Holy Ring-Necked Parakeet!

I was already planning to write a post about the incredible Amsterdam apartment that we're renting this week. After yesterday's events, I'm now planning to stay here forever. As I was waiting for the coffee maker to do its thing yesterday morning a flash of green caught my eye in the tree outside the kitchen window. What the f - a big green parakeet had landed, followed by a second. I figured they must be a semi-domesticated pair belonging to one of the area apartments.

Later that afternoon as we were returning from a day traipsing around the Jordaan, our shoulders weary under the weight of many bags of Wilhemina peppermints, a large flock of green parakeets took flight from a tree in the courtyard. They circled around cawwing and generally raising a ruckus. A few dozen resettled -- but not long enough for me to get an in-focus picture (damned point and shoot!). Then they were gone.

I googled wild green parakeet and came up with this site of bird lovers devoted to the conservation of wild city parrots everywhere. Apparently the Amsterdam flock of wild ring necked parakeets is well known to hang in nearby Vondelpark. (photos are theirs).

This city just can't get any better as far as I'm concerned.