Wonderful news Al - I like starlings - they have a beautiful song and a bad reputation... I get seranaded most mornings when I'm in the back room here on the computer. There's one whose calling space is on the roof directly above the window. It drives the cats mad to be able to hear this bird and not see it!

Rowan - I am indeed one of these people who look where I'm going, rather than at the floor. After my first trip to London, I had a terrible stiff neck because I spent so long looking up at buildings and trees. When I commented on the plane tree fruit looking like Christmas tree baubles, my walking companion said 'what trees?' - she hadn't been aware of anything other than shops and pavement.   As for sympathy - who needs it when I've seen kingfishers, lizards, bright green sheild bugs and handkerchief trees, buddliea growing out of gutters, the slow, sensual mating snails, tender moments between deer, gulls shagging like rabbits, rabbits shagging like... well, rabbits.... I like my world, it's full of amazing sights, bright jewel colours and secret feathered nests.

The tits are nice too.

LTS