sid ashton
Well-known member
I could have sworn I saw some Hobby feathers on the back seat of your car as you drove away H
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Hobby Thread 2010 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter halftwo
- Start date
John Barber
Well-known member
Sid, you're not trying hard enough !
halftwo
Wird Batcher
I could have sworn I saw some Hobby feathers on the back seat of your car as you drove away H
Now, you know my TWO seater doesn't have back seat, Sid!
halftwo
Wird Batcher
Sunshine Brings Out The Hunters
Two days of continuous grey skies finally ended this morning - gradually sliding away northeastward to reveal pure blue. Cumuli have been building since, but this afternoon a plan came to fruition.
After only moments the forty or more Swallows were up, swirling in alarm. This went on for minutes until I found the male Hobby way up in the sky, circling and insect-catching.
For a few minutes more he kept the Swallows scared as he drifted away; but the alarms peaked again. The female, much lower but rising, began to show off in the sun, catching insects in quick succession - which included three or four butterflies that were high up. The last was a Tortoiseshell - the others Small whites. She missed once to twist back and strike again at one.
She stayed up, never far from her nest, for several minutes, showing her speed and agility in picking tiny morsels out of the air. Eventually she sped away, looking like she on to a bird and was lost behind trees, but seconds later was back low and went to the nest.
Swallows settled back to wires, along with Yellow wagtails, a single Sand martin, Tree sparrows, Yelowhammers, Linnets, Blackbirds and Chaffinches.
In the warm quiet a Whitethroat whispered a sub-song from the hedge - barely audible from five paces: this song was pure mimicry: Oystercatcher, Goldfinch, Swallow, Starlings in a flock all flew gently from the cover of hawthorn, never more than a faint murmur.
Brown hawkers chased each other along the hedge, bees buzzed, a summer's idyll drifted. A Little owl's call rang out twice. Then the Swallows were up again.
This time a Peregrine came slicing in from the east - diagonally towards the far field, passing a wall of water cascading from a huge grey-brown cloud looming ever closer. His mantle and wings almost sparkled in the strong light which was fast disappearing behind the gathering storm.
He was gone just a few seconds when the Hobbies were catterwauling away to the right. A small quick flicker of fast wings around the nest tree was all to be seen - the male had been away for ninety minutes - but it sounded like he'd returned with prey.
The rain began to hammer down in a short deluge which drowned out the summer's sounds.
Two days of continuous grey skies finally ended this morning - gradually sliding away northeastward to reveal pure blue. Cumuli have been building since, but this afternoon a plan came to fruition.
After only moments the forty or more Swallows were up, swirling in alarm. This went on for minutes until I found the male Hobby way up in the sky, circling and insect-catching.
For a few minutes more he kept the Swallows scared as he drifted away; but the alarms peaked again. The female, much lower but rising, began to show off in the sun, catching insects in quick succession - which included three or four butterflies that were high up. The last was a Tortoiseshell - the others Small whites. She missed once to twist back and strike again at one.
She stayed up, never far from her nest, for several minutes, showing her speed and agility in picking tiny morsels out of the air. Eventually she sped away, looking like she on to a bird and was lost behind trees, but seconds later was back low and went to the nest.
Swallows settled back to wires, along with Yellow wagtails, a single Sand martin, Tree sparrows, Yelowhammers, Linnets, Blackbirds and Chaffinches.
In the warm quiet a Whitethroat whispered a sub-song from the hedge - barely audible from five paces: this song was pure mimicry: Oystercatcher, Goldfinch, Swallow, Starlings in a flock all flew gently from the cover of hawthorn, never more than a faint murmur.
Brown hawkers chased each other along the hedge, bees buzzed, a summer's idyll drifted. A Little owl's call rang out twice. Then the Swallows were up again.
This time a Peregrine came slicing in from the east - diagonally towards the far field, passing a wall of water cascading from a huge grey-brown cloud looming ever closer. His mantle and wings almost sparkled in the strong light which was fast disappearing behind the gathering storm.
He was gone just a few seconds when the Hobbies were catterwauling away to the right. A small quick flicker of fast wings around the nest tree was all to be seen - the male had been away for ninety minutes - but it sounded like he'd returned with prey.
The rain began to hammer down in a short deluge which drowned out the summer's sounds.
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halftwo
Wird Batcher
Morning Activity
Though grey and cool, and generally quiet, this morning saw a fair amount of activity.
Initially no sign, but after a few minutes the cries of Hobbies rang out - and there they were, mobbing a Buzzard which was too close to their nest. They dived at it for a minute as it raised its wings trying to defend itself from the doubled attack: both Hobbies piling at it from above as it sat on a bush.
Eventually the Buzzard was driven off and the falcons returned to the nest area, getting hassle themselves from Magpies. Not long later, after audible chivvying from the female, the male Hobby set off east, rising in a shallow line, unnoticed by the local Swallows, until he was gone.
Ten minutes later the Swallows did notice his return, and in he came, directly as he'd left, and was met by his mate while still fifty yards off.
No prey was visible, but the female took something from him: loud cries coming from her as she grabbed whatever he'd brought. They perched again, separately; then she visited the nest for a single second, and went to land nearby.
Edit: 10:45 : Male out hunting for several minutes until lost out west. Leisurely style & insect catching as he went.
Though grey and cool, and generally quiet, this morning saw a fair amount of activity.
Initially no sign, but after a few minutes the cries of Hobbies rang out - and there they were, mobbing a Buzzard which was too close to their nest. They dived at it for a minute as it raised its wings trying to defend itself from the doubled attack: both Hobbies piling at it from above as it sat on a bush.
Eventually the Buzzard was driven off and the falcons returned to the nest area, getting hassle themselves from Magpies. Not long later, after audible chivvying from the female, the male Hobby set off east, rising in a shallow line, unnoticed by the local Swallows, until he was gone.
Ten minutes later the Swallows did notice his return, and in he came, directly as he'd left, and was met by his mate while still fifty yards off.
No prey was visible, but the female took something from him: loud cries coming from her as she grabbed whatever he'd brought. They perched again, separately; then she visited the nest for a single second, and went to land nearby.
Edit: 10:45 : Male out hunting for several minutes until lost out west. Leisurely style & insect catching as he went.
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halftwo
Wird Batcher
Afternoon Raptors
Not long after arrival, on a warm and sunny afternoon - we (for JB turned up minutes after I did) - heard a Hobby calling, but saw nothing. Then a movement and one flew around the nest tree.
For a while things remained quiet; then Swallows' alarms put us on alert, and suddenly the male Hobby streaked in from the sun at the swarming Swallows. He did not connect and started to soar effortlessly in the warm air.
Within a few minutes he was, perhaps, 6 or 700 mtrs high - and still rising in a spiral, before he began to drift away.
Suddenly a female Sparrowhawk was with him and the two raptors circled and harried each other, before going their separate ways. He was drifting away as the female Hobby, a little below, came past him in the opposite direction.
Coincidently we both followed the male - so we lost her - and now he picked up speed and started to dive.
As he became a vertical dart, wings folded behind, he lost all the gained height - swapping it for speed. Just as I lost him behind the hedge JB saw it was a Swallow he was after - and both vanished below the horizon.
We saw no more of him.
But there were Buzzards aplenty riding the lazy thermals - and a distant Kestrel; and the Sparrowhawk came right over again.
After JB had gone, and I'd moved position, that Sparrowhawk came past me at speed - so close I could have reached out to touch her passing form.
Not long after arrival, on a warm and sunny afternoon - we (for JB turned up minutes after I did) - heard a Hobby calling, but saw nothing. Then a movement and one flew around the nest tree.
For a while things remained quiet; then Swallows' alarms put us on alert, and suddenly the male Hobby streaked in from the sun at the swarming Swallows. He did not connect and started to soar effortlessly in the warm air.
Within a few minutes he was, perhaps, 6 or 700 mtrs high - and still rising in a spiral, before he began to drift away.
Suddenly a female Sparrowhawk was with him and the two raptors circled and harried each other, before going their separate ways. He was drifting away as the female Hobby, a little below, came past him in the opposite direction.
Coincidently we both followed the male - so we lost her - and now he picked up speed and started to dive.
As he became a vertical dart, wings folded behind, he lost all the gained height - swapping it for speed. Just as I lost him behind the hedge JB saw it was a Swallow he was after - and both vanished below the horizon.
We saw no more of him.
But there were Buzzards aplenty riding the lazy thermals - and a distant Kestrel; and the Sparrowhawk came right over again.
After JB had gone, and I'd moved position, that Sparrowhawk came past me at speed - so close I could have reached out to touch her passing form.
John Barber
Well-known member
Sorry I missed that H, just my luck. Still, I had some of the best views of the Hobbies so far this season; and some intelligent conversation to boot. A pleasant way to spend a warm summers afternoon.
sid ashton
Well-known member
Blink and you miss 'em
Was at the site early on this morning in really nice sunny conditions - at about 07.30 had my first brief view of one of the birds, after a lot of calling it did a once around the nest tree and off low into the distance. About three quarters of an hour later the move was repeated by both birds on this occasion and finally they both went off in pursuit of another bird that I couldn't be absolutely sure of but possibly a Sparrowhawk as I had noted one in the area early on and that as they say was that. All of 30 seconds viewing in 2 hours of standing but at least I found them :t:
Was at the site early on this morning in really nice sunny conditions - at about 07.30 had my first brief view of one of the birds, after a lot of calling it did a once around the nest tree and off low into the distance. About three quarters of an hour later the move was repeated by both birds on this occasion and finally they both went off in pursuit of another bird that I couldn't be absolutely sure of but possibly a Sparrowhawk as I had noted one in the area early on and that as they say was that. All of 30 seconds viewing in 2 hours of standing but at least I found them :t:
John Barber
Well-known member
Glad you spotted them this time Sid. Things are starting to warm up !
halftwo
Wird Batcher
sid ashton
Well-known member
Must have just missed you H, as usual I had to wait a fair time before anything happened!!
halftwo
Wird Batcher
Patient Twilight Hunters
19:30 - 20:30 : Cool, overcast, breezy.
A Little owl sat on a fence post, unmoving. Within a few minutes Jackdaws took off in alarm. The reason was not apparent. Yet.
A minute later Swallows' alarms, after some scanning, revealed a rising Hobby: the male was up hunting, but soon was carried away on the wind.
Things settled, the light worsened, gnats bit.
Then, a mile out, a Peregrine was on the wing: powering a shallow line into the horizon. Some minutes later it was heading nearer and landed on a distant pylon, restlessly eyeing the air below.
Passing pigeons put him to flight - angled steeply and flicking wings rapidly - he struck. A Wood pigeon was hit hard and feathers plumed out brightly - but the Peregrine failed to get a grasp and predator and prey carried on - the falcon to the next pylon. There it remained for some time.
Skies darkened, visibility closed down.
A Kestrel flew past the perching Peregrine, grabbed some air and hovered. Moving on it found another station - and once more moved on. The Peregrine watched.
Clouds scudded dully by.
Then the Peregrine was off again - reversing its direction - a steep dive levelling out as it put on speed. As it really got fast it passed a hirundine swarm - a swarm itself being preyed on by a Hobby! For just a second a loop of Hobby around an arrow of Peregrine - then the larger falcon, in a blur, was below the horizon - and the Hobby had, too, gone.
A minute: the Peregrine came straight towards me - and landed on pylon no.3. And that's where I left it, amongst the criss-crosses of girders atop the structure. The Hobby was still out there in the dusk.
The Little owl hadn't budged.
19:30 - 20:30 : Cool, overcast, breezy.
A Little owl sat on a fence post, unmoving. Within a few minutes Jackdaws took off in alarm. The reason was not apparent. Yet.
A minute later Swallows' alarms, after some scanning, revealed a rising Hobby: the male was up hunting, but soon was carried away on the wind.
Things settled, the light worsened, gnats bit.
Then, a mile out, a Peregrine was on the wing: powering a shallow line into the horizon. Some minutes later it was heading nearer and landed on a distant pylon, restlessly eyeing the air below.
Passing pigeons put him to flight - angled steeply and flicking wings rapidly - he struck. A Wood pigeon was hit hard and feathers plumed out brightly - but the Peregrine failed to get a grasp and predator and prey carried on - the falcon to the next pylon. There it remained for some time.
Skies darkened, visibility closed down.
A Kestrel flew past the perching Peregrine, grabbed some air and hovered. Moving on it found another station - and once more moved on. The Peregrine watched.
Clouds scudded dully by.
Then the Peregrine was off again - reversing its direction - a steep dive levelling out as it put on speed. As it really got fast it passed a hirundine swarm - a swarm itself being preyed on by a Hobby! For just a second a loop of Hobby around an arrow of Peregrine - then the larger falcon, in a blur, was below the horizon - and the Hobby had, too, gone.
A minute: the Peregrine came straight towards me - and landed on pylon no.3. And that's where I left it, amongst the criss-crosses of girders atop the structure. The Hobby was still out there in the dusk.
The Little owl hadn't budged.
Floyd Barnes
Well-known member
A nice hour.
Felt like I was there. Well written.
Felt like I was there. Well written.
Rob Smallwood
Well-known member
As the MacMillan Guide makes clear, "Peregrines eat Merlins", I wonder if Hobby are threatened in the same way.....
halftwo
Wird Batcher
Well I did see one try a few years back. Fortunately the Hobby just managed to keep out of reach each time the Peregrine stooped.
halftwo
Wird Batcher
Midges & Owls
19:30 - 20:30 : mild, insecty.
No fewer than four Little owls this evening - two youngsters and their parents - very nice to see the whole family out together - even if the family is small. (Three to five eggs/young normal.)
Wish I'd had a hat as the midges - and flying ants - were a real pain.
Twice a very brief glimpse of a Hobby around the nest tree - almost an hour apart. The second time there was a very obvious prey item being carried: I think I'd missed a visit by the male before I arrived.
It's very possible that the Peregrine was around again - from the various reactions from the local avifauna - but it remained unseen - by me at least.
19:30 - 20:30 : mild, insecty.
No fewer than four Little owls this evening - two youngsters and their parents - very nice to see the whole family out together - even if the family is small. (Three to five eggs/young normal.)
Wish I'd had a hat as the midges - and flying ants - were a real pain.
Twice a very brief glimpse of a Hobby around the nest tree - almost an hour apart. The second time there was a very obvious prey item being carried: I think I'd missed a visit by the male before I arrived.
It's very possible that the Peregrine was around again - from the various reactions from the local avifauna - but it remained unseen - by me at least.
halftwo
Wird Batcher
An Invitation To Hunt
A lovely evening. The male, for a change, sitting bolt upright on a conspicuous perch. The female calling loudly from the nest, or nearby.
Then the female is up and flies to her mate, landing in the same tree - just above him.
I can just hear her quiet "kwip kip kip" calls. He responds by becoming horizontal in an imitation of her mating position. He walks towards her.
Soon he's off, fast. I don't see her move, but suddenly she is beside him as they fly past the nest tree low down. He is heading away fast, I lose her - then there she is fifty feet above him.
They both gain height and the male begins to loop around her - showing off his speed and agility. Then he's off towards a Swift.
He makes directly for his prey and closes in like lightning, but the Swift swerves at the last and the Hobby swings around for another attack. But the Swift has the momentum and rises as the falcon stoops - and the chase has finished.
The Hobby circles up and heads east, dwindling in the distance. Both are gone and half an hour later they are still up there. Somewhere.
A lovely evening. The male, for a change, sitting bolt upright on a conspicuous perch. The female calling loudly from the nest, or nearby.
Then the female is up and flies to her mate, landing in the same tree - just above him.
I can just hear her quiet "kwip kip kip" calls. He responds by becoming horizontal in an imitation of her mating position. He walks towards her.
Soon he's off, fast. I don't see her move, but suddenly she is beside him as they fly past the nest tree low down. He is heading away fast, I lose her - then there she is fifty feet above him.
They both gain height and the male begins to loop around her - showing off his speed and agility. Then he's off towards a Swift.
He makes directly for his prey and closes in like lightning, but the Swift swerves at the last and the Hobby swings around for another attack. But the Swift has the momentum and rises as the falcon stoops - and the chase has finished.
The Hobby circles up and heads east, dwindling in the distance. Both are gone and half an hour later they are still up there. Somewhere.
halftwo
Wird Batcher
A Swift Hunt
This morning amid atrocious weather the male was around briefly - until he went to shelter.
This afternoon: huge clouds - Men-o'-War hundreds of fathoms deep, dark-bellied and crimp-topped, scudded across the crowded sky, sending squalls landward.
And the male came in with prey - an unseen food pass and he was away to perch - leaving his screaming mate to eat out of sight.
He began to preen. Winds shifted his balance but did not put him off his task - honing those feathers for what was to come.
With every feather primed he took to his element: the windswept sky.
Circling around me he spiralled up. Swifts rose with him, above him. With the wind behind him he went east. Then the action.
In a blink he was heads up - then flipped over his own shoulder to face the earth. Vertical. Now he dropped, wings closed, and became dark lightning, a streak slipping vertiginously, the earth pulling. An instant turn and he was horizontal - at massive speed - and something blurred past. He turned and an arc saw him reverse direction, without a drop in velocity; again he seemed to connect, but no.
Into the wind now and working hard he gained on a small party of Swifts, picked one out as it swerved off and followed, like doom. Three times predator and prey closed together, three times a desperate last-ditch jink saved the Swift, and the Hobby came away.
Slicing the gale he headed westward, turned to the north and accelerated. A curve, a burst of extra speed, and he began a shallow driven dive that took him away as his next victim sped from him. Gone again.
I took my fed heart home.
This morning amid atrocious weather the male was around briefly - until he went to shelter.
This afternoon: huge clouds - Men-o'-War hundreds of fathoms deep, dark-bellied and crimp-topped, scudded across the crowded sky, sending squalls landward.
And the male came in with prey - an unseen food pass and he was away to perch - leaving his screaming mate to eat out of sight.
He began to preen. Winds shifted his balance but did not put him off his task - honing those feathers for what was to come.
With every feather primed he took to his element: the windswept sky.
Circling around me he spiralled up. Swifts rose with him, above him. With the wind behind him he went east. Then the action.
In a blink he was heads up - then flipped over his own shoulder to face the earth. Vertical. Now he dropped, wings closed, and became dark lightning, a streak slipping vertiginously, the earth pulling. An instant turn and he was horizontal - at massive speed - and something blurred past. He turned and an arc saw him reverse direction, without a drop in velocity; again he seemed to connect, but no.
Into the wind now and working hard he gained on a small party of Swifts, picked one out as it swerved off and followed, like doom. Three times predator and prey closed together, three times a desperate last-ditch jink saved the Swift, and the Hobby came away.
Slicing the gale he headed westward, turned to the north and accelerated. A curve, a burst of extra speed, and he began a shallow driven dive that took him away as his next victim sped from him. Gone again.
I took my fed heart home.
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halftwo
Wird Batcher
Young Being Fed?
07:30 - 08:30 : cold, rain.
Breakfast appeared at ten to eight this morning - just as the rain eased to a halt. The loud begging calls of the female pierced the soggy air as her mate came in carrying a small bird (or the remains of one) in his beak.
This time I saw the food pass - a gentle giving in mid air. Both falcons settled to different perches. For a minute she just sat with the offering in her talons, unmoving. Then she was off to the nest - where she stayed.
In the meantime he had a glide around nearby trees before settling on a different perch behind the nest tree.
So: it looks like she's feeding young at the nest now.
During the rain no fewer than twenty Yellow wagtails perched on wires. A Sparrowhawk, perching bolt upright in a nearby tree was getting hassle from young Crows, before moving off; and the young Little owls were out and about.
07:30 - 08:30 : cold, rain.
Breakfast appeared at ten to eight this morning - just as the rain eased to a halt. The loud begging calls of the female pierced the soggy air as her mate came in carrying a small bird (or the remains of one) in his beak.
This time I saw the food pass - a gentle giving in mid air. Both falcons settled to different perches. For a minute she just sat with the offering in her talons, unmoving. Then she was off to the nest - where she stayed.
In the meantime he had a glide around nearby trees before settling on a different perch behind the nest tree.
So: it looks like she's feeding young at the nest now.
During the rain no fewer than twenty Yellow wagtails perched on wires. A Sparrowhawk, perching bolt upright in a nearby tree was getting hassle from young Crows, before moving off; and the young Little owls were out and about.
