1. Rock Pools

What looks like a sponge, smells like a volcano and is found in rock pools?

The answer can be found in this series of programmes in which Brett Westwood joins naturalist Phil Gates on the coast of Northumberland.

With recordings by wildlife sound recordist Chris Watson, they offer a practical and entertaining guide to the wildlife which you’re most likely to see and hear in different coastal habitats - beginning with probably everyone’s favourite childhood haunt, the rock pool.

Home to shore crabs and hermit crabs, as well as sea anemones, breadcrumb sponges and sea squirts.

We learn how sea squirts which appear to be little more than bags of fluid clinging to the rocks, might be our evolutionary ancestors. We discover how when it comes to building, it’s the breadcrumb sponges which have mastered the art with some clever self-assembly scaffolding tricks.

Producer: Sarah Blunt

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2016.