The Bittern is part of a series commissioned by Future Places Centre at Lancaster University in collaboration with Leighton Moss RSPB.

With many thanks to Jarrod Sneyd, RSPB Leighton Moss, for embodying this Bittern.

"For me, they just bring joy, particularly when the atmospherics are right. You can be in Leighton Moss, or nearby in Silverdale, for example, where there's been five or six booming male Bitterns, and the sound echoes and reverberates. If you were to try and write it down and capture it, it's constant, it's impossible to do. And so you've got this cacophony of Bitterns booming all around you and echoing and bouncing. And it's actually just incredible when you get that. It's not like that every morning or every evening." Jarrod Sneyd, RSPB Leighton Moss

Producer, Presenter: annabel@annabelross.com

Thank you to Jarrod for his superb sound recordings.

Thank you to Noemie Lina for the illustrations.

The European Eel is part of a series commissioned by Future Places Centre at Lancaster University in collaboration with Leighton Moss RSPB.

With many thanks to Kath Smith, RSPB Leighton Moss, for embodying this European Eel.

"Eels are just fantastic. They've been around for hundreds of years but, we still don't really know much about them. It's only in the last few years we've realised that they spawn and die, and that's only through observation. And the fact that they have that incredible migration journey to the Sargasso Sea and back, they're just fantastic. And people need to know that. It's not all about fluffy, cuddly squirrels and other species. We should think about the ones that people might think are a bit weird too." Kath Smith, RSPB Leighton Moss

Producer, Presenter: annabel@annabelross.com

Thank you to Noemie Lina for the illustrations.

The Reed Warbler is part of a series commissioned by Future Places Centre at Lancaster University in collaboration with Leighton Moss RSPB.

With many thanks to Beth Fox, RSPB Leighton Moss, for embodying this Reed Warbler.

"For these little birds, the reed bed can be a challenging place to raise chicks, there are quite a lot of predators. But they're dedicated parents. I think it's lovely that the male and the female raise their chicks together. It's such a joint effort. And obviously I admire the treacherous journey that they make. I think we all have to admire that don't we." Beth Fox, RSPB Leighton Moss

Producer, Presenter: annabel@annabelross.com

Many thanks to Lee Alder for the Reed Warbler recording.

Thank you to Noemie Lina for the illustrations.

The Caddis Fly is part of a series commissioned by Future Places Centre at Lancaster University in collaboration with Leighton Moss RSPB.

With many thanks to Kath Smith, RSPB Leighton Moss for embodying this Caddis Fly.

"I've spent years river dipping and pond dipping, and you come across these creatures that still get me so excited, and because they're so amazing, I want to pass that on to other people as well, especially when you're pond dipping with kids. And you want to get them to say it's not just a little mini beast all by itself, it's this fantastic house builder, that builds to survive. And they're just amazing, they really are." Kath Smith, RSPB Leighton Moss

Producer, Presenter: annabel@annabelross.com

Thank you to Noemie Lina for the illustrations.

The Marsh Harrier is part of a series commissioned by Future Places Centre at Lancaster University in collaboration with Leighton Moss RSPB.

With many thanks to Joseph Klein, RSPB Leighton Moss, for embodying this Marsh Harrier.

"I really enjoy just watching them over the nature reserve. I think Marsh Harriers have a kind of slow pace to them. They fly super slowly and just drop down into the reed bed and look so chilled and in control. And unless you come to a reserve or a place where there are Marsh Harriers, you probably don't really see them and don't know much about them, and I think, more should be known about them, because they're so cool." Joe Klein, RSPB Leighton Moss

Producer, Presenter: annabel@annabelross.com

Thank you to Simon Elliott for the beautiful sound of The Marsh Harrier.

Thank you to Noemie Lina for the illustrations.

Always smaller than we think but incredibly strong and so vital to the health of our soils. These little creatures need a lot more respect than we give them. It's their lawn, not ours.

With many thanks to Sam Corfield, author, horticulturist and wildlife expert @the_hairy_horticulturist

This one comes from the collection I made for The Lost Gardens of Heligan.

Producer, Presenter: annabel@annabelross.com

Illustrations by Annabazyl www.fiverr.com/annabazyl

www.messagesfromthewild.com

This Cinnabar Moth is part of an installation, Voices from the Meadow, commissioned by Wakehurst (wild sister of Kew Gardens) for their Meadowland exhibition last year.

It has a slightly different feel to the usual recordings with Alice Boyd, composer and sound designer, providing the beautiful music and field sounds.

These interviews with meadow animals were heard coming out of the giant Gramophone designed by sculptor, Donnacha Cahill.

Many thanks to Eva Owen for making it happen and Steve Robinson for embodying the cinnabar moth.

"Daydream of a summer meadow and I will bet there is a buzz of a passing bumblebee, a colourful flash of butterfly wing and the hypnotic chorus of crickets. And rightly so. Insects are the beating heart of a meadow, providing the soundtrack and magnifying its vibrancy." Iain Parkinson, Meadow

Producer/Presenter: annabel@annabelross.com

Illustrations by Annabazyl www.fiverr.com/annabazyl

This Scissor Bee is part of an installation, Voices from the Meadow, commissioned by Wakehurst (wild sister of Kew Gardens) for their Meadowland exhibition last year.

It has a slightly different feel to the usual recordings with Alice Boyd, composer and sound designer, providing the beautiful music and field sounds.

These interviews with meadow animals were heard coming out of the giant Gramophone designed by sculptor, Donnacha Cahill.

Many thanks to Eva Owen for making it happen and Janine Griffiths-Lee for embodying the scissor bee.

"Hay meadows are tightly-woven landscapes interlaced with an intricate mix of plants, including wild flowers, grasses, some sedges and rushes, and even a couple of tiny yet fascinating ferns. With such a richly layered flora, it should be no surprise to learn that hay meadows also support and astonishing range of fauna." Iain Parkinson, Meadow

Producer/Presenter: annabel@annabelross.com

Illustrations by Annabazyl www.fiverr.com/annabazyl