A SEVEN month old falcon which went missing before Christmas has been found dead in St Albans, around 25 miles away from the landfill site where it was used to fend off feathered pests.

Sasha, a predominantly white Saker falcon with brown flecks, vanished from Spingfield landfill site in Broad Lane, Beaconsfield, on Friday December 19.

She was one of the team of birds of prey used to deter winged nuisances such as seagulls or crows which can transfer unhygienic waste or disease from rummaging around in the tip.

Sasha had only been let out for her first full flight two days before disappearing.

She failed to return after flying off with a crow carcass on December 19. According to handler Gemma McClughen, discovering this new food source meant the bird felt no need to return.

Gemma, who also keeps two other falcons and a harris hawk that work on the landfill site, spent much of the Christmas period searching for Sasha having put out an appeal in the Bucks Free Press in case a member of the public found her.

She said: "She went missing the Friday before Christmas and then she was found on Monday after.

“I was out Christmas day looking for her and all over Christmas but obviously it didn't expect her to get as far as St Albans.

"Falcons can travel miles and miles but I didn't think she would be fit enough to travel that far.

"At least I know where she is but fortunately not in the way I would have liked."

The fast-flying bird, specially trained for falconry, was discovered by a member of the public near Junction 21 of the M25 close to Bricket Wood on Monday, December 29.

It is unclear what caused the falcon's death but Gemma believes something she ate may have made her ill.

She said: "I'm going to have her sent for a post-mortem but it’s a possibility she's eaten something which has been poisoned, perhaps just bad meat or something."