Walking in castles my new hobby !

Dan Salter · #1 (**permalink**) 20-01-2007, 10:33 PM

Ok i wanted to give the new meindl boots a stretch so took a walk around the lovely grounds of Leeds Castle ( my posh neighbours) today....just finished watching the falconry display and as i walked out home accross the estate/farmland i had a lovely close fly over from what im pretty sure was a hobby...had my bins too so i got a good close shot.

My question is....what do hobbys eat when the dragon flies are not around? do they just make do woth other insects?

vinnychameleon · #2 (**permalink**) 20-01-2007, 10:40 PM

Dan. Hope you enjoyed it

. As far as I know hobbies are only summer visitors. We have a pair that nest near here but they are never around during winter and they have normally left by the end of October. I could be wrong.

vinnychameleon · #3 (**permalink**) 20-01-2007, 10:43 PM

Oh yeh and did it have red around its legs and tail? My avatar is a Hobby if you wanna compare it with what you saw.

Dan Salter · #4 (**permalink**) 20-01-2007, 10:44 PM

well this is what i was thinking...in which case.....hmmm....see it had the beard? and my initial thought was peregrine ?....which would be my 3rd in my life in under 2 weeks?....

vinnychameleon · #5 (**permalink**) 20-01-2007, 10:50 PM

The other thing is hobbies have very long slender wings and are not as stocky as a peregrine. They kinda look like a swift in their outline.

Dan Salter · #6 (**permalink**) 20-01-2007, 10:55 PM

Yeah ...hmmm...im pretty sure it wasnt a peregrine having only seen two last week , i would have noticed the yellow on it as i was pretty close....
i guess it was either a merlin or a very pretty kestrel? it just seemd to have more of the bluegrayish tinge to its back and the more orangey to the underparts so i thought hobby but could have been a merlin which would have been a first ? also i cant guage size as it was very close and i was looking through my bins so it could have been small like a merlin...

ill write it of as a merlin..but more likely a pretty kestrel ha ha

vinnychameleon · #7 (**permalink**) 20-01-2007, 11:03 PM

Now you mention it I think it is almost definetely a merlin as if you look at photos the males have bluey grey blacks and orangey underparts. You lucky thing

I've only seen them twice before.

Lincs Yellowbelly · #8 (**permalink**) 20-01-2007, 11:07 PM

Would certainly say it was 100% not a Hobby, probably a Merlin or Kestrel as has been said

Deer Stalker · #9 (**permalink**) 20-01-2007, 11:07 PM

Does sound like a Merlin.

Dan Salter · #10 (**permalink**) 20-01-2007, 11:21 PM

Well....yes i have to agree with myself ha ha
See? im not a robin stroker....and i have been a raptor fan all my life...although only seen my first wild peregrine this year.
I had just minutes before been watching a falconry display flying a kestrel and well...i can tell one at a thousand paces.....same as a peregrine....
Im a bit sketchy with the hobby and merlin...saw several definate hobbies in the summer so recognise the blueygray colouring and orangey under......hence why i thought it was a hobby today....but then i thought? they eat dragonflies....wrong time of year surely?...cheered myself up by thinking maybe it was a peregrine after all and i didnt notice the yellow parts?...but i have only seen them over salt marsh around here?
Wasnt till earlier i started to think merlin? and it possibly looked bigger as he or she was so close anyway plus through my bins...i followed it unitl it went out of view so didnt get a real size view.

Would be nice as it would be my first merlin !