344. A thrilling night-time quest to experience the great spring toad migration

344. A thrilling night-time quest to experience the great spring toad migration

Author: Our Media March 31, 2026 Duration: 53:26
It's night in the woods deep in the Cotswold Hills. Plodcast host Fergus joins friend and environmental writer James Fair to see if they can witness the great spring toad migration, where toads leave their winter hideouts and head across land in huge numbers to find a pond or lake to breed in. Have the daring duo left it too late? What will they find on this nocturnal ramble?Our Facebook page is back! Search "BBC Countryfile Magazine - Plodcast Community" or join the discussion here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/countryfilemagazineplodcast/?ref=shareThe BBC Countryfile Magazine Plodcast is the Publishers Podcast Awards Special Interest Podcast of the Year 2024 & 2025 and the PPA Podcast of the Year 2022. If you've enjoyed the plodcast, don't forget to leave likes and positive reviews. Contact the Plodcast team and send your sound recordings of the countryside to: theplodcast@countryfile.com. If your letter, email or message is read out on the show, you could WIN a Plodcast Postbag prize of a wildlife- or countryside-themed book chosen by the team. The Plodcast is produced by Jack Bateman and Lewis Dobbs. The theme tune was written and performed by Blair Dunlop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Each week, The Plodcast offers a gentle, immersive journey into the landscapes and stories of rural Britain. Produced by Our Media, this series is more than just a guide; it’s a thoughtful audio companion that connects the science of natural phenomena with the deep cultural roots found in villages, coastlines, and rolling hills. You’ll hear from naturalists, historians, farmers, and artists whose lives are intertwined with the land, providing a rich tapestry of perspectives on place and society. The weekly episodes, released every Tuesday, delve into specific topics, from wildlife biology and conservation efforts to the social history embedded in ancient footpaths. Then, on Fridays, the pace shifts to a reflective Sound Escape-a chance to simply listen and unwind with the ambient noises of the outdoors. This podcast serves as a regular invitation to slow down and appreciate the complexities and simple wonders of the countryside, all through carefully crafted audio. It’s a blend of curious inquiry and peaceful respite, designed for anyone with an interest in travel, nature, and the quieter aspects of British life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 644

The Plodcast
Podcast Episodes
265. Meet wildlife ranger and TV presenter Ajay Tegala [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:25
This week we return to our visit to the Global Birdfair in Rutland. In the second Plodcast interview of the festival, Plodcast host Fergus met wildlife expert, writer and TV presenter Ajay Tegala to talk about his extrao…
Sound Escape 187. Take a break next to a rushing Dartmoor stream [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:41
This week, you're perched on a mossy bank, listening to a gentle stream pass through a Dartmoor forest. The water is crystal clear, revealing a microcosm of glistening stones and earthy weeds swaying along the bed. BBC C…
264. Join the quest to return eagles to the skies of Wales [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:35
Will eagles return to Wales in the next couple of years? Sophie-Lee Williams of Eagle Reintroduction Wales is confident that mighty white-tailed eagles will be soaring in Welsh skies very soon, just as they are in southe…
263. A journey through the Highlands of Scotland [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:00
Head out on a Highland road trip with Plodcast regular Kevin Parr as he explores the wildlife of some of finest peaks and glens of Scotland. A marvellously mindful meander. The Plodcast is the Publishers Podcast Awards S…
262. Explore the strange music within ponds with Alice Boyd [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:36
Join folk singer and sound designer Alice Boyd in Epping Forest on the eastern edge of London as she explores the eerie, little-know soundscapes of ponds with creative sound recordist Action Pyramid, AKA Tom Fisher. Prep…
Sound Escape 183. Delight in the last birdsong of the summer woodland [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:56
It’s early evening as you follow a long path that disappears into the woods. The trees create a green tunnel high above you. A recent downpour has left the air fresh and the leaves shining. A song thrush celebrates a bre…