| Author | Content |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
August 30, 2007
12:48 PM Post #3918144
| My neighborhood in Metairie (western suburb of New Orleans) has a good supply of wild Monk Parrots (also known as Quakers). I would like to attract them to my backyard feeders but haven't found out what they like. I've tried mixed seeds, fruits, etc. I even tried putting out little tomatoes in the backyard lawn. I've seen them twice in my nextdoor neighbors crepe myrtle tree -- see picture. I hear them a lot and see them fly over but they rare stop by. I would love to have them visit my feeders. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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pelletory
Marlton, NJ
August 30, 2007
1:31 PM Post #3918281
| Hi mrw31 ! Thats a great photo!
I'm surprised you haven't had them visit your yard but their going to be very cautious.
I'm not at all surprised they didn't visit the tomotoes on the ground because parrots feel very vulnerable on the ground.
You could try having a mix of shelled and not shelled peanuts hanging up somewhere that would be easy for them to get to. It probably would need to be an area where they can see all over from so they would have a chance against predators. Maybe try the fruit again too (berrys, grapes maybe some corn also).
Its going to take a lot of patience. Please keep us posted! :-)
|
pelletory
Marlton, NJ
August 30, 2007
1:52 PM Post #3918381
| Oh and by the way:
Welcome to Daves and the bird watching forum! |
Resin
Northumberland
(United Kingdom)
(Zone 9a)
August 30, 2007
5:21 PM Post #3919097
| Might not be too good an idea to attract them - I've heard they can do a lot of damage once they start hanging around a lot.
Resin
|
twintechmom
New Orleans, LA
September 20, 2007
5:53 PM Post #3998646
| I was outside this morning and noticed 3 birds that I have never seen in my yard, before. They were happily feasting in my crepe myrtle. I grabbed my digital cam and took a few pics. I though they looked like parrots so I did a search and found pics and this post. I think they might be monk parrots. How cool! Here is a pic. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
pelletory
Marlton, NJ
September 20, 2007
6:00 PM Post #3998664
| Yes they are monk parakeets!
Heres some info on them, their illegal to own in many US states.
[HYPERLINK@monkparakeet.com]
Welcome to the Bird Watching forum at Daves! |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
December 31, 2007
11:49 AM Post #4343808
| It took until winter, but the monks are now feeding daily at my feeders in Metairie, LA. They seemed to suddenly find me about two weeks ago -- first one parrot, then two, then four, then more -- the most I counted was 18 of them waiting to feed. Regular seed mix seems to be what they want -- I see them eating the small seeds. They are still very shy and anything will make them leave. They won't mess with the squirrels but are the biggest birds around the feeders. It's funny to see the sparrows and finches get at them -- the little birds are more aggressive then these big parrots. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
December 31, 2007
11:55 AM Post #4343828
| Here's a picture of two waiting to feed -- I swear one of them has an angry look at being caught in the camera. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
burn_2007
Grand-Falls, NB
(Zone 4a)
December 31, 2007
2:06 PM Post #4344309
| Really nice pics of the parrots. We can only see parrots in pet store here. From the first picture, I thought they were really big, but looking, at the one at the feeders, they are not as big as I thought. Love your green birds. Nice to see different birds. |
pelletory
Marlton, NJ
December 31, 2007
4:27 PM Post #4344737
| Beautiful pics mrw! |
PeeperKeeper
Georgetown, TX
(Zone 8a)
January 1, 2008
1:28 PM Post #4347851
| When I was in college, my roomie had a Quaker parakeet. He was the cutest little thing. She taught him to say "Whatcha doin'?" but he would say it in the cutest little voice: "Whatcha doin' - doin' - doin' - doin' . . . " and get stuck like a broken record. |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
January 7, 2008
4:43 PM Post #4372050
| Here's a picture I would love to be able to sharpen more, but I'm taking pictures with a digital camera through a zoom lens and a window. And these parrots are skittish. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
January 7, 2008
4:45 PM Post #4372064
| Another monk shot -- one bird trying to get on the feeder. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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mrw31
Metairie, LA
January 7, 2008
4:48 PM Post #4372074
| One more picture -- the parrots line up on a set of power lines above my house and wait until the feeders are relatively empty. Then one parrots gives a squak and they all start going in to the feeders. This picture is a pair that I see frequently together. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
pelletory
Marlton, NJ
January 7, 2008
6:00 PM Post #4372383
| Beautiful pics! |
KaperC
No. San Diego Co., CA
(Zone 10b)
January 9, 2008
2:18 PM Post #4380056
| mrw31 - great photos! You should be able to see their nest nearby - you won't have trouble seeing it, if you haven't already. They don't live in simple nests, but huge things with tunnels and chambers for the different family groups. Cute little guys, though they do cause problems when they choose the wrong location for their colonies. |
smkennedy
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4a)
January 9, 2008
3:50 PM Post #4380421
| Nice pictures! It is interesting that there has been a colony in a zone 5 Chicago (proper) park for many years. There has been a rumor that they also have a colony in Duluth, MN, but I don't know if that is true. It amazes me that they can survive cold.
Susan in Minneapolis |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
January 9, 2008
5:13 PM Post #4380773
| I've seen several nests nearby -- there is a baseball park about two blocks away from me - Mike Miley - that has nests in the electric lights. I'm pretty sure the parrots are from that area. We also have nests in microwave towers but they're farther away. They look like a pile of sticks. The parrots seem to have a route they follow -- they show up in the morning around 10am to 11am and then again in the afternoon anywhere between 2 and four. I started noticing them last year and actually learned how to spot them by the sound they make rather than their appearance. They can be really hard to spot against trees and bushes -- green parrots against a green background. Once I learned what they sounded like I started to see them in lots of places -- I can thank the Brooklyn Parrot video on Youtube for that. |
tabasco
Cincinnati (Anderson, OH
(Zone 6a)
January 9, 2008
5:19 PM Post #4380801
| Wonderful pics! And your parrots are so cute cuddling together!
Welcome to DG--and don't go away for so long again--keep us posted on the parrots please!
And what other interesting birds do you have in Metairie?...
Happy birding, t. |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
January 10, 2008
9:26 AM Post #4383137
| Lots of birds in our area that are not monk parrots -- predominently morning doves, sparrows, finches, cardinals, grackles, mocking birds. I used to have two huge trees in my backyard -- a live oak and a pecan - but unfortunately Hurricane Katrina took out both of them. What I tried to do is to make a few bird houses and put them up to make up for the lack of trees. Here is my favorite picture of one of those -- you can see I'm not a great carpenter. This picture looks like the mother sparrow was ushering her offspring out of the birdhouse in a hurry. Probably reacting to me taking her picture. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
plantladylin
East Central, FL
(Zone 9a)
January 10, 2008
9:55 AM Post #4383232
| mrw31: Great photo's!
I had no idea the Quaker/Monk Parrakeet was all over the country until I found this site awhile back: [HYPERLINK@invasions.bio.utk.edu]
Apparently they are found in many states (scroll down the page a bit for listing). I've not seen them in my neighborhood but my friend a mile away has them around her house. And, there are thousands in South Florida that we see at my sister's house all the time. When my mom was living I would go down to Fort Lauderdale to visit her and they were all over the mobile home park where she lived. After a rain you would see hundreds congregating and bathing in puddles in the middle of the street. We used to sit on mom's porch and watch them collect sticks and branches for their nests. I once sat there and saw a beautiful Maccaw flying up into a tree with nesting material too!
I guess the Monk/Quaker parrots adapt to different habitat's and weather since they are found even in Oregon, Delaware and New York. I wonder if they migrate in winter like other birds? I need to go back and read through that entire article again ... haven't read it in a long time.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful photo's of these birds!
|
Resin
Northumberland
(United Kingdom)
(Zone 9a)
January 10, 2008
10:13 AM Post #4383286
|
| Quoted: | | This picture looks like the mother sparrow was ushering her offspring out of the birdhouse in a hurry |
That's the father doing his duties ;-)
Resin
|
Depsi
Orofino, ID
(Zone 6a)
January 10, 2008
12:27 PM Post #4383800
| This is a very interesting thread...makes me think of the wild parrots of Telegraph Hill in San Francisco...Deb |
tabasco
Cincinnati (Anderson, OH
(Zone 6a)
January 10, 2008
3:24 PM Post #4384289
| Are the wild parrots on Telegraph Hill monk parrots, too?
The parrot photos made me think of the parrots in our Juniper trees in Pasadena CA...the story was that they had escaped from a pet store that caught fire, but that sounds like one of those Urban Legends, doesn't it?!
mmmm...I wonder...
I just googled "wild parrots" and there must be a movie about them...anybody rent "Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill"? |
plantladylin
East Central, FL
(Zone 9a)
January 10, 2008
4:09 PM Post #4384432
| Nope, the Parakeets at Telegraph Hill aren't the monk's parrots ... but the much more colorful red masked parakeets! Still of the parrot family, just a different one:
[HYPERLINK@en.wikipedia.org]
edited to say: The wild parrots in Florida originally were pets that folks got tired of and released into the wild, as the red masked ones in California were. We have a problem in some areas of Florida with Snakes that people have released ... bought them small as pets and when they grew large, they released them! [HYPERLINK@news.nationalgeographic.com] I would have a heart attack if I found a snake like that in my yard! There's also a problem with Monitor Lizards here in Florida ... a couple have been found in Orlando neighborhoods recently! [HYPERLINK@myfwc.com] People's pets have been victims (dinner) for some of these creatures!
Scary! [HYPERLINK@www.wildlifedamagecontrol.net]
This message was edited Jan 10, 2008 3:17 PM |
Depsi
Orofino, ID
(Zone 6a)
January 10, 2008
5:01 PM Post #4384609
| I didn't rent the movie, I bought it from PBS for my grandson for Christmas a year ago...it's wonderful...Deb |
debnes_dfw_tx
Fort Worth, TX
(Zone 8a)
January 10, 2008
7:25 PM Post #4385073
| Great movie Depsi! & Those were Green Parrots I believe..
Still I see how Metairie's thread here reminded you of it.:-) |
katie59
Woodinville, WA
(Zone 8b)
January 11, 2008
1:32 AM Post #4386271
| Years ago I had a Quaker Parakeet. He/she was an incredible talker, but I could also hear the screech a block away.
There are a few colonies in Seattle and I think they are creating problems, here, too.
Don't they live in nesting colonies on the ground in their native habitat in South America? Wonder if they've changed that in the colonies in colder climates. |
debnes_dfw_tx
Fort Worth, TX
(Zone 8a)
January 11, 2008
8:27 AM Post #4386603
| I think it's would be wonderful and bizarre to see parrots at the feeder here. Last year I saw a wayward budgerigar feeding off the ground a couple days... Yep on the ground!
I would just have to fix what they destroyed... It would be very cool to have them over.
Really love your parrots mrw! Thanks for sharing them..
debnes
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
January 11, 2008
9:55 AM Post #4386809
| Thanks for all the discussion about the parrots -- I confess I'm fascinated by them. I had caged parakeets when I was younger but never did very well with them. Having them in my backyard and watching them "do their own thing" is much more fun.
I have seen the documentary about the parrots of Telegraph Hill in San Francisco - I think most of those are red-headed conures. Its a very good documentary and well worth a look if you haven't seen it. I've also seen the "Ballad of the Brooklyn Parrots" on Youtube, which is great fun to watch. The parrot colonies in Brooklyn are monk or quaker parrots - like the ones around New Orleans. Not as big or flashy as the red headed conures but bigger than a parakeet.
I think most of the issues about the monk parrots being trouble comes from their habit of nesting in electric fixtures and lighting. That is what they seem to do around my area -- although I have seen their nests in tall palms trees, also. They seems to like the microwave towers the best -- tall towers with a platform on top. I don't know if the nests do anything to the functioning of the microwave towers but apparently the electric companies don't always appreciate sharing their equipment with the monks - the nests can get really big. I did read that a builder can put up equipment in their lighting or towers that will repel -- some kind of reflector that flashes and scares them away. That must have been done recently in our minor league ballpark -- big banks of lights but no parrot nests. |
debnes_dfw_tx
Fort Worth, TX
(Zone 8a)
January 11, 2008
10:18 AM Post #4386877
| Thx mrw.. for reminding me that the movie was about Red-headed Conures, not Green Parrots, LOL! oldtimers setting in.. :-
I agree with ya, worth the trouble. If I can put up with Starlings nesting in the framework of my house, I could put up with Monks or Quakers for sure. You are very blessed/lucky to have them.
debnes
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
January 11, 2008
10:38 AM Post #4386932
| I think the monks are beautiful and definitely worth it. And I've yet to hear a news story around here about a power outage caused by monk parrots. I work in an oil refinery and have seen power outages caused by squirrels but no one around here is advocating a plan to get rid of all the squirrels. Monk parrots are getting a bad rap, I believe, because their nests are unusual looking and stand out from other birds.
Here's a picture of 12 of them waiting for the feeder to get clear
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
January 11, 2008
10:39 AM Post #4386933
| Another shot on the wire... 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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mrw31
Metairie, LA
January 11, 2008
10:40 AM Post #4386939
| And one more of my favorite pair. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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debnes_dfw_tx
Fort Worth, TX
(Zone 8a)
January 11, 2008
10:41 AM Post #4386944
| Great pics mrw!!
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
January 11, 2008
10:42 AM Post #4386947
| Here's an egret thrown in -- yes, we get our share of water birds around New Orleans. I was trying out my new zoom lens in a nearby park and got this shot. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
pelletory
Marlton, NJ
January 11, 2008
10:43 AM Post #4386952
| Beautiful shots mwr! They are a beautiful parrot!
I think the problem I heard about them years ago had to do w/ crops. |
pelletory
Marlton, NJ
January 11, 2008
10:44 AM Post #4386956
| Thats a great one of the Egret! |
WantabeGardener
Jerome, MI
(Zone 5b)
January 11, 2008
11:03 AM Post #4387028
| Hi everyone..just found this thread..yep we have one..she is the sweetest..to me..but does not like my hubby...hehehe...and she can bite if she does not like you for sure...She is the loudest..of all my birds..She likes to get under my chin..and cuddle...lol..I love her dearly..((( You say love a bird?))) hehe it is true..
She is never inside her cage..except for at night when she is in her house..and covered up...lol...They are not outlawed in Michigan..One of the few parrots that if they get out...they can get used to the cold weather.. Hehehe...Her name is PJ...well we think it is a her...
Smiles...and enjoy them...Diana
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
pelletory
Marlton, NJ
January 11, 2008
11:20 AM Post #4387107
| She's (?) lovely WG! |
WantabeGardener
Jerome, MI
(Zone 5b)
January 11, 2008
12:05 PM Post #4387327
| Hehehe..well we think she is a she...only way to tell..is if you have her (it) DNR...tested...or if they lay a egg...does not matter to us what it is..hehe...we say she...to have DNA...test..you have to get some blood, (like cut a toe nail) and get it to bleed..then put it on a paper they send to you...and send to a lab..only cost 20.00...but..we do not need to know..many many pet birds are like that..Some times ours..(14)...lay a egg..hehe then you have to decide who layed it..lol..But we will still...say she...~~~~~~ for her... !
Smiles..Diana...
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
January 11, 2008
12:46 PM Post #4387496
| Nice picture of your pet quaker. Looking at the beaks on the outside birds, I'll bet they can lay a hurt on you if they bite you. I remember my little parakeets biting me on the finger, then hanging on. |
WantabeGardener
Jerome, MI
(Zone 5b)
January 11, 2008
1:57 PM Post #4387827
| Oh yes they sure can..it is not a very big beak..but mighty sharpe...lol..ask my hubby..You know she does not bite me..funny..she is out on her gym..all the time..on top of her cage..and let him get near..hehehehe...she tries...but she will also take fruit..and melon seeds from him...She thinks he is her slave..lol...
I love her alot..lol...she talks..a little..laughs..under her breath, does lots of things..
She is 5 years..old.. Smiles..Diana... |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
January 13, 2008
11:21 AM Post #4395472
| Here's a picture -- monks an squirrels on the feeder. They seem to get on very well. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
pelletory
Marlton, NJ
January 13, 2008
1:46 PM Post #4396058
| LOL, That is a cute one Mrw!!! |
debnes_dfw_tx
Fort Worth, TX
(Zone 8a)
January 13, 2008
2:42 PM Post #4396302
| Beautiful picture mrw!!
Your parrot is precious Diana! Thx for sharing her! |
katie59
Woodinville, WA
(Zone 8b)
January 13, 2008
9:16 PM Post #4397987
| My little Quaker got unpredictably aggressive as he reached maturity. I wouldn't be surprised if he needed more bird interaction. He could draw blood in an instant.
Bogey (his clutchmate was called Bacall) was an incredible talker. He could say his name with every inflection that I had ever used when talking to him - whether whining, coddling or reprimanding. He would tell my parakeet, "It's okay," when I was clipping his toenails and wings as I did when I was clipping him. He could make a great kissing sound and loved to imitate the sound of the spray bottle that I used to give him baths. What a character!!
And quakers have the sweetest faces . . . |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
January 13, 2008
10:44 PM Post #4398583
| I went over to the ballpark and took pictures of the nests. I can't see any birds in there but I'm pretty sure that this is where the flock comes from 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
January 21, 2008
9:47 PM Post #4435605
| Here's a bunch of monks after our cold front went through -- cold and hungry parrots. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
ceejaytown
The Woodlands, TX
(Zone 9a)
January 21, 2008
9:58 PM Post #4435661
| Isn't that a white ibis? [HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com] |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
January 21, 2008
10:04 PM Post #4435677
| Someone else said that was a white ibis -- that's probably what it is. |
pelletory
Marlton, NJ
January 21, 2008
10:06 PM Post #4435687
| Yes its a White Ibis. |
trackinsand
Umatilla, FL
(Zone 9a)
January 21, 2008
10:07 PM Post #4435691
| lol, you're always a minute ahead of me, ceejay! yes, that's an ibis! lol |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
February 1, 2008
11:59 AM Post #4482187
| Another monk at the bird feeder - flying this time. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
pelletory
Marlton, NJ
February 1, 2008
2:13 PM Post #4482680
| Nice catch mrw!! |
debnes_dfw_tx
Fort Worth, TX
(Zone 8a)
February 3, 2008
2:23 PM Post #4490603
| Cool action shots mrw! |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
February 3, 2008
3:45 PM Post #4490888
| Morning dove sitting in for patrol parrot. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
WantabeGardener
Jerome, MI
(Zone 5b)
February 3, 2008
6:00 PM Post #4491326
| Great pictures...for sure..thanks for sharing...
smiles..
diana.. |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
February 5, 2008
9:46 PM Post #4500377
| What parrots do on Mardi Gras day. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
February 5, 2008
10:00 PM Post #4500422
| Here are a few I got yesterday -- the flock came around the afternoon and let me take a few good pictures. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
February 5, 2008
10:02 PM Post #4500432
| A closeup 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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mrw31
Metairie, LA
February 5, 2008
10:05 PM Post #4500444
| Sounding the alarm. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
smkennedy
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4a)
February 5, 2008
10:07 PM Post #4500453
| mrw31,
Excellent pictures with wonderful detail -- thanks.
Susan in Minneapolis
|
pelletory
Marlton, NJ
February 5, 2008
10:43 PM Post #4500634
| Great pics mrw!!! I agree, wonderful detail in the shots! |
burn_2007
Grand-Falls, NB
(Zone 4a)
February 5, 2008
10:54 PM Post #4500687
| Very nice series of the parrots mrw. they're beautiful birds. |
katie59
Woodinville, WA
(Zone 8b)
February 6, 2008
2:28 AM Post #4501429
| Love those babies. They are such beautiful birds. Nice shots. |
flowerette
Gulf Coast, TX
(Zone 9a)
February 7, 2008
1:53 AM Post #4506151
| Mrw31
What beautiful parrots! I'll take at least one pair. :) |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
February 11, 2008
11:04 AM Post #4523671
| Nest building activity at our local racetrack, the Fair Grounds. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
February 11, 2008
11:05 AM Post #4523682
| Way up there in the lights, a monk parrot is busy building the nest. I heard them on Sunday when I visited the racetrack -- I had a camera with a zoom, found them and took these two shots. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Depsi
Orofino, ID
(Zone 6a)
February 11, 2008
12:42 PM Post #4524105
| I really envy you!! what colorful & entertaining guys you have amongst you...thank you for sharing...Deb |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
February 11, 2008
3:14 PM Post #4524611
| Thanks for your kind comments, everyone. I do confess I really like watching these guys. I can credit them for helping "listen" harder to the birds in my back yard talk to each other. I'm developing a much better ear for birds. |
bjf826
Tallahassee, FL
(Zone 8b)
February 11, 2008
4:09 PM Post #4524815
| I have loved following this thread. My "Domino" hopefully joined a flock in South Florida years ago. My pet sitter freaked when he flew over to land on her shoulder as she came in the door... and OUT he went, never to be seen again.
They are wonderful companions if you can get a hand-fed baby. Thanks for posting all those pictures. They bring to mind some wonderful memories.
Barb |
katie59
Woodinville, WA
(Zone 8b)
February 11, 2008
5:22 PM Post #4525051
| bjf826 - I'm so sorry for your loss. That must have been awful. |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
February 11, 2008
5:33 PM Post #4525075
| Bfj826 - it's never easy to lose a pet. I hope you get to see some of these guys in the wild. |
Mrs_Ed
Whiteside County, IL
(Zone 5a)
February 11, 2008
5:36 PM Post #4525080
| Wow, I was telling someone about this thread, and they told me about parrots up north.
[HYPERLINK@www.brooklynparrots.com]
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
February 11, 2008
5:53 PM Post #4525129
| I love the Brooklyn parrot video -- that's what got me started looking for them in the first place. There is also a webside call "City Parrots" that is fascnating -- loads of pictures of all kinds of wild parrot species from all over the world.
[HYPERLINK@www.cityparrots.org] |
Mrs_Ed
Whiteside County, IL
(Zone 5a)
February 11, 2008
6:08 PM Post #4525177
| I had NO idea that they could survive our winters! How amazing. I have to see these next time I am in the city. |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
February 15, 2008
3:50 PM Post #4542898
| Latest backyard parrots batch of pictures. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
February 15, 2008
3:53 PM Post #4542907
| Just a day at the feeder... 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
February 15, 2008
3:54 PM Post #4542917
| You looking at me? 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
February 15, 2008
3:56 PM Post #4542924
| I'm looking at you... 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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mrw31
Metairie, LA
February 15, 2008
11:18 PM Post #4544598
| One more -- waiting in the trees... 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
pelletory
Marlton, NJ
February 15, 2008
11:28 PM Post #4544646
| Beautiful pics mrw!! |
Depsi
Orofino, ID
(Zone 6a)
February 15, 2008
11:35 PM Post #4544680
| I'll never tire of seeing your pictures...Thank you, Deb |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
February 23, 2008
11:54 AM Post #4577284
| The parrots have been having to cope with an influx of cowbirds at the feeder lately. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
February 23, 2008
11:56 AM Post #4577294
| Maybe they won't notice I'm different... 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
February 23, 2008
11:57 AM Post #4577302
| Lots of wings here 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
pelletory
Marlton, NJ
February 23, 2008
2:10 PM Post #4577844
| Very nice pics mrw!! |
Windy
Toney, AL
(Zone 7a)
February 26, 2008
9:01 PM Post #4593236
| I had a quaker for 15 years and he died about two years ago. He had quite a vocabulary also.
You never know how often you say a phrase until you hear your bird saying it.
His favorite was "Come on Taffy!" which I said every time I closed the birdroom door to our nosey cat, who would follow me in.
They make good pets. |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
February 27, 2008
7:27 PM Post #4597869
| They are certainly fun to watch at the feeder -- such personality. I love to watch/hear them "talk" one another. I saw what might have been a juvenile bird fly into a nearby tree and then talk to three parrots nearby for about a half an hour. Finally, the adults must have convinced the young parrot to leave, since they all took off together. |
katie59
Woodinville, WA
(Zone 8b)
March 7, 2008
2:38 PM Post #4634406
| Saw a video article on the front page today: Parrots vs. Power Companies. It may have been on nbc's nightly news.
[HYPERLINK@www.msnbc.msn.com]
Kathy
|
Depsi
Orofino, ID
(Zone 6a)
March 7, 2008
3:11 PM Post #4634525
| Thank you, Kathy...I'm glad to see people caring about them...I know I do...Deb |
pelletory
Marlton, NJ
March 7, 2008
3:24 PM Post #4634578
| Wheres the video?
Hi Depsi,How are you? |
katie59
Woodinville, WA
(Zone 8b)
March 7, 2008
5:18 PM Post #4634972
| Sorry. If you go to the link, you'll see reference to the article and video on the lower right hand side. There's a picture there of the parrots, so it's pretty easy to find. |
Mrs_Ed
Whiteside County, IL
(Zone 5a)
March 7, 2008
7:01 PM Post #4635370
| [HYPERLINK@www.msnbc.msn.com] |
pelletory
Marlton, NJ
March 7, 2008
7:37 PM Post #4635501
| Thanks Mrs Ed, I got to that page before but the video won't start. I tried pushing the buttons but it just sits w/ a black screen.
Thanks for trying. :-) |
Mrs_Ed
Whiteside County, IL
(Zone 5a)
March 7, 2008
7:39 PM Post #4635514
| ah, i think i remember that MSNBC wants you to download something special for their video. |
katie59
Woodinville, WA
(Zone 8b)
March 7, 2008
8:54 PM Post #4635797
| Shoot. Sorry. You do have to have the right software to "see" their videos - you might not have it. |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
March 8, 2008
11:05 AM Post #4637580
| Thanks for posting that -- I didn't have any trouble watching the video. I know about the conflict with the power companies but I haven't seen bird nests be taken down around New Orleans yet. I commonly see the nests in stadium lights and microwave towers. They do also nest in large palm trees here, too. I know that there is some kind of device you can put in the stadium lights to keep them away -- I think it's somekind of reflecting device that flashes and spooks them. There is a new park nearby my house and a baseball stadium with huge banks of lights -- the parrots do not nest there, although they nest in a nearby set of stadium lights by an older park.
A large quaker parrot nest is a quite a site -- like a high rise condo with many chambers to it.
I'm still getting the parrots in my backyard bird feeder although not as many as originally. I think the crowds of cowbirds I've been getting lately is keeping them a bit shy. I still see two or three nearly every day I'm home from work. |
pelletory
Marlton, NJ
March 8, 2008
12:25 PM Post #4637919
| I'm surprised they don't tell you what you need to make it play.
I do have a few video systems on my computer. |
Mrs_Ed
Whiteside County, IL
(Zone 5a)
March 8, 2008
7:02 PM Post #4639401
| Pelle, try these links:
[HYPERLINK@msnbc.com]
[HYPERLINK@www.msnbc.com]
|
katie59
Woodinville, WA
(Zone 8b)
March 9, 2008
4:49 PM Post #4643129
| I'd heard about the condo-style nests. And I'm sure that, years ago, I heard that they were the only bird that made nests in the ground (in their native habitat in South America). Unfortunately, I can't find that info anywhere anymore . . . |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
May 15, 2008
10:33 PM Post #4957777
| Here's one a got over the weekend. The parrots continue their visits almost every day. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
May 15, 2008
10:35 PM Post #4957788
| One more -- in flight this time 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
pelletory
Marlton, NJ
May 16, 2008
8:26 AM Post #4958965
| Sweet pics mrw! I love that second one! |
Elphaba
Houston, TX
May 16, 2008
11:42 AM Post #4959805
| Love these pictures so much! Last August, I parked my car at a marina in Seabrook, TX and a flock of parrots landed in a nearby tree. I grabbed my camera and waded through fire ants, but they were so skiddish that it was hard to get any pic at all! They really are nervous nellies! I'm very impressed by the pictures that y'all have gotten. Love those pics in the crepe myrtles! I had no idea they would eat that. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
May 16, 2008
11:38 PM Post #4962944
| Very nice picture, Elphaba. I've been been feeding them since December and I have two that return almost every day. And I often see the flock (anywhere from five to twelve). |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
May 26, 2008
9:53 PM Post #5007878
| I had a flock come by in the evening and saw a young parrot "quake" -- bob up and down. I've seen that before with little quaker parrots asking for food. This looked like the same thing. Hard to tell in the still pictures but here are a few. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
May 26, 2008
9:54 PM Post #5007883
| a second one 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
May 26, 2008
9:55 PM Post #5007893
| a third 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
May 26, 2008
9:57 PM Post #5007906
| A flight picture 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
pelletory
Marlton, NJ
May 27, 2008
7:02 AM Post #5008942
| Very nice pics mrw! |
nanbernier
St. Robert, MO
(Zone 5b)
May 27, 2008
10:04 PM Post #5012763
| What beautiful birds... |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
May 28, 2008
7:45 AM Post #5014232
| They have such beautiful blue feathers - love to see them fly. Thanks for your kind comments one and all. |
litedave
La Place, LA
July 4, 2008
6:31 AM Post #5202202
| Hi mrw31
I live in Laplace, La. and work in Metairie. Several months ago I was at the Radio Shack there on Veterans Blvd and noticed this HUGE nest up in the cell phone tower next to the store. I looked over to the power lines and saw these big green birds perching there and could not believe my eyes. They looked just like parrots. Parrots in Metairie, La.? I googled "Metairie Parrots" this morning and hit this website. I didn't realize that these creatures were in several areas of New Orleans and Metairie. It amazes me that they are able to survive some of the cold weather we have here since they must be originally from the tropics. I really like your camera shots. What type of camera are you using? It works great! Anyway, just wanted to stop in and say hello. This is my first post here. I am a avid Purple Martin landlord and enjoy watching all the different birds in my backyard. It is great that you are feeding your parrots. I know they are loving it. Great pics of your 2 cuddlers!
David |
pelletory
Marlton, NJ
July 4, 2008
7:36 AM Post #5202303
| Hi LD, Welcome to the forum! Hope to see you often. |
birdfinder
Charleston, SC
July 4, 2008
8:56 AM Post #5202454
| It's hard for me to image seeing a flock of these in the wild. They are beauties. Last June I had a strange bird in my yard that I knew I'd never seen the likes of before and I got a couple pics ... turned out to be a Nutmeg Mannikin. I emailed Cornell and sent the photos and they said it was probably an escaped pet bird. I only saw it that one day. Is it OK to post the pics on this thread, or should I start a new post? Being new I'm not sure of the right "ediquette" yet on this board! LOL |
rntx22
Deer Park, TX
(Zone 9a)
July 5, 2008
7:53 PM Post #5209477
| I was in New Orleans last August and I heard this incredibly loud squawking coming from somewhere. I thought "hmmm that definitely does not sound like any bird I've ever seen, I've gotta find what did that!" so I began to look for the source of the sound. Lo and behold, there were 4 green parrot like birds sitting up on the power lines. I absolutely flipped. I figured they were someones pets that had been released in the wild, but now I realize that these were monks. Since then, I've seen them in the Houston area twice. Usually they are heard before seen!! I can't believe you got them to come to your feeders - so lucky!!! |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
July 9, 2008
9:43 PM Post #5232645
| Nice to see new posts here. Litedave, the very first monk parrot nest I ever saw in the New Orleans area was that Radio Shack nest. Now I see them everywhere. And I hear them even more. During the Creole Tomato fest I was down in the French Quarter and heard the familiar squawking in the tree by Cafe DuMonde -- sure enough, they are there! I'm getting a big flock come around recently -- mine come from the Mike Miley playground on West Metaire Blvd. The parrot parents are bringing their fledglings out for flight practice and they are so cute. Here are some more pictures. First the big flock in the mimosa tree. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
July 9, 2008
9:44 PM Post #5232658
| Here's another of the little guys in the air. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
July 9, 2008
9:48 PM Post #5232689
| The flock hangs out on the wires in front of house and waits. Here are two little quakers quaking up a storm to get fed by their parents. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
July 9, 2008
9:49 PM Post #5232704
| And like all youngsters in the summer time, they hang out on the street and get into trouble. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
July 9, 2008
9:53 PM Post #5232727
| Hanging on the street causing some friction. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
July 9, 2008
9:54 PM Post #5232737
| ..until they start getting the idea that it might be a little dangerous and should get out of there - especially when a car came by. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
July 9, 2008
9:57 PM Post #5232756
| then they hang out on the wire again. Most of my pictures here are taken a Konica Minolta Maxximum5D -- unfortunately no longer made since Konica sold their camera business to Sony. I bought the camera because it fix my AF zoom lens from my old SLR. It takes great pictures but I have a lot to learn about exposure -- I'm continually getting dark birds with bright backgrounds or washed out birds with dark backgrounds. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
July 9, 2008
10:06 PM Post #5232846
| This may not work but I'm going to try it. This is a little 15 second MOV of the quakers quaking. Mom or Dad, just seems to ignore them. I've only seen them get fed by a parent once in the trees. They little ones are nearly the same size as the adults so maybe their parents are trying to get them to feed on their own. I do seem the little guys come to the bird feeder but they don't yet seem to get that they need to fly down and eat the seed. |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
July 9, 2008
10:07 PM Post #5232857
| Well, it didn't work. Maybe I can upload it somewhere and put in a link. |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
July 9, 2008
10:11 PM Post #5232893
| Love to watch the purple martins, by the way. One of the great things to watch by the Causeway Bridge was the martin coming back in the evening. Not as many martins as pre katrina. Katrina got all my trees and my purple martin house, too. |
litedave
La Place, LA
July 11, 2008
6:45 AM Post #5239986
| Hi mrw31,
I drove by Mike Miley playground on David Drive a couple of days ago and looked over and saw their nest up in the lights. Very visible from David Drive. It is another huge one like the one on Veterans Blvd. I am amazed that they are getting in the street and playing around like that. They have really made themselves at home here and have become very comfortable. They look like overgrown parakeets and are strikingly beautiful. We don't have any in the LaPlace area, yet. They haven't made it that far west. Really nice photos, mrw31. My Martins just left here this week and I guess are headed to the Causeway to roost until going back to S.A. We had a bunch of them this year. More then usual.
David |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
July 11, 2008
7:54 AM Post #5240186
| There is another huge nest in a microwave tower on David Drive -- this one is between West Napoleon Ave. and Veterans Highway. I see these birds play in Lafreniere Park once in awhile. |
flowerette
Gulf Coast, TX
(Zone 9a)
July 16, 2008
6:59 PM Post #5270485
| They are so beautiful! Thanks for all the pics. Maybe I will see some one day near Houston. |
rntx22
Deer Park, TX
(Zone 9a)
July 17, 2008
9:12 PM Post #5276465
| flowerette - I have seen them in Kemah and on Bay area boulevard at I-45 sitting on some power lines in front of cafe express (if you are ever in southeast houston!) |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
July 22, 2008
12:25 PM Post #5301913
| Here's a new one -- 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mrw31
Metairie, LA
July 22, 2008
12:32 PM Post #5301942
| Another stretching the wings 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
pelletory
Marlton, NJ
July 22, 2008
12:56 PM Post #5302075
| Beautiful shots mrw!!! |
nanbernier
St. Robert, MO
(Zone 5b)
July 22, 2008
2:16 PM Post #5302384
| Gorgeous! |
beckygardener
(Becky) in Sebastian, FL
(Zone 10a)
July 22, 2008
6:39 PM Post #5303681
| What a great thread you started here, mrw31! I haven't seen any of these parrots personally, but I have had friends locally who have seen parrots around central and the east coast of Florida. I figured it was pets that got loose. Now I am wondering if it is Monk Parrots. I wouldn't mind it if they came to visit my feeder. Very cool and all the photos here are awesome and very educational! Thanks for introducing me to these birds. I had NO idea about them! I will certainly be keeping a watch for them now that I know. :-) |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
July 23, 2008
7:44 AM Post #5306222
| Thanks for your comments, one and all. I've been getting a lot of parrent parrots with their young fledges lately. Since its hard to tell what sex a parrot is -- no special coloring or pattern to either sex - it's hard to tell who is the mother and who is the father. But I've read that they stay around in families for awhile. You can tell the younger parrots when they start to quake and I've typically seen groups of two youngsters with one parrot in the trees. |
beckygardener
(Becky) in Sebastian, FL
(Zone 10a)
July 23, 2008
7:53 AM Post #5306241
| I am curious ... do they seem to be taking over your feeder(s) or are they sharing with the other local birds? |
mrw31
Metairie, LA
July 23, 2008
8:59 AM Post #5306448
| They share pretty well with other birds. They are really more aggressive with one another than with other birds. I routinely get a big flock of sparrows, lots of doves, squirrels, bluejays and a few cardinals. They all seem to get along pretty well. The parrots aren't a continuous presence -- the larger flock comes around just before dusk. I also see them in the morning.
Hurricane Katrina took down all the tall trees in my backyard, so I don't have a lot of cover for any bird -- the sparrows like my neighbors bushes along the fenceline. The parrots seem to want to be high up so they favor the powerlines in front of the house and the two big trees in my backyard neighbors lots.
Here's a picture I took of the flock on the ground -- there were a lot of other birds right before I took this picture, but a lot of them notice me and took off before I could snap the shot.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
beckygardener
(Becky) in Sebastian, FL
(Zone 10a)
July 23, 2008
9:06 AM Post #5306476
| Oh that's awesome! Thanks for letting me know.
I just can't get over all those Monk Parrots you have! That is really cool! I wouldn't mind some in my yard. I get a lot of birds here too at my single feeder. Doves, Bluejays, Cardinals, Woodpeckers, and some I can't ID because I can't get a photo of them (they are shy). No small birds though. I feed the squirrels on the ground below the feeder. And it seems to attract some rodents to the ground feeders as well, so I get Owls at night. :-)
The only bird here that I worry will find my backyard is the Sandhill Cranes. If they find my feeder, they would probably destroy it because they are such large birds. LOL! They have been in my front yard, but have not discovered my backyard yet. Whew! |
