At St. Stephen’s Green in Dublin, the lake is home to fish and birds, a peaceful retreat in the heart of the city. But when food appears, tranquility gives way to chaos.
 
It was a cloudy day in 2015, not long after I had arrived in Dublin. My first visit to the garden was overwhelming—so many people, so much movement. But then, a family began feeding a few birds, and suddenly, the entire scene shifted.
 
What started as a quiet moment quickly became a frenzy. Birds swooped in from every direction, some gliding over the water, others weaving between people’s legs, all desperate for a bite. The air filled with the flutter of wings, the sound of webbed feet slapping against wet ground, and the sheer excitement of the moment.
 
It was nature’s energy on full display—wild, hungry, and alive.