Tag Archives: Hobby

Hobby – 23rd April

April 23, 2013Recent wildlife sightings2013, 23rd April, Brimstone, Comma, Common Sandpiper, Green-veined White, Hobby, Large Gravel Pit, Little Ringed Plover, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Wader Scrape, Whimbrel, Yellow WagtailPete Smith

Early this afternoon a Hobby was seen hawking butterflies around the Large Gravel Pit and a Whimbrel settled briefly on the Wader Scrape. RW.

There were also at least five Little Ringed Plover and a Common Sandpiper on the Wader Scrape and two Common Sandpipers and two Yellow Wagtails on the river bank. Twelve Peacocks, three Green-veined Whites, three Commas, three Small Tortoiseshells and two Brimstones were also seen. PS.

Also early afternoon four Yellow Wagtails were on the Wader Scrape. JMD.

Curlew – 9th September

September 9, 2012Recent wildlife sightings2012, 9th September, Curlew, Hobby, Yellow WagtailPete Smith

This morning as we arrived to start the bird count, a Curlew was calling as it flew from the Slurry Lagoon. Later there were well over 350 Swallows and House Martins by the railway bridge, as migrants paused to feed and rest. Two Hobbies made an appearance but the hirundines were too alert for them, so they had to content themselves with catching some of the dragonflies that were flying abundantly today. There were several groups of warblers and tits and Yellow Wagtails and Meadow Pipits were passing through on migration. PS.

Whinchat – 28th August

August 28, 2012Recent wildlife sightings2012, 28th August, Black-tailed godwit, Deep Pit, Hobby, WhinchatPete Smith

There was a report this morning of a Whinchat seen on the Deep Pit fence posts near the railway bridge. Also a group of 25 to 35 Black-tailed Godwits flew through and a Hobby was seen.

Spotted Flycatcher – 26th August

August 26, 2012Recent wildlife sightings26th August 2012, Blackcap, Causeway, Chiffchaff, Hobby, Lesser Whitethroat, Railway Bridge, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Yellow WagtailsPete Smith

This morning in the bushes by the railway bridge a large flock of warblers and finches was feeding. Amongst them were two Spotted Flycatchers, one being chased vigorously by a juvenile Chiffchaff. There were also three more Chiffchaffs, two Lesser Whitethroats, five Whitethroats, two Blackcaps, two Willow Warblers and two Reed Warblers. The finches were family parties of Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Linnets and Goldfinches. Two Yellow Wagtails were with finches and warblers along the Boundary Hedge and another Yellow Wagtail flew over the Causeway. At about midday a Hobby attacked the Swallows by the Railway Bridge, but was unsuccessful although it was seen to stoop several times. PS.

Ringed Plover – 20th May

May 20, 2012Recent wildlife sightings2012, 20th May, Dunlin, greenshank, Hobby, Little Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, turnstone, Wader ScrapePete Smith

There has been a little wader passage this weekend, with 9 Dunlin, 5 Ringed Plover, 4 Little Ringed Plover and one Turnstone still on the Wader Scrape and 2 Oystercatchers, a Common Sandpiper and a Greenshank on the river. Later a Hobby was taken into care after apparently colliding with a fence. PS.

Hobby – 17th May

May 17, 2012Recent wildlife sightings17th May, 2012, birds, cuckoo, Hobby, Large Gravel Pit, Oystercatcher, Swift, Wader ScrapePete Smith

There were a large number of Swifts feeding over the site this morning, with smaller numbers of hirundines. By the railway bridge a Hobby appeared and stooped towards the Large Gravel Pit. A Cuckoo was calling and an Oystercatcher was on the Wader Scrape. PS.

Garganey – 13th May

May 13, 2012Recent wildlife sightings12th April 2012, 13th May, Garganey, Hobby, Little Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Shelduck, Slurry Lagoon, Wader Scrape, WheatearPete Smith

This morning there were eight Shelduck and a male Garganey on the Slurry Lagoon. The Wader Scrape had two Little Ringed Plover and two Oystercatchers as well as two Wheatears. There were plenty of warblers singing but still no Grasshopper Warbler. Later in the morning a Hobby flew over near the railway bridge. PS et al.

Hobby – 26th April

April 26, 2012Recent wildlife sightings2012, 26th April, Buzzard, Hobby, St Mark's Fly, SwiftPete Smith

In between showers this afternoon some corvids were soaring in the sky, trying to mob a Buzzard. As I watched a large swift-like bird came into view as a Hobby circled over the site. As I followed the Hobby three Swifts came into view beyond it. They were probably catching St Mark’s Flies which were flying in good numbers at the time.

Mediterranean Gull – 31st August

August 31, 2011Recent wildlife sightings2011, 31st August, birds, Buzzard, Cettis Warbler, Deep Pit, Dunlin, greenshank, Hobby, Mediterranean Gull, Slurry Lagoon, water railPete Smith

This afternoon, on the Slurry Lagoon there was a juvenile/1st winter Mediterranean Gull, with a white colour ring. Also present were two Greenshank, two juvenile Little Ringed Plover, two Dunlin and two Water Rail. There were either one or two Cetti’s Warblers present in the Deep Pit and a Hobby flew over. Overhead there were nine Common Buzzards flying together. RW.

Greenshank – 22nd August

August 22, 2011Recent wildlife sightings2011, 22nd August, birds, Common Tern, Dunlin, greenshank, Herring Gull, Hobby, House Martin, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Ringed Plover, Reed Warbler, Slurry Lagoon, Swallow, Yellow-legged GullPete Smith

This afternoon the Swallows and House Martins were gathered on the wires by the railway bridge when they all took off in alarm as a Hobby made an appearance. They all flew together and kept above and behind it, some making stoops to drive it away. The Hobby seemed unconcerned, making a couple of stoops of its own, probably at dragonflies. Suddenly the swallows were making a lot more noise and then the Hobby flew up out of its stoop with one of them in its talons. The Slurry Lagoon was a lot more peaceful with several each of Shoveler and Teal feeding on the water and a Dunlin and a Little Ringed Plover on the shore and a family of Reed Warblers were feeding in the reeds. The Lesser Black-backed Gull flock contained a Herring Gull and a Yellow-legged Gull plus a couple of Common Terns and later a Greenshank called three times as it flew over the site. PS.