The hobbies are still in the tree in Fossey Street, Holder. I hear the call occasionally, so assume they are managing to nest?
From: Philip Veerman <>
Sent: Monday, 15 October 2018 3:35 PM
To: 'Canberrabirds' <>
Subject: [canberrabirds] Hobbies? attempting to nest
Following on from this. An hour ago I was washing dishes in the kitchen and heard a Hobby call, nearby outside. Taking a break to go and check, I see it fly around
my big tree with one of the Raven pair doing a defensive lap, with the other Raven perched on a branch near the nest. As the first Hobby flew off to the west I then see its partner flying tight circles fairly low over the house. Then within probably less than
10 seconds the pair were together again having flown to an altitude at which they were both dots in the sky and one doing very fast diving rushes at the other and turning around to do it again, before I lost them in the distance. I am guessing these will be
the same birds as mentioned a week ago.
From: Philip Veerman
Sent: Monday, 8 October, 2018 10:20 AM
To: 'Sue Beatty'; 'canberrabirds chatline'
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Hobbies? attempting to nest
I had almost exactly the same at my home (Kambah) last week. I watched one Hobby as it was calling and harassing an active nest of
Pied Currawongs. Actually I identified the Hobby call before seeing the bird. The latter resisted, chasing it around, however the Hobby was easily able to outfly them in speed
and manoeuvrability. This is about 100 metres from my home. It broke this off briefly to fly directly at the tree in my back yard which is directly over my Hills Hoist (where I was hanging out the clothes at the time), that has Ravens currently nesting in
it. Ravens defended the tree and the Hobby returned after one circuit, to bother the Currawongs again. About 10 minutes later it was gone and I have not seen it again. Back in July I watched a pair of Hobbies here behave similarly around a different unoccupied
Raven’s nest. This time however I did not see a second one, though I suspect it was perched unseen nearby. This is usually pair behaviour.
Philip
From: Sue Beatty
Sent: Monday, 8 October, 2018 8:31 AM
To: 'canberrabirds chatline'
Subject: [canberrabirds] Hobbies? attempting to nest
Hi All,
Heard the rapid “kee kee kee” of a raptor at my place this morning amid a big racket of Pied Currawongs. On investigation saw the birds high in neighbours eucalypt - the tallest tree in Fossey St, Holder. Looks as though the raptors might
have been thinking of taking over an old nest at the top of the tree but were monstered and outnumbered by about 10 Currawongs. They were moving fast, but I saw pointed wings and dark stripes on tail so probably Hobbies?
Will try to get a better look if they try again.
Cheers,
Sue
