At 9.00 this morning the large falcon was back on the marshes. Mobbed by rooks and crows it finally sat in a field and then made several flights over the pools where teal cowered. It really does look like a juv. Saker Falcon. It has brown wings, tail and back contrasting with a pale head, apart from distinct facial markings, and pale rusty crown. The tail projection is clear and it has a contrasting under-wing. And it is BIG. In flight I could not see any jesses and the legs looked free of rings but it was very difficult to see the legs well. When I left at 10.00 it was still sitting in the field Sw of the canal-side car park to the north of the lagoon.
With all the effort to try to identify the bird I forgot to count the waders and waterfowl. However most were hiding from the falcon apart from one Golden Plover (over head) and one Dunlin feeding in the pool.
