The portrayal of Swindon (is this what they think of us?)

[Dostoyevsky]

If Didcot power station is the elephant in the room on the eastern section of the trail, then Swindon is its westerly equivalent. Wiltshire's largest town struggles to shake off its image as a corpulent, corporate nowheresville, fed by the intravenous drips of the Great Western Railway and M4
Famous for producing trains and pneumatic blondes - Diana Dors, Melinda Messenger and Billie Piper - and having the most terrifying roundabout in the land, the massive sarsen chip on its shoulder is periodically polished every time there's one of those competitions for city status between the usual municipally desperate suspects. In 1999, the town council made one of its regular requests for an upgrade, only to be told by the Home Office that its bid was 'too materialistic'. As both rebuff and proof of the charge, Swindon did, however, win the competition to become the UK's first official twin town to Walt Disney World in Florida.

Taken from a book I am reading called The Wild Rover by Mike Parker, about walking.

[Reg Smeeton]

Taken from a book I am reading called The Wild Rover by Mike Parker, about walking.

I like walking...did Mr Parker mention any of the many interesting and varied walks available around the Borough of Swindon. Thought not....

[Dostoyevsky]

I enjoy walking too. Thought I struck lucky when I saw a BullFinch yesterday- which I identified on the RSPB website - red head and yellow wing flashing. Turns out there is 300, 000 of the buggers in these isles.

[Reg Smeeton]

I enjoy walking too. Thought I struck lucky when I saw a BullFinch yesterday- which I identified on the RSPB website - red head and yellow wing flashing. Turns out there is 300, 000 of the buggers in these isles.

It's a good job for our avian friends that the Sweaties voted no....the RSPB, does much to preserve the many scarce species that are still found in Scotland...and as a national charity most of the money comes from England.

Doesn't sound much like a bullfinch to me....they've got black heads.

[sonicyouth]

He probably meant goldfinch.

[Dostoyevsky]

The author continues:

More fittingly perhaps, Swindon's real twin town was revealed to be Slough, in Ricky Gervais's excruciating series The Office, when the decision is taken to consolidate both branches of the Wernham Hogg paper company in the same place. Both towns evoke exactly the right image of open-plan tedium, of designated parking space one-upmanship on grey industrial estates and instantly regrettable fumbles at the Christmas party.  It was some surprise therefore,  when the National Trust relocated their headquarters to Swindon in 2005. Not everyone was happy: one manager confided to the Financial Times that 'I can't think of anywhere worse.'

[jayohaitchenn]

Who fucking cares? It's one man's opinion and he is entitled to it.

[Dostoyevsky]

He probably meant goldfinch.

Indeed Sonic, my error.I could really get into this ornithological lark.Thought I saw a rarity and it turns out to be a common feathered friend.

[Reg Smeeton]

He probably meant goldfinch.

Seems a reasonable shout from the description and there are a lot around atm....usually see them in fair numbers mind, charms of goldfinches.

[Dostoyevsky]

Who fucking cares? It's one man's opinion and he is entitled to it.

Jeez, I can just picture you, kind of guy who says 'you looking at my bird?'. Calm your skin down

[ron dodgers]

we're a bit different ethnographically compared to Sluff - maybe he not been here m'dear

[ron dodgers]

Jeez, I can just picture you, kind of guy who says 'you looking at my bird?'. Calm your skin down

I looked at your bird - very tweety

[Reg Smeeton]

Indeed Sonic, my error.I could really get into this ornithological lark.Thought I saw a rarity and it turns out to be a common feathered friend.

Loads of skylarks about on the Downs this summer....no man should ever tire of the song of the lark.

Some fairly common birds are worth 10 minutes of any ones time....got to love watching and listening to goldfinches flitting around a patch of thistles or teasels.

[sonicyouth]

Loads of skylarks about on the Downs this summer....no man should ever tire of the song of the lark.

Some fairly common birds are worth 10 minutes of any ones time....got to love watching and listening to goldfinches flitting around a patch of thistles or teasels.

I'd like to see a woodlark, seen my fair share of skylarks (plenty up at Uffington) but the woodlark eludes me.

Any common bird is worth paying attention to, if only because we've no idea how common they will continue to be.

[Reg Smeeton]

I'd like to see a woodlark, seen my fair share of skylarks (plenty up at Uffington) but the woodlark eludes me.

Any common bird is worth paying attention to, if only because we've no idea how common they will continue to be.

Can't think I've ever knowingly seen a woodlark. I work on the basis of having a stock set of knowledge to identify birds by, then get excited if I see something which doesn't conform. The woody and sky look pretty similar, and the sky is a fairly plain Jane....until it hovers away into the heavens and sings.

So if I saw a woody, I might think it was a sky.  The woody sings from tree tops and has a distinctive song....sort of thing you might want to make a bit of an effrot to find as they're increasingly rare.