Stuck with a cheesy word, but quirky birds are a stirring sight

Stuart discusses the ibis, with the reemergence of the glossy bird in UK breeding grounds a source of huge delight

- STUART WINTER

C OLLECTIVE nouns can be so cruel to birds. Crows are defamed as murderers and ravens are pilloried for their unkindness.

Lapwings are decried for being deceitful and why an assembly of nuthatches is called a booby boggles the mind.

My frustrations about names for flocking birds came to a head last week while exploring the correct way to describe the stirring sight of ibises on the wing.

The approved term is a 'wedge' but this brings to mind cheese, golf clubs, doorstops or Del Boy's back pocket cash reserves. No wonder I was left concluding collective nouns are a load of ... you can fill in the gap.