Red footed Falcon, Wilstone Reservoir, Herts

Two Red-footed falcons, a 1st summer and an adult were found a few days ago but only the youngster seemed to stay for the bank holiday Monday. When I arrived at about 6.45 am it was sleeping in a hawthorn tree in the middle of a field adjacent to the reservoir (cemetery corner). It soon flew to an exposed branch, where it was hassled by a crow and then flew to the North East.

Whilst in Holland, I found a juvenile Red-foot in my local patch, Teinhoven Plassen, but this is a UK lifer for me. These birds winter in southern africa and migrate to their breeding grounds in Eastern Europe, but several birds (usually 1st summers) turn up in the UK.

1st Summer male Red footed Falcon at Wilstone Reservoir

Red footed Falcon: UK lifer 266