More likely it was stooping for prey which moved to
cover or perhaps a mating display. (Showing off, nothing
new there then :-))

Most birds of prey (owls excepted) use thermals as
a source of free energy to be able to observe prey.
Captive birds of prey will not fly if they are 'not
hungry', in need of food and if they eat and become
over a certain weight flight becomes difficult or even
impossible for them. (Anyone know the maximum all up
weight of a swallow)

At 09:12 05 July 2004, Silent Flyer wrote:


I'm also convinced that birds soar for pleasure as
well as because they
might have to

Earlier this year sitting in my garden on a hot windless
day, I watched a
Buzzard pick up a thermal over a small local wood and
climb until it was a
speck in the sky. It then closed its wings and dived
at great speed until it
was about fifty feet above the ground, pulled out and
then proceeded to
climb again. It repeated the climb, dive, climb manoeuvre
three times before
I went indoors. Surely that could not have been for
anything other than
pleasure ?

DB