Monday, July 30, 2007

The Moorhen - A Deplorable Development

I was eating a sandwich in a park conveniently close to Nigecorp HQ, sitting in a favourite spot near a water garden, moodily observing the depredations of the scavenging pigeons and squirrels all around, when I was shocked to see that a moorhen had joined them, and, with the help of its unfeasibly large feet, was outplaying the pigeons at their feral game, beating them to any scrap of 'food' going, even a hunk of bread from the hand of a deluded pigeon feeder (there's always one). What has got into the moorhen, once a shy and mannerly bird, a model citizen of the riverbank? Something is going on. It's only a matter of time before they've joined the unprepossessing ranks of the flying rats. Remember: you read it here first.

4 comments:

  1. Ah yes Nige, but I'm surprised you haven't noticed this before. At least a decade ago I looked on in horror as a moorhen launched a violent, relentless and, in the end, fatal attack on another, smaller bird on the pond in Kenwood Park, north London. Ghastly business, most upsetting. So I think the truth is they've always had it in em, this evil streak, and could soon be launching plans to take over the world. Perhaps it's not China, Iraq or Russia we have to fear after all. Who would have thought a small bird with unfeasibly large feet could prove such a threat?
    J Cheever Loophole

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  2. O my lord, Cheever - I'd no idea. Next you'll be telling me you've seen blue tits tearing each other limb from tiny limb. Things are worse than I thought in the bird kingdom...

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  3. I hate to disillusion you, but according to my new bird identification book (illustrated), it is/was a heron (grey). I think it is actually a twicher leg-pull. No matter which path you take (is it larger than a blackbird (which pre-supposes you can identify a blackbird), has it got webbed feet, is it rooting around in the shrubbery, ect ect), remorselessly, it leads you to page 43; the grey heron. Any other birds you've seen, please pass on particulars and I'll see if we can help.

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