Colony of lovebirds flying around Tadley after birdkeeper accidentally leaves aviary open

A whole colony of lovebirds has been flying around Tadley after a bird keeper accidentally left the door to one of his aviaries open.

Drew Holdaway is a 64-year-old carpenter and Burnham Road resident who has kept birds as a hobby for more than 30 years.

He currently has a collection of between 120 and 130 birds which includes ring-necked parakeets, rosella parrots, budgies, cockatiels, diamond doves, red-rumped parrots, quails and pennant parrots.

On Wednesday, August 9, Mr Holdaway accidentally left the door to one of his aviaries open and all 72 of his lovebirds flew out.

He said: “I was in my kitchen looking out at the aviaries and I thought: ‘How strange, I’ve got lovebirds flying around the garden.’

“I went running out there and I’d left the aviary door undone. All 72 had flown out.

“We managed to catch 14, but I lost 58, and currently they’re still flying around Tadley to the point that I’m having people sending me videos of my lovebirds perching in their gardens.”

Since Mr Holdaway first spoke to the Newbury Weekly News, he has caught 10 more, but it means that there are still 48 birds loose in Tadley.

Although Mr Holdaway is happy that many Tadley residents are enjoying seeing his birds flying around the town, he is worried for their safety if they don’t return to his aviary.

He fears that red kites will prey on them, and, if they survive those predators, they won’t be able to keep warm enough to survive through the winter.

Lovebirds tend to return to their homes, so Mr Holdaway is hopeful more will return to his home to be back with the rest of the colony.