Nightingales. In the final part of a series exploring the effect that birds have had on different people's lives, astrophysicist Hubert Reeves describes how a nightingale singing outside his window when he was very ill gave him the strength to carry on. Richard Mabey , Francesca Greenoak , Jim Flegg , Dee Doody and Geoff Sample also tell of the magical place this great songster has in their lives. Producer Rosie Boulton