Helping lapwings

Talk to old boys on farms - you know the sort, the ones who've worked on the land for 50 years or so - and one of the things they'll tell you has changed most about the countryside is that the lapwings have gone.

This black-and-white bird has all but disappeared from big areas the country and much work is underway now to try and boost its numbers.

The RSPB Operation Lapwing 2007, an annual competition with £1000 prize money for the farmer who does the most to help them, is still open for entries.

Lapwings are beautiful birds but aren't that widely appreciated. While we're on the subject, though, here's a couple of useless facts for you. They get a mention in the Bible Leviticus 11:19 and Deuteronomy 14:18 and they pop up in no fewer than four Shakespeare plays.

You can also see video footage and listen to audio of them at this site.