Monday 20 November 2023

A New Circle of Friends or One Reason I Write for Children by Joan Lennon

 


Pigeons. They weren't exactly news. But since I've been helping look after almost-2-year-old Arran, they have become a highlight of every visit to the park. We feed them bird seed and we go 'WOW!' a lot and we take our time and his pleasure quadruples my pleasure. Hanging out with kids does that. And writing for them is a special form of hanging out.



P.S. Pigeons DO NOT poop on your head. They don't poop when flying at all. This is because their legs are tucked in close to their bodies when flying and are over the cloaca, so if they DID poop while flying, they'd poop on themselves. Gulls - now that's a different story...

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4 comments:

Penny Dolan said...

Joan, love your circling pigeons! How wonderful to be able to see this through a child's eyes and excitement.

I am not such great friends with the growing flock of pigeons that gather on our roof ridge. Once there were two or three. Now there are many but where does this dozen or so roost and/or nest?

There must surely be some kind of Aesopian (?) life lesson in the fact that they cannot eat from the feeders themselves, but must wait for the little birds to fling unwanted seeds, carelessly, down on to the lawn. Though what it is, I have not decided.

Nick Garlick said...

My previous house stood next to small community garden. It had chickens and I helped look after them. Watching my granddaughters feed them whenever they visited was always an absolute delight.

Sue Purkiss said...

Lovely!

Joan Lennon said...

Thanks all! I've never looked closely at pigeons before and I swear no two are alike - their markings, I mean. I don't have much of an insight on pigeon personalities yet.