The Podcast for nature nuts from wildlife cameraman Jack Perks. Jack interviews celebrities, artists, scientists and conservationists giving a light hearted look into their specialisms, stories and backgrounds seeing what drives people to become so utterly fascinated by the natural world.
Episodes
Tuesday Dec 20, 2022
Tuesday Dec 20, 2022
In this episode I cover non native crayfish in the UK and the damage they cause while looking if their is light at the end of tunnel to finally get rid of them.
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Papaers
https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1365-2664.13758
https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/11/3/29
https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4133/3/2/8/htm
Tuesday Dec 13, 2022
Tuesday Dec 13, 2022
Join me this week as I head back the banks of the River Trent with friend, angler and scientist Dr Mark Everard as we chat all things tiny with minnows, gudgeon and bleak. We celebrate the smaller fish in life and find out why you should to.
Tuesday Dec 06, 2022
Tuesday Dec 06, 2022
In this episode Jack heads out the River Trent to try and find the Zander a predatory fish thats made many UK rivers in home.
Friday Nov 25, 2022
Friday Nov 25, 2022
In this episode I speak with Alan Henshaw the farm manager of the environment agencies Calverton Fish Farm. I find out what a fish farm is, how they work and why they are sometimes needed. I also go over the top 10 most downloaded episodes of the podcast at then end!
Tuesday Nov 22, 2022
Tuesday Nov 22, 2022
In this episode Jack is joined by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust's Michael Walker as they visit Ploughmans Wood & Colwick Park to try and find Bats.
Tuesday Nov 15, 2022
Tuesday Nov 15, 2022
Today I'm joined by Elliott Kean who is the Engagement Officer with Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and also works with the Beavers at Idle Valley Nature Reserve. I visit him at the site as we look for signs of beaver and talk about the impacts they have both positive and negative.
Tuesday Nov 08, 2022
Tuesday Nov 08, 2022
This is the first episode in the side series of "Jack Does Stuff" with this time Jack going out bird ringing with fellow Jack, Jack Baddams! We visit Creswell Craggs and may or may not catch a kingfisher live!
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Tuesday Nov 01, 2022
Tuesday Nov 01, 2022
The Podcast is back! This week we are joined by guest Ashley Smith of W.A.S.P (Windrush Against Sewage Pollution) as we talk about the sorry state this river and many across the UK are in mainly due to the dumping of sewage.
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Saturday Oct 22, 2022
Saturday Oct 22, 2022
Quick update on the upcoming series of The Bearded Tit's Podcast!
If you'd like a shout out on the next episode donate here at Buymeacoffee.com - Click Here
Tuesday Sep 06, 2022
Tuesday Sep 06, 2022
In the third and final takeover for the podcast our guest host is Stephen Moss an acclaimed author, naturalist and university lecturer. He's chatting to this week's guest Lucy McRobert who is also a communications specialist in wildlife and currently works for the isles of scilly wildlife trust as well as also being a writer.
They natter about getting into birding as a young adult, how it helped with a family loss, if turning your hobby into a job is the best choice and challenging the norms in the wider nature community.
Wednesday Jun 01, 2022
Wednesday Jun 01, 2022
What do you do when owed money by a client? It can be a tough situation for a freelancer so in this episode I detail a recent ordeal I've had and where others can hopefully get some advice of what to do If in the same boat!
Wednesday Mar 16, 2022
Wednesday Mar 16, 2022
Burbot were once so common in British rivers they were used as pig feed and an important cog in the larger wheel of a rivers lowland ecosystem. Fast forward to the early 21st century and they are extinct from our waterways. Why did they die out? Why bother to bring them back? Who is working to bring them back? Are rivers healthy enough for them and will they cause issues with fish currently in rivers all these questions answered and much more as we wade through all the misinformation that is the burbot.
I speak to not one but four guests today all experts in Burbot including
Johan Auwerx - Institute of Nature & Forest Conservation, Belgium (Currently breeding and reintroducing burbot to Belgium)
Ian Wellby - Fishery Health Scientist & Worked on a feasibility study to reintroduce burbot in 2005
Mark Everard - Angler and Fish Scientist he literally wrote the book on burbot (see here!)
Jonah Toney - River Ecologist and Technical Director of Norfolk Rivers Trust (Currently working on bringing the burbot back to Norfolk)
Tuesday Mar 01, 2022
Tuesday Mar 01, 2022
In the second takeover for the podcast our guest host is Sophie Pavelle a science communicator and zoologist who hosts the beaver trusts lodge cast podcast. She's chatting to this weeks guest Emma Brisdon who is also a science communicator . They natter about the current climate crisis (this was recorded during a 90mph storm), getting gen z into nature and Enya.
Tuesday Jan 25, 2022
Tuesday Jan 25, 2022
In the first takeover for the podcast our guest host is Billy Heaney a presenter and zoologist who has a special love for dolphins something he shares with this weeks guest Charlie Philips who is an accomplished wildlife photographer and dolphin researcher. They natter about past encounters with British dolphins, Charlie meeting a sperm whale in Skye and that time they thought they'd discovered a new species of whale!
Tuesday Jan 04, 2022
Tuesday Jan 04, 2022
In the final episode of the current run of the podcast I chat with One Show TV presenter and ecologist Mike Dilger. We cover the start of his career in TV, what its like guiding tours and his current book he's working on One Thousand Shades of Green as he travels the UK looking for 1,000 plant species.
Tuesday Dec 28, 2021
Tuesday Dec 28, 2021
This week I'm chatting to Joe Harkness the author of Bird Therapy and we speak about the benefits of birdwatching for mental health and wellbeing. As well as living with various issues himself, he works in special education and is highly experienced at connecting with vulnerable people.
Tuesday Dec 21, 2021
Tuesday Dec 21, 2021
In this episode I speak with good friend and fellow wildlife photographer Josh Jaggard as we cover his career and delve into the wildlife photography industry covering how the job effects friends, family and lifestyle as well as if sponsorship or a degree is needed and the politics between other professionals.
Tuesday Dec 14, 2021
Tuesday Dec 14, 2021
On todays show I'm chatting with fellow fish botherer David Miller who is arguably the UK's leading fish artist as well as painting birds and mammals. We talk about how he started painting fish, how to get the fish looking perfect and how he gathers his reference material.
Friday Dec 10, 2021
Friday Dec 10, 2021
In this episode I go into what happens behind the podcasting curtain and talking about how the podcast started, some of the stats, my fav and worst interviews and whats coming up next for the podcast as a whole!
Tuesday Dec 07, 2021
Tuesday Dec 07, 2021
In this weeks podcast I’m chatting to scuba diving doctor Ben Burville, who’s spent years exploring the underwater world around the Farne islands and in particular its grey seals which he has a unique and unrivalled relationship with.
We talk about whether the seals recognise him, what he's discovered diving with them and the population of white beaked dolphins of the Northumberland coast.
Ben's Twitter
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
In this weeks show I’m talking to Jack Heathcote who lives in Carlton in Nottingham and has the largest private aquarium in the country. Its nearly 7ft deep and has a variety of native freshwater fish in their putting my fish tank to shame! He also makes custom aquariums and his website is linked below.
This was shot on location and you can hear the tank in the background so that’s the faint noise in the background. We talk about what set jack up on his fish tank journey, the costs of keeping such a huge tank, the maintenance and what species he has.
Tuesday Nov 23, 2021
Tuesday Nov 23, 2021
On today's show I’m chatting to Tania Esteban who is a zoologist, self shooting assistant producer and wildlife filmmaker. She's worked on many high profile natural history series like Planet Earth II and The Mating Game as well as producing her own impactful films. Myself and Tania discuss if she enjoys the editorial process, what its like working for netflix and filming animal sex!
Tuesday Nov 16, 2021
Tuesday Nov 16, 2021
In todays show I have Greame Denton who is the managing director of from the notebook beer which is a company formed in 2012 to celebrate the diversity of British wildlife through the lovely drink that is beer! They donate money from each beer sold to help fund wildlife charities.
In todays chat we sample three beers while looking at what gave him the idea to start the company, how much many has been raised for charity and hangover cures! Here’s the chat.
Tuesday Nov 09, 2021
Tuesday Nov 09, 2021
In this weeks show I’m talking to Miranda Krestovnikoff who is president of the RSPB and a tv presenter best known for appearances on the one show and coast. Miranda studied zoology at the university of Bristol and is closely associated with marine environments which she has a deep passion for exploring and preserving.
We talk about the challenges of presenting underwater, what being the president of the RSPB entails and threats to Britains marine life here’s are chat
Tuesday Nov 02, 2021
Tuesday Nov 02, 2021
This week I talk to Shark expert Richard Pierce being a trustee of The Shark Trust and founder of The Shark Conservation Society. We talk about the likelihood of there being great white sharks in Britain, examine the possible sitings and the closet confirmed records of them to the british coastline.
Tuesday Oct 26, 2021
Tuesday Oct 26, 2021
In this weeks show I’m talking to Hugh Warwick is an ecologist and author with a particular passion for hedgehogs - he is the spokesperson for the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, has written three books (so far) about them and a book about beavers on the way.
Today myself and Hugh waffle about what food you should give hedgehogs, are the houses we put out for them any good and why they are in such a steep decline
Tuesday Oct 19, 2021
Tuesday Oct 19, 2021
In this episode I’m talking to heather buttivant about a subject close to my heart Cornish rock pools! A native to north cornwall her interest in rock pools has persisted from childhood into adult life and she’s volunteered with cornwall wildlife trust and written books including Rockpool : the extrodianty encounters between tides.
We talk about why rockpools fascinate her, the best places in cornwall to go rock pooling and hw tough some of the critters are that call rock pools home.
Tuesday Oct 12, 2021
Tuesday Oct 12, 2021
In this weeks show I’m talking to bbc natural history unit producer James Brickell who’s worked on a host of acclaimed tv series such as life in cold blood, the great barrier reef, deadly 60 and many more.
Today myself and James waffle about how we meet, what its like working with David Attenborough, the career path to being a producer and what moments really stood out to him traveling across the globe.
Tuesday Oct 05, 2021
Tuesday Oct 05, 2021
In todays show I’m chatting to wildlife artist Harriet mead. Harriet specialises in sculpting animals out of scrap metal turning thrown away junk into pieces of art. Her sculptures an are quirky combination of metal and her love of the subject.
Today we talk about how she combines nature and art, the process of sculpting a animal and how long it takes.
Tuesday Sep 28, 2021
Tuesday Sep 28, 2021
This week I speak to Dave Hamilton who is a keen forager as we talk about where you can forage in the uk and laws around it, how to watch out for deadly mushrooms and how you can drink your wife's urine after ingesting mushrooms to get high!
Tuesday Sep 21, 2021
Tuesday Sep 21, 2021
This week I speak to wildlife tv researcher Sophie Pierce as we talk about what kind of ideas are best to pitch, what a researcher does and the frustrating aspects of the job.
Tuesday Sep 14, 2021
Tuesday Sep 14, 2021
Many of you will know I’m a keen wildlife gardener and love me a pond so I’ve wanted to do a podcast on wildlife ponds for a while. Probably the best book on the market about the subject is written by todays guest Jules Howard, titles the wildlife pond book. Its well worth a read if you haven’t got a copy.
We are going to do something slightly different today and rather then straight questions I’m going to be putting all the biggest pond myths to Jules to get to the bottom of them like do plastic herons really keep real ones away and does barley straw really get rid of blanket weed? Lets find out here’s our chat.
Monday Sep 06, 2021
Monday Sep 06, 2021
In todays episode I’m speaking with Ellie & Ben from The Wildlife Garden Podcast and also Ellies Wellies which are a Nottingham-based garden maintenance company and consultancy that specialises in wildlife gardens using organic methods.
Ellie and Ben set up one of the first totally organic garden maintenance companies in the UK, Ellie’s Wellies Organic Gardening. No matter what size the garden, Ellie and Ben help to bring nature in with the three key things for wildlife; shelter, water and food. Once a fortnight they release an episode of their podcast – The Wildlife Garden Podcast – where they give planting advice, interview guests and discuss the up to date science behind things we can all do for wildlife at home.
What these to don’t know about plants ain't worth knowing and I’ve set the them challenge to pick 5 plants you should have in your wildlife garden and I’ve also picked five, not that I particularly know what I’m talking about but pretty flowers.
Tuesday Aug 31, 2021
Tuesday Aug 31, 2021
This week I’m joined by wildlife photographer dan Ruston. Dan is based in Dorset and quite frankly is a master at fieldcraft getting closer to species like roe deer, peregrine and red fox which he has a special affinity for.
We talk about what fieldcraft really means in wildlife photography, the use of commercial hides and how starting off in a gamekeeping background helped his photography. Here’s are chat.
Tuesday Aug 24, 2021
Tuesday Aug 24, 2021
This week I’m talking to Sheena Cruickshank about parasites that love nothing more then living in the human body. She’s a professor at the university of Manchester and specialities in immunity & infection.
We talk about 50ft worms in your gut, how pubic lice are declining and how some parasites might actually make you healthier.
Tuesday Aug 17, 2021
Tuesday Aug 17, 2021
In todays episode I’m having a chin wag with Chris Yates, Chris is an angler preferring to use more traditional techniques and is well known for being part of Hugh miles passion for angling as well as catching the bishop a former uk record carp. Chris is also a brilliant writer and naturalist and we spoke for hours about bird watching after the podcast. I have to thank Hugh miles for setting this up as it was part of a fundraiser for Britains hidden fishes and all and in all was a fabulous day.
We talk about what british record fish Chris would want to beat now, the mysterious burbot and put some listeners questions to him.
Tuesday Aug 10, 2021
Tuesday Aug 10, 2021
Today I’m talking to singer - song writer kitty Macfarlane who mashes up folk tunes with natural sounds to make some incredible pieces of music. She’s guest presented radio shows on BBC Radio 3 & 4 was nominated for a horizon award. Her debut album namer of clouds is out now.
We chat about why she uses nature as a theme for her music, how she incorporates the sounds of nature into her songs and why she wrote a song about eels!
https://www.kittymacfarlane.com/
Tuesday Aug 03, 2021
Tuesday Aug 03, 2021
This week I’m joined by Bertie Gregory who is a British wildlife filmmaker. He’s been named a National Geographic Young Explorer and The Youth Outdoor Photographer of the year, Bertie's goal is to find stories that get people to fall in love with the natural world.Bertie currently splits his time between shooting behind the camera as a cinematographer for the BBC's landmark series and hosting shows for National Geographic. Bertie recently won a BAFTA for his cinematography in the latest BBC David Attenborough series, ‘Seven Worlds, One Planet’.
Friday Jul 30, 2021
Friday Jul 30, 2021
In this Bonus episode I talk about the topic of wildlife photography going into decline as a career choice. Is it still a viable career and what have been the changes in it over the years?
Tuesday Jul 27, 2021
Tuesday Jul 27, 2021
This week I’m with wildlife camerawomen Jessica Mitchell who is well known for her variety of work including time-lapse, topside and especially underwater. She’s filmed for groups such as Natural World, BBC & Oxford scientific films to name a few.
Today we cover the pressures of being a wildlife camera op, whether it should even be called cameraman or camera operator and the distant lack of women in that role plus much more. Here’s our chat.
Tuesday Jul 20, 2021
Tuesday Jul 20, 2021
This week I’m joined by fellow countryfile presenter Joe Crowley, Joe has presented a host of television programmes from holiday hit squad to police 5 but is best known for his regular slots on both the one show and country file. It's here he embraces his passion for the outdoors and in particular rivers and recently made a film for panorama about the disgusting amounts of raw sewage entering British rivers which is the main topic of todays chat.
Tuesday Jul 13, 2021
Tuesday Jul 13, 2021
In todays show I’m chatting to springwatch presenter Gillian Burke. Gillian finds herself living in Cornwall now and over the years has done lots of narration and voicework before making the leap to the big screen and presenting for many BBC wildlife programmes most notably the watches. She’s also a biologist, public speaker and writer.
Today we talk about how voice work is different to presenting , if she was nervous joining the watches team and why we see so few people from BAME communities on nature reserves.
Tuesday Jul 06, 2021
Tuesday Jul 06, 2021
In this weeks show I’m chatting to hamza yassan who many will know him from his CBeebies programme Let’s Go For a walk as well as appearing on the one show, country file and the recent channel four series Scotland: My life in the wild. He has a passion for birds, is a skilled ornithologist and bird nest recorder with excellent field craft and habitat knowledge. Hamza is also a published wildlife photographer as well as a wildlife tour guide.
We chat about the main challenges of wildlife filmmaking, what it's like presenting to kids and making the switch from camera op to presenter.
Tuesday Jun 29, 2021
Tuesday Jun 29, 2021
In todays show I’m nattering to the aptly named Helen scales who is a marine biologist and prolific nature writer having recently released the brilliant abyss which covers deep sea creatures. Helen also teaches at Cambridge University and delivers talks to groups and people of all ages.
We talk about why people should care about fish, why write about the deep sea and the curious habits of the pearl fish.
Tuesday Jun 22, 2021
Tuesday Jun 22, 2021
This week I’m joined by the celebrated street artist Mark Anthony aka ATM who’s work has featured rare birds all over Britain and further afield. You can see his fantastic work in places like Camden, Walthamstow, Turnpike and and Acton. Being interested in art and birdlife from a young age it was a natural progression to combine the two.
We cover he started street art, the reaction from the public to these large bird pieces and what if any permissions Mark needs to do his art.
ATM's Website - https://atmstreetart.com/
Tuesday Jun 15, 2021
Tuesday Jun 15, 2021
In this weeks episode I’m talking to Francesca trotman who is the founder of love the oceans a non-profit marine conservation organisation working in Jangamo Bay, Mozambique. Their mission is to protect the marine environment in Jangamo, Mozambique, by conducting education projects and scientific research that will support the establishment of a Marine Protected Area.
One of the main ways of setting up these marine protected areas is working with the community so we talk about what made fran set up this charity, if the locals were sceptical and if something like this could work in the UK?
Tuesday Jun 08, 2021
Tuesday Jun 08, 2021
When you think of Wales three things come to mind, rugby, rolling green hills and iolo Williams in worryingly short shorts. For those that don’t know iolo he is currently one of the main presenters for the hit BBC nature show spring watch and has also appeared in many other programmes including rugged Wales, great welsh parks and welsh language programmes for S4C.
Iolo also isn’t shy to stand for nature from raptor persecution to egg collectors he’s a vocal activist for the natural world.
Today we talk about what wildlife encapsulates Wales, starting out with the watches and how surprisingly egg collecting still goes on today. One of the obvious things with iolo is how much of a all rounder he is whether its birds, mammals, plants whatever they’ll be something he’s deeply interested in.
Tuesday Jun 01, 2021
Tuesday Jun 01, 2021
This week I’m talking to prolific nature writer & biologist Amy Jane-beer who is based in Yorkshire and writes columns for the Guardian, BBC Wildlife and Countryfile Magazine. She currently has two books coming out with A Tree A Day in September and The Flow: a return to the river going to take a little bit about those and nature writing in general.
We discuss how she picks stories to write about, wild swimming and planting tree to offset carbon.
Tuesday May 25, 2021
Tuesday May 25, 2021
All to often I focus on the living things on this podcast but thought it was be great to delve into the past and what many animals leave behind, bones and there’s one person who sprung straight to mind to speak about them and that’s Ben Garrod. Ben is a professor of Evolutionary Biology and Science Engagement at the University of East Anglia and also a primatologist. You may of seen him on one of the many tv programmes he’s featured on like secrets of bones, Attenborough and the giant dinosaur and baby chimp rescue. He’s also got a book coming out.
Today we talk about how closely related we are to chimps, the science of bones and dispelling some myths from dinosaur films like jurassic park.
Tuesday May 18, 2021
Tuesday May 18, 2021
Today I’m joined by Sally Le Page who is a biologist and full-time science YouTuber you may of seen some of her content including shed science, nature dates and the secrets of sex but there’s loads of content to explore on her channel which if you want to check it out is her name. PhD from the University of Oxford and specialises in breaking science to appeal to wider audience.
We talk about what prompted her to start making science films for YouTube, the downsides of being a YouTuber and touch upon diversity in nature programmes like spring watch.
Tuesday May 11, 2021
Tuesday May 11, 2021
I’m chatting with MNHP tutor Adrian Brown he is a senior lecturer on the BA(Hons) Marine & Natural History Photography and heads the third year of the degree course. He also runs the professional photographic practice modules during the student's second year.
In this episode we talk about the course, what it takes to get on it and what percentage of students make it into wildlife photography.
Adrians Website - http://adrianbrown.com/
Monday May 03, 2021
Monday May 03, 2021
In this episode I’m chatting to German biologist Katrin Linse of the British Antarctic Survey who has spent the last 25 years researching biodiversity and in particular looking at what’s living deep in out oceans.
We talk about giant squid, megaladon, the mysterious "bloop" and how animals adapt to live down in the depths.
Tuesday Apr 27, 2021
Tuesday Apr 27, 2021
In todays show we’ll be looking at how wolves got domesticated, if dogs and wolves are the same species and how dogs have changed are own evolution.
One thing I wanted to find out was how we got from the might wolf to a walking sausage so I got in touch with Greger Larson. He studied at Oxford and the University of Colorado before receiving his PhD in Zoology in 2006. He is now the Director of the Palaeogenomics & Bio-Archaeology Research Network Greger where he is continuing his focus on the use of ancient DNA to study the pattern and process of domestication.
Tuesday Apr 20, 2021
Tuesday Apr 20, 2021
This week I’m speaking to Hannah O’Regan who is an Associate Professor in Archaeology at the university of Nottingham. We discuss when bears roamed the UK, when they died out and if there’s a possible future for bringing them back.
Wednesday Apr 14, 2021
Wednesday Apr 14, 2021
Celebrating one year of podcasting I decided to release an extra episode on the subject of dogs and UK wildlife which can come into conflict. I also talk about the past year for the podcast, some stats and where it's heading.