Stilly River Sage, I just got hold of copies of several of Botkin's books including the one you mention. I'll take a look through them. And yes I'm always getting wonderfully sidetracked. Finding kindred spirits is so great. My current exercise is the result of a sidetrack - some years ago now, and it's just for my own interest.   It was one of those lightbulb flashes that had me thinking - "Jimmy crack corn and I don't care, Master's gone away!" sounds so much like some of the crow-scaring songs.
Grackles - I'll get out my American bird book and get sidetracked there for a while. Thanks it all helps.