Quirks and Quarks on CBC Radio 1

Quirks and Quarks is Canadian public radio's science programme, and is probably one of the best English language science radio shows. The shows covers a wide range of topics with space and nature being among the most popular. The majority of shows consist of ten minute interviews with the scientists themselves. Often these will be projects that are currently in the news, and the website provides excellent links not only to CBC articles and official press releases, but often to the paper that has been published.
The presenter Bob Macdonald is excellent, he does not patronise the audience and is an intelligent interviewer who comes across as genuinely interested in the people he interviews, and doesn't just act the 'everyman journalist talking with those crazy egg head science people' which can happen in some science journalism.

Here is an extract from a January show

Unnatural Selection

"It's perhaps not surprising that humans are having an impact on the evolution of other animals on the planet. What is surprising, according to Dr. Chris Darimont, an NSERC postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Environmental Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz, is the way we're doing it."

listen to the whole segment here

Getting Involved Part II - Nature Walk

2. Go for a Walk with a Camera & Notebook

Wherever you are head off for a walk. Keep your eyes peeled for every little sign of nature, even in the city centre. I have seen wild snap dragons growing on the roof of a plastic bag factory and ferns in the roof of a station. Take photos, make notes and share on your blog or a blog dedicated to urban nature.

If you are in country do the same, really stop and examine where you are, sit down and get to ground level, look for insects, smell the smells, avoid cowpats, close your eyes and listen to the birds singing and again take pictures and make notes.

Wherever you have been, when you get home get out a field guide and try and identify what you have seen. If you are having trouble there are various fora dedicated to helping you ID your sightings.

Forums & ID Guides

UK
Insects & other Invertebrates
Birds

US
bugs


UAE
Wildlife
Sadly the excellent forum on this site has been hacked.