The bird scene in London

London's best bird, seen on a side wall off the Essex Rd, N1

The birds of London are noisy – they have to be in order to hear each other above the traffic, the trains, the sirens and the ever present, but no one knows why, helicopters.

Among the noisiest, the most quarrelsome, are the crows and the ravens, large and black and almost impossible for a short sighted amateur to tell apart. One tip, if the black bird is smallish and making an agreeable sound, it is just that – a blackbird.

Of course, the most noticeable bird in London is the pigeon. This multicoloured bird, once un-amiably described as ‘a rat with wings’..is a joy to children and sedentary old people everywhere. The latter often feed them, leading to great numbers in one place. Then the children chase them with whoops of joy.

Sadly, pigeon shit is far from being guano, it is much disliked by motorists and owners of important buildings. That is why so many of them have spiked ribbons glued to window sills. The Royal Automobile Club even has a couple of imitation radio guided hawks that glide over its back garden to keep the pigeons away.

So far, I have not heard a turtle dove but will continue to hope.    After all, love is always in the air of London.