Tawny Owls, Pearl Mussels and Jelly Ears
Scotland Outdoors
BBC
4.7 • 756 Ratings
🗓️ 21 February 2026
⏱️ 84 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The iconic ash tree on Glasgow’s Argyle street won UK Tree of the Year last year and is now nominated for European Tree of the Year. Mark looks up at the giant ash with arborist David Treanor and discovers why the 170-year-old tree is so cherished.
Fresh efforts are underway to save critically endangered fresh water pearl mussels in the Cairngorms National Park. Rachel catches up with Freshwater Restoration Manager Dr Sally Mackenzie on the River Spey to discuss the fascinating life cycle of the species and the projects aiming to save it.
New research suggests that tawny owls, which normally rely on sound to hunt, are adapting to noisy urban roadsides by hunting in areas lit by streetlights. Mark meets Glasgow University PhD Researcher Giuseppe Orlando in Milngavie to find out how he studied the bird’s nocturnal movements.
In this week’s midweek podcast excerpt, Rachel takes a wander in the Kinrara Estate near Aviemore with storyteller Sarah Hobbs to discover how women have shaped the Cairngorms.
A Brush with Fungi is a compilation of new watercolours produced by artist David Mitchell. Mark joins David in Kirriemuir to explore the process behind painting the intricate detail of hundreds of species of fungi.
Glasgow Film Festival will host the Scottish premiere of nature documentary, Super Nature, directed by Ed Sayers. The film was shot collaboratively across 25 different countries using Super 8 cameras, including footage from Richard Davies who filmed Atlantic Salmon in Scotland. Rachel and Mark are joined by Director Ed Sayers.
Fyrish Hill, close to Alness in the Highlands, entered the wider public consciousness recently when it featured in the Traitors. Morven Livingstone meets Fiona Stephenson who was inspired to write a poem about Fyrish.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio Podcasts. |
| 0:05.6 | Oh, hello. You have chosen a BBC podcast, but before you listen to it, we thought you might like our podcast too. |
| 0:12.1 | You might. You might. It is called Sightraught with me, Nick Grimshaw. |
| 0:15.2 | And me, Annie Mack. And we talk about the week in music. |
| 0:18.2 | All the news, all the cultural happenings in the UK and beyond. |
| 0:22.2 | And great guests. |
| 0:23.3 | And it's on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:24.7 | Yes, where you can also enjoy lots of playlists, music mixes and live radio. |
| 0:29.9 | Everything from my six music breakfast show to Radio 3 Unwind. |
| 0:34.5 | But obviously start with our podcast, sidetrack. |
| 0:36.3 | Obviously. |
| 0:36.7 | Obviously. |
| 0:38.2 | So if you like music, listen on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:41.0 | This Scotland Outdoors podcast from BBC Radio Scotland. |
| 0:50.8 | Hello and thanks very much for choosing to listen to this. |
| 0:53.1 | We do a couple of Scotland Outdoors podcasts every week, |
| 0:55.5 | one of which is just cunningly created from the live program we do for BBC Radio Scotland, |
| 1:01.4 | which is called Out of Doors. |
| 1:02.8 | And this week a fine old mix of mussels, owls and your favourite hills. |
| 1:11.7 | You know, it's in double figures now. |
| 1:14.9 | It's liked about half past five in the afternoon. |
| 1:18.3 | It was reasonably mild yesterday afternoon, |
... |
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