More parakeets in Pontcanna

I woke up late and posted the Morning Prayer YouTube link to WhatsApp nearly an hour later than usual. After breakfast I went and checked that neighbour Mary was ready for the taxi that would take her to a dental appointment, then finished recording and editing the audio for next week's Morning Prayer. When Mary returned just before lunch, her taxista knocked on our door, as she had forgotten to take her handbag with her. Her house keys are attached to the bag, as normally she never leaves the house without it. It took quite a while to work out what had happened and find the key. Thankfully, we now have a spare. Her mind has deteriorated rapidly over the past month. I doubt if she'll be able to live on her own much longer.

Clare cooked a splendid chickpea curry for lunch. While she siesta'd afterwards, I went to Beanfreaks to buy the assorted groceries on the shopping list. On my way back, from the lane behind our street, I heard and then saw a group of five green parakeets flying eastwards towards the park in formation. I saw two on the same route from Thompson's Park one afternoon several months ago. Parakeet numbers are increasing, but is this because a few more have migrated westwards from the Thames Valley, or is there a breeding pair with offspring now? Impossible to tell, but an indication of the westbound trend of this non native  invasive species.

Then I went for a walk in Llandaff Fields and down to the river. A huge number of starlings were roosting or arriving to roost together in the trees along the Taff, an awesome sight any time a group of a hundred or so rose in the air and changed trees. I learned a few days ago that starling numbers in Britain increase at this time of year as Scandinavian starlings migrate south west to Britain once the snow covers the ground and its food supply. I think the numbers are increasing. It would be rare to see a big murmuration here, but this does happen in Cardiff Bay occasionally.

After supper I made the video slide show to go with today's recording and uploaded it to YouTube, then watched a couple more episodes of 'Ludwig' before bed.