Parakeets

[Common_Clay]

Does anyone else see great numbers of these?

I remember seeing a programme a while back, I think it was with Bill Oddie, filming parakeets sitting in trees surrounding a rugby pitch in South London, I think it was.
  Anyway, I'm in Harrow and often see pairs of them fly over the allotment, but more recently I've been seeing flocks of them in the back garden just before 8pm every day. The first flock that goes over normally consists of around 30 birds, and usually I see 3 or 4 flocks at five minute intervals, the numbers gradually declining. I'd love to know where they come from and where they're going! Sometimes I see them in the morning and afternoon too.

[Common_Clay]

[Robert_Brenchley]

They're living wild, obviously the descendants of escaped birds.

[prink13]

Parakeets are mostly found in the SE, from south London down to the coast - they are particularly prolific in and around where my parents live, Orpington, Kent

Some people see tham as beautiful birds, otheres as pests, as apparently they take over holes in trees where woodpeckers etc. are living, and eventually destroy the tree, and have to move on!?!  :o

Me, I think they are beautiful, slightly annoying at times, but they are here in great numbers, and there is little we can do about them now

Kathi

[Riffster]

Reporting Loads of them in the parky bits of the Kingston area.  I like them, but...
They remind me of what a green, flying, squawking mad rat might be like :-)

[nippie]

Aaawwww, I wish they would come and see me!

[Riffster]

Nippee,  where (ish ) are you.

I'll take some pictures next time they are in our apple trees. (Noisy B*&^ers) - no - no - I like them really :-)

Like I say loads in Surrey !

[Barnowl]

There's quite a flock round Barnes, SW London - are currently having a go at the neighbours plum tree.

[lorna]

Yes I have seen them in Chislehurst when visiting my sister-in-law and also in Erith when holidaying at my sisters. Quite a big flock.
Lorna.

[SMP1704]

We have a smallish flock in the Isleworth area.  I wonder if this is the Parakeet triangle - Harrow, Isleworth, Kingston ;D ;D

[debster]

oh i want to see them too i love biridies, having two budgies and a parrot and knowing how much mess and damage and how much they eat im kind of glad they are not near my garden lol  :D

[robkb]

I live in Plumstead, my lottie's in Eltham and in both places I see hundreds of these - in flocks, on their own, flying, perching in the trees... It's quite surreal to stand on the plot tending traditional British veg with flocks of tropical birds flying overhead! Mind you, with all the rain this year perhaps they think they're in the rainforest...

Cheers,
Rob ;)

[Obelixx]

There are flocks of these roaming wild in Brussels too - all descendants of escapees or released birds and very noisy.

[isbister]

The rtugby ground they used to roost at was Esher RFC (actually in Molesey) Esher RFC called themselves the parakeets. Apparently in winter if a match coincided with the birds returing to roost it was difficult to hear the ref's whistle. I read in our local paper that the birds have recently upped sticks and gone to roost in a new home several miles away in Stanwell. No one knows why.

[Trixiebelle]

My friend has them in his garden in NE London.

Do they not venture 'oooop North' then?

[ipt8]

We see them in the Dorking, Westcott area of Surrey. They are Indian Ringneck Parakeets, the normal green variety. Once sat in a garden centre car park near Dorking watching them eat the young buds off an ash tree.

[Mrs Ava]

They don't come to Essex!  I fear I am opening myself up for lots of Essex girl/boy jokes.  :-\