Having been subjected to these raucous birds, I thought I would inflict them on you as well, Dear Reader, though without the sound (which somewhat defeats the objective really, I will have to investigate video options for this blog (or my new web site if I ever get it up and running*) so you too can enjoy the delights of these birds calls (could you tell I was gritting my teeth as I wrote that?).
As mentioned yesterday (this is a bit like the summary at the beginning of a TV show – cutting down the need for as much actual content in the blog.. erm, I mean website), this now native parakeet should really be called a Rosy-necked Parakeet. The birds are sexually dimorphic**, with males having a black ring that extends from it’s breast to midway around it’s neck where it then changes to a rosy colour… hence the name.
The eagle eyed ones amongst you will have picked up on the term “native”, the UK not being well known for any parrots (with the exception of the Norwegian Blue***); there are now around 5000 birds that have made the UK their home, though not through migration but having descended from released captive birds. The UK is not the only country to be unfortunate (or fortunate depending on your view point) to have been colonised by released birds – the Netherland, suffer from the same problem – in fact their case is worse with around 10,000 birds now making their homes in the country.
I should really have completed all three day’s blogs, having set aside the time however with the new (old) TV sitting on the floor and a number of other pieces of electronic goods which I planned to connect up, it was just too much temptation. As soon s I had completed one blog I was off, having convinced myself that I’d “earnt” the break, but kidding myself that it would only take five minutes which obviously it didn’t. Suffice it to say, all the silver boxes are now connected and we seem to have been invaded by snakes behind the TV – that’s the only explanation I can give for the mass of intertwined cables. I was at least realistic when it came to how long that would take to sort out – well, more like I lost interest (typical man!)
*Actually the framework of the website is complete, I need to sort out some words and photos – which obviously I’m not short of. When it’s finished, you will be invited to the official launch party (it’ll be an online event, so you’ll have to supply drinks and nibbles yourself)
** I’ve explained this before, in part one, but to help pad out the blog a bit more I’ll repeat myself – sexual dimorphism is the term used when males and females of a species are not identical, whether this is due to colour, size, shape or any other property that might make them different.
***C’mon, you didn’t expect me to show a photograph of a parrot and not mention, inevitably, in some way the Parrot Sketch, which I surely don’t need to explain further (and don’t call me Shirley!).
Andrew Skelton: 
Leave a Reply