Isle of Wight holiday for Beaulieu River parrot Miguel

Miguel, the Alexandrine parrot, who joined the Beaulieu River team last year after landing on a resident’s yacht, decided he was due some annual leave.

Last Thursday, as the Harbour Master’s office was being closed for the
day, Miguel escaped his perch and flew off into the evening sunset.

Miguel has become a much loved ‘colleague’, as well as being popular with visitors to Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour on the Beaulieu River.

Beaulieu River's Nicky Pointer and Matt Thomas, with Wildheart Sanctuary's Marc Fox, and Miguel the parrot. (Image: Beaulieu River)

Everyone was saddened by his disappearance and a campaign was quickly launched via social media to try to get him back home safely.

Reported sightings of a parrot in the Bembridge and Yaverland areas of the Isle of Wight circulated on Sunday.

It quickly became apparent that Miguel was having a day out at the beach and causing quite a stir.

The team from The Wildheart Animal Sanctuary in Sandown headed over to Yaverland Beach and were successful in rescuing Miguel from a visitor’s car.

Through the power of social media, Marc Fox, animal manager at the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary, contacted the Beaulieu River team and established the parrot was the missing Miguel.

Matt Thomas and Nicky Pointer from the Beaulieu River team visited the
Isle of Wight on Monday morning and were reunited with Miguel who promptly flew to them and awarded them with ‘kisses’.

He is now safely back at the harbour office and enjoying his favourite snack of fruit, as well as lots of attention.

Wendy Stowe, harbour master, said: “We are so grateful to both the public and The Wildheart Animal Sanctuary for helping to find and look after Miguel.

"He’s been very chatty since getting home, but we’re not sure his favourite phrase of ‘good boy’ is quite true!”