Parakeets

[tamborine]

10 flew into plum tree. Do they survive free?

[ummmm]

Is this a riddle?

[tonyav]

?

[shoota]

Oh yes!!! They are spreading like wildfire - there have been several posts on here about them if you do a search.
We have 'em all over round here and a right pest they are...

[Anngel123]

There are quite a few around London....

[B00]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/3869815.stm

[Mosaic]

Bless them, they cheer me up no end. Such a distinctive chatter.

[tamborine]

I havent seen them loose by the Thames. What do they eat

[tonyav]

What do they taste like ?

[shoota]

They eat my nuts and Kew Gardens tree shoots

[gsr600]

Yes, theres a flock of then around the Sidcup/Bexley area (my area)
often heard screeching flying above my home.
I owned a Ringnet Parakeet in the late 1980s - bloomin noisy things they are.
I didn't let it escape though.

[Mosaic]

They probably taste like chicken - take lot to make a pie though.
oh tony, your poor nuts.

[Mosaic]

Sorry - shoota's nuts got nibbled...

[tonyav]

LOL @ mosaic.

[divegirl]

I have a recipe Tony....would you like it? It's similar to the one I use for parrot ;0)

Lisa x

[tonyav]

Oh gawd.

[Mosaic]

Budgerigar = aboriginal dialect 'betcherry' (good) and 'gar' (bird). They were referring to taste when they said it was good....budgie on a stick being an outback snack back int' day.

[EcclesCake]

There are many, many flocks around South West London and have been for quite a few years.

[rowanwitch]

loads along the Thames in the Richmond area..in fact london is infested with the noisy but amusing things

[ladybirder]

Regarded as pests by many in SW London, my son included.

[shoota]

Their beaks are so strong they can demolish even wire feeders to get at the contents, we now have ones with an outer cage so only small birds can get through. The are aggressive towards the small birds as well and the screech is unbelievably obtrusive.
They cause inestimable damage in Kew Gardens because they also eat the growing shoots and buds on all the trees and stop them developing.
Fortunately we seem to have won a Peregrine falcon and I havn't seen as many recently.
But one is too many!