Nature's Voice

Some of the worst floods in living memory continue to cause huge problems in the south of England and this month's Nature's Voice talks to Jane Brookhouse, the RSPB's area site manager in Somerset. Also, with National Nestbox week coinciding with London Fashion Week, some of the biggest names in fashion from Vivienne Westwood to Julien MacDonald have created some remarkable nestboxes and we've details of how you can see them and bid to own one to support nature.

This year you can take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch on your phone, tablet or PC and for the first time you can also record some of the animals you find in your garden throughout the year. On this episode of Nature's Voice Jane Markham talks to Sarah Houghton who is running this year's count and meeting someone who took part in the very fist Big Garden Birdwatch back in 1979

The Turtle Dove, one of the symbols of Christmas, is in serious trouble. On this festive edition of Nature's Voice we hear from the RSPB's Simon Tonkin about what might be causing the massive decline in this beautiful and iconic bird in recent years and the launch of Operation Turtle Dove. Plus a look back at some of the highlights of 2013.

How do you get children to swap some of their TV and computer time for spending more wild time outdoors? Project Wild Thing is a film led campaign which aims to do just that. It's backed by the RSPB and is made by award winning documentary maker David Bond. On this month's Natures Voice Jane Markham talks to David about how his family inspired him to make the film and how he played the marketing industry at its own game to 'sell' nature to children.

As wildlife presenter Miranda Krestovnikoff takes up her role as the RSPB's new President she talks to Jane Markham about her love of the natural world and how, at a time when nature is facing huge challenges, she hopes to inspire adults and children alike to do their bit to give nature a home.

Ospreys from Loch Garten are well on their way south. We know this from data received from the satellite tags worn by this year's youngsters Breagh and Oighrig. On this month's Nature's Voice Richard Thaxton, site manager at Loch Garten, looks back at a successful breeding season on the reserve and Jane Markham talks to the RSPB's Grahame Madge about the shocking numbers of migrating birds shot by illegal hunters on Malta.

The first Big Wild Sleepout was a huge success if the experience of those who took part at the RSPB's reserve at Arne in Dorset is anything to go by. On this month's Nature's Voice we're packing our tents and munching on marshmallows as we spend a night seeking out grasshoppers, bats and nightjars.

Linda Barker, interior designer and television presenter, gets creative in her garden for some new clients - the wildlife. It's all part of the launch of the Giving Nature a Home campaign. Also in this episode Jane Markham talks to Richard Bashford about the RSPB's first ever Big Wild Sleepout who suggests sleeping under the stars, toasting marshmallows and dressing up as squirrel to raise money for wildlife!

Sir David Attenborough has issued a call to arms in response the State of Nature report. In this month's podcast we hear how news of worrying declines in the natural world, highlighted in the report, has been received. 25 conservation organisations, including the RSPB, were involved in putting the report together and Jane Markham talks to the RSPB's Jonny Wright about a new campaign - Giving Nature a Home - to inspire us all to take up Sir David's challenge.

The State of Nature report, just published by the RSPB in collaboration with more than 20 other major conservation groups, provides alarming reading. It shows that more than half the UK’s native species are declining and a large number of those are threatened with extinction. On this month's podcast Jane Markham talks to the RSPB's senior conservation scientist Dr Mark Eaton, one of the lead authors of the report, and Matt Shardlow, chief executive of Buglife, about the results and asks where we go from here.