The February 2015 edition of British Wildlife reports that feral monk parakeets have nearly been eradicated from England . The programme started in 2011 and the population , centred on London's Isle of Dogs , is reported to be down to the last 50 . I had not realised that a breeding population had been established in England .
We can only hope the next Skua is one that can mange a whole Lowland Anoa when its in the playground!!
At one time there was a free-flying colony at Paignton zoo- they escaped from their aviary when it was damaged. They carried on breeding both in and outside the Aviary but that colony did not(afaik) spread elsewhere.
Bar-headed geese apparently live around Bristol. I decently saw a female mandarin duck on a pond not far from this goose. AVON BIRDS: Sightings 26/2/15
Exotic... I saw eight Eyptian Geese this afternoon. Common enough in East Anglia, but much less frequent here in Dorset. We have a small breeding population of Mandarins though.
There was a flock of eight/nine Egyptian Geese in the Avon valley/Christchurch harbour recently. I wonder if it is the same birds? They have spread somewhat from East Anglia, though that's still their major stronghold because the dry climate allows successful breeding when they nest early in the year. But there are also populations in Southern England nowadays too, in places like the Thames valley and in Regents Park(full-winged) where they apparently breed successfully too.
No, we don't know if its the same flock. ...That's why I said I wonder if it is the same birds. Maybe. maybe not. If they were seen further West in Dorset on the same day as they were still present in the Avon Valley, it is unlikely, but they haven't been reported on the Christchurch Bird report today, though that only covers the Harbour, not the Avon valley.
One place that I regularly see Egyptian geese in is Richmond Park, though I often see them around Surrey when I am in the UK.
