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in the pond where I work. There is no sign of birds nesting in the blackthorn at the plot, although it's hard to see through the swathes of blossom covering the tree.Activity at the allotments, however, has been regular and sustained. This week all my

last weekend's fireworks and peering into the deep murky gloom of the pond, there seems nothing about. But suddenly my eye is caught by a flick of yellow. Perched on the end of a leaf is a dung-fly. This was the common yellow dung-fly, Scathophaga

squawks. They were oddly silent today - perhaps they'd returned to their nesting roosts off up the hill. The huge holm oak where they often hang out was empty. My host wondered if his neighbour had been taking pot shots at them.Although without a pond

This morning we went for a walk first thing as the sun rose through the autumn mist. The fields were heaving with young partridge, a small mouse looked impertinently at us from the compost heap, a flight of ducks got up from the pond and the trees

species, I did not get close enough), a cloud of winter gnats (Trichocera species) were dancing over the middle of the lawn, and several flies were dying like flies around the pond.I really value my garden wildlife, but I have to admit that it is not all

wildfire garden".Now, 26 years later, the gardens at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show are awash not just with wildflowers, but with green roofs, ponds, streams and insect habitats. Indeed, these are such great gardens for wildlife, that on Sunday morning a

. Plant trees to act as roosts, and berry-producing plants, such as holly, to entice thrushes into the garden. Create a pond to provide a habitat for frogs, newts and toads, all of which consume unfeasibly high numbers of slugs each night.More on molluscs

and wildlife to your gardenMake a nesting area for birds on a pond, video projectInstall a window bird feederMake a bat boxMake fat cakes for birdsMake a green roof for a bird tableBrowse plants that are attractive to wildlifeBrowse plants with berries

reservoir topped up during the hot summer months.Enhance the hammer with Japanese-style plants: bamboos, ferns, grasses and perhaps an acer.More creative garden DIY projectsCreating a mini-pondConstructing a wooden planterMaking willow edgingMaking a spiral

regular training route. There's always something to see there, even if just the sea gulls squabbling over bread thrown to the ducks on the pond.Today it was a black rat. I can't believe it was the true 'black', Rattus rattus. That's a much smaller