The BirdGuides Podcast

Welcome to this bonus episode of The BirdGuides Podcast! Two rarities, the Rufous-tailed Robin in East Yorkshire and Slender-billed Nutcracker in Norfolk, have made major headlines this autumn. Josh and Sam are joined by Brian McCloskey to talk about these birds, their British rarity context and the twitches they sparked.

In this episode

• Britain's first twitchable nutcracker for decades
• Josh and Sam tell the stories of their twitch to Norfolk
• Mainland Rufous-tailed Robin draws massive crowds to Flamborough Head
• Brian describes twitching the robin from Ireland.
• More nutcrackers to come?

Episode timestamps

01:15 – Nutcracker in Norfolk

09:30 – Rufous-tailed Robin in Yorkshire

13:45 – Tough viewing at Flamborough

Links

BirdGuides 30% off offer.

Get in touch by emailing [email protected]

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. Did you see the robin or the nutcracker? 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.

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The BirdGuides Podcast is brought to you by Warners Group Publications.

Rufous-tailed Robin photo by Ian Curran.

Welcome to episode 19 of the BirdGuides Podcast! Lots of birders keep lists – but what counts, what doesn't, and who gets to decide? In this episode, David, Ian, Josh and Sam debate the various grey areas within the hobby.

In this episode

• Different lists for different birders
• What counts as seeing – or identifying – a bird?
• Does a heard-only bird count in the same way as one seen?
• Where does a bird have to be for it to count?
• Is there a difference between seeing a bird in a place and seeing it from that place?
• Should a bird count if it has been assisted by a ship, either deliberately or accidentally?
• Why do people keep Britain and Ireland lists?

Episode timestamps

02:10 – The most important lists for the guys

04:03 – Observation type

24:10 – Boundaries

33:28 – Human intervention

52:30 – The British recording area

58:18 – Final thoughts and dream list additions

Links

BirdGuides 30% off offer.

Get in touch by emailing [email protected]

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 list is most important to you? 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.

Ruddy Shelduck photo by Mark Woodhead.

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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]

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 species that draw birders to Georgia.
• The wide variety of habitats.
• Twitching Great Rosefinch on horseback.
• Spectacular 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 [email protected]

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 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.

Welcome to the 15th episode of The BirdGuides Podcast! Today, David, Ed and Ian catch up on some of the recent big stories, including the Northern Nutcracker irruption and some exciting megas, as well as good breeding news for Hen Harrier.

In this episode

• Why are Northern Nutcrackers irrupting into Western Europe?
• Could a bird possibly reach Britain?
• A look back at the last records of the species on British shores.
• Good news for Hen Harriers at Geltsdale RSPB, but what's the outlook like for the species in Britain?
• A round-up of the rare and scarce news for late September and early October.
• Analysis of the latest BBRC report.

Episode timestamps

01:16 – Ian's weekend at Flamborough

06:06 – Nutcracker invasion into Western Europe. Britain next?

19:29 – Hen Harrier success in Cumbria and their UK status

28:15 – Recent rarities, from Shetland to Scilly

45:58 – BBRC report thoughts

Links

Get in touch by emailing [email protected]

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 any of the recent rarities discussed in the show? 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.

Northern Nutcracker photo by Ian Wells.

Welcome to the 14th episode of The BirdGuides Podcast! Today, Ian and Josh are joined by Lucy McRobert to chat about the Isles of Scilly and, specifically, five things that make the islands one of Britain's premier birdwatching destinations.

In this episode

• Where are the Isles of Scilly and why is it so good for birdwatching?
• The joy of not having to use a car to go birding.
• Scilly's spectacular seawatching.
• The archipelago's famous track record of rare North American species.
• Memorable food on the islands!
• Scilly's special community.

Episode timestamps

06:50 – Being able to bird on foot

16:30 – Scilly's special seabirding

24:08 – Epic food!

30:00 – North American vagrants

41:35 – Scilly's community spirit

Links

Get in touch by emailing [email protected]

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 been to Scilly 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.

Red-eyed Vireo photo by Kit Day.

Welcome to the 13th episode of The BirdGuides Podcast! Today, David, Ed, Ian and Josh are joined by Sam Viles as they take a trip down memory lane to remember the epic easterly autumn of 2016, which was filled full of incredible vagrants including Britain's first – and so far only – Siberian Accentors.

In this episode

• The weather that shaped an extraordinary run of eastern rarities in Britain.
• Ian's magical day on Fair Isle in early October.
• Josh's dramatic twitch of Britain's first Siberian Accentor and the subsequent run of records.
• A bumper day for Sam in North-East England.
• What it was like working at Dungeness during autumn 2016.

Episode timestamps

03:30 – The weather that started it all

06:30 – Ian's super Sunday on Fair Isle

17:08 – Britain's first Siberian Accentor on Shetland

25:06 – More accentors and an epic day at Spurn

31:50 – Sam's big day

35:07 – Best of the rest

39:49 – Autumn 2016 at Dungeness

Links

Get in touch by emailing [email protected]

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 was your highlight of autumn 2016? Did you see one of the Siberian Accentors? 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.

Siberian Accentor photo by James Lowen.

Welcome to the 12th episode of The BirdGuides Podcast! Today, David, Ed and Josh catch up to talk about the recent MigFest at Spurn, as well as an arrival of American vagrants in Britain and Ireland and news of turtle dove releases in Hampshire.

In this episode

• David and Josh are back from MigGest and talk about their weekend in East Yorkshire.
• Birding highlights from Spurn.
• Controversial European Turtle Dove releases in the South Downs National Park.
• Signs of recovery for Iceland's Gyr Falcons.
• An arrival of American rarities in Britain and Ireland.
• Recent quality patch finds for David and Josh.

Episode timestamps

02:50 – David and Josh report back from MigFest

13:20 – turtle dove conservation controversy

27:00 – Gyr Falcon recovery in Iceland?

35:30 – Arrival of American vagrants

41:00 – Patch goodies for David and Josh

Links

Get in touch by emailing [email protected]

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. Did you go to MigFest? 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.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper photo by Seán Holland.

Welcome to the 11th episode of The BirdGuides Podcast! Today, Ed, Ian and Josh discuss the shock news of Britain's third Egyptian Nightjar in Shetland at the weekend, as well as other recent national birding highlights and their own autumn patch efforts so far.

In this episode

• Rarity of the decade? Britain's third Egyptian Nightjar stuns birders in Shetland.
• A look back at the previous British records of Egyptian Nightjar.
• A nice run of Nearctic waders and Ortolan Buntings.
• Mixed fortunes for the English-born Montagu's Harriers.
• Recent patch action.

Episode timestamps

01:30 – Egyptian Nightjar in Shetland!

11:25 – Remembering overseas encounters with Egyptian Nightjar

14:25 – Other rare and scarce news

22:30 – Recent patch action for Ian and Josh

29:30 – What's on the September patch radar?

34:50 – Appreciating common warblers

Links

Get in touch by emailing [email protected]

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.

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.

Egyptian Nightjar photo by Rebecca Nason.