Least Auklet

Least Auklet

Aethia pusilla
Saint Paul Island, Alaska, USA - June 6 2016
Least Auklet in breeding plumage.
The Least Auklet is the smallest auk in the world, only 14-15 cm! It has been my most wanted alcid for a long time, ever since I boosted my auk list in the Sea of Okhotsk 8 years ago. I have had an obsession to get sharp flight shots of this species, a true challenge. They are warblersized, flies swiftly like bullets and not always straight.