White Cheeked Turaco near Audlem

Yesterday, the following post by WLG appeared on Chatbox: "Over the past few days I have seen (what I think is ) a White – cheeked Turaco bird in my garden – quite exotic for Cheshire!

"It seems quite used to people and doesn't fly away when approached. Does anyone know of an escaped / lost bird in this area? We live 3 miles outside Audlem near Aston."

White-cheeked Turacos hail from Ethiopia, Eritrea and Southern Sudan in North East Africa, They are a mid-sized bird about 17 inches long.

A single white-cheeked turaco has been living wild in east London (Leytonstone and South Woodford). The sighting was recorded and confirmed in October 2009. It has survived the climate and potential predators for at least four years and appears to be living in harmony with native species. It's believed to be an escaped or released pet. Sightings in gardens have continued to delight Londoners well into 2014.

This year, another bird (or the same one who fancied a change of scenery perhaps?) has been sighted in Langton Green, Kent and has caused much interest to the residents, being featured in the village magazine.

Whether this one is a different pet that has escaped, or the London or Kentish bird that fancied a much nicer, and less crowded, part of this island to live in, we don't know.

Other sightings will be welcome. Last year, regular readers may recall, a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo made the news for a week or so on AudlemOnline.

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