Red-footed Falcon found shot

Photo : Rare Bird Alert

Back in August this first summer Red-footed Falcon was delighting the assembled masses at Willow Tree Fen in Lincolnshire after spending a while doing the same in Stoke. On 19th September it was found dead close to the town of Whittlesey in Cambridgeshire and in the recording area of the Peterborough Bird Club. The bird had been shot.

This news doesn't seem to warrant any television coverage, although if you look hard enough the BBC have got a small story about it on their news website. The RSPB are offering a reward of £1000 for any information leading to a prosecution, it may as well be £10,000 for all the good it will do! Another wild life crime that will go unpunished.

In happier times when he graced Willow Tree Fen

Red-footed Falcon at Willow Tree Fen LWT, part 2

As of writing, the Red-footed Falcon is still present at Willow Tree Fen nature reserve in Lincolnshire. The other morning I paid yet another visit, ostensibly to see if I could get some more photos of it and this time the sun was shining.

A remarkable bird, that after a bit of careful field-craft sat within 15 feet of me and only took to the sky when a cow got too close! I may return yet more as I still would like a photo of the bird doing something other than sitting on a post.

Red-footed Falcon at Willow Tree Fen LWT

A 1st summer male Red-footed Falcon had been entertaining the assembled masses near Stoke on Trent during July and I had thought of going to see if I could get a half decent photo or two, but it was a bit of a journey and as it wouldn't have been a 'lifer' I kept umming and erring! The bird then disappeared. Mike Weedon texted me on Thursday morning with the cryptic message of 'Have you heard the red-foot news?'. I replied in the negative thinking all sorts of possibilities, he then phoned to inform me that a 1st summer male Red-footed Falcon had been seen at Willow Tree Fen (a small reserve managed by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and just over the border from the Peterborough area) the previous evening. I couldn't visit that day, although he and others managed the trip and so I had to wait until Friday evening after work, where the damp and the gloom did nothing for photography, but the bird did show well, if only by sitting on a post!