A hunting Hobby

I can see a bird of prey high in the sky. I don’t recognise it, so I train my lens on it and see it has red trousers. It’s a Hobby, Falco subbuteo. It’s so distant I can only produce a composite of its flight. I’ve seen them before, hunting dragonflies in Somerset.

Hobby - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

It’s in the sky with House Martins below and Common Swifts at the same height. I see it suddenly dive, fast and shallow and am amazed to see it’s hunting Swifts. It’s not successful this time and drifts over the blocks of flats and away.

What an amazing thing to witness.

More Hobby

Hobby - The Hall of Einar - photograph © David Bailey (not the) Hobby Taking photographs in the middle of the day is often a bit disappointing. Just look at those shadows. The only… read more
Hobby - The Hall of Einar - photograph © David Bailey (not the) Hobby talons Hobby look like giant Swifts or tiny Kestrels as they cruise above Otmoor. There are five high on the thermals.… read more
Hobby - The Hall of Einar - photograph © David Bailey (not the) Subbuteo This Hobby, Falco subbuteo, has just arrived after migrating from Africa. It has caught a tiny fly in its talons… read more

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