During an early morning stroll today along Barrow Lane near Winwick (but actually in St Helens, Merseyside), I saw the impressive sight of around 150 swifts feeding quite low down over the fields to the north of the lane. Suddenly they all rose high into the sky and I wondered if there was a hobby about but I couldn't see it. Then a couple of minutes later I saw what looked like a hobby distantly to the north over Highfield Moss.
It rose high and then closed it's wings and plummeted down at terrifying speed as it began hunting and any doubt in my mind vanished, this was definitely a hobby! It was still distant but heading my way so I watched and waited. Most of the swifts appeared to be in the field close to me so I was hopeful that it would launch another attack nearby.
In seconds it was overhead and attacked again, this time successfully and I actually saw it pick a swift out of the sky and carry it away. For a moment it continued towards me and allowed me to fire off a few photos, before turning and flying away south east with its prey. A breathtaking moment!
This is the same photo as the one at the top of the post minus the brightening and sharpening.
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