Park vulture has flown the nest (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Park vulture has flown the nest

3:25pm Friday 17th November 2006 in News By Chris Wickham

A rare bird of prey that has drawn the national press and bird watchers to Richmond Park has not been spotted since last weekend, according to a Royal Parks spokesperson.

A vulture, rarely sighted in Britain, was spotted and caught on camera by a resident, who lives in one of the lodges in the park, last Saturday but has not been seen since.

The endangered Indian white-backed vulture, which has an average height of 85cm and wingspan of 220cm, is believed to be one called Bones that escaped from Blackbrook Zoological Park in Staffordshire in August, but that has not been confirmed.

"We don't know where he has come from," said a spokesperson. "And he hasn't been seen since Saturday. We think the bird has flown."

A vulture was also seen over the Beddington sewage farm, near Croydon.

But it was reported that the sightings are not just confined to London.