Went for a walk last night, no bucks but did see this...

Hi All

Went for a look round on of my pieces last night, was hoping that most of the wheat might have been cut but unfortunately it wasnt to be, still lots left standing so makes the roe difficult to see with it being so long.

Did see a couple of roe does, which I have a question about. Both looked to be adult size, feeding away together. However one was obviously in its nice red summer coat, but the other looked to be in what was its winter colour coat already ? It was light grey / brown, but looked a lot more like a winter coat stood at the side of the other one. Is that normal ?

Also, crossing one of the fields I started getting dive bombed by one of these birds, so whipped out the phone and tried to get some footage. As the vid files are quite large I have saved them to dropbox, just wondered if people could confirm what they were.


[video]https://www.dropbox.com/s/415l1pjjynbizda/VIDEO0010.mp4?dl=0[/video]
[video]https://www.dropbox.com/s/mshprre46vouuly/VIDEO0011.mp4?dl=0[/video]

To me, they looked like Peregrines, and there were 5 in total together. Awesome to watch and I stood for a while and almost forgot about going stalking !!

However, given they are in South Yorks, its not something I would normally expect to see. I have seen Hobbys before near here talking sand martins, however these were a lot bigger. Plus I seem to remember that call being Peregrines when I have seen them on the coast.

Be great if anyone could confirm it for me.

As far as stalking goes, I only saw the two does, no bucks showing. Try again in another week when hopefully the combines been out a bit more !

Cheers

Paul.
 
They certainly look like falcons of some sort, and the wing shape says peregrine to me, but I'm not expert enough to say for sure.

FWIW yesterday I saw two peregrines flying laps of a tower block in Birmingham - which, I have to say, made my day!
 
Just looked at the RSPB site now and they appear to sound more like Hobbys rather than Peregrines I think.

Plus it says Hobbys are the size of the Kestrel, I got mixed up with Merlin which are the smallest......

The RSPB: Hobby

The RSPB: Peregrine

Did seem quite big when the bugger was diving at me though and veering off at the last minute !!
 
Maybe coincidence, for the second year running we have had Hobby's (3) turn up for the 2nd year running in the same 10 acres, within just 3 days of last years sighting.
We don't see them here any other time. I couldn't tell from the footage, but my experience of Hobby's is that the wings are much more scythe like and appear longer than a Kestrel's as the tail of the Hobby is much shorter/stumpier. What an unusual experience, and joy to see - lucky you.
 
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My money is on Hobby - they always remind me of a large swift and will often be seen chasing hirundines at this time of year
ED
 
Was sat watching two buzzards other afternoon no more than 100 yds away with a client when another hawk bigger than the buzzards came diving down with its wings folded and smashed into one of the buzzards. This buzzard turned to face the hawk but both dropped out of sight and the second buzzard flew off making a row
 
Hobbies have a very prominent white throat patch and will come very close. i seen many catching mayflies when fishing on the pits in the Cotswold water parjk.

D
 
Look like hobbies to me Paul with the size but there are peregrines in south yorks in fact a pair successfully hatched off a brood 300 yards from your place of work ;) have some pics of them somewhere I think which I took on my lunch
 
Look like hobbies to me Paul with the size but there are peregrines in south yorks in fact a pair successfully hatched off a brood 300 yards from your place of work ;) have some pics of them somewhere I think which I took on my lunch

I think I have actually seen them in the past Jim after all the feral pigeons that used to be on the roofs !
 
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