Birders Twitter - S2E13

We have technical issues and will probably can Twitter Space as a format - moving to a more traditional podcast. Nice one Elon - you putrid seabird corpse - we’re going to have you made into bird soup and then Doc Martin will identify you as a douche.

We really hate you Elon - first the BTO Woodcock thing, now this, why you hate birds Elon? Why?

We seriously celebrate getting Jonny H on as co-host, which should happen each week without issue. I don’t really know what’s right and wrong anymore.

We introduce the guest then tantalise the listener by making them listen to our birding chat for ages.. like without the actual guest coming on... .

Our guest is a; Mild-mannered scientist by day. Crime fighting superhero and one of @britishbirds Editorial Panel by night. Pissed off ex-Chair of BOURC.

They also have a Stiff Little Fingers T-shirt on in their profile pic - have you guessed who it is yet?

Jonny H has seen Wheatears close to home - peaking at 7 and is hyped over Redshank - a barely annual visitor to his area...

Jonny H is also suppressing again. It’s his fave.

There’s been a massive Whooper movement through Barnsley - with almost 1000 Whoopers heading north. Friend of the show Daniel Branch has also had birds…

Jonny R offers Jonny H wildfowl based support.

Jonny R has done big birding - at local sites and 4 days on the Blythburgh patch; first Sand Martin, wintering Spotted Redshank, Red Kite, Pink-foot...

There will be a national holiday for the 10 year anniversary of Suffolk Pacific Swift... possibly...

DDL has looked at Gulls, including a Med Gull - which others ID’d got him. The 12th for the UAE... DDL is going to practice Med Gulls now.

Jonny H is surprised to learn that Jonny R has made some mistakes

It’s a migrant fest on DDL’s patch; 4 x Northern Wheatear, 2 x Woodchat Shrike and 27 species in an hour. He needs to calm down tbh...

15 Wheatear of 4 species, House Martin, Whinchat, 52 species record for a patch visit. He's always showing off. DDL cannot find Semi-collard Fly though - which is really easy.

DDL the starts going on about 19000 White-cheeked Terns on one beach in Oman. Then he says if you want to be a birding hero, go bird; Oman, Saudi Arabia or Yemen. Luckily we then welcome our guest! Martin Collinson aka @docmartin2mc

Geneticist Martin Collinson started with Yellow Wags in the Scottish museums and now receives bird remnants in the post every day.

Martin had hoped... 'that once I stepped down from the BOURC people would stop sending me turds in the post'.

DDL blurts out ‘I have a PHD in licking poo’ which is a little bit Essen Mein Scheiße for our liking. Is DDL ok, do we need to do an intervention?

Martin gives step by step details on how to do your own DNA testing at home.

We confirm that if a Ruddy Shelduck comes from the native range, then resides in West Suffolk, there’s nothing you can do with it. Which Jonny H is gutted about.

Unless a bird is fresh in - when you can do stable isotopes - Martin cannot help with your Ruddy Shelduck.

Martin's stand out DNA bird was St Agnes Pale-legged Leaf Warbler...

DNA survives - Neanderthals have been sequenced from thousands of years ago...

Crossbills and people from [insert comedic place name] don’t even know who their own kids are.

The Turkestan, Isabelline, Red-tailed Shrike complex are a DNA headache.

Martin’s lab is much better than the Swedes at shrikes. IN YOUR FACE SWEDEN.

Jonny is going to the Isle of May with his maTes i.e. not DDL or Jonny R - which they take personally...

If you want Martin to do bird DNA this is the best thing to do...

1. Whole bird in blender

2. Blood sample

3. Feather sample

4. Poop

There is a 99% success rate with feather 40% with poo.

Martin tells us what it’s like to be on the BOURC.

The BOURC adopted the Birdlife IOC list - instead of BOU. Are you basic BOURC? We’re #TeamMartin have a chat with yourself BOURC. BBRC is much better than BOURC.

Martin is going to find a first for Britain - so only send him interesting stuff.

If you make a mistake in Martin’s lab they’re pretty understanding. Put it this way, the Dunge Stonechat perpetrator is now pushing up daisies.

We offer up a cold case file to the listener...

We will definitely have Martin back on - superb guest.

Martin is going to ID a Herald Petrel via a putrid, rotting corpse sent to him at some point. Be sure to send all rotting corpses to Martin.