Monday, 28 May 2012

Amazing mimic!

I was out before work checking the usual field at Gunton and saw 10 Green- winged Orchids, plus 2 Green- Winged Orchids seen within the PH field in the usual place. As I was walking back to the car, to go off to work. I heard what sounded exactly like a Ring- necked Parakeet call "kee-kee-kee" perfect tone and pitch coming from the tall trees on the south eastern end of Gunton Hall grounds. I heard the "kee-kee-kee" call again and a "kee-kee" call again from 8.40- 8.50am. The call seemed to be distinct from any other and didn't appear to be part of a song. I wanted to inform people so I helpfully tweeted the message round of a "presumed Ring- necked Parakeet" and requested people to check it out as I had no time to fully investigate, as I had to go to work for 9am. This evening, I returned to photograph the Orchids and as I was doing so, I heard the call again, this time eminating from the hedgerow separating a field from the road by Gunton Tesco petrol station. I walked over and at 5.40pm was absolutely amazed to hear the exact call tone and pitch "kee- kee- kee" of a Ring- necked Parakeet included within the usual Song Thrush song, what an incredible mimic! I have lived formerly for 8 years in London (1985- 1993) hearing the Ring- necked Parakeet call on a very regular basis. You had to be reasonably close to hear the full song of the Song Thrush, the tone and pitch of the Parakeet mimicry carried much further than the usual Song Thrush song. I can only assume this Song Thrush had previously held territory near a calling Ring- necked Parakeet maybe London or the south- east and learnt the harsh call and incorporated into its repertoire. In the garden in the evening, a Comma settled briefly on the pipe of the garage, a Hairy Hawker was seen briefly by the Clematis at the back and the Willow Warbler and 2 Chiff- Chaffs sang from Fallowfields.

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