Moderate SW winds, a sea fog and bright sunshine produced a much better day than expected. Black Redstart and Garden Warbler still singing from thier prospective spots on the climb up the cliff, a Hobby flew West over Foxhill down and a White wagtail North were noted before I reached the Lighthouse where a Tree Sparrow flew in over the cliff top and perched up calling, a notable bird on the headland and my first here in spring.
70+ Swallows, c50 House Martins and 12 Swifts flew SW over light house down during the morning and a 2CY Caspian Gull flew along the cliff tops among 100’s of Gulls moving SW.
But today’s highlight came as I was walking home; a female Red–footed Falcon that flew North over Foxhill down, gained height over Broadlees bottom and continued North East.
I took these distant shots as it circled infront of the ‘two sisters’ pylons.
The bird continued at height towards Sherley’s farm and beyond, 40 minutes were spent looking for it in the hope it had stayed put and was hunting but no joy. A thrilling matter of seconds, the third Ive found and a species I think about alot.
As many encounters with migrant birds here go this was both exciting and brief if a little distant and I wondered if checking Worth Marshes would be wise considering the track record the place has with these kind of aerial hunters and made my way there. Whilst driving I saw Bird guides notification of a Red-Foot at Worth come up on my locked screen, Neil Davies had found a female over the great wood from his house. When I arrived I had great views of the White tailed Eagle that had been seen earlier and fantastic numbers of birds in general, no birders to be seen. Before long I had picked up this female Redfoot and had some lovely views.
Whilst watching the bird perched up in dead twigs towards the Pinnock wall I picked up another Redfoot coming towards me! – 2 birds! this happened again 5 minutes later whilst both birds were hunting over the marsh so I knew I wasn’t seeing things. Neil D had now joined me at the gate and we were mostly seeing the one bird, we were then joined by Rob Rackliffe and after a while figured out both birds were hunting over the wood behind us so moved round to enjoy some nice views. One paler bird (above and below) and the other rich dark apricot, Lovely. Im not sure if either are the bird I had at Langdon, perhaps its possible to tell from the mask bleeding behind the eye, the clean tidy wing and underparts, the paler bird could fit? I dont know.
The Darker bird below, quite obvious in the field to separate them, this bird a little untidy in the wing also with strong contrast across the belly.
PERDIX BIRDER 