Monday 18 July 2011

Parakeets in the Papers!

Below is an article from Liverpool Daily Post from Friday (also in the Echo); now they're gettin' famous!

Exotic ring-necked parakeets spotted in gardens in South Liverpoolby John Sutton, Liverpool Daily Post
Jul 15 2011

FAMILIES in south Liverpool have been welcoming some exotic ring-necked parakeets to their gardens.
Numerous ring-necked Parakeets have been spotted perched in gardens near to Calderstones Park and Sefton Park and appear to have made the city their new home.
The bright green birds, which originate from India and are the UK’s only naturalised parrot, have colonised areas of London but have not been known to live in Liverpool.


Keen twitcher Ged Clarke and daughter Rachel, 13, spotted the bright birds in their garden on St Anne’s Grove, Aigburth.
Mr Clarke said: “The first time I saw them I couldn’t believe my eyes. We saw three in our garden – all enjoying themselves at our birdfeeders.
Rachel added: “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I looked out and saw the parakeets in my garden. I’m used to seeing some more unusual birds like woodpeckers and nuthatches, but nothing like this.
“They were eating a lot of the nuts from the birdfeeder, and weren’t a bit scared when a gang of magpies came and tried to frighten them away.”

Avian enthusiast Danny Foy, a student at University of Liverpool shared his knowledge about the brightly coloured birds.
He said:“The parakeets have been seen since the mid-winter period in a number of localities including Calderstones Park, Greenbank/Mossley Hill, Sefton Park, and Aigburth.
“They have been quick to establish with at least one family party being seen in the Greenbank area, and the Aigburth sighting of three individuals may well represent a second breeding pair.
“These birds are a really exciting addition to the local avifauna with their bright green plumage, bright greeny-yellow long tails, bright red bills, and loud powerful shrieks they really do stand out as something different to the untrained eye.”
There is a famous well established population in south-east England, mainly in London which consists of thousands of birds, but in the North West only a small population can be found near Blackpool.

Mr Foy added: “It is almost certain that our birds do not originate from the London population but have escaped from local captive collections.
“My personal explanation is that with the heavy snowfall during the winter some outdoor aviaries have collapsed and allowed a number of birds to escape and establish themselves.”

HAVE you seen a Parakeet or any other exotic birds in your garden? Call the Daily Post on 0151 472 2491.

17 comments:

Cal said...

Yeah, i saw these the other day walking my dog through sefton park, had to stop for about 40 minutes to admire their beauty, it was raining also which i found odd, as i was sure they would have been hiding being such exotic birds.

Anonymous said...

I saw 2 in Sefton Park yesterday.
They were behind the palm house, and seemed to be having a fight with a group of magpies.

Anonymous said...

I saw one today perched on a tree with a magpie. It was jut over from the cave in Sefton park. Very exotic looking, really brought a smile to my face.

Anonymous said...

Saw 4 yesterday round the back of the palm house nr the stream

Anonymous said...

two bright green noisy lovely parakeets spotted by sudley park aigburth december 2nd and 3rd 2014.

Sue said...

We regularly have Parakeets in our garden. I have not seen more than 2 at a time. Cant resist going outside to see them every time a hear there shrill noise.
Sue Aigburth Drive.

Unknown said...

Walking the dogs this morning when I heard a loud unfamiliar sound coming from above to my left. When I looked up there was a large flock of parakeets (more than 50) passing at great speed, very noisily, just a few feet over my head! Seemed very unusual on a frosty October morning with heavy dew on the ground and a long bank of fog over the River Mersey just near Otterspool Promenade.

Anonymous said...

spotted seven parakeets flying above north sudley road and flew into sudley park

Unknown said...

Sunday 1st of Nov walking along main path between the bandstand and the main lake in sefton park , heard alot of screetching , looking skywards seen parakeets of around 15 strong flying at differant levels chasing each other !

Unknown said...

I'm afraid I happened to release a full avarie of breeding parakeets as a three year old by accident in 1970s in bootle

Unknown said...

Spotted individual birds over last couple of years and put it down to optical illusion but sighted a group of 5 in trees outside my Lee Park home other day. They were shuttling between these trees and the small area of woodland adjacent to the old railway line (ralla) constantly being harassed by pigeons,magpies and crows. Absolutely beautiful birds and I'm astonished they have adapted to the chilly, wet Liverpool area. Mark, L25.

Unknown said...

Had 5 of these beautiful birds in my garden today in the sudley area L17

Unknown said...

Saw 2 in calderstones park by the lake

Anonymous said...

Two this afternoon in my garden off Cromptons Lane near to Calderstones Park

Unknown said...

6 in garden in Halewood today. There is a colony of approx 20 in Lee Park also

Unknown said...

Loads of parakeets in allerton priory everywhere o

Joeyray said...

I have seen up to ten birds flying over towards Gerard's lane of a morning coming from Woolton. Some evenings it appears the same flock flying back over towards Woolton