It’s that time of year when Ring-necked Parakeet counting comes to the fore again. On the way home from Sidcup on 9th October I got to Bexley Park Wood at 18.08. Some 349 birds were counted heading north-west towards the night-time roost at Danson Park. A number appeared to come out of the wood, but the largest groups, seen from the north end of Elmwood Drive (around 70, 50 and 25 individuals), were already flying north of Bridgen Road, and may have come from the north-east corner of the wood or, perhaps, from further afield at Churchfield Wood or the Dartford Heath area. This is something locals might like to try and pin down by watching from the Camden Road/Bridgen Road junction at appropriate times.
The last birds seen flying by were at 18.20, so it is likely given past experience that the first 10-20 minutes of movements had been missed by the time I got there.
Chris Rose
