Photographer's focus captured by escaped flamingo

Frankie has been spotted on several occasions in Goulven Bay in northern France

A French amateur wildlife photographer says he will continue to monitor the flamingo which escaped from a wildlife sanctuary in Cornwall and made its way to northern France.

Frankie the Caribbean flamingo escaped from Paradise Park Wildlife Sanctuary in Hayle, Cornwall, on 2 November, despite her feathers being clipped on one wing to prevent her from reaching full flight.

The bird was eventually spotted in Goulven Bay in northern France - where she is thought to have settled.

Mickaël Belliot, who lives near Brest and is a nature guide in the area, said he had "developed an affection" for Frankie and her story.

Frankie hatched at Paradise Park in Hayle, Cornwall, in July

Mr Belliot said he was "very surprised" the first time he saw Frankie in Goulven Bay, in northern France.

He often photographs birds on the estuary there, and said his friends did not believe him when he told them he had seen a flamingo.

"I sent some photos that same evening to my friends who didn't believe me, they told me that it was probably AI photos.

"Obviously the next day when I told them about the Paradise Park post they had to believe me."

Mr Belliot said Goulven Bay is a "remarkable place" for birds.

After his first sighting of Frankie, he said he "developed an affection for this bird, so for three days, not finding it, I began to wonder what had happened".

"So you can imagine my joy yesterday when I found her on a small island on the edge of the bay and I was finally able to take good photos again."

Mr Belliot said the young flamingo was "taking a nap at high tide" and seemed to be "in great shape".

"I was really happy to see her again. I will continue to monitor the area and above all I hope that she will acclimatise to her new wild life."

He said people in France were "really starting to be interested" in Frankie.

Frankie had some of the feathers on one of her wings clipped by keepers to prevent her from taking off

Previously, David Woolcock, a curator at Paradise Park, said there were "numerous issues" with the idea of bringing Frankie back to the park, including avian influenza.

"If she were to be caught in France she would then need to be housed at a French institution to be health screened as part of the UK importation process," he said.

"But it is unlikely that [anyone] would agree to hold Frankie as she has been mixing with wild birds and may have been in contact with avian influenza-infected birds.

"Avian influenza continues to be a major threat to wild birds and we hope that Frankie remains safe and healthy."