350. A quest to find hidden urban wildlife with Amanda Tuke on the streets of Cardiff

350. A quest to find hidden urban wildlife with Amanda Tuke on the streets of Cardiff

Author: Our Media May 12, 2026 Duration: 56:53
We head into the city this week with urban naturalist Amanda Tuke. Amanda is a champion of the nature on your doorstep so Plodcast host Fergus Collins met her outside Cardiff Central station to begin a quest to find wildlife on a ramble through the busy city. Listen on for a Plodcast full of surprises.Amanda's book Wild Pavements: Exploring Britain's Cities with an Urban Naturalist is published by FLINT.Photo by Lily WattsGet in touch on Facebook! 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: 101

The Plodcast
Podcast Episodes
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…
27. Digging for ancient relics in the mountains of West Wales [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:22
Come with us to the Cambrian Mountains in Ceredigion in West Wales to the ruined Cistercian abbey of Strata Florida. Here locals historians are setting up an archaeology school where anyone can come along and dig among t…