Episode 49: Swallows and House Martins

Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin begin the podcast at a local supermarket that is protecting the wildlife nesting there.Back on the farm the pair trudge through a field overwinter wildbird seed mix when they come across an exploding thistle. Chris explains how pioneering species establish and how they can colonise.They look at various properties of nearby plants including Red Shank, the menthol scent of Field Mint, and answer how the Greeks utilised Woundwort.Back in the truck they endeavour to answer questions sent in from listeners which include seaweed recipes, kestrel feeding calls and an unsolved mystery.Click here to download the MP3 file of this episode.Chris Skinner's Countryside Podcast was produced by SOUNDYARD - a non-profit company on a mission to turn up the volume on under-heard voices. Join the SOUNDYARD newsletter