Strictly For the Birds

I am in Sète at the moment on a short writing break, attempting to make headway on my next novel. But I am not alone, for I have visitors who drop in from time to time to our balcony. They are the pigeons; a feature of town life which I am not used to. B. does not want to encourage them, for they soil the tiles, and of course he is quite right. They do leave an unsightly mess in our absence. But there are hundreds of them here, encouraged to roost in this avenue by the many plane trees that line both sides of the road. Walk up the street, and they will be at your feet, cooing and clucking gently. In summer they congregate around the edge of the playing fountains in Place Stalingrad, to drink, and keep cool. Scavengers! Urban rats! they are sometimes called; But has anyone ever stopped to look at these birds? They are truly beautiful, with their enormous variety of markings. Regard the plainest of all, with their ordinary grey feathers, and you will see that their necks shine with a luminescent pink and emerald green . Yes, pigeons are truly gentle and beautiful birds.

Perhaps B. is right. we should chase these pigeons from the balcony. But yesterday my day was cheered by a very special visitor: the collared dove. It came to drink the water that overflows from our heat pump. It is such a gentle bird, smaller and more delicately coloured, and its cooing reminds me of Africa. Collared dove...you will always be welcome. Drop in and see me any time.

You might imagine that the collared dove is more timid than his cousins. Not a bit of it, for B. has found a way of keeping the pigeons at bay . Look at it closely, and you will realise that it is only two dimensional and made of plastic. But as it flaps about in the wind, it looks like a fierce raptor, and the pigeons now give it a wide berth. Not so the dowty collared dove. You've got to admire her!