# Cranes, Mast Climbing and Skunk Cabbage

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/scotland-outdoors-385280/cranes-mast-climbing-and-skunk-cabbage
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/scotland-outdoors-385280/cranes-mast-climbing-and-skunk-cabbage.md
Podcast: [Scotland Outdoors](https://stenobird.com/podcast/scotland-outdoors-385280)
Published: 2026-05-09T11:00:00+00:00
Episode link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0nk95fs
Audio file: http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/6/redir/version/2.0/mediaset/audio-nondrm-download-rss/proto/http/vpid/p0nk949r.mp3
Processing state: processed
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/scotland-outdoors-385280/episodes/cranes-mast-climbing-and-skunk-cabbage
Duration seconds: 5035

## Resource

Mark heads to the New Pitsligo area of Aberdeenshire with Hywel Maggs from RSPB Scotland, on the trail of cranes. For a bird that can reach over a metre tall and with a wingspan of double that, they can be rather tricky to spot. The ranger service in Aberdeen is busy tackling an invasive plant which seems to be a growing problem. Rachel heads to Walker Dam in the city with countryside officer Simon Whitworth to hear all about American Skunk Cabbage. Claudia Zeiske is a walking artist. Her latest project has involved walking the Ayrshire Coast as a dedication to the geologist Elizabeth Anderson Gray. Mark met her at Girvan beach to hear more about Elizabeth and Claudia’s project. Every Tuesday, rangers in Moray lead what is known as a health walk in and around Dufftown. Rachel went along to join the group and chat to some of those who were taking part. Forager Mark Williams shows Mark more of the Galloway coastline and what can be found at this time of year, especially in rock pools. On Friday 8 May Sir David Attenborough celebrated his 100th birthday. To mark the occasion on Out of Doors, Rachel spoke to producer and director Alastair Fothergill, who has made some of Sir David’s most memorable series with him, including The Blue Planet and Planet Earth. He tells Rachel about the enormous impact Sir David has had on his life and career and some of the memorable moments they’ve shared together. In this week’s Scotland Outdoors podcast, Helen meets up with listener Marian Burrows-Smith, who got in touch to tell us about a project she works on in Nepal building toilets for remote communities. We hear how Marian, who lives in Nethybridge, got involved. Rachel is on Calton Hill in Edinburgh to hear about the 50th anniversary of the Architectural Heritage Fund. Trustee Audrey…

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