Windows 10: google search with firefox gets reloaded?

bit of an odd question. when using firefox, i search (google by default) with the old separate search box. noticed today (or last day or 2?) that it opens the results in a new tab (which is normal), but that is then reloaded immediately.

it would appear it first opens a google page with results, then redirects to another different google page.
eg.. from
https://www.google.com/search?q=bbc&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b
to
https://www.google.com/search?q=bbc&client=firefox-b&gbv=1&sei=[some string of alphanumeric stuff without the brackets]

seems innocuous enough, just somewhat irritating even though the redirect is fast

wonder if it's just google doing its thing or if it's something caused by stuff like noscript/ublock origin/umatrix or some firefox setting.

just curious.

oddly enough.. that's not the case anymore this morning.. (so far anyway)..

or rather... as before it opens up in new tab (eg.. searching bbc)
https://www.google.com/search?q=bbc&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b
then when the page loads, the url is shown as
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=bbc&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b&gfe_rd=cr&dcr=0&ei=[the alphanumeric stuff again]