Episode 2.22 - Woodpeckers and Witches’ Brooms Summer’s Secret Symphony

Send us Fan Mail"Woodpeckers and Witches’ Brooms: Summer’s Secret Symphony"In this captivating episode of the Countryside Podcasts, Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin dive into the early summer splendour of High Ash Farm, where nature hums with hidden wonders. From their bird hide, they marvel at great spotted woodpeckers—vivid parents darting to a lofty nest, feeding insatiable chicks in a slender sycamore’s embrace. Amidst the woodland’s rustle, they uncover the sticky allure of honeydew, as aphids coat sycamore leaves, fuelling swallows and swifts in their aerial dance. Venturing to a sunlit slope, the duo kneels before a dazzling display of bee orchids, their bee-mimicking petals thriving despite drought, alongside buzzing bumblebees on sainfoin. A listener’s query unveils the eerie folklore of witches’ brooms—fungus-sparked tangles in silver birch. Packed with tales of zygodactyl toes, pseudo pollination, and the relentless rhythm of June’s renewal, this episode is a joyful ode to the countryside’s unseen performers.https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/17248014-episode-2-22-woodpeckers-and-witches-brooms-summer-s-secret-symphony.mp3?download=trueSupport the showPlease email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast [email protected] 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-12or from the Podcast page here:Podcast | High Ash Farm