Australian Hobby

I was out in the garden a few minutes ago. I was checking to see if the vegetables needed watering. I heard the warning calls of a variety of honeyeaters, especially the New Hollands, and this is usually a signal for me to scan the sky in all directions, looking for a bird of prey.

Sure enough, what looked like an Australian Hobby went skimming across the property at tree level, scaring the smaller birds silly. I can’t be 100% certain it was a Hobby, as I didn’t have my binoculars with me, but the shape, size, wing beat, manner and general appearance indicated that species.
The Australian Hobby (also called Little Falcon) is found throughout Australia but is not common anywhere. I have observed it on a number of occasions up the hill from home, about a kilometre away so it is not an unexpected visitor.

I have not yet been able to get a photo of this species so you will have to click here to see one.