THIS MONTH Barn owls

Wildlife gardening is hugely beneficial, both for biodiversity and for gardeners. By providing food, shelter and nest sites for a wide range of species, you get the opportunity to engage with the natu

Nadia Shaikh seeks good company for a search-and-gorge to get her through the ruthless darkness of the winter months

Absurd little birds across the world lay their eggs in the nests of other species, leaving the hapless parents to raise a changeling at the expense of their own offspring. The majority are cuckoos – o

Jolly frock-coated robins, majestic geese and arboreal partridges make for both literal and symbolic centrepieces at Christmas, says Matthew Dennison, as he revels in the cultural history of the season’s feathered fowl and game

A fortuitous meeting in an antiques shop on a winter day led to the perfect property for house-hunter and interior designer Martin Wharton