Little Auk Alle alle

College Lake - 22nd-23rd January 2012

Photos copyright Mike Wallen

This Little Auk was a remarkable find in January by a very surprised Sarah Houghton who soon contacted the rest of the site volunteers and the warden.   The news was put out and with about 45 minutes a group of birders had appeared for this very scarce county bird.    Sadly the bird was killed by a Crow early on 23rd. 

Although there have been almost 20 previous sightings, many have been picked up dead or dying and no twitchable birds for many years.

Milton Keynes - February 2008

Photos copyright Les Stocker

This Little Auk was very much a surprise visitor to Milton Keynes.  It was picked up and taken to St Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital ( http://www.sttiggywinkles.org.uk/ ) at Haddenham in early February where the bird was feeding and they were fairly confident that it would recover.  Sadly the bird died overnight, apparently from malnutrition. 

It is not thought that any local birders saw this bird before it was taken into captivity, therefore keeping the species on the most wanted list for almost all Bucks listers.  It is perhaps surprising to find that there have been 18 previous records of the species in the county.

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