Why are there so many parakeets in Surrey? Where did they come from?
Jimi Hendrix and the African Queen
Mr Fry says many popular myths surround how parakeets - an invasive species - arrived in the UK. His favourite is that US guitarist Jimi Hendrix released them on Carnaby Street in London near the end of the 1960s. "It is lovely to think of him giving these exotic creatures their first taste of Britain." Going back further, the wildlife expert says another urban legend is that parakeets were brought onto the set of the 1951 film The African Queen and escaped.
But the truth behind their arrival in the UK, according to him, is that they were imported from India and Pakistan as pets. "Many people who bought them relatively cheaply in those days got fed up with them and let them go," he tells BBC Radio Surrey. "The hardiest ones managed to eke out a living. Now they are thriving here." Mr Fry says parakeet imports were at their height in the 1970s and 80s, when large numbers of wild birds started to be shipped commercially by air.But the non-migratory species was brought in by boat before that and there are records of parakeets living in the wild during Victorian times.DNA research by the University of Kent has traced the majority of British parakeets back to populations from Pakistan and northern parts of India.
'Bash, colourful, domineering'
Mr Fry says the parakeet trade boomed because they were easy to catch, transport and sell. But the bird was a "rip off", he continues. "They generally don't like to be kept in cages, they don't tame down very easily and are noisy."
Though he himself likes them, Mr Fry says the species is controversial for both the public and conservationists. "Not everyone loves them. They are very brash, colourful, domineering creatures. "That obviously is going to divide opinion."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
14 minutes ago
- The Guardian
‘He gave me a massage. I've never been in more pain in my life': Terence Stamp remembered by Paul Andrew Williams
We sent Terence the script for Song for Marion, and he just turned up at the office. He buzzed the door and said: 'Is Paul there?' There was a new person working in our office at the time, and she said: 'No, no one's in at the minute. Who's calling?' He said: 'It's Terence Stamp.' And then she was like: 'Well, he's not here, shall I leave a message?' She didn't invite him up or anything. She left him standing there. And he didn't give a shit about that, to be honest. Me, Terence and Gemma Arterton, who played the music teacher in Song for Marion, went to lunch at a vegan cafe in Shoreditch. His character, Arthur, was someone who loved his wife (played by Vanessa Redgrave), and would do anything for her, but always moaned, was always cantankerous, and found it very difficult to show any form of love to his son. He was someone who I based on my grandad, and bits of my dad. When his wife dies, it's Gemma's character who brings him out of his shell a bit, and encourages him to sing. We were talking about this character and he looked at me like I was talking in French. I stopped and said: 'Well, you can always just wing it.' He went, 'Yeah, let's wing it.' Working with him, I learned that veteran actors do like to be talked to, in terms of being directed. I also learned, without him telling me, that he had insecurities as well. When I met him, the first thing he said was: 'I'm only going to do one take. That's it.' But then when you got to know him, he was like, 'Oh, don't be silly.' He had his bravado. But he was a very underrated, very understated actor. When he sang Lullabye by Billy Joel in the film, he broke everyone. It was obviously very good, but it was so sad. As a kid, I loved him as the baddie in the amazing Superman and Superman II. He's good at frustration. He punches his hands in rage at one point. When we were shooting Song for Marion, I remember him coming over to give me a massage, because I'd said my back was sore. I've never been in more pain in my life. He was not the most tender of men. Terence was super, super fit. During filming, I went to the apartment where he was staying. He had this set of rotating press-up handles. They're on the ground, and you put your hands on them, and as you go, you can turn them. He said: 'Go on, do one.' I was like, 'Fucking hell, I don't know if I can.' He did loads, and I did one. I was in the peak of health, about 39 years old. He was 74 when he did Song for Marion. He was so healthy. He didn't drink. He didn't do any bad stuff at all. He was supposed to eat a chocolate bar in the film, and we had to swap it for a carob date bar, otherwise he wouldn't touch it. We always used to go to a place on Berwick Street for tea – a herbal tea, because I thought he'd really like that. He had this blue carrier bag with him. In it, he had his script and a load of raw beetroot and carrots. He said: 'I'm going to make a wicked salad: beetroot, carrot, that's it. A bit of vinegar – gorgeous.' That's what I remember. When we made Song for Marion, he was obviously still known. He had just done The Adjustment Bureau, and he had done Steven Soderbergh's The Limey, which wasn't a massive hit, but it was a really respected film. I didn't expect him to like this kind of script, because it was more commercial in terms of the story itself. But we talked about the fact that it reminded him very much of the relationship he had with his father. The troubles he had with his dad were not dissimilar to his relationship with Christopher Eccleston in the film. There was a jealousy of the mum's attention. We were the closing night film at the Toronto film festival. Terence was there, and behind him was his younger brother, Chris, who had managed the Who. Chris was crying his eyes out, and Terence was very comforting towards him, because they recognised their old man. He did like to talk about himself. I'll give him that. He would always go on about how big guys in gyms would beg him to say: 'Kneel before Zod.' He told me, obviously, about going off to India, about how he was absolutely broke and he had to borrow coins to call his agent to find out about Superman. He'd tell stories about him and Jim Morrison. The thing is, he did have an amazingly interesting life. He was low-key, but when he put a suit on, he looked good. He is possibly the best looking man I've worked with. My old drama teacher came to our screening at the London film festival, and the first thing he said to her was that she had wonderful shoes. She's still dining out on that. He was the most charming grump I've ever met. He was great to work with, but he was such a moaner. Then he would smile, and you'd think, he knew what he was doing.
The Sun
14 minutes ago
- The Sun
I've transformed my garden stairs on a budget – now people say they ‘give holiday vibes' and look ‘very Mediterranean'
A DIY enthusiast has given her garden a mega makeover without breaking the bank - and it's all thanks to her impressive stair transformation. Emma, a 40-year-old gardening fan who is currently on a mission to transform her home, was able to add style to her outside space, whilst staying on a budget. 2 Not only are her garden stairs now incredibly eye-catching, but people have said her outside area 'gives holiday vibes' and looks 'very Mediterranean.' So if you're on a mission to bring a new lease of life to your property, you'll need to listen up and take notes. The content creator, who is from Rhondda Cynon Taff, Wales, took to social media to share a before, during and after look at her painted steps, leaving many totally stunned. Emma demonstrated how she ensured her once grubby stairs looked gorgeous, as she wrote: 'I've totally transformed these garden steps on a budget!' To kick off the overhaul, Emma began by giving the stairs a deep clean. After she jet washed the stairs, she then used a HQC Premium Paint, which you can buy from B&Q. She claimed that the 'first coat went on lovely' and after this, she used an orange paint to create her very own stencils. Emma created sunflower stencils and then used sponge stencils to add a beautiful mosaic tile effect on the steps. The DIY fan added the stencils 'on each step' and we think it looks fabulous. Thrilled with her simple but effective makeover, the savvy woman beamed: 'Here is the after! I've totally transformed this area on a budget!' 'I was quoted £10,000 for a garden renovation but did it MYSELF for £1,000 using ChatGPT to show my kids what single mums can do' Emma later confirmed that from start to finish, her project took her four days. She acknowledged that the longest waiting time was the white coats of paint as the stairs needed two coats. DIY fans react Emma's TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @ inmygardeningera2025, has clearly impressed many, as it has quickly racked up 194,700 views. Not only this, but it's also amassed 4,055 likes and 347 comments. DIY fans were gobsmacked by Emma's stunning garden project and many eagerly raced to the comments to express this. One person said: 'Looks lovely, takes me away to Greece.' Another added: 'Ohhh I love that!! Gives me holiday vibe s! Very pretty.' Garden features that add the most value to a house A well-kept garden can add anywhere between 5-20% to the value of a property. carried out a study and consulted 36 estate agents, garden designers and property professionals from across the UK. And the experts revealed the garden feature which adds the most value to a property is a shed. Shed - 82% Patio or paving - 76% Secure fencing, walls or gates - 72% Outdoor lighting - 66% Sturdy decking - 62% Water features eg. fountain or pond - 58% Modern garden furniture - 54% Artificial lawn/grass - 40% A third commented: 'You have the patience of a saint! Worth the wait and hard work looks fab.' Not only this, but someone else chimed in and beamed: 'Very lovely, you have a lot of patience. Good job!!' Similar to this, one woman gushed: 'It's giving Santorini vibes.' Meanwhile, one user asked: 'Did you seal it to stop it wearing?' To this, Emma wrote back and confirmed: 'Not yet, that's next on my list.' At the same time, one user wrote: ' unfortunately, it's not going to you are not planning to step on even then, the rain will make them green…experience talking…' However, in response, Emma responded and penned: 'I'm not expecting them to stay perfect, I'll probably end up painting them every year with a different design.'
Daily Mail
44 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Royal secrets behind the State Opening of Parliament, from the late Queen's trick for wearing the heavy crown jewels to the poignant moment Charles filled in for his mother
During her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II presided over every State Opening of Parliament, bar three. She faced the tricky task of flawlessly reading the Government's legislative programme while wearing the Imperial State Crown, which weighs 2.3lb (1kg). The Mail's Robert Hardman revealed in his book Charles III: New King. New Court that Her Majesty would ask for the crown to be delivered to her the day before the State Opening. That would allow the late monarch to practise wearing the historic headpiece - which is encrusted with 2,868 diamonds and has 269 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and four rubies - and minimise the risk of mishaps on the day itself. The Queen had a similar train of thought when preparing for her coronation in 1953. After her father King George VI died aged 56 in February 1952, the Queen had 16 months before her big moment in Westminster Abbey. Though it rained, the day saw few mistakes, thanks to copious preparation, including several rehearsals involving the Queen herself. King Charles recently recalled in a new film, Coronation Girls, how his mother would wear St Edward's Crown, which is worn during coronations, around Buckingham Palace, including during the children's bath times. The documentary follows the story of 50 young women from Canada who travelled to the UK for the Queen's Coronation after being sponsored by Canadian businessman and philanthropist Garfield Weston Charles recalled to the women: 'I remember it all so well then, because I remember my sister and I had bath time in the evening. 'My mama used to come up at bath time wearing the crown to practice. You have to get used to how heavy it is. I've never forgotten, I can still remember it vividly.' It is a heart-warming story the monarch has shared before, including in a BBC tribute for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Charles said: 'I remember my Mama coming, you know, up, when we were being bathed as children, wearing the crown. It was quite funny – practising.' The Queen's final State Opening of Parliament was in 2021, when she presided over the socially distanced event just one month after her husband Prince Philip passed away. Charles and Camilla were both present to watch as the Queen gave what turned out to be her final speech in the House of Lords. Elizabeth did not wear the Imperial State Crown or ceremonial robes, however, and wore what royal officials described as 'day dress' instead - a coat and a hat - because of Covid restrictions making it less of a ceremonial event. For her final years, the monarch's Imperial State Crown was carried separately and placed on a table in the House of Lords. In May 2022, just a few months before the Queen's death, she had to pull out of the State Opening of Parliament on the advice of her doctor. It was the first time in 59 years that the monarch would not preside over the event. She had previously only missed the event twice in her entire reign - in 1959 and 1963, while pregnant. Charles sat in the consort's throne, used by his father Prince Philip for decades, and delivered the Queen's Speech in his mother's place. The Imperial State Crown - the greatest symbol of British sovereign power and authority - was carried to Westminster in a limousine with Britain's Crown Jeweller. Once at Parliament, it was placed on a velvet cushion on a table in front of Charles. Poignantly, there was an empty space next to him, where the Queen's slightly larger throne would usually be located. He would soon deliver this speech as King himself, in November 2023, following his mother's death.
