The ins and outs of Real Estate

Chicago’s Hyde Park Parrots!

Several quaker parrot colonies/nests in Chicago's Washington Park, originally uploaded by hijabigirl1973.

There is a huge flock of Monk Parakeets; or Quaker Parrots, living in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood.  These green parrots are said to have escaped from a shipment to a pet shop shipment in early 1970s, and have set up colonies in several Chicago area neighborhoods.

If you are ever in Hyde Park the Monk Parakeets are definitely worth a visit.  I first saw them some 18 years ago, and was completely enchanted and captivated by them. 

and again, originally uploaded by hijabigirl1973.

Monk Parakeets are tropical parrots indigenous to South American, and the Amazonian rain forest.  It’s amazing that these parrots are able to thrive in Chicago, especially given our hostile winters!

07-0215-4 Cold parrots, originally uploaded by Eloise Mason.

There is a colony of peach headed conures living on Telegraph Hill in San Franciso!  San Franciscans are amazed that the peach headed conures are able to survive there given how cold it gets.  They should see our Monk Parakeets which stay here year-round.

Quaker all fluffed up, originally uploaded by hijabigirl1973.

Monk Parakeets are extremely adaptable creatures.  They are as hardy as …..well, as pigeons!  Conservationists are always concerned about non native animal species displacing native species.

Except for the noise, having Parrots replace our local pigeons might not be such a bad deal after all!

Uploaded by omkevin on 21 Sep 06, 7.37AM PDT.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monk_parakeet

http://www.monkparakeet.com/jmsouth/

http://chicagowildernessmag.org/issues/winter2003/monkparakeets.html

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/04/0407_030407_parakeets.html

Oh the snow!

oh the snow!, originally uploaded by kaiti.

Does this photo look familiar or what?  And Did we get dumped on or did we get dumped on!

I spent three hours blowing and digging out of snow two days in a row, and spent an hour doing it all again earlier today!

 

What a far cry from December 30ith, when I blogged and took photos of Humboldt park, the activity there, and people playing sports in shorts. What a difference a month and a half makes.

http://cbrkelvinrealestate.typepad.com/the_ins_and_outs_of_real_/2006/12/humboldt_park_1.html

I'm not a huge fan of living in condos, but it's days like the ones in the photos that I wish I were living in a condo with in-door parking!

I certainly hope we're done for the year!

Getting ready to blow and shovel the side, rear and alley!  2/17/07

The "Windy Whales" mural (1997-2007) endangered.

The Windy Whales (1997), originally uploaded by Looper-312.

The 17 story “Windy Whales” mural, which is located along the rear wall of the InterContinental Hotel, has all but disappeared, due to construction of a new 27 story condo building on Illinois street.

The mural had been a minor tourist attraction and staple of Chicago’s skyline since being painted in 1997, by artist Robert Wyland. Wyland has painted outdoor murals of whales and other marine life around the world and is the foremost sea and marine life muralist.

Not only are long time residents often displaced because of construction projects, but also beautiful works of art that serve to remind us of the importance of nature and the important role that all creatures play in our eco-system.

It’s ironic that not only are the Humpback Whales endangered to the point of being almost extinct due to over fishing/whaling, but now the mural has followed their path due to…….. ‘over building,’ maybe?

http://www.wylandfoundation.org/whalingWalls/whalingWalls_index.cfm

http://www.wylandfoundation.org/whalingWalls/whalingWalls_index.cfm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyland

Humboldt Park 12 30 06

Humboldt Park is a rapidly regentrifying area of the North West side of Chicago.  It is bordered by Logan Square and Hermosa to the North, West & East Garfield Parks to the South, West Town to the East, and Austin to the West.

The park itself has had all of it's tennis and basketball courts repaved, it's boathouse and field houses restored, it's lagoon re-landscaped and renovated.  New construction condos, condo conversions, and apartment renovations abound on all four sides of the park.

If you haven't been to the park lately, take a drive by and see the great work that's been done.  You can also take a pictorial view by clicking on the thumbnail to the photo album on the left of this page.

Enjoy 

                      

                          

 

Did you notice that many of the people playing sports in the photos today are wearing shorts!  It's almost 50 degrees outside on December 30, 2006!  It feels more like early spring or late fall than two days before the new year.  Unbelievable weather for us here in Chicago.      

To learn more about Humboldt Park go to...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humboldt_Park

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Division_Street_Riots