Hobby Thread 2010 (1 Viewer)

[halftwo]

Hawk Attacked!

Between showers: briefly merely grey.

The male came in - with nothing. The female met him as before but received no meal - screaming the whole while as they landed side by side. He responded to her "kheeer heeer heer"s with "kwip kip kip"s - and, getting the message headed off to hunt again.

As he went a female Sparrowhawk, carrying prey, crossed his path. As he made for Swallows in jinky fashion he swerved at the hawk but both flew their own ways.

But not the female Hobby. Still angry she flew at the Sparrowhawk - catching it up easily and attacked - whether to drive her away, or to steal the prey I couldn't say - but the hawk made a quick dodge and made for the nearest tree, landing in deep cover.

But that wasn't the end. The Hobby landed close by and screamed at the hawk, bobbing her head at the hidden foe. She hopped through the oak towards her and the hawk moved away - only to be followed.

After a minute the Hobby seemed to have had enough: she flew back towards her nest tree and landed nearby, on the lookout for threats and the hope of another meal. A few minutes later the Sparrowhawk, still with her prey, made off to her own distant nest, and the rain came down again.

 

[halftwo]

She Catches A Swift

A good sight of fifteen Grey partridge - a covey of four adults and eleven half-grown young - first thing this morning: but no sign of Hobbies, that had to wait until later.

And later this is what happened. The female calling loudly from somewhere unseen - and as I made my way to different vantage points I could see the male perched up. Thirty seconds had passed when he set off, powering directly away and rising. Fast.

After a minute I reckon he was a mile distant - when I saw what he was going towards: a Hobby was Swift hunting another half mile or more distant. Through binoculars the falcon was just identifiable, the Swift the merest speck. He had seen them, eyes unaided.

The hunt was over quickly - two loops and the Swift made its last desperate break for the heavens, but the Hobby caught up as she rose vertically, and the Swift was hers.

For a few seconds she hung in the air, gliding back with the prey, then the male made a stoop at her and she dived away. I lost her, and, briefly, him, until he came back to perch again where he'd been before.

She, presumably, was somewhere feasting: I didn't see her again for nearly an hour. In the meantime he set off low eastwards, away swiftly to hunt.

Once more they had amazed.

 

[halftwo]

The Fox & The Falcon

06:30 - 07:40 : dull, cool.


Arrived to see that the male was perching up nicely - but my attention was soon drawn to the commotion nearby. A Fox was jumping about in the crops as Grey partridges scattered noisily away. This attracted the attention of the sparrows and Yellow wagtails, and there was a big swarm around the Fox.

This also had the Hobby's attention. He took off, immediately dropping to skim as low as possible across the field, hedge-hopping to hug the crop. So low in fact that I lost him entirely - but he was successful.

As I watched the Fox and entourage I heard the female Hobby screaming to her mate. She took the prey from him and landed to pluck it greedily, still calling.

After a minute she was off to the nest. The male came back to perch.

That's when my day was spoilt and I phoned the police. (See separate thread).

 

[halftwo]

A Domestic

06:30 - 08:00 : mild & dry (for a change!)


Three young Ravens came past, cronking and rolling first thing - always good to see. The Little owl was calling, but things were otherwise quiet.

The male Hobby was on his perch and bobbing his head - watching something in the distance - something, it turned out, was his mate, hunting.

Back she came - sneaking in as usual, obviously her hunt had been a success, for he went to meet her and both were making a din as they flew around the nest tree.

Next thing: he is carrying a morsel - presumably successfully begged from her. She went to the nest to feed her young, he went to eat his stolen meal.

Soon he was off - away from me quick and low - then she followed, above the trees. He slid below the hedges, she climbed higher. I watched her make a few sheperding circles and one or two passes at Swallows - then she headed off west.

A few minutes later he came back and perched in the same spot as before - followed shortly by his mate - both empty handed. She was near the nest - but moved into thick cover after a quick foray for an insect.

Which is where I left them, the Little owl still watching me watching.

 

[joannec]

So: it looks like she's feeding young at the nest now.

Excellent news! Had a hobby over my garden again yesterday evening but God knows if and where they are nesting nearby but at least I've been able to record them as T for the Atlas.

 

[halftwo]

Excellent news! Had a hobby over my garden again yesterday evening but God knows if and where they are nesting nearby but at least I've been able to record them as T for the Atlas.

I estimate they are 7-10 days old now - but this year it's really difficult to tell. Unlike last year the nest is just not visible - so even when they grow I doubt we'll see them at the nest as last year.

It would be wonderful if the young could be fitted with trackers as in this story (from the ID forum.)

http://www.birdlife.org/news/news/2010/04/ruddy-turnstone-migration.html

 

[halftwo]

Nest Raid

07:00 - 0800 : sun, warm.


Straight away the male came in with prey and the female flew to meet him and take it from him. Much calling as per, but that attracted unwanted attention.

Within minutes the nest tree and surrounding trees filled with Jackdaws. For a while both Hobbies, screaming in their differently-pitched voices, dived at the Jackdaws and tried to move them off. But they were hopelessly outnumbered - more than twenty Jackdaws were moving around - sometimes within inches of the nest. The distress of the falcons was obvious, but it got worse.

The commotion attracted the attention of a few Carrion crows and they too came in to add to the hoard. It was impossible to see how things were going...

It was too upsetting to watch and I knew I could do nothing - walking to the area could just have had the opposite to the desired effect. I couldn't stand it any longer and chose to go.

 

[joannec]

Oh H..............this is really really sad news.:-C:eek!:

 

[halftwo]

:-CYes.

I went past on the way to work, 09:30, and it was still corvid city - but the male was merrily hunting hirundines right by me as I carried on.
I say merrily...:-C

 

[John Barber]

Update

Found plenty of Corvids sat in trees about 100 mtrs from the nest tree but thankfully, this time, most of them were Rooks, seemingly with nothing more on their mind than enjoying the warm afternoon sunshine.

I had barely time to set my telescope up when I heard those familiar calls. The male, with prey, coming in from my right, 150 mtrs ahead, and the female gliding from the perch tree to meet and greet and grab the food. A perfect food pass and both birds disappeared into the perch tree, only their loud and noisy calls betraying their presence.

I quickly moved position to be rewarded with excellent views of one of the birds swaying vigorously on it's slender branch in the stiff breeze; to repeatedly fly away across the field at low level, to return seconds later to the same perch until it finally disappeared.

I thought that was it, but no. A couple of minutes later, probably the same bird came low across the field towards me, gradually gaining height and then circling above my head - obviously sussing me out. I'm not as familiar to it as H ! And then it went on it's way and out of sight looking for it's next meal.

All seems well in Hobby land.

 

[halftwo]

B B B Thanks JB, that is great to hear.B B B

 

[sid ashton]

Later

I arrived at around 6pm and they were both visible, the male in the copse and the female in the nest tree. They both sat preening for 10 -15 miutes and only moved to chase off a small flock of Jackdaws and that was the last I saw of them - peace reigns :t:

 

[halftwo]

Thanks, Sid. I'll be down there am, as usual.

 

[halftwo]

Calm

Early morning: female visible and away as farmer walked past - circuit and returned. No sign of male .

Evening: male in with prey. Then both perched up separately, for over an hour.
200 Jackdaws flew past - but kept going!

 

[halftwo]

Rain, Rain, Rain.

After six or seven hours of overnight rain, things eased at 08:45, so I headed out. Still raining, but halting.

As I arrived the female came out to perch in the open, as did the Little owl. Swallows began to hunt. Jackdaws began to hassle. The male Hobby, shrieking, attacked; but the Jackdaws just ignored him. These young corvids are a real nuisance to the pair, hanging about around the site.

After this the male went off to sit in the next copse and the female withdrew back to the nest for some time.

Despite the improvement in the weather neither hunted for the next hour. Then the rain started again.

 

[joannec]

After this the male went off to sit in the next copse and the female withdrew back to the nest for some time.

.

So what do you think now H? Any chicks left in the nest?...........against the odds, I know.

 

[halftwo]

I think they're OK. Otherwise would they be defending the nest?
Hope to be along there again, soon.

H

 

[sid ashton]

This eveing after Yelloelegs

Called by on the way home at about 18.00 from watching the Lesser Yellowlegs and a Hobby at Inner Marsh Farm !!!!. The male was in the copse, on his now regular perch - there was some calling from the nest tree and he was away low hunting presumably. Looking into the nest tree there was some activity but difficult to make out clearly because of the strong wind - fingers crossed.

 

[squidge]

Was birding down in Kent at the weekend and saw a hobby perched on top of the tv aerial. I also suspect there is a nest in the trees nearby as there was a lot of activity coming from that area.

 

[halftwo]

Four Hobbies

Sid, I just missed you yesterday, again!


Early morning and the sky broken with blue. A sign of a better day after yesterday's cold wind? I badly needed a sign that things were still alright after the corvids' seeming non-stop hassle of the last few days.
My last sight had been of the female tearing across the field after a Crow, fleeing with the wind behind, like its life depended on it. She kept its tail tip very close as they zapped low and direct.
The day had been cold, grey and with a constant wind, bringing heavy showers, and I had not seen any sign of young being fed. So...

Immediately I heard the female calling as she shifted two Crows from the perch tree, carving circles around it. The male was across the field and now she flew across to join him, calling at him - a nag to hunt.

Soon (as usual just as I changed position to miss the launch) they were away - both powering up on flickering unpausing wings. Swifts were beyond them - but they were not alone.

Way off were a pair of Hobbies up hunting! Presuming that my pair were heading for a territorial dispute I was surprised to see that both pairs avoided each other - and they went their separate ways.

Dificult enough to keep two Hobbies in view at once - but four was impossible. My male had reached quite some height and distance, the female behind and lower. Now she turned and began to drop back to her perch tree, closing her wings and slicing air in a long diagonal. Her mate swung left.

As she re-settled he accelerated and stooped shallowly, until he was gone, behind trees and hedges. For a few seconds his progress was signalled by swirling hirundines; then calm. Behind: a thick grey bank of cloud gathered like a cresting wave.

Twenty minutes later, with her greater sight, she slipped away from her tree and, calling, went to meet the returning male. Her calls alerted me to his presence, and I just saw the food pass. He continued to perch, she circled nearby to land and pluck.

So: he had provided. Would she take the food to young? Minutes ticked slowly by. The sky darkened.

Then, carrying a neat parcel in her beak, she flew to the nest. For a while she remained there - and I knew at least one young was being fed. All was not lost!

She came out to perch again, still calling. He watched from higher up. I think the prey - finch or tit? - would not be enough for long.