Miguel, the Beaulieu River parrot, takes a weekend break to the Isle of Wight

Miguel, the Alexandrine parrot, who joined the Beaulieu River team last year after landing on a resident’s yacht, decided that he was due some annual leave. Last Thursday, as the team were getting ready to close the Harbour Master’s office for the day, Miguel escaped and flew off into the evening sunset.

Miguel, the Alexandrine parrot, who joined the Beaulieu River team last year after landing on a resident’s yacht, decided that he was due some annual leave. Last Thursday, as the team were getting ready to close the Harbour Master’s office for the day, Miguel escaped 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. Everyone was therefore naturally saddened by his disappearance and a campaign was quickly launched via social media to try and get him back home safely.

Reported sightings of a parrot in the Bembridge area 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. Thankfully 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 Wildheart Animal Sanctuary, contacted the Beaulieu River team and established that it was indeed the missing Miguel. 

Matt Thomas and Nicky Pointer from the Beaulieu River team headed over to 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.

Nicky Pointer, Matt Thomas and Miguel with Marc Fox from The Wildheart Animal Sanctuary

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!”.