Last Friday morning as I walked the local towpath, I heard an unusual squawking call, but couldn't see anything likely to have produced it until a long-tailed bird, in silhouette, flew across some way away from me - it all happened too quickly for me to get a photo. We were then away for the weekend, but this morning I went for my usual walk with the dog, only to hear a similar call, which turned out to be the bird in the photo below. It was in the top of a huge black poplar beside the canal, still rather distant - so not a very clear photo I'm afraid - and although in the field I thought it looked too long for a ring-necked parakeet, it was certainly green, and when I got the photo up on the computer it appeared to have a 'ring-neck'.
I sent the photo to Mike Haigh, who confirmed my fears - a ring-necked parakeet. Thanks Mike!
We had heard that RNPs have spread as far as Birmingham, although we've only ever seen them in London. We're now hoping that although one or two individuals have been seen in the county over recent years, they're not going to decide to settle here any time soon.
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