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                            <title><![CDATA[ Latest from Country Life in Nature-wildlife ]]></title>
                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife</link>
        <description><![CDATA[ All the latest nature-wildlife content from the Country Life team ]]></description>
                                    <lastBuildDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000</lastBuildDate>
                            <language>en</language>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ If England wants to win the World Cup, it should listen to these emperor penguins ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/if-england-wants-to-win-the-world-cup-it-should-listen-to-these-emperor-penguins</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ As it turns out, the natural world has a lot of good advice for how to make a great football team. Country Life and the World Wide Fund for Nature break down the keys to success. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ James Fisher ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fYru9NUfP7aM9oukwkaxEe.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Andrew Peacock/Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Six penguins facing the camera in the antarctic]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Six penguins facing the camera in the antarctic]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Six penguins facing the camera in the antarctic]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Cheerio Churchill, hello hedgehogs: The British animals Country Life wants to see on our banknotes ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/say-cheerio-churchill-and-hello-hedgehogs-the-native-british-animals-country-life-wants-to-see-on-our-banknotes</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ As the nation votes on the British wildlife that will appear on the next series of banknotes, our writers argue their case for their favourite animals. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 10:40:07 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Lotte Brundle ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SLdbiV7B2oCXWcgrkkoW2h.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The European hedgehog, one of the options to be the face of our new money, is now Red Listed in Great Britain, meaning it&#039;s at risk of local extinction.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[hedgehog]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ These iridescently beautiful birds can slow time, reproduce the human voice and sing like angels —so why have we nicknamed them ‘stinker’ and ‘scootie’? ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/these-iridescently-beautiful-birds-can-slow-time-reproduce-the-human-voice-and-sing-like-angels-so-why-have-we-nicknamed-them-stinker-and-scootie</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ A surprising members of the Unloved Birds Club is the starling. Mark Cocker explains why. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mark Cocker ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/R7aWd5Bj5JpoZoiiMUHqjD.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[A starling murmuration can make for a striking display.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Starling]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Starling]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ From Worzel Gummidge to the kakashi of Shikoku: The scarecrow is iconic the world over ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/from-worzel-gummidge-to-the-kakashi-of-shikoku-the-scarecrow-is-iconic-the-world-over</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ They might be questionably effective at frightening away birds, but scarecrows remain a quirkily enduring feature of our physical and cultural landscape. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 15:05:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 16:19:16 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Aeneas Dennison ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bMc9fiPZZSFfFfRRzFhaW7-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[A scarecrow in a bowler hat standing in a field]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[A scarecrow in a bowler hat standing in a field]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ The marine animals that look suspiciously like dogs ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/lifestyle/dogs/the-marine-animals-that-look-suspiciously-like-dogs</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ From Staffie-shaped seals and smiling Samoyed belugas to borzoi swordfish, World Ocean Day seemed the perfect opportunity to tackle one of life's most important questions: which marine animals look most like dogs? ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2026 08:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Dogs]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Florence Allen ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wuKsWYXzQQXDP7DG83Sa6c.png ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy / Flo Allen]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[An unhinged image of the ocean&#039;s canine counterparts.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Playful collage comparing marine animals and dog breeds, including seals, sharks, dolphins, a manatee, walrus, beluga whale, pufferfish and dumbo octopus alongside their canine lookalikes.]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Playful collage comparing marine animals and dog breeds, including seals, sharks, dolphins, a manatee, walrus, beluga whale, pufferfish and dumbo octopus alongside their canine lookalikes.]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ We rudely refer to them as 'sky rats', but pigeons add a touch of the natural world to our busiest metropolises ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/we-may-rudely-call-them-sky-rats-but-pigeons-add-a-touch-of-the-natural-world-to-our-busiest-metropolises</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ Mark Cocker defends the ungainly pigeon in this weeks column, where he defends Britain's least likable birds. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mark Cocker ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/R7aWd5Bj5JpoZoiiMUHqjD.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The actress Jane Darwell played a character who had a particular affinity for pigeons in the film &#039;Mary Poppins&#039;.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Mary Poppins film still]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Mary Poppins film still]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Where to listen to the greatest musical performance on Earth ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/do-not-miss-out-on-the-greatest-musical-performance-on-earth</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ The dawn chorus is a rich reminder of the beauty of the world we live in, far removed from its many horrors. And you can hear it from anywhere. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Country Life ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PLmTivjz9BZwGPM2UCXuvG.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images/James Silverthorne]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes, adult singing at sunrise, Skokholm, Wales, July]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes, adult singing at sunrise, Skokholm, Wales, July]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Will AI be the saving grace of Britain's beloved hedgehogs?  ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/rural-life/will-ai-be-the-saving-grace-of-britains-beloved-hedgehogs</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ A group of scientists at the University of Cambridge has managed to identify specific sites that might offer habitat for hedgehogs, writes Will Hosie. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Will Hosie ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qBwePqG6Xdt5FDMyJvtk6N.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Hedgehog]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Hedgehog]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Hedgehog]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Why is this British bird sometimes dubbed 'the black death'? ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/why-is-this-british-bird-sometimes-dubbed-the-black-death</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ In the second instalment of our series on Britain’s most misunderstood birds, the voracious cormorant is in the spotlight. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mark Cocker ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/R7aWd5Bj5JpoZoiiMUHqjD.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Dark satanic bills: John Milton made the bird an image of Satan in his biblical epic poem &#039;Paradise Lost&#039;, which probably hasn&#039;t helped its reputation.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Cormorant]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Cormorant]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ What is everyone talking about this week: The secret life of plankton ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/what-is-everyone-talking-about-this-week-the-secret-life-of-plankton</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ Plankton generates at least five times more oxygen than tropical rainforests. Yet its various subspecies remain opaque and poorly understood. That could soon be changing. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Will Hosie ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qBwePqG6Xdt5FDMyJvtk6N.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Few depictions of plankton have ever measured up to those of 19th-century zoologist and philosopher, Ernst Haeckel.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Plankton as illustrated by Ernst Haeckel]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Plankton as illustrated by Ernst Haeckel]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ 'Simply sustaining is not enough — we must rebuild, improve and enhance if we are going to save the planet': Meet the forward-thinking farmers of the Cotswolds ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/simply-sustaining-is-not-enough-we-must-rebuild-improve-and-enhance-if-we-are-going-to-save-the-planet-meet-the-forward-thinking-farmers-of-the-cotswolds</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ They might struggle with stony, dry Cotswolds-brash soil, but the region's food producers explain why working the land sustainably and regeneratively is the best way to balance food production with wildlife recovery. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 15:05:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mary Skipwith ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VAp38XsfSbznwm5fT9JZw8.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Mark Williamson for Country Life]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Charles and Chipps Mann (with dog Rover) in a cowslip meadow at Oxleaze Farm. &#039;We planted woodland and hedges to encourage wildlife and paid closer attention to the land itself, rather than merely what we could extract from it.&#039;]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Charles and Chipps Mann with Rover in Hanging Lands cowslip meadow at Oxleaze Farm, Filkins in Gloucestershire]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Charles and Chipps Mann with Rover in Hanging Lands cowslip meadow at Oxleaze Farm, Filkins in Gloucestershire]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Bertie Gregory: 'You know the cliché line people say “never meet your hero”? Those people haven’t met David Attenborough’ ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/bertie-gregory-you-know-the-cliche-line-people-say-never-meet-your-hero-those-people-havent-met-david-attenborough</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Wildlife cameraman Bertie Gregory has travelled all over the world in pursuit of the perfect shot. He talks to Rosie Paterson about a few of his favourite moments. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sun, 10 May 2026 11:30:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Thu, 21 May 2026 21:05:44 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Rosie Paterson ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/D4Fpt8Npn4ACJguryQwnkL.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[National Geographic for Disney+/Will West]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Bertie Gregory]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Bertie Gregory]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Bertie Gregory]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ 'He doesn’t hold back on the fact that that life in the animal kingdom is a brutal survival of the fittest': Happy birthday Sir David Attenborough   ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/he-doesnt-hold-back-on-the-fact-that-that-life-in-the-animal-kingdom-is-a-brutal-survival-of-the-fittest-happy-birthday-sir-david-attenborough</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ The beloved broadcaster, natural historian and writer turns 100 today — and we have a lot to thank him for. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Fri, 08 May 2026 11:20:39 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Kate Green ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DiyjxbFnwttEcHFmWr8FMh.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alfred Markey/Mirrorpix/Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Sir David Attenborough speaking at a BBC conference in 1965, as controller of BBC Two, ahead of the the channel&#039;s North launch.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[David Attenborough ]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[David Attenborough ]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ What is everyone talking about this week: Why we need more female trees  ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/what-is-everyone-talking-about-this-week-why-we-need-more-female-trees</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ For too long, urban planners and landscape designers have favoured male trees for easier maintenance — but it's made hay fever a whole lot worse. Fortunately, a solution exists. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Will Hosie ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qBwePqG6Xdt5FDMyJvtk6N.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Female trees trap pollen in the air, and yield flowers and fruit. We need more of them everywhere. ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Trees forming an archway in a forest]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ How the curlew's call inspired some of Britain's best writers ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/how-the-curlews-call-inspired-some-of-britains-best-writers</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ For centuries, this enigmatic wader has brought both gloom and joy to many of the nation's literary minds. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2026 13:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Jack Watkins ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bf42hhPN4xUa3R5J2SWZV4.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[WildlifeGmbH/Alamy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Curlew (Numenius arquata). Adult walking in shallow water with wings opened.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Curlew (Numenius arquata). Adult walking in shallow water with wings opened.]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Curlew (Numenius arquata). Adult walking in shallow water with wings opened.]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Divine tears, fairy footsteps or the sweat of heavens: The delight of dew ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/divine-tears-fairy-footsteps-or-the-sweat-of-heavens-the-delight-of-dew</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ The transient beauty of early-morning moisture has bewitched poets, playwrights and scientists alike, finds Deborah Nicholls-Lee. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Deborah Nicholls-Lee ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SdyQZwWJiMciHDkfEvBUq9.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Andy Sands/Naturepl.com]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[- Yellow dung fly (Scathophaga stercoraria) female, resting on stem at dawn covered in dew, Hertfordshire, England, UK. May. ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[- Yellow dung fly (Scathophaga stercoraria) female, resting on stem at dawn covered in dew, Hertfordshire, England, UK. May. ]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[- Yellow dung fly (Scathophaga stercoraria) female, resting on stem at dawn covered in dew, Hertfordshire, England, UK. May. ]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ With a fighting spirit and human help, the red squirrel is fighting back ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/kapow-the-red-squirrel-has-a-fighting-spirit-and-is-cautiously-staging-a-comeback-in-the-uk</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ The red squirrel’s plight is well known, but, recently, there have been some encouraging signs of a revival. Vicky Liddell listens out for rustling overhead. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Vicky Liddell ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DWemJq86k6CpkUQhnmxs6M.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Terry Donnelly]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Flying high? There are signs the fortunes of the endearing red squirrel are on the up.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Red squirrel jumping through the air]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[  'This event epitomised our vision for me: snow leopards and people living in harmony' ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/this-event-epitomised-our-vision-for-me-snow-leopards-and-people-living-in-harmony</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ This Earth Day, the World Wide Fund for Nature asks its experts to remind us what it's worth fighting for. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:39:41 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ James Fisher ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fYru9NUfP7aM9oukwkaxEe.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[WWF/Sascha Fonseca]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[A wild snow leopard triggers a DSLR camera trap high up in mountains of Ladakh in the Indian Himalayas.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Snow leopard in a mountain setting.]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Rooting for you: The many merits of the valerian ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/rooting-for-you-the-many-merits-of-the-valerian</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ A versatile herb valued as a tonic for the nervous system, valerian’s soporific effects were once considered a great asset to public decorum, discovers Deborah Nicholls-Lee. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sat, 18 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:12:14 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Deborah Nicholls-Lee ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SdyQZwWJiMciHDkfEvBUq9.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Shutterstock]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The plant’s scent is particularly appreciated by felines, who may roll in its vivid green foliage and chew on the root, much as they would with catmint.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Valerian flower]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ A window on the wild: The best of British wildlife photography ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/a-window-on-the-wild-the-best-of-british-wildlife-photography</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ This year’s British Wildlife Photography Awards celebrates the wonder of the natural world. Whether it’s a patchwork leaf-cutter bee hard at work or the springtime spectacle of boxing hares, here’s our pick of the best shots ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sat, 18 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Stuart Martel ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                                            <dc:contributor><![CDATA[ Lucy Ford ]]></dc:contributor>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Sarah Darnell/British Wildlife Photography Awards]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[It&#039;s boxing day for the brown hares of Bintree in Norfolk, captured in Sarah Darnell&#039;s &#039;The Fur Flew&#039;]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Two hares boxing ]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Stop being led astray by red herrings —here is what the fish is really like ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/stop-being-led-astray-by-red-herrings-here-is-what-the-species-of-fish-is-really-like</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Chris Dwyer takes a deep dive into the rich and intriguing lore of the flatulent fish that gave us Yarmouth Bloaters and kippers. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Chris Dwyer ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/T6CD37WLKk4t6HMqQ3GjSH.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Somewhere in the region of one trillion herring swim in our waters.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Herrings]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Herrings]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Bringing home the bison: The lords looking after the UK's largest land mammal ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/bringing-home-the-bison-the-lords-looking-after-the-uks-largest-land-mammal</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ The imposing yet sensitive bison isn't a common sight on our shores, but a cohort of enthusiasts has taken up its cause. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Eleanor Doughty ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YhyiW3QYjDyWK4odngk9z3-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[John Millar for Country Life]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Two large American bison stand in a field]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Two large American bison stand in a field]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Two large American bison stand in a field]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ What is everyone talking about this week: How to get rid of the foxes on your roof? ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/what-is-everyone-talking-about-this-week-how-to-get-rid-of-the-foxes-on-your-roof</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ A skulk of foxes has occupied the roof of Google's building in King's Cross for close to a year. The tech behemoth wants them gone: but where will they go? ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:24:49 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Will Hosie ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qBwePqG6Xdt5FDMyJvtk6N.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[London fox ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[London fox ]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[London fox ]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Burford Brown eggs have become a household name, but what of the hens who lay them? ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/burford-brown-eggs-have-become-a-household-name-but-what-of-the-hens-who-lay-them</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Arthur Parkinson salutes the preferred breed of royalty, aristocracy and celebrity. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 08:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Arthur Parkinson ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mSpzC2vv7u6CjtKfM6WQC4.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Philip Lee-Woolf]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Burford Browns]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Burford Browns]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ ‘It looks like a miniature hamster. It’s just absolutely exquisite’: How the lucky ladybird took the worlds of French patisserie, jewellery and interior design by storm ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/it-looks-like-a-miniature-hamster-its-just-absolutely-exquisite-how-the-lucky-ladybird-took-the-worlds-of-french-patisserie-jewellery-and-interior-design-by-storm</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ Country Life isn't the only brand obsessed with the teeny-tiny ladybird, says Susanne Madsen, who investigates why we all find them so appealing. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:27:28 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Susanne Madsen ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YnnqmFruqq9HBAxFATGTZA.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Single ladybird climbing up a thin green shot against a blurry background]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Single ladybird climbing up a thin green shot against a blurry background]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ What is everyone talking about this week: Where have all the rabbits gone?  ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/what-is-everyone-talking-about-this-week-where-have-all-the-rabbits-gone</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ There used to be dozens in every field, emerging at springtime and dancing around us in a pastoral conga line. Where are they now? ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Will Hosie ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qBwePqG6Xdt5FDMyJvtk6N.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Rabbits in the grass kissing at springtime]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Rabbits in the grass kissing at springtime]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ 'I’m in awe of him. He’s very special. I’m just in the shadows of what Attlee does': A brief guide to the working cats of Britain ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/the-working-cats-of-britain-a-brief-guide</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ From seafaring heroes of the Royal Navy to the solemn halls of Westminster, cats have a long and distinguished tradition of assisting in the workplace. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 17:45:33 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ James Fisher ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fYru9NUfP7aM9oukwkaxEe.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Mark Williamson for Country Life]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Attlee, the Maine Coon belonging to The Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, is not bothered by such nonsense as party politics.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Attlee, Sir Lindsay Hoyle’s cat in the Crimson Drawing Room in the Speakers House at the Houses of Parliament in London]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Why national parks are our national pride ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/why-national-parks-are-our-national-pride</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ As the Peak District, which was the first national park in the UK to be designated, celebrates its 75th anniversary, Country Life celebrates our national parks. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Wed, 25 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Country Life ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PLmTivjz9BZwGPM2UCXuvG.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[A view over Keswick town and Derwentwater to Cat Bells and Newlands in the Lake District. ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[A view over Keswick town and Derwentwater to Cat Bells and Newlands in the Lake District. ]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[A view over Keswick town and Derwentwater to Cat Bells and Newlands in the Lake District. ]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Waddle I do without you? The joys of sharing your home with gaggles of geese  ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/waddle-i-do-without-you-the-joys-of-sharing-your-home-with-gaggles-of-geese</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Keeping a gaggle of geese promises to bring oodles of charm and character to the yard, says Mary Skipwith, as she takes a gander at why these stately birds become the heart and soul of family life. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sat, 21 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mary Skipwith ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BJkzhqEKfAgvdEuf29oTCW-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[A gaggle of Embden geese returning to their barn at dusk.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Gaggle of Embden geese returning to their barn at dusk]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ 'The ache for English orchards and hedgerows is rooted in a landscape that generations of poets have studied as scripture': Jacqui Ritchie, poet and wife of Guy, on the magic of spring  ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/jacqui-ritchie-the-ache-for-english-orchards-and-hedgerows-is-more-than-nostalgia-it-is-rooted-in-a-landscape-that-generations-of-poets-have-studied-as-scripture</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ With this week’s equinox marking spring’s long-awaited calendar arrival here in Britain, Jacqui Ritchie investigates the spell it has always cast over the nation’s poets. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 20 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Jacqui Ritchie ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uWEAQADcrdVNR7XJ2bgJe7.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Michael Frith for Country Life/Future Plc.]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Illustration of baby birds in spring scene]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Illustration of baby birds in spring scene]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ It's not all birdsong and blossom: The gardener’s spring-time battles ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/its-not-all-birdsong-and-blossom-the-gardeners-spring-time-battles</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ This month saw the launch of Hortistry, a horticulture scheme championed by some of the finest gardeners in the country —and the timing could not be better. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Wed, 18 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Country Life ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PLmTivjz9BZwGPM2UCXuvG.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[A ring-necked parakeet munches on the flowers of a cherry blossom tree in St James&#039;s Park, London.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Parakeet in blossom tree]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ A world with a toad hiding in your garage is richer than one without ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/a-world-with-a-toad-hiding-in-your-garage-is-richer-than-one-without</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ The common toad has always enjoyed a special place in our national imagination, but its numbers have been declining alarmingly in recent decades. What can be done? Sarah Langford investigate. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sun, 15 Mar 2026 09:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Sarah Langford ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SH5aaZQ4SeGw87cCqwPEkh-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Peter Cairns/Naturepl.com]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Common european toad (Bufo bufo) in flowerpot in garden, Scotland, UK]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Common european toad (Bufo bufo) in flowerpot in garden, Scotland, UK]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ What is it, therefore, that makes a good walking stick? ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/what-is-it-therefore-that-makes-a-good-walking-stick</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ As it turns out, quite a lot. Gabriel Stone investigates. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2026 16:05:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Gabriel Stone ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kJQqbTKQK5SNnsifPCML9c-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Russell Sach]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Ian Smith polishes a unique shepherd&#039;s crook he created while experimenting with recycled plastics.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[World Champion Stickmaker Ian Smith from Knaresborough, polishes a uniquely made Shepherd’s Crook he created whilst experimenting with recycled plastics, challenging conventional thinking on the use of natural materials within the highly skilled countryside craft. ]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[World Champion Stickmaker Ian Smith from Knaresborough, polishes a uniquely made Shepherd’s Crook he created whilst experimenting with recycled plastics, challenging conventional thinking on the use of natural materials within the highly skilled countryside craft. ]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Flying high: The birds doing brilliantly in the British Isles right now ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/flying-high-these-are-the-birds-doing-brilliantly-in-the-british-isles-right-now</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Red kites, great spotted woodpeckers and pink-footed geese —these are only a few of the success stories, writes Mark Cocker. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sat, 07 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mark Cocker ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/R7aWd5Bj5JpoZoiiMUHqjD.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The proliferation of garden feeders is aiding the great spotted woodpecker, driving numbers up 378% to 130,000 pairs.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Great spotted woodpecker]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Power struggles: The countryside should not be viewed as an empty canvas on which to achieve everyone’s aims ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/power-struggles-the-countryside-should-not-be-viewed-as-an-empty-canvas-on-which-to-achieve-everyones-aims</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Rural Britain is being squeezed from all sides. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Thu, 05 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:59:43 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Country Life ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PLmTivjz9BZwGPM2UCXuvG.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Windmills on top of a hill in Scotland in the autumn]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Windmills on top of a hill in Scotland in the autumn]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Windmills on top of a hill in Scotland in the autumn]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Nature’s symbiotic relationships are as multifarious as they are marvellous ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/natures-symbiotic-relationships-are-as-multifarious-as-they-are-marvellous</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ John Lewis-Stempel considers how working in partnership is a key pillar of success in the animal kingdom. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sat, 28 Feb 2026 14:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ John Lewis-Stempel ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xaDaNf4Vy2gSSvMQBT6Txd.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Red Deer hind with a Magpie on her head]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Red Deer hind with a Magpie on her head]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ The winter Olympians of the natural world ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/the-winter-olympians-of-the-natural-world</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Meet the penguins that like to luge and their animals friends that could give any Olympic athlete a run for their money. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Tue, 24 Feb 2026 07:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Rosie Paterson ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/D4Fpt8Npn4ACJguryQwnkL.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[World Wide Fund for Nature]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Animals in frozen landscapes]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Animals in frozen landscapes]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Feathers: Nature’s most exquisite miracle was fashioned for flight, fortitude and fantasy ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/feathers-natures-most-exquisite-miracle-was-fashioned-for-flight-fortitude-and-fantasy</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Avian plumage doesn’t simply enable flight–this miracle of Nature provides birds with protection, shape and colour and remains a highly desirable fashion accoutrement for us, too. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 14:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Charles Harris ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rrC855kkFfmkqqSaeapjBX-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Nature Picture Library ]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Close-up of a swan burying its head in its feathers]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Close-up of a swan burying its head in its feathers]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Close-up of a swan burying its head in its feathers]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Britain's most widespread bird is also the most elusive — spotting it is one of ornithology’s great joys ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/britains-most-widespread-bird-is-also-the-most-elusive-spotting-it-is-one-of-ornithologys-great-joys</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ The long-eared owl breeds from Kent to northern Scotland, but is highly nocturnal. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 16 Feb 2026 16:02:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mark Cocker ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/R7aWd5Bj5JpoZoiiMUHqjD.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The nocturnal long-eared owl sports large &#039;ear tufts&#039; on its head.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Long-eared owl]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Long-eared owl]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ What is everyone talking about this week: How to make the most of wetter winters ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/what-is-everyone-talking-about-this-week-how-to-make-the-most-of-wetter-winters</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ With constant storms throughout January and February, 2026 has confirmed climate science's view that British winters are becoming rainier. The least we can do is embrace this ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 16 Feb 2026 07:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Will Hosie ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qBwePqG6Xdt5FDMyJvtk6N.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The rain is as much a part of our identity as the clothes we have designed to withstand it, from the Mackintosh jacket to the Wellington boot  ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Frog wrapped in lead to protect it from the rain in Indonesia]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Frog wrapped in lead to protect it from the rain in Indonesia]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Love is all around us, just ask the natural world ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/love-is-all-around-us-just-ask-the-natural-world</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Ahead of Valentine's Day, the World Wildlife Fund wants us to celebrate the wild hearts that surround us. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 07:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ James Fisher ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fYru9NUfP7aM9oukwkaxEe.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[WWF/Don Getty]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Two mute swans bump heads creating a heart shaped silhouette]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Two mute swans bump heads creating a heart shaped silhouette]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ The short-eared owl is a breed apart ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/the-short-eared-owl-is-a-breed-apart</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Fluid in flight and perplexingly wide-ranging, the short-eared owl is a singular figure in the family — and a figure of particular terror to the vole ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Tue, 10 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 10 Feb 2026 12:34:31 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mark Cocker ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/R7aWd5Bj5JpoZoiiMUHqjD.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy/David Chapman]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Short Eared Owl on a wall in orkney looking at the camera]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Short Eared Owl on a wall in orkney looking at the camera]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Short Eared Owl on a wall in orkney looking at the camera]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Who is your Wildlife Photographer of the Year? Cast your vote now ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/who-will-be-your-winner-the-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-peoples-choice-2026</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ From a flock of flamingos to a couple of play-fighting bear cubs, there truly are some stunning photographs in the shortlist for this year's People's Choice award. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 09 Feb 2026 16:02:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Lotte Brundle ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/npThGtcgbqZc3qjJJ2YqJb.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[© Ponlawat Thaipinnarong, Wildlife Photographer of the Year]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[mother bird feeding chick]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[mother bird feeding chick]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ 'To my unspeakable disgust and pain, the little inconsiderate beast squirted his acid down my throat': The army of animals weaponising chemistry in the fight for survival ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/to-my-unspeakable-disgust-and-pain-the-little-inconsiderate-beast-squirted-his-acid-down-my-throat-the-army-of-animals-weaponising-chemistry-in-the-fight-for-survival</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Clouds of noxious gas, stink bombs and purple smokescreens may sound like schoolboy pranks, but the animal world is just as capable of executing arresting chemical warfare. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 06 Feb 2026 14:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Deborah Nicholls-Lee ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SdyQZwWJiMciHDkfEvBUq9.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Nature Production/naturepl.com]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Bombardier Beetle (Pheropsophus jessoensis) protecting itself by ejecting a boiling, noxious chemical spray, Nagasaki, Japan.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Bombardier Beetle (Pheropsophus jessoensis) protecting itself by ejecting a boiling, noxious chemical spray, Nagasaki, Japan.]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ The world’s heaviest flying bird flaps on to pastures new but remains endangered, says expert ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/out-and-about/dogs/the-worlds-heaviest-flying-bird-flaps-on-to-pastures-new-but-remains-endangered-says-expert</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ You might think it a great time for the great bustards, who have been found breeding in a new location, but there is a wider problem facing the UK’s ‘big bird’, an expert says. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 02 Feb 2026 07:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 10 Feb 2026 09:32:10 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Lotte Brundle ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/npThGtcgbqZc3qjJJ2YqJb.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Two bustard chicks were found in a new location.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Bustard]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ 'It turns out that coconut charcoal is the best substance on Earth for nullifying astronauts breaking wind': The secret uses of plants  ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/nature/from-ice-cream-to-underwear-and-explosives-plants-are-remarkably-integral-to-much-of-the-manmade-world</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ From ice cream to underwear and explosives, plants are remarkably integral to much of the manmade world, a new book shows. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 30 Jan 2026 14:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Harry Pearson ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UfJ5oPeoTGLEivQeKrz9Dg.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Indonesia is the largest producer of coconuts in the world. Here farmers in Teluk Payo Village, South Sumatra are peeling the skin of a coconut. The coconut is produced into charcoal.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Coconuts]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Coconuts]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Snowdrop shows signal spring’s arrival ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/nature/snowdrop-shows-signal-springs-arrival</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ The annual Shepton Snowdrop Festival will return for its 10th year this February, in celebration of the joyful flower. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Thu, 29 Jan 2026 07:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Julie Harding ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XbVKQXzE8tSxAi6wYsfXJZ.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Members of the public walk amongst a carpet of snowdrops in the grounds of Burton Agnes Hall, near Bridlington, northern England on February 15, 2022. The woodland adjoining Burton Agnes Hall, a manor house which dates from 1173, is famed for the thousands of snowdrops which emerge every February. (Photo by OLI SCARFF / AFP)]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Members of the public walk amongst a carpet of snowdrops in the grounds of Burton Agnes Hall, near Bridlington, northern England on February 15, 2022. The woodland adjoining Burton Agnes Hall, a manor house which dates from 1173, is famed for the thousands of snowdrops which emerge every February. (Photo by OLI SCARFF / AFP)]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Members of the public walk amongst a carpet of snowdrops in the grounds of Burton Agnes Hall, near Bridlington, northern England on February 15, 2022. The woodland adjoining Burton Agnes Hall, a manor house which dates from 1173, is famed for the thousands of snowdrops which emerge every February. (Photo by OLI SCARFF / AFP)]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ RHS to run two new touring shows at Badminton and at the royal estate at Sandringham ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/nature/rhs-to-run-two-new-touring-shows-at-badminton-and-at-the-royal-estate-at-sandringham</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ The King will collaborate with a designer on the RHS Royal Legacy Garden at the  Sandringham flower show. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Wed, 28 Jan 2026 07:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 10 Feb 2026 09:32:16 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Gardens]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Gardens &amp; Interiors]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Julie Harding ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XbVKQXzE8tSxAi6wYsfXJZ.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[The King among flowers]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[The King among flowers]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[The King among flowers]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Adders, Exmoor ponies and the future of the human race: Tom Hilder on the Country Life Podcast ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/nature/adders-shetland-ponies-and-the-future-of-the-human-race-tom-hilder-on-the-country-life-podcast</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Tom Hilder, winner of the 'Rising Star' category at the Schoffel Countryside Awards, joins James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Tue, 27 Jan 2026 14:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 03 Feb 2026 13:42:47 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Country Life Podcast]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Toby Keel ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Yef6UKfH4t7QuZd2vHkjZA.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Albert Roberts / Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Tom Hilder started working in conservation before he&#039;d even left college.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust]]></media:title>
                                                    </media:content>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ The tawny owl makes a compelling case as Britain's best loved bird of prey ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/out-and-about/dogs/the-tawny-owl-makes-a-compelling-case-as-britains-best-loved-bird-of-prey</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Whether for its textbook appearance, regional ubiquity or haunting and mellifluous call, it’s no wonder we love this winged hunter. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Tue, 27 Jan 2026 09:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 10 Feb 2026 09:31:58 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mark Cocker ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/R7aWd5Bj5JpoZoiiMUHqjD.jpg ]]></dc:description>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Dahu3RHc5oPLibREuerpbm-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy/Ann and Steve Toon]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[A pair of Tawny owls sit on a broken tree stump staring at the camera]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[A pair of Tawny owls sit on a broken tree stump staring at the camera]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[A pair of Tawny owls sit on a broken tree stump staring at the camera]]></media:title>
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