Can Anyone Help ?

[pdm1]

" First shoots birds around a quarter of Canberra" (7) is the cryptic clue.

I'm reasonably confident that it is B_A_R_S but nothing seems to fit.

So either one of my letters is wrong, or the compiler has made a mistake, and perhaps it's eight letters or something.

Anyone out there got any ideas ? Thanks.

[maurice]

It's BRAIRDS --- the first shoots of corn;"birds" around "ra" (quarter of Canberra)!Found first in Bradford's under "shoots" --- worth buying if you don't have it already!

[pdm1]

Thanks Maurice - much appreciated. I need a better dictionary as you suggest !