Manchesters Paraqueets

[alanp]

Made a visit to Martin Mere where I was able to locate the Great Grey Shrike, it was a distant view but more than happy to tick it off my year list. while there met Rob Smallwoods sister Ann and she was telling me more about the Ring Necked paraquuets in Chorlton Park ( not the Water Park)

So My wife drove back via Manchester and arrived at the Park to be met by Rob himself, his sister had rung him up to tell him to look out for us so he was able to put us onto 4 of the 8 birds, We had amazing views of them as they are not disturbed even by 2 small boys climbing the base of the Hornbeam they were in.At one point they were no more than 10 foot from my head. They were very content feeding on the Hornbeam seeds and must have watched them for over half an hour, and they were still feeding hapily as we left.

A lot of locals asked what we were watching and were amazed to see them through my binoculars. It is well worth a vist as they are showing a lot better than when they were in Birchfield Park earlier in the year, assuming they are the same birds.

[Rob Smallwood]

As Alan says - very showy at present..but light very autumnal on a dull Manchester afternoon.

[Geoff Pain]

Are these here fairly regularly? if so I may have to have a trip over.

[Rob Smallwood]

They've been around this park for a couple of weeks - it is probably the family party from nearby Rusholme.

There is a lot of food in this park, apples, crab apples, ornamental cherry, hornbeam etc - and they have become very tolerant of the dog walkers etc.

I'd say they'll be around for a bit yet.

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=382198&y=393307&z=1&sv=382198,393307&st=4&ar=Y&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf

Only about 10 mins from my work so if you are planning to come over I'll gladly check they are still around.

[Surreybirder]

When I still had relations living in Manchester, perhaps 10 years ago, there were rumours of rnps in Southern Cemetery but I never managed to connect with them. I wonder if the Chorlton Park ones are descendents! Almost 50 years ago I used to go to school in Chorlton Park!
Ken

[Rob Smallwood]

There were R-n P's in Southern Cemetery (P. Hines - pers obs) but we are pretty certain that they, along with the Platt Fields population died out.

Unfortunately much of the historical data on Gtr Mcr R-n''s was accidentally destroyed.

This group is almost certainly part of a group that have been breeding in the Birchfields Park area of Rusholme for the last 2 - 3 years.