Influx of red-footed falcons Falco vespertinus in autumn 2005

A record influx of red-footed falcons Falco vespertinus took place in Finland at the end of August and in the beginning of September 2005. During that period about 350 individuals were seen mainly in south-eastern Finland. The exceptional occurrence becomes evident in comparison with the previous record in 1996 when 82 individuals were seen. Normally 5-20 Red-footed Falcons are seen in Finland in autumn. I made a birding trip to Lake Ilmen through the Karelian Isthmus 29.8.-2.9.2005 and during that trip I concentrated my special attention to red-footed falcons. Here is a list of my observations of the species. This kind of trips to Lake Ilmen produces normally much less observations of red-footed falcons. For example 2.-7.9.2006 I saw only three individuals. The timing of my trip was near the peak period in Finland but the best occurrence in the north-western Russia may already have been over. The highest day count in Finland was 28.8.