The Very Nature Of Stephen Moss - The Complete Interview and Garden Tour

In this video I speak to Stephen Moss about his life long career as an author, tv producer, creator of Springwatch and naturalist. We also look at his own wildlife garden and discuss the benefits in today's world.
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Many thanks,
Joel Ashton
#StephenMoss #SpringWatch #WildlifeGarden #BillOddie #BrettWestwood #WildlifeGardening #BirdWatching #ChrisBaines #BirdingWithBillOddie #BlueTitsAndBumbleBees #CheddarGorge #GardenTour #Gardening #Interview #BBCSpringWatch #AutumnWatch #ABirdInTheNest #TV #JoelAshton #WildYourGarden

[@annelennon2468]

Inspirational interview with Stephen Moss. Spring Watch is a must see in my house

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you Anne, glad you enjoyed this - it's been a programme that has inspired many :) Best wishes, Joel

[@tuscan440r]

Fascinating chat, well done Joel. More interviews like this please!

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hey :) So glad you enjoyed this - there are more in the pipeline, I promise - hope you and yours are doing well and enjoying the weekend, best wishes, as always - Joel

[@roythecactus6711]

A thoroughly enjoyable conversation, thank you for sharing.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you Roy, I really am pleased you enjoyed this video - a wonderful guy to interview and find out more about :) Best wishes - Joel

[@jamesproudlove1527]

Hi Joel Ashton, my wife & I have watched several of your posts these past couple of days. We have enjoyed the content of the posts in favour of "wildlife gardens." What a joy to watch your enthusiasm for the work you do to make us all aware of the wildlife in our home gardens. Since watching your several posts we have become aware of the bird & insect life within our own garden, here in the foothills of the Southern Alps on the South Island of New Zealand. We are especially keen to set up a wildlife barrel pond in our garden. Thank you so much for your encouragement to set to & make one ourselves.

[@lesliekendall5668]

My earliest memory of a bird song is in the early 60's driving on the roads in the US northwest past the massive dry farming wheat fields and hearing the meadowlark. So distinctive and still my favorite today.

[@RCSoaringDiaries]

I thoroughly enjoyed the very 'natural' interview. Brought back so many good memories where myself and my brother, as children, where able to go on adventures by ourselves in the fields, streams, ponds and woods behind where we grew up. We would go home when we were hungry. This I believe had developed a love for the natural outdoors all my adult life. I feel children now miss out on so much. Last year I inherited my late mother's bungalow, and lucky to have a good size garden that is split up into different habitats. There's an orchard, an area with huge shrubs that's created a small woodland habitat. There's a more formal area but with plenty of small shrubs and plants that butterflies and bees enjoy. I've even just sowed a small wildflower meadow in the areas of the orchard not shaded by the fruit trees. Plenty of hedges for the birds to nest and lots of old wood stacks for small animals and insects. Even have a dead hedge. Most of this done as a result of your wonderful videos. Keep up the good work 👍

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you Carl, so much. Was so good to read this comment and the bungalow garden sounds fantastic. You'll be rewarded for every ounce of effort you've put in :) Thanks for your kind words and support, they're appreciated! Best wishes - Joel

[@Bezjc1936]

That drive through the gorge took me back to when my kids were little. We all loved a trip to Cheddar Gorge. Thank you for this great interview with Stephen Moss. (More like two chums spending the afternoon together 😊) His garden was the perfect setting to discuss his life and works.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

So glad this brought back good memories Beryl :) Stephen is a "natural" for sure and I so enjoyed catching up with him. A wonderful garden too. Thanks so much - Joel

[@davidcobb8422]

Another brilliant video Joel & really interesting to listen to it he sounds like a great chap 👍

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you David - he certainly is, glad you enjoyed this :) Best wishes, Joel

[@SisterDogmata]

What an interesting and unassuming man! Brilliant interview could have listened to his stories for hours. We bought my grandson 6, an I spy book of British birds and binoculars for Christmas. Best gift for a child ever. Thank you for sharing this.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

So glad you enjoyed this, I absolutely concur of course. He's a completely delightful man to speak to and be in the company of, as you have heard. What a fantastic and very thoughtful gift, one that will no doubt be remembered for a lifetime :) Best wishes, Joel

[@SisterDogmata]

Nice that you get to share time with these illustrious people and lovely we get to see it. It really is a great channel.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@@SisterDogmata Thank you so much. He really is one of those guys that immediately puts you at ease and never forgets a name or face and takes time to get to know you. He really has made such a tremendous difference in so many ways :)

[@land2nature551]

Ahh love Cheddar gorge, I live only 10 minutes from there. Great interview, very professional.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

You lucky person! Cheddar is just beautiful and I'm so glad I got to spend a few hours there before going to see Stephen, I'll be back for sure one day soon so we must meet up and speak about your work too :) Thanks for your kind words - best wishes, Joel

[@conniekeshet]

what a wonderful chat! i loved the car ride!! your editing is brilliant, picture of the bird, the book or the person! so many great stories and sharing. thank you both!!

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Really glad you enjoyed this Connie :) It did take some editing to do but it was clearly worth it and this Sage of a man deserved that extra effort - thank you for your kind words, best wishes - Joel

[@Tofog22000]

What an engaging and comfortable conversation, well done.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you, so much. I really enjoyed this chat, I'm sure you can tell it could have gone on for hours, he's just so engaging. Best wishes, as always - Joel

[@hellyclem822]

Great interview as a child growing up in the Norfolk countryside I was alway in tune with nature and running wild and free I've not had a good life but mother nature has healed me I'm lucky to have a tree house and letting nature do her thing people have lost touch with nature and I fear my grandchildren will lose touch with seeing the truth beauty of nature and being on a mobie phone keep up the good work your doing love & Blessings

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Pretty envious of your tree house Helly - I hope your grandchildren get to enjoy it as much as you and that they learn about nature from you. Glad you enjoyed this and it brought back some good memories :) Best wishes, Joel

[@hellyclem822]

My partner Steve made the tree house out of all recycled stuff it's in wells next to the sea which was once a rubbish tip the midden a wonderful guy called Chris Beal who bought the land which was a rubbish tip and made a beautiful place for wild life the history of the midden is on line but I'm blessed but Chris is a man worth interviewing take care Helen

[@george-1961]

Very interesting debates especially regarding our children of today

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hey George, yes indeed - I know that you encourage your grandchildren to be more involved with nature and in your own garden too, the next generation will inherit whatever we leave them :) Best wishes, Joel

[@george-1961]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Definitely Joel 😉

[@micksmusicchannel]

This is a great interview so far Joel and I will finish watching it tomorrow. I absolutely agree about kids today not having the freedom that I did in the 70s and 80s, building dens and go-carts and going out on our bikes and back home when the street lights came on. I'm guilty myself as a parent about not giving my girls the freedom that I had. Although I've raised all my children around animals, both wildlife and exotic, as well as the usual dogs and cats. It gives children a healthy respect for wildlife and in fact one of my daughters has a field mouse that can't be released. She rescued it in her bedroom from one of our Bengals. Unfortunately the poor little thing had lost an eye in the process. Now "Brownie" lives happily, warm, dry and well fed. Also agree Bill Oddie is a great guy. 🙂👍

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Glad you are enjoying this Mick - Stephen's so easy-going and the conversation just flowed, his efforts in the beginning have definitely changed so many people's outlooks and he continues to educate today through his wonderful books. Needless to say I'd recommend every single one :) Good on your daughter re "Brownie" and good on you for exposing your kids to the natural world. Hope you enjoy the second part just as much - best wishes, Joel

[@jakegc3887]

Great interview Joel! When you said you would be interviewing a leading nature writer and broadcaster in Somerset I wondered if it might perhaps be Stephen Moss! I recently read his book Wild Kingdom which I really enjoyed and after watching your interview I’ve ordered Skylarks with Rosie!

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Excellent. Thanks so much Jake. Really hope you enjoy the new book. He’s a remarkable man and one that deserves more recognition for his achievements 👍

[@lyndalambert9639]

Spent a really enjoyable afternoon listing to you and Stephen chatting. Maybe your next commission might be his wildlife pond as I'm sure he is too busy with all his work commitments to dig it himself.😂Glad you got to see one of my old haunts as a child, the wonderful Cheddar Gorge.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hello you! Glad you enjoyed this, necessarily epic in length, I'm sure you'll agree - we did speak about the pond later on... watch this space :) Hope this brought back some good memories Lyn, best wishes as always - Joel

[@lyndalambert9639]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Yes great memories Joel. After finding Skylarks with Rosie last year in Mark, I drove on to Cheddar and did the Gorge for the first time in about 40 years! I stay on the Levels nearby a couple of times a year. Superb area for wildlife.😍

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@@lyndalambert9639 I don't blame you! Fantastic place, wish I could have stayed longer - one day soon though :)

[@UkAmphibians]

What a brilliant interview joel really enjoyed watching this can’t wait till Stephen gets a wildlife pond built he’s missing out on so much more wildlife to come to his garden 🐸💚🐸

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hey :) It's not far off, we spoke in more detail about a pond afterwards, really glad you enjoyed this - best wishes, Joel

[@UkAmphibians]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton thanks Joel hopefully Stephen will let you build one of your amazing ponds there 🤞🏻🐸💚🐸

[@titiaswildlifecottagegarden]

Here I am, finally finished watching the video from the moment it came on until now🥵 That was an interesting interview, never heard of that man before, but that is also because I was born and raised in NL. When we were small children we didn't had cable TV or internet, my parents didn't wanted it. So I was quite a lot outdoors with a reasonable sized woodland on our doorstep. And having a pink blossom tree in the front garden, we could spend several minutes a day looking at the tree from the couch. I learned to recognise our local bird species with the help of a small book. Any time we saw one we didn't know, the book was taken out from the cabinet and firmly looking to identify the bird. Good times. I could also easily identify most bird sounds from one and another. When I was in my twenties I spoke with a friend who was almost twice my age and she didn't even recognised the song of a house sparrow. I was gobsmacked, I thought that was common knowledge but apparently not🐦 And on a side note: I added some plants from my back garden around the pond area. And I also started working on the wildflower meadow patch💪🏻🌿🌼🦋🐝

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

So good to read this Titia - what a great childhood, without it you would probably not be doing what you're doing now :) Take good care and catch up soon - keep me updated - best wishes, Joel

[@titiaswildlifecottagegarden]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton thank you, Joel. I think that is maybe part of the reason why I sometimes feel like an old soul in comparison with fellow people of my age or slightly younger. I wasn't brought up with that much technology and still to this day don't want to be on a screen all day. Especially for work, that sounds like a nightmare to me. On the plus side: when I was in the back garden chatting with my husband, a dove flew into the garden on the wooden high fence🕊️ My husband said that the dove was here before with it's mate, drinking from the rainwater that collected in the wheelbarrow. That was so awesome to hear and to see. A wildlife pond for the back garden is planned for next year. But in the meantime I will make a shallow tub substitute with some sand, water plants and a rock for easy access. I really hope local birds will use it, once I have planted a hawthorn in the corner, where the high fence is now. If I prune a hawthorn twice a year, will it still produce berries in autumn?

[@doyoueverstop]

Loved that. Well done....again.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you :) A great guy to interview, so easy-going and knowledgeable of course - glad you enjoyed this and thank you for your support, Joel

[@deborahflello2316]

Good job Joel, thanks 👏 wow the gorge reminds me so much of Winnets Pass, the route down to Castleton from Chapel en le Frith 😀

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Yes! Hope you and that pond of yours are doing well - long weekend here and so far good weather :) Best wishes, stay safe - Joel

[@markhunter2244]

Excellent interview such a joy to listen too, it even brought back so many childhood memories.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Really pleased you enjoyed this Mark, could have spoken to Stephen for days on end! Best wishes, Joel

[@Frostie3672]

Great interview, I didn't even know 90 minutes had gone by after listening to this. Only downside to me was seeing those football nets in the background & during the walk around of the garden, they are such a hazard to some of our wildlife.

[@MarkyBigSmoke]

A very informative and inspiring video Joel. I learnt a lot for your conversations. I shall certainly be paying more attention to sights and sounds in my local area from now on! I’ll be investing in a notebook! Thanks very much for arranging and sharing this video Joel! Stephen just needs to get that pond in! All the best

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hi Mark - he's a wonderful guy and his enthusiasm is absolutely infectious. I hope to see that notebook one day :) We also spoke about a pond before I left... glad you enjoyed this one. Hope all is good your side, best wishes - Joel

[@spencersanderson1894]

What a interview! Very interesting and I enjoyed it so much. I noticed you mentioned about the Cheddar Pink, that’s great!! Hope you had a great time here in Somerset Joel!

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thanks Spencer - he's a great guy isn't he and I'm so glad you enjoyed it. How could I not mention the Cheddar Pink after speaking with you the night before... keep an eye out for it for me! It was great to meet you too and to detect a huge amount of enthusiasm for the natural world and I hope this encourages you further in your chosen career :) Best wishes, as always - Joel

[@spencersanderson1894]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Hi Joel, sorry for the late reply I’ve been very busy. Yes he is great, was awesome to watch you both talk! Haha yes, well thank you, it’s a beautiful flower and I will try my best to get a picture for you! It was great to meet you too and hopefully there will be chance in the future to meet again. Thank you, I do have a lot of enthusiasm for the natural world it’s such a precious thing and beautiful thing, thank you very much, it has done! Best wishes Spencer

[@george-1961]

That driving scene reminds me of Jersey Roads 😄

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

I'm yet to visit Jersey... but I'll remember this!

[@peepingjo]

What a fantastic interview Joel! A joy to watch. I might have to take a trip over from Ireland to go to the Global Birdfair 😀

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Please do Joannee! If you couldn't tell from our enthusiasm in the interview, it's such a fantastic day - if you make it please do stop by the stand, you won't be able to miss us - I can then thank you personally for all your support and encouragement you've given me. Best wishes, Joel

[@peepingjo]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton If I make it over I will definitely stop by the stand to say hello. Yeah, I could really sense the enthusiasm for it hence why I’d love to go 😁👍

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@@peepingjo Hope you manage it Joannee, if not this year then next - then you'll be hooked :) Hope you have a fab weekend - Joel

[@peepingjo]

Oh I’m sure I’d be hooked alright. No doubt it’s well worth the visit. Thanks Joel and you too! Joanne

[@wildlifegardener-tracey6206]

A great naturalist, why I didn’t think of Stephen when you said you were off to Somerset I do not know 🤦🏼‍♀️ Really interesting interview. Hearing about some of the people that have influenced me over the years starting with the great Billy Oddie, Brett and of course the excellent urban wildlife guru Chris Baines. All important educators in everything wildlife, loved listening to the stories about these interesting and dedicated wildlife experts. A great scoop look forward to more interviews in the future. Really enjoyable and interesting vlog Joel.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

I knew you'd enjoy this one Tracey :) Stephen, Bill, Brett, Chris and a fair few others have made such a difference and I'm grateful for them all. Best wishes - Joel

[@geeker211]

Very nice!

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you!

[@anthonydpierson]

This guy wrote the best sci-fi trilogy I have ever read. I'm so sad he only wrote those three novels. Enjoy his greatness, because I miss it on the sci-fi end.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you Anthony, for a moment I wondered if THIS Stephen Moss had a side-line he'd not told me about :) Easily confused, but the Stephen Moss you're thinking of is the one based in NY. I had to google it, but you have me intrigued now. Best wishes - Joel

[@anthonydpierson]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton sorry for the confusion. I feel like an idiot now.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@@anthonydpierson Please don't! I did call Stephen and ask him if he was moonlighting! Haha - but you definitely made us look up the "other" Stephen Moss :) Best wishes, Joel

[@keithroberts42]

Great interview Joel, so many things resonated with me, from early memories of wildlife, how things have changed for our kids today, our knowledge of species and recalling where they were seen, the excitement of seeing something new. I'm still not great at recalling bird song, but hopefully that will improve, at least I have a good basic knowledge of British butterfly species. I remember watching the Bill Oddie programmes, a sign of my age.Cheddar Gorge amazing place.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you Keith, you can see why Stephen is such a fantastic author, the enthusiasm is infectious and you're right, he brings back fond memories in this interview as well as these snippets of knowledge. So glad you enjoyed this, I could certainly have spoken to him for hours on end :) Best wishes, Joel

[@keithroberts42]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton yes, I could have listened for hours, infectious enthusiasm. That's an important trait to get people hooked.I'm just sitting here counting all the butterfly species I've seen in my little garden. I think I'm on about 9.Hopefully Orange Tip will be a new addition..fingers crossed.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@@keithroberts42 You really must find the BBC Sounds website, and search 'Brett Westwood Nature Diaries" - then you'll know why Stephen and I say what we do about him :) That's a brilliant count already Keith, Orange Tip... cram your garden with Honesty and Garlic Mustard and they'll come, I promise - let me know when they do! Best wishes, Joel

[@chrisgale5634]

Sad how things have reversed since the days of Chris Baines programmes. The makeover industry has a lot to answer for. Thanks for very interesting interview. 👍

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Quite! We also have the fashion of artificial turf in waves unfortunately, not only is it sterile through every season it (despite people's beliefs and the advertising surrounding it) is not maintenance free and makes a lot of creatures homeless, aside from the fact that when this trend bucks (as all fashions do) it'll all end up in land-fill... So glad you enjoyed this interview Chris - best wishes, Joel

[@chrisgale5634]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton don't get me started on artificial grass!!🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@@chrisgale5634 Itching to do a video on this Chris, but obviously can't bring myself to buy any to show the comparison and how awful it is for so many things! From what I've seen on social media of late, I am likely to come across a fair bit of off-cuts fly-tipped at the side of country lanes though...😮‍💨

[@craigfarleymusician8481]

Another fantastic video Joel. You’re just as good interviewing people as you are creating amazing habitats for wildlife. Love Stephen’s garden very much. Such diversity in it. Just missing the pond that he mentioned - you should have taking your spade and shovel with you and made a start for him 😄 Been looking forward to watching this video since you gave me a little heads up on my insta post about my new wildlife pond I made the other day. 😊 Can I ask a quick question please. My wife and I have been trying to identify a bird song we hear in our garden now and then . We’ve named the unknown bird ‘The Shakira Bird’ , as the little song it sings reminds us of the melody in the Shakira song ‘ Whenever Wherever’ , the funny ‘la de la de la de’ bit she sings before the chorus . 😂 can’t explain it more than that but I hope you understand what I mean and I don’t sound mad ! Ha ha. All the best and looking forward to the next video.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hi Craig, thank you so much, I really appreciate your support and encouragement, Stephen is very easy to talk to you as you saw :) Re the bird... I *think* I might know which one you mean (I really do need to catch up and do a video on identifying garden birds by their song etc) - today in a client's garden I have heard both Black Cap and Great Tit (Great tits have such a vast repertoire) but you might find this website of interest as it gives you the sounds to be able to ID the bird: www.british-birdsongs.uk/blackcap/ Hope this helps - I have a feeling your bird will be in the Warbler section.... enjoy finding out and let me know what it is! Best wishes - Joel

[@craigfarleymusician8481]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton thanks for the link Joel. I had a quick listen to the black cap and tit at work and it’s not the sound I’m hearing . I’ll scan through the list of bird Audios after work tonight and let you know . What a great site . You should definitely do a bird song video on your channel, that would be great . 😊👍🏻 Since the making the pond in mine, I’ve since designated an area of lawn for a garden meadow, let the grass grow in that section etc. I’ve planted some wildflower plugs as recommended in the list in your brilliant book , and I’ve also sewn some wildflower seed for good measure . Also handmade a wooden planter last year that sits on the front driveway , and that’s had wildflowers added to it too. Trying to create an insect corridor from front to back of our house 😊

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@@craigfarleymusician8481 That sounds fantastic Craig, brilliant work! Do let me know when you finally discover what the bird is... maybe it's not in the Warbler family... I'm sure it won't be long before you know what it is though :) Best wishes - Joel

[@craigfarleymusician8481]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton thanks Joel . I do love a project. I’m a plumber by trade and by day, Queen tribute show playing guitarist a lot of weekends , and the rest of the time I love building and making things at home and the garden. I hate standing still, ha ha. I’m going to find that Shakira bird and let you know, don’t worry ! 😂😄

[@jamesdigby6072]

Listened to the whole interview and very interesting. Could you ask Stephen to remove the netting from the goalposts. Foxes, badgers and hedgehogs can easily get tangled in it.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hi James, glad you enjoyed this :) Stephen beat me to it, both he and his wife are in the garden every day watching nature, but he'd already said when I arrived that the goal posts were going completely at the weekend :) Best wishes, Joel

[@conniekeshet]

yes there is alot of plastic lawns. however also there is an amazing shift of appreciation of nature. here in israel there is a new momement of schools, kindergarden or even toddler day care out in the forest. imagine instead of going to a building and playing with plastic your in a small forest under a tarp if it rains. being with the bugs, native plants... following the seasons.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Sounds fantastic Connie, and how it should be :) May this way of educating keep trending and bringing benefit to both children and nature - best wishes, Joel

[@janiedunn637]

This was really entertaining, ❤️ it. I remember Bill Oddie in The Goodies never mind Springwatch & other programmes. I ❤️ Bird In The Nest. My late dad gave me a Readers Digest 📖 of British Birds a year after my mum died 31yrs ago. He made a bird box for blue tits 30yrs ago. One of the adults got killed so I helped the remaining adult. I was hanging out the washing & the 3 🐥 fledged in front of me. On my 🤚🏻 👍🏻

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

What a great experience Janie - well done you :) This interview has certainly brought back some good memories for people and I'm glad you enjoyed it - best wishes, Joel

[@janiedunn637]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton 😊 memories. A few wks ago a pair of carrion crows started visiting my back garden 🪴. Last Thursday I came 🏡 after going to a 🫖 after the funeral of a family friend & I got the nicest surprise. They’ve made a nest 🪹 on the 🌲 next 🚪. I’ve seen the male chasing away gulls from nearby rooftops. 👍🏻

[@brownfamily3218]

Hi Joel. My first thought was Stephen who? Sorry Stephen! Then you showed his book Mrs Moreau's Warbler. John got me that for Christmas. Not read it yet it's going with me to Scotland next week. There are so many things in this video that bring back memories. My copy of the Observer's book of British birds was given to my sister by my parents in 1953 according to the message in the front of it and it sits alongside two other Observer's books Butterflies and Wild Flowers of course. My go to books as a child. One thing to take from this video is that you don't have to be mega famous to make a difference. We all have our part to play. Went bird watching to Doxey Marshes in Stafford yesterday with friends I was at school with. Very windy!! saw 24 birds including Little egret, kestrel and house martins. Most of the small birds eluded us. Although there were a good number of reed buntings. Loved the video. I shall check out the programs Steven was involved in if they are on KZbin etc. I'm sure I will have watched most of them. Karen

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Wonderful to read this Karen and so glad you enjoyed the video and learned more about this very important author, I am sure you will enjoy the book even more now :) What a great bird count at Doxey! Best wishes, Joel

[@brownfamily3218]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Thank you for bringing Stephen to our attention. I'm in the middle of watching - Stephen Moss - Why meadows matter and why we need more of them video. He is so easy to listen to with quotes from poets and snippets of old film reports on agriculture.

[@brownfamily3218]

The first orange tip butterfly of the year in the garden yesterday and a common mourning bee (not seen one of them before)

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@@brownfamily3218 Great! If they're going to visit anyone's garden, it's going to be yours Karen :) Enjoy the weekend and catch up soon - Joel

[@simonwhite5535]

Missing a trick there with not having installed a pond in that huge garden thus far. Along with tree planting etc, it would have been the first thing I would have undertaken upon moving in there. Speaking of which…my daughter and I have been commissioned to build a 5x4 meter pond in central Edinburgh next week. C’mon Stephen get on with it!! 😊

[@ev1677]

Now I want to buy cheddar pink seeds and spread them around. Does anybody know if this would be harmful to certain eco systems outside of Sommerset?

[@maureendickie5571]

Joel, you’ve inadvertently thrown down yourself a challenge - set up a wildlife pond/garden in prisons for rehabilitation purposes. It would succeed. You too, are ahead of your time with this one…