A new visitor to our bird feeder

[tulip]

Monk parakeets are very hardy. They build big communal nests with each pair having their own "condo". They are considered a nuisance in many areas since they are loud and noisy. I find them alot of fun, however.

Most monk parakeets in the wild are not escapees anymore, but wild birds descended from escapees. So catching them and putting them in a cage would really not be fair.

I had a parrot (Senegal) for 10 years, but the ex got the little guy in the divorce. Parrots have so much personality. My ex-parrot was hatched domestically and hand-raised by the breeder with frequent visits by us. He's very affectionate. I wonder if he misses me. My ex is a very good bird person, though, so I'm sure he's in good hands.

This past weekend was great for birding. I saw a common loon (should be heading north by now), several great blue herons, a couple of red-bellied woodpeckers, and a few osprey. Oh, and a Northern Rough-Winged Swallow--first time I'd seen one of those. It was trying to build a nest where the fire dept connection goes into the side of my building, just a foot or two above the sidewalk.

If you want to keep track of your sightings, you can do so at ebird.com.

[short cut sally]

How cool is that? I've never seen a bird like that except for maybe the pet stores. Thanks for sharing that, and did you notice the male cardinal in the background?

[sbctwin]

Thank you CCNYC for those links. I never would have thought they could survive in a colder climate. I do wish some would visit my 'backyard feeders'.

[bmccasland]

... and did you notice the male cardinal in the background?

I was a bad birder and didn't see the Red Cardinal trying to get his portrait taken in the background. My eyes noticed the red thing, but the brain did not examine further to see it was a cardinal. Bad birder, bad bad birder.

I hang my head in shame

[mimitabby]

these parrots have moved into a park near my house too, way up here in Seattle. At first there were a couple that flew with the crows, but then they started their own tribe. Their voices are very distinctive as well as their coloration.


I love the way the cardinal showed up in the photo!!!

[GLC1968]

My mom has one - a rescue named Gabby. He's a riot...really funny, very creative, and his talking is a hoot! He bites me though. He does like my mom and my husband and will allow them to carry him around. He also enjoys tormenting the dogs!

They are ALL over the county where my parents live in FL. Thousands of them...in huge, noisy flocks. They all look freakishly the same...and I did a double take at the one on your feeder. He looks just like Gabby!

[7rider]

I was wondering if folks were going to comment on that cardinal sitting all hunkered down in the holly bush! Sometimes, we'll have more than a dozen in the backyard at one time.

They all look freakishly the same...and I did a double take at the one on your feeder. He looks just like Gabby!

I was wondering if there was any way to tell the males from the females, but I guess not...

Thanks for the ebird link. I'll have to sign up and start tracking our sightings there. Right now, I have a growing list written on some scrap paper at the desk. I sent ebird a sighting report, but my browser was not "Form enabled" and I ended up copying it and pasting it into an email. I think some of the data may be missing (I looked in my sent folder). Grrrr.....

[GLC1968]

I was wondering if there was any way to tell the males from the females, but I guess not...

My mom's vet couldn't even tell...hence the gender neutral name of Gabby. Of course, after 5 years, she's pretty sure he's a male since there's never been any signs of an egg.