The Amazon and 3 parakeets did a flyover of the allotments this morning, but did not stop to feed. They came in from the opposite direction to Platt Fields (Withington direction), this is unusual, I wonder if they are searching round for food in a different area. They usually come in from Platt Fields, eat and head back, but not today.
Later 1 male and 1 ringless came down to the feeders.

2, Alex Park on island, 1pm (mobbing a sparrowhawk)

at least 4, Platt Fields Park, 2pm, 3 in sensory garden, 1 (poss 2) on island

2 R N Parakeets in Alexandra Park, 13.30 this afternoon

I saw the Amazon for first time today in Platt Fields Park, in an ash tree near the sensory garden with a pair of Parakeets which were feeding on ash seeds. The Amazon was asleep when I left it at 14.30.

A minimum of 5 (3m & 2f) and a maximum of 8 Parakeets at PFP 14.15-15.15 (one female popped out of a cavity).

A pair by the pond at Alexandra Park at 15.00 were later relocated on feeders across the road at Alexandra Park House, 28 Alexandra Road South (viewed from inside the Park).

-- Edited by Pete Hines at 18:58, 2008-12-28

2.30pm - 3pm 5 males, 2 ringless and the Amazon. Feeding and then basking in the sunshine and preening before heading off in the direction of Platt Fields. No sign of African Grey, but I'm looking out for it.

Debs,
I think your attitude is the right one, there has to be exceptions of course but birds are ment to be free. Keep up with the catering.
cheers
Mike

You know what, I've been asking myself that same question for some time now. When I first saw the Amazon and concluded that it was someones lost pet I immediately wanted to do all I could to reunite it with its owners. I can imagine somebody being very upset at not knowing how or where there bird is and at first I assumed (AMAZON - hot, Manchester - I don't think so) that it would not survive, and capture was its only chance.
However now it is a free living bird, doing what birds are meant to do and to be honest if it landed on my hand tomorrow I'm not sure that I could bring myself to catch it and hand it in (not even to Paul who sounds like a very nice chap!).
Although I love animals and end up with all manner of unwanted pets and strays, I am not really convinced about the whole pet thing. Birds in cages do not sit right with me and although I don't for one minute think that wild birds have it easy, I think that if it can survive outside and be free I'd let it. I know there are complications with ferral breeding populations, culls and other such issues and it can all get very difficult, but for now I am going to the allotment every 2 days to fill up 9 feeders so the hungry parakeets and parrot(s) can have a reliable source of food.

you should ask the parrot!

The African Grey is known to me and is leading me a merry dance have been trying to catch him now for over two weeks, thanks for the latest sighting he has moved from didsbury side of town over the last few days.

keep chasing parrots its my job you know great isn,t

As an afterthought it is obvious that the ringed necks escaped and can survive, and after the last few days of bad weather the Amazon and African grey can survive as well, what do we do leave them or catch them?

Keep birding

'Pat from Platt' tells me that the parakeets had two different parrots amongst them in the council compound at Platt Fields Park this afternoon, a grey one and a green one with a yellow face. An African Grey and the Amazon ?.

I think I have seen them around the buildings in Whitworth Park late on in the day..

Glad to hear that the Amazon and Junior are still about Debs.

6 over Parkfield Street, Rusholme this morning at 9.05am headed S to Platt Fields. On their course I'd say they'd come from Whitworth Park.

2.40pm The Amazon Parrot and 8 parakeets were already on the feeders when I arrived at the allotment. 4 males, 3 ringless one of whom was a juvenile (Junior is still around Rob). I couldn't tell about the 8th one as they were moving about too much. They left just before 3pm and flew off in the direction of Platt Fields. I haven't seen the Amazon for three weeks, nor the juvenile for a while either. It made my day

Tim
Your parakeets could be the group which left the allotment at 3.30pm (4 males, 2 ringless) and for the first time in months I did not see the Amazon. Very interesting thoughts about their instant silence. May be the birds which I looked for in the park on Thursday evening were there all the time, like you said, they can just disappear in to a tree.
Debs

Went to Platt Fields at 3.40 and found 4 birds - incl. 2 males in a Beech Tree on the Nico Dyke path. Settled down to keep an eye on them by a nearby tree. Much calling then a brief flurry of activity at about 3.50 as another bird called from the hedge at the side of the orchard then another behind me towards the keeper's house/compound area. At least 4 flew back into the Beech tree then all of a sudden at 4.00pm there was no more noise. But I couldn't see them in the foliage either. It was as if they had disappeared but I'm convinced they did not fly off. I stayed around till about 4.30 and there was no further sign and no other birds arrived or were elsewhere in the park. Still did not see the Amazon.

Here's a speculative thought - in their natural wild habitiat they live much closer to the equater where sundown is rapid so there is a need to roost very quickly unlike our birds which gradually die down and settle in for the night still making calls near dark.

a pair in Alex Park at 15.00 flew out south

3.10pm Amazon with 6 parakeets already on the feeders at allotment when I arrived. (4 male 2 female / ringless). Then ate apples for a while. A lot of calling and squawking amongst the group. I could hear another bird in the far distance calling back. 3.30 another 1 or 2 flew in. They all gathered and were generally hanging out (pre-roosting?)in a big horse chestnut tree and being very vocal for about 15 minutes.
8 parakeets and the Amazon all flew off together at 3.50pm heading in the direction of Platt Fields or even Alex Park. Got on my bike went straight to Platt Fields. Could not see or hear them. If they were making the same amount of noise as they were at the allotment I would have found them, but if they are quiet, even 8 and a big green parrot can just disappear into a tree and there are a lot of trees in Platt Fields!
p.s. my other half has just phone me as I am typing this and said the saw 3 or 4 flying out of Platt Fields at 8.45 this morning.

4.15 - 4.55pm after chasing imaginary Waxwings in Hulme having left work at the very earliest opportunity I rode around Whitworth Park and up and down Denmark Street till it was defintiely gone roosting time. Must have spent at least 25 mins in Whitworth Park. Unless they all shut up immediatley when the street lights go on (which I very much doubt) then they are not roosting either in WP or at the primary school.

Amazons can show red in the wing - a feature I completely forgot to look for when photographing Deb's bird last month.

I'll check my photos to see if I got a wing shot - but I don't think that I did.

This is a very very long shot but...during my second round of attempts to find the owner of the Amazon, I contacted the RSPCA again at the start of August. My contact details were given to the owner of a lost Alexandrine from Manchester. He got in touch with me thinking that the "parrot" which I had seen may be his lost bird??? Could the bird which Pete saw be another escaped pet which has tagged along with the ring necks? The Amazon has integrated so well with them I could easily see how other birds could join them.

There's something I completely forgot to add on the my last post. When the six parakeets were seen in flight, there was a parakeet clearly larger than the other five showing deep crimson/maroon patches on the upper forewings/shoulders. If this is Robs Alexandrine, posted 9th July, it's grown a tail and where has it been all this time ?. With views being poor and brief, it increases the impetus to find the communal roost site (in trees). Certainly worth giving the birds more scrutiny and it there would appear to be more than one group. Literature (Grimmett, Inskipp & Inskipp 1998) states that communal roosts of Alexandrines are 'usually not with other species'; maybe there is an exception with a lone individual ?. I've seen stacks of Alexandrines in India & Nepal over the years although the last time was ten years ago !

The nights are drawing in now. I visited Alex Park again today 16.05-16.20 and nothing. Will have to arrive earlier on a day off work.

Also of interest, the hornbeam in Chorlton Park, favoured by the Parakeets last autumn has not set seed this year, hence no Parakeets there.

-- Edited by Pete Hines at 20:19, 2008-11-04

That's very interesting. I have been wondering if maybe we have two main groups of 5 or 6 birds which link up at time but do different feeding circuits at other times. I often get 5 or 6 parakeets with the Amazon, but some times get groups of parakeets on their own and then a while later another group arrives (or some of the same ones return - I can't tell) with the Amazon. That's why I keep asking if the Amazon is with the parakeets which people see. There have only been a couple of occasions when I have had big groups of 8 or 9 parakeets all together and even when Rob and I had the big group last month, they did arrive in 2 batches.
Do we assume that they get together to roost? Do birds always roost in the same place or have several roosts? Will they definitely roost in trees or would they roost on buildings?
The African Grey is a bit of a bolt out of the blue. Paul Heaton did say that there were a number of escapes in Manchester when he posted on this thread in the summer, so maybe the parakeets have a big grey friend as well as a green one or may be the African Grey is in fact the Amazon. It would be really interesting to sit at the allotment from dawn until dusk and log all the comings and goings to the feeders. Maybe one day?

Maybe here's a clue ?. Alexandra Park, Whalley Range, today 16.10-16.18

6 Ring-necked Parakeets by the pond contained 3 adult males, the others I only saw in flight, no Amazon or African Grey. All flew in the direction of Whitworth Park at 16.18

Debs

No still not seen the Amazon

Pete

So presumably the bats I had yesterday in Platt Fields at sundwon were also Pipistrelle

2 days running I'm pretty sure the birds are no longer roosting in Platt Fields. When they flew off from Denmark Road it was already getting dark and they were moving in the worng direction.

I had a report from council worker 'Pat from Platt', late last night, that Parakeets roost together in tress within the works compound, arriving between 16.00-17.00, containing up to 11 Parakeets and an African Grey. So I went to check it out today:

15.45-17.-00 and nothing!
1 Gt/sp Woodpecker
1 Pipistrelle Bat

Tim was the Amazon parrot with this group?

A group of 5 eating some sort of crab apple in the grounds of Webster Primary School junction of Denmark Road and Lloyd St. Flew off W towards Hulme at 4.15pm. This is where I'd heard them early morning previously so it must be a stopping off first and last feeding station. None in Whitworth Park and none in Platt Fields a few minutes earlier. so where were the rest?

4 males, 2 female / ringless and the Amazon feeding at the allotment at about 4ish. 4 left together, followed by 2 about 5 minutes after and the Amazon stayed on its own and left after another 5 minutes. The all flew in the direction of Platt Fields - so I don't know where they ended up. Looks like if Rob wants to do a roost hunt and a count, we could do with getting mobile numbers and calling in when we see them go. I'll be honest I don't fancy walking through in the park on my own. They are visiting the allotment and leaving much earlier now that the days are shorter, 3pm - 4pm is quite usual.

Just spent the last hour through dusk until it got too dark and there was no sign of the Parakeets coming in to roost so they must be somewhere else. Other sightings on the Platt Fields thread

1 male at Platt Fields Park sensory garden at 14.00, very vocal and obliging.

Unless anthing unexpected happens, I should be at the allotment Sat pm and may well be able to come along to Platt Fields as the parakeets leave the allotment.

Can't do this Saturday, Sunday an outside chance...watch this space!

Saturday good for me to join in I can be there in seconds from my house. Unfortunately it's dark by the time I leave the office now

Hey Rob
We've got kayaks!
How's your paddling?
Debs

Nick Godden wrote:

---

We've often been to Platt Fields Park just before dark and they always roost on the island of the lake with the magpies. What does the roost hunt involve?, we'd be happy to help!

---

Hi Nick,

Whenever I've been they seem to have left the park at dusk - but maybe they are just looping around back to the island.

Would make life easier if they were.

I really only want to find the roost to try and get an accurate count, which won't be easy even if it is on the island unless we can train them to line up on one branch!

I'll take a look one night this week(end), if I know in advance when I'll post here and anyone who wants to can join me - satefy in numbers...!

---

less work, more birding, mr!!!

---

You obviously haven't met my boss!

We've often been to Platt Fields Park just before dark and they always roost on the island of the lake with the magpies. What does the roost hunt involve?, we'd be happy to help!

Rob Smallwood wrote:

---

I haven't forgotten about the roost hunt - just been busy recently - glad to see junior is still around...

---

less work, more birding, mr!!!

I haven't forgotten about the roost hunt - just been busy recently - glad to see junior is still around...

Allotment at 3pm Saw the juv parakeet (which I am assuming is one of this year's young) for the first time in several weeks. Very glad to see it as last time I saw it, it was on the evening when a group of parakeets were being chased by a sparrow hawk.
The Amazon also seems to have coped with last night's freeze and was eating sunflower seeds in its usual upside down fashion.
Saw the juv & 1 male, then 2 males & 2 female / ringless, then the Amazon with 1 male & 1 female / ringless. All were gone by 3.45pm

Rob
I'm up for joining in the roost hunt. I can give you a shout when they leave the allotment. Do you think they might be heading for Whitworth park area? Need to be very careful because some really bad stuff has happened there over the last few years.

Big event at Platt Fields Sat evening for Diwali light festival so I shall tell kids to keep eyes open when they're down there.
Rae

Thanks again for letting me back Debs.

Managed some better photos this time, but the real highlight is the spectacle itself, coupled with the reactions from some of your fellow allotment holders.

I suspect that these birds move to Platt Fields after they leave Debs feeding station, so anyone hoping to catch with them might want to try Platt Fields Park around 5:45 onwards.

I'd like to try and track where they go from there as I'm convinced that they roost nearer to the City Centre, and the roost site might be the easiest place to get a complete count, so if anyone fancies a concerted effort to track them one evening let me know.

Just in case you hadn't noticed...........................I'd like to introduce you to the Amazon which has joined the group of parakeets.
Last evening's (Wednesday 7th October) count was 3 males, 2 females / ringless and of course...the Amazon

Debs - I doubt Tony would have noticed the Amazon but I'll ask. I'll also keep a look out for it in the park. I did myself see a large green parrot quite different in build from the parakeets some 6 or 7 years ago before I started birding again. Wonder if it's been around for a while.

late sightings from yesterday: 2 over Horton Road at 8.30am then one heard at corner of Lloyd St/Denmark St in Moss Side. Then I crashed my bike into a pedestrain who stepped out in front of me and I forgot all about it!

Debs very kindly arranged for me to visit her private allotment this evening, and I was treated to a fantastic display.

First to visit were the Amazon ssp - I've not yet had a chance to check it out, but it's a brute of a bird compared to the Ring-necks with a lone Ring-necked.

Later, when work stopped on a neighbouring allotment we were treated to the full works, the Amazon, 5 Ring-necked Parakeets without rings, non of which looked like juveniles, having narrow pale borders to the primaries, and a staggering 5 males.

Debs is convinced (and given her knowledge of these birds I'd certainly not argue) that there is at least one other bird in the party, an obvious immature bird, suggesting a minimum population of 11 in the area, plus the rogue Amazon.

The birds are very confiding and gave fantastic views - unfortunately in my excitement I had my camera ISO settings all wrong so I have some very close but decidedly grainy pics of many of the birds.

I can't thank Debs enough - it was a great 2 hours suburban birding. The cake was pretty good too!

Tim,
It would be interesting to ask Tony if one of the 9 parakeets which he saw flying over looked a bit different. I've seen 8 parakeets and the Amazon flying together. The Amazon has a short tail, broader wings in flight and bigger in the body.
cheers Debs
I nipped to my allotment to fill the feeders on Sunday 5th Oct 9am (not my usual time) and saw the Amazon, 3 males and two females / ringless birds. I usually see them late afternoon / evenings after work.

Late sightings courtesy Tony Darby:

16 Sept 8.00am 3 flying E over Platt Fields lake

22 Sept 7.50am 9 flying ESE over church on Platt Lane towards Brighton Grove allotments/Birchfields Park

Platt Fields Park today 9.15am 3 birds - 2 hotly pursued by a probable Sparrowhawk - only got a glimpse as they called even more frantically than usual - 3rd bird a male calmly carrying on eating an apple in the orchard area. I was just 10 feet away from it but without bins.

4.15pm another visit by bike. At least 7 brids present - 3 in the orchard which flew E towards the allotments perhaps, at least one unseen bird calling on the island and then 3 birds in cherry trees in the former pet's corner - one of which was a female just above my head.