Hobby Thread 2009 (1 Viewer)

[John Barber]

Anchored in Spanish Water, Curacao, Netherland Antilles. We should have been in the San Blas Islands by now, but we were lazy and slow going through the West Indies Islands.


Sue, Curacao ! A place I've never heard of. It even took me a few minutes to locate in my ' Concise Times Atlas Of The World '.

It's amazing to think that someone is following H's Hobby Thread from a sailing boat off the coast of Venezuela. It sounds a lovely place.

 

[John Barber]

H,

How do you use the quote facility on this ?

John

 

[halftwo]

H,
How do you use the quote facility on this ?
John

John,

You click on "quote" then delete anything you don't want. How you do the multi-quote thing is beyond me! (Everytime I do it I end up with my type in the middle of the quote for part and at the end for the rest.)
Also how people quote from SEVERAL others simultaneously is beyond me too.

Am just going to do today's report - have just returned.

H

 

[joannec]

John,

You click on "quote" then delete anything you don't want. How you do the multi-quote thing is beyond me! (Everytime I do it I end up with my type in the middle of the quote for part and at the end for the rest.)
Also how people quote from SEVERAL others simultaneously is beyond me too.

Am just going to do today's report - have just returned.

H

To do the multi quote you click on the icon next to the quote button in the post you want to quote, then do the same in the next one you want to quote, then click quote and they should both come up.

 

[halftwo]

July 28th. Chicks Start Begging Sounds

14:15 - 15:45

Cool, cloudy, showers, light winds blustering stronger at times.

House martins were alarming before I got anywhere near today. Then I switched the car radio off - and switched them off too. 'Twas only the bucolic 'Archers' sound effects! (not that I was listening to The Archers you understand!).

Anyway; as I limped along the track something bade me pause. Looking ahead I saw the male Hobby circling around the trees in front. He then began diving at a crow, and screeching all the while.

By the time I could see the nest he was away on a hunt to the north - quickly disappearing from view - but a Mexican wave of hirundine panic along the far horizon showed his progress.

And at the nest? At first nothing. Then a chick bobs up and has a look over the edge! Female nowhere visible.

A quarter of a soggy hour later and in comes the female, low and carrying a small bird: possibly Linnet or sparrow, judging from the colour. A bee-line to the nest - and the feeding began. Both young, now growing visibly day by day, standing high in the nest, were being fed by mother.

After that she stood by for a while; one chick flapped stubby wings - showing feathers through the down. Both look dark-masked now.
The female left, but a couple of minutes later, after a sky-scan for him revealed nothing, she was back. Strange.
'Scoping the nest again I could see she was tearing at another prey item - so had he come in? I couldn't see him.

I decided to find him.
Making my way along a hedge for fifty yards - then saw him on a tree under the 'perch tree', sitting upright and beginning a preen. Clearly he'd come in from the back, she had taken his prey, and I'd missed it all.

But what was that sound? A quietish series of begging noises reached me - I could see him (he was watching a Kestrel hovering nearby) - no bill movement - so it must be the young crying to their mother.

As the next shower began I left him to his preen and the young to their second meal in the hour.

On the radio Linda Bellingham was just finishing a story.

 

[halftwo]

To do the multi quote you click on the icon next to the quote button in the post you want to quote, then do the same in the next one you want to quote, then click quote and they should both come up.

OH!! I never noticed that icon! Thanks Joanne.:eek!:

 

[Cheshire Birder]

H2

If you want to multi-quote click several minus icons and they will change to a plus symbol. The when you click post reply remember to write between the sets of quotes. I put a few spaces between each before i write my reply, so i dont quote anyone without the comment below it.

CB

 

[halftwo]

Cheers CB. Will give it a go next time I need to.

 

[John Barber]

John,

You click on "quote" then delete anything you don't want. Am just going to do today's report - have just returned.

H

Lets see if this works

Eureka ! ( Thanks for everyone's help )

 

[John Barber]

Delusions Of Hobbies ?

Considering this is a bird I was hardly aquainted with a few weeks ago, I now seem to think I'm seeing them everywhere !

I've now convinced myself that a couple of briefs sightings in Shropshire last week must have been Hobbies and a trip down to a small village called Aston-juxta-Mondrum, near Crewe, today, produced the same result; although the local pigeon slayer ( blood thirsty individuals - who are ' just doing the farmer a favour ' ) reckons they are Peregrine's.

What was that that just flew over the house ?????

I'll have to start taking anti - hobby tablets !

 

[halftwo]

July 29th. A Third Chick?

08:15 - 09:45

Cold, grey, windy. Forecast worse.

Neither parent bird in view at first - and a family of Crows near the nest - a little worrying. But suddenly there was the male - screaming his protest and seeing them away.
He landed where he had been yesterday and sat on guard.

At the nest heads bobbed up and an occasional wing flap was visible. The wind blew steadily and grey clouds filled the sky.

Twice a panic of hirundines in the distance - evidence of the female on the prowl. An hour went by.
Then, in from the west she came. She was carrying a small dark something tucked neatly under her tail. She passed close by me and sped to the trees, past the nest tree and, calling, dive-bombed her mate.

A few minutes later she was at the nest feeding the young. Now the wind was blowing the tree a lot and branches often obscured part of the view.
But, but, but...was that a third head occasionally showing - or was it just a wing of one of the two we have been watching? Impossible to be sure - but two or three times it seemed just like it. The small prey item didn't last long.

As I left both birds were perched low, out of the wind, she right next to the nest tree, he three trees further along.

 

[pie]

Just wanted to let you know how your diary entries perk up a dull day at work H. by accidently logging into my email account the other evening!!

It was my coffee break (just in case the senior consultant who is a BF member is reading this!) o

The highs & lows are absolutely enthralling H, thanks so much for keeping this thread updated.

 

[halftwo]

by accidently logging into my email account
It was my coffee break (just in case the senior consultant who is a BF member is reading this!) o

LOL, Pie, I accidently log on at work too! Glad you're enjoying it.

 

[John Barber]

H,

Three chicks ??

If I get chance this afternoon, and the rain holds off, I'll go and have another look and see if we can verify this.

 

[halftwo]

....and the rain holds off,

That's a big IF! Just started pouring now.
I'm having the stitches out this pm. - but if I'm OK & the weather improves I might go out again.

 

[username]

I'm glad your birds are providing BF members some entertainment H2! I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that my pair have relocated elsewhere..having not had a sighting since July 9th....despite much searching on my part. I find it puzzling that my pair..after showing very well at established locality for over a month...should have chosen to depart. Was it 'that' dam grey squirrel that kept appearing on 'the' nest...did it eat the eggs? Or...the female that appeared to be carrying nest material...was it perhaps some sort of inhibiting tangle around it's legs? I simply don't know. Seems very strange that for 'no' reason they would just clear off...when seemingly 'happy' at old nest site. Have widened my search considerably..all to no avail...i may now even visit very old nest localities within a few miles radius...i am left with no choice. Perhaps, having used 'the' nest for at least two seasons, they just decided to try out somewhere else....will obviously let you know if they suddenly show up. Good job i don't mind doing lot's of leg-work......!

 

[John Barber]

How Many Chicks ?

13.00 - 13.30

Despite the rain, H's tantalising hint at three possible chicks led me to put on my wet weather fishing gear and head out to site - all in the interests of science.

No sign of the adults, which is not unusual now. So it was a case of just concentrating on the nest.

Steady light rain had brought a drop in the wind speed and visibility of the nest itself was good.

I have to say how surprised I was at the rate of growth the chicks have shown since I last saw them on Sunday. There are really quite big now.

They were certainly much more active than previously. Wings flapping about, tails sticking up, heads bobbing up and down, walking around, standing up and generally behaving like all youngsters do when they get to that 'certain age' .

Heads peering over the front of the nest looking straight at me with their now distinctive black masks, looked like little bandits. Cute, really cute, that's the only word can use.

After thirty minutes the rain became even heavier and it was time to depart.

How many chicks did I see ? Two, just two.

 

[halftwo]

July 30th. Part One: Five Minutes

08:30 - 08:35

Sun shining as I set out....

It was as I approached the site and looked to the south west when I realised that the sunshine was going to be very short-lived!
A huge black cloud filled the sky, and thunder began to rumble. The sun set.

The storm was skirting the site - and the optimist in me won. I set out. Wrong!

Well both birds were perched exactly where I'd left them yesterday - the young were out of sight on the nest. The rain began. The day turned to night. Both birds had gone.

I retreated. Lightning lit the black and thunder clapped and rumbled.

Back later...

 

[joannec]

Just wanted to let you know how your diary entries perk up a dull day..................

The highs & lows are absolutely enthralling H, thanks so much for keeping this thread updated.

Me too H. I'm stuck in bed following knee ops so my birding consists of reading your hobby thread and birding out my window.

 

[halftwo]

Oh dear, Joanne. Hope you're not in too much pain. What's the prognosis?
What with you, me & Kathy with her broken foot we're all a bunch of invalids!
I actually got an ordinary boot on today - now the stitches are out & the dressings much reduced. A little uncomfy - but tolerable.
Waiting for the showers to thin - currently black out there again. Doing some ironing & washing while I wait.
Hope someone's looking after you. Take it easy.

H