While the Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus) is a not uncommon spring migrant to eastern Spain, particularly to the Balearic islands and Catalunya with occasional records elsewhere, it was obvious from early May that a fairly large movement took place in the last few days of April 2008 and first week of May, with unprecedented numbers turning up in all sorts of places. First reports were from the south of France (per Georges Olioso) which reflected the large numbers which had been blown west off the more normal easterly migration track after a prolonged period of easterly winds and birds had been recorded in large numbers along the whole of the southern departements in the last few days of April. In Spain this westerly movement of wind-blown birds was first noted with early records around 26-29 April in Catalunya, the Balearic Islands and as far south as Tarifa (Cádiz).

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