Wingin' It with Holly

My friend Sean joins me on the podcast this week where we swap some fascinating (and very random) birdy facts – including: which species lay eggs the size of coffee beans, what type of bird uses poop as a weapon, and which birds hold the record for being the largest, smallest or fastest in the world!

There are quite a few theories as to how the bright green parakeets that fly across London and other areas in the south of England got here – did they escape a movie set? Were they released by Jimi Hendrix? And how has this non-native, sub-tropical bird survived so well in the UK?  In this episode, my cousin Katie and I discuss the Ring-necked parakeet. RSPB website - Ring-necked parakeet [https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/ring-necked-parakeet/]

You may have noticed that, here in the UK, a lot of our birds seem to disappear after the summer. But where do they go and why?  In spring this year I spoke to my uncle Ivan – who has been birdwatching for 50+ years – about bird migration. Bird Migration on Merchant Ships [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRFyIsX8pq4]

As a Wildlife Advisor to the public, my cousin Katie deals with all kinds of birdie queries  – whether it’s someone needing help identifying a bird in their garden, someone asking advice on how to help an injured bird, or someone asking what to do with a nest they have found in their shed. Some queries, however, are so funny and bizarre that we wanted to share them with you…

Back in June I spent four weeks living on a remote nature reserve in the Highlands of Scotland for my work sabbatical – where I monitored one of our rarest birds of prey, the Hen Harrier. People kept asking what exactly I was doing and what it entailed, so I recorded this episode to explain… RSPB website - Hen Harrier [https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/hen-harrier/] Become a Bird of Prey Defender [https://www.rspb.org.uk/join-and-donate/donate/appeals/birds-of-prey-defenders/]