Doves, pigeons and rats

The Swedish language does not differentiate between doves and pigeons, both are called "duva" so one needs to say whether it is a city dove, meaning pigeon, or a forrest one, still meaning pigeon, but a nice one.

I don't know about you, but I associate London with pigeons thanks to Mary Poppins, and am therefore more forgivingly inclined to the London pigeons then say, to Swedish ones. Because face it, pigeons are rats. Albeit with wings, but rats they are. So, even if I really like Mary Poppins, to feed pigeons and think this is nice and quaint... I always did find that..rather funny..

Passing St James park, I saw the funniest scene. A boy of about eight was happily feeding about three pigeons, while his parents were fondly filming this scene of bonding between man and beast. Watching this, my opinion swayed ever so slightly in favour of pigeons.. but once I had passed I heard screaming that sounded as if somebody was attacked. I turned around, and saw a radically different scene than the one I witnessed just moments ago. A big flock of pigeons had arrived and not only was the poor boy covered had to toe in pigeons, they also seemed to be quite dissatisfied with his supply of food and were picking at him quite ferociously. I am not sure, but I think that Alfred Hitchcock and a little budgie somewhere not too far away were laughing. I am NOT trying to say that the pigeons then took of with the boy, as I walked on and did not watch the carnage, but I don't think that it is altogether impossible.

When I passed later, the pigeons were washing their (bloody) feet in the Sepentine...