Ring Necket Parakeets

[jamiewade94]

Yeh I know

[Adam Cheeseman]

When the Esher roost was at it's height (7,000-8,000) I used to get flocks of several hundred at a time going to and from roost over my house. The birds have now largely left Esher and have taken up residence between Staines and Wraysbury, the latter being the original large roost site.

I've been told of territorial parakeets beheading crows before, but the parakeets will do most damage to hole nester populations. If Willow Tit and Lesser Spots weren't hard enough to find before they certainly will be in the future. Greater Spots seem to be more able to cope with them for the time being though. I think the BTO's line at the moment is that there is no obvious connection between drops in particular species due to the presence of RNPs.

Considering how many there are in the southwest London/Berks/Surrey area now, it always surprises me when someone asks if it's possible that they could have seen a wild parrot, given that they are lurid green and one of the noisiest birds around.

Cheers,

Adam

[badgerwatcher]

Yes, shame about the call! Not the prettiest song.

[aeshna5]

If anyone didn't see it Bill Oddie was looking at these birds in Richmond Park last night on the TV + he is obviously a fan. It was interesting to see the GS Woodpecker on a branch happily going about its business below a RNP.

Adam- I'm very sceptical about the crow beheading!

[rlchew]

My regular site for RNPs is Northdown Park between Margate and Ramsgate (if I recall correctly without looking at a map) in Kent.



I also saw a few RNPs in Richmond Park when I went up there in the Autumn to photograph the Red Deer.

Richard

[GME]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

If anyone didn't see it Bill Oddie was looking at these birds in Richmond Park last night on the TV + he is obviously a fan. It was interesting to see the GS Woodpecker on a branch happily going about its business below a RNP.

Adam- I'm very sceptical about the crow beheading!

Yes, there didn't seem to be much in the way of conflict between them and any of the other birds. It was an interesting little report. We don't get any up this way though!

[kent marshman]

Originally Posted by jamiewade94

Hi all!

Has any body ever been lucky enough to see wild Ring Necked Parakeets? I saw some in London a few weeks ago:

hi everyone
theres been hundreds if not thousands
on the island of thanet in east kent for i would think at least 25 yrs David Attenbough made a film at northdown park in margate about them,their a pretty bird but just another import which shouldnt be here.

[ColonelBlimp]

In fact has there ever been an introduced species that has, on the whole, been good or had a neutral effect for the local biodiversity? I'm thinking possibly the blackbird in Australia being one of the major distributers of seeds but I'm not entirely sure about that.

[Adam Cheeseman]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

Adam- I'm very sceptical about the crow beheading!

Apparently it was a crow that got too near a RNP nest site and the pair attacked the bird. Didn't see it so I can't verify it.

Cheers,

Adam

[DUFFY]

There have been Ring Necked Parakeets (Rose Ringed Parakeets - 'Ring Neck' is a generic term) in Ramsgate for years now. I remember that there were a few there in King George IV park on the Eastcliff in the late 70's and early
80's. I think that it is a bit unfair to blame it all on Jimmy Hendrix though (for those who don't know there a bit of an urban legend attached to this). As far as their impact on the indiginous wildlife goes, I think that that 'the jury is still out'. I have never witnessed any direct confrontation but they are in such numbers now that they must have some effect especially as they eat buds and fruit. If they will eat the young walnuts from my neighbours tree they will probably eat quite a wide range of fruit etc.
Regarding the Blackbird in Australia, it is considered a pest in Eastern Australia and is a notifiable species in Western Australia where it is destroyed on site - see the website for The Department of Agriculture and Food os Western Australia. This is Turdus Merula they are talking about so when do we start to cull Collared Doves and Little Egrets?

Ray