Today I took a break in a London park for a quick snack, pidgeons immediately clocked me and came running up to try and snatch any crumbs they could find. Which kind of ruined the moment for me.

I had some rubbish in my pockets so before heading off I put it all in a paper bag, folded the top and put it in the bin. The state of Central London being what it is the bin was pristine and my rubbish went straight to the bottom.

I noticed a crow watching me as I did it and as soon as my back was turned it had hopped onto the bin. I happened to look back and when I did I saw that the crow was using it’s beak to lift up the plastic of the bin and then trapping the fold under it’s foot. With three pulls it had hoisted the paper bag into reach and grabbed it.

It then tore open the side of my bag with it’s beak and went through the contents.

They are pretty smart birds.

However then another crow hopped up and soon as it had the chance it snatch the bag and before long the bag had been torn apart and half eaten by all the crows and inediable rubbish was strewn across the park but jealously possessive crows who obviously would just have felt that it was more valuable if I had tried to retrieve it.