Our promised sunshine and barbeques didn't really materialise, but we still had some glorious days.

I spent my holiday in Afghanistan – not high on anyone's list of perfect holiday destinations, but the northeast of the country is very mountainous, wild and beautiful.

One morning as we were walking I looked down and saw very clear tracks of what appeared to be a big cat.

I discovered that we were walking in the footsteps of a snow leopard which had walked the same path just a couple of hours before.

But how has our wildlife fared this summer? It seems insects have done well with plagues of ladybirds and flying ants.

Butterflies have had a good year too; 2009 will be remembered as the year of the painted lady with an estimated one billion visiting our shores as part of their extraordinary migration.

I've become a beekeeper since I last wrote and have one hive of honey bees.

I started a little late in the season, so may not get a honey crop this year, but learning how the colony works and looking after the hive is fascinating.

This is a busy time for wild bees too. Sometimes you may come across a bee that is so exhausted it is lying on the ground as if dead.

Sugar syrup will help revive it - place two tablespoons of sugar dissolved in one of water in a small container like an egg cup amongst their favourite flowers.

Everything we can do for these hard working pollinators will make a difference to their long term survival.

As for garden jobs, this is the month to think about planting any new lawn as its still warm and not too dry.

Keep it well watered and if you don't mow it too short you'll have just created a place to shelter insects and feed birds. That's a job worth doing!

Kate

For more information on wildlife gardening visit www.rspb.org.uk/hfw