Tweet of the Day

Sarah Harris of the British Trust for Ornithology recalls the excitement of watching clouds of migrating blackbirds arriving at Spurn in East Yorkshire from the continent as they seek out the milder winter weather here. Producer: Sarah Blunt Photograph: Emilpix.

Nick Moran of the British Trust for Ornithology describes the surprise he got when he listened back to a recording he had made during the night of birds on the move. Tweet of the Day has captivated the Radio 4 audience with its daily 90 seconds of birdsong. But what of the listener to this avian chorus? In this new series of Tweet of the Day, we bring to the airwaves the conversational voices of t...

Jennifer Border of the British Trust for Ornithology has a special affection for whinchats even though research trips don't always go to plan as she recalls when following the song of a whinchat resulted in a broken signpost and a cracked car bumper! Tweet of the Day has captivated the Radio 4 audience with its daily 90 seconds of birdsong. But what of the listener to this avian chorus? In this ne...

Andy Clements of the British Trust for Ornithology explains why he finds the sound of Pink-footed Geese so exciting as they fly overhead calling to one another. Tweet of the Day has captivated the Radio 4 audience with its daily 90 seconds of birdsong. Producer: Sarah Blunt

In this episode about the birds which are encouraged by his 'wildlife-friendly' garden in inner-city Wolverhampton, naturalist and environmentalist Chris Baines describes the regular visits of the stunning-looking Nuthatches which visit his pond for mud to line their nests and his feeders for food. Producer: Sarah Blunt

In another of his TWEETS about the birds which are encouraged by his 'wildlife-friendly' garden in inner-city Wolverhampton, naturalist and environmentalist Chris Baines is delighted to find Great Spotted Woodpeckers visiting after he noticed that a local neighbour had success with tempting fat bars! Producer: Sarah Blunt Photograph: Ian Redman.

Naturalist and environmentalist Chris Baines describes the wonderful song battles for territory and mates between Song Thrushes making home in his and his neighbours' gardens. His garden pond is also raided by these musical songsters for mud and wet leaves to line their nests. Producer: Sarah Blunt Photograph: Charles McKeddie.

In another of his TWEETS about the birds which visit his 'wildlife-friendly' garden, naturalist and environmentalist Chris Baines revels in the sight of tiny Goldcrests teasing out insects from between the needles of his much maligned Leyland cypress trees. Tweet of the Day has captivated the Radio 4 audience with its daily 90 seconds of birdsong. But what of the listener to this avian chorus? In...

The striking-looking bullfinch is the subject of today's episode with naturalist and environmentalist Chris Baines. It is one of the birds he hears and encourages into his 'wildlife-friendly' garden. In the past, bullfinches were persecuted for their fondness for fruit tree buds but as far as Chris is concerned, this is a small price to pay to have a pair of these beautiful birds visit his garden....

Ever since her first encounter with a Scarf as they are known locally when she was a child and her Mum rescued a casualty of an oil spill, Helen Moncrieff, Shetland Manager for RSPB Scotland has had a particular fondness for these birds seeking them out in in the darkness of sea caves where they nest on ledges and fill the air with their strange sounds. Producer: Sarah Blunt Photograph: Paul Lee.

Ever since childhood, Helen Moncrieff, Shetland Manager for RSPB Scotland has been fascinated by the ways in which Shetland Starlings can mimic not only other birds but other sounds including a squeaky toy belonging to her own dog! Producer: Sarah Blunt Photograph: John Dixon.

Fulmars defend their nests by launching their stomach contents at an intruder. Now this may not seem like an appealing behaviour but as Helen Moncrieff, Shetland Manager with RSPB Scotland describes, it was a tactic she used to her advantage as a child and has felt protective of these cliff-nesting birds ever since. Producer: Sarah Blunt Photograph: Andrew Thompson.

Known locally as Sten-shakker or Chek after their alarm call, Northern Wheatears never cease to delight Helen Moncrieff, Shetland Manager for RSPB Scotland when they return to Shetland for the breeding season. Producer: Sarah Blunt Photograph: Sonia Johnson.

Helen Moncrieff, Shetland Manager for RSPB Scotland recalls some of her encounters with the Black Guillemot or Tystie as they are known locally in Shetland after their piercing whistle. These include watching one disappear into the jaws of an Orca. Producer: Sarah Blunt Photograph: Brian Burke.

Children's author and poet Michael Morpurgo reflects on the swan, celebrating its mysterious beauty and the wonder of its wings as they pass overhead. Tweet of the Day has captivated the Radio 4 audience with its daily 90 seconds of birdsong. In this latest series of Tweet of the Day, we bring to the airwaves the conversational voices of those who listen to and are inspired by birds. Building on t...

Music professor and philosopher David Rothenberg asks a simple question, why is the song thrush with its beautiful, exuberant and melodious song not famous for this Tweet of the Day. Producer: Tim Dee

David Rothenberg on the jazz artist of the bird world - the humble robin. David explains what the song of the robin has in common with experimental free form jazz, not dissimilar to the sound of saxophonist Eric Dolphy who spent a long time listening to birds. Producer: Tim Dee Photograph: Christine Sweet.

For professor of philosophy and music at the New Jersey Institute of Technology David Rothenberg, the blackbird is a beautiful melodic songster which helps explains the difference between bird song and bird call in this Tweet of the Day. Producer: Tim Dee

Musician Joe Acheson of Hidden Orchestra describes how slowing down recordings he made of the diminutive wren song during a dawn chorus, sounded like the morning calls of gibbons across the rainforest. Producer: Tom Bonnett Photograph: Sam Linton.

Ecologist Penny Anderson learns how to differentiate between the songs of Blackcap and Garden Warbler when to her delight she hears a Garden Warbler singing in the scrub patch in her garden. Producer: Sarah Blunt Photograph: James Hanlon.

Mandarin Ducks are flamboyant, brightly coloured ducks which originally hail from the Middle East. A feral population established here in the last century here and a pair regularly visit the garden of ecologist Penny Anderson where they waddle across the lawn, roost on her ponds and perch in her trees. Producer: Sarah Blunt

Ecologist Penny Anderson wonders whether evolution is a work in her garden as the behaviour of the frogs in her ponds seems to be changing in response to the annual visits by the herons which enjoy a spot of fishing. Producer: Sarah Blunt Photograph: Ian OK.

When a pair of Spotted flycatchers decided to build a nest in a gap in the wall, ecologist Penny Anderson had to stop the pointing work being done to her house, but she has no regrets as the birds have bred in her garden ever since. Producer: Sarah Blunt

Ecologist Penny Anderson has always liked Red Grouse and they never fail to make her laugh as she reveals in this recollection about her encounters with this dumpy red bird. Producer: Sarah Blunt Photograph: Fox Pix.

Mike Toms of the British Trust for Ornithology describes his night-time encounters with Tawny Owls in Thetford Forest in Norfolk. Tweet of the Day has captivated the Radio 4 audience with its daily 90 seconds of birdsong. But what of the listener to this avian chorus? In this new series of Tweet of the Day, we bring to the airwaves the conversational voices of those who listen to and are inspired...