Parakeets

[sunny-dave]

Was enjoying/enduring a visit to relatives in Sarf Lunnon this weekend.

Heard some loud squawking and was astonished to see/hear a flock of parakeets arriving to roost in the garden - quite an amazing sight for suburban Britain.

I knew there was the odd one around, but this was a flock of 20 or 30 beautiful, bright green birds.

Quite a treat - albeit a noisy one.

[dunnitall]

Yes I bet it was noisy lol, would like to have seen a flock of them though. I've seen a couple in the wild, they must be hardy though if we have bad winters though.

[ladybirder]

Dave where have you been for the last 20 years or so. They're everywhere in SL and surrounds, especially Surrey.

[tonyav]

You wouldn't think that our climate is warm enough for them to breed in the wild, Dave.

[shoota]

Dave - there are zillions of the blighters. They have reached plague status round here and are a real nuisance; they chase off songbirds, destroy feeders, cause terrible noise nuisance and destroy the growing tips of tree branches.
Kew Gardens absolutely hate them.

[sunny-dave]

I rarely venture South of St Albans ... it's terra incognita to me, especially South of the River.

[retrocop]

Local scuttlebut says they escaped from Chessington zoo about 50yrs ago and colonised in nearby Belmont.Surrey.Occasionally a squadron will do a flypast over my house in Cheam.Pretty but noisy.

[seekeerz]

Can I just ask .... Does anyone know which parakeet ? We've lots down here but if they're escapees, they seem to be doing ok !

[shoota]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingston_parakeets

[EcclesCake]

Here's a bit of background Seekerz http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingston_parakeets

[retrocop]

They don't stay long enough for me to ask them.They always seem to be in a hurry when in flight like the Schneider trophy.

[seekeerz]

Thanks guys, at least they're not Ozzies disgracing themselves !

[redman41]

They are well established in the south of England now Dave.
See them every time we go to London, but they are slowly displacing some of our native species

[Chipchopper]

I remember on one occasion a few years back, I saw a horse chestnut tree in full leaf in the depths of winter, I closed my eyes in disbelief and opened them again and yes, you got it.......a huge flock of ring neck parakeets perched among the branches.