Whitwell Bird Ringers

Brett Westwood goes to meet ornithologist Jack Baddams and his fellow bird ringers in his home village Whitwell in Derbyshire, to find out how the practice of ringing has been passed down the generations there, and learns about the impact it has on nature conservation more widely.

Most people know Jack as the young ornithologist who reports for BBC Springwatch. He’s also a bird ringer, licenced by the British Trust for Ornithology to catch and ring wild birds so we can learn more about their lives. His passion for birds started young, and as a teenager Jack was introduced to a group of bird ringers around Whitwell, where he was taught by Eleanor Wilkins who has been training the next generation.

Brett goes to meet Jack and Eleanor early in the morning at one of the Whitwell group's favourite spots to see what turns up in the nets, and hear how the data they collect on bird populations and migrations contributes to conservation. Brett also hears the story of the remarkable history of this group and its members, whose personal records of local bird observations go back decades.

Producer: Sophie Anton for BBC Audio in Bristol