You can hear it in the chirping and cheeping. Not only are green shoots thrusting through the soil and tender buds unfurling, but the birds are getting fresh too. As if to underline the arrival of spring, a big fat queen bumblebee has explored our flowering heather and the few crocus flowers not yet eaten by the squirrels. The poor bee's probably looking for a suitable hive site.

Spring is here. There'll be a frenzy…

In the space of just three months I seem to have acquired three new and regular visitors to my garden. A ginger and white cat, a black and white cat and a tabby.

They all loiter in the shrubs and hide behind bumps and pot plants. They stalk leaves blowing in the wind and have had several attempts to catch garden birds. I'm delighted and amused to report that, so far, each witnessed attempt has failed.

The mammal s…

I have a confession. I'm in love, but frustrated.

I love my partner, my children, my work and the way nature constantly surprises, amazes and reminds me how unimportant people can be. The recent weather is a case in point. A couple of hours of heavy snow and life changed for thousands of people. But that's not why I'm frustrated.

My children make lots of noise and break things, but they're not frustrating me…

You're cold and hungry. You sit down for a meal but your food, the plate, cutlery and even the table are covered in six inches of freezing cold wadding.

That's the reality for some of the birds in my garden this morning. Deep snow has blanketed everything; and it's still falling!

Birds have quite high body temperatures that need to be maintained or they die. You're quite possibly tired of hearing this from the…