I’m afraid I enjoyed so much the disgraceful spectacle of the bird feeding frenzy a few days ago (see post for Thursday 14th May) that I thought I’d try it again. So, armed with some more stale bread I found a suitable spot, once again put the camera on the ground, lining it up in a direction where I thought I might get some good shots, and tossed a handful or crumbs a few feet in front of the lens.

Within seconds the birds were all there again (except the crow, sadly) only this time I was surprised to see there was considerably more inter-species cooperation going on than last time. After their appalling behaviour the other day, additionally resulting in none of them getting anything much to eat (go on, scroll down to the other story, it’s a good one) was I imagining there was a slight sense of embarrassment in the air? Who knows? –But for whatever reason, the levels of politeness were definitely higher.

Then some woman walks by and empties an entire box of Rice Krispies on the ground about twenty feet away. This resulted in my carefully constructed and baited shot being rendered null, as the whole lot of them flew off to this far more attractive looking banquet. I was not happy about this, and yet, I had to appreciate this was another new experience, something I couldn’t have dreamed of (though I should know better by now, dreams are always outstripped by the sheer absurdity of reality) leaving me wondering what else people will put out for the birds…

Furthermore, within a few seconds of my initial indignation, I realised I really wanted to know what the seagulls would make of a very dry mound of the aforementioned breakfast cereal. The fact is, Rice Krispies do look good – after all, they are created to be tempting to small people with the approximate mental age of a seagull. However as anyone knows who has ever been an intoxicated student returning from the pub to find that’s all there is in the house, and no milk (or chocolate to make those weird cakes with), you might just as well not bother. The seagulls were now finding this out for themselves.

As I left this new scene of avian disappointment, the pigeons had already returned to my comparatively meagre offering while the seagulls continued to stare at the golden mound, occasionally trying to pick up a few more fragile and insubstantial morsels with beaks far better designed to grasp fish with.