A story I remember

I'm starting to think that I shall not get out birding every again.  Too cold, too much pain, too high a cost for fuel to get away anywhere.  However, here's a story, a true stor from when we could get out birding.

A few year ago, well, before 1995 anyway, Jan and I went a walk along the Coventry Canal from the Henry Street bridge down to the Cock and Bear bridge.  True to form (and of course being tue to the birdiung tradition), we went into the Cock and Bear for a beer or two.  Of course we wore our bins around our necks and we got a few strange looks.  Getting our drinks we sat agaisnt one wall and an old guy spoke and the conversation went pretty much like this: "Hello.  What are they for?" pointing at our bins.  "We've been birdwatching along the canal."  "Did you see anything?"  "Oh yes, quite a bit really."  "I bet you didn't see me favourite bird," he says.  "Well, that would depend on what bird that is wouldn't it."  "It's a tiny little bird, no bigger than your thumb nail.  It was all red and orange, blue and yellow and green.  It's a stinging nettle Jenny."  "Errr, no, we didn't see one but I have heard of them.  Their correct name is lesser philibuster.  They are usually seen a lot better when you've had a few beers."  "Yes, that's the one!  Did you see any?"  "Nope, I'm still sober so I wouldn't see one would I."  Then I heard all the others in the pub laughing ... not sure which of us they were laughing at;-)))