TWITCHERS are flocking to Dorset to spot a very rare visitor.

This red-footed falcon has stopped off in Wareham, much to the delight of bird lovers.

The species is normally found in eastern Europe and Asia and during the winter, in Africa.

But two or three pellet holes can be seen in one of this female’s wings, leaving experts wondering if it was shot and got confused and strayed from its usual flight path.

The visitor has caused a lot of excitement, with dozens of twitchers journeying to the area to see it over the Bank Holiday Weekend.

It is the first red-footed falcon to be spotted in Dorset for around 20 years.

It has been perched and flying close to a dead tree on water meadows, viewable from the bridge on the A351 bypass at Wareham.

Martin Cade of Portland Bird Observatory said: “We know it is a young female and it’s just come off course a little bit.

“They feed mainly on dragonflies, so its been hawking about over the water meadows, where at this time of year, there is plenty of food.

“It’s quite a rarity in Dorset," Simon Kidner said: “This species is normally found in places like Hungary. But in its left-hand wing there appear to be two or three pellet holes, suggesting somewhere on the continent someone took a pot at it which confused it and may be why it has strayed from its usual course and found itself here.”

Mr Cade added: “It’s quite rare to see [this species] in Dorset, it’s not anywhere near and annual thing.

“It’s the first visible one in the county for about 20 years and it’s been quite popular.

“Usually these birds would be in Austria or Hungary at this time of year. They come back from Africa where they’ve been in the winter, and spend their summers in Eastern Europe – but this one has come too far west.

“These things happen. We know it’s a young female, born last year- being young, it’s just lost its way a bit. It probably wouldn’t be nesting this year anyway and it’s perfectly fine where it is at the moment.”