Wilder Lincolnshire Podcast

Enjoy the first episode in what will be an educational series of 'a beginner's guide to' with bird expert and Gibraltar Point Warden Richard Doan. The series is intended to help you learn the basics from calls and songs to easily identifiable characteristics of the particular group of birds featured in the episode. First up, it is our woodland birds.

Audio credits
Some bird sound recordings featured in this episode were sourced from Xeno-canto.
All recordings remain the property of their respective recordists and are used in accordance with their stated Creative Commons licences. All recordings have been credited to their original recordist. These sounds were included for education purposes and used only in non-monetised content. For full details, please refer to the original recordings on Xeno-canto.
Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) call by He Wenjin/文进 (XC1019733); European green woodpecker (Picusviridis) flight call by Mark Plummer (XC1086852); Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) drumming by Paul Driver (XC778156); Great tit (Parus major) song by david m (XC180727); Blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) song by david m (XC910883); Long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus) call by Lars Edenius (XC980798); European robin (Erithacus rubecula) song by Agris Celmins (XC1029275); European robin (Erithacus rubecula) call by Agris Celmins (XC1029274); Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) song by David Boyle (XC1025759); Dunnock (Prunella modularis) call by david m (XC353951); Dunnock (Prunella modularis) song by Simon Elliott (XC788930); Common blackbird (Turdus merula) song by david m (XC817359); Song thrush (Turdus philomelos) song by Paul Driver (XC811059); Mistle thrush (Turdus viscivorus) song by david m (XC168179); Common chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) song by Lee Alder (XC898098); European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) song by David Bissett (XC811560).

In this episode of the Wilder Lincolnshire podcast, we look to the skies to celebrate one of our most extraordinary summer visitors: swifts. Joined by Viv Rhodie, Chair of the Horncastle and Woodhall Spa Area Group, we uncover what makes swifts so special, the inspiring local swift box project helping them thrive, and how people across the county can get involved in practical conservation.
We also shine a light on Lincolnshire’s Area Groups — the passionate, volunteer-led communities at the heart of Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust — and how they’re making a real difference for wildlife on a local level. Whether you’re a swift superfan or curious about getting involved where you live, this episode is full of insight, inspiration, and hope for nature.
A visual version of this podcast is available on our YouTube channel.
If you would like to purchase a swift box from Viv please email us at [email protected].

For our first episode of 2026, we head out to Crowle Moor to catch up with the Fens East Peat Partnership (FEPP) team to discuss their work, including increasing water retention on various sites and monitoring land changes in response to restoration, particularly through aerial surveys.
Drones on nature reserves can be quite a controversial topic and in this episode we unpick the benefits of using them for conservation, what impact they can have on wildlife and why we ask the general public not to use them on our reserves.

In our last episode of 2025, Melvyn speaks to Paul Learoyd, Chief Executive of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, about some of the highlights for the Trust over the past year. We also hear from Professor Libby John, Chair of the Trust, who discusses the exciting potential of Hawthorpe, a large area of grassland that Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is raising funds to acquire. Find out more about the appeal at: lincstrust.org.uk/hawthorpe-appeal.

In this latest episode of the Wilder Lincolnshire Podcast, we head out to Willow Tree Fen as dusk approaches to witness one of the county’s most spectacular wildlife events — the winter roost.
Join us on the viewing area with Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust’s Deputy Head of Nature Reserves, Sarah Craythorne, as we explore how this remarkable reserve has transformed from arable farmland into a thriving wetland haven. We delve into the story of Willow Tree Fen’s rebirth, the arrival of cranes after more than 400 years, and the unique decision to limit access so wildlife can flourish undisturbed. We learn how water management shapes the reserve, how cattle play a role in habitat care, and why Willow Tree Fen has become nationally significant for wintering wildfowl, waders and raptors.
Later, we’re joined by Josh, a former trainee and now volunteer, who shares his experiences monitoring harriers and cranes, helping visitors identify birds in flight, and watching record-breaking roosts unfold — including more than 40 cranes bugling as they come in to roost.