Hobby Thread 2013 (4 Viewers)

[perebrine]

Last evening around 8 pm, we were driving to a local club down a narrow lane, almost enclosed with trees & there was a Buzzard sat on the verge, it lifted lazily as we got nearer & just glided down the lane, out of nowhere 3 rooks took it in turn to attack the Buzzard, eventually driving to the ground. My wife stopped the car & it took off through a gap in the hedgerow. It's surprising how big these Buzzards are when you get that close. Nearing the Club I mentioned to my eldest son that we've been watching Hobbies & then as soon as I said it a Hobby appeared in the field flying alongside the car & I had a great view of it before it flipped over us & back, disappearing as fast as it appeared, if only I'd had my camera. This is another area, approx 10-20 miles from the pond I visit.

 

[halftwo]

No sign again today, though there were many Swifts in the air.

 

[John Barber]

Last evening around 8 pm, we were driving to a local club down a narrow lane, almost enclosed with trees & there was a Buzzard sat on the verge, it lifted lazily as we got nearer & just glided down the lane, out of nowhere 3 rooks took it in turn to attack the Buzzard, eventually driving to the ground. My wife stopped the car & it took off through a gap in the hedgerow. It's surprising how big these Buzzards are when you get that close. Nearing the Club I mentioned to my eldest son that we've been watching Hobbies & then as soon as I said it a Hobby appeared in the field flying alongside the car & I had a great view of it before it flipped over us & back, disappearing as fast as it appeared, if only I'd had my camera. This is another area, approx 10-20 miles from the pond I visit.

There are certainly plenty of Hobbies around your part of the world perebrine- could you send a few up here

 

[idaho john]

and...

Perebrine: if you could just have a brief word with the Hobbies in your area and convince them to take a quick visit to Idaho! Point it out on a map and tell them they are welcome to stay for a generation or two. |=)|

I love hearing about them.

John

 

[perebrine]

Believe it or not I thought I saw one yesterday in the fields behind me, whilst walking the dogs. I saw this bird fly over the hedgerow & past me head by about 10' I couldn't believe what I was seeing, it was the right size & even looked the right shape, but as it turned & flipped over the hedgerow I could see it was solid Black all over, so not sure what it was, it definitely had the sickle shape wings & was the right size though, too big for a Rook or Crow. I think I'm going crazy now, imagining every bird I see is going to be a Hobby. lol.
I wish I could send them all for you to see.

I haven't seen as many swallows or swifts this year, maybe in a couple of weeks? They keep Horses in one of the fields behind me, no-one looks after them & the mess they leave is everywhere & last year when walking in the field, there were that many, you could almost reach out & touch the Swifts/Swallows/Martins feeding on the insects.

There are certainly plenty of Hobbies around your part of the world perebrine- could you send a few up here

 

[John Barber]

Unable to get out on patch today because of the terrible weather. Only 6c with heavy rain and blustery winds. I believe some parts of Shropshire had 2 inches of snow last night. How the Swifts, Swallows and House Martins survive in these conditions I've no idea - not to mention all the other insect eating birds. At least the Hobbies can catch birds for food.

Heading down to Norfolk this weekend, I hope the weather is better than this !

 

[halftwo]

No sign again at 18:20.

 

[Eddie the 'ed]

I encountered a single male Hobby at Croxall Lakes (Staffordshire) north of Lichfield last night at about 8.45. It was flying from the main lake probably to its roost or nest site as most activity barring a few Swifts had died down for the day and it certainly didn't seem to be in "hunting mode".

Will be at RSPB Middleton Lakes on Sunday which had a few Hobbies last year around this time so will report back if I connect with any.

Damian.

 

[John Barber]

I encountered a single male Hobby at Croxall Lakes (Staffordshire) north of Lichfield last night at about 8.45. It was flying from the main lake probably to its roost or nest site as most activity barring a few Swifts had died down for the day and it certainly didn't seem to be in "hunting mode".

Will be at RSPB Middleton Lakes on Sunday which had a few Hobbies last year around this time so will report back if I connect with any.

Damian.

Thanks Damian.

It's always interesting to read accounts from other parts of the country. It helps understand the bigger picture. Good luck.

 

[perebrine]

Oh Dear!!,
I don't think this is going to be good news for the Hobbies where I've been watching, this was announced on BBC news this morning:

The £1.3 million cannon was brought from Northern Ireland to a Hampshire air base where officers are being trained in its use, according to the Daily Mail.

The public order weapon is expected to be on standby during G8 talks at the Lough Erne resort in Enniskillen next month but its use is expected to fuel speculation that they could be introduced on the mainland.

Up to 4,000 Metropolitan Police officers are being trained how to use the cannon, shuttling up to the Longmoor base, near Petersfield, in groups.

They are undergoing drills in which some play a mob of rioters who get drenched with water fired in short bursts.

In the wake of the 2011 summer riots, a comprehensive police review concluded that water cannon would prove a “valuable” asset during policing.

 

[halftwo]

Yesterday afternoon JB & I spent over an hour & a half on site, in a rare spell of warm weather.
This morning I called in briefly.

Both visits were blank as far as Hobbies go.

 

[perebrine]

What I thought was a Hobby is in all probability a Male Kestrel, as 2 days running a Male Ketsrel flew out of the same tree along the hedgerow, I probably saw it in a strange light.

Believe it or not I thought I saw one yesterday in the fields behind me, whilst walking the dogs. I saw this bird fly over the hedgerow & past me head by about 10' I couldn't believe what I was seeing, it was the right size & even looked the right shape, but as it turned & flipped over the hedgerow I could see it was solid Black all over, so not sure what it was, it definitely had the sickle shape wings & was the right size though, too big for a Rook or Crow. I think I'm going crazy now, imagining every bird I see is going to be a Hobby. lol.
I wish I could send them all for you to see.

I haven't seen as many swallows or swifts this year, maybe in a couple of weeks? They keep Horses in one of the fields behind me, no-one looks after them & the mess they leave is everywhere & last year when walking in the field, there were that many, you could almost reach out & touch the Swifts/Swallows/Martins feeding on the insects.

 

[perebrine]

Spent 2 hours Today walking around the Pond & heathland with my Wife & 2 of our Grandchildren (3 & 5) Was getting worried as we never saw or heard anything, saw about 6 or 7 Swifts/Swallows & a couple of Buzzards. as we neared the car park I spotted the Hobby overhead, followed by another one, one came right overhead, the other just lifted up into the sky with ease & put in a dive at something near the trees, with speed that takes your breath away, just that one attack made my day, you could almost feel your stomach clench like going over a hump in the road. Stayed & watched until they both cleared the trees & away. Then over the pond at a distance were 4 Hobbies just flying & putting mock attacks on each other. A brilliant end to what I thought was going to be fruitless. A couple of shots, one when we first saw the Hobbies & one I've cropped as they were so far away, but you can see 2 of them together.

 

[perebrine]

Here's a closer picture.

 

[John Barber]

Well done with the photo's perebrine, sounds like Hobby heaven in your part of the world.

For once I managed to catch up with a few Hobbies myself at the weekend. A three day trip to Cambridge, Suffolk & Norfolk produced numerous Hobbies at various sites and wonderful views of the stunning Red-footed Falcon at Lakenheath - even the Hobbies had to stand aside for that one. Three of us picked up 124 species of bird, including four lifers. A fantastic weekend ( I just need a day to recover now before checking our site ! )

 

[username]

Hi H2....

Only just got back from China so my first chance to look for my local Hobbies was yesterday...i didn't see any...however...

A tip off from a mate who lives nearby informed me of his sighting of a pair in 'the area'...[about a mile or so away from lasts years site]...

Bingo...they're back...!!

Have been watching them this afternoon and even observed mating taking place so all is rather fine here in the Shires. This makes a great and welcome change from usual because, as you know, i don't normally locate them until they have young...

Very much looking forward to many hours watching my favourite falcon...[just wish you had better news in Cheshire]...

Here's a pic taken recently of another great falcon...[not in Leicestershire i might add]...

All the very best to you and all Hobby enthusiasts....:t:

http://username-beast.blogspot.co.uk/

 

[Cristian Mihai]

May 20th (in the morning on my local patch).

 

[idaho john]

and...

Cristian: thank you for the pics! John

 

[Brian2]

one from Lakenheath yesterday where three birds hunted with the Red Foot.

 

[halftwo]

Hi H2....

Only just got back from China so my first chance to look for my local Hobbies was yesterday...i didn't see any...however...

A tip off from a mate who lives nearby informed me of his sighting of a pair in 'the area'...[about a mile or so away from lasts years site]...

Bingo...they're back...!!

Have been watching them this afternoon and even observed mating taking place so all is rather fine here in the Shires. This makes a great and welcome change from usual because, as you know, i don't normally locate them until they have young...

Very much looking forward to many hours watching my favourite falcon...[just wish you had better news in Cheshire]...

Here's a pic taken recently of another great falcon...[not in Leicestershire i might add]...

All the very best to you and all Hobby enthusiasts....:t:

http://username-beast.blogspot.co.uk/

Ah, Amur amour.