May 31, 2008
Fen Drayton: Red-footed Falcon and more...
A female Red-footed Falcon has been hanging around Fen Drayton gravel pits for a couple of weeks, so it seemed rude not to pay her a visit. It took two visits and a fair amount of patience, but she eventually showed well and within digiscopeable distance.
In the late morning she could be seen hunting over Elney Lake...
... along with several Hobbies (I counted 7 together over Elney Lake, but others have seen many more).
The reason for this concentration of falcons is the masses of dragonfly prey emerging at this site. On my second visit I found Variable Damselfly to be particularly abundant.
This delightful Sedge Warbler sang almost constantly during my visit, and provided a welcome distraction for all the photographers waiting for the red-foot to show.
A good selection of waders has been trickling through, including this immaculate breeding-plumaged Grey/Black-bellied Plover.
A Great-spot posed out in the open in the early morning mist.
4 drake Garganey together is not something you see every day.
