The Birdy Bug Pod

This episode we are chatting all things seagrass! Sometimes called "the most important habitat that no one has heard of" we wanted to shine some light on this incredible plant. So, grab a coffee and join us as we learn about what makes seagrass so incredible both ecologically and environmentally, why we have lost 90% of our seagrass meadows in the UK, and what is being done to restore this remarkable habitat!Quick edit The book by Sophie Pavelle is called 'Forget me not - finding the forgotten species of climate change Britain' I got the title mixed up with Chris Packam and Megan McCubbin's book. ContactPlease do feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions, feedback, comments, or just want to say hi! The easiest way is to ping us a message on Instagram:Steve - @a.bird.in.the.lens,Matthew - @a.bug.in.the.lensLinksProject Seagrass | Advancing the conservation of seagrass through education, influence, research and action'Catastrophic': UK has lost 90% of seagrass meadows, study finds | Coastlines | The GuardianThe UK's biggest seagrass restoration project - Swansea UniversitySeagrass | The Wildlife Trusts

Our little podcast has made it to 10 episodes! To mark the occasion, we have an episode filled with all manner of things centered around the number 10. From 10 facts about ourselves to 10 conservation/environmental goals we would like to see happen in the next 10 years. From 10 interesting bird/bug facts to 10 places we would like to visit for wildlife. We even have quiz questions for which we have 10 seconds to answer, sprinkled throughout!So grab a coffee and join us for this light-hearted, at times serious and at times daft, episode. This was a particularly fun one to make, so we hope you enjoy listening!ContactPlease do feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions, feedback, comments, or just want to say hi! We'd love to hear how you got on with the quiz questions (and yes Matthew brought much meaner ones for Steve). The easiest way is to ping us a message on Instagram:Steve - @a.bird.in.the.lens,Matthew - @a.bug.in.the.lens

There is no better way to start the new year than with a collection of positive nature news stories! Following a short hiatus due to illness over Christmas, we are ending 2022 and kicking off 2023 on a positive note. From species that that flourished last year to successful rewilding projects, we have got the lot! So, grab a coffee and join us for our first episode of the year.ContactPlease do feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions, feedback, comments, or just want to say hi! We'd love to hear what your favourite positive nature news story of 2022 was! The easiest way is to ping us a message on Instagram:Steve - @a.bird.in.the.lens,Matthew - @a.bug.in.the.lensLinksLarge blue butterfly numbers soar in Britain | Butterflies | The GuardianFirst wild European bison born in the UK for thousands of years | Natural History Museum (nhm.ac.uk)Ready for takeoff: curlews from eggs rescued at airfields set for release | Birds | The GuardianBeavers reintroduced to London after 400 years | Natural History Museum (nhm.ac.uk)

This week is all about bogs and the peat that forms them. Despite only covering a small percentage of the world's terrestrial space, saving peatlands is essential for combating climate change. So, grab a coffee and join us as we chat about what makes peat such a valuable environmental resource, how we use it, and what we can all do to save our peatlands.ContactPlease do feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions, feedback, comments, or just want to say hi! We'd love to hear how you got into photography and why you love it. The easiest way is to ping us a message on Instagram:Steve - @a.bird.in.the.lens,Matthew - @a.bug.in.the.lensResourcesPeat-free gardening / RHS GardeningGoing peat free | Gardening tips | National TrustHow to go peat free at home | The Wildlife TrustsWhy Use Peat Free Compost? Alternatives to Peat - The RSPB

How did our passion for photography start? Why did one of us end up focusing on birds and the other on bugs? Grab a coffee and join us for a relaxed chat as we answer these questions and more. Learn why we love this hobby, some of the places it has taken us and how this shared passion ties into our love for wildlife, conservation, and the environment.We hope you enjoy this slightly different kind of episode and come out of it feeling like you know us a little better.ContactPlease do feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions, feedback, comments, or just want to say hi! We'd love to hear how you got into photography and why you love it. The easiest way is to ping us a message on Instagram:Steve - @a.bird.in.the.lens,Matthew - @a.bug.in.the.lens

The hedgehog, an endearing, instantly recognisable, snuffling ball of spikes. Once a common sight in UK gardens, their populations have declined over the last few decades. But it's not all bad news, whilst some populations continue to struggle, others are stabilising.So grab a coffee and join us for a little chat about what has caused our hedgehogs to decline, what work is being done to help them, and how we can all make their lives a little easier.ContactPlease do feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions, feedback, comments, or just want to say hi! We'd love to hear your recent encounters with hedgehogs or anything you've done to help them. The easiest way is to ping us a message on Instagram:Steve - @a.bird.in.the.lens, Matthew - @a.bug.in.the.lensLinkshttps://www.hedgehogstreet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/SoBH-2022-Final.pdfhttps://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2022/february/britains-rural-hedgehogs-see-dramatic-population-decline.html#:~:text=Analysis%20from%20The%20State%20of,for%20the%20past%20two%20decades.https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/about-hedgehogs/how-many-hedgehogs-are-left/https://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/https://www.pricklesandpaws.org/

Will a false widow bite make your arm fall off? Does badger culling stop the spread of TB? Are beavers bad for fish? Grab a cup of coffee and join us as we tackle these questions and more, busting common myths, misinformation, and general media nonsense around our wildlife.ContactPlease do feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions, feedback, comments, or just want to say hi! We'd love to hear what common nature misconceptions you've come across. The easiest way is to ping us a message on Instagram:Steve - @a.bird.in.the.lensMatthew - @a.bug.in.the.lensLinkshttps://www.badgertrust.org.uk/cull#:~:text=The%20robust%2C%20and%20comprehensive%20analyses,on%20reducing%20bTB%20in%20cattle.https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/news/badger-culling-cant-be-justified-any-groundshttps://beavertrust.org/https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/how-dangerous-are-false-widow-spiders.html#:~:text=Although%20false%20widows%20do%20have,pain%20of%20a%20wasp%20sting.

Litter is just rubbish! We all know that it looks bad and ends up in our oceans, but how else does it impact our ecosystems and the environment? Grab a coffee and join us as we look into the variety of issues surrounding litter. From threatening some of our smallest mammals to altering the chemistry of our waterways.But as always, it's not all doom and gloom, we find hope in the brilliant work being done by fantastic individuals/organisations, and even look at how we can all make a difference.ContactPlease do feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions, feedback, comments, or just want to say hi! The easiest way is to ping us a message on Instagram:Steve - @a.bird.in.the.lensMatthew - @a.bug.in.the.lensLinks:https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/https://rubbishwalks.co.uk/https://planetpatrol.co/https://www.take3.org/https://www.instagram.com/cleanourseas/?hl=en-gbhttps://nodisposablecup.com/https://www.unblocktober.org/

Coffee. We love it, we are dependent on it, we consume a lot of it! Unfortunately, with that consumption comes an inevitable environmental cost. So grab a cup of, well coffee, and join us as we look into how our coffee habits impact the planet. But it's not all bad, we also discuss the best ways we can each minimise our footprint whilst still enjoying a delicious cup of coffee.ContactPlease do feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions (or coffee recommendations), feedback, comments, or just want to say hi! The easiest way is to ping us a message on Instagram:Steve - @a.bird.in.the.lensMatthew - @a.bug.in.the.lensLinkshttps://www.sustainablebusinesstoolkit.com/environmental-impact-coffee-trade/#:~:text=Discharges%20from%20coffee%20processing%20plants,and%20wildlife%20of%20essential%20oxygen.https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/oct/04/green-coffeehttps://ohiostate.pressbooks.pub/sciencebites/chapter/a-bitter-brew-coffee-production-deforestation-soil-erosion-and-water-contamination/https://birdandwild.co.uk/https://www.oddcoffeeco.com/

The humble curlew is in trouble with huge population declines over the last few decades and existing populations struggling. Despite being one of our most pressing conservation issues, it is not one that we were aware of until recently. So join us as we chat about why we love these stunning birds, what has caused their decline, and the incredible work being done to help them.Links:https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/curlew/conservation/https://www.wwt.org.uk/discover-wetlands/wetland-wildlife/curlews/https://www.curlewaction.org/https://app.bto.org/birdtrends/species.jsp?year=2018&s=curleContactPlease do feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions, feedback, comments, or just want to say hi! The easiest way is to ping us a message on Instagram:Steve - @a.bird.in.the.lensMatthew - @a.bug.in.the.lens

In this first ever episode of the birdy bug pod, we chat about rewilding and how you can use a garden of any size to create a little wild spot. We look at the daunting state of the UK's wild areas but also the incredible speed at which nature can bounce back and how we can all take part in creating spaces that benefit wildlife and the planet.Links:https://www.rewildingbritain.org.uk/start-rewilding/how-to-make-your-garden-wilderhttps://www.rhs.org.uk/garden-inspiration/wildlife/rewild-your-gardenhttps://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/about-us/news/no-mow-may-how-to-get-ten-times-more-bees-on-your-lockdown-lawnContactPlease do feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions, feedback, comments, or just want to say hi! The easiest way is to ping us a message on Instagram:Steve - @a.bird.in.the.lensMatthew - @a.bug.in.the.lens