Red-footed Falcon and Stone Curlew, early May 2025

Red-footed Falcons at Carlton Marshes, Suffolk

Red-footed Falcons are rare visitors to the UK, typically seen during spring and autumn migration. These small, graceful birds of prey breed in Eastern Europe and winter in Africa. In the UK, sightings are sporadic, usually along the east and southeast coasts, and most often involve young birds or males.

This year there seems to have been quite a few reports, including Ouse Fen - very distant birds and Carlton Marshes - where five birds were roosting in plain sight.  Sadly on the day I visited, it was cold, windy and dark - so there was almost no flying.







Revisiting the Stone Curlew at Weeting Heath, Norfolk
The Stone-curlew is a rare, ground-nesting bird found in the UK, mainly in dry, open habitats like chalk grasslands and arable farmland in southern England, particularly in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Wiltshire. It is a summer migrant, typically arriving in March and leaving by October. During winter, Stone-curlews migrate to southern Spain and North Africa.

A pair at Weeting Heath had successfully produced two chicks, that were following the adults round, and being fed, while I visited in early May.




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