Stunning Red Foot.

Stephen Routledge · **Posted:** Sun Sep 28, 2008 8:31 pm

A trip today to see the cracking sub-adult male Red-footed Falcon at Tophill Low,had us enjoying brilliant views of the bird as it was watched hawking dragonflies,giving a fantastic display of this superb species aerobatic feeding skills,the bird was also observed perched up on a few occasions as well,what a stunner.Other birds on site included a juv. Hobby,15 Siskin and a strong southerly passage of Pink feet,with a total of 1340 south.
Other birds seen during the day where 2 smart Pectoral Sandpipers at nearby Beverley,with 5 Ruff,juv Wheatear and a further 278 Pinkies south here also.
An excellant days birding back in the home county.

Regards

Steve,with Dave Wright.

Roy Harvey · **Joined:** Thu Dec 30, 2004 10:23 pm **Posts:** 956

Interestingly, the Tophill Low Red-footed Falcon has now been re-identified as an Amur Falcon - the first for Britain!
Am pleased I went to see it!
The bird has not been reported since Wednesday but could still be around.

Roy.

Freddy Johnson · **Posted:** Sat Oct 18, 2008 9:49 pm

Birdguides this evening (Sat) claims that this bird has been re-identified as a MEGATICK :

AMUR FALCON (a separate species) .... apparently only a possible 2nd or 3rd for the Western Palearctic !!

Regards

Freddy

Stephen Routledge · **Posted:** Sun Oct 19, 2008 2:02 pm

Hi all,Firstly,really pleased i went to see this bird on 2 occasions,i just wish i had,had the experience to realise what this bird was at the time,Amur Falcon being a bit of an unknown quantity in Britain,but what a cracking bird,there will be some sick birders about now it's gone.Secondly,if iam right in saying this is the second record for the Uk and Ireland,as there was a record of a an adult male shot in Dumfries and Galloway in 1984,which had previously been taken into care in SW. France in May of that year,and re-habilitated and ringed as a male Red-footed Falcon,the bird ,i believe was also seen in Yorkshire,so incredibly Yorkshire has had both uk records of Amur Falcon,the 1984 record was un-earthed by Mark Grantham in 2005.

Regards

Steve

Katherine Birkett · **Posted:** Sun Oct 19, 2008 5:20 pm

Stephen Routledge wrote:

Amur Falcon being a bit of an unknown quantity in Britain,but what a cracking bird,there will be some sick birders about now it's gone.

** Throws up prodigiously into toilet **

Alan Hudson · **Posted:** Sun Oct 19, 2008 8:32 pm

I am now in a moral dilemma!! Can I honestly claim the Amur Falcon as at the time I saw it it was a Red Footed Falcon and I had no reason to believe otherwise . Or was it??? Can I be sure that there was not one of each there at some time. According to all reports including Look North it was a Red Footed Falcon until the morph yesterday. Your thoughts on this would be appreciated , I must admit that I am leaning towards discounting it as my conscience tells me it would be wrong. Help!!!

John Clarkson · **Posted:** Sun Oct 19, 2008 11:06 pm

Moral Schmoral. Whack it on your list Alan. You saw the bird and everyone was mistaken for a while. However, it has yet to be ratified by BBRC and or BOU!

John

Stephen Routledge · **Posted:** Mon Oct 20, 2008 2:43 pm

Hi Alan,a few years ago the same thing happened at Rimac,when a Lesser Sandplover was a Greater Sandplover for a short while,and i don't think many people where too bothered ticking the bird one day as a Greater then when the concensus of opinion changed towards Lesser,changing there minds i know i did.This hobby is always full of surprises and we all learn from our mistakes,so i know what i will be doing in regards of the Tophill Falcon.

Regards

Steve

Alastair Carr · **Posted:** Mon Oct 20, 2008 9:26 pm

I never know what I'm looking for on these twitches. I mostly rely on Dad saying "It's at 10 o'clock and it's that one with..." I wouldn't be able to tell that Mega bird at Leighton Moss RSPB from a Little Egret, apart from it's not got a black bill - I think.

The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Stunning Red Foot.

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