Did you know that some of our visiting summer birds engage in a form of cruise control and sleep while flying? Just one of the nuggets of information from readers following our piece last week on swallows, swifts and martins.

Prince Takamado, a cousin of Japanese Emperor Akihito and an outspoken advocate for less secrecy surrounding the royal family, died in a Tokyo hospital after collapsing on a squash court today. He was 47.