The falcon, which is likely to have been diverted by strong winds on its migratory journey from Eastern Europe to the warmer climbs of Africa, was was spotted at Yorkshire Water's Tophill Low nature reserve near Driffield.

Over the the weekend, crowds flocked to the reserve as word spread on bird watching websites. They were rewarded with a number of sightings until 6pm on Sunday.

The red-footed falcon is commonly found in eastern Europe and Asia, although its numbers have been reported to be dwindling rapidly due to habitat loss and hunting. It typically spends its winters in Africa, only occasionally stopping in the UK to break the journey.

Nature reserve warden Richard Hampshire said: "It's been over 10 years since a red-footed falcon was last seen at Tophill Low so there was a real buzz when news first filtered through of the sighting on Friday.

"Thanks to the warm weather, the bird was very active on Saturday, delighting the assembled crowds and making the most of the sites plentiful woodland and large number of dragonflies."

A number of red-crested pochards, normally found in Southern Europe, were also sighted over the weekend, feeding on the weeds growing in the reservoir.