Parakeet!

The first time I saw a wild parakeet in London was in Margravine cemetery on the way to work at Charing Cross hospital. I was so fascinated that I walked into a park bench!

It's fun to speculate on how such an exotic species came to thrive here. Theories include that the original pair escaped from an aviary during the 1987 hurricane; or were released by Jimi Hendrix in Carnaby Street in the 1960s; or (my favourite), that they came from Ealing Studios during the filming of The African Queen in 1951.

Today, Sidcup's pleasant Lamorbey park was full of the sound and sight of them - they are noisy, but also rather impressive. Wherever they came from, it doesn't look like they're going anywhere soon.

[Note: it was me walking - I'm unaware of any parrots employed at the hospital].