The crew of the Ocean Osprey fishery protection ship may be more used to boarding vessels but now they've been boarded themselves 25 miles off the Cornish coast - by a lost and exhausted budgie.
The ship was on its way from Plymouth to patrol the Celtic Sea when 25 miles off the Cornish coast going past Padstow, chief engineer Tomasz Stefanik spotted the exhausted blue and yellow budgie on the deck of the ship.
He was spotted resting on the vessel's deck
He put out his hand and it hopped on and he is now looking after it after it took a particular shine to him. The crew making an appeal to see if they can trace the owner of the pet that appears to have escaped from its cage onshore.
The Ocean Osprey fisheries patrol vessel picked up the budgie
Chief Mate Jeffrey Tuckerman told the Packet: "I’m the Chief Mate on board the Fishery Protection vessel, the Ocean Osprey and we are currently patrolling in the Celtic Sea. Two days ago on Friday [April 23]while approx 25 miles off the coast of Padstow our chief engineer was out on the deck and saw the budgie.
"He put out his hand and it hopped on.
The exhausted budgie was rescued by the chief engineer
"It was clearly exhausted and seemed relieved to get inside and rest. It’s very comfortable around people as it has been climbing on his shoulder and head.
"He’s constructed a makeshift cage for it in his cabin and has tried feeding it various things, with peanuts being a winner."
The bird is being looked after by the chief engineer
The crew are not due to leave the ship yet but fishery officer Madelein Bradshaw from Plymouth is due to change out earlier and has agreed to take the budgie home and look after it until the owner is found. Failing that she's said she's going to keep it and give it a new home. Anyone with any information about the budgie can contact Jeffrey by email at j.tuckerman@hotmail.co.uk
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