Episode 2: Great spotted woodpecker

05/18/20 • 27 min

The drumming of great spotted woodpeckers is one of spring's most exciting sounds. Penny and Jo discuss how to spot these dapper birds and distinguish it from the two other UK woodpecker species. Plus: Margaret Atwood's love of birds, the joys of patch birding and a surprising reason to watch Citizen Kane.

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Episode 1: Goldfinch

While most birds are in decline, it's now easier than ever to see goldfinches. Penny and Jo explore the surprising success of these charming birds. Plus: the women who founded the RSPB, how to choose a bird book or field guide, and the ancient Mayan civilisation's favourite bird.

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Episode 3: Wren

You may not have seen a wren recently, but this tiny bird is everywhere! Penny and Jo explore the fascinating breeding behaviour of the UK's most common bird and learn how to recognise it by its song. Plus: how to choose a pair of binoculars, the man who introduced starlings to the US, and how Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Raven' was nearly a much more colourful poem.