Spring truly begins when warmer days return our Swallows and House Martins to Norfolk in readiness to breed; they are closely followed by the Hobby, a slim, fast and exciting to watch falcon that winters in Africa and spends the summer in Europe.

Similar in size to a Kestrel, though slimmer, longer winged and faster the Hobby hunts dragonflies, its main prey, in flight over woods, marshes and river valleys.

The Hobby has a grey-blue plumage on the upperparts, is heavily and darkly streaked on its underwing, breast and flanks with a distinctive rufus patch covering the leg feathers and undertail coverts. A black hood covers the head, and this extends into a moustache creating a distinctive white window on the sides of the head. The legs and toes are yellow, the eyes dark with thin yellow eyerings.

When observed high in the sky the flight and shape is reminiscent of an oversized swift. They will also hunt from a perch over water waiting for the warmth of the day when flying insects become active. In periods of poor weather Hobbies will take Swallows and House Martins and are fast enough to catch an unwary Swift. Swallows and House Martins have a distinctive alarm call that warns of an approaching Hobby due to them being such a threat. A remarkable 99 mph is the highest recorded speed of a stooping Hobby, an unfair advantage over a House Martin flying at 40 mph.

The nest is normally an old crow nest and both parents brood the 2- 4 eggs for a total of 28 days. The young are reared by both parents and when they fledge the parents stay close and teach their young the hunting skills they will need to survive.

Found through-out England and eastern Wales approximately 3,000 pairs return to the UK each summer. Hobbies are seen over Bale through-out the summer months as they breed locally. They can sometimes be seen on a late summer evening when they are known to hunt bats. 

Paul Laurie (Credit: Local Lynx Magazine – Edition 161 – Photography Credit – RSPB)