Tweet of the Day

Hannah Stitfall on the Chiffchaff

For wildlife filmmaker and TV presenter Hannah Stitfall, the chiffchaff's song is the first sign of Spring. Each year in March and April she will spend hours following these little birds along the hedgerows trying to get some good shots, watching them feeding from flowering blackthorn, with their beaks covered in pollen. By mid-summer chiffchaffs shift their energy from courtship to preparation, as they will soon be off on their long migration to their wintering grounds. Hannah always listens out for the chiffchaff's last song of the season, before they head back to southern Europe and North Africa.Presented by Hannah Stitfall and produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio Production in Bristol.

Paul Farley on the Reed Bunting

In poet Paul Farley's house the reed bunting is known as The Vicar. For Paul, the way it finds a high place on the tip of a reed from which to call gives off a pulpit vibe, and the contrast between the jet-black head and the brilliant white collar beneath makes it like a bird of the cloth. Whenever he sees a reed bunting in the reedbeds at the Leighton Moss nature reserve in Lancashire, a poem always writes itself.Presented by Paul Farley and produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio Production in BristolFeaturing a recording from Xeno-Canto by Simon Elliott: Common Reed Bunting - XC787452.

Jo Wimpenny on the New Caledonian Crow

If you were walking past the Zoology building at the University of Oxford in the mid-noughties, you might have heard an unusual bird call. It’s undeniably crow-like, but not a UK native. It’s the New Caledonian crow, and zoologist and author Jo Wimpenny was studying them for her PhD. Jo describes her fondness for this bird, which is one of nature's smartest, due to its ability to make and use tools.Presented by Jo Wimpenny and produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio Production in Bristol.Featuring a recording from Xeno-Canto by Patrik Åberg: New Caledonian Crow - XC40120.

Amy-Jane Beer on the Reed Warbler

For naturalist and writer Amy-Jane Beer, the scratchy song of a reed warbler reminds her of a superstar DJ. In a marshy corner of a lake in Yorkshire she comes across this tiny brown-beige bird – or ‘classic little brown job’. But Amy finds the reed warbler’s song anything but nondescript – from his spot in the reedbed he is holding space like a DJ in an Ibiza club, scratching and mixing a hypnotic blend of sound.Produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio Bristol Production

Tolga Aktas on the Wood Pigeon

For conservation biologist Tolga Aktas, a walk through the city is an opportunity to observe different species of pigeon. His favourite is the wood pigeon, which is the UK’s most widespread and common pigeon. Walking through London’s parks and squares, Tolga spots the differences between wood pigeons and feral pigeons by the colours of their neck patches. Now he’s moved to the Gloucestershire countryside, the cooing call of a wood pigeon is one of the sounds that evokes the feeling of home and childhood nostalgia.Produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio Production in Bristol