today’s radio

THE EXTINCTION TAPES

9.30AM, RADIO 4 White-tailed eagles disappeared from English skies in 1780, but held on in Scotland until 1916. But these birds, which spend hours perched on a lookout before soaring to high altitudes, have made a comeback of late. They are large creatures, with rectangular wings and short wedge-shaped tails – and it looks as if, according to

Rob Newman in this programme on threatened species, their distinctive shape will be seen much more frequently in our skies.

PEOPLE FIXING THE WORLD

3PM, 8PM, BBC WORLD SERVICE

Food comes to cities across long distances. These deliveries consume vast amounts of energy, create pollution and are White-tailed eagle (9.30am, R4) vulnerable to disruption. This programme looks at a recent trend that seems very relevant at the moment, to grow food in cities. We hear about strawberry crops grown in containers on the outskirts of Paris, supermarkets that grow their own herbs, and crops grown on stacked shelves in warehouses.

GREAT LIVES

4.30PM, RADIO 4

The literary world sneered at Ursula Le Guin because she wrote sci-fi and fantasy fiction. The musician Kate Stables, a big fan of Le Guin’s work, tells Matthew Parris just why works such as The Left Hand Of Darkness are true literary classics.

THE FULL WORKS CONCERT

8PM, CLASSIC FM Here’s a birthday feast of music in honour of the Queen as she turns 94. Jane Jones focuses on Her Majesty’s support of classical music, and includes a performance of the sublime The Lark Ascending, performed by violinist Nicola Benedetti. The programme ends with the celebratory Birthday, played by Joe Hisaishi and Pan Strings. SJ