Cherry Headed Amazon Parrots in Florida? Yeah, we've got that too.

The day I went to see what would be my house for the last fifteen years, I had a visitor.

I looked through the house to the backyard to the Bougainvillea arbor.  I have managed to keep that alive, and trimmed and I still look at it as a bit of contemplative beauty.  Even with all the thorns, the flowers will draw the eye.

I did make it to the yard and get to see it first hand.  Walking past it to the back of the yard, I heard some unaccustomed chattering.  

I looked up and spotted a cherry headed amazon parrot.  I chattered back at it "Meh Meh Meh MEH!".   We held a conversation for a short while.  

It must have been a good omen.  I look at the wires when I am back there looking for the parrots and sometimes I spot one. 

Truth be told, the yard is chock full of wildlife, some of it belongs, much of it is carelessly introduced.

I've spotted more of the parrots, many other species of birds some of which are just passing through on their vacation here over winter.

I've seen Green Iguanas, way too destructive to be welcome, as large as six feet.  Dinosaurs really, eating away at the plants and shorting out the power lines with an electrical pop.

I've been told that there are Pythons and Boa Constrictors back there as well but I have not spotted them.  The Black Racer snakes are quite enough, thank you.

And I've seen these exotics on my many walks around town.  I've transitioned away from my normal inline skating workouts while the lab rats are filling up the ERs lately, so I am walking all over town.

This morning on the wires the flock had arrived.  Behind Hagen Park in Wilton Manors, there was a flock of Cherry Heads up there making a racket.  I have been told that this is a small flock and in other parts of Fort Lauderdale there are flocks that are five times or more individuals there.  I do know that this particular flock shuttles between the High School and the Park dining on choice fruits growing on the trees.

I guess you just never know what you will see if you look for it.  As for the Parrots, they're pretty common here.  If I don't hear them I am surprised.  You get to expect them while out with the dog in town.