EACH day at the crack of dawn a flock of pigeons perch on electric wires spanning utility poles on Barbican Road, St Andrew, across from Irie Hardware, a mere 20 feet from the intersection with Birdsucker Lane.

At approximately 6:00 am, after David Russell, who works at Irie, is done sweeping the sidewalk, he sits on the steps in front of the adjacent shop, opens a bag, and the pigeons swoop down, their anticipation turned into joy as they start feasting on the feed Russell scatters generously around him.

“I have been feeding them for more than two years,” Russell told the Jamaica Observer.

Why?

“I just love birds,” he replied. “I raise Barbary doves at home.”

Home is in Greenwich Farm, a gritty neighbourhood about five miles south of Barbican.

Russell said he has been raising birds for the past 30 years, having switched from shooting them for sport.

He said he buys feed for the pigeons every day, noting that when he started the early morning ritual there was only one bird at the spot. Now, the number has grown to more than 50.

His friends and co-workers take great pleasure watching him feed the pigeons, some of which eat directly from his hands.

Their joy, though, pales in comparison to Russell’s delight, obvious from the ear-to-ear smile on his face as he feeds the pigeons.