Birds and Railway Stations

While waiting for trains on my way to and from work I often notice birds and each station seems to have its own characteristic species:

• Reading - pigeons
• Ascot - pied wagtails, carrion crows and gulls
• Frimley - magpies
• Farnborough North -  robins and Canada geese

The carrion crows and gulls at Ascot are apparently attracted by the dog-meat rendering establishment next to the station there.  The smell from this place used to attract so many birds that the owners used to play a tape of gull distress calls over a loud speaker in an attempt to scare them off.  However, this didn't seem very effective and I haven't heard the tape being played for quite a while now.

At Farnborough North I was once spattered with droppings by a flock of Canada geese flying up from the nearby lake.  Now, when I am there, I keep an eye open for low flying geese and move along the platform if it looks as if I am going to under their flight path.