Red-footed Falcon at Nunnery Lake

Red-footed Falcon, Falco vespertinus

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Yesterday morning I met Mark at Nunnery Lake near Chichester to see the Red-footed Falcon that has been seen hunting dragonflies there for the previous few days. A number of bird watchers pinpointed the location in a yew tree on the opposite side of the lake. This raptor lives in Eastern Europe and Asia and migrates to Africa where it overwinters. It regularly appears in Western Europe.

Afterwards we adjourned to a local and spent some time by the buddleias with Red Admirals, a Comma, a Peacock and 2 Painted Ladies, one of which was in very good condition and the other very worn. We then visited the Violet Helleborines where Mark collected some of the flies for identification and I took photos of the fruit flies crawling over and into the orchid's flowers.
Today we had a visit from Jenny and Katherine, friends from Sheffield. I took Jenny to the  wood where we saw the Red Admirals, a Comma and the Violet Helleborines. We then visited Nunnery Lake but the Red-footed Falcon was not to be seen. A local enthusiast told usit had last been seen at 10am this morning. Perhaps the cooler weather has sent it on its journey to Africa.

Painted Lady, Cynthia cardui

Peacock, Inachis io

Peacock, Inachis io

Peacock, Inachis io 

Red Admirals, Vanessa atalanta

Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta

Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta

Red-footed Falcon, Falco vespertinus

Violet Helleborine, Epipactis purpurata