Wild Tales | Nature Podcast
- Episodes
- 209
- Released
- every two weeks
- Latest episode
- Oct 15, 2026
About the podcast
Delve into intriguing stories from our weird, wonderful and utterly wild world.
You'll experience nature in a whole new way, from untangling the strange world of spider sex and digging up the greatest fossil finds, to meeting mysterious ocean giants and finding out why there’s no such thing as a seagull.
Join rangers Rosie Holdsworth and Ajay Tegala on adventures in the UK’s diverse habitats and uncover fascinating tales that connect us with wildlife.
New Wild Tales are released twice a month.
Follow us on your favourite podcast app and never miss an episode.
Get in touch with feedback and your favourite topics on instagram www.instagram.com/wildtalesnt or by emailing [email protected]
Discover more from National Trust podcasts
This podcast is made by the National Trust, Europe’s biggest conservation charity. Looking after history, nature and beauty for everyone to enjoy.
Listen to Back When history podcast, taking you inside stories of our past: podfollow.com/back-when
Discover Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers, perfect for kids aged 5-8:
podfollow.com/national-trust-kids-podcast
Follow National Trust podcasts on Youtube:
www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts
Episodes 209
The Metropolis in the Woods | Northern Hairy Wood Ants
Beneath the trees at Hardcastle Crags, millions of tiny workers are busy building a city of their own. Follow Rosie Holdsworth down to the forest floor, as she meets the northern hairy wood ants and discovers …
Show notes
Beneath the trees at Hardcastle Crags, millions of tiny workers are busy building a city of their own.
Follow Rosie Holdsworth down to the forest floor, as she meets the northern hairy wood ants and discovers busy motorways, high-rise homes, and even an onsite food production line.
Production
Host: Rosie Holdsworth
Producer: Nikki Ruck
Sound Recordist : Jesus Gomez
Sound Design : Nikki Ruck
Contributors :
Anthony Arak
Steve Blacksmith
Alice James
photo credit : ©National Trust Images/Robert MorrisIf you would like to visit Hardcastle Crags you can find out more here
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/yorkshire/hardcastle-crags
Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel
If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]
Follow us on Instagram @wildtalesnt
Wild Voices | Trees for Tomorrow
Join National Trust ranger Ajay Tegala in conversation with Zoe Hill, the National Trust’s first-ever Tree Nursery Officer. Zoe offers a fascinating insight into what it takes to grow climate-resilient trees …
Show notes
Join National Trust ranger Ajay Tegala in conversation with Zoe Hill, the National Trust’s first-ever Tree Nursery Officer. Zoe offers a fascinating insight into what it takes to grow climate-resilient trees for future generations, from caring for 50,000 young saplings to helping them thrive in an increasingly challenging climate. She also shares practical tips for growing and caring for trees in your own garden.
Together, Zoe and Ajay look ahead to the British landscape of 50 years’ time, exploring how the trees we plant today could shape the future of our countryside, and the vital role they can play in tackling climate change.Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube: https://youtu.be/BrAcTeGQKJw
Production
Host: Ajay Tegala
Producer: Pippa Tilbury-Harris
Sound: Jesus Gomez
Contributor: Zoe HillImage copyright: ©National Trust Images/ Trevor Ray Hart
Discover more:
If you’d like to visit Holnicote, you can find out more here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/somerset/countryside-woodland/explore-holnicote-estateFollow us on Instagram @wildtalesnt
If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]Bats | The Dark Knights Rise Again
Bats are some of Britain’s most mysterious mammals. From caves and woodlands to parks and abandoned buildings, they’ve adapted to an astonishing range of habitats, and as night falls, you might spot them …
Show notes
Bats are some of Britain’s most mysterious mammals. From caves and woodlands to parks and abandoned buildings, they’ve adapted to an astonishing range of habitats, and as night falls, you might spot them emerging from their roosts.
National Trust ranger Rosie Holdsworth joins bat conservationist Steve Roe on a series of surveys across the Peak District, tracking these elusive creatures through winter and spring. Part of the National Bat Monitoring Programme, the surveys are helping to build a vital picture of how bat populations are faring across the UK.
Often feared and misunderstood, bats are far more fascinating than their reputation suggests. Join us on a journey into their hidden world to discover the remarkable lives of Britain’s bats, and why monitoring and protecting them matters.
Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube:
https://youtu.be/ZT4mlDD6j8U
Production
Host: Rosie Holdsworth
Producer: Jack Glover, Michelle Douglass, Jesus Gomez, Pippa Tilbury-Harris
Sound: Jesus Gomez
Contributor: Steve Roe, Allan Roe, Jess Eades, Helen Ball
Cover image copyright: Steve Roe
Discover More:
Want to know more about bats? Why not listen to BatChat, a podcast dedicated to these amazing creatures and hosted by Steve Roe, our main collaborator in this episode.If you’d like to learn more about The National Bat Monitoring Programme and the bat surveys, you can sign up here.
To find your nearest bat group search this page.
Follow Steve’s Instagram account @steveroebatman
Follow us on Instagram @wildtalesnt
If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]Clever Corvids
Corvids, such as Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws are known for their high intelligence, problem solving abilities and complex social behaviour. But they’re also often associated with folklore, scary stories and …
Show notes
Corvids, such as Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws are known for their high intelligence, problem solving abilities and complex social behaviour. But they’re also often associated with folklore, scary stories and horror movies.
Join us as we delve into the lives of the Clever Corvids, uncover the reasons behind their menacing image and find out that there’s more to these super brainy birds than a reputation for being frightening.Production
Hosts: Rosie Holdsworth and Ajay Tagala
Producer: Katy Kelly
Sound design: Jesus Gomez
Contributors: Professor Nicky Clayton and Dr. Jo Wimpenny
Follow us on Instagram @wildtalesnt
Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcastsIf you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]
BONUS: Wild Voices | Can Social Media Save Birds?
Join National Trust ranger Ajay Tegala in another Wild Voices conversation with conservationist and content creator Emily Askew, and naturalist and wildlife advocate Ben Rumsby. Recorded live at the Global Bird …
Show notes
Join National Trust ranger Ajay Tegala in another Wild Voices conversation with conservationist and content creator Emily Askew, and naturalist and wildlife advocate Ben Rumsby.
Recorded live at the Global Bird Fair in Rutland, Emily and Ben explore how social media is reshaping the world of birding and inspiring a new generation to connect with nature. From balancing the demands of the algorithm with authentic storytelling to building welcoming online communities, they discuss the opportunities, challenges and responsibilities of sharing the natural world online.Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube: https://youtu.be/1XeTSNw6dgs
Production
Host: Ajay Tegala
Producer: Pippa Tilbury-Harris & Ajay Tegala
Sound: Jesus Gomez
Contributors: Emily Askew and Ben RumsbyDiscover More
You can follow Emily on Instagram here: @emilyinnature_And Ben here: @brnature1
Follow us on Instagram @wildtalesnt
If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]A Whole World on a Cabbage
A two-hour ferry ride from the North Devon coast lies a tiny island often described as Britain's very own Galápagos. It's home to all sorts of wildlife, including a plant that grows nowhere else on Earth. And …
Show notes
A two-hour ferry ride from the North Devon coast lies a tiny island often described as Britain's very own Galápagos.
It's home to all sorts of wildlife, including a plant that grows nowhere else on Earth. And hidden among its leaves is a tiny beetle that only lives there too.
Join us as we head to Lundy to meet the people who spend their days counting cabbages, and discover why this little-known plant has become such an important conservation story.
Production
Narrator : Rosie Holdsworth
Producer and sound design by Nikki Ruck
Contributors
Tara McEvoy-Wilding - Assistant Warden Lundy Island
Laura Larkin – Buglife
Karim Vahed - Buglife
Joseph Pavitt – MS Oldenburg
We recorded this episode at Lundy Island
To find out more about the island and how to get there
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/lundy
www.landmarktrust.org.uk/lundyisland/
To find out more about the Lundy Cabbage
lundy-cabbageTo find out more about the Lundy Flea Beetle
www.buglife.org.uk
Follow us on Instagram @wildtalesnt
Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube
If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]
The London Parakeet Mystery
Brightly coloured ring-necked parakeets might now be a familiar sight in the London sky, but that wasn't always the case. Join Ranger Rosie Holdsworth and Johnathan Miller-McCall as we track down these …
Show notes
Brightly coloured ring-necked parakeets might now be a familiar sight in the London sky, but that wasn't always the case.
Join Ranger Rosie Holdsworth and Johnathan Miller-McCall as we track down these acid-green birds and understand how they got here, and why they're thriving.
Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts
Production
Hosts: Rosie Holdsworth with Johnathan Miller-McCall
Producer: Claire Hickinbotham
Sound: Nikki Ruck and Jesus Gomez
If you fancy seeing the parakeets, we recorded this podcast at Morden Hall Park | London | National Trust.
Or for some more ideas on where binoculars might come in handy
Best birdwatching walks in the UK | National Trust
Follow us on Instagram @wildtalesnt
If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]Wild Voices | Nature and Belonging
Join National Trust ranger Ajay Tegala in a Wild Voices conversation with veterinary surgeon, conservationist and founder of the Ealing Wildlife Group, Dr Sean McCormack. Recorded live at the Global Bird Fair …
Show notes
Join National Trust ranger Ajay Tegala in a Wild Voices conversation with veterinary surgeon, conservationist and founder of the Ealing Wildlife Group, Dr Sean McCormack. Recorded live at the Global Bird Fair in Rutland, Sean shares the remarkable story of bringing beavers back to London for the first time in 400 years and explains why community-led rewilding is transforming urban landscapes.
Together, Sean and Ajay explore what it means to reconnect people with nature, why access and belonging matter, and how local action could shape a wilder future for us all.
Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts
Production
Host: Ajay Tegala
Producer: Pippa Tilbury-Harris & Ajay Tegala
Sound: Jesus Gomez
Contributor: Dr Sean McCormackYou can find out more about the Ealing Beaver Project here: The Ealing Beaver Project – Bringing Beavers Back to London
And you can discover more about Dr Sean McCormack here: https://www.instagram.com/thatvetsean/ https://linktr.ee/thatvetsean
Follow us on Instagram @wildtalesnt
If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]The Great Cuckoo Con
Every spring, the unmistakable call of the cuckoo echoes across Wicken Fen Nature Reserve in Cambridgeshire. But behind that familiar sound lies one of nature's most extraordinary deceptions. Join ranger and …
Show notes
Every spring, the unmistakable call of the cuckoo echoes across Wicken Fen Nature Reserve in Cambridgeshire. But behind that familiar sound lies one of nature's most extraordinary deceptions. Join ranger and naturalist Ajay Tegala as he uncovers the astonishing lengths a cuckoo will go to raise its young.
Production
Host : Ajay Tegala
Narrator : Rosie Holdsworth
Producer : Nikki Ruck
Location Sound : Claire Hickinbotham
Sound Design : Nikki Ruck
If you would like to learn more about the habitat of Cuckoos and Reed Warbler
we recorded this episode at
Wicken Fen Nature reserve
Follow us on Instagram @wildtalesntIf you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]
Racing for Reefs | From Formula 1 to Coral Conservation
Coral reefs are among the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on Earth, yet climate change, pollution and overfishing are driving their rapid decline.In response, Formula One champions McLaren Racing and the …
Show notes
Coral reefs are among the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on Earth, yet climate change, pollution and overfishing are driving their rapid decline.
In response, Formula One champions McLaren Racing and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation have joined forces, combining engineering, data analysis and marine science to help restore coral reefs before they are lost.
National Trust ranger Ajay Tegala is joined by Anna Marsden and Kim Wilson to explore how this innovative partnership is accelerating reef restoration and what it could mean for the future of coral conservation.
Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube:
https://youtu.be/ZT4mlDD6j8UProduction
Host: Ajay Tegala
Producer: Pippa Tilbury-Harris
Sound: Jesus Gomez
Contributor: Kim Wilson, McLaren Racing
Anna Marsden, Great Barrier Reef Foundation
Image: Yongala Dive exploring an underwater wreck.
Copyright credit: Tourism and Events Queensland
Discover More:
If you’d like to learn more about McLaren Racing’s Sustainability work, you can do so here: McLaren Racing - Committed to SustainabilityYou can learn more about The Great Barrier Reef Foundation and it’s work here: Restoring coral reefs - Great Barrier Reef Foundation
McLaren Racing and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation fast‑tracking reef recovery - Great Barrier Reef FoundationAnd you can become a reef defender here:
https://give.barrierreef.org/donate/reef-defenderFollow us on Instagram @wildtalesnt
If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]Finding Cinnamon | A Capybara Gone Rogue
What do you do when a capybara escapes into the Shropshire countryside? In this episode, ranger Rosie Holdsworth joins Will Dorrell, co-founder of Hoo Zoo in Telford, to uncover the remarkable story of …
Show notes
What do you do when a capybara escapes into the Shropshire countryside?
In this episode, ranger Rosie Holdsworth joins Will Dorrell, co-founder of Hoo Zoo in Telford, to uncover the remarkable story of Cinnamon, the runaway capybara, and the efforts to bring her home.
They also discover how Cinnamon’s adventure turned her into a global social media star. Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts
Production Host: Rosie Holdsworth
Producer: Jesus Gomez Albiach
Sound: Jesus Gomez Albiach
Contributor: Will DorrellFor more info:
Hoo Zoo is a fascinating wildlife park where your favourite animals are mixed alongside impressive life-sized dinosaurs in a unique and immersive setting. If you want to learn more about the park and its conservation and education projects, please visit https://www.hoo-zoo.com/
Follow us on Instagram @wildtalesnt
Follow Hoo Zoo on Instagram @hoozooanddinosaurworld
If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]Wembley Stadium | Football's Perfect Pitch
As the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup gets underway, we're heading to Wembley Stadium, the home of the England national team, to explore the crucial role the pitch plays in the beautiful game. With Wembley setting …
Show notes
As the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup gets underway, we're heading to Wembley Stadium, the home of the England national team, to explore the crucial role the pitch plays in the beautiful game. With Wembley setting the benchmark that World Cup venues across North America are looking to emulate, Ranger Rosie Holdsworth joins Karl Standley, Head of Grounds and Surface Transitions, to uncover what it takes to maintain this world-famous playing surface. From UVC lights and surgically sharp mower blades to turf grown at secret locations, we discover the science, skill and precision behind one of football's most iconic pitches.
Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube: https://youtu.be/RwmqQoFgUSk
Production
Host: Rosie Holdsworth
Producer: Pippa Tilbury-Harris
Sound: Jesus Gomez
Contributor: Karl Standley
If you’d like to learn more about the pitch at Wembley Stadium, you can book onto a tour here: https://bookings.wembleytours.com/stadiumtours/home.htmFollow us on Instagram @wildtalesnt
If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]European Brown Bears | Where are you?
Deep in the forests of Transylvania, one of Europe’s largest populations of brown bears still roams freely, often surprisingly close to busy towns and cities. Join National Trust ranger Rosie Holdsworth and her …
Show notes
Deep in the forests of Transylvania, one of Europe’s largest populations of brown bears still roams freely, often surprisingly close to busy towns and cities. Join National Trust ranger Rosie Holdsworth and her family as they hunt for signs of bears in the forests near Brașov, Romania. There, they discover what it really means to share a landscape with Europe’s largest land predator.
Production
Presenter: Rosie Holdsworth and Hebe
Producer : Nikki Ruck
Sound design: Jesus Gomez
Contributor: Csaba Domokos from the Milvus Group
Discover More
Find out more about conservation of the European Brown Bear in Romania
https://milvus.ro/en/mammals/brown-bear-conservation-and-research-program-in-a-model-area-in-romania/
Follow us @wildtalesnt Instagram account
If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]
Operation Nutcracker | The Return of the Red Squirrel
Red Squirrels were once a common sight in woodlands around the Uk but now, they’re one of our rarest Mammals. In this episode of Wild Tales, we head to Plas Newydd on the island of Ynys Môn in Wales, where a …
Show notes
Red Squirrels were once a common sight in woodlands around the Uk but now, they’re one of our rarest Mammals.
In this episode of Wild Tales, we head to Plas Newydd on the island of Ynys Môn in Wales, where a remarkable effort to bring them back is underway.
For the Welsh transcript of this episode please click here.Red squirrel, Anglesey, Wales
©National Trust Images/Rob ColemanProduction
Narration: Rosie Holdsworth
Producer: Nikki Ruck
Sound Recordist: Marnie Woodmeade
Sound Design: Jesus Gomez
With thanks to Carol Thomas at Plas NewyddFind out more
Visit the red squirrels at Plas Newydd:
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/plas-newydd-house-and-garden/red-squirrels-at-plas-newydd
Learn more about Red Squirrel Conservation
The Red Squirrels Trust Wales is working to protect red squirrel populations on Ynys Môn and across North Wales. If you would like to read more about some of the points raised in this episode, look here.
https://www.redsquirrels.info/about/faq/
See red squirrels on Brownsea Island (Dorset):
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dorset/brownsea-island/the-rare-red-squirrel-on-brownsea-islandListen to our episode on pine martens (Wallington, Northumberland):
https://ntpodcasts.org/WT25
Follow us on Instagram @wildtalesntIf you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]
Crayfish Gladiator Battle
White-clawed crayfish were once common in Britain’s waterways. But thanks to a restaurant craze in the 1970’s, that brought the American signal crayfish to our shores, our only native freshwater crayfish is …
Show notes
White-clawed crayfish were once common in Britain’s waterways. But thanks to a restaurant craze in the 1970’s, that brought the American signal crayfish to our shores, our only native freshwater crayfish is under threat from this invasive species.
White-clawed crayfish are eco system engineers keeping rivers and streams clean and they also have amazing limb re growing superpowers. But they’re being outcompeted for food and habitat by the American signal crayfish and succumbing to a killer plague being spread by them. But, with a little help from Ranger Nick Allen and the team at Wallington estate in Northumberland, habitats are being created where white-clawed crayfish can thrive.Join Rosie and follow the story and the lives of the plucky little characters fighting for survival in England’s Northeast.
Production:
Host: Rosie Holdsworth
Producers: Michelle Douglass and Katy Kelly
Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez
Contributor: Nick AllenDiscover more:
Find out more about Wallington and their work with the white-clawed crayfish:
Saving the native white-clawed crayfish | National TrustFollow us @ wildtales Instagram account
If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or a story idea, you can contact us at [email protected]The Dinosaur in the Cliff
Ever hunted for fossils on a beach and felt like you might actually find something? Rosie heads to the Isle of Wight to the scene of the most complete dinosaur discovery in the UK in a hundred years. She’s …
Show notes
Ever hunted for fossils on a beach and felt like you might actually find something?
Rosie heads to the Isle of Wight to the scene of the most complete dinosaur discovery in the UK in a hundred years.She’s joined by Dr Jeremy Lockwood, part of the original dig team and now casually known as a “namer of dinosaurs,” as they retrace how this once‑buried giant came back into the light.
Production:
Host: Rosie Holdsworth
Producer: Claire Hickinbotham
Sound Recordist: Nikki Ruck
Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez
With thanks to Dr Jeremy Lockwood
Rosie and Jeremy went for the dinosaur walk at Compton Bay and Downs | Isle of Wight | National Trust
They parked at Compton car parking information | National Trust
You can see Comptonatus Chasei at the Dinosaur Isle Museum on the Isle of Wight.
Welcome to Dinosaur Isle - Dinosaur Isle Museum
If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]Toad Patrol | The Perilous Path
As winter turns to spring , toads, frogs and newts across Britain begin their annual journey, making their way back to the ponds where they breed.For many, that journey means crossing busy roads and not all of …
Show notes
As winter turns to spring , toads, frogs and newts across Britain begin their annual journey, making their way back to the ponds where they breed.
For many, that journey means crossing busy roads and not all of them make it to the other side.
In this episode of Wild Tales, we spend the night with the Charlcombe Lane Toad Patrol, discovering the dedication and determination it takes to give these remarkable animals a fighting chance.
[Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more. Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/Production:
Narrator: Rosie Holdsworth
Producer and sound designer: Nikki Ruckphoto courtesy : Charlcombe Toad Rescue Group
With thanks to Mike Collins, Sheila Gundry, Lance, Lucy and Angela from the Charlcombe Lane Toad Group
Discover more:
https://www.froglife.org/what-we-do/toads-on-roads/how-to-become-a-toad-patroller/
Finding the Tundra Swan
The Bewick’s or ‘Tundra’ swan has eluded ranger Ajay Tegala for years. It's hardly surprising: the swan’s epic migration is under pressure, and their numbers are dwindling. Can Ajay find them at their winter …
Show notes
The Bewick’s or ‘Tundra’ swan has eluded ranger Ajay Tegala for years.It's hardly surprising: the swan’s epic migration is under pressure, and their numbers are dwindling. Can Ajay find them at their winter retreat of WWT Welney?
Ajay speaks to fellow swan lover, artist and zoologist Dafila Scott and site manager Lizzie Bruce to aid his search for these hardworking swans.
[Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more. Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/
Production: Host and Co-producer: Ajay Tegala
Producer: Marnie Woodmeade
Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez
Music: Swan Song by Charlotte Eve
With thanks to: Dafila Scott, Lizzie Bruce and the staff and volunteers at WWT WelneyDiscover more:
Visit WWT Welney: https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/welney
Visit Wicken Fen: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cambridgeshire/wicken-fen-national-nature-reserve
Learn more about wetland swans: https://www.wwt.org.uk/discover-wetlands/wetland-wildlife/meet-the-family/swans-found-in-uk-wetlands
You Might Like: Nature Fix | Stargazing in the City
This week we’re sharing another of our podcasts we think you’ll enjoy. Nature Fix takes you on adventures with people whose lives have been shaped by the outdoors. In this episode, wrap up warm and turn your …
Show notes
This week we’re sharing another of our podcasts we think you’ll enjoy. Nature Fix takes you on adventures with people whose lives have been shaped by the outdoors.In this episode, wrap up warm and turn your eyes to the skies for a stargazing tour from the middle of Manchester.
Nature Fix Host Claire Hickinbotham joins astronomer and adventure enthusiast Nazanin Jahanshahi, to discover how there’s lots to see in the night sky wherever you live.
On this awe-inspiring city celestial voyage, you'll be wowed by a rare planetary parade, learn how to start navigating the stars, and hear top tips for hunting the northern lights.
Production
Producer: Michelle Douglass
Sound Designer: Nikki Ruck
Contributor: Nazanin JahanshahiGet your Nature Fix
Follow Nature Fix on your favourite podcast app: https://podfollow.com/nature-fix
Discover the best National Trust spots for stargazing: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/outdoor-activities/top-spots-for-stargazing
Learn about night sky locations and activities:
https://gostargazing.co.uk/The Island of Secret Seals
Orford Ness is well practiced at keeping secrets; in the 1940s it was classified military research, but now it is a brand new colony of grey seals. Countryside Manager Matt Wilson guides us around the bomb …
Show notes
Orford Ness is well practiced at keeping secrets; in the 1940s it was classified military research, but now it is a brand new colony of grey seals.
Countryside Manager Matt Wilson guides us around the bomb craters to try and find the newest and blubbery-est residences. We find out how they came to be on this moon-like beach and how they’re faring on this remote site.
[Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more. Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor.
https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/Production:
Producer: Marnie Woodmeade
Hosts: Rosie Holdsworth
Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez
With thanks to: Matt Wilson and the staff at Orford NessImage © National Trust Images/Rob Coleman
Discover more:
Visit Orford Ness, looked after by the National Trust https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/suffolk/orford-ness-national-nature-reserve
Find out more about the seals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6ti7BaNKpU&t=523s
Pine Martens’ Return
Pine martens were once common in Britain but now, they're one of our rarest carnivores. These slinky, tree-dwelling predators had virtually disappeared in England and Wales by the turn of the 20th Century. But …
Show notes
Pine martens were once common in Britain but now, they're one of our rarest carnivores.
These slinky, tree-dwelling predators had virtually disappeared in England and Wales by the turn of the 20th Century.But pine martens are making a comeback.
We follow Ranger Dan Iceton at Wallington estate in Northumberland, as he tries to encourage pine martens to make these woodlands their forever home.
And we discover conservation success in other parts of Britain where the animals have returned.
Follow the story and secret lives of the mysterious mammal making a comeback in our forests.
[Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more. Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/
Production: Producer: Michelle Douglass
Hosts: Rosie Holdsworth and Dan Iceton
Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez
With thanks to: Dr Stephanie Johnstone and Vincent Wildlife Trust
Image © Caroline Legg
Discover more: Visit Wallington, looked after by the National Trust https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/wallingtonFind out more about pine martens with Vincent Wildlife Trust: https://www.vwt.org.uk/species/pine-marten-2
Read about Martens on the Move: https://pinemartens.uk/
Report your sighting and help citizen science: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/a8c5d8e084dc4ecb9b92c57c42769d1f
Arctic Terns | Globetrotting Dive-bombers
The Farne Islands in the North Sea, off the coast of Northumberland, have a very special species of seabird during the summer that fiercely protects its young with its dive-bombing technique. However, it’s the …
Show notes
The Farne Islands in the North Sea, off the coast of Northumberland, have a very special species of seabird during the summer that fiercely protects its young with its dive-bombing technique.
However, it’s the Arctic Terns’ ability to fly thousands of miles during their migration from the Arctic Circle to the Antarctic Circle that really sets them apart.Join Rosie and Rangers Dan Iceton and Tom Hendry on Inner Farne as they spend time with the Arctic Terns and experience their dive-bombing tactics first-hand.
[Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure.
Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more.
Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor.
www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/
Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts
Production:
Hosts: Rosie Holdsworth and Dan Iceton
Producer: Katy Kelly
Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez
Contributor: Tom Hendry
Discover More:
Find out more about The Farne Islands:
Our work at Farne Islands | Northumberland | National Trust
Follow us @wildtales Instagram account
If you’d like to get in touch with feedback or a story idea you can contact us at [email protected]The Man, The Book and The Mountains
Just outside Belfast, lie the Mourne Mountains - a land of granite peaks and wide skies, but also a place of witches, fawns and lions. Protected as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, an Site of Special …
Show notes
Just outside Belfast, lie the Mourne Mountains - a land of granite peaks and wide skies, but also a place of witches, fawns and lions. Protected as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, an Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a UNESCO Global Geopark, this remarkable landscape is also a doorway to imagination.
Join National Trust ranger Kate Martin as she journeys from the streets of Belfast to the Mourne Mountains, exploring the places that shaped C.S. Lewis’s childhood and inspired his creation of Narnia. Discover how city, story and landscape came together to form one of the most beloved worlds in children’s literature.(AD) Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure.
Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more.
Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. www.cotswoldoutdoor.com
Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/_Smzdtsh_tMProduction
Presenter: Kate Martin
Producer: Pippa Tilbury-Harris
Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez
Contributors: Dr Sarah Waters, Director of the Sterling College C.S. Lewis Center
Lolly Spence, Blue Badge Tourist Guide and historian
James Fisher, Lead Ranger NI Castle Ward
Actor: Ethan Hughes courtesy of Prime Theatre
Thank you to The CS Lewis Company Ltd for permissions to use quotes from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis © copyright CS Lewis Pte Ltd 1950, in this episode.Discover More
If you’d like to know more about visiting The Mournes, please visit https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/northern-ireland/the-mournes
You can listen to more of Kate’s Northern Ireland adventures here: Northern Ireland Adventure | Beyond the Bridge - Wild Tales | Nature Podcast | Podcast on Spotify Northern Ireland Adventure | Sea Safari at Rathlin Island - Wild Tales | Nature Podcast | Podcast on SpotifyIf you'd like to book a tour with Lolly Spence you can here: www.hiddenulstertours.com
If you’d like to read Dr Sarah Waters’ work on C.S. Lewis, you can do so here: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9681-3361
And you can learn more about the Sterling College C.S. Lewis Center here: https://www.sterling.edu/academics/cs-lewis-centerIf you’d like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]
The Climbers of Eryri | A Story of Ice and Flowers
The rock faces of Cwm Idwal are cold, dark and uninhabitable; unless what you love is to dangle off the frozen cliffs. Ice climbing takes you into a winter playground, but as the climate crisis thins the ice …
Show notes
The rock faces of Cwm Idwal are cold, dark and uninhabitable; unless what you love is to dangle off the frozen cliffs. Ice climbing takes you into a winter playground, but as the climate crisis thins the ice, how can climbers and conservationists work together to save one of the UK’s rarest flowers?
Join ecologist and botanist Barbara Jones and ice climber Tom Carrick to scale one of Wales' most dramatic mountains and discover how the precious Lili'r Wyddfa (Snowdon Lily) can survive in this isolated location.
For the Welsh transcript of this episode please click here
Or copy this link: https://audioboom.com/posts/8820822-dringwyr-eryri-stori-am-ia-a-blodau/transcript
[Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure.
Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more.
Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor.
www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/
Production
Presenter: Rosie Holdsworth
Producer: Marnie Woodmeade
Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez
Contributors
Barbara Jones
Tom Carrick
Image credit: ©National Trust Images/John Millar
Discover more
If you want to visit Cwm Idwal you can find out more at the National Trusts website: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/carneddau-and-glyderau/cwm-idwal-walk
To see the temperature sensors, you can find them at the BMC website https://www.thebmc.co.uk/en/cwm-idwal-welsh-winter-monitoring-system-live-and-upgraded
You can also find the white guide and more winter mountaineering information here: https://www.thebmc.co.uk/en/mountaineering-resources
For more on arctic alpines, here are some resources:
Plants on the Edge: Arctic Alpines in Wales / Ar y dibyn: Planhigion Arctig Alpaidd yng Ngymru
https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/mountain_plants_in_the_uk__undervalued_and_under_threat-13605
Follow us @wildtalesnt Instagram account
If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]A Robin is not just for Christmas
As the festive season unfolds, one familiar face keeps appearing – the little robin. But behind its cheerful presence, is there more to this charming bird’s story? National Trust ranger Rosie Holdsworth chats …
Show notes
As the festive season unfolds, one familiar face keeps appearing – the little robin. But behind its cheerful presence, is there more to this charming bird’s story?
National Trust ranger Rosie Holdsworth chats to garden wildlife specialist Sean McMenemy about the remarkable life of robins, revealing their fascinating year-round behaviour and why this beloved bird deserves to be celebrated all year long.
(AD) Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure.
Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more.
Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. www.cotswoldoutdoor.com
Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts
Production
Presenter: Rosie Holdsworth
Producer: Pippa Tilbury-Harris
Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez
Contributor: Sean McMenemy
Discover more
You can read Sean’s garden wildlife blog here: Sean McMenemy Wildlife Blog
Follow us on our @wildtalesnt Instagram account
If you’d like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]Golf Course to Nature Reserve | Just Add Water?
How can a golf course become a place for nature and people to thrive? Ajay Tegala visits Sandilands in Lincolnshire over its first year as the once manicured lawns transform into a wetland habitat. But with one …
Show notes
How can a golf course become a place for nature and people to thrive? Ajay Tegala visits Sandilands in Lincolnshire over its first year as the once manicured lawns transform into a wetland habitat. But with one of the driest springs on record, can Sandilands go from one birdie to another? Will there be enough water for wading birds return?
[Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure.
Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more.
Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor.
www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/
Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts
Production
Presenter: Ajay Tegala
Producer: Marnie Woodmeade
Sound designer: Jesus Gomez
Contributors
Carl Hawke
Kirsty James
Dave Miller
Special Credit: A big thanks to Jannis Bonner, composer student at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, for their collaboration to this episode with the track "Breath of the Canopy".
Eurasian booming bittern sfx:
Author: Niels Krable
Link: https://xeno-canto.org/100296
Discover more
If you want to visit Sandilands or keep up to date with their progress you can find them here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/nottinghamshire-lincolnshire/sandilands
Follow us @wildtalesnt Instagram account
Image credit: ©National Trust Images/Rob Coleman
If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]Warrior the War Horse | Survival Against the Odds
What happened to the animals who served in the First World War? Uncover the extraordinary story of Warrior the war horse who survived the Western Front. General Jack Seely's horse, Warrior, was anything but …
Show notes
What happened to the animals who served in the First World War?
Uncover the extraordinary story of Warrior the war horse who survived the Western Front. General Jack Seely's horse, Warrior, was anything but ordinary. He carried his master through some of World War One's most brutal battles, including the Somme, Ypres and Passchendaele. Despite more than eight million horses, donkeys and mules losing their lives during the war, Warrior somehow survived. Join General Jack Seely's grandson and broadcaster, Brough Scott and historian, James Grasby, to retrace Warrior's incredible journey.
[Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more.Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/
Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts
Production
Host : James Grasby
Producer and sound designer: Nikki Ruck
Contributors
Brough Scott
Discover more
To visit Mottistone
Mottistone
To find out more about Warrior
Warrior The War Horse
If you would like to follow in the footsteps of warrior check out the
Warrior Trail
Follow us @wildtales Instagram account
If you’d like to get in touch with feedback or a story idea you can contact us at [email protected]Halloween Special | Witches' Familiars
Is your cat the devil in disguise? Probably not, although they may act like it sometimes! But once upon a time, they would have been accused of luring you into witchcraft. In Britain in the 16th and 17th …
Show notes
Is your cat the devil in disguise? Probably not, although they may act like it sometimes! But once upon a time, they would have been accused of luring you into witchcraft.
In Britain in the 16th and 17th centuries witch hunting became an obsession and supposed ‘witches’ were put on trial, and some were even sentenced to death.
Being an animal lover was considered a sure sign that someone was practicing witchcraft. Friendliness towards cats, rabbits or dogs could lead to accusations of witchcraft, as these animals, known as familiars, were suspected of working for the devil.
One of those accused of witchcraft and seen with familiars was Elizabeth Clarke, a poor, disabled woman from Essex.
Join Rosie and historian Dr Romany Reagan as they uncover Elizabeth’s story and the strange tale of the witches’ familiars.
[Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more. Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/
Production:
Host: Rosie Holdsworth
Producers: Rosie Toy and Katy Kelly
Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez
Contributor: Dr Romany Reagan
Discover More:
Find out more about witchcraft:
https://essexwitchmuseum.co.uk
Uncover folklore, legends, myths and lost histories from the British Isles with Dr Romany Reagan:
https://blackthornandstone.com
Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts
If you’d like to get in touch with feedback or a story idea you can contact us at [email protected]Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers | New Series Trailer
A new series of Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers is here. Awooo! Follow the adventures of Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers, a crew of colourful creatures who use their skills to solve curious cases. Beaver’s a super …
Show notes
A new series of Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers is here. Awooo! Follow the adventures of Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers, a crew of colourful creatures who use their skills to solve curious cases.
Beaver’s a super engineer. Sleepy Bat’s skill is sonar. Wildcat’s a proud predator. Deer’s strong and speedy. Fox has a nose for trouble. Shy Mole’s an expert digger, and Dragonfly’s always buzzing.
In Series Two, 12-year old Roxy has finally become a real Wildlifer and can talk to animals. But she's got a lot to learn to be a top Ranger like her hero Rae.
Luckily the Wildlifers are back on the trail solving puzzles, where they find old friends and new ones too like inventor Luca.
Join the crew on new adventures in destinations from under the sea to beautiful forests, from cruising the canal to exploring the city after dark. And meet a host of weird and wonderful characters along the way.
Perfect for 5-8 year olds.
Grown ups, follow Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers kids' podcast by finding the show on your favourite podcast app including Apple, Spotify and Yoto.
Or follow this link: podfollow.com/national-trust-kids-podcast
Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers is a podcast from the National Trust, Europe's Biggest Conservation Charity, produced by Fun Kids.Nature Valley, Taiwan | Technology and the Wild
Taiwan is known for its technology — from the chips that power our phones to the satellites orbiting above us, but just beyond the city of Hsinchu, there’s a small forest that tells a different story. Trust in …
Show notes
Taiwan is known for its technology — from the chips that power our phones to the satellites orbiting above us, but just beyond the city of Hsinchu, there’s a small forest that tells a different story. Trust in Nature Foundation Taiwan is Taiwan’s first environmental charitable trust — a place where protected wildlife and local communities are working side by side to protect some of the island’s natural habitats.
In this episode presented by Rosie Holdsworth, producer Jesse Edbrooke visits the people caring for this forest, meet the protected animals that live there, and explore how conservation can thrive and inspire in one of the most high-tech regions on Earth.
[Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure.Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more.Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/
Nature Valley Environmental Trust Taiwan - https://teia.tw/natural-valley-en
Trust in Nature Founation - https://tnf.org.tw/en
International National Trust Organisation - https://www.into.org
Jhih Han Lyu was a participant in the INTO Incubator programme in 2024, which supports emerging heritage leaders across the globe.
Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts
Production:
Hosts: Rosie Holdsworth
Producer: Jesse Edbrooke
Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez
Contributors: Jhih Han Lyu, Wing Lo,
Translation: Joshua Edbrooke
Discover More:
Includes music from Wing Lo’s Aha Moment - https://music.apple.com/gb/album/%E8%AB%8B%E8%AA%AA%E5%AE%A2%E8%AA%9E/1826949430?i=1826949431
Follow us @wildtales Instagram accountIf you’d like to get in touch with feedback or a story idea you can contact us at [email protected]
These are the latest 100 of 209 episodes. You’ll find older episodes in the podcast’s feed.
