Very rare visitor.

Little Auks are Arctic birds that winter in the North Sea. They are only usually seen on the coast following and during Westerly storms when they come closer inshore. Occasionally they are blown inland, sometimes in large numbers known as “wrecks”.

One was found alive at Fairlands Valley Lakes on 13 February 1983, but died later, this was following the biggest ever “wreck” of seabirds in Britain. This was attributed to the previous month being dominated by westerly gales, which were then followed by north – easterly winds forcing already weakened birds down, mainly in the North Sea. Other birds killed in the, “wreck” were found to be emaciated suggesting that they were unable to feed due to poor weather conditions. A total of three birds were picked up in Hertfordshire, all of which are now in the County’s Museum collections. 

Another was found at Stevenage on 30 October 1995 and was taken into care at Graham Dangerfield’s private zoo at Redbourn and, after recovery released in Norfolk, this was at a time when unprecedented numbers of Little Auks were recorded along the North Sea coast.