The Birdy Bug Pod

From silhouetted soaring buzzards to the powerful elegance of an osprey snatching a fish from a lake, birds of prey are incredible animals that have entranced us for centuries. Unfortunately, however, this has not prevented them from being persecuted. This episode we are tackling a slightly more serious and somber topic but one that we believe definitely needs talking about and is certainly close...

Elusive and secretive, the smooth snake is not often seen and therefore easily overlooked. However, this fascinating reptile is confronting increasing pressures that could make it even scarcer. Join us as we shine a light on the lifestyle of this mysterious serpent, uncover the threats they are facing, and of course, highlight the remarkable conservation efforts dedicated to preserving our rarest...

Tasty fried mushrooms with your breakfast may be the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word fungi, but did you know that they are essential to mitigating climate change? In fact, the fungi kingdom is far more diverse and vital than we could have imagined. From incredible carbon storage and ability to improve the health of forests to even providing sustainable packaging and breaking...

Every time we discuss a struggling species or an environmental issue that needs overcoming, we try to finish the chat with some hope. Highlighting the incredible work of tirelessly dedicated people who are out there trying to make a difference. Hope is essential if we are to overcome the monumental challenges facing nature and our planet, a sentiment that is at the heart of Dr Jane Goodall's inspi...

They mitigate the impacts of climate change, support a plethora of species (including the largest animals on earth), and are often called the linchpin of the Antarctic. Krill may be small, but they are massively important. Grab a coffee and join us as we dive into the frosty waters of the Antarctic and explore just how and why these small crustaceans are so vital and the worrying challenges they a...

With their mind-boggling wingspans and entrancing mating rituals, albatrosses are certainly birds with some charisma. However, facing a variety of pressures, these majestic birds are in decline, an issue that can be all too easily missed due to their remote oceanic lifestyle. So, grab a drink and join us for a chilled episode where we delve into the challenges facing these remarkable birds, featur...

Zoologist, ecologist, wildlife photographer, and very well-travelled, we've mentioned Josh in a few previous episodes, it was about time we had him on! Not long back from 5 weeks in the jungles of Sumatra, we delve into his experience, covering the incredible species he saw, the challenges facing both wildlife and conservationists, some good signs of ecotourism, and what would be great to see goin...

Join us as we delve into the world of ecotourism, exploring what it is and whether or not it achieves its goal of providing a way to travel that benefits nature, the planet, and people. We look how ecotourism differs from other forms of "green" travel, the potential benefits and pitfalls, and examples of it done well and when it misses the mark. Looking for your next ecotourism/sustainable holiday...

Discover the story of the turtle dove, a symbol of peace and love, facing a staggering 99% decline in the UK since the 1970s. Join us as we examine the complex issues besieging this wonderful bird, whilst also addressing pressing questions such as "what is the difference between a pigeon and a dove?" And "what on earth is pigeon milk?" It's not all doom and gloom, as we of course shine a spotlight...

Join us for a break from all the negative news and enjoy an hour of uplifting stories and a reminder that people everywhere are working incredibly hard for nature. This episode we are bringing you a collection of fantastic stories highlighting the remarkable work being done across the globe to conserve wildlife, protect nature, and look after the planet. Connecting fragmented habitats, fighting po...

Join us as we take a dive into our camera bags and chat about what bits of kit we use, from cameras and lenses to handy little accessories. We reveal our niche nerdiness as we get excited about tripod heads and camera straps, learn what weird thing is always in Matthew's camera bag, and we dream a little about our ideal set-ups. This was a fun, lighthearted chat that we thoroughly enjoyed recordin...

From going plastic free to taking shorter showers, many of us look for ways we can reduce our impact on the planet and yet, so often we overlook the carbon pawprints of our cats and dogs. As two people who love their cats, we set out to learn just how we can all reduce the impact our fury friends have on the planet. We were surprised by some of the facts and figures we found during our research an...

... that we've been to so far. Grab a brew and join us for this chilled chat about some of our favourite nature reserves and wildlife spots. Places where we've seen some of our favourite species, taken our best photos, and had the most memorable moments. We would love to know about your favourite wildlife spots and if you have been to any of ours. Let us know by pinging us a message on Instagram (...

Invasive non-native species. What are they and what problems do they cause? How do we combat them and control them? What can we all do to help? We look at all of these questions and more as we delve into the fascinating world of invasive species. From remarkably resilient plants to duck hybridisations, this episode has the lot. A huge topic, that we thoroughly enjoyed researching and we hope you e...

An exciting episode as we are finally highlighting an amphibian for the first time and it's the wondeful natterjack toad that gets the honour. Our loudest amphibian is also one of our scarcest, being restricted to only a handful of sites across the UK and unfortunately, these precious populations face many threats. Join us as we learn about this fascinating toad, its natural history, the pressures...

International Bat Night takes places over the last full weekend of August every year and we thought it would be the perfect excuse to record an episode all about bats! Grab your drink of choice and join us as we delve into the fascinating world of bats. From speedy fliers to the one of the world's smallest mammals, we got a bit carried away with bat facts. We also look into which species we have h...

After a week of hearing their captivating song in Croatia, we just had to do an episode on the nightingale. Known for producing one of the most beautiful songs in nature, this visually plain but audibly stunning bird is unfortunately struggling and in the UK their populations have seen a massive decline. They need our help. Join us as we learn all about the nightingale, from their cultural impact...

Reintroducing species, bringing those lost back and bolstering those that are on the verge of disappearing. Join us in this episode as we delve into the world of reintroductions. We look at what it really takes to make reintroduction projects succeed and how work to bring one species back can have far reaching conservation benefits. We also dive into some very well and some lesser-known UK reintro...

After our holiday in Croatia, where we both fell in love with the country and were blown away by the wildlife, we wanted to learn more about the nature that you can find there. So grab a drink and join us for our first international episode where we explore the reasons why Croatia has such a wealth of wildlife, discuss the species we saw and those we would like to go back for, as well as look into...

This episode, we are venturing underwater for the first time and learning about the complex lives of European eels. From their remarkable migration to the fact that they were once used as currency, these fish are fascinating both biologically and culturally. Yet, their populations have declined dramatically in recent decades, and they are now critically endangered. So, grab your drink of choice an...

After decades of dramatic decline, our largest beetle is beginning to stabilise. But the mighty stag beetle still needs our help. So, grab a coffee and settle in as we learn all about stag beetles, why their populations have been declining for so long, how they are beginning to stabilise and the actions we can all take to help these incredible insects. It was about time The Birdy Bug Pod had an in...

This week we are taking to the sky and learning all about the remarkable swifts. There is an abundance of interesting facts about swifts but, like many species, their populations are declining. So, grab a coffee and join us as we delve into the fascinating lives of swifts, examine what is causing their decline, and of course look at how we can all help! We really enjoyed this episode, and each cam...

They've had mentions in previous episodes, but this one is all about adders! This stunning snake is often misunderstood but we love them and think they deserve some appreciation. So, grab a coffee and join us as we discuss adders, we learn about their biology, dispel some common myths, delve into the threats they are facing, and of course, highlight the fantastic organisations working to help them...

We are delving into the world of oak trees! We couldn't quite believe the plethora of species that they support. So, grab a coffee and join us as we learn about the cultural, ecological, and environmental importance of these incredible trees. We of course also look at the threats they are facing and the incredible work being done to protect them. Contact:- Please do feel free to get in touch with...

We've done coffee, now we are tackling tea! The second most consumed drink after water, this week we are delving into the sustainability of tea. So, grab a cuppa and join us as we learn what tea really is, whether there are environmental issues with its production, and of course, what we can do to reduce the impact of our tea habits. Contact Please do feel free to get in touch with us if you have...