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Aimée Gray is a former researcher with the UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science and she tells us more about her research into the impact of birds on human health'.

Our reporter Terry Flanagan recently met the CEO of Global Action Plan, Hans Zomer, who explained what the Climate Heroes Challenge entails and how people can become involved.

Jim Wilson spoke to Éadaoin and Ciarán Farrell, Pupils St. Peter’s Secondary School in Passage West, Co. Cork on their reseacrh project which was awarded First Place in the Biological & Ecological Sciences – Intermediate Group category in the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition 2024.

Derek is joined by Richard Collins, Terry Flanagan, Niall Hatch, Éanna Ní Lamhna, Terry Flanagan and Jim Wilson. Topic up for discussion include Blue Tits, hedge cutting, Climate Heroes Challange, birds and human health, birds standing on one leg and a new year plant hunt.

Botanist and BSBI’s Ireland Officer Bridget Keehan speaks to Éanna Ní Lamhna about the results of the New Year Plant Hunt of the Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland.

Derek and the panel answer listeners questions about Blue T**s banging their heads against a mirror in the garden and when should you not cut your hedges?

Our expert in all things fishy, Ken Whelan, discusses the pros and cons of a potential sturgeon reintroduction campaign in Irish rivers and the benefits to other species, including Salmon.

Our roving reporter Terry Flanagan travelled to the Natural History Museum in Dublin to speak to Keeper Paulo Viscardi about the large sturgeon specimen on display in the museum, originally caught in the River Liffey.

We discuss the Great Tit, a colourful, clever and abundant bird, which range across most of Eurasia and which happen to be the most intensively studied birds in the world.

Our Researcher Michele Browne paid a visit to the banks of the River Slaney near Tullow in Co. Carlow, where on the 40-acre Altamont Gardens she met with plantsman Robert Miller, who runs the garden centre there and was keen to show Michele some particularly grumpy-faced snowdrops!

Our panel discuss the emergence from hibernation of frogs each spring, including the factors that cause them to reappear on different dates in different parts of the country. Given the mild winter we have had, it stands to reason that frogs should be out and about over much of the country in the coming days, if they aren’t already.

Ken gives us an update on his project to monitor Mayflies and on efforts to ensure that their populations can grow and thrive once more at key strongholds, including Lough Carra in Co. Mayo.