MARK Oakley’s garden is enjoying an unusual splash of late summer colour thanks to an escaped exotic parrot.

The Australian rosella parrot, that has striking blue, red and yellow feathers, has been a regular visitor to Mark’s garden in Ferndown since it first showed up two weeks ago.

The bird is only found in the wild in the forests and woodlands of Australia and New Zealand.

So this specimen appears to have spectacularly lost its way after being turning up on a housing estate.

Mark, 57, and neighbour Penny Brown have been feeding the 10ins tall creature birdseed and bacon fat.

It is thought the bird has escaped from an aviary.

Although it appears to be in good health at the moment, there are concerns the parrot may suffer when the weather turns colder in the months ahead.

It is also feared the colourful creature will be picked off by a larger bird of prey, like a sparrowhawk, because it stands out so much.

Penny, 54, said: “We have lots of greenfinches, goldfinches and other species visiting our feeders this summer but I was amazed when the parrot appeared among them.

“We were worried that it wouldn’t survive and tried to entice it into a cage, but it was having none of it, and actually seems to be coping extremely well so far. We have had some unusual birds in the garden in the past, including a flock of Russian waxwings, but this bird is by far the most unexpected.

“Some magpies have had a close look at him but he’s a feisty character and has seen them off.”

Mark, a marketing manager, added: “The way it is behaving and feeding, it seems more like an ordinary native bird. But it could be a bit of a sitting duck for a sparrowhawk.”