Hobby Thread 2010 (1 Viewer)

[halftwo]

A Neighbour Passes Through

c.07:30: Breezy, but warm, as a low heads in from the west.

No sign again of either of the resident pair - the male seems to have chosen another perch out of sight.

Then a fast speck caught my eye: getting on it I see a Hobby, carrying prey (perhaps a Swift, as it was so obvious) to the west.
His slightness suggested a male - and he was really moving - direct and fairly high - steadily out of view through the home territory.

He must have been homing in on his territory - and yet had hunted in or beyond his neighbours'. Another mystery: Hobbies usually stay within a fairly small hunting area. What was going on here?

 

[joannec]

I don't know if you guys know about this or not, I've just learned of it. RSPB Hobby webcam in the New Forest; two eggs, one has only just hatched, very tiny chick and one egg still to hatch..........could be exciting.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/webcams/birdsofprey/newforest.asp?gclid=CKeYv7GHy6ICFRQ9lAod5mClyA

 

[halftwo]

I don't know if you guys know about this or not, I've just learned of it. RSPB Hobby webcam in the New Forest; two eggs, one has only just hatched, very tiny chick and one egg still to hatch..........could be exciting.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/webcams/birdsofprey/newforest.asp?gclid=CKeYv7GHy6ICFRQ9lAod5mClyA

Thanks, Joanne.
But it doesn't work on my Apple!!

If those are hatching they're way in front of mine.

 

[sid ashton]

I don't know if you guys know about this or not, I've just learned of it. RSPB Hobby webcam in the New Forest; two eggs, one has only just hatched, very tiny chick and one egg still to hatch..........could be exciting.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/webcams/birdsofprey/newforest.asp?gclid=CKeYv7GHy6ICFRQ9lAod5mClyA

Thanks Joanne - first Hobby I've seen for nearly a week during which time I have been to "our" site three times. H it works fine on my PC - you best come round for a cup of tea :t:

 

[username]

Just thought i'd drop by and say hello to all fellow hobby enthusiasts...!

The shires hobbies are only noticeable by their complete absence at my location.
Perhaps i haven't tried hard or spent long enough 'in the area'.....but i am hoping that these ghostly falcons are still present....[and i have no reason to suspect that they are not]...

All the best to all....:t:

 

[halftwo]

Just thought i'd drop by and say hello to all fellow hobby enthusiasts...!
The shires hobbies are only noticeable by their complete absence at my location.
Perhaps i haven't tried hard or spent long enough 'in the area'.....but i am hoping that these ghostly falcons are still present....[and i have no reason to suspect that they are not]...
All the best to all....:t:

Cheers, U, it has been a while.

I've had very little luck recently - dipped again today - though BFer Bananafishbones saw both today, he tells me.

 

[halftwo]

Briefly Spectacular

c.09:00 : sun & cumuli.

Despite, or because of, farming activities nearby, the Hobby pair were up and about for several minutes - she seeing off a hapless passing Buzzard, passing to take prey back to its youngsters, and getting mobbed by raptor and Crow simultaneously. A small yelp of alarm from the hidden Little owl bubbled across the grass.

Then she stooped at a large insect, swerving at the last second to claw it out of the air, taking her time to eat it on the wing.

In comes the male from nowhere up high, a blur of an arc to meet his mate, buzzing past her at top speed, then to rollercoaster away in a yo-yo of loops with wings a-blur, calling to her.

They kept this up for a few minutes before settling in the nest tree to vanish.

 

[joannec]

Webcam hobby chick is growing but it looks like the other egg won't hatch.Mum is away a lot so it must be infertile. Surely it would have hatched by now it it was going to. I watched the mother feeding the chick earlier today......just lovely. Shame you can't get it H. You will have to go to tea at Sids.

 

[Gretchen]

Webcam hobby chick is growing but it looks like the other egg won't hatch.Mum is away a lot so it must be infertile. Surely it would have hatched by now it it was going to. I watched the mother feeding the chick earlier today......just lovely. Shame you can't get it H. You will have to go to tea at Sids.

I haven't looked in on the webcam hobby's this year, but recall that last year it was the same - "Fluff and egg" I think I called them. I wonder if it's the same pair again and if it typical that they would have an infertile egg...

Anyway, nice to have the news from there too.

 

[halftwo]

Webcam hobby chick is growing but it looks like the other egg won't hatch.Mum is away a lot so it must be infertile. Surely it would have hatched by now it it was going to. I watched the mother feeding the chick earlier today......just lovely. Shame you can't get it H. You will have to go to tea at Sids.

MrsH's laptop should be OK for it.

 

[halftwo]

Both around this morning - mobbing a Buzzard. I didn't see them sneak in, but had the feeling the male had returned from hunting & the female came off the nest to feed. She was soon back to it - leaving him to continue harrassing the Buzzard, then he disappeared to perch nearby.

I think he's chosen a new perch which is out of sight from available viewpoints - hence our lack of recent sightings.

 

[joannec]

Bad news re the New Forest Hobbies. Apparently the nest was predated, probably by a crow and the chick taken.:-C Remaining egg will not now hatch and it's too late for them to attempt another brood. See:

http://www.newforestgateway.org/Wildcam/LiveCameras/tabid/117/Default.aspx

 

[halftwo]

Bad news re the New Forest Hobbies. Apparently the nest was predated, probably by a crow and the chick taken.:-C

Bad news indeed, but these things happen.

 

[halftwo]

Didn't have time to go yesterday, but, obligingly one flew right past while I was in the garden, listening to the Quail!

Young House martins are now out & about.

 

[Rob Smallwood]

That's worrying, if it was listening to the Quail it might be eyeing it up for lunch!

 

[sid ashton]

That's worrying, if it was listening to the Quail it might be eyeing it up for lunch!

I have just spent the best part of two hours at the site - luckily I took my lunch to keep me going - no sign of the Hobbys.

 

[halftwo]

I have just spent the best part of two hours at the site - luckily I took my lunch to keep me going - no sign of the Hobbys.

No sign either yesterday pm., for me too; or this morning - though a hunting Peregrine did add to the day.
Farmer tells me he heard them last night by the old site.

 

[halftwo]

Distant Hobby, Hiding Peregrine

A quick look again this afternoon.


Payne's grey drops of clouds crammed the sky - threatening but not delivering rain, a warm breeze nodding the crops, over which the non-stop song from Sky larks drizzled dryly.

The Lapwings took to the leaden sky with a knot of Starlings - and they circled up high and fast - the Peregrine obviously about, but hidden somewhere in the grey. A Grey partridge called a warning and finches and wagtails bounced around the fields. The Little owl yelped an alarm, Swallows bunched, but, earthbound, I was too low to see the raptor.

Much scanning of Swift-milling horizons and another ball of Starlings spun into view, and this time a falcon was visible: Hobby.

Way off in the gloomy distance the little falcon gathered itself for another diving arc, as hirundines swirled and rose, trying to keep a safe gap.
Several times he stooped and towered, swerving to change his direction of attack, accelerating in a flash before angling steeply down, flashing back above the tree tops, then repeating, before eventually disappearing.

Lapwings and Starlings continued to run across the low sky, Sky larks still sang, a Buzzard tilted on the breeze, bringing in the low slung prey from a successful hunt. A Whitethroat hopped along the lane.

 

[henerz1]

Just caught up with this thread. Great news that both birds returned and are hopefully settling down to raise a brood.
A single hunting Hobby was seen yesterday but way off at a mile plus distance. There's possibly another pair a few miles away so that could be the cause of a few of the sightings of a rogue third bird in this territory.
Thanks. Henry.

 

[sid ashton]

Just caught up with this thread. Great news that both birds returned and are hopefully settling down to raise a brood.
A single hunting Hobby was seen yesterday but way off at a mile plus distance. There's possibly another pair a few miles away so that could be the cause of a few of the sightings of a rogue third bird in this territory.
Thanks. Henry.

Henry

You say a hunting Hobby was seen at a mile plus - where were you viewing from?