Quiet spaces for reflection and gentle feathered friends in Aberdeen

We went in search of the brown pigeon with string foot again this weekend and although we spotted him twice he was far too wary to come close enough for a rescue attempt. So instead we went to St Nicholas Kirk to say hello to the very friendly flock there where several birds were only too happy to model for the camera. Pigeons are just the sweetest animals and their colours are so pretty.

I’ve loved churchyards and cemeteries ever since I was a child. It’s not just the fascinating tombstones with untold stories of past lives to wonder about; it’s also the peace, the history of the old kirk and the established trees that make it a special place to spend time. We don’t have enough green space like this in Aberdeen city centre. Yes, we have several big parks but they’re not right in the centre like this. While Union Terrace Gardens is pleasant enough, its newness lacks the same quiet character and it can’t match the mature tree canopy of the kirk with its many shady spots to sit and watch the world and its pigeons go by.