Rose-ringed parakeets (1 Viewer)

[CharleyBird]

Sunset today, about 17.30 in Highams Park, saw a flock of over 90 rose-ringed parakeets.
Seriously, they weren't starlings or crows. Could hardly believe it. Happened to be talking to another birder from Cheshire who was enjoying seeing a few close up (possibly for the first time) when they flew off to join the flock circling above.

 

[Steve_Halstead]

Wow!

 

[Viv Connett]

There are several about, the Stiffords hold several which can be seen at Rainham as well

 

[JamesA]

Not just the Stiffords, they're all over this area in small numbers, but they're hardly rare. As you say, Rainham's a good bet: they fly over the reserve at dawn and dusk to and from a roost in Kent. Purfleet, Orsett, Orsett Fen, Corbets Tey and often the Ingrebourne Valley are also likely spots.

 

[The sniper]

The birds around Upminster,Rainham,Stifford etc roost at Bexley.
Or at least they did,whether they have established a roost this side of the water I don't know but I know they came from Bexley
I think they follow the ingrebourne from the Thames as I usually see them around the areas travelling north/South depending on time of day.

 

[Boro Birder]

I was visiting London earlier this month and Hyde park/Kensington park was full of them but only in small flocks of around 10-25 birds but all together would of amounted to more than 300 birds surely, they have bred locally here on Teeside for around the past 7 yrs to my best knowledge and have even been spotted as fas as Northumberland.

 

[JamesA]

Rob - I'd not be surprised if there's a roost around Orsett. Regularly see them near Fen Lane/Orsett House when it's all but dark.

 

[Steve_Halstead]

Whilst teacher training in reading I would pop to windsor and there in a tree they would cackle and shout at people. It used to annoy people immeasurably and just for that I loved them.

 

[The sniper]

You may be right James,I know the birds locally to me went back to Kent or at least that's what I understood to be the case a few years back.Wouldnt surprise me one bit if they were starting to set up roosts this side of Thames

 

[auchinbowie]

You may be right James,I know the birds locally to me went back to Kent or at least that's what I understood to be the case a few years back.Wouldnt surprise me one bit if they were starting to set up roosts this side of Thames

I am old enough to remember cycling to see a rare new species which had just arrived in Yorkshire. I guess it was 1959 and the species was Collared Dove. It seemed to spread at between 50 and 100 miles/year. This was, of course a natural population explosion.

I had expected the Rose-ringed Parakeet distribution to follow a similar pattern. Thus far it has not done so. Large flocks quickly developed around Esher Rugby Club and Richmond Park and it is a common garden bird for my daughter in East Kent. When I first saw one in Essex (Witham 2005), I had expected it to be common by now. This is not so. They appear to be restricted to the GLC area and Thames corridor. Like many southerners they do not like to go north of the Watford Gap. It would be interesting to know why this is so.

This failure to spread may be their salvation. The pressure to cull the species seems to have evaporated.