Seagulls may be the scavengers of the sky but there's one in Alderney who will eat only the finest food.
Mikey, a lesser black-backed seagull, arrived at the island's Animal Welfare Society in late April after a member of the public noticed it had injured its right wing.
Vet Dave Burrows treated the bird, which had fractured its wing, and quickly put him on the road to recovery.
Mr Burrows said: "Mikey was quite frail when he came in and had clearly lost a lot of weight as a result of the injury he'd suffered.
"We gave him some cat food and other bits and pieces and he slowly began to get his strength back."
However, Mikey, named after food critic Michael Winner, soon developed a taste for the finer things in life.
Mr Burrows said: "I tried giving him a couple of prawns one day and he loved them so much he refused to eat cat food afterwards.
"Since then he's got fussier and fussier and now he'll only eat the very best fresh seafood."
As well as prawns, Mikey has tried sardines and smoked salmon.
Veterinary nurse Kathy Bichard said: "Someone came into the surgery with a smoked salmon sandwich so we gave Mikey a bit, as we thought he'd like it. Not surprisingly, he gulped it down."
Mr Burrows thinks Mikey may return to the sanctuary once he's allowed back into the wild.
He said: "I've never known a bird return after being cared for but I wouldn't be surprised in Mikey's case.
"One night scavenging might convince him to come back."
Common in Britain, lesser black-backed seagulls generally scavenge and seek small prey.
The Guernsey Bereavement Service has made three visits to Alderney over the past few months and would like to continue to help you. We are visiting the island again on
Tuesday, 23rd February 2024 and would invite anyone who feels they would like Bereavement Counselling to telephone the Bereavement Service Office on 257778 to make a time to meet one of our counsellors.
The Guernsey Bereavement Service has made three visits to Alderney over the past few months and would like to continue to help you. We are visiting the island again on
Tuesday, 23rd February 2024 and would invite anyone who feels they would like Bereavement Counselling to telephone the Bereavement Service Office on 257778 to make a time to meet one of our counsellors. 