This week saw this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch results announced, and, thanks to those who participated, over 6.7 million birds were counted across UK gardens.

I myself had a slightly disappointing Big Garden Birdwatch with just 2 collared doves turning up over the hour I participated. Although I enjoyed watching as they both tried to balance on one section of my feeding station, I did wonder why the four jays I’d…

Despite the pressures of press deadlines, I always love “putting an issue to bed” - sending forth into the world a batch of print files to be turned into shiny new copies of Nature’s Home magazine, packed from cover to cover with the fruits of our labour, and that of our many expert contributors who make it all possible. 

That’s what’s been keeping us busy for the past week or so, but I’m extra excited…

Condor.

Blue whale.

African elephant.

King cobra.

They could be the biggest or smallest, fastest or strongest of their respective habitats, or just something you’ve connected with on some level. But whatever they are I’m sure, like me, you still carry the same enthusiasm you had as a child for them. And, perhaps, still the longing to see them. They are, of course, your wildlife most wanted.

I feel I know…

I've got something a bit different for all you regular readers of Photo of the week this week...

Zooming in and capturing the colours and creatures of spring is top of the list for many photographers at the time of year. This stunning close of up an emergent micro moth (Acleris literana - lichen button) by Steve Benner, brings a lesser known and rarely seen sign of spring to the fore with clarity. It's a bit different…

I might have spoken too soon about the advent of spring - some of us (myself included) got a sizeable dump of fresh snow over the weekend! 

I am cautiously hopeful, however, that the tentative sunbeams breaking through this week will melt away the remaining patches and herald Spring’s comeback, so I can crack on with my gardening (boy, is there plenty of that to do!) and enjoy the emerging wildlife. 

One critter…

Earlier this week Mark wrote a blog post on his last minute adventure to RSPB Snettisham to see a female snowy owl that had come in with the Beast from the East (also enjoying a brief stay at RSPB Titchwell Marsh). And in all honesty I’m very jealous.

Owls are a favourite amongst many down to their friendly faces and interesting abilities - namely being able to turn their heads 270 degrees. Not to mention the generation…

Spring is in the air, and the great crested grebes know it. Our editor-in-chief, Mark, watched a couple of birds re-enacting ‘Splashy Come Dancing’ at the weekend. 

I’ve yet to spot any, but this is a great time to keep an eye out for the bizarre courtship ritual of grebes on our ponds, lakes and reservoirs. 

The springtime courtship displays of the great crested grebe are a must-see for March and April…

It’s dull and dreary here in Bedfordshire, but there’s no dampening my spirits, nor those of any bird lover who found themselves in North Norfolk over the weekend. Two RSPB reserves, Snettisham and Titchwell played host to a most magnificent Arctic visitor. In my opinion it is one of the best birds you can see: a snowy owl. And what a snowy owl it was – a first winter female, so big, buzzard-sized and decked…

My choice for our photo of the week is a photograph that captures the impact of the "Beast from the East" and the conditions that our wildlife-faced at a time of the year when they would normally expect to be enjoying milder temperatures as their thoughts turn to spring.

Nature's Home reader Peter Richards says: "I saw him at the side of the road in Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, on the morning of Saturday…

Wow. Only a week ago my neigbourhood was thickly blanketed in white powder, and today the sun is out and spring is in the air. That ‘Beast from the East’ came and went, and all of a sudden there’s no trace of winter. 

The garden beckons - it knows that as soon as we’re done with the big freeze, it’s time to start sowing the seeds for a glorious summer, complete with fluttering butterflies.…

This week, I'm delighted to present a guest blog from top naturalist James Harding-Morris. Now the big thaw has brought the UK firmly back into spring, what better time to celebrate the fantastic Back from the Brink project and one of the fascinating creatures it aims to help. Over to James for the full story of a night time adventure in search of one of our rarest species of beetle.

Avid readers of Nature’s Hom…

With weather ‘colder than the arctic’, our feathered friends have been foraging on feeders in gardens across the UK. What’s more appropriate for this week’s photo than the garden rarity of a fieldfare duo. These speckled chaps usually prefer the open countryside with hedgerow and woodland borders but, due to such harsh winter weather, have been found wanting so are heading for the feeders, or in…

It may not feel like it as the "Beast from the East" howls over the UK this week, but we're fast approaching the beginning of Spring. Daffodils are emerging, snowdrops have bloomed and soon the familiar call of the season, the dawn chorus, will begin.

As breeding season approaches, song birds take the opportunity at the coldest part of the day – when it's too dark to go out searching for food – to flex…