Souq pigeons in a flap
By Bonnie James
THE captivating sight of hundreds of pigeons soaring into the sky from their favourite feeding ground in the Souq area could soon become a fond memory as construction work is set to begin there.The dawn-to-dusk gathering of the feathered friends, to feast on an abundant supply of grains from bird lovers, has been a a major attraction for several years.
The first warning sign that the pigeons would have to move from their original haunt came some weeks ago when the parking lot of the old mosque was cordoned off in preparation for building work.
Bird lovers were quick to shift the pigeons’ feeding ground to the adjacent open area, which is larger than the parking lot.
This open area, behind a row of buildings that were demolished some months ago as part of the ongoing development plans, is barricaded from three sides now.
Though vehicle traffic across the ground has been blocked, pedestrian movement is allowed for now, allowing people to deliver grain for the pigeons.
An expatriate, who was seen emptying a bag of grain on the ground at noon yesterday, said he used to do so whenever he came to the Souq area on business.
“Before leaving this area, I would buy some grain from a shop over there and give it to the pigeons. The sight of these birds rushing to peck at the grain warms my heart,” he said.
There are many individuals, some with their families, who visit the Souq area regularly to feed the pigeons.
“It is an enchanting scene to see the birds taking off when they sense some disturbance and return after some moments,” one such person recalled.
Though no official word could be obtained as to when construction would begin in the area, Gulf Times has learnt that it could be any day.
A bird lover expressed the hope that the authorities concerned would try to attract the pigeons to open ground near Souq Waqif, only a few hundred metres away.
“A big flock of these beautiful birds flying in and out of a busy commercial area is a welcome sight any day,” he added.
By Bonnie James
THE captivating sight of hundreds of pigeons soaring into the sky from their favourite feeding ground in the Souq area could soon become a fond memory as construction work is set to begin there.The dawn-to-dusk gathering of the feathered friends, to feast on an abundant supply of grains from bird lovers, has been a a major attraction for several years.
The first warning sign that the pigeons would have to move from their original haunt came some weeks ago when the parking lot of the old mosque was cordoned off in preparation for building work.
Bird lovers were quick to shift the pigeons’ feeding ground to the adjacent open area, which is larger than the parking lot.
This open area, behind a row of buildings that were demolished some months ago as part of the ongoing development plans, is barricaded from three sides now.
Though vehicle traffic across the ground has been blocked, pedestrian movement is allowed for now, allowing people to deliver grain for the pigeons.
An expatriate, who was seen emptying a bag of grain on the ground at noon yesterday, said he used to do so whenever he came to the Souq area on business.
“Before leaving this area, I would buy some grain from a shop over there and give it to the pigeons. The sight of these birds rushing to peck at the grain warms my heart,” he said.
There are many individuals, some with their families, who visit the Souq area regularly to feed the pigeons.
“It is an enchanting scene to see the birds taking off when they sense some disturbance and return after some moments,” one such person recalled.
Though no official word could be obtained as to when construction would begin in the area, Gulf Times has learnt that it could be any day.
A bird lover expressed the hope that the authorities concerned would try to attract the pigeons to open ground near Souq Waqif, only a few hundred metres away.
“A big flock of these beautiful birds flying in and out of a busy commercial area is a welcome sight any day,” he added.
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