This is the very lovely, but otherwise totally normal-looking Place de Terreaux in Lyon, France. Nothing strange about it at all, right?

However if you turn on the “show labels” option on Google Maps, it looks a lot like Google have been trying to draw a gigantic GPS penis.

Is it possible that the map provider did this on purpose, as a way of identifying their map data (a Trap Street), or is this just a very happy-looking coincidence?

Thanks to Keir at Google Maps Mania.

“Flocking” is the term used to describe the collective motion of a number of creatures, and is best known as something that birds do together. So much so that the collective noun for birds is of course “flock”.

A group of birds are technically flocking even when they’re not flying. Here on Lewis and Clark Lake, Missouri, we can see a huge flock of geese just resting on the water.

While flocks of birds in themselves aren’t a rarity on Google Earth (just find any fishing boat), in the nearly 4 years since we last featured a “flock of birds in flight”, we haven’t seen that many other sightings of migratory birds travelling in their trademark “V” formations.

They are still occasionally seen however, as here in the Netherlands, and to be honest I feel there’s very little else quite so strikingly simple and pleasing to be seen anywhere on Google Earth.

Here’s another smaller flock flying near Toulouse, France.

Known as “echelons”, these amazing “V” formations are actually better described as “J” formations, because they’re much more likely to be unevenly balanced – as demonstrated in this absolutely stunning image captured over the fields of Arkansas.

These transitory sightings don’t hang around very long (they often disappear during in Google’s image updates), however the geese we posted in 2005 are still visible today, as is the incredible Feeding Frenzy off the coast of South Africa that we posted about in 2007.

Thanks to Eric Alberts and VGT.

With this week’s launch of Street View for New Zealand we thought it was time for a quick roundup of the best Street View sights we’ve posted on our Twitter page over the past week. We’ve found several things to see in New Zealand so far:

• The world’s largest Kiwi fruit is in New Zealand of course.

• Middle Earth’s Mount Doom (aka New Zealand’s Mount Ngauruhoe)

• Could this be the world’s largest dog and sheep?

• Looking into the crater of Mt Eden, Auckland.
• From our previous post on Zorbing in NZ, here’s some zorbuses on top of the hill:

Whilst elsewhere in the world we’ve seen:

• The Castlemaine XXXX Factory from the label is now on street view
• It’s alright mate, nobody’s watching you painting that wall
• Jimi Hendrix rocks Seattle
• After a slow morning taking pictures of Florida, the Google Driver skives off
• A caged Polar Bear on the streets of France
• The World’s largest baseball bat outside the Louisville Slugger Museum
• And finally, have you ever wondered what happens when the Street View car gets rained on? Well now you know!

If you’d like more sights like this, then subscribe to our twitter feed!

With the recent launch of Google Street View for Spain and Italy the locals have been debating whether or not they think it’s a great mapping tool, or an evil invasion of privacy.

This first guy loves Street View, and wants to give the passing car a great big hug. Awww.

In Italy there’s a whole family of Street View fans, all happily waving for the camera.

These guys can’t quite decide what to make of the Street View car, so much so they haven’t noticed the reversing car about to run them over.

However, this moped driver who is following the car is certainly not impressed.

Finally, these 7000 Spanish fisherman hate Street View so much they’ve organised a mass protest¹!

On the whole, it seems that the public are happy to welcome Google into their cities, but only time will tell how well the service is received as the inevitable privacy concern stories come to light.

As more and more street-level imagery keeps getting added, it’s time for another Friday Street View Roundup – and today’s theme is “Crime on Street View”!

8) Indecent Exposure

This woman’s dignity has been saved by a bit of face-blurring! Of course her nipples are exposed for all the world to see. Fail!

7) Antisocial Behaviour

These pesky kids are setting up a trip-wire between two bollards. The youth of today, eh? If only the Street View camera had captured the moment they tripped a passer-by…

6) Blocking the road

Five of Providence’s Police Force have blocked up this road for a bit of a pow-wow. How inconsiderate! Someone should give them a ticket.

5) Having a camera on the roof of your car

The French authorities obviously deemed the large camera on top of the car to be a suspicious device, and pulled the Google driver over for an investigation.

Move south down Rue de la Garde and you’ll experience a thrilling chase scene!

4) Grand Theft Auto

It’s one thing to steal a car, but propping that car up on six-foot stilts in your garden is probably unwise.

3) Grafitti

This the the work of Invader, whose Space Invader themed artworks can be spotted all over Paris. He’s even branched out into Oscar the Grouch artworks¹.

2) Taking Hostages?

Of course this could be any crime really, but if it requires an armed policeman hiding behind a car, you can expect whoever’s inside did more than steal some sweeties.

1) Alien Invasion

Presumably there can be no greater crime than invading our planet in little red UFOs?

All these Street View sightings were previously posted to our Twitter account – make sure you follow us for instant updates!