The countryside in… october

Karen Youngs encounters squabbling herons and glimpses an elusive predator on a waterside walk

Peak autumn has a treasure trove of non-feathered riches to discover, says James Lowen

30-minute birder Amanda Tuke sees the benefits of being distracted by birds at home, and on the coast

PLACES TO GO, THINGS TO DO, IDEAS TO TRY

The number of starlings in the UK begins to swell in November as more migrate from areas in Northern Europe such as Scandinavia to join our resident breeds for winter. This creates the opportunity to

Bathed in burnished hues, a Hertfordshire cottage haven is a marriage of formal and wild planting