A major operation has been launched to capture an exotic bird too clever to be caught.
Joey, an Indian ring neck parakeet, flew out of his Thornhill home in July and has spent the last three months on the lam, visiting people across from across Egremont.
The cheeky bird regularly visits several gardens to tuck into seeds from bird feeders, but is too quick to be caught.
Joey went missing on July 27 and Mackenzie Leder, who is good friends with Joey’s owner, said: “We spent the first two days on Thornhill trying to secure him, but he was just too fast. The next day, I couldn’t believe my eyes, he was in my back garden in Egremont! So ever since I’ve been trying to secure him.
“He visits my garden every morning without fail for his breakfast and again every evening for his supper. We’ve had so many reports of him flying around Egremont and landing on everyone’s birdfeeders. He’s looking so well too.
“I’m obviously worried about him during the harsh weather, but Indian Ring Necks are so resilient. They live in big flocks down in the London area, I’m hoping he never finds a flock and leaves.”
Mackenzie added that a live-catch trap has been set for months in her garden in an attempt to rescue Joey, but that so far, he has proven too clever to fall for it.
Despite hailing from Thornhill, Joey is more regularly spotted around Egremont, with Fellview Drive being one of his frequent hang-outs.
Lesley Carver, of Fellview Drive, took to social media when she first spotted him on her birdfeeder, in the hopes of finding someone who was able to catch him.
Lesley’s son, Myles, 24, said: “He keeps going on the birdfeeders in the morning and he comes when the day gets a bit brighter at around 9am. He looks healthy and is of average size, we can hear him squawking whenever he visits the garden.”
Mackenzie added that leaving windows or doors open and throwing out food for Joey may help entice him in to be safely caught indoors. She added female birds may also be a draw for the parakeet.
Anyone who is able to help safely catch Joey is encouraged to try and do so ahead of the winter months.
