Sounds and conversation from a night spent catching and ringing woodcock in West Wales with wildlife artist Owen Williams. Over the last fifteen years, Owen has ringed more than 2,500 woodcock - find out what he's learned and listen to him ring another bird!

Episode 1 - Owen Williams - the woodcock ringer

Black tailed godwits, golden plover and lapwings provide a backdrop to a chat with David Morris (Area Manager, Cumbria and North East - RSPB) and Dave Blackledge (RSPB Site Manager, Solway Coast Reserves) about early spring waders, farmland restoration and Icelandic godwits at RSPB Campfield Marsh.

Recorded 3/3/23

Episode 3 - David and Dave - RSPB Campfield Marsh

Writer and curlew enthusiast Mary Colwell meets Helen Ryman, farm manager at Mochrum Estate in Wigtownshire to talk about birds on the estate and plans to safeguard an important population of curlews in southwest Scotland. As they talk, the first curlew of 2023 can be heard returning to the estate for the spring... but how will these birds fare this summer?

Recorded 21/3/23

Supported by funding made available through Scottish Government’s Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund

Episode 4 - Helen and Mary - Mochrum Estate Curlews

This episode attempts to capture the richness and diversity of sound on a Finnish bog habitat near the Russian border, recorded overnight and into the following morning in May 2023. 

Knowing that many curlews which visit the UK in winter are born and bred in habitats like this, it's a magical experience to hear the world from a wader's perspective and understand the birds as they move across Europe during the course of the year. Alongside the curlews, enjoy fantastic recordings of whimbrel, cranes, golden plover and the steady, almost mesmeric sound of black grouse displaying.

Introduced by Patrick Laurie and David Jarrett, this episode was recorded by Pete Smith and funded by the RiGG Trust.

Episode 10 - Pete, David and Patrick - A Night on a Finnish Bog

UK conservationists often look to Finland for examples of "wild" wader habitats, but this chat with ecologist David Jarrett shows how important commercial farmland can be for birds like curlews on the Russian border. Covering issues like the control of mesopredators(including badgers and pine martens), grassland management and long, harsh winters, this episode shows that it's difficult to extract lessons from Finland for a UK context.

Recorded May 13th by Pete Smith

Episode 11 - Patrick and David - Finnish Farmland Curlews

The Red Deer Rut (Brame du Cerf) recorded in the heart of the  the Orleans Forest, the largest Forest in France. 

Zoom F3 + 2 x Sennheiser MKH8020s
23.09.2023

Red Deer Rut - Forêt d'Orleans, France

The sounds of a new day in the African bush. This album was recorded in Northern Tuli Game Reserve in Botswana and features the diverse sounds of birds and wildlife in an ecotone of mopane woodland and arid savanna.

Botswana: Dawn in Tuli Wilderness

Botswana: Dawn in Tuli Wilderness - Album Sample

The first proper outdoor test of my new homemade 'Gladys' hydrophone.  Some common frogs in a neighbours garden pond.  Thanks Katie!  Pleased with how they sound.  Nice flat response.

Frogs Gladys Hydrophone

2025-06-20 Merlins, Assynt 40sec edit

Psarocolius montezuma recorded at a nesting colony, near Turrialba, Costa Rica. 5.30am 2nd March 2018. Primo 172 mics AB to SONY PCM-M10
Overall winner of 2019 Competition of Wildlife Sound Recording Society
https://simontelliott.wordpress.com/2018/03/27/some-birds-have-all-the-luck/

Montezuma Oropendola

PS GrasshopperWarblerForWebsite

Pete Smith is a professional field recordist and sound designer with a keen interest in wildlife and conservation. 

PS GrasshopperWarblerForWebsite

the sound space

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