President Obama and House Sparrows

A chirpy male House Sparrow (actually photographed in Los Angeles!)

As like most of the planet, I watched President Obama's inauguration and came away from it feeling enthused, positive and hopeful for the future. For me, he reinforced the notion that if you have a vision, work hard and believe, then anything is possible. I hope that he will be good for the world, Lord knows he's got a tough job ahead of him. 

Aside from the war on terror issues, my main hope is that he makes move to vastly improve America's environmental record. The world needs to wake up to the fact that we are steadily killing the planet and ourselves. We have to turn things around.

My day was filled with soya hot chocolate, backyard football and a bit of work. Got a call from BBC Radio 4 this afternoon. They want to interview me for a programme that they are producing on the demise of the House Sparrow. So I will be recording that in early February either in Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens or somewhere in the depths of east London within the sound of the Bow Bells.

I also learnt from The One Show that I will be in Gateshead, near Newcastle in March for a few days to shoot a piece on the Red Kite reintroduction scheme that's going on up there. That will be great fun!

Meanwhile, I am sitting here listening to Snoop Doggy Dogg, contemplating getting up early in the morning and dragging myself to The Scrubs.......