Hobbies / Books   (Gardening, walking, books, films, theatre etc.)

I still have my Observer's book from the 60's redtop, too.

Rio,
I'm not as keen as yourself, but do take a passing interest. A year or so ago, a couple mates, keen birders, claimed they spotted a sole peregrine over a period of a few weeks in the vicinity of Heinz and roosting on one of the factory signs up past Wincanton. I thought you might have seen it yourself over that way.

That area over the 'gant' is still good for birding as you know, but it was much better before the JJB and Robin Park was developed. eg, All them lappies buggered off to roost one summer to a single story factory roof in Wallgate!

My claim to fame was spotting a stray parakeet about ten years ago in the field behind the houses on Martland Mill Lane. It was around for few short weeks. I still stick to my guns even though often ridiculed when this tale gets and airing in the pub.

Of course, parakeets are two -a- penny where I was lucky enough to stay recently in Burleigh Heads, on the Queensland Gold Coast. Thousands swoop in at dusk from the hinterland to roost in a clump of coastal fir trees, just like sheppies used to in our cities.