Help with a Hobby

[life through a lens]

Not looking for advice on stamp collecting or model trains but actually regarding the flying variety.

I was lucky enough to be out on hathland near my home on Friday night and managed to spot a Hobby swooping low over the heath, covering a fair amount of land each time. At one point it disappeared and I stumbled accross it perched on the top of a tree in full view. It sat there for a couple of minutes before flying off, returning after doing a full lap of the heath (which took about 10 minutes). It perched for another couple of minutes and then took off again, not returning that evening.

What i wanted to ask is whether anyone knows if this perched could be one that is regularly used by the Hobby ?? If so it is ideally located for me to set up a hide nearby to get some pictures.

Thanks

Olly

[SteveA]

Originally Posted by life through a lens

What i wanted to ask is whether anyone knows if this perched could be one that is regularly used by the Hobby ?? If so it is ideally located for me to set up a hide nearby to get some pictures.

Hi Olly,

It sounds like it'll be a perch (or at least an area) that will be used regularly during times when the prey there will be active. If it's flying insects, it should be there more often on warm still days and evenings.

Big caveat:- you may be close to a potential nestsite! Best if you seek the advice of a local raptor expert/BTO ringer/county bird recorder before setting up a hide. Hobby's are a Schedule 1 species and are specially protected in law and require a licence to photograph near the nest; they're also very susceptible to human disturbance during the early breeding season.

Good luck, they're a great little bird to watch!

[life through a lens]

Thanks Steve,

The tree in question is a single Silver Birch in the middle of an open area of heath and it appeared to be a solitary bird.

I will, however, check with the SWT ranger for that area just to be sure and hopefully will be able to get some pictures posted soon.

Olly

[Polecat]

I know they use the same trees around the nest site too. When they visit my garden/area nearby they don't seem to use the same perch twice, or the same route......say unlike a sparrowhawk which will often use the same route to the bird table through dense spruce.

BTW, I was in the car park at Brecon mountain railway near mertyr tydfil last week and watched a hobby for around 5 minutes, It flew just above the road for around 100yds straight past me ( within 1m ), but then continued to course the mountain fields much to the annoyance of some crows.......I never saw the thing perch. A real unexpeted treat!

[nightshade]

I watched a Hobby for 3 weeks it was moving along with its prey, swallows, swifts and dragonflies,so it seemed to alternate (to allow recovery?) of feeding grounds.the old thing about a good recce could be true, look for big flying insects like dragonflys and lots of swifts/ swallows