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VIOLET BUDGERIGARS,” SAID the expert, “are extremely popular with total beginners.” “Eh?” I said. “I could look at a nice violet all day. Especially if it’s a double factor.” “My point exactly,” he said. “They’re obvious. Easy to admire for people who don’t know a lot.” “Thanks for pointing that out,” I said. “So the deal is that when you start looking at budgerigars, it’s the bold colours that grab you, but as you become more expert, you start getting into those really faded-looking things.” “I hope you’re not talking about my spangle grey greens,” he said stiffly. “Oh, them,” I said. “Do they come into colour after the moult?” Soon the subject had to be changed. I’m afraid my taste in budgies hasn’t grown much more expert since then, though we live in hope. I do like a well-marked yellowface. But when it comes to obvious class I find it hard to beat a quality grey. It’s the way their cool elegance stands out on the show bench among all the warm, vivid hues of the other colours. And OK, I know it’s a bit different, but at last year’s Club Show I was really grabbed by a slate cock bird that didn’t even have an exhibitor label on the cage. Anyway, says Fred Wright (an expert, though not the one mentioned above), it’s OK to praise greys, both for their looks and their utility as outcrosses. Fred talks us through this lovely colour on page 16. Spangle grey greens? Fred hasn’t got round to writing about those yet, but hopefully my beginner’s taste will have caught up by the time he does. ■ Don’t miss our articles this week on two fantastic* Asian species: the Himalayan monal (page 11) and white-crested laughing thrush (page 12). Anyone who’s kept either species has my envy. I wonder if any reader out there can claim to have kept both? Have a great week with your birds! * According to my taste, anyway.