Hobbys

[eigg head]

Someone told me that earlier in the year they had seen 15 hobbys gathered over the Thames, around the Marlow area, swooping and catching mayfly - could this really be true? Do they ever gather and behave in this way? Mistaken for swifts maybe?

[Jonners]

They will "gather" in decent numbers. Whether it's a formal get-together I don't know, or maybe it's more that they all find a decent feeding place and make the most of it en masse. I've copied the following from the recent sightings part of the RSPB Lakenheath Fen website, albeit dated 12th May 2009: "Hobby numbers are at a peak right now, the secong half of May sees numbers begin to drop off. The windy conditions have made numbers difficult to calculate as they zip around very quickly close to the reeds or very high. More still conditions sees them congregate in a tighter flock, making numbers easier to estimate - there are however in excess of 40."

[aeshna5]

I've certainly seen groups of up to 20 birds at places such as Stodmarsh.