Chris Skinner's Countryside Podcast SOUNDYARD

Chris Skinner has been busy counting the swallows on the farm. He catches their early morning chatter as the thirty-seven birds prepare for the day ahead.Chris takes Matthew Gudgin and terrible terrier Rat, to a field full of creeping buttercups. They return to the woodland where the bluebells were. They're long gone now, but standing in their wake are the towering foxgloves - Digitalis purpurea. Chris, Matthew and Rat then come across some enormous animal hoof prints of red deer a...

Chris Skinner gives Matthew Gudgin an impromptu tour around his house and garden showing the many ways he welcomes wildlife.The pair then venture out onto High Ash Farm to look at the badger set. Chris has recorded some incredible footage of the teenage badgers getting up to mischief in the dead of night. Click here to see the video of the badgers at night.Matthew feels nervous answering listener questions so close to a swarm of bees so they take refuge in the farm truck to answer those....

The wren conducts the dawn chorus for this episode of Chris Skinner’s Countryside Podcast.Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin stomp through the woodland to chomp on the edible wild garlic.The dwindling bluebells are going over and their shadow brings the early purple orchid to the fore. Chris explains their many names and mentions throughout history and literature.Chris and Matthew sit down to answer your questions whilst waiting and watching for treecreepers to appear. No larger than a cotton r...

Chris Skinner is up at the crack of dawn on the 1st of May to capture the sounds of the morning at High Ash Farm. Part of daily duties involve checking in on the swallows.Matthew Gudgin joins later on in the sunshine and the pair begin their journey around the farm by looking at crab apple trees. Chris and Matthew head to a bird hide and Chris explains the unusual behaviour of the male rooks he’s been noticing. They’ve worked out a new way to get essential water to the females rooks in t...

Chris Skinner shares a moments reflection whilst waiting to see the first swift arrive at Aldeburgh beach. He pinpoints the exact moment when his relationship with wildlife changed forever. Matthew Gudgin arrives at High Ash Farm and the pair take a look at the hidden wonders of the horse chestnut tree. They also study the hawthorne in flower before escaping the chill and retreating to the farm truck to answer questions sent in from listeners.Click here to download the MP3 of the episode...

Chris Skinner starts the day with his elderly geese before checking in on the swallows busy spring cleaning their nests. Matthew Gudgin joins Chris and Rat, his terrible terrier to see the bluebells at High Ash Farm. He explains how these bluebells return year on year and bring a lot of joy to a lots of visitors. Chris takes Matthew to another wooded area that is also carpeted with bluebells and they answer questions from listeners about tree abnormalities, burr poaching and animal tracks. Cl...