Chris Skinner's Countryside Podcasts
Nature, Wildlife and Countryside Living with Chris Skinner from High Ash Farm
Chris Skinner, a Norfolk farmer, takes a unique approach to farming, prioritizing biodiversity and wildlife conservation in every practice.
Tune in every Sunday morning as Chris, alongside broadcaster Matthew Gudgin, explores topics on nature, wildlife, and rural life.
Join them for strolls through High Ash Farm and beyond, spotting wildlife and addressing your queries about the natural world.
Email questions for Chris to answer to Chris@highashfarm.com
Chris Skinner's Countryside Podcasts
Episode 2.75 - Bee Orchid Wonders and Mistle Thrush Meadows
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On a breezy early-June morning at High Ash Farm, Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin walk through one of the glorious wildflower meadows carpeted in oxeye daisies, yellow rattle and other species. Chris reveals the hidden wonders of bee orchids — their pink, bee-mimicking flowers, extraordinarily long life cycle involving mycorrhizal fungi, and the fact that the plants die completely after flowering once they’ve set seed.
They also enjoy a large gathering of mistle thrushes on the horse-grazed pastures near active rabbit warrens. Chris explains rabbit social hierarchy, burrowing habits, double digestion (re-eating soft pellets), and their long history in the British countryside.
Listener letters bring extra interest: brimstone moth identification, brown-tail moth caterpillars spinning colonial webs on spindle, moth trapping at High Ash, tawny owl boxes, and more.
This episode is a beautiful celebration of wildflower meadows, mysterious orchids, and the everyday dramas of rabbits and thrushes — ideal for savouring the rich tapestry of early summer at its colourful best.
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/19304173-episode-2-75-bee-orchid-wonders-and-mistle-thrush-meadows.mp3?download=true
Please email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast to
Chris@highashfarm.com
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