Hobby Observations & Nesting Dates (1 Viewer)

[joannec]

Haven't had chance to watch to webcam today - what's the latest?

Well...bad news re the third chick. I think it's still in the bottom of the nest:eek!: . The other two look to be doing great and Mum is soooo good, attentive and so alert. They are bigger every time I look at the webcam. I've not seen the dad though.

 

[halftwo]

I get the impression from my pair that he is almost constantly out & about, providing food & she only occasionally comes off the nest tree to take prey from him, or maybe to hunt for herself.
Probably as the young need more food & less protection they'll both be back to the nest with prey. (I've seen photos of nests with both parents attending well-grown young.)
I will be there again tomorrow, possibly with a couple of local birders. (I'm hoping the spot of rain we're having this evening will clear the air & visibility will be better.)

 

[halftwo]

July 26th.

Just returned from showing BFer Rob Smallwood the Hobbies.
We'd arranged to meet outside a pub, I got there first. I was watching a soaring Sparrowhawk, with attendant hirundines, as Rob arrived - and said to him, "It's always worth keeping an eye on Sparrowhawks as they can attract Hobbies."
As the words left my mouth a Hobby attacked the Sparrowhawk! They had a brief aerial tussle and went their separate ways.
"Bloody hell, I didn't think I'd have to wait that long to see one." says he.

We spent a pleasant two hours or so observing the nest from a safe distance. Both birds were seen - the male hunting a Swift (unsuccessfully) and catching an insect, before moving off south and high.
The female got up a couple of times - once to mob a Carrion crow - and then to sit on top of the nest tree - peering around for her mate, before dropping down to the nest again.

 

[Drumming Sniper]

Just returned from showing BFer Rob Smallwood the Hobbies.
We'd arranged to meet outside a pub, I got there first. I was watching a soaring Sparrowhawk, with attendant hirundines, as Rob arrived - and said to him, "It's always worth keeping an eye on Sparrowhawks as they can attract Hobbies."
As the words left my mouth a Hobby attacked the Sparrowhawk! They had a brief aerial tussle and went their separate ways.
"Bloody hell, I didn't think I'd have to wait that long to see one." says he.

We spent a pleasant two hours or so observing the nest from a safe distance. Both birds were seen - the male hunting a Swift (unsuccessfully) and catching an insect, before moving off south and high.
The female got up a couple of times - once to mob a Carrion crow - and then to sit on top of the nest tree - peering around for her mate, before dropping down to the nest again.

Sounds like a cracking way to spend a Saturday morning, H. Am suitably envious (says he, at work).

DS

 

[halftwo]

It was nice to have (another) 27 degrees day too, DS.
Though we hardly saw a Swift all day, later over my house I had c.400 swarming together.

 

[Rob Smallwood]

A big thanks for this morning - as i said - that's the first time I've seen a Hobby pursue a Swift - mine have always been "hawking" insects - fantastic sight... and site!

 

[halftwo]

July 27th. am.

Went down to where we were yesterday, Rob, after the mist had lifted.
One Hobby sitting on top of a tree next to the nest tree - and next to that two young Ravens - perhaps the same two that had earlier overflown my garden (See "My Birding Day").
Though ?she was keeping an eye on them there was no attempt to chase them off (unless I'd missed a fruitless attempt earlier).
Then both birds were up and hunting together - leaving the Ravens near to the nest.
After flying in acrobatic formation for five minutes they began spectacular swoops at a (I think) Swallow - though they were highish in the low cloud. I lost them, but ten minutes later they both returned, empty-clawed, over my head towards the nest. But before the female got there she detoured to attack a Buzzard and was calling as she dived and looped.
The Buzzard went away! She then came right past me to the nest tree - excellent views in good light - and accelerated at something low down; he was swerving around too - then both left again in the opposite direction to hunt some more.

 

[halftwo]

July 27th pm.

Brief look this evening: both birds present at nest tree and nearby.
One obviously had sneaked off without me seeing it because it returned spectacularly - in at speed at 45 degrees, looped the loop and onto nearby tree - appeared to be eating somthing small - though wasn't plucking so am not sure.
Then back to the far side of nest tree where I left it.

 

[joannec]

It's great that you are keeping this thread updated, H......I'm having to make do with the webcam. The two chicks are doing really well. No parents in sight every time I've looked today except for a very brief visit by one with a....erm...what looked like a large dragonfly....it didn't go far!

 

[halftwo]

Thanks Joanne,
I think that, if there was a webcam at mine, you wouldn't see the parents too often.
My other computer's on the blink - so haven't seen the footage since the first time.
H

 

[halftwo]

July 28th

Early showers clearing to another lovely day.
Could hear one calling as I appoached this morning - 500 ms away.
Plenty of comings and goings (between 8 & 10 a.m.) - both birds sneaking to & from the site, always staying low, often unseen before they were right back by the site.
Female mobbing crow and tree-perched heron near the nest.
Both sitting on nearby treetop, preening. Back to nest tree with (perhaps) a small prey item; in & out in seconds.
Female hunting low (below treetop height) for a few minutes before returning to perch.
A Jay sat right next to the male on his lookout tree for a minute before flying off.

Edit: I've put the pm. sightings on the 'Your Birding Day' thread, "Mad Dogs"

 

[halftwo]

July 29th.

Quick look after work.
Tree still standing after terrific thunderstorms last night and wind today.
During one hour: one bird up and away hunting - giving great views in pasing.

 

[halftwo]

July 30th.

Another hour post work this pm.
Similar pattern: male sitting on his usual perch; but female out and hunting - giving good views for several minutes before stooping on something very low right behind the nest tree.

Worryingly a man shooting pigeons not very far away - in a newly cropped field.
I just hope that the owner of the land doesn't invite him to do the same when the crop gets cut by the Hobby nest.

 

[joannec]

Similar pattern: male sitting on his usual perch; but female out and hunting -

Typical.....female doing all the work while the male just hangs out.......

 

[Rob_D]

Very happy to have discovered a nest site in my local patch (North Herfordshire) this morning || . They must be getting very common if I can find one; I never discover anything really rare.

I saw a hobby fly over about 6 weeks ago whilst doing a TTV Survey, but didn't think they'd be nesting. The nest is in a big oak on the edge of a small spiney surrounded by arable land.

The adult was very vocal and agitated even though I was 150m+ away. I didn't hang around, but I'd like to watch them some more. Given that their eyesight is amazingly good, is there a "safe" distance to watch from that won't have them disturbed?

 

[halftwo]

Hi Rob,
Nice to find one isn't it.
I lived in Herts (Hitchin) for a year in 1980 (I think) - so knew your area - used to see Hobbies occasionally. (Found a Quail and Stone Curlews with Richard Webb.)
I was watching mine the other day at about 200m - they weren't at all bothered, and have been ignored closer. I suppose they're all different.
I would suggest a hidden spot 3-400 yards away would be fine - perhaps some camouflage?

Just come back from mine: male went out on a foray and disappeared for twenty minutes.
Female mobbed a passing Kestrel half-heartedly - the Kestrel wasn't bothered. Interesting to see them right alongside - with the Hobby looking slighter, but longer winged.
She then perched up in the open and the male came back; then both went off to hunt together - gaining height and accelerating visibly - eventually getting amongst Swifts.
I watched them co-ordinating a few attacks but the Swifts were keeping well out of reach, then I lost them behind a tree.

 

[halftwo]

2nd of August: Great Excitement

After no sign yesterday during an hour after work I waited until the heavy showers stopped this morning to take a look.
As the sun came out the pair were stretching wet wings and preening. Soon they were up - female mobbing Magpies noisily and silently - stooping and flashing past them to chivy them away.
Both then were in the air - the female calling softly to the male in a quiet version of the normal call. They circled up and then the male started a display sequence around his rising mate.
Calling in a wader-like "teeer,teeerr,teeeer" way, he showed off his speed and agility as he flew rapid figures of eight around her; extreme speeds and flicking wings, often half-closed as he passed, calling all the while.
Off they went into the distance until I lost them.
I took this opportunity and went close enough to see the nest - and standing at the near edge was a well-grown youngster. Its head with grey-brown feathers showing through its juvenile down, it peered around rather owl-like.
We are parents!
Ten minutes later the female was back, I could hear her calling but she had sneaked back low and unseen. Soon the male came in and she started calling loudly to him and took off to meet him mid-air. A food pass talon-to-talon took place - a bird of some sort - and she flew to the nest tree with it. She began plucking the prey and then moved to the nest.
Some time later they were both airborne again - she mobbing intruders and perching shrike-like on treetop, he left for another hunt.

 

[halftwo]

August 3rd.

Yesterday evening - both were up together for ten minutes.

This morning - the female was around and mainly keeping a low profile, but after an hour of waiting for her mate she was obviously getting more impatient, and so was I. Increasingly active - five minute foray for food - or maybe searching for the male - then took to harrassing anything getting too near the nest, which meant Magpies and Crows - but also the Woodpigeons.
Perching occasionally on nearby treetops and scanning around.
Obviously one of his longer hunts this morning - after an hour and a half I left, with still no sign of him.

Quick look this pm.

One bird came in with prey and went past the tree to a perch some 250 ms away - maybe to eat the prey itself - maybe to eat some of it?
Ten minutes later it was off on another hunt - and I caught up with it half a mile away - see "My Birding Day" thread.

 

[Cristian Mihai]

In this evening I saw one of the adults eating something. The bird was at about 15 meteres high in a tree (at, let's say, 200 meters from de nest). No activity at the nest, so I suppose that the chicks are now juveniles and are somewhere around. I didn't succeeded to take a decent pic with the hungry bird (a lot of branches with leaves around it), but obvious the prey wasn't an insect.

Cristian

 

[halftwo]

Thanks, Cristian.

Brief visit this morning (11 am. - noon).
Was about to give up (windy conditions not ideal) when one of the pair flew in (again unseen!) with something in its bill. (Usually food is transported in the claws - so I assume that this had been transfered to bill at a nearby perch or last minute in flight).
The prey was smallish and looked white - maybe a House martin's breast is what I could see - but only guessing.

I spoke to the farmer yesterday - he is wildlife friendly and carries a fieldguide with him in the tractor.
I expressed my concerns re. shooting in the area (he tells me the rights have already been sold for post-harvest) and asked if the nest area could be kept clear of.
Nothing promised - but I think it should be OK - and I will try to keep an eye on any activity in that respect.