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
38. Take a stunning clifftop walk along the Glamorgan Coast [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:27
Escape the stress of daily life for a taste of fresh air and unusual wildlife with a wild winter walk along the clifftops of Glamorgan. Join Fergus Collins in a walk from Dunraven Bay to Monknash on a glorious Friday in…
Season 4 of the BBC Countryfile Magazine Podcast is coming soon! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:49
Listen out for the start of season 4 on 7 January 2020. Here's a quick taste of what to expect… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adch…
37. It's the Christmas special – our round up of the best of 2019! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:05
Join us for a gentle chat with the team at BBC Countryfile Magazine discussing the best wild experiences of 2019, what we would change about the countryside if we could and what makes the perfect Christmas present for lo…
36. A tranquil ramble along the River Usk in autumn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:36
Listen to the song of the River Usk in autumn as you follow editor Fergus Collins on a gentle ramble through a recently flooded landscape to find wildfowl, waders and other creature. Plus, discover a blood-soaked story o…
35. Wander the Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall with Tim Smit [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:23
Explore the wonderful Lost Gardens of Heligan with its finder and restorer Tim Smit (who also established the Eden Project). Prepare yourself for some entertaining surprises as Tim discovers some of the more unusual prod…
34. Spend a night on a remote Shetland island listening to seabirds [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:43
Naturalist James Fair heads to the island of Mousa to experience an eerie and wonderful wildlife encounter: life inside a colony of storm petrels . These sparrow-sized seabirds nest among the stones of an Iron Age fortre…
33. Find tranquility with a mindful autumn walk in the Forest of Dean [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:15
Take a wander through the autumn glades of the RSPB's Nagshead Nature Reserve in the company of Sarah Orme from In the Moment magazine to talk about mindfulness and how nature can provide us with the head space to cope w…