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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment

UNCOVERED: Ruffling feathers on the allotment - The Untold Story

Common wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) perched on branch among leaves in tree.
‘At first, the pigeons came for a few brassicas … Then they came for the swedes, lettuce, kale and broccoli.’ Photograph: Arndt Sven-Erik/Arterra Picture Library/Alamy

Adrian Chiles has my sympathy when it comes to pigeons (I loathe pigeons. You wouldn’t believe what they do to my downpipe, 23 April). They are everywhere. I have had an allotment for more than 40 years. At first, the pigeons came for a few brassicas – so we netted them. Then they came for the swedes, lettuce, kale and broccoli – so we netted them. Then they came for the peas and beans – so we netted them. Now they are going for the currants and berries. I’m thinking of turning the allotment into a bowling green and buying shares in a company that makes netting.
Barry Norman
Drighlington, Leeds

• According to Simon Tisdall, tyrants like Donald Trump always fall (Opinion, 27 April). But there are plenty of dictators – the nastiest being Vladimir Putin – whose continuing reigns suggest Tisdall’s confidence is misplaced.
Lewis Corner
South Fremantle, Perth, Australia

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