Nature's Voice
http://www.rspb.org.uk

A monthly podcast from the RSPB, Europe's largest conservation charity, with features and interviews reflecting its work to protect birds and the environment in the UK and around the world. From the joys of watching and looking out for the birds in your back garden, to facing up to the challenges of global climate change, Nature's Voice keeps an entertaining, informative and campaigning eye on the world of birds.

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Birds of Prey Special
Posted: February 2010

This month DEFRA Wildlife Minister Huw Irranca-Davies was
presented with the RSPB's best supported petition ever - more than
200,000 people signed the pledge demanding an end to the killing of
birds of prey.  In this edition of Nature's Voice we report from the
Houses of Parliament and hear from the minister, supporters and
organisations who put their names to the pledge.  Plus Jane Markham
talks to RSPB species officer Jeff Knot celebrating the success of some
species like the Red Kite and updating us on how threatened species like
the are doing.

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Little Schools join the Big Garden Birdwatch
Posted: January 2010

How will the hard winter affect the birds in our gardens? Jane Markham talks to RSPB scientist Dr Mark Eaton who will be analysing the figures from this year's Big Garden Birdwatch when they come in after the count on the 30th and 31st of January. Plus what will the children at Woodentops pre school be doing as they join the first ever Little Schools Birdwatch. And Countryfile presenter John Craven shares a great moment with nature.

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Bill Bailey and a Letter to the Future
Posted: December 2009

Comedian Bill Bailey talks about his passion for nature and his new birdwatching television show - with a competitive edge. We look at the RSPB's Letter to the Future campaign which seeks political backing to save and protect the environment so that our grandchildren will be able to share their world with sparrows and polar bears, eagles and tigers. There's information about how you can add your signature to it.  Plus this month's great moment with nature takes place in a back garden with a festive covering of snow...but it's not robins or reindeer that the RSPB's Ciaran Nelson is celebrating!

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Climate Change - The Wave
Posted: November 2009

Thousands of people will be marching in London, Glasgow and Belfast on December 5th ahead of crunch global climate change negotiations in Copenhagen. At the summit, world leaders must deliver a fair, ambitious and binding agreement to cut climate pollution and stop climate change reaching dangerous levels. Jane Markham talks to the RSPB's Mairi Dupar about why the RSPB is encouraging people to sign up for the largest demonstration on climate change the UK has ever seen (www.rspb.org.uk/thewave).

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Feed the Birds and at sea with killer whales
Posted: October 2009

As winter approaches it becomes even more important to provide food for the birds in our gardens.  In this episode of Nature's Voice Jane Markham talks to the RSPB's Heather Mitchell about this year's Feed the Birds Day and out in the garden Richard Bashford suggests the five top things we can be doing at this time of year to help our wildlife. Plus BBC Autumnwatch cameraman Gordon Buchanan recounts his great moment with nature - a close encounterwith killer whales.

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Saving special places
Posted: September 2009

The Severn and the Tana are two of the world's great rivers. This episode of Nature's Voice looks at the RSPB's work to save special places like these. We visit the Tana Delta on the coast of Kenya which is teeming with wildlife and is home to farmers and fishermen who have been making their living there in the same way for generations. But the delta's habitat is under threat from proposals for industrial scale sugar cane farms to provide food and biofuel. Nearer to home Jane Markham talks to the RSPB's Andre Farrar about the threat to the Severn Estuary. There's more information on the new saving special places pages of the RSPB website.

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Mike Dilger and Alison Steadman visit Minsmere
Posted: July 2009

Naturalist and TV presenter Mike Dilger keeps a promise to actress Alison Steadman as she prepares to start filiming a new series of Gavin and Stacey and takes her to experience the wildlife at the RSPB's reserve at Minsmere. We also look at how to get the best out of a visit to an RSPB reserve and our Great Moment with Nature feature looks at one of the noisiest of our summer visitors - the swifts - with a plea to report sightings as their numbers are on the decline and statistics are vitally important to find out why. Join Jane Markham for this episode of Nature's Voice.

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Swifts' late arrival and Make Your Nature Count
Posted: May 2009

Why were many swifts and housemartins so late to return the UK this year? The RSPB's Andre Farrar has some answers. Jane Markham talks to Chris Packham, a vice president of the RSPB, and the new face of the BBC's Springwatch about joining the show plus we look ahead to some springwatching we can all do with the RSPB's new Make Your Nature Count project. If you've enjoyed the Big Garden Bird Watch in the past then this is definitely for you.

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A date with nature and a birds of prey update
Posted: April 2009

TV Naturalist Mike Dilger has a date with nature to see one of his favourite birds dancing at dawn - the black grouse. It's just one of many RSPB Dates with nature around the country and we pick some of our other favourites too. We also assess the progress of the Birds of prey campaign a year after its launch and look forward to keeping up with the some of the country's most threatened raptors, hen harriers, as they take to the blogosphere.

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Good news for the albatross and Big Garden Birdwatch results
Posted: March 2009

There's good news for threatened albatross species - 85 per cent fewer birds are being killed by long line fishing boats, in the waters around South Africa, than the numbers killed two years ago. In this episode of Nature's Voice we report on the work of the Albatross Task Force which shows fishermen how to prevent the birds being attracted to their hooks. We also have the results of the 30th Big Garden Birdwatch; and there's a new entry in the top ten this year. Plus TV presenter and naturalist Mike Dilger chooses what bird he'd be - if he were a bird.

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Saltholme - a new reserve in an industrial landscape
Posted: March 2009

The RSPB's newest reserve - Saltholme, near Middlesborough - is now open. It is set amid the chimneys and factories of the industrial north east of England on the site of Victorian salt wells and is protected as a site of special scientific interest. In this episode of Nature's Voice we go along to find out what makes it so special and talk to Kate Humble, RSPB vice president and digger driver extraordinaire, about digging the first hole there! We also have tips about choosing and siting a nestbox to encourage our garden birds into our gardens.

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Big Garden Birdwatch at 30!
Posted: January 2009

Happy Birthday Big Garden Birdwatch - 30 years old in 2009. In this podcast we look back to when it all started and forward to this year's event on the 24th and 25th of January. Wildlife cameraman and television presenter Chris Packham tells us why he is such a fan of the Big Garden Birdwatch and we hear from Peter Holden - who was awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours list for services to nature conservation - the man who came up with idea in the first place.

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A starling spectacular and dreaming of a green Christmas
Posted: December 2008

We've a starling spectacular on this month's Nature's Voice as we find out why huge flocks of them perform their nightly ballet as they come in to roost. We visit Brighton Pier to see them in action and tell you where else you can go to witness this magnificent natural wonder for yourself. Plus we'll be asking how green will your Christmas be? We've top tips from the RSPB's head of climate change, Ruth Davies, on how to save energy over the festive season and how you can make a difference.

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Why city sparrows struggle for survival
Posted: November 2008

House sparrow numbers have plummeted in recent years but the reason has been a mystery. At last a new study from the RSPB has come up with some answers. In this podcast Will Peach, who led the research, talks about what they've discovered and what we can do to help this iconic bird survive in our towns and cities. Agony Aunt Clare Rayner and the Urban Birder, David Lindo add their memories and hopes for the sparrow's future. We also get an early view of two new RSPB reserves that will open to visitors for the first time in 2009. We slip and slide through the mud at Middleton Lakes in the Midlands and preview the delights of Saltholme on Teeside.

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Bird feeding tips for the credit crunch
Posted: October 2008

Feed the Birds Day is approaching and in this episode of Nature's Voice we look at frugal ways to feed our garden birds. We'll visit a newly built garden pond and ask Jules Howard from Froglife how long it will be before frogs and toads to arrive. And one of the great winter spectacles - we'll be pinpointing some of the best RSPB reserves where you can see pink-footed geese in their magnificent thousands. Plus naturalist and TV presenter Mike Dilger chooses which bird he'd be - if he were a bird.