Promoting observation, free range exploration, sense of place and citizen science, through the field notes of a naturalist.







Sunday 6 February 2011

There's a pretty polly



There's been talk of a ring necked parakeet in the Cwmbran area for some weeks and only a few days ago  I was told a bird had been regularly coming to roost in Oakfield Park, Llantarnam. This mornings rather damp visit to Cwmbran Boating Lake was in the hope of a wind blown seabird rather than a non-native. No wind blown kittiwakes amongst the usually crop of common wildfowl, but disturbed this parakeet that was ground feeding. This bird was very flighty and vocal moving between the tops of large trees before flying out of sight.



After an hour at the boating lake I moved on to Llandegfedd Reservoir. Conditions were so choppy that it was almost impossible to make out any wildfowl, although good numbers of gull were clearly visible. Green pool hide provided the best birding opportunities with small counts of wigeon and teal taking advantage of the calmer waters.

3 comments:

  1. Very interesting to see another Ring Necked Parakeet in South Wales. Any idea if this is an escaped pet like the one here in Swansea or is it a natural movement from the population down south?

    Adam @ My Life Outside

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  2. Not certain of its origin, but it's a fair distance from the main population stronghold in London although I understand birds have now reached Yorkshire.

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  3. Parakeets in Cwmbran????. Now Thats something you dont see everyday down in place like that. What i think is that they have escaped from a local pets at home for a bit a fresh air.

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