Imagine, if you will, a love story. You know, boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets on with life, boy meets girl again. So far so Mills and Boon. Make it autobiographical, about a bearded gooner (bless!) with a history in comedy and add birds. Not that sort! The feathered variety.

Starting with those years at Cambridge, trying to lose that millstone around the neck that all teenage boys suffer from, Rory narrates his relationships with humour, at first, the bird references seeming unrelated. Then he meets JJ. Up to this point, Rory's experiences with birds came from the hours he spent sketching them from a reference book. With JJ, birds suddenly come to life, as they both learn, identify and experience the magic of birds for the first time. Love grows, as does their knowledge of the feathered creatures at most of their encounters.

Of course, he'll lose her. Got to happen hasn't it?

Part two of the book is a grown-up Rory, with his partner, Tori. Have to use grown-up – did you see Rory and Paddy on Wednesday? Mature would have been the wrong word to use.

Anyway, grown up Rory and Tori start the long road from country walkers, to watchers, to birders. They visit Titchwell, see the magic of a new species, experience hide etiquette and acquire a scope. Many of us have been there. He even ropes in a hard drinking and smoking friend.

I shan't spoil the ending. But I definitely recommend reading this book. Like me, you'll find so much that makes you think “I've done that”.

Now to find a copy of “How to be a bad birdwatcher”.....