' its appears a second auk was brought in by a cat in the stretford area, hardy lane '

According to the A-Z there is only one Hardy Lane in GM, in Chorlton .

It's the road leading to Jackson's Boat Pub from the Manchester side of the Mersey. So it's even closer to the Didsbury bird and just across the river from the Leach's at Sale WP.

Simon
Please change your picture of the dead auk, its tooooo sad
Lets have something more cheerful, like a live one at Elton!! ,then we can call it auk pond!!!!!!

yes, sorry its appears a second auk was brought in by a cat in the stretford area, hardy lane
fairly certain was dead when cat got it, damaged body etc, had to check just in case it was something else, so two auks this week , third one lucky must be a live one out there somewhere.

You haven't told us about the second one you found in the bags at Salford RSPCA, Paul - you deserve a medal for going through all those bags of dead animals.

Mr Auk has been laid to rest today at the Museum, it was a small ceremony with just me and henry present, I have asked members of Mr Auks family to visit the place of his demise if they wish, and I will personlly return them to the coast first class.
may Mr auk R.I.P.
keep birding there are others out there somewhere

Nice pictures warfy, have thought long and hard about it but we cannot count it,
have spoken to museum and on route with it today, as for second report its a bit miss and hit someone from work think they picked one up, but they have disposed of the body, currently checking out carcases at work, whats it all come to

Ahh yes you should have introduced yourself, good to meet you anyway.

Good birding, Simon

Me and my Dad turned up about 1 minute before everyone dispearsed. Sorry I couldn't chat and stuff but had to get back on the road to get up to Leighton Moss a little 'birdthday tweet' (see what I did there!). Dipped the GWEgret but Bitterns always rock.
Cheers. Henry.

Henry, sorry didnt even know you were there, which one were you?

Little Auks eat similar to Guillemots, crustaceans and small fish, neither of which were likely to be in that minging pond.

Chose to go and have a looksee at the Auk over the Petrel this morning. Saw it but not quite in the state i'd hoped for. Poor little thing . I'd never seen one before though so it was a learning experience all the same. Tiny little finch-like bill, do they eat different stuff to birds like Guillemots then (when not upside down in a land-locked park pond)?
Cheers. Henerz.

-- Edited by henerz1 at 17:27, 2007-11-13

And now a 2nd dead one in Stretford, but I'll leave Paul Heaton to fill in the details when he's located the body in the dead species bin at Salford RSPCA...

Warfy,Give us a ring when you manage to resuscitate the Auk. Heard you've borrowed some equipment from a Dr. Frankenstein !!!

Im no expert but on a close examination of the bird in my back garden there appears to be no obvious damage to the wings, so possibly the bird died simply of starvation.

Right off to clean my coat its covered in mud.

Never thought id ever be dragging a Little Auk out of a poxy pond in Burnage, cant really understand why the members of the public put it on there to be honest, looking at the size and disgusting state of the pond it never stood a chance, surely taking it to the RSPCA or bird sanctury would be the thing to do, guess some people dont know better.

Ive got the poor thing with me and gonna hand it to Paul Heaton today so it should end up in the museum.

Nice to meet you riggers, and seeing Rob with his net was the only thing to bring a slight smile to my face, otherwise gutted!!

Little Auk found at Fogg Lane Park this morning by Rob/Sonnia Adderley. Unfortunatley it was doing the backstoke and kicking its legs in the air-well not so much of the kicking!!

The corpse was recovered by the intrepid Warfy with a long stick and Rob Adderleys fishing/mothing net!

Nice to meet you guys (Warfy's/Adderleys.)

Not really no, if the Little Auk is indeed a Little Auk and is still living and breathing (giving the kiss of life if necessary is adviseable) and does indeed have a damaged wing then it's unlikely to be going anywhere whereas if the Leach's is still present it's likely to go pronto. Stop worrying pal, all will be well...or they'll both have gone/died

Warfy, do NOT put it in your car and bugger off to Bolton with it............. wait for me.
Have I drawn the short straw going to Sale WP

Both Sale WP and Fog Lane ponds will be being covered at first light, out of the two the Little Auk (if that's what it is, Murrelett or penguin anyone ) is most likely to stay, as the Sale WP Guillimot of many years ago stayed a few days but no Leach's have ever stayed overnight in the county There's always a first time though.

I assume that Fog Lane park is the area marked Recreation Ground on the map, west of the junction with Parrs Wood Road?

What price both Leach's and Auk still being there tomorrow morning - fingers crossed!

What ever next, I will be there for first light.

I've managed to get at least a couple of county birders to check it out in the morning (thanks chaps, not a difficult feat when a Little Auk may be involved!) and will endevour to release the news asap. If you do live local or may pop down and have a look for yourself could you please let me know either way asap, if you don'y have my mobile number (if not why not ) it's on the who's who page of the website. Here's hoping

Apparently a call was taken by a colleague at 16.10 from an MOP ( member of the public ) in Didsbury who had found a 'black and white bird, like a small penguine, with webbed feet, AND A DAMAGED WING' in their garden this afternoon and had already released it on the pond in Fog Lane Park, Fog Lane, Didsbury. I was told I'd been sent an e-mail regarding this, though I'd not been home yet. I shot down to the park from Sale WP, arriving at 17.25 armed with a 3-cell mag-lite (which I carry in the car) to try and spotlight it. No joy When I got home the e-mail was titled LITTLE AUK It won't be going anywhere with a damaged wing. One for Paul H eh! If I can't get away from work Paul, bring it to Chorlton WP