Hi, > The only things I can think of that are a reasonable possibility are > European Roller and Green Woodpecker, with the Roller winning for colour > and the Woodpecker winning for form. More likely is a pair of escapees > of some exotica. Maybe Moulin Rouge birds. They have multicoloured > plumage.
I know practically nothing about birds, although I'm forever seeing interesting ones, and interesting behaviour - I saw a kestrel catch and try to kill a starling last year, right on the pavement in front of me. I would like to have the time to learn more. When I was watching the brightly coloured birds I thought they were not woodpeckers, which I've seen a lot of. It may have been a green woodpecker, but I haven't seen a photo of one that really convinces me - they don't show the blues and reds that I remember. I thought they might be golden orioles, or some other type of oriole, but the colours and the markings didn't match. I've never heard of the European Roller before. Again, the colours and markings don't match. Is there really such a thing as the Moulin Rouge bird? If so, do you know its Latin name? Google results are swamped by references to the recent film and the dance hall. > On the subject of what obscure animals people use as pets, did > you know that the "Amazon" section of the London Aquarium is populated > almost entirely by "cast-offs" from peoples' aquaria? That is, the fish > grew too large to remain in them. Many of the fish are only able to > reach their full size in something like the space given in the L A and > they are upwards of six feet...... I didn't know that, but I'm not at all surprised. People keep some very strange things in their bathroom. > Like modern cars, which Cath is certain are all modelled on Kryten's > head 8-) Recommend the glassbottom boat trip along the Fleet next time > you are there. The guide is a proper marine biologist. Not recommended > after gale force winds, though. Makes it too muddy. 8-( Sounds interesting - I'll give it a go next year. -- Cheers, Bob
