Chris Skinner has been busy counting the swallows on the farm. He catches their early morning chatter as the thirty-seven birds prepare for the day ahead.

Chris takes Matthew Gudgin and terrible terrier Rat, to a field full of creeping buttercups. They return to the woodland where the bluebells were. They're long gone now, but standing  in their wake are the towering foxgloves - Digitalis purpurea. 

Chris, Matthew and Rat then come across some enormous animal hoof prints of red deer and Chris explains what the stags are doing at this time of year as the doe rear the fawns.

Back at the farm truck, the pair  delight at reading the letters, emails and pictures sent in from listeners. They read aloud a peculiar verse that describes swifts as devil’s bitches and Chris explains why they were given such a name!

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Chris Skinner's Countryside Podcast was produced by SOUNDYARD - a non-profit company on a mission to turn up the volume on under-heard voices.
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Chris Skinner gives Matthew Gudgin an impromptu tour around his house and garden showing the many ways he welcomes wildlife.

The pair then venture out onto High Ash Farm to look at the badger set. Chris has recorded some incredible footage of the teenage badgers getting up to mischief in the dead of night. 

Click here to see the video of the badgers at night.

Matthew feels nervous answering listener questions so close to a swarm of bees so they take refuge in the farm truck to answer those.

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Chris Skinner's Countryside Podcast was produced by SOUNDYARD - a non-profit company on a mission to turn up the volume on under-heard voices.
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The wren conducts the dawn chorus for this episode of Chris Skinner’s Countryside Podcast.

Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin stomp through the woodland to chomp on the edible wild garlic.

The dwindling bluebells are going over and their shadow brings the early purple orchid to the fore. Chris explains their many names and mentions throughout history and literature.

Chris and Matthew sit down to answer your questions whilst waiting and watching for treecreepers to appear. No larger than a cotton reel, they’re really tricky to spot, will Matthew get to finally see them?

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Chris Skinner is up at the crack of dawn on the 1st of May to capture the sounds of the morning at High Ash Farm. Part of daily duties involve checking in on the swallows.

Matthew Gudgin joins later on in the sunshine and the pair begin their journey around the farm by looking at crab apple trees. 

Chris and Matthew head to a bird hide and Chris explains the unusual behaviour of the male rooks he’s been noticing. They’ve worked out a new way to get essential water to the females rooks in the nest.

They both come away with plenty of nettles stings whilst looking at the delicate plants on the woodland floor, but it was worth it!

Listener questions cover ladybirds, water levels and honey bees.

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Chris Skinner's Countryside Podcast was produced by SOUNDYARD - a non-profit company on a mission to turn up the volume on under-heard voices.
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Chris Skinner shares a moments reflection whilst waiting to see the first swift arrive at Aldeburgh beach. He pinpoints the exact moment when his relationship with wildlife changed forever. 

Matthew Gudgin arrives at High Ash Farm and the pair take a look at the hidden wonders of the horse chestnut tree. They also study the hawthorne in flower before escaping the chill and retreating to the farm truck to answer questions sent in from listeners.

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Chris Skinner's Countryside Podcast was produced by SOUNDYARD - a non-profit company on a mission to turn up the volume on under-heard voices.
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Chris Skinner starts the day with his elderly geese before checking in on the swallows busy spring cleaning their nests.

Matthew Gudgin joins Chris and Rat, his terrible terrier to see the bluebells at High Ash Farm. He explains how these bluebells return year on year and bring a lot of joy to a lots of visitors.

Chris takes Matthew to another wooded area that is also carpeted with bluebells and they answer questions from listeners about tree abnormalities, burr poaching and animal tracks.

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Chris Skinner's Countryside Podcast was produced by SOUNDYARD - a non-profit company on a mission to turn up the volume on under-heard voices.
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Chris Skinner and terrible terrier, Rat take refuge in the farm truck from Storm Kathleen and share the benefits of wind for farmers and for pollination. Chris explains the life of the ash trees and why they thrive in certain areas. 

Matthew Gudgin joins Chris at the yard and they delight at the arrival of swallows at the farm.

The pair marvel at the tractor working in the field before talking crop circles on the outskirts of Notre Dame Wood. They take a look at the maturing British native trees including the blossoming wild cherry being enjoyed by the bees and butterflies. 

Finally, Chris and Matthew bask in the sun and answer listener questions about owls, troubled bees and a hummingbird hawk moth.

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Chris Skinner's Countryside Podcast was produced by SOUNDYARD - a non-profit company on a mission to turn up the volume on under-heard voices.
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Chris Skinner shares his early morning by showcasing the dawn chorus featuring solos from a sparrow, collared dove and song thrush.

After a very wet winter and now an even wetter spring, Chris reflects on what high rainfall means for the farm in the next few months.

Chris and Matthew Gudgin observe a family of inquisitive Little Owls at the farm. Will they see more than a wing flutter?

Click here to see the owls in their hollow on High Ash Farm’s Facebook page

They visit the noisy rookery and admire the magnificent nests and behaviours of the birds.

The pair then sit and answer listener questions about bird feed preferences, Dunnocks and frogspawn.

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Chris Skinner's Countryside Podcast was produced by SOUNDYARD - a non-profit company on a mission to turn up the volume on under-heard voices.
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Chris Skinner captures the eerie sound of a roe buck barking in the woodland and High Ash Farm. He talks us though the risky behaviour of a particularly brave fox at the entrance of a badger set that he caught on his night vision camera.

Click here to see the video on High Ash Farm Facebook Page

Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin take a punt and enjoy a tour around Wheatfen Nature Reserve to hear about the legacy of a man who inspired Chris to look after wildlife on the farm.

Click here to learn more about Wheatfen Nature Reserve

Chris talks about the speed of the wildlife at the farm and also manages to solve a machinery mystery in this week's questions.

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Chris Skinner's Countryside Podcast was produced by SOUNDYARD - a non-profit company on a mission to turn up the volume on under-heard voices.
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Chris Skinner treats us to a special chorus as he captures the dawn of the vernal equinox.

Matthew Gudgin then joins Chris at High Ash Farm to admire the spring blooms and varieties of nettles before embarking on a mathematical counting and concentration challenge. Using the truck and very long piece of string, the pair try and spot as many hares as possible on one of the farms larger fields.

They are inundated with questions this week covering subjects from bird and frog behaviour, to the importance of keeping dogs on leads during bird nesting season.

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Chris Skinner's Countryside Podcast was produced by SOUNDYARD - a non-profit company on a mission to turn up the volume on under-heard voices.
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