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
163. Discover the secrets for making great gin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:12
Head deep into the Northamptonshire countryside to visit the Warners Gin distillery near Rothwell, Northamptonshire. Warner’s Gin was set up by Tom and Tina Warner on their family farm in 2012 with an emphasis on natural…
Sound Escape 80: the curious and creepy calls of pipistrelle bats [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:17
You're in Dorset and it's dusk beside a lily-strewn tench pool. The light fades, moths begin to flutter and the martins and swallows cede the sky to the dance of pipistrelle baits. These are the curious calls of these no…
162. Sample the wildlife and wine in an organic vineyard in Kent [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:43
Head to the garden of England – the country of Kent – to visit family run Terlingham vineyard. Jackie Wilkes only moved to the UK from South Africa in 2007 but since then she and her family have converted the land to gro…
Sound Escape 79: take time to appreciate the crackle of a camp fire [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:11
It's a warm summer's evening and after a tiring day you relax by the crackling campfire. The damp wood from the previous day's storm sizzles from the heat and the popping of twigs fills the peaceful space. You look up at…
161. Can cattle save the planet? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:11
Film-maker Peter Byck (left) reveals how cattle can be farmed to enhance the soil and biodiversity – and offer solutions to climate change. Annabel Ross interviewed him at a special screening of his films Roots So Deep a…
160. Join a wild bee rescue mission near the New Forest [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:13
In this extraordinary episode, we head to the edge of the New Forest to meet Debs 'Totty' Cruttenden – a self taught beekeeper who rescues wild swarms of honeybees. She’s a quite magical person and her deep knowledge of…
Sound Escape 77: the gentle rustle of summer wind through a cornfield [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:17
High above the summertime bustle of Pembrokeshire’s south coast, the lanes are quiet. No people here, just wind and hedge and crops for miles. It’s now noon, and after several hours of walking you look for a place to res…
Sound Escape 76: relax to the lullaby of a Welsh river [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:19
It's a welcome cool, overcast day by the River Usk – there is rain in the air. The water is clear and bubbling through a small set of rapids in a gently calming series of swirls and eddies. A dipper flies upstream low ov…