Monk Parrots: 8/21/2022

I have often heard of colonies of invasive Monk Parrots/Parakeets in New England, and I never thought about trying to seek them out until I heard that one lived in the area of Winthrop Beach and a playground at Lewis Lake Park. I headed out at 6:30 am this past Saturday in search of their large stick nest which was supposed to be on a utility pole across from the five sisters at Winthrop Beach according to my sleuthing through ebird. At first I thought that the "Five Sisters" was a cafe or restaurant, but then I learned that they are a series of rock formations just off the beach to prevent sand erosion. I drove along the road adjacent to the beach for a bit and also asked a local who wasn't sure where the nest was but made some suggestions. I finally found the large stick nest on a utility pole down a side street, and boy were the parrots loud! You couldn't miss their chatter and squawks as they were on the wires and nearby trees in the very populated street. These Monk Parrots are indigenous to Argentina and South America, but a few escapees have created colonies here in New England including Winthrop Beach. The nest that I saw was about two feet in diameter with the opening at the bottom, and the entire colony lives in the nest which helps the birds stay warm during our cold New England winters. I also was able to photograph some of the parrots as they flew into the crabapple trees at the Park for their breakfast. As I said, they are loud! Although an invasive species, they are still pretty cool and I admire their perseverance and beauty.