• Everyone in, the water's lovely

    I wrote last week about the need for birdbaths, and what then happens? The heavens open! From the forecast, it looks like pretty much all of your gardens will have got a soaking in the wake that heatwave earlier in the month.

    But there is every chance that hot, dry weather will return, so putting in (and looking after) a birdbath remains up there as our July Giving Nature a Home activity of the month.

    I'm sure many…

  • Bring out the paddling pool!

    I don't know about you, but I've been wilting in the heat lately. After just short sessions of gardening, I've been crying out for a paddling pool in which to dip my feet and wash away some of that clamminess and dust.

    It seems like my garden birds have been feeling the same, but they are able to take full advantage of their own bathing facilities, like these House Sparrows...

    So, with at least two more…

  • Jumping out of your skin

    My transition into being an adult took many years (and some would say has yet to conclude). Imagine, then, what it is like to make the transition from youngster to maturity in an hour.

    That is what has been happening all over my pond, as revealed by some very interesting evidence left behind.

    The story begins 18 months ago when I filled my new pond for the first time. By summer 2016, the pond plants I had added were…

  • Tales from my wild Stag Night

    The other evening was my best Stag Night ever, and I've had a few in my time, I can tell you.

    I should explain. I haven't been married many times; I'm not the male equivalent of Joan Collins (despite what some might say). No, this is about what I like to do on warm evenings when I take ten minutes out at dusk just to go and watch my night-time garden wildlife.

    And right now, as well as the bats skimming…