This entry is for the birds...

[resqgeek]

There's no shortage of birds in our neighborhood, including a number of colorful varieties (Bluejays and Cardinals being the most common). Our neighbors maintain a number of feeders in their yard, so we have a pretty constant flow of birds through our yard, which provides for entertaining bird watching. So, while I'm accustomed to seeing colorful birds flying about, I was a bit shocked by the one I saw this morning. As I was walking down the hill to catch my bus to work, I saw a flash of bright yellow-green. To the best of my knowledge, there are no native birds that color, so this caught my attention. A moment later, as small parakeet landed on the sidewalk a dozen yards in front of me! It was pecking at some seeds on the ground, and it let me approach to within a couple of feet before flying away. I'm sure it must be a pet that escaped or was set free. I also wonder about its long term survival prospects here, in this alien environment. Will it survive our winter? Will its bright color make it easy prey for a predator? I'll have to watch to see if it hangs around the neighborhood.