Rivers form the backbone of the landscape, act as the world's arteries, and also support an incredible wealth of wildlife, which is what we are exploring this episode. So, grab a coffee and join us for a positive chat about the wonderful animals that rely on our rivers.

Staying true to our name, Steve is highlighting some of the fantastic bird life that he sees and photographs when out and about around rivers whilst Matthew gives the invertebrates some love with a focus on the fascinating lives of freshwater pearl mussels.

Our rivers are facing a variety of issues which we will certainly cover in a future episode. But this time, we just fancied having lighter, positive chat about our remarkable rivers and the nature they support. We also cover some general river facts and there's a quiz or two.

Get in touch:

As always, please do contact us with any questions, feedback, comments, or just to say hi! You can find us both on Instagram:

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

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

Timestamps

00:00:00 Very quick catch up

00:00:58 Introducing rivers

00:14:58 River appreciating birds

00:22:44 River-y invertebrates

00:43:44 River restoration

00:52:05 Wrap up

Links

Why rivers are important for everything from biodiversity to wellbeing | New Scientist

Chalk streams, explained - Thames21

Riverfly Partnership — Freshwater Biological Association (fba.org.uk)

State of our Rivers Report 2024 | The Rivers Trust

Impact Report 2023/24 | The Rivers Trust

Freshwater pearl mussel | NatureScot

About us — The Riverfly Partnership (riverflies.org)

From silhouetted soaring buzzards to the powerful elegance of an osprey snatching a fish from a lake, birds of prey are incredible animals that have entranced us for centuries. Unfortunately, however, this has not prevented them from being persecuted.

This episode we are tackling a slightly more serious and somber topic but one that we believe definitely needs talking about and is certainly close to our hearts. So, grab a coffee and join us as we look at how our magnificent birds of prey have been persecuted, both throughout history and its continued prevalence today.

But it's not all doom and gloom, we also delve into the tricky world of defining exactly what a 'bird of prey' really is, our historical relationship with these birds, and we of course, highlight the fantastic organisations working tirelessly to protect and restore our bird of prey populations. Steve even throws a surprise quiz in there to test Matthew's knowledge of our UK species.

This is a topic that we are both passionate about and despite the heavier nature of the research, we really enjoyed recording this episode. We hope you enjoy listening.

Get in touch:

As always, please do contact us with any questions, feedback, comments, or just to say hi! You can find us both on Instagram:

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

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

Timestamps

00:00:00 Catch up

00:0153 Introducing Birds of Prey

00:20:27 A history of persecution

00:24:06 How they are persecuted today

00:40:19 The positives: changing perceptions and brilliant organisations

Links

https://protectthewild.org.uk/our-campaigns/end-shooting/bird-shooting-faqs/what-raptor-persecution/

Why the illegal killings of birds of prey is surging in the UK | The Independent

Birds of prey and the Law - Protect the Wild

Goshawks back from the brink in southern England | Forestry England

RSPB Hen Harrier LIFE Report - Skydancer - the UK's hen harriers - Skydancer - The RSPB Community

Game Bird Shooting | The League

About Wild Justice - Wild Justice

Elusive and secretive, the smooth snake is not often seen and therefore easily overlooked. However, this fascinating reptile is confronting increasing pressures that could make it even scarcer.

Join us as we shine a light on the lifestyle of this mysterious serpent, uncover the threats they are facing, and of course, highlight the remarkable conservation efforts dedicated to preserving our rarest reptile and it's habitat.

Get in touch:

As always, please do contact us with any questions, feedback, comments, or just to say hi! You can find us both on Instagram:

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

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

Timestamps

00:00:00 Catch up

00:03:22 Introduction to the smooth snake

00:15:09 Threats to our rarest reptile

00:24:30 Smooth snake & habitat conservation efforts

00:36:45 Wrap up

Links

Smooth snake | Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (arc-trust.org)

Snakes in the Heather: improving the prospects of smooth snakes and other heathland reptiles. | Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (arc-trust.org)

The effect of the climate crisis on UK reptile populations (froglife.org)

ARC celebrates smooth snake reintroduction anniversary with BBC Breakfast | Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (arc-trust.org)

N526318PP.pdf (nerc.ac.uk)