Hey there Mister Blue

Another mostly miserable day, although it brightened a little in the afternoon. I was quite glad of the gloom, as there was nothing to distract me from the computer and I managed to get most of my last report completed. Just a few minor additions and a bit of proof-reading and it'll be ready to submit. 

While I was getting a cup of coffee I spotted two parakeets in the garden, the first time they've visited this winter. Mister Blue has been around for at least three years and has fathered at least two broods. The green one may well be one of his progeny - it doesn't appear to have developed a neck ring yet which suggests it's still a juvenile.

I have rather mixed feelings about parakeets. They are beautiful, intelligent birds, albeit a bit raucous. However, they're a menace to fruits growers, eating significant quantities of the developing buds in spring, and are in competition for nests sites with native hole-nesting species such as great spotted woodpecker and nuthatch. 

I gather Natural England are considering culling outlying populations to try and control their spread - I'm afraid it's likely to be a lost cause in the London area and much of south-east England where they are abundant.