Chris Skinner's Countryside Podcasts

High Ash Farm
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Nature
  • Updated Weekly

  Nature, Wildlife and Countryside Living with Chris Skinner from High Ash Farm Chris Skinner, a Norfolk farmer, takes a unique approach to farming, prioritizing biodiversity and wildlife conservation in every practice. Tune in every Sunday morning as Chris, alongside broadcaster Matthew Gudgin, explores topics on nature, wildlife, and rural life. Join them for strolls through High Ash Farm and beyond, spotting wildlife and addressing your queries about the natural world. Email questions for Chris to answer to Chris@highashfarm.com

  1. 4 days ago

    Episode 2.77 - Dragonfly Dances and Bee Swarm Ball

    Send us Fan Mail On a glorious hot mid-June morning at High Ash Farm, Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin begin at the maturing lake, alive with emperor dragonflies laying eggs, banded damselflies, and thousands of tiny fish fry (young roach and rudd) shimmering just beneath the surface. Swallows and house martins swoop low for drinks while a little grebe dives nearby. The pair then witness one of nature’s greatest spectacles — a huge honeybee swarm forming a football-sized ball on a pine branch, the old queen and thousands of workers in holiday mood seeking a new home. They walk through vibrant wildflower areas filled with sainfoin, field mint, woundwort and the beautiful pink-and-white trumpets of field bindweed — a plant farmers dread but which dazzles in the sunshine. Chris reflects on the start of hay cutting and the changing rhythms of high summer. Listener letters add delight: cockchafer beetles (“blind bees”), Scottish hedgerows, feeding birds in summer, and more. This episode is a sun-drenched celebration of high summer’s bounty — from dragonfly-studded waters and bee swarms to colourful meadows — ideal for savouring the warmth, wonder and busy life of the countryside in full swing. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/19376539-episode-2-77-dragonfly-dances-and-bee-swarm-ball.mp3?download=true Support the show Please email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast to Chris@highashfarm.com This podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm. Support us here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-12 or from the Podcast page here: Podcast | High Ash Farm

    44 min

  2. 13 June

    Episode 2.76 - Pyramidal Splendour and Honey Fungus Worries

    Send us Fan Mail On a breezy, showery mid-June morning at High Ash Farm, Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin walk through the magnificent wildflower meadows, now refreshed by welcome rain after weeks of drought. The pyramidal orchids are at their spectacular best — tall, vivid pink-purple spikes rising through oxeye daisies and yellow rattle — while Chris reflects on their long life cycles, chalk-loving habitat, and the extraordinary numbers appearing this year. They also admire viper’s bugloss with its striking blue flowers and snake-like features, and discover dyer’s weld, an ancient dye plant linked to Neolithic cloth-making. A dramatic close-up encounter with a young hornet feeding on sugary extrusion from an oak tree (possibly honey fungus) adds fascination, alongside swallows skimming low, skylarks rising, and a marsh harrier quartering the fields. Listener letters bring extra warmth: advice on managing new wildflower fields, redstarts and sand martins on Dartmoor, swift callers succeeding, RSPB summer feeding guidance, and more. This episode celebrates the colourful revival of high summer — ideal for savouring the orchid-rich meadows, ancient dye plants, and the busy dramas of insects and birds at High Ash Farm. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/19341757-episode-2-76-pyramidal-splendour-and-honey-fungus-worries.mp3?download=true Learn about chalk stream ecology Explore hornet nest biology Include listener Q&A topics Think Harder Support the show Please email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast to Chris@highashfarm.com This podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm. Support us here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-12 or from the Podcast page here: Podcast | High Ash Farm

    47 min

  3. 6 June

    Episode 2.75 - Bee Orchid Wonders and Mistle Thrush Meadows

    Send us Fan Mail On a breezy early-June morning at High Ash Farm, Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin walk through one of the glorious wildflower meadows carpeted in oxeye daisies, yellow rattle and other species. Chris reveals the hidden wonders of bee orchids — their pink, bee-mimicking flowers, extraordinarily long life cycle involving mycorrhizal fungi, and the fact that the plants die completely after flowering once they’ve set seed. They also enjoy a large gathering of mistle thrushes on the horse-grazed pastures near active rabbit warrens. Chris explains rabbit social hierarchy, burrowing habits, double digestion (re-eating soft pellets), and their long history in the British countryside. Listener letters bring extra interest: brimstone moth identification, brown-tail moth caterpillars spinning colonial webs on spindle, moth trapping at High Ash, tawny owl boxes, and more. This episode is a beautiful celebration of wildflower meadows, mysterious orchids, and the everyday dramas of rabbits and thrushes — ideal for savouring the rich tapestry of early summer at its colourful best. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/19304173-episode-2-75-bee-orchid-wonders-and-mistle-thrush-meadows.mp3?download=true Support the show Please email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast to Chris@highashfarm.com This podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm. Support us here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-12 or from the Podcast page here: Podcast | High Ash Farm

    52 min

  4. 30 May

    Episode 2.74 - Firethorn Butterflies and Heatwave Heartbreak

    Send us Fan Mail On a breezy, sunny late-May morning at High Ash Farm, Chris Skinner rejoices in an extraordinary influx of Painted Lady butterflies drawn to the pyracantha (firethorn) bushes around his house. He explains this “eruption” — a mass arrival from southern Europe fleeing extreme heat and nectar shortages — turning the thorny evergreens into a fluttering feast for these powerful migrants. The pair also enjoy green hairstreaks dancing along the long new hedgerow, their iridescent green underwings flashing in the sun, and visit the maturing lake where yellow flag iris (queen of the marshes) shines and the first damselflies and emperor dragonflies hawk over the water. A charming little grebe (dabchick) dives nearby. Chris reflects on the sad loss of around 20 swallow chicks during the recent 30°C+ heatwave in the stables. Listener letters add warmth: tawny owl nesting and pellet advice, ladybirds mating, a brave sparrow vs squirrel, whirligig beetles, swift callers bringing new arrivals, wildlife camera recommendations, and more. This episode captures the dazzling highs and occasional lows of a changeable late spring — ideal for marvelling at butterfly migrations, wetland beauty, and the unstoppable rhythm of the seasons at High Ash Farm. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/19265370-episode-2-74-firethorn-butterflies-and-heatwave-heartbreak.mp3?download=true Support the show Please email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast to Chris@highashfarm.com This podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm. Support us here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-12 or from the Podcast page here: Podcast | High Ash Farm

    45 min

  5. 23 May

    Episode 2.73 - Holly Blue Heaven and Fox Cub Frolics

    Send us Fan Mail On a bright late-May morning at High Ash Farm, Chris Skinner is thrilled by the appearance of a stunning male holly blue butterfly basking in one of the wildflower meadows. He explains its remarkable two-brood life cycle — using holly in spring and ivy later in the year — and the joy of seeing these tiny blue gems after a cold spell.  The pair then head to Cantley Hill Plantation, where a family of young fox cubs has taken over an old badger sett. Chris shares trail-camera footage of the adventurous six-week-old cubs exploring, learning their territory, and playing near rabbit warrens, while discussing fox family behaviour, vocalisations, and the natural balance between predators and prey.  A drive along the farm’s flourishing 2007-planted hedgerows showcases the growing biodiversity, with new oak trees and wildflowers supporting butterflies and birds. Swifts finally arrive, drinking from the lake, signalling high summer. Listener letters bring extra delight: first swifts in North Norfolk, whirligig beetles, a brave house sparrow chasing a squirrel, sand martins on Dartmoor, and an explanation of Heston bales.  This episode is a joyful celebration of summer’s winged arrivals and the lively antics of young foxes — ideal for savouring the bright beauty and natural dramas unfolding across the countryside. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/19226835-episode-2-73-holly-blue-heaven-and-fox-cub-frolics.mp3?download=true Support the show Please email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast to Chris@highashfarm.com This podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm. Support us here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-12 or from the Podcast page here: Podcast | High Ash Farm

    44 min

  6. 16 May

    Episode 2.72 - Stoat Kittens and Soaking Rain

    Send us Fan Mail On a welcome rainy mid-May morning at High Ash Farm, after weeks of drought, Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin celebrate 10mm of soaking rain on the overwinter wild bird seed mix. They reflect on past hedge removal and changing farming practices while exploring an old clay quarry where solitary bees nest in ancient clay-block walls.  The highlight is a remarkable stoat family: Chris shares stunning trail-camera footage of a female stoat (Mustela erminea) repeatedly returning to a wood-pile lair with fresh rabbit prey for her tiny kits. He explains their lightning speed, delayed implantation, extraordinary mating behaviour, ermine winter coats, and differences from weasels.  In the bird hide they enjoy close views of rooks, jackdaws, a carrion crow, yellowhammers and a grey squirrel as the rooks gather moistened grain for nestlings. Listener letters add delight: blackcaps as “northern nightingales,” hares in sugar beet, bee orchid queries, a magpie raiding a great tit nest, and more.  This episode is a rich celebration of rain-soaked relief, one of Britain’s most fascinating predators, and the bustling life of rooks and hedges — ideal for savouring nature’s resilience and the fast-paced drama of the countryside in May. Support the show Please email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast to Chris@highashfarm.com This podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm. Support us here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-12 or from the Podcast page here: Podcast | High Ash Farm

    49 min

  7. 10 May

    Episode 2.71 - Aphid Aerial Plankton and Blossoming Hawthorns

    Send us Fan Mail On a chilly, grey early-May morning with a brisk northerly wind and five weeks of drought at High Ash Farm, Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin explore the effects of the dry spell. Skylarks hover and sing over parched grass fields, while swallows sweep low hunting for insects. In Fox’s Grove, they examine sycamore leaves glistening with honeydew from vast colonies of green aphids — prolific breeders that provide vital “aerial plankton” for summer migrants.  Chris then admires one of the farm’s magnificent old hawthorns (May) in full luminous blossom beside an ancient quarry. He shares its long history as a hedging plant, its sharp spines, distinctive scent, pollination needs, and clever seed dispersal by birds.  Listener letters bring warmth from across the UK and beyond: a magical close encounter with a female hare searching for leverets, phacelia identification, first swifts and house martins, lapwings, goldcrests, glyphosate questions, and more.  This episode captures the resilient beauty of a dry early summer — from skylarks and aphids to shimmering May blossom — ideal for appreciating nature’s ingenuity even when the weather refuses to cooperate. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/19151554-episode-2-71-aphid-aerial-plankton-and-blossoming-hawthorns.mp3?download=true Support the show Please email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast to Chris@highashfarm.com This podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm. Support us here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-12 or from the Podcast page here: Podcast | High Ash Farm

    42 min

  8. 2 May

    Episode 2.70 - Sand Martin Spectacle and Earsham Colonies

    Send us Fan Mail On a breezy early-May morning, Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin visit Earsham Gravel Quarry on the northern edge of High Ash Farm to witness a wonderful spectacle. Hundreds of sand martins swirl around the towering sand cliffs, pouring in and out of nest holes like a living Swiss cheese. Chris explains their colonial lifestyle, playful feather-chasing games, tiny size, brown collar, and long journey from the Sahel, while noting their sharp national decline and dependence on nearby river meadows for insect food.  Back on the farm they check a busy rookery in tall ash trees, where early nests hold well-grown young “branchers” stretching their wings. Chris highlights differences between rooks, carrion crows and jackdaws, and the challenges of dry weather for feeding the chicks. From the Yellowhammer Hide they enjoy a close roe deer browsing hawthorn and panoramic views across the fields, though the hoped-for rooks stay cautious.  Listener letters add warmth: stone owls and donations from Houston, Minnesota; min-till benefits in Africa and the UK; nettles in pots for gardeners; hen harriers and swifts in France; and thoughtful comments on the shooting industry’s role in conservation.  This episode bubbles with the energy of early summer migrants and bustling rookeries — ideal for savouring the lively return of colonial birds and the everyday wonders of farm and quarry alike. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/19107894-episode-2-70-sand-martin-spectacle-and-earsham-colonies.mp3?download=true Support the show Please email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast to Chris@highashfarm.com This podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm. Support us here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-12 or from the Podcast page here: Podcast | High Ash Farm

    40 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

  Nature, Wildlife and Countryside Living with Chris Skinner from High Ash Farm Chris Skinner, a Norfolk farmer, takes a unique approach to farming, prioritizing biodiversity and wildlife conservation in every practice. Tune in every Sunday morning as Chris, alongside broadcaster Matthew Gudgin, explores topics on nature, wildlife, and rural life. Join them for strolls through High Ash Farm and beyond, spotting wildlife and addressing your queries about the natural world. Email questions for Chris to answer to Chris@highashfarm.com

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