Baby pigeons in Tufnell Park

NATURE can be found in the most unlikely places in Camden. Snakes on the Heath, rats on the Underground and, as of last week, baby pigeons in potato plants in Tufnell Park.

Zoe Hung was delighted to find that two baby pigeons hatched on her balcony.

She had planted five pots of potatoes after she was left with many leftovers of the vegetables and wasn’t sure what to do with them.

Last month, she saw a pigeon had managed to break through the netting on her balcony and was often found sitting among the green leaves in one of her potato plants.

Ms Hung said: “Maybe three weeks ago, I found she laid one egg, after that I saw two eggs. Two pigeons would take turns sitting on the eggs and when I’d go out there they would fly away.”

The pigeon keeping the chicks warm

Last Monday though, Ms Hung feared the eggs had been eaten by a predator.

She said: “I thought something had eaten the egg shells. I saw some egg shell on the floor and I felt so sorry for the pigeons. When I came out to water my plants the pigeon was afraid and flew away. But then I saw there were two baby pigeons already coming out of the eggs.”

Now the parent pigeons are used to Ms Hung and don’t fly away when she’s out on the balcony. She has tried to feed the fluffy-winged offspring rice, bread and biscuits.

She said it was very good luck to have pigeons nesting outside her home and she was glad to have “such lovely things on her balcony”.

Ms Hung added: “I’m very happy because I think it’s lucky that pigeons are willing to lay their eggs on my balcony. I’m Asian, and under feng shui it’s good luck if birds live outside of your home.”