We challenge our contributors to reply to ten devilishly probing questions about their London and we don’t take “Sorry Gov” for an answer. Everyone sitting in the hot seat they will face the same questions ranging from their favourite way to spend a day out in the capital to their most hated building on London’s skyline to find out what Londoners think about their city. The questions are the same but the answers vary wildly.

Lev Parikian is a writer, birdwatcher and conductor. He is the author of Into the Tangled Bank, longlisted for the Wainwright Prize, Light Rains Sometimes Fall, Why Do Birds Suddenly Disappear? and most recently Taking Flight – The Evolutionary Story of Life on the Wing. He lives in South London with his family, who are getting used to his increasing enthusiasm for nature. As a birdwatcher, his most prized sightings are a golden oriole in the Alpujarras and a black redstart at Dungeness Power Station

What’s your secret London tip?

Look up! So many buildings are more interesting above the ground floor. And as an avid birdwatcher, I’m always on the lookout for interesting things, whether it’s a peregrine perched on my local church tower in West Norwood or a flock of starlings swirling around above Trafalgar Square (albeit in far smaller numbers than was common in the 1970s when flocks ran to tens of thousands of birds).

One of the joys of London is its abundance of green spaces in a thriving metropolis. Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Regent’s Park, St. James’s Park and much much more. And birds even find a toehold where the man-made environment predominates. I once heard a black redstart – a rare bird which established a breeding foothold in the ruins of post-war London – singing as I came out of Waterstones on Piccadilly. The song was clearly audible over the rumble of traffic, so I looked up just in time to see it fly away from its perch on the roof of the Hotel Le Meridien.

What’s your secret London place?

Are there any secrets any more? We visited Venice last year, and before we went I googled ‘secret Venice’ – the bookshop ‘Acqua Alta’ turned up on every single one of the first ten sites that came up, so I think it’s safe to say the secret’s out. I feel sure the same thing applies to London. And whenever people share their own special secret places in London I feel horribly out of touch – I definitely don’t make the most of living in this great city.

That said, I do enjoy walking around my local cemetery in West Norwood. It’s one of the ‘Magnificent Seven’, and a place of peace and repose, as well as a trove of interesting graves. Mrs Beeton is buried there, as well as Hiram Maxim (inventor of the automatic machine gun), and C. W. Alcock, who created the F.A. Cup and organised the first Test match (at The Oval, London’s finest cricket ground).

What’s your biggest gripe about London?

Oh, I don’t know. People disregarding the needs of others, I suppose – so easy to do in a big city.

What’s your favourite building?

I’m extremely fond of my local art gallery, Dulwich Picture Gallery – although I usually forget there’s a special exhibition on until it’s too late. On a larger scale, I can always while away a happy hour or two at the Natural History Museum, whether exploring the wonders inside or examining the many imaginative features of the exterior.

What’s your most hated building?

The skyline of the City has been transformed in the last few decades, hasn’t it? And I must say I’m far from a fan of some of the more extravagant and visible skyscrapers.

What’s the best view in London?

I’m biased because it’s a five-minute walk from my house, but the view across London from Norwood Park is hard to beat. There it all is, laid out in front of you, and on a clear day you can see to Ally Pally and beyond.

What’s your personal London landmark?

Maybe not a landmark, but whenever I’m at Lord’s or The Oval I look out for the pied wagtails – the chirpiest, jauntiest little birds – that hang around on the outfield of both establishments.

What’s London’s best film, book or documentary?

Not ‘about’ London so much, but The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul by Douglas Adams, written when St Pancras station was still awaiting redevelopment, reimagines that extraordinary building quite wonderfully.

What’s your favourite restaurant?

For about 20 years now our go-to restaurant for celebrations and family occasions has been Chez Bruce in Wandsworth. We’ve never had a meal there that wasn’t at the very least excellent. The service is great, too – attentive without being obtrusive – and then there’s the legendary cheese board. It’s quite an achievement to keep such consistently high standards for so long.

How would you spend your ideal day off in London?

Breakfast at Brown and Green at Gipsy Hill station on my way to a morning’s birding at the London Wetland Centre in Barnes. Lunch at Brindisa in South Kensington, then an hour at the Natural History Museum and pop into John Sandoe Books for a browse. Dinner at Chez Bruce. And let’s say that my son (a jazz pianist) happens to be gigging nearby – that would top the whole thing off admirably.