It ceases to amaze me the applications the home computer has been put to. Now for all prospective ornithologists you can get Garden Birds, a bird spotting program.

The tape is to be used in conjunction with the RSGB bird book. The idea is to go out in the garden and throw some breadcrumbs on the path, then retire to the lounge window and wait for the birds to arrive. When you see a bird that you can't identify you then turn to the computer. It asks you if the bird you spotted is the same size as:

1. A sparrow
2. A blackbird, or
3. A pigeon

Once you have established one of these optons and have pressed the appropriate key, the screen clears and you are given several more options. This applies to the colour of the bird, let's say our bird is black and white and we press the key for that colour. You get a third set of options asking for more details such as the beak shape, etc. Once all the details have been entered, it then makes a guess at the bird you had seen.

Now, being a bit of a bird spotter myself, I gave it a try and gave all the details for a bullfinch and it told me I had seen a Chaffinch. Hmmmm. You see, it doesn't hold a Bullfinch in its memory.

In fact it only holds only sixty birds in memory - which is not a great many considering the number of species there are! When it does tell you the bird you have seen, it tells you which page you will find it on in the RSGB Bird book.

Personally, I think you would be better off spending your money on a RSGB Bird book which just lists all the birds - with illustrations!