Wilder Lincolnshire Podcast

The next episode in our 'a beginner's guide to' series with bird expert and Gibraltar Point Warden Richard Doan puts the spotlight on warblers. Learn the basics from calls and songs to easily identifiable characteristics of this group of birds. There are 13 species commonly found in Lincolnshire and 9 of those right here at Gibraltar Point where Melvyn and Richard explore different habitats on the look out for them.

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.Common chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) song by Lee Adler (XC795900); Eurasian blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) song by Anthony McGeehan (XC1106221); Common whitethroat (Curruca communis) song by David Darrell-Lambert (XC1136650); Lesser whitethroat (Curruca curruca) song by Paul Driver (XC1024202); Sedge warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) song by David Pennington (XC905440); Common grasshopper warbler (Locustella naevia) song by Simon Elliott (XC602222); Eurasian reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) song by David Darrell-Lambert (XC1136664); Cetti’s Warbler (Cettia cetti cetti) song by Robert Hutchinson (XC590340).

This month we hear from Mid-Lincolnshire warden, Kevin James, on one of our wonderful meadows in the heart of the Lincolnshire Wolds, Red Hill. From a sea of yellow cowslips earlier in the year to a burst of purples in June and July, Red Hill is as important for wildlife as it is beautiful to visit.
In the latest episode, find out all about the history of this chalk grassland, learn what a meadow even is and how this small but mighty reserve provides seeds for the wider landscape.

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 info@lincstrust.co.uk.

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.