Best Vultures Nest Podcasts (2024)

1
Matthew Oates: A Paean to the Purple Emperor. One Man’s Passion-filled Past Devoted to Great British Butterflies 52:10

4d ago52:10

52:10

Matthew Oates is a naturalist, nature writer, and poet with a lifelong passion for butterflies. In the short sward of the Cotswolds, Matthew takes David Oakes on a journey through his fluttery past. They discuss the writers who have inspired him, from Tolkien to Wordsworth and W.H. Hudson, and share stories of other notable butterfly enthusiasts, s…

1
Tim Kendall & Fiona Mathews (PART TWO): Eye spy an eco-engineer! Deep in the Forest of Dean in search of the contentious Wild Boar... 34:51

27d ago34:51

34:51

In the second part of David Oakes' interview with Professors Fiona Mathews and Tim Kendall, the mammal-enthused trio head into the Forest of Dean in search of Wild Boar! Fiona Mathews is a professor of Environmental Biology at the University of Sussex and the founding Chair of Mammal Conservation Europe; Tim Kendall is a professor of English Litera…

1
Fiona Mathews & Tim Kendall: Wild Mammals are far from 'Boar-ing' 45:08

1M ago45:08

45:08

Fiona Mathews is a professor of Environmental Biology at the University of Sussex and the founding Chair of Mammal Conservation Europe; Tim Kendall is a professor of English Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Exeter, and; their dog Charlie Brown is an especially trained labrador with the talent for locating the bodies of bats that…

1
Rob Stoneman: Resurrecting Rainforests, Protecting Peat and Constructing Conservation Kingdoms along our Coastlines 1:00:34

2M ago1:00:34

1:00:34

Rob Stoneman wanted to make lots of money in the oil industry… and then he found peat! This episode is a deep dive into that blancmange-like substance that should be our saviour. Also, the Wildlife Trusts’ plans to grow a new rain forest in North Wales and Rob’s dream of having a mile deep nature reserve that circumnavigates the entirety of the Bri…

1
The Horstmann Trust: Vultures in the Valleys! 1:10:17

3M ago1:10:17

1:10:17

The Horstmann Trust is a brand new charity primarily focused upon breeding and ultimately releasing back into the wild four species of endangered vultures: the Bearded, Egyptian and Hooded Vultures, as well as the Andean Condor. But what makes the Horstmann Trust particularly interesting, is that these birds are Welsh Vultures! In this episode, Dav…

1
Andy & Peter Holden: A Filial History of Nest Building 55:15

4M ago55:15

55:15

At the launch of his latest video installation at the Tate St Ives, artist Andy Holden meets with David Oakes to discuss the creativity present within the bird world. But, whilst exploring avian aesthetics, Andy's artwork - "A Natural History of Nest Building" - also explores the roles of nature versus nurture at an additional level. This exhibitio…

1
Dr David Hetherington: Reintroducing the Lynx lynx lynx to our Cairngorms (a cat so enigmatic that they named it thrice!) 1:02:29

5M ago1:02:29

1:02:29

Dr David Hetherington is an expert on the Eurasian Lynx and the beneficial links Lynx (Lynx lynx lynx) can manifest within our complicated British ecosystems. What he doesn’t know about the Lynx’s rich history across Europe is not worth knowing: Hear why Hildegard von Bingen thought drinking Lynx urine was highly beneficial; when exactly(ish) Lynx …

1
Dr Ruth Tingay: From Birds in Boxes to Rivers of Raptors; One woman’s mission for Wild Justice against Raptor Persecution 1:04:20

6M ago1:04:20

1:04:20

Dr Ruth Tingay is a conservationist and campaigner who has spent her career primarily focused upon the world’s raptor population (that’s Birds of Prey, rather than Veloci-...) Her career was inadvertently kickstarted through working at Heathrow airport’s Animal Reception Centre. Here she welcomed back the UK’s Red Kite population for their reintrod…

1
Katie Holten: The Three Questions 9:03

7M ago9:03

9:03

Hello, and welcome to a little festive bonus Trees A Crowd. Some of the eagle eared amongst you may have noticed that the regular “three final questions” were missing from this month’s interview with the artist and activist, Katie Holten. Well… …it’s because they’re here! So, before I hand you over to Katie for an additional stocking filler, I wish…

1
Katie Holten: Hedge Schools, Tree Time and the Language of our Forests 48:48

7M ago48:48

48:48

Katie Holten is a visual artist and environmental activist who splits her time between Ireland and New York. She has exhibited at the Venice biennale and many galleries across the globe, with her work being described as “…an ongoing investigation of the inextricable relationship between man and the natural world in the age of the Anthropocene.” Rec…

1
Paul Donald: Birds, Buddhists and Bypasses; Tales of Trafficking & Traffication with that Lark Sex Ratio Guy 1:03:08

8M ago1:03:08

1:03:08

Senior Scientist at Bird Life International, previously the Principal Scientist at the RSPB, and before that at the BTO, Paul Donald is a world expert on things that fly. As such, it is perhaps somewhat surprising that he has focused this expertise into a groundbreaking book about roads, the things that travel upon them, and the damage they do to n…

1
Samuel West: The West Wing live at the Global Bird Fair 43:24

10M ago43:24

43:24

This bonus episode was recorded live at the Global Bird Fair, and is a conversation with the Actor, Director, RSPB Ambassador and Trainspotter-turned-Birder, Samuel West. Samuel talks about his recent experiences shooting the Channel 5/PBS Masterpiece remake of “All Creatures Great and Small” in the Yorkshire Dales; how the rural connection to natu…

1
Paul Vorster: The Secrets of Sanbona, or: “Hippos!” and How Best to Become an Impact Player in Conservation 57:08

10M ago57:08

57:08

Located in the southwestern corner of South Africa's Little Karoo, the Sanbona Nature and Wilderness Reserve is an area of ex-farmland about the size of the Isle of Wight. Over the past 21 years, it has been transformed into a protected haven for a rich and varied tapestry of African flora and fauna. Seated on the ground by the edge of a Sanbona’s …

1
Nardstar*: Illuminating Cape Town's Evolving Streets, One Caracal at a Time 34:36

11M ago34:36

34:36

Nardstar, the creative alias of Nadia Fisher, is a captivating wall-art and mural virtuoso hailing from the vibrant cityscape of Cape Town. Through bold lines and distinctive colour palettes she uses local flora and fauna both as a tribute to her local milieu and a catalyst for thought-provoking social discourse. Her urban landscape becomes a canva…

1
Chris Fallows: The flight and plight of the Great White Shark, as documented by Cape Town’s legendary Shark Man 1:03:13

12M ago1:03:13

1:03:13

Bridging the gap between wildlife naturalist and dedicated photographer, Chris Fallows was the first person to photograph the now famous breaching Great White Sharks of South Africa. Since then, he has been the human face for Great White Sharks on the Discovery Channel, National Geographic, the BBC and almost everywhere else you can imagine. Chris …

1
Piet Beytell & Tommy Hall: Two very different perspectives united in thwarting Rhino poaching across Namibia 50:31

1y ago50:31

50:31

Two additional Rhino-related conversations: The first is with Piet Beytell, the Chief Conservation Scientist at the Namibian Government's Ministry of Environment Forestry and Tourism, and the National Rhino Coordinator for Namibia; the second is with Tommy Hall who works as a Wildlife Intelligence Officer, running a number of informer networks that…

1
Save the Rhino Trust Namibia: Desert days with the Black Rhinos and the Rangers who protect them from Poachers 55:51

1y ago55:51

55:51

This episode is about Rhinos; desert-adapted free-ranging Black Rhinoceroses and the men and women who devote their lives to protect them - to be precise. Save the Rhino Trust Nambia has existed for over 40 years, their mission is to monitor and conduct research on the Black Rhinos of the North-Western part of Namibia known as the Kunene desert reg…

1
Sophie Pavelle: Ten Remarkable British Species and the Fable of Janet who fondly found their Faeces 49:18

1y ago49:18

49:18

Sophie Pavelle spearheads the new breed of science communicators. She is a nature writer, the communications co-ordinator for the Beaver Trust and an ambassador for the Wildlife Trusts. Recorded in front of a live audience in November 2022, this interview chronicles the journey she undertook to write her award-winning book, “Forget Me Not”. Hear ab…

1
Tan Twan Eng: The Master of the Nature Metaphor with his roots deep in the Concrete Jungle 47:41

1y ago47:41

47:41

Tan Twan Eng was the first Malay writer to win a number of key literary prizes including the Man Asia Prize and the Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction. David Oakes and Twan Eng first met whilst in Malaysia shooting the film adaptation of his Booker prize nominated “The Garden of Evening Mists”, and on the eve of publication for Twan Eng’s ne…

1
Dr Brian Briggs: The Return of the Marsh Warbler and his Secret Identity hidden amongst the Reed Beds 58:52

1y ago58:52

58:52

Dr Brian Briggs is a man of two halves; by day he is the Nature Reserve Manager at the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust’s Llanelli reserve, but by night he is the lead singer and songwriter for the Glastonbury-playing, Later-with-Jools-Holland-appearing, Silver-record-selling, “Rural existentialist orni-folk-band”, Stornoway. Reforming after a 10 year hi…

1
Emma Marsh: Feathers and Feminism with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Kazakh Antelopes 49:45

1+ y ago49:45

49:45

Emma Marsh sits on the Executive Board at The RSPB, and was until recently the Director of RSPB England. But, despite working for the nation’s largest bird charity (the RSPB is actually Europe’s largest conservation charity!), she says that she is not a twitcher, rather that “…being in nature just feels right. Everything is right in the world when …

1
Chris Packham (Part Two): Through sand and snow with Rothko and Rimbaud... (No, that's not what Chris calls his dogs!) 37:41

1+ y ago37:41

37:41

In the second half of David's interview with Chris Packham, we hear how Chris originally wished to pursue a career as a wildlife cameraman, but a twist of fate thrust him into the arms of the Really Wild Show (or perhaps it was Chris who twisted their arms to let him in!) And from there, his TV career exploded! Chris clarifies exactly how his co-st…

1
Chris Packham (Part One): Deep in the New Forest with the Really Wild Showman 41:26

1+ y ago41:26

41:26

Chris Packham is undoubtedly one of the most recognisable faces on British Television. He’s been a mainstay of the BBC’s Natural History programming for nearly 40 years. Alongside this commitment he also currently serves as President for the Bat Conservation Trust and Vice President for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Wildfowl an…

1
Bison Whisperers: The Return of the Native 55:18

1+ y ago55:18

55:18

To celebrate one of the scarily rare “Good Environmental News Stories” of this and last year, David heads out to Kent Wildlife Trust and the Wildwood Trust’s “Wilder Blean” project just outside of Canterbury. He is there to mark the return of the European Bison to Britain, and the birth of the first bison born in the UK in a free roaming herd since…

1
Dr Trevor Dines (Part Two): Mapping “The Trevor Dines Effect” with North Wales’ Meadow Maker 45:44

1+ y ago45:44

45:44

In this, the second part of David Oakes’ interview with botanist Dr Trevor Dines, Trevor goes into detail about the sheer power of community science when documenting our nation’s flowers. Our understanding of British Flora - and indeed that of the BSBI (Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland) - would be nowhere without keen amateur volunteers. Sp…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Vultures Nest Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
The Vultures' Nest

The Vultures' Nest

1
Trees A Crowd

David Oakes

1
Matthew Oates: A Paean to the Purple Emperor. One Man’s Passion-filled Past Devoted to Great British Butterflies 52:10

1
Tim Kendall & Fiona Mathews (PART TWO): Eye spy an eco-engineer! Deep in the Forest of Dean in search of the contentious Wild Boar... 34:51

1
Fiona Mathews & Tim Kendall: Wild Mammals are far from 'Boar-ing' 45:08

1
Rob Stoneman: Resurrecting Rainforests, Protecting Peat and Constructing Conservation Kingdoms along our Coastlines 1:00:34

1
The Horstmann Trust: Vultures in the Valleys! 1:10:17

1
Andy & Peter Holden: A Filial History of Nest Building 55:15

1
Dr David Hetherington: Reintroducing the Lynx lynx lynx to our Cairngorms (a cat so enigmatic that they named it thrice!) 1:02:29

1
Dr Ruth Tingay: From Birds in Boxes to Rivers of Raptors; One woman’s mission for Wild Justice against Raptor Persecution 1:04:20

1
Katie Holten: The Three Questions 9:03

1
Katie Holten: Hedge Schools, Tree Time and the Language of our Forests 48:48

1
Paul Donald: Birds, Buddhists and Bypasses; Tales of Trafficking & Traffication with that Lark Sex Ratio Guy 1:03:08

1
Samuel West: The West Wing live at the Global Bird Fair 43:24

1
Paul Vorster: The Secrets of Sanbona, or: “Hippos!” and How Best to Become an Impact Player in Conservation 57:08

1
Nardstar*: Illuminating Cape Town's Evolving Streets, One Caracal at a Time 34:36

1
Chris Fallows: The flight and plight of the Great White Shark, as documented by Cape Town’s legendary Shark Man 1:03:13

1
Piet Beytell & Tommy Hall: Two very different perspectives united in thwarting Rhino poaching across Namibia 50:31

1
Save the Rhino Trust Namibia: Desert days with the Black Rhinos and the Rangers who protect them from Poachers 55:51

1
Sophie Pavelle: Ten Remarkable British Species and the Fable of Janet who fondly found their Faeces 49:18

1
Tan Twan Eng: The Master of the Nature Metaphor with his roots deep in the Concrete Jungle 47:41

1
Dr Brian Briggs: The Return of the Marsh Warbler and his Secret Identity hidden amongst the Reed Beds 58:52

1
Emma Marsh: Feathers and Feminism with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Kazakh Antelopes 49:45

1
Chris Packham (Part Two): Through sand and snow with Rothko and Rimbaud... (No, that's not what Chris calls his dogs!) 37:41

1
Chris Packham (Part One): Deep in the New Forest with the Really Wild Showman 41:26

1
Bison Whisperers: The Return of the Native 55:18

1
Dr Trevor Dines (Part Two): Mapping “The Trevor Dines Effect” with North Wales’ Meadow Maker 45:44

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