Eleonora's Falcon at Worth Marsh

Two years ago I travelled to Winterton the day after an Eleonora's Falcon was spotted and of course I dipped as these birds never stick around and only a handful of people have the falcon on their UK life lists. Yesterday in similar circumstances to the Winterton bird news came via a photo of a Hobby that was then identified from the photo as an Eleonora's Falcon. Some twitched it yesterday and many dipped it yesterday and I thought it was just another of those "You had to be there to see it" birds but bring on 9.54am today and somebody saw the bird again at Worth Marsh in Kent. An hour later it was found sitting on a post and so it began more news more sightings more photos and it continued to pull at my twitch nerve and I continued to drive my wife crazy with each report that came in.

It being a Friday would take me about two and a half hours to cover the ninety miles required, Dad had a commitment too but eventually we managed to meet up and set off around 2.30pm arriving at 5pm to news that the bird was still sat in a tree so we marched around to the gathering of scopes and within seconds had ticked the Eleonora's Falcon. A first for Kent and a first for me. We watched it for over an hour and it made three short flights before going back to the tree to rest.

Distant record shot of the Eleonora's Falcon at Worth marsh Kent

We left and drove down to Worth where we saw the Red-footed Falcon and then had better views of the Eleonora's Falcon sat out on the marsh on a plastic post. It was distant for my 400mm lens but gave fantastic scope views along with Hobby. I've been hoping for this something special to get me out again following a month where I've only managed one local birding trip and I couldn't have asked for a better bird and only 90miles from home too.

As always thanks to the guy that took the photo of the "Hobby" the guys that refound it today and to all the staff on site for arranging parking and giving directions with a warm smile. It was a very pleasant twitch and we played our part by getting many people onto the bird too.

Onwards and upwards!

Year list now 211 - Life list now 430