Hobby Thread 2009 (1 Viewer)

[halftwo]

June 19th.

09:30 - 11:00. Windy, cloudy, sun occasionally (overnight torrential rain - which knocked out local electricity supplies).

Far from ideal viewing/watching conditions today.
Male called and flew briefly - but I couldn't find his perch.
Four Curlews over today - and an Oystercatcher chick with its parents.

 

[username]

All i can report today is a deafening silence, relieved only by the background music of wind strumming leaves back and forth...! All too distant falcons proved ultimately to be kestrels and i am left in a state of limbo regards my hobbies. I wish, or maybe i don't,?...that my birds were more vocal like yours H2....i am of firm believe that even an immense flock of eagles passing overhead would not get my hobbies reacting...!

ps...difficult game...subutteo...especially when my 'players' aren't even on the pitch..

 

[Andrew R]

Hi u and H2 not a sniff of a Hobby for a while tried a few more different areas on the off chance with the same result. Have done a lot better with the owls though, Little are having a good year and plenty of Barnies showing well before dusk at last. Broods of long eared are apparently small though judged on the number of young i hear calling. Keep as ever plodding on

Regards Andrew R

 

[username]

Hi u and H2 not a sniff of a Hobby for a while tried a few more different areas on the off chance with the same result. Have done a lot better with the owls though, Little are having a good year and plenty of Barnies showing well before dusk at last. Broods of long eared are apparently small though judged on the number of young i hear calling. Keep as ever plodding on

Regards Andrew R

Tis a tuff time of the year to locate breeding hobbies Andrew...unless you've got a pair of noisy birds like H2's..! Later in season when any pairs might have young is a better time to search...but you never know! Last season i'd all but given up on my birds and was thinking the worse...as is in the back of my mind now....but then...there they were to my delight! Hopefully there will be a similar result this year....
I have a good area for owls which i tend to roam around towards dusk...got two pairs of barn owl, tawnies and little all in the area...not heard any LEO tho! Have you ever witnessed the daytime hunting of this species..[leo]..at any of you're sites? Thats something i've never seen....

Good luck with any hobbies....

ps...i see hobby most weekends in another area but it's not the same...they're not 'my' birds!....[it always sounds very possessive when i say 'my' birds doesn't it?...and i'm not even the 'possessive type]!....

 

[Andrew R]

Only got one hunting before dusk, a regular who I first located four years ago and has shown very well in the last three years. One of the others with a brood has shown late on but not as regularly as in past years, possibly due to having only a small brood or maybe a new adult in the pair. There are some other pairs who have hunted before dusk at other sites i have seen in previous years but i just dont have the time to check them all. They are very difficult here of a winter as well.At a roost a few years ago which held at least six birds reported by the landowner i never managed to see one despite waiting on numerous occaions on a path that had a good visibility of the site. They are a bird which usually require a great deal of effort and luck around here. They are much easier to watch in E Scotland and probably other parts of England. Barn owl are so much easier to watch, well most pairs
Good luck with your hobbies

Regards Andrew R

 

[halftwo]

June 20th. Hunt

[Hi U & A. Seems like your Hobbies are not obliging again. Thanks for the input, anyway. Those owls must be huge compensation though, A.]

09:00 - 10:15

Cloudy, showers, sun trying, light wind.

I thought it was going to be a poor day this morning - weather fairly foul, no sign of the male Hobby despite a search, rain getting heavier for a brief time...

Female on the nest: just visible and leaf cover increasing daily.

Gave up and returned to the last possible viewpoint for a last look...

Suddenly both Hobbies streaked over my head and away to the north west - low and fast, jinking and veering. All the local Lapwings got up and flew around.
The Swallows had been alarming for a few seconds - but I hadn't expected either Hobby to be the cause, let alone both of them! The male went for the female playfully, then they split up. I expected her to double back to the nest site - I've not seen her away from the immediate vicinity in a long time (perhaps his provisions had been lacking this morning?) - but, no: on she went and I lost her.
He, while I watched her disappear, had circled back and was over my head again - low and giving excellent views. Beautiful, superb. The Swallows swirled around him, alarming madly. One brave Swallow flew at him and hit his tail!
A few more circles and accelerated passes, without success, and he was gone - away to the east.

As the sun struggled out briefly all was quiet again - and I went home happy.

[I shall be away until Monday, so no reports until at least then.]

 

[username]

Hopefully, in the fullness of time H2, i might be in the position to contribute 'proper' sightings instead of my usual ramblings! Just got back from a search...which was cut short when i took two phone calls about the Royal Terns return! Before this am afraid no sightings. Just spoke to a local friend who's hobbies are also 'there'...but 'not there'...if you know what i mean!

ps...as i am both a 'patcher' and a 'twitcher'...does that make me a 'pitcher' of some sort...?

 

[TwoDipsfromAmsterdam]

Well, probably better than a twatcher!

 

[username]

Well, probably better than a twatcher!

I quite like that...

 

[halftwo]

...which was cut short when i took two phone calls about the Royal Terns return!

Did you connect? Sounds like some did and some did not.

I shall be back on patch tomorrow - but am now writing up my day on "My Birding Day".

 

[username]

Did you connect? Sounds like some did and some did not.

I shall be back on patch tomorrow - but am now writing up my day on "My Birding Day".

We arrived well after the last 'positive' sighting...which was around 6pm. As we pulled 'into site' we noticed a 'movement' in the assembled crowds....this was due to the 8.10 sighting coming thru the vine. To be honest, i wouldn't want to have had any of the views after 6pm by the sounds of it! If i can't id a bird for myself then i'm not interested...but then i am very fussy [I don't want to have visions of Peter Grant 'tut-tutting' from up high]! We have a saying round these parts tho..."as long as you're happy"! Unfortunately, we were not very happy...but that goes with the territory....everyone dips now and then! On the plus side we did enjoy some very nice consolation chips. As we sat outside 'munching' we were immediately joined by large amounts of herring gulls 'eying up' our food....the royal tern however....declined to join in...maybe they don't like salt n vinegar?!

 

[halftwo]

June 23rd.

08:45 - 10:15

Warm; thin cloud; still.

Male on his perch as I approached - but, as I set up the 'scope he was away - fortunately to return within a minute - sneaking in unseen.

She was on the nest - low and hidden - top of her head just visible.

He was restless - bobbing and peering around, spikey belly feathers jutting sideways. Soon he was away to the east - low and direct.

Things were quiet - skies were empty - in over an hour a single Swift made its way back to the nest - otherwise nothing in the air.
She had a shuffle - perhaps turning eggs? And a preen.

He was still away hunting when I left.

 

[Andrew R]

Hi H2 and U, got a probable Hobby locally but was high and headed off to the south before i was 100 about it. Did better with a pair of peregrines which succeeded in fledging at least one youngster, it was very unsteady as it flew from ledge to ledge, only saw the one young but the pair have failed the last few years so even one was great to see

Regards Andrew R

 

[no idea]

Hi all.You mentioned Long Eared Owls earlier.I am quietly watching a pair locally to where I am in Lancs.Haven`t heard any young calling yet but think its only a matter of time now.
I have a good few pair around our neck of the woods.They seem to keep the same territory year after year.It`s just amazing watching the LEOS hunt the moorland.They quarter the same patch of moor regularly.There`s a few small plantations about, which they frequently glide into and rest up in.then off they head again,looking for food.Not many times have I seen both birds out,usually just the one.
The last hour is usually prime time to observe,just as the sun begins to disappear over the horizon,then like cloclwork one will appear from the direction of the pine wood below.I`ve noticed that as soon as they reach the moor the owl will rest up for a while,maybe on a stone wall or on top of a young fir tree in the plantation and of course fence posts are always a firm favorite.This gives me excellent opportunities to photograph these amazing birds at close quarters.Once I got within the owls circle of fear,less than 20 yds away and happily clicked away giving me some awesome shots in low light.I just cant wait for the young birds to appear in the coming weeks when i`m sure I will be treated to some amazing flying displays.I`ll certainly keep you posted!

 

[username]

'No idea'......that sounds superb...i'm 'gripped'....luv me owls! [would like to see some pix of LEO's hunting...but maybe on another thread?...i don't know...this is H2's hobby-gig]!

H2......had amazing view of hobby yesterday...tho not 'my' birds! Was viewing from local reservoir hide and this bird flew straight towards us at eye level....really was quite 'pornographic'..if i may use such a 'term'! Hobby was hunting dragons along waters edge and landed at one point behind long grass, [out of sight], then a fisherman walked along and flushed it! Can't beat 'real close' views....stunning creatures!

 

[no idea]

'No idea'......that sounds superb...i'm 'gripped'....luv me owls! [would like to see some pix of LEO's hunting...but maybe on another thread?...i don't know...this is H2's hobby-gig]!

H2......had amazing view of hobby yesterday...tho not 'my' birds! Was viewing from local reservoir hide and this bird flew straight towards us at eye level....really was quite 'pornographic'..if i may use such a 'term'! Hobby was hunting dragons along waters edge and landed at one point behind long grass, [out of sight], then a fisherman walked along and flushed it! Can't

Would love to post some shots of the LEOS,maybe on another thread though,I`m pretty new to photography, so please don`t expect too much!

 

[halftwo]

'No idea'......that sounds superb...i'm 'gripped'....luv me owls! [would like to see some pix of LEO's hunting...but maybe on another thread?...i don't know...this is H2's hobby-gig]!

H2......had amazing view of hobby yesterday...tho not 'my' birds! Was viewing from local reservoir hide and this bird flew straight towards us at eye level....really was quite 'pornographic'..if i may use such a 'term'! Hobby was hunting dragons along waters edge and landed at one point behind long grass, [out of sight], then a fisherman walked along and flushed it! Can't

Would love to post some shots of the LEOS,maybe on another thread though,I`m pretty new to photography, so please don`t expect too much!

You can post here if you like No Idea - and don't worry about the quality - I too am gripped - so any photos would be welcome.
It seems Lancs is the county for owls!

 

[Cheshire Birder]

It seems Lancs is the county for owls!

Cheshire is not too bad either you just need to know where to look!! :t:

 

[Andrew R]

Cheshire is not too bad either you just need to know where to look!! :t:

yes but bloody hard work to track down i found. Defo the county for Hobby though.

Regards Andrew R

 

[no idea]

Long Eared Owl photos

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Here are a few long eared owl shots I recently took.Hope you like them.
Will try to get some flight shots too, though it may prove difficult!