In poet Paul Farley's house the reed bunting is known as The Vicar. For Paul, the way it finds a high place on the tip of a reed from which to call gives off a pulpit vibe, and the contrast between the jet-black head and the brilliant white collar beneath makes it like a bird of the cloth. Whenever he sees a reed bunting in the reedbeds at the Leighton Moss nature reserve in Lancashire, a poem always writes itself.Presented by Paul Farley and produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio Production in BristolFeaturing a recording from Xeno-Canto by Simon Elliott: Common Reed Bunting - XC787452.
--------
1:35
--------
1:35
Jo Wimpenny on the New Caledonian Crow
If you were walking past the Zoology building at the University of Oxford in the mid-noughties, you might have heard an unusual bird call. It’s undeniably crow-like, but not a UK native. It’s the New Caledonian crow, and zoologist and author Jo Wimpenny was studying them for her PhD. Jo describes her fondness for this bird, which is one of nature's smartest, due to its ability to make and use tools.Presented by Jo Wimpenny and produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio Production in Bristol.Featuring a recording from Xeno-Canto by Patrik Åberg: New Caledonian Crow - XC40120.
--------
1:32
--------
1:32
Amy-Jane Beer on the Reed Warbler
For naturalist and writer Amy-Jane Beer, the scratchy song of a reed warbler reminds her of a superstar DJ. In a marshy corner of a lake in Yorkshire she comes across this tiny brown-beige bird – or ‘classic little brown job’. But Amy finds the reed warbler’s song anything but nondescript – from his spot in the reedbed he is holding space like a DJ in an Ibiza club, scratching and mixing a hypnotic blend of sound.Produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio Bristol Production
--------
1:36
--------
1:36
Tolga Aktas on the Wood Pigeon
For conservation biologist Tolga Aktas, a walk through the city is an opportunity to observe different species of pigeon. His favourite is the wood pigeon, which is the UK’s most widespread and common pigeon. Walking through London’s parks and squares, Tolga spots the differences between wood pigeons and feral pigeons by the colours of their neck patches. Now he’s moved to the Gloucestershire countryside, the cooing call of a wood pigeon is one of the sounds that evokes the feeling of home and childhood nostalgia.Produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio Production in Bristol
--------
1:29
--------
1:29
Anita Sethi on the Lapwing
Nature author and travel writer Anita Sethi describes a vivid experience of seeing - and hearing - lapwings while walking on the West Pennine Moors. While being too fast for her to capture on camera, she recognised their distinctive call, and was stuck by their "acrobatics of sound" as they soared above her. Anita has also seen lapwings up close too, admiring their "funky hairdo" and the way their iridescent green and purple sheen lights up in the sun. Lapwings can be seen throughout the UK and their display flights are most visible during the breeding season, which typically runs from mid-March to June. Lapwings are now on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to significant population declines – so every sighting makes Anita's heart soar.Producer: Sophie Anton for BBC Audio in Bristol
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.
UK