Seaford Head-20 June 2010

a wonderful surprise yesterday when a Red-footed Falcon appared two miles from my house! Getting a lift with Dad, we arrived mid-afternoon, expecting distant views. We were a bit surprised when we couldn't find it flying around as we walked towards the small crowd. We checked and couldn't see anything, though they insisted it was showing really well. I looked in a scope and suddenly it was sitting on the ground in all it's glory, and I could see every single detail. Then I looked up and after a few moments, and noticed that small grey mound 10 feet away in the field! For the next half hour it showed wonderfully, sitting, catching beetles, occasionally taking to the wing and at one point flying onto a fencepost 5 feet away! It even coughed up a pellet at one point, the first time I've seen any bird do this! It was missing several tail feathers and was relucatant to fly much of the time. A shame, and I hope it manages to return to wherever it came from happily.