Guardians of London’s green havens

We have been visiting London since the mid-nineties and so our love for the ducks, swans, pigeons, and squirrels of London has grown over time. It was not easy as many Indians, like us, might shake their heads in dismay and say: “Forget pigeons and squirrels. They are a nuisance. And we have had too many mooing cows, barking dogs, and snorting bulls besides our own brand of quacks on footpaths to be comfortable with ducks. Swans? Well, we do not know many.”

Like most Indians, we too thought of squirrels and pigeons as arch villains of the potted plants on our balcony. Squirrels often entered our flat in Delhi to nibble our curtains and upholstery to cushion their hurriedly assembled shack which was not always outside the house. Most years we either had to successfully hunt and remove their shacks or watch their family pitter out and patter in every morning and evening like the real owners… and they always looked towards us as refugees who had been allowed to stay with them. Pigeons have also flown in through open windows and doors and have never been able to find their way out without smashing a few expensive knick-knacks. Most of us call them shit-bombers who somehow always found their target – the windshield of a moving car!

London upturns this Indian perspective and even those tourists for whom London is a touch-and-go affair, start loving swan whistles and snorts, squirrel squeaks, duck quacks and honks, and pigeon coos. There are plenty of reasons for this love. I remember our visit to Kensington Garden in one of our trips to London. We saw fat and happily prancing pigeons boldly hopping on to our laps, perching on our shoulders. Even squirrels are five times the size of their kin in India and the tamest in the world (it is believed that those in St James’s Park are the tamest of the lot in London) clamber up one’s shoulder and then down the outstretched hand to pick up the nuts on the palm! We had no reason but to spend an entire afternoon at the park, playing and photographing squirrels and pigeons. Swans, I am convinced, know intuitively when there is someone with a camera or a mobile and intends to click them. There were swans in the Walthamstow Wetlands and in some of the ponds in Becton parks that readily paired and posed for us and then paddled away when they thought we had clicked enough. I am sure they are intuitive posers! In comparison ducks are intuitive beggars… they will easily jump out of water, even from Thames, to come quacking loudly and literally besiege you if they sense they can extort food out of you. Ducks can be pushy, I must admit.

The parks in London are massive and most have one or more ponds within their perimeter. The Serpentine is in Hyde Park and is so large that it is often mistaken for a river. Long Water is the northern extension of the Serpentine and divides Hyde Park and Kensington Garden. Hanover Gate Pond and Clarence Bridge Pond are two better known ponds in Regent’s Park. St James’s Park Lake has two islands and has a lot of pelicans and swans. Hampstead Heath has many ponds, and a few are designated for swimming as well. As I have already mentioned whether you are near Battersea or in Clapham or in Richmond or even in East London, there are ponds in every borough of London. We meet friendly ducks and swans every morning as we go for our walk from Royal Albert Wharf to the Connaught Bridge… this river walk is as charming as any other in London as one has the University of East London on the right and beyond the river is the City Airport.

Ducks, swans, squirrels, and pigeons have a place in the history of London, and I was surprised to discover that quite a few stories and poems have featured these guardians of London’s green havens. Artists too are not far behind. Will talk about all this in the next article.
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Arvind Passey
Uploaded on 08 April 2025

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