Blue and Gold Macaw, near Pooley bridge, Ullswater, Mystery solved. Great pictures, though.

Edit: We met a local whom I asked about the Macaw. He said it belonged to a South African who had moved into a caravan in the area just south of Wreay mansion/Bennett head about six weeks ago.

That explains the lack of news in local papers and why so many people are startled to see it.

The old girl and I were walking around the north west shore of Ullswater (well, about a mile inland nearer Watermillock) when we heard an almighty screeching. At first I thought it was a crow being strangled or quite upset. Eventually, we spotted the culprit; a Blue and Gold Macaw.

It has a ring on its left leg. I reckon escaped either from zoo or private aviary. It was quite tame, and indeed flew to us and with us for a bit. It also swooped down right between us, and also appeared to say 'hello'.

Who would you suggest I contact to report this? Or is this bird well known.

This how close it got as all photos, bar the one with a ring on it, are uncropped. Snapped with my R7 and Sigma 150-600 C. A lot of photos were not at 600mm, but a smaller zoom.

Now with ring. Unfortunately, can't read number.

When I first spotted it, the thing was a couple or three hundred yards away, across a field.

90% luck, 5% field craft, 5% camera skills.

  • I would have a look on local Facebook groups lost and found or maybe on this page www.facebook.com/.../LostandfoundparrotsUK
    - valuable bird

    Cin J

  • Thanks, Cin J. I've submitted a post to the LostandfoundparrotsUK website. Awaiting admin approval. Hopefully it will help someone who lost it to at least hunt round the area o get it back.

    90% luck, 5% field craft, 5% camera skills.

  • Hi Angus,
    I posted this on your post this morning, not sure if you read it.

    I had a look on line and they have them at Safari Zoo, near Ulverston, Cumbria. About 32 miles as the crow flies .... or in this case, as the Blue & Gold Mcacaw flies ...

    Might be worth giving them a ring, see if they have lost one.
  • Wotcha, Billysdad,

    I've just pinged an email to the Safari park, and will follow up with a phone call later today.

    I did check their website yesterday morning, after you superb piece of sleuthing, but didn't see if they had macaws or not. In my befuddled state (8 hours driving, plus two hour walk) I didn't search hard enough - their website isn't the best. All I could see were big beasties, mainly from Africa.

    This morning, I had a more detailed look. Lo, they do have Blue and Gold Macaws.

    Sods law says the *** has flown out of the area.

    90% luck, 5% field craft, 5% camera skills.

  • We saw the same parrot on 20th May at grid reference NY 44631 24192 (near Wreay, Pooley Bridge). It dive-bombed us and had a short conversation consisting mostly of "hello" and "goodbye".
  • That is exactly where we are. We met a runner about half an hour ago, who had just seen this Macaw - so it is definitely still around. He posted details on Twitter.

    I phoned the Safari park twice, today. They are open, but no one answered; how rude. The old girl did suggest only admin staff would answer emails, and so wont be in until tomorrow.

    90% luck, 5% field craft, 5% camera skills.