The BirdGuides Podcast is the ultimate audio hub for birdwatching – wherever you are and whatever your experience. We discuss the latest sightings and stories, speak to the biggest birding names, delve into the best hot-spots and birding countries, remember famous moments, talk all things ID and so much more. The BirdGuides Podcast helps connects you to the birds, the places and the people that make the hobby so special.
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Welcome to the 17th episode of The BirdGuides Podcast! Today is the first episode in our bonus Extra series, with David Campbell kicking things off by taking a look at typical flight calls of autumn thrushes. Now is the peak time to enjoy visible migration, including thrushes on the move, so in this episode David talks you through six species and explains how to learn their vocalisations.
In this episode
How to pick out Redwing and Fieldfare flight calls.
Learn the sounds of two underappreciated autumn migrants: Song Thrush and Blackbird.
Enjoyed this episode? Please subscribe or follow on your favourite podcast app and leave us a 5-star review to help other birders discover the show. What other calls would you like us to showcase? Let us know!
How to stay connected
📱 Download the BirdGuides app: Real-time bird news in the palm of your hand. Get the BirdGuides app for iOS on the App Store / Android on Google Play.
💻 Visit the website: For sightings, breaking news and other birding content, visit www.birdguides.com.
📧 Newsletter: Sign up to our award-winning weekly newsletter, delivered to your inbox every Monday.
Please take 30 seconds to rate and review us. Your reviews help other birdwatchers find the show!
The BirdGuides Podcast is brought to you by Warners Group Publications.
Redwing photo by Andew Moon, Redwing recording by Paul Kelly, Fieldfare recording by Jarek Matusiak, Song Thrush recording by Phillipe Grange, Mistle Thrush recording by Lars Edenius, Blackbird recording by Stuart Fisher, Ring Ouzel recording by Benjamin Drillat and Black-throated Thrush recording by Cedric Mroczko.
Georgia
Episode 16
Wednesday, October 14, 2026 • Duration 45:09
Welcome to the 16th episode of The BirdGuides Podcast! Today, David, Ed and Ian are joined by Brian McCloskey for the first show in our new Travel series. Today's destination is Georgia, a small country at the crossroads of Europe and Asia that is renowned for dramatic alpine landscapes, massive raptor migration and rare regional endemics.
Enjoyed this episode? Please subscribe or follow on your favourite podcast app and leave us a 5-star review to help other birders discover the show. Have you birded in Georgia before? Let us know!
How to stay connected
📱 Download the BirdGuides app: Real-time bird news in the palm of your hand. Get the BirdGuides app for iOS on the App Store / Android on Google Play.
💻 Visit the website: For sightings, breaking news and other birding content, visit .
Nutcracker invasion incoming? Plus the future of Hen Harrier and incredible recent rarities!
Episode 15
Wednesday, October 7, 2026 • Duration 51:43
Welcome to the 15th episode of The BirdGuides Podcast! Today, David, Ed and Ian catch up on some of the recent big stories, including the Northern Nutcracker irruption and some exciting megas, as well as good breeding news for Hen Harrier.
In this episode
Why are Northern Nutcrackers irrupting into Western Europe?
Could a bird possibly reach Britain?
A look back at the last records of the species on British shores.
Good news for Hen Harriers at Geltsdale RSPB, but what's the outlook like for the species in Britain?
A round-up of the rare and scarce news for late September and early October.
Analysis of the latest BBRC report.
Episode timestamps
01:16 – Ian's weekend at Flamborough
06:06 – Nutcracker invasion into Western Europe. Britain next?
19:29 – Hen Harrier success in Cumbria and their UK status
Enjoyed this episode? Please subscribe or follow on your favourite podcast app and leave us a 5-star review to help other birders discover the show. Have you seen any of the recent rarities discussed in the show? Let us know!
How to stay connected
Five reasons why Scilly is great!
Episode 14
Wednesday, September 30, 2026 • Duration 45:26
Welcome to the 14th episode of The BirdGuides Podcast! Today, Ian and Josh are joined by Lucy McRobert to chat about the Isles of Scilly and, specifically, five things that make the islands one of Britain's premier birdwatching destinations.
In this episode
Where are the Isles of Scilly and why is it so good for birdwatching?
The joy of not having to use a car to go birding.
Scilly's spectacular seawatching.
The archipelago's famous track record of rare North American species.
Enjoyed this episode? Please subscribe or follow on your favourite podcast app and leave us a 5-star review to help other birders discover the show. Have you been to Scilly before? Let us know!
How to stay connected
📱 Download the BirdGuides app: Real-time bird news in the palm of your hand. Get the BirdGuides app for iOS on the App Store / Android on Google Play.
💻 Visit the website: For sightings, breaking news and other birding content, visit .
Remembering autumn 2016
Episode 13
Wednesday, September 23, 2026 • Duration 45:20
Welcome to the 13th episode of The BirdGuides Podcast! Today, David, Ed, Ian and Josh are joined by Sam Viles as they take a trip down memory lane to remember the epic easterly autumn of 2016, which was filled full of incredible vagrants including Britain's first – and so far only – Siberian Accentors.
In this episode
The weather that shaped an extraordinary run of eastern rarities in Britain.
Ian's magical day on Fair Isle in early October.
Josh's dramatic twitch of Britain's first Siberian Accentor and the subsequent run of records.
A bumper day for Sam in North-East England.
What it was like working at Dungeness during autumn 2016.
Episode timestamps
03:30 – The weather that started it all
06:30 – Ian's super Sunday on Fair Isle
17:08 – Britain's first Siberian Accentor on Shetland
Enjoyed this episode? Please subscribe or follow on your favourite podcast app and leave us a 5-star review to help other birders discover the show. What was your highlight of autumn 2016? Did you see one of the Siberian Accentors? Let us know!
MigFest, American arrivals and turtle dove conservation controversy
Episode 12
Wednesday, September 16, 2026 • Duration 49:14
Welcome to the 12th episode of The BirdGuides Podcast! Today, David, Ed and Josh catch up to talk about the recent MigFest at Spurn, as well as an arrival of American vagrants in Britain and Ireland and news of turtle dove releases in Hampshire.
In this episode
David and Josh are back from MigGest and talk about their weekend in East Yorkshire.
Birding highlights from Spurn.
Controversial European Turtle Dove releases in the South Downs National Park.
Signs of recovery for Iceland's Gyr Falcons.
An arrival of American rarities in Britain and Ireland.
Enjoyed this episode? Please subscribe or follow on your favourite podcast app and leave us a 5-star review to help other birders discover the show. Did you go to MigFest? Let us know!
How to stay connected
📱 Download the BirdGuides app: Real-time bird news in the palm of your hand. Get the BirdGuides app for iOS on the App Store / Android on Google Play.
Britain's third Egyptian Nightjar found as autumn migration kicks off!
Episode 11
Wednesday, September 9, 2026 • Duration 38:48
Welcome to the 11th episode of The BirdGuides Podcast! Today, Ed, Ian and Josh discuss the shock news of Britain's third Egyptian Nightjar in Shetland at the weekend, as well as other recent national birding highlights and their own autumn patch efforts so far.
In this episode
Rarity of the decade? Britain's third Egyptian Nightjar stuns birders in Shetland.
A look back at the previous British records of Egyptian Nightjar.
A nice run of Nearctic waders and Ortolan Buntings.
Mixed fortunes for the English-born Montagu's Harriers.
Recent patch action.
Episode timestamps
01:30 – Egyptian Nightjar in Shetland!
11:25 – Remembering overseas encounters with Egyptian Nightjar
Enjoyed this episode? Please subscribe or follow on your favourite podcast app and leave us a 5-star review to help other birders discover the show.
How to stay connected
📱 Download the BirdGuides app: Real-time bird news in the palm of your hand. Get the BirdGuides app for iOS on the App Store / Android on Google Play.
The Birding Girlies
Episode 10
Wednesday, September 2, 2026 • Duration 40:41
Welcome to the 10th episode of The BirdGuides Podcast. Today, David and Josh are joined by Alicia Hulland and Tasha Noble from The Birding Girlies to talk about their birdwatching community and social media movement that they created to make the hobby fun, supportive and accessible for women and girls.
In this episode
How The Birding Girlies began.
The early birding lifes of Alicia and Tash.
What The Birding Girlies stands for.
The invisible barriers that women face within birding.
What the future holds for The Birding Girlies and how you can follow.
Mega Montagu's Harrier breeding success with Mark Thomas
Episode 9
Wednesday, August 26, 2026 • Duration 50:17
Welcome to the ninth episode of The BirdGuides Podcast. Today, David, Ian and Josh are joined by the RSPB's Mark Thomas to talk about the exciting recent news that six Montagu's Harrier chicks fledged in England this summer.
In this episode
The status of one of Britain's rarest breeding birds.
The unexpected breeding of 2025.
How Mark safeguarded two Montagu's Harrier nests.
GPS-tagging two juveniles.
What the future holds for 'monty's' in Britain
Episode timestamps
03:21 – Montagu's Harrier in Britain
10:50 – Why are they struggling?
17:00 – Protecting the nests
27:30 – Following the tagged juveniles
34:01 – How to keep up to date with their movements
Enjoyed this episode? Please subscribe or follow on your favourite podcast app and leave us a 5-star review to help other birders discover the show.
How to stay connected
📱 Download the BirdGuides app: Real-time bird news in the palm of your hand. Get the BirdGuides app for iOS on the App Store / Android on Google Play.
💻 Visit the website: For sightings, breaking news and other birding content, visit .
Six things every new birder should have
Episode 8
Wednesday, August 19, 2026 • Duration 58:55
Welcome to the eighth episode of The BirdGuides Podcast. Today, David, Ian and Josh chat about six important things that anyone who is new to birdwatching or looking to take their interest in birds to the next level.
In this episode
The importance of binoculars and what size and brands are best.
The most effective way to learn bird identification.
Beginning to take photos and enjoy bird photography.
Knowing what to look for and where.
How to share your sightings.
Listener questions answered.
Episode timestamps
03:49 – Listener questions
10:00 – Binocular basics
18:40 – The value of field guides
29:58 – An introduction to cameras
39:09 – Getting a patch
48:43 – How to stay in the loop and know where to go
Enjoyed this episode? Please subscribe or follow on your favourite podcast app and leave us a 5-star review to help other birders discover the show. If you're new to birding, tell us what tools you've found most valuable.
