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Several weeks ago, in a blog called “Summer Seasonings,” I promised to write about some of the small personal moments and relaxed pleasures of the South Florida summer. Since then, I’ve talked about watching rainstorms come and go over the sea, and the cool breezes of waterside cafes, among other warm weather enjoyments. But lately, I’ve noticed more wild-parrot-gawkers than usual. Not wild parrots – same number of them, as far as I can tell anyway. Just more visitors-gawking-at-the-wild-parrots. I don’t know if it has anything to do with the summer or what. But for whatever reason, I’m seeing it more often this summer. And I’m sure getting a kick out of it.
South Florida now has a fairly large population of both wild parrots and wild parakeets. They weren’t native creatures, though they’ve flourished in the tropical climate. But many tourists are, understandably, surprised to catch sight and sound of these colorful birds, which are animals most people expect to find only in a cage or in some jungle somewhere. Recently on Las Olas, necks craned seriously to find one parrot squawking, and hiding, among the palm fronds. “There he is!” a tourist announced, pointing. (I assume she was an out-of-towner since few locals point out parrots so enthusiastically.) And she stood there smiling, and pointing, so her companion could follow the trail from her finger to the palm frond – and the parrot. Others nearby were equally amused by this sole parrot. I was amused by their amusement.
And just yesterday at the beach, same thing. Two women, obviously tourists, were walking under some trees when … “That’s a PARROT! Look, there it is,” one of them said. Enthusiastically. This time the bird obligingly hung out for a photo op. One lady grabbed her little digital camera and started snapping away while her other friend just gawked and smiled a lot. So maybe this is the summer of the parrot, and the parrot-gawkers. I only hope these visitors can handle the excitement if they find out about our wild iguanas.
South Florida now has a fairly large population of both wild parrots and wild parakeets. They weren’t native creatures, though they’ve flourished in the tropical climate. But many tourists are, understandably, surprised to catch sight and sound of these colorful birds, which are animals most people expect to find only in a cage or in some jungle somewhere. Recently on Las Olas, necks craned seriously to find one parrot squawking, and hiding, among the palm fronds. “There he is!” a tourist announced, pointing. (I assume she was an out-of-towner since few locals point out parrots so enthusiastically.) And she stood there smiling, and pointing, so her companion could follow the trail from her finger to the palm frond – and the parrot. Others nearby were equally amused by this sole parrot. I was amused by their amusement.
And just yesterday at the beach, same thing. Two women, obviously tourists, were walking under some trees when … “That’s a PARROT! Look, there it is,” one of them said. Enthusiastically. This time the bird obligingly hung out for a photo op. One lady grabbed her little digital camera and started snapping away while her other friend just gawked and smiled a lot. So maybe this is the summer of the parrot, and the parrot-gawkers. I only hope these visitors can handle the excitement if they find out about our wild iguanas.
posted by LauderBLOGGER at 8:45 AM
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