Send us a text

Embark on a captivating journey with Chris Skinner as he ventures from High Ash Farm to the Suffolk coast at Aldeburgh to witness the awe-inspiring arrival of swifts. Marvel at these sickle-shaped marvels as they soar above the marshes, hoovering up aerial plankton and clocking millions of miles in their lifetime. Back at the farm, Chris explores the delicate white blooms of hawthorn, alive with bees and flies, and shares its eerie historical ties to the scent of death. The episode blooms further with the pungent aroma of garlic mustard and wild garlic, vital food for orange-tip butterflies, while a rare sighting of over 200 yellowhammers adds a vibrant note to the spring symphony. Join us for a morning of coastal wonders and countryside treasures, where nature’s fleeting beauty unfolds in May’s warm embrace.

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/17086633-episode-2-18-may-s-white-veil-swifts-sickle-flight.mp3?download=true

Support the show

Please email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast to
Chris@highashfarm.com

This podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm.
Support us here:
https://donorbox.org/podcast-12
or from the Podcast page here:
Podcast | High Ash Farm

Send us a text

Join Chris Skinner at High Ash Farm for a vibrant spring morning filled with the tireless energy of returning swallows and the delicate beauty of the countryside. In this episode, Chris captures the dawn chorus as over 20 swallows busily build nests with mud and straw in the farm’s stables, marking the true arrival of summer. Venturing further, we explore the farm’s woodlands, where drought has left its mark on the bluebells, stunting their iconic display, though their resilience shines through. Amidst the blooms of blackthorn, wild cherry, and bird cherry at Notre Dame Wood, Chris reflects on the living heritage of the landscape, from ancient bluebell displays to Romano-Celtic temples. We also celebrate an extraordinary human journey as Stuart Fraser continues his 24,000-mile walk around the world—without leaving the farm. Tune in for birdsong, blossoms, and the timeless rhythms of nature at its finest.

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/17036800-episode-2-17-bluebells-in-peril-swallows-in-flight.mp3?download=true

Support the show

Please email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast to
Chris@highashfarm.com

This podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm.
Support us here:
https://donorbox.org/podcast-12
or from the Podcast page here:
Podcast | High Ash Farm

Send us a text

Join Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin on a rain-soaked adventure at High Ash Farm, where the long-awaited spring showers bring life to the Norfolk countryside. Under dripping umbrellas, they explore the sticky secrets of mistletoe, a semi-parasitic plant thriving on ancient trees, and marvel at the delicate pink-tipped blossoms of the native crab apple, a spiny ancestor of modern orchards. At the lake’s edge, witness the magical hatching of thousands of tadpoles, forming living clouds in the shallows—a fleeting spectacle of nature’s renewal. From emails about house martins to the promise of wildflower fields, this episode celebrates the resilience and quiet wonders of the season, all serenaded by the patter of rain. Don’t miss this immersive journey into spring’s vibrant pulse!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/16989586-episode-2-16-kisses-of-mistletoe-blossoms-of-crab-apple.mp3?download=true

Support the show

Please email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast to
Chris@highashfarm.com

This podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm.
Support us here:
https://donorbox.org/podcast-12
or from the Podcast page here:
Podcast | High Ash Farm