire Hickinbotham  Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez  Contributors  With thanks to Linda for sharing her story  And to Robyn Booth for being so open about her mental health  And to Liz Ware, Founder of Silent Space.  Discover More  Walking in nature for wellbeing | National Trust  Silent Space | Peaceful time in green places  GROW: Fill your world with plants by Robyn Booth – Collins 

It’s the 1980s and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise has burst onto the scene, scoring millions of young fans.   Half-human, half-turtle fighters Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo originated as comic book characters before spawning phenomenally popular films and cartoons.   But “turtlemania” also inadvertently sparked a pet craze that ultimately led to an invasive species problem.   Red-eared terrapins were a particularly popular pet. But many people didn’t realise they would grow from a matchbox-sized hatchling to a dinner-plate sized adult that lives for more than 40 years.       As a result a significant number of freshwater turtles were illegally released in the late 80 and 90s.  Rosie joins Turtle Tally UK’s Suzie Simpson to uncover the wild origin story of how invasive freshwater turtles became a familiar sight in our waterways.   [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.     https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/ Production:   Host: Rosie Holdsworth   Producer: Michelle Douglass   Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez   Contributor:   Suzie Simpson, Turtle Tally UK  Image:  (c) Suzie Simpson / Turtle Tally UK Discover More:  Head to Turtle Tally UK citizen science project to discover more about freshwater turtles in the UK and submit your sightings  https://www.turtletally.co.uk/  Find out about the National Trust’s work protecting our waterways and how you can help  https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/our-cause/nature-climate/climate-change-sustainability/protecting-coasts-and-rivers The National Trust cares for places so people and nature can thrive. Everyone can get involved, everyone can make a difference. Nature, beauty, history. For everyone, for ever. You can donate to us at https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/donate Follow Wild Tales nature podcast on your favourite podcast app or Youtube @nationaltrustcharity. And join us on Instagram @wildtalesnt. If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story idea you’d love to hear, contact us at [email protected] 

On September 27th 2023, the famous Sycamore Gap tree in Northumberland was felled overnight in an act of vandalism, triggering a far-reaching wave of shock and sorrow.  Join Heather Birkett, as she goes behind the scenes to explore the enduring impact of this beloved landmark, the aftermath of its loss, and the community’s efforts to preserve its memory. This episode has been updated from an previous release; National Trust Podcast - Sycamore Gap |One Year on [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 Host: Heather Birkett Producer: Nikki Ruck, Katy Kelly, Pippa Tilbury-Harris Sound Design: Nikki Ruck    Discover more To find out the latest information surrounding The Sycamore Gap Tree including The Trees of Hope campaign www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sycamore-gap Find out what’s on in Northumberland Park and The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre https://www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk/whats-on/ Follow Wild Tales on your favourite podcast app or on Instagram @wildtalesnt. If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected to our wild world, you can contact us at [email protected]

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 [email protected]  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  Assistant Producer: Katy Kelly 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 

It’s the mid-1800s and pteridomania – or fern frenzy – is the new big craze.   Across the UK, plant enthusiasts are heading into the countryside to pick all the prized specimens they can find.   And fern fans far and wide are avidly creating collections and displays of the leafy green plants to show off.   Uncover the truth about this Victorian phenomenon and how it influenced our love of house plants.   But who were the pteridomaniacs? What did ferns secretly symbolise about young women and sex? And how can we learn from the conservation consequences of the craze?   Join Presenter and Ranger Rosie Holdsworth and Curator Clara Woolford to unfurl the curious story of Victorian fern fever.    [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.   https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/   Discover more:    Visit Cragside in Northumberland for a taste of fern fever. See the fernery, rockery and glass houses designed by Lady Armstrong in the 1800s, now cared for by the National Trust.   https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/cragside Production:  Host: Rosie Holdsworth   Producer: Michelle Douglass  Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez    Follow Wild Tales nature podcast on your favourite podcast app or on Instagram @wildtalesnt. If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story idea you’d love to hear, contact us at [email protected]

Beneath the waves of West Wales lies a complicated network of relationships that determines not only who’s belly rolling who, but which calf survives.  Join Katrin Lohrengel and her team at Sea Watch to search for one of the ocean's most loved and misunderstood creatures: bottlenose dolphins.  For the Welsh transcript of this episode please click here. [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:   Host: Rosie Holdsworth   Producer: Marnie Woodmeade Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez Discover more:   Find out more about the dolphins in Cardigan Bay: www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk/  Did you know , you can see dolphins from the shore at Cardigan Bay? Explore the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’s coastal walks:  www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/strumble-head-to-cardigan  Special thanks to Katrin Lohrengel for extra fact checking work and the whole team at Sea Watch.  Follow Wild Tales on your favourite podcast app or on Instagram @wildtalesnt. If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected to our wild world, you can contact us at [email protected]