Let's talk storks.

Prehistoric icons.

Taking a long walk in a large, pretty park in the centre of Amsterdam recently, I came across a closed-off area surrounded by a moat and a locked gate. Beyond, a tall pillar topped with a wide, messy nest of branches and sticks.

On the nest, a white stork.

Excuse the phone photo. You can see it on the left of the tree. If you squint.

The white stork is a b…