A Meath family has described as 'incredible' how they found their pet peacock unharmed three days after he went missing from their home.
'Winston' has been with the Stapleton family since they hatched him from an egg in an incubator six months ago and he has been roaming free range outside their rural home, outside Navan
However last Sunday evening, the presence of a vixen and her two cubs spooked him and he flew away from the house for the first time, leaving the family distraught.
After three days of searching and countless media appeals, Winston was spotted in a tree close to the house, but in the opposite direction from which he flew.
"Miracles really do happen," said mum Verena after she enticed Winston from the tree with blueberries and bread.
"My children Faye (three) and Leigh (five) were especially distraught as he used to sit on my husband Richard's shoulder and we all watched TV together.
"He got spooked and took off and there was a sighting of him beside the Boyne River, almost 2km away.
"We were worried that he may be attacked by other animals or get hit by a car so by Wednesday, our hopes were fading somewhat.
"Then my brother-in-law was out walking the fields on his father's land and in the top field, which is the complete opposite direction of where he flew from and where he was last spotted, there he was on the ground near a ditch.
"We couldn't believe it. My brother-in-law coaxed him initially with bread and I managed to catch him with blueberries and bring him home.
"He is a bit skinny now but we will feed him back up. He's sitting outside now just looking back in to us, happy out.
"I didn't give him enough credit to think that he was able to almost double back to the house and stay away from predators and the main Navan/Slane road which is close by.
"And because of the media coverage, one lady rang to say she had two peahens so come Saturday, Winston is going to have two girlfriends," she laughed.
