For many, actress Trudie Goodwin is best known for her television roles as Sergeant June Ackland in The Bill and latterly in Emmerdale. But during all that time Trudie has possessed a lifelong love of bird watching. At the age of ten she was given the Collins Book of British Birds, which on a well thumbed page contained occasional accidental migrants which could be found in Britain, including the hoopoe. It was not until much later in life that she finally managed to see this bird, while on holiday in Portugal. Producer: Andrew Dawes

Trudie Goodwin on the Hoopoe

Discover birds through their songs and calls. Each Tweet of the Day begins with a call or song, followed by a story of fascinating ornithology inspired by the sound.

Science

Satush Kumar was born in Rajasthan, India, where the Peacock, the Mayura, is a sacred bird and also associated with the monsoon. In India, it is believed that after the long, hot summer peacocks come out and display their bright and vibrant feathers in an extravagant dance to please Indra, the god of rain, before calling to let the rains begin, bringing relief to plants, animals, soils and humans.  Producer : Andrew Dawes
Image : Copyright Resurgence Magazine

Satish Kumar and the Peacock

Peace & environment activist, Satish Kumar has lived in Devon for many years. In his garden he loves hearing the sweet melodious calls from a blackbird singing on a stone wall.   Producer : Andrew Dawes
Picture : Copyright Gregg Dalgllish / Resurgence Magazin

Satish Kumar on the Blackbird

For Welsh poet and playwright Gillian Clarke she has had two close encounters with a grey heron, including the one in her garden reminding her of a Bishop wearing vestments. You can hear more from Gillian in the Tweet of the Week Omnibus available on BBC Sounds Producer : Andrew Dawes

Gillian Clarke and the Grey Heron

Welsh poet and playwright Gillian Clarke first saw a red kite in the Welsh mountains as a child, a bird which now has expanded east and now Gillian regularly sees them sky-dancing over Reading while she travels to London on the train. Producer : Andrew Dawes

Gillian Clarke on the Red Kite

For wildlife sound recordist Geoff Sample the strange sound of Dupont's lark is something of an enigma, as despite recording half a dozen birds he has never actually seen one. Producer : Andrew Dawes

Trudie Goodwin on the Hoopoe

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