Paul - can I just say that has to be the finest post I've ever read on Mudcat. I'm grinning like an idiot with a warm glow in my heart.

And guess what? Ross has a copy of Fakesong he's going to lend me; even after I turned down his generous donation of a melodeon earlier this evening - there are limits!

Now if anyone can tie in Mycology and Ornithology, that would make life complete!

Derek Gifford does a fine line Folk Song Orthithology; examples are found flocking, or dissimulating, with exaltations, murders, sieges, peeps, clatterings, parliaments, tidings etc. etc. of many species in evidence. There's sure to a thread around here somewhere - & I'm on with An Bunnan Bui / Yellow Bittern right now myself. Mushroom Folk is, I fear, another area altogether...