Parakeets in Scotland (2 Viewers)

[Gander]

I saw one last week when out walking round the Bevvie. If you have the tennis courts at your back, it was in the trees between the playpark and house on the bend, with the lions.

I think they are pretty much resident in the park now.

 

[paranoid numanoid]

Five in Kay Park, Kilmarnock last Sunday 16h30. Noisy and flying together over the pond and high in the trees around the children's play park. Have been hearing and seeing them over the Botanic Gardens in Glasgow's west end for about ten years. I lived in Shepperton in the 90's and 00's and they were wastefully and noisily stripping cherries off the trees in the garden on a regular basis. They were at nut feeders in Richmond Park, and from a big roost in Walton on Thames (opposite the Weir) they had spread along the Thames. Locals told me they had escaped from an aviary in Sunbury in the 70s.

 

[Whisky Nut]

Five in Kay Park, Kilmarnock last Sunday 16h30. Noisy and flying together over the pond and high in the trees around the children's play park. Have been hearing and seeing them over the Botanic Gardens in Glasgow's west end for about ten years. I lived in Shepperton in the 90's and 00's and they were wastefully and noisily stripping cherries off the trees in the garden on a regular basis. They were at nut feeders in Richmond Park, and from a big roost in Walton on Thames (opposite the Weir) they had spread along the Thames. Locals told me they had escaped from an aviary in Sunbury in the 70s.

Dear Paranoid. I moved up to Scotland from Walton on Thames last year. Have heard rumours of them being up here (living in D&G) yet too see. Used to have upto a dozen a day in the garden. The story of them having escaped from Shepperton studios seems plausible.

 

[delia todd]

Hi Whisky Nut and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators.

I used to live in Greenford and had an uncle in Walton-on-Thames. He was a film cameraman and often worked at Shepperton (Pinewood too). However, this was some time before the parakeets were known in the area and I'd moved up here before they'd spread. Another uncle at Feltham got them in his garden.

All things Scottish can be found here. Also, keep an eye on threads titled something like Scottish Bashes; we try to meet up occasionally and they're always great fun. You'd be most welcome to join us on another if you can manage.

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.

 

[paranoid numanoid]

Hi Whisky Nut and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators.

I used to live in Greenford and had an uncle in Walton-on-Thames. He was a film cameraman and often worked at Shepperton (Pinewood too). However, this was some time before the parakeets were known in the area and I'd moved up here before they'd spread. Another uncle at Feltham got them in his garden.

All things Scottish can be found here. Also, keep an eye on threads titled something like Scottish Bashes; we try to meet up occasionally and they're always great fun. You'd be most welcome to join us on another if you can manage.

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.

Small world, I used to live in Shaftesbury Avenue in Feltham ('87) and I later worked on Greenford Avenue at Brentside High School, Hanwell ('99)!! I'm pretty sure the parakeets were all along the Thames and seen occasionally almost everywhere.
I remember (I think) a YOC Bird Life article about them from the late 70s early 80s. The Sunbury aviary they may have escaped from has a lot to answer for!
I wonder if it's possible that the Scottish population has spread from London, or is it more likely they're new releases or accidental escapees from closer to home?

 

[delia todd]

Oh gosh!! Our house was on the other side of Perivale Park, backing onto it, near the tennis courts.

We had a gate in the back fence allowing us access to the park and could then, of course walk across the park to Ruislip Road. Small world indeed!

Sorry, I've no idea where the Glasgow parakeets have come from.

 

[Gander]

Sorry, I've no idea where the Glasgow parakeets have come from.

Probably fell off the back of a barra!

 

[LittleBitOfBreadNoCheese]

I was out looking for the ring-necked duck in Bingham's Pond, Glasgow today and bumped into a bloke who volunteers at RSPB Lochwinnoch. He was telling me a more reliable location for the parakeets in Glasgow is Dawsholm Park near Anniesland. That's a couple of miles north of Victoria Park - it might be that those seen in Victoria Park now and then are from a population resident in Dawsholm Park, as he was saying Victoria Park isn't as reliable a place to see them.

Small flock of very vocal parakeets just at the edge of the playing field at Dawsholm this morning. To say you can't miss them would be an understatement

 

[Gander]

Ring-necked Parakeet still at Beveridge Park. Just saw photo taken by a Kinghorn Loch Wildlife Group member.

 

[RoxyPIrithacus]

There has been a Rose-ringed (Ring-necked) Parakeet popping up in Kirkcaldy for a few years. Most sightings have been at Beveridge Park, so when reports of two parakeets at the park were made this week, I decided to have a go seeing them.
This morning, I headed out at six to beat the dog walkers. The park is only 5 minutes drive from my house, so I was soon parked up and heading for the area they had been reported in. There was no sign of the parakeets, but I knew I was in the right spot, as I had been told that they have an ongoing feud with a pair of magpies, and the magpies were very evident.

I hung around in the target area for 10 minutes or so, before deciding to broaden my search. I had hardly taken a a dozen steps though when I heard the distinctive call, and a parakeet flew into one of the trees adjacent to me. It perched for 30 seconds or so, but sadly I could only get blurry photos, as the camera refused to focus through the obscuring twigs around the bird.

When the bird took flight again, it headed at speed across the playing fields. On its way, it was joined by a second bird, but I was unable to confirm if it was another parakeet.

I know they are an invasive species, but I quite like the idea of having a few about.

I live in Kirkcaldy (near the park) and have a ring-necked parakeet coming into my garden every day at the moment. I heard it for the first time a couple of months ago but actually saw it for the first time just a few weeks ago. I haven’t seen two together yet though. It checks out all my feeders while it’s here and sits my apple or pear tree for around 10 minutes before flying off. Today it’s been in twice that I’ve noticed. It was interesting to read they might be establishing a colony in the park.

Not a great photo but here it is.

 

[RoxyPIrithacus]

There has been a Rose-ringed (Ring-necked) Parakeet popping up in Kirkcaldy for a few years. Most sightings have been at Beveridge Park, so when reports of two parakeets at the park were made this week, I decided to have a go seeing them.
This morning, I headed out at six to beat the dog walkers. The park is only 5 minutes drive from my house, so I was soon parked up and heading for the area they had been reported in. There was no sign of the parakeets, but I knew I was in the right spot, as I had been told that they have an ongoing feud with a pair of magpies, and the magpies were very evident.

I hung around in the target area for 10 minutes or so, before deciding to broaden my search. I had hardly taken a a dozen steps though when I heard the distinctive call, and a parakeet flew into one of the trees adjacent to me. It perched for 30 seconds or so, but sadly I could only get blurry photos, as the camera refused to focus through the obscuring twigs around the bird.

When the bird took flight again, it headed at speed across the playing fields. On its way, it was joined by a second bird, but I was unable to confirm if it was another parakeet.

I know they are an invasive species, but I quite like the idea of having a few about.

I live near the Beveridge Park and have had a ring-necked parakeet coming into my garden every day for the last few weeks. It checks out all my bird feeders and sits in an apple or pear tree for around 10 minutes before flying off. At first the other garden birds seemed wary of it but they don’t seem to mind it now. I haven’t seen two together yet though. Here it is - not a great photo but distinguishably a parakeet!

 

[JTweedie]

I haven’t seen two together yet though. Here it is - not a great photo but distinguishably a parakeet!

Initially I thought there was a second one diagonally down from the one you can see. Just above and left of the feeder. Is it just a bunch of leaves that look like a parakeet?

 

[RoxyPIrithacus]

Sadly no, it’s a bunch of leaves. It’s been back again today.

 

[Sophiesnan]

There has been a Rose-ringed (Ring-necked) Parakeet popping up in Kirkcaldy for a few years. Most sightings have been at Beveridge Park, so when reports of two parakeets at the park were made this week, I decided to have a go seeing them.
This morning, I headed out at six to beat the dog walkers. The park is only 5 minutes drive from my house, so I was soon parked up and heading for the area they had been reported in. There was no sign of the parakeets, but I knew I was in the right spot, as I had been told that they have an ongoing feud with a pair of magpies, and the magpies were very evident.

I hung around in the target area for 10 minutes or so, before deciding to broaden my search. I had hardly taken a a dozen steps though when I heard the distinctive call, and a parakeet flew into one of the trees adjacent to me. It perched for 30 seconds or so, but sadly I could only get blurry photos, as the camera refused to focus through the obscuring twigs around the bird.

When the bird took flight again, it headed at speed across the playing fields. On its way, it was joined by a second bird, but I was unable to confirm if it was another parakeet.

I know they are an invasive species, but I quite like the idea of having a few about.

Just had one in our garden yesterday, and we’re a 5 minute walk from Beveridge Park. Can only assume it was from there. It was competing with the jackdaws for the fatball feeder.

 

[Stonefaction]

Incidentally, one has turned up on the Isle of May today.

 

[JTweedie]

The birds seem to be spreading around now. Just read of a sighting of two birds in Burnside, just to the south of Rutherglen, and someone responded saying they saw one in nearby Cambuslang a week ago.

 

[Sp4rkR4t]

Just had a recording of a rose ringed parakeet in our back garden in Markinch, Fife today. I thought the raspberry pi had gone insane then I found this thread.

 

[delia todd]

Hi Sp and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators. All things Scottish can be found here. Also, keep an eye on threads titled something like Scottish Bashes; we try to meet up occasionally and they're always great fun. You'd be most welcome to join us on another if you can manage.

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.