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Join Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin on a sun-drenched late August morning at High Ash Farm in the Norfolk countryside. This episode explores the serene beauty of the farm’s lake, where a majestic young mute swan is moulting amid darting swallows, vibrant kingfishers, and upending mallards. Discover the perils of lead poisoning for swans and the thriving aquatic plants like gipsy wort and flag iris. Venture to bountiful hedgerows laden with hawthorn berries, blackthorn sloes, and rose hips, signalling a spectacular mast year for wildlife. Delight in the orchard’s overflowing harvest of Victoria plums, Cox’s apples, and the quirky native medlar tree. Chris answers listener questions on peculiar rose galls, lingering tadpoles, and the alarming decline in swifts and insects. The episode closes with a poignant reading of Kevin McManus’s poem “The Turning of August,” capturing the subtle shift from summer’s warmth to autumn’s edge. Perfect for nature enthusiasts seeking a poetic glimpse into rural life’s rhythms.

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/17747895-episode-2-35-lakeside-moults-and-orchard-opulence.mp3?download=true

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