Welcome to episode 18 of The BirdGuides Podcast! Today, David, Ed, Ian and Josh catch up over the latest news from the birding world, recent British and Irish sightings and Ian's week on Scilly.

In this episode

• Ian's week chasing rarities on Scilly!
• Chestnut Bunting in Shetland and other recent megas
• Spectacular Redwing vis-mig as autumn finally gets going
• Grim Hen Harrier news from Co Durham
• Thoughts on the new banknotes featuring wildlife
• Blackbirds hunting fish?

Episode timestamps

03:53 – Ian's week in Scilly

11:50 – Chestnut Bunting in Shetland and other megas

29:38 – Exciting vis-mig as Redwings arrive

34:00 – Hen Harrier persecution in Durham?

37:38 – Wildlife on banknotes

42:03 – Blackbirds eating fish?

Links

Get in touch by emailing podcast@birdguides.com

Browse our range of field guides in the BirdGuides Bookshop

Stay updated with the latest news at www.birdguides.com/podcast

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 do you think should be done about raptor persecution in the UK? 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.

Follow us on social media:

📸 Instagram: @_birdguides

👥 Facebook: BirdGuides

🦋 Bluesky: @birdguides.bsky.social

🐦 X (Twitter): BirdGuides

Support the show

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.

Sora photo by Richard Stonier.

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.
• Get familiar with fly-over Mistle Thrush.
• Tune in to the calls of autumn Ring Ouzel.
• A look at the very rare Black-throated Thrush!

Episode timestamps

02:51 – Redwing

04:49 – Fieldfare

07:55 – Song Thrush

10:15 – Mistle Thrush

13:20 – Blackbird

16:39 – Ring Ouzel

20:38 – Black-throated Thrush

Links

Get in touch by emailing podcast@birdguides.com

Browse our range of field guides in the BirdGuides Bookshop

Stay updated with the latest news at www.birdguides.com/podcast

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.

Follow us on social media:

📸 Instagram: @_birdguides

👥 Facebook: BirdGuides

🦋 Bluesky: @birdguides.bsky.social

🐦 X (Twitter): BirdGuides

Support the show

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.

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.

In this episode

• The special species that draw birdwatchers to Georgia.
• The wide variety of spectacular habitats.
• Twitching Great Rosefinch via horseback.
• Incredible raptor migration at Batumi.
• Epic encounters with Wallcreeper.

Episode timestamps

03:00 – Brian's Great Rosefinch quest

14:00 – David's two visits to Georgia

19:29 – Spectacular raptors at Batumi

29:00 – Chasing wild pheasants

36:37 – Brilliant Georgian birding

Links

Get in touch by emailing podcast@birdguides.com

Browse our range of field guides in the BirdGuides Bookshop

Stay updated with the latest news at www.birdguides.com/podcast

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 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 www.birdguides.com.

📧 Newsletter: Sign up to our award-winning weekly newsletter, delivered to your inbox every Monday.

Follow us on social media:

📸 Instagram: @_birdguides

👥 Facebook: BirdGuides

🦋 Bluesky: @birdguides.bsky.social

🐦 X (Twitter): BirdGuides

Support the show

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.

Great Rosefinch photo by Imran Shah.