I photographed these kissing parakeets, perhaps in trothplight, hogging the limelight in Walsall Arboretum last Spring! They’re easy to identify even before you see them as they have a very distinctive call, very different to our native birds, particularly in flight….

Ring necked parakeets are now commonly seen in the wild in the South East, but they’re making their way North to many areas of Britain. According to the RSPB these flamboyant birds became established in the 1970s, having been released or escaped from captivity. Current thinking, based on the number of breeding pairs, is that despite some concerns about threats to indigenous species in terms of food and nesting sources, there is no need to cull – they are in fact protected by law.

Becky at the Life of B‘s #JanuaryLight challenge is now entering it’s third week and the fun continues!