Subbuteo II

On Thursday evening Jane, Bunty and me were walking along the coast road a few hundred metres out of our village when I looked back and saw a small falcon heading towards us. As this bit is often bird free and we were just out with Bunty, I had no binoculars ( school boy error there methinks). Luckily the raptor was flying steadily towards us, quite low, so I prepared myself to get as much on it as I could on a brief fly past. As it came along side, I was over the moon to see not the more likely Merlin, but a fresh juvenile Hobby!

It is early for juvvies but they are on the move soon after fledging sometimes so maybe this one hasn't come too far? They dont breed in Northumberland as far as I am aware? Some years back, on the day the Red necked Stint was at the Wansbeck Estuary, John and myself had a juvenile Hobby at Alnmouth, again flying south, so it can happen.

Our bird passed steadily and on south. It put up a flock of starlings that balled up, when it made a half hearted stoop at them, before continuing on its way. Only my second patch record in 8 years...