Bird watchers go flapping mad as 'wild parakeet' colony spotted
Eagle-eyed bird watchers are flocking to a Black Country park after a supposed colony of wild ring-necked parakeets were filmed in a popular green space.
The colourful birds were spotted playing and nesting in a tree line at Leasowes Park, Halesowen, earlier this week.
Bird watchers are now descending on the park from miles around in a bid to catch a glimpse of them.
In a video, sent to the Express and Star, the colony of birds, thought to be ring-necked parakeets, can be spotted jumping and playing in the trees at Leasowes Park as they continue to nest in the Black Country's greenspaces.
Earlier this year, talking about the increase in wild parakeet numbers, Jacob Williams, senior reserves officer at Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust, said: "Ring-necked parakeets are not native to the UK and although they are beautiful birds, they are also a powerful and competitive species.
"There are reported concerns that parakeets could be having a detrimental impact on some of our native bird species such as the woodpecker and the nuthatch by occupying cavities for nesting - and the great tit and blue tit by dominating local food sources.
"Researchers are currently studying the potential effect that the increase in parakeet populations may be having on our native wildlife."
Jason Peters, 65, an avid bird watcher from Brownhills, said he is travelling to the park with hopes of seeing the parakeets.
Mr Peters said: "They're brilliant birds to see in the wild they really are! They are really playful and quite friendly to humans so they are a real joy to watch.
"Their numbers are growing I think, there are more sightings from what I remember when I was just starting out, but that's a good thing and a bad thing, they can be quite bad for the local wildlife when they settle in a location."
Have you seen anymore of the colourful birds? Send in your pictures to daniel.walton@mnamedia.co.uk
