The Birdy Bug Pod – Details, episodes & analysis

Whilst we all know about the tropical rainforests of the world, we often forget the temperate rainforests we have right here in the UK.

Found in the misty valleys and coastal areas of western Scotland, Wales, and south west England, these rainforests are rare ecosystems that support a wealth of biodiversity, from vibrant mosses and lichens to endangered species like red squirrels and pine martens.

Settle in and join us as we explore why these rainforests are so ecologically significant, their historic decline, the threats they face, and the encouraging conservation efforts to protect them.

Have you ever been to one of our temperate rainforests? We'd love to know, comment or ping us a message over on Instagram @thebirdybugpod.

Timestamps

00:00:00 Catch up

00:01:56 Introduction to UK's rainforests

00:23:32 Decline of our rainforests and threats

00:31:14 Rainforest restoration and positive news

00:45:59 Wrap up

Get in touch

Don't forget to follow The Birdy Bug Pod over on Instagram. And please do feel free to contact us with any questions, feedback, comments, or just to say hi!

Follow us @thebirdybugpod

Links

Temperate Rainforest in the UK - Woodland Trust

Temperate rainforest - Plantlife

Interactive Map Reveals Britain's Rare And Hidden Rainforests (countryliving.com)

Temperate rainforest | The Wildlife Trusts

Discover Wales’ Extraordinary Rainforest Lichens - Plantlife

Lost Rainforests of Britain

England’s largest temperate rainforest a National Nature Reserve - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Lost rainforest could be revived across 20% of Great Britain | Environment | The Guardian

Pigeons! They're everywhere, but often overlooked and definitely unfairly labelled. Known to some as "rats with wings," pigeons have gained a reputation as pesky, unintelligent city dwellers—but that's far from the full story.

In this episode, we’re giving pigeons the love and respect they deserve. We bust the biggest myths surrounding these birds, explore their fascinating history, and reveal just how intelligent and resourceful they really are. From acing complex intelligence tests to performing life-saving acts of heroism during the world wars, pigeons have a lot more going for them than you might think.

We've got a pigeon quiz, answers to pressing questions like, "Why do they bob their heads when they walk?" and much more! We hope his episode will have you looking at pigeons in a whole new light.

Timestamps

00:00:00 Catch up and introduction

00:04:31 Get to know the pigeon

00:18:32 Pigeons throughout history

00:28:55 Intelligence & navigation

00:38:53 Impact on culture & science

00:42:31 General pigeon appreciation

00:45:55 Pigeon threats

00:49:10 Wrap up

Get in touch

Don't forget to follow The Birdy Bug Pod over on Instagram. And please do feel free to contact us with any questions, feedback, comments, or just to say hi!

Follow us @thebirdybugpod

Links

Secret World of Pigeons Timeline (cbc.ca)

Whose coos are whose? The five types of pigeon you’ll see in Britain - Country Life

BBC Radio 4 - Radio 4 in Four - The pigeon: Britain’s most misunderstood bird?

Pigeons Are Secretly Brilliant Birds That Understand Space and Time, Study Finds | Mental Floss

How homing pigeons find their way home - BirdWatching (birdwatchingdaily.com)

What's Up With That: Birds Bob Their Heads When They Walk | WIRED

They mitigate the impacts of climate change, support a plethora of species (including the largest animals on earth), and are often called the linchpin of the Antarctic. Krill may be small, but they are massively important.

Grab a coffee and join us as we dive into the frosty waters of the Antarctic and explore just how and why these small crustaceans are so vital and the worrying challenges they are facing.

We were blown away during our research by what we learnt about krill and of course concerned about the future of their populations.

Timestamps

00:00:00 Intro & catchup

00:03:08 The world of krill

00:16:35 Threats & challenges facing krill

00:34:18 Possible solutions & positives

00:48:07 Wrap up

As always, please do feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions, feedback, comments, or just want to say hi! The easiest way to get in touch is to ping us a message on Instagram:

Steve - @a.bird.in.the.lens

Matthew - @a.bug.in.the.lens

Links:

https://www.bas.ac.uk/about/antarctica/wildlife/krill/

https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/insects-invertebrates/facts-about-krill

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/facts/krill

https://www.seashepherdglobal.org/latest-news/antarctic-krill/

https://news.mongabay.com/2022/08/climate-change-and-overfishing-threaten-once-endless-antarctic-krill/

Study warns sharp decline in Antarctic krill by 2100 | Patagonia´s Magazine: Patagon Journal

https://earthsky.org/earth/the-sad-fate-of-krill-in-the-southern-ocean/

https://www.seashepherdglobal.org/latest-news/ccamlr-decision/

With their mind-boggling wingspans and entrancing mating rituals, albatrosses are certainly birds with some charisma. However, facing a variety of pressures, these majestic birds are in decline, an issue that can be all too easily missed due to their remote oceanic lifestyle.

So, grab a drink and join us for a chilled episode where we delve into the challenges facing these remarkable birds, featuring some different issues from the usual suspects. We of course also shine a light on the promising solutions and the organisations working hard to protect the world's magnificent albatrosses.

Also in this episode, Matthew actually has some catch up and Steve finally gets his revenge on Matthew for making him guess the weight of a curlew way back in episode 2.

Timestamps

00:00:00 Intro & catchup

00:04:50 All about albatrosses

00:22:20 Threats to albatross & their decline

00:29:43 Solutions & conservation

00:40:32 Wrap up

Get in touch:

As always, please do feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions, feedback, comments, or just want to say hi! The easiest way to get in touch is to ping us a message on Instagram:

Steve - @a.bird.in.the.lens

Matthew - @a.bug.in.the.lens

Links:

Albatross courtship dance - https://www.birdlife.org/birds/albatross/

https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/news/celebrating-albatrosses

https://www.rspb.org.uk/helping-nature/so-many-ways/explore/defend-the-albatross

https://www.treehugger.com/albatross-facts-5073421

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306202531.htm

https://www.bas.ac.uk/data/our-data/publication/albatross/

Zoologist, ecologist, wildlife photographer, and very well-travelled, we've mentioned Josh in a few previous episodes, it was about time we had him on!

Not long back from 5 weeks in the jungles of Sumatra, we delve into his experience, covering the incredible species he saw, the challenges facing both wildlife and conservationists, some good signs of ecotourism, and what would be great to see going forward. And, in true Birdy Bug Pod fashion, we hear about some of the passionate and dedicated people working hard to protect Sumatra's truly invaluable habitats.

From surreal encounters with orangutans and elephants to illegal orchid hunters and falling into a river whilst looking for a crocodilian, this episode really does have it all!

We appreciate that it is quite a long episode (you can use the timestamps to hop about), but with his experiences and absolute wealth of knowledge, we could have easily chatted to Josh for another 3 hours.

We had a fantastic time recording this episode, we really hope you enjoy it.

Check out Josh's Instagram to put pictures to the stories: @phangurha_nature

*Quick note: The Tapanuli Orangutan is the most endangered Great Ape, rather than the most endangered primate.

Timestamps

00:00 Intro to Josh

00:11:05 Why Sumatra

00:18:48 Ecotourism & habituated orangutans

00:28:01 Deforestation & seeing Sumatran Elephants

00:37:23 Conservation challenges

00:40:04 Illegal orchid hunters

00:47:25 Conservation & more ecotourism

00:51:49 Positive conservation in Sumatra

00:56:04 Seeing wild orangutans

01:01:54 Other wildlife highlights

01:14:03 Losing both cameras

01:16:58 Camera chat

01:17:52 Josh's next trip

01:22:18 Josh's bucket list places & species

01:25:01 Closing

Get in touch:

Please do feel free to get in touch if you have any questions, feedback, or just want to say hi! Ping us a message on Instagram:

Steve - @a.bird.in.the.lens

Matthew - @a.bug.in.the.lens

Links:

Learn about the passionate conservationist Pungky - Pungky Nanda Pratama - Sumatra Nature & Biodiversity Conservation (snbcf.org)

Pungky's Instagram @pungkynandapratama

Watch the orangutan grabbing a woman clip here.

Join us as we delve into the world of ecotourism, exploring what it is and whether or not it achieves its goal of providing a way to travel that benefits nature, the planet, and people.

We look how ecotourism differs from other forms of "green" travel, the potential benefits and pitfalls, and examples of it done well and when it misses the mark.

Looking for your next ecotourism/sustainable holiday? Make sure to stick around until the end for a list of a few particularly green destinations and tips on spotting potential greenwashing.

If you have any recommendations of brilliant ecotourism trips, or have perhaps had a bad experience, we would be very interested to hear about it!

Get in touch:

As always, please do feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions, feedback, comments, or just want to say hi! The easiest way to get in touch is to ping us a message on Instagram:

Steve - @a.bird.in.the.lens

Matthew - @a.bug.in.the.lens

Links:

https://www.studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/human-geography/economic-geography/ecotourism/

https://ecotourism.org/what-is-ecotourism/

https://www.treehugger.com/what-is-ecotourism-definition-examples-5181259

https://www.treehugger.com/costa-rica-sustainable-tourism-5120162

https://www.caminotravel.com/costa-ricas-cleanest-beaches/

Discover the story of the turtle dove, a symbol of peace and love, facing a staggering 99% decline in the UK since the 1970s.

Join us as we examine the complex issues besieging this wonderful bird, whilst also addressing pressing questions such as "what is the difference between a pigeon and a dove?" And "what on earth is pigeon milk?"

It's not all doom and gloom, as we of course shine a spotlight on the remarkable efforts of dedicated organisations working hard to halt the decline and revive our dwindling turtle dove population.

Have you been lucky enough to see a turtle dove? Let us know 👇

Contact:

As always, please do feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions, feedback, comments, or just want to say hi! The easiest way to get in touch is to ping us a message on Instagram:

Steve - @a.bird.in.the.lens

Matthew - @a.bug.in.the.lens

Links:

https://www.bto.org/understanding-birds/birdfacts/turtle-dove

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/birds/pigeons-and-doves/turtle-dove

https://www.rspb.org.uk/media-centre/turtle-dove-moratorium

Turtle Doves under threat - British Ornithologists' Union (bou.org.uk)

Why are turtle doves in trouble? - Operation Turtle Dove

Wilding: Wilding By Isabella Tree | Used & New | 9781509805099 | World of Books (wob.com)

Join us for a break from all the negative news and enjoy an hour of uplifting stories and a reminder that people everywhere are working incredibly hard for nature.

This episode we are bringing you a collection of fantastic stories highlighting the remarkable work being done across the globe to conserve wildlife, protect nature, and look after the planet.

Connecting fragmented habitats, fighting poaching, creating protected areas, addressing deforestation, and much, much more! We had a great time researching this episode and were blown away by some of the stories we found.

What was your favourite positive nature story of 2023? Get in touch, we would love to know 👇

Contact:

As always, please do feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions, feedback, comments, or just want to say hi! The easiest way to get in touch is to ping us a message on Instagram:

Steve - @a.bird.in.the.lens

Matthew - @a.bug.in.the.lens

Links:

From wind-powered islands to urban forests: Positive environmental stories from 2023 | Euronews

Hope, but no free pass, as Pacific corals show tolerance to warming oceans (mongabay.com)

Science and culture join forces to restore 120 miles of Hawaiian reefs (mongabay.com)

Websites:

https://rewildingeurope.com

https://www.fauna-flora.org/species/

https://ctph.org/meet-the-team/

https://www.birdlife.org

Join us as we take a dive into our camera bags and chat about what bits of kit we use, from cameras and lenses to handy little accessories. We reveal our niche nerdiness as we get excited about tripod heads and camera straps, learn what weird thing is always in Matthew's camera bag, and we dream a little about our ideal set-ups.

This was a fun, lighthearted chat that we thoroughly enjoyed recording and hope you enjoy listening to. Think it is safe to say that our love of camera gear shines through this conversation.

What gear do you use? Any weird things that you always have in your camera bag? We would love to know, so do get in touch! 👇

Contact:

As always, please do feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions, feedback, comments, or just want to say hi! The easiest way to get in touch is to ping us a message on Instagram:

Steve - @a.bird.in.the.lens

Matthew - @a.bug.in.the.lens

Note: Matthew's camera bag with the best tripod holding system is the Manfrotto Pro Light Camera Backpack 3N1-26.

From going plastic free to taking shorter showers, many of us look for ways we can reduce our impact on the planet and yet, so often we overlook the carbon pawprints of our cats and dogs.

As two people who love their cats, we set out to learn just how we can all reduce the impact our fury friends have on the planet.

We were surprised by some of the facts and figures we found during our research and discovered several eco-friendly tactics we intend to start implementing ourselves.

Contact:

As always, please do feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions, feedback, comments, or just want to say hi! The easiest way to get in touch is to ping us a message on Instagram:

Steve - @a.bird.in.the.lens

Matthew - @a.bug.in.the.lens

Links:

Flea-mergency: Pet treatments taking a bite out of… | The Rivers Trust

Pet flea treatments poisoning rivers across England, scientists find | Pesticides | The Guardian

The truth about cats and dogs (and the climate) | The University of Edinburgh

Nene Valley Woofs - Nene Valley

Is your family pet bad for the environment? It depends. | National Geographic

Study reveals the most eco-friendly pets - The Global Paw (rockythetraveller.com)

Pet owners urged to help keep wildlife and livestock safe this spring  | The Wildlife Trusts

Choosing Sustainable Cat Food: Everything a Pet Owner Should Know – The Honest Kitchen