Friday, Saturday 30/31st December

Two rides, the second one with a strong headwind from Sea Walls. Several 'birders' at the peregrine watch - but not peregrines. The last post I tried with a picture download failed, so try another to see if the system works? Yep, so meet Joseph, my grandson, now two, and his dad, Chris overlooking another Gorge in Italy.

Thursday December 28th

Bright, but watery sunshine this morning. The tide was coming in, pushing a large flock of gulls up the mudbank. No raptors during my short stay. I feel I should do/say more now that I'm a member of the RSPB! Signed up by Joanna, Chris, Joseph and William as a Christmas present.

Christmas Eve

A cold and gray morning, but since I have not ventured out for a rise for nearly a week, this was necessary exercise. I have not seen the peregrines for a couple of weeks at least, yet they must feed themselves in this weather? Other birds were out on the Downs feeding, there were three separate groups of black-headed gulls, apart from a large mixed group of crows, jackdaws, rooks and herring gulls.
Sometimes the Downs depress me greatly from the amount of rubbish that is jettisoned from cars and people eating pizza, drinking beer or other activities (there was an unused condom in the gutter today). However I have not seen a vandalised car until now. The car was by Sea Walls with its windows broken and the boot wrenched up - what story is behind this? Myself, joggers and other cyclists and car owners passed by on the other side, probably trying to ignore it.

Monday December 18th

On Sunday I walked over to the peregrine watch, then on Monday did my usual cycle ride. Spring must be in the air - all the jackdaws were sitting close together in pairs in the Jackdaw Tree. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday saw a dramatic temperature drop, with fog and frost in the early morning. Not cycling weather except for sadists!

Take a look at my video blog - Vlog!

Friday December 15th

Very dark, dull, but warm morning with rain in the air. Ducks and gulls flying over the river, and a pair of pied wagtails up at the top with me. Not a day to linger.

Tuesday 12th December

The last few mornings were very wet, I started off on Sunday, but turned back to have a walk instead.
This morning was bright, with the sun shining through high cloud, at the Gorge there was a slight rain shower, but it passed. Today's tally? Mallards dabbling at the river edge, a group of over 50 gulls strung out down the middle of the river, and a lone cormorant flying downstream very low over the water.

Friday 8th December

Just before Henleaze Junior School I spotted a heron, he came down somewhere behind the houses opposite the school entrance. Goldfish for breakfast, perhaps! By Downleaze there was a large group of black headed gulls on the grass. from the behaviour of the jackdaws above their tree, I think they have decided that spring in coming, thus it was very obvious that they were in pairs, this is particularly appealing when a large group are flying around. The effect is that the flock seems to be doubled up in the air in its movements. There were 40+ birds doing this manoeuvre.

The jackdaws may think that spring is around the corner, I felt that it was rather nippy this morning.

Tuesday, Wednesday 5th, 6th December

On Tuesday I met up with a friend for a pint and a pork pie in the Merchants Arms, Cumberland Basin. Excellent! I cycled home via the peregrine watch, so was up there around 3pm, it was largely notable for the absence of any birdlife, on the grassland or over the Gorge. Even seagulls.
Wednesday was a quiet day (10.20am), mainly groups of gulls and crows on the grassland of the Downs. Curious to see one lone, young, herring gull amid a large group of crows!

Monday 4th December

No ride this morning, we were in Sheffield for Joseph's birthday. However, we returned to a very wet Bristol in the afternoon, then in the evening I walked over to the Ramblers AGM for 7.30pm. As I passed the gardens in front of Redland High School I heard a bird singing, it was dark but the trees were lit up by the street lights and this amazing song filled the air. Was it a nightingale (they are usually in Africa at this time of year) ? Or a blackbird? I think it was the latter, either way it was beautiful. The song went on while I hurried off to the meeting.

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, November 29th 30th, December 1st

Wednesday was the only day when I saw a peregrine - again a quick flash of wings as he came into the cliff under the peregrine watch. The raven was soaring around the cliffs on the other side of the gorge - a large bird which I initially mistook for a buzzard.
"It (the raven) is massive, bigger than a buzzard. It is all black with a large bill, and long wings. In flight, it shows a diamond-shaped tail." See R.S.P.B. Apart from these a lone cormorant made its way up towards Bristol.
On Thursday three men were working on the slope beside the cliffs opposite, it was also very quiet.
Today, Friday, there were large groups of birds on the Downs - seagulls over behind the water tower - starlings beside Lady's Mile and a big group of jackdaws and crows on the Downs nearer to Sea Walls. The very mild weather means that there are a lot of worms and grubs near to the surface.

Tuesday November 28th

A very bright, clear and warm morning, a small yacht was going down river. Three cormorants came from the Avonmouth direction, two carried on past the boat, the other landed in the river, then took off some minutes later, following the other two into Bristol.

A raven came down river, and about level with the cliff top, large and with beautiful glossy black feathers, a few moments later a peregrine came past, the two went into the trees in the valley beside Sea Walls, there was a brief chase, and the peregrine returned - to land on a tree opposite in the middle of the Leigh Woods. Just below this tree another looks rather like a large 'K'. The peregrine stayed put, but I lost sight of him, his presence was given away by a pigeon who approached the same tree, then veered off! The peregrine remained until I left for home at around 11am. Just before that a sparrowhawk flew towards Bristol and just above me. An active few minutes!

Wednesday 22nd, Sunday 26th, Monday 27th November

I was up at the peregrine watch each day around 10.30-11.00 am. The weather became warmer over these days, but with lots of rain and wind. No raptors - except that I may have seen a peregrine come in to land on the cliff on Sunday, it was over in a fraction of a second. A larger group of 'birders' were there Sunday - how they ever see anything I don't know, they perch themselves on the grass and well back from the edge of the cliff. On Sunday the jackdaws congregated in their tree, a couple of elegant little birds watched me carefully, their strong black head caps catching the sunlight. One of the jackdaws has a lot of white breast feathers, and some in its wings as well. On the river: Sunday a group of ducks paddled around the edge of the river; Monday a large flock of gulls floated in the middle of the river, floating slowly downstream with the outgoing tide. The ducks were in the same place each day!

Tuesday 21st November

Cold and with rain showers coming in on a moderate north wind, Wales in bright sunshine, us in a cloud shadow. The wind made the tide look as if it was coming in, but the river debris gave away the ebb. The only sign of any raptor was (what I thought could be) a peregrine call. It was not repeated. Abbots Leigh woods are now in their winter colours, bleak browns and yellows broken by the occasional evergreen.

Sunday November 19th

A very bright clear blue sky. At Sea Walls the sun was shining down from behind the Suspension Bridge, and onto the mud of the River; this acted as a huge magnifying mirror, so that the river was a blaze of light. The reflection concentrated the light and heat onto the top of the cliffs making the parking area at the top much, much hotter than from the natural sunlight. An incredible effect!
No peregrines (11am), but I did see a cormorant making its way up towards Bristol, and a heron flew down river and landed down on the wall beside the road and under Sea Walls. Curious that he did not land on the river edge.

Friday 17th November

My first ride for several days - visiting our new Grandson, William took us away from Bristol. Thursday was very wet, so I gave that a miss! Nothing to report, but I must look at my RSPB book to check on some juvenile plumage for various gulls.

Friday 10th, Sunday 12th November

No ride on Saturday. I was in Licata's Italian delicatessen when news of the birth of our second grandson - William Clifford Jones came through. He was born on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month! Welcome William, and many congratulations to Joanna and Chris. A brother for Joseph.
During my cycle rides, both days were very quiet, with only jackdaws flying around the peregrine watch, and the usual small groups of crows, rooks and gulls on the Downs. The weather is much milder than it was last week.

Wednesday, Thursday 8th and 9th November

Very heavy fog on Monday and Tuesday, then Wednesday there was a misty rain which became worse when I reached the Gorge! Rooks seem to congregate with jackdaws on the Downland grass, there was a small flock of black headed gulls in their winter plumage. No sign of any peregrines, but then, I was only at the Gorge side for a short time.

Sunday November 5th

Misty blue with high cloud over the Gorge this morning. I was not out until 11.30am. Just as I was about to leave a hawk flew over our heads and up towards the Suspension bridge. I think it was probably a kestrel. I think that one of the juvenile peregrines was perched down in a tree just to the right of the Peregrine Watch. He was moving around quite a lot, but I could see the whitish head and light coloured breast with brown feathers on his back. I waited for him to fly out - but he didn't!

Friday 3rd November

Bright and sunny after a cold, frosty night. The flocks of birds - gulls, crows, rooks, jackdaws, usually on the Downland grass in the mornings were absent. Nothing much at the Peregrine Watch, I did spot a couple of black backed gulls, one going up river probably a greater black backed, the other down, probably a lesser black backed. I judged these were different from the intensity of the black backs and size. Acres of mud and the tide nearly finished going out.

Thursday 2nd November

Just after I arrived at 10:30 a lone cormorant flew up-river low over the water. Lots of mud with the tide still going out. At 10:50 a distinct call down to my right alerted me to a peregrine, he flew around the cliff a little, then made off to roost on the cliff over the river opposite; his presence explained why the flock of a couple of dozen jackdaws had risen from the cliffs below on a couple of occasions, and flew around in agitated formation, before returning to the cliff. This was a very bright and cold morning, the heavy overnight frost had hardened the ground of the Downs so that there were few birds on the grass.

Tuesday 31st October, Wednesday 1st November

Tuesday: A strong gale swept down the Gorge from the NNE, blowing the rooks, jackdaws, and seagulls around the sky. A brief glimpse of (probably) a sparrow hawk over the wooded valley beside Sea Walls, at first I thought it was just another rook, then it attracted the attention of others. Mobbing is a sure sign of a hawk. Lots of birds on the downland grass.
Wednesday: Cold and clear with a wind from nearer the east. A brief glimpse of a heron as I arrived at the peregrine watch. Seagulls on the mud, and several pairs of mallards swimming up river with the incoming tide.

Monday 30th October

Low clouds and misty rain when I arrived at the watch. Nothing interesting, no falcons and few other birds apart from squabling rooks!

Thursday, Friday, Sunday : 26-29th October

Thursday was dull and cold, with flocks of birds on the grass and very few flying around. The high tide meant that there was no mud for gulls and ducks to search. Friday was a better day, a brief glimpse of a peregrine as he flew over to perch in a tree in the middle of the cliff face opposite. Three cormorants flying in from the estuary, above the Leigh Woods trees, and (possibly) some teal down on the river, leastwise they were ducks, and seemed to be flying more like teal than mallard. A curious phenomenon on the river - a line of debris showed where the high tide had stopped coming in, and reversed to going out. The river surface was quite different on either side. There was a flock of black headed gulls on the corner of the Downs near the traffic lights.
Sunday. Much more interesting and with fine high cloud and a weak sun. The jackdaws were diving around and chasing each other and also trying to catch some insects in flight. One of the jackdaws has a lot of white feathers mixed with his black coat. Several large flocks of rooks, one of over a hundred roosted over in a large beech in Leigh Woods. As I arrived (around 10am) a raven (maybe a carrion crow) perched over on the cliff face opposite, a peregrine flew over, there was an altercation! Off flew the raven, and the peregrine perched in the 'banana' tree. I saw several peregrines flying around, two to the cliff below me, a female came up the Gorge from the suspension bridge and landed below me, and another took off for the bushes on the cliff opposite. The pair of ravens now resumed flying low above Leigh Woods, and a couple of cormorants made for the docks. The Portway was closed to traffic for the third Sunday in a row; only a workman's flat top went back and forth. Nice and quiet - but with large numbers of Sunday runners, walkers, climbers and cyclists.

Sunday 22nd October

A cold autumn Sunday, with a slight high cloud rain. The Gorge was very quiet with no traffic along the river road, someone was working on the Gorge sides, so that cars were stopped. Only a few birds flying, pigeons and some gulls, a few jackdaws, no raptors.

Thursday 19th October

Oh dear, just like a diary, I forgot to enter this day. A lovely sunny day when I arrived at the peregrine watch at around 10.30. Cycling over towards Sea Walls, I thought that I saw a buzzard, but he disappeared down into the trees, similarly I think another raptor appeared briefly when I was at the watch. Could have been a sparrow hawk? Cormorants came up river.

Wednesday 18th October

On Wednesdays about two dozen football pitches are set up on the Downs, this tends to displace the birds probing the grass to quieter regions. Coming to Sea Walls, I spotted a heron down by the drain outlet, he was still in the same position when I got to the peregrine watch (around 10.30am this morning). An alternate sunny and misty morning, with a low tide and lots of mud. I think the gulls on the mud and at the river edges, are common gulls rather than black headed, they have no black on their wing edges. Another heron flew along to the outflow,though I could not see where he landed.

Sunday to Tuesday, 15-17th October

Three days to fill in. Sunday was very misty; a brief view of a peregrine as he came in to land on the cliff beneath the peregrine watch, appearing from apparently nowhere across the gorge, and with the characteristic economy of flight. Other birds were two cormorants, mallard, and (probably) black headed gulls in their winter plumage. The Portway was closed for work on the gorge cliffs, but the Downs were very busy with Sunday walkers, runners and cyclists. The activity clears most of the Downs of the crows, rooks, jackdaws and gulls that usually search the grass.
On Monday I arrived at 11.30am, after a long talk with another cyclist at the Sea Walls. We put the World to rights! The cloud layer was very thick, and it became darker and darker, very few birds were about, and the thunderstorm started as I went back over Ladies Mile. By the time I was home I was drenched.
Tuesday, a lot of mud, with a fast river flow, and a nearly low tide, so that rocks were showing in the river bed. Lots of activity with the jackdaw tree well occupied, and many other birds flying around.
Any birds in mid stream were swept down stream rapidly, so that the many gulls (which I still think are black headed), kept to the margins of the mud. A cormorant was perched by the water outflow just upstream from Sea Walls. A pair of herons flew rapidly up river, and low over the water, scattering the gulls as they passed. A few minutes later one returned to join the cormorant. I had not realised how much black there is in a grey heron's back feathers until I saw this pair, and I guess that the view from the top of the cliffs is unusual in giving a full back picture as these large birds fly by. A BBC film, shows just how black they can be. The wood pigeons are usually solitary or in pairs, this morning a flock of more than a dozen were feeding on the Downs grass, looking grey-blue-pink against the green. I caught a brief glimpse of a peregrine heading towards the Suspension bridge, he was probably the reason why a flight of ducks made a rapid u-turn just below the cliff, heading downstream rapidly.

Friday 13th October

Very misty with low wet cloud, but cleared a little whilst I was at the Peregrine Watch (10.30am). Birds very quiet, no raptors this morning. Unlucky Friday!

Thursday 12th October

A Misty blue sky this morning when I arrived at the Peregrine Watch around 10.30am. The tide was high and just on the turn, a few ducks were exploring the river edges, the jackdaws were flying, often in pairs, and looked as if they were enjoying themselves. I saw an adult peregrine leave the cliff beneath me, and drop down in a big arc to land in a small bush, just below what I have heard called the 'banana tree'. I did not see him move from the bush for half and hour afterwards - despite waiting in hope!

Monday 9th October

I arrived at the peregrine watch just before the heavens opened - not as invigorating as Friday's wall of water. The tide was high, probably just on the turn, and most birds were hiding. A few gull's braved the rain storm.
If you come to this (says he hopefully) from my MySpace Blog, then contact me if you know a way to use the HTML "refresh" so that the redirect is immediate!
Concerning MySpace, take a look at the Silicon Newsletter Report about Murdock's activities.

Sunday 8th October

A pair of mallards flew very fast down river, keeping very close together and just below the gorge rim. Jackdaws were chasing each other and pigeons flew rapidly across to Leigh Woods. I felt that there should be a peregine around - but could not see one. Off home about 10.30am, and then off to a Morris booking in Bitton.

Friday 6th October

I managed one circuit around the Downs, then the heavens opened as I was approaching the White Tree. I scuttled off home to a hot shower.

Wednesday 4th October

A bright cold morning, and the first time my feet felt cool in sandals! Autumn is around! Rooks, carrion crows and various seagulls were scattered over the football pitches. A group of ducks were squabbling in the small outflow just below the Sea Walls cliff. I thought I saw a buzzard, but on looking through glasses it is more likely to have been a seagull soaring high up.

Monday 2nd October

Saturday was Bristol Morris's 'Erik Day', commemorating the life of Erik Ilott, Bristol Shanteyman. This was the 20th anniversary of his death. We circumnavigated Bristol Docks, consuming ale and toasting his memory at eight pubs.
Sunday was very wet - the heavens opened - so a ride was not possible. However the effect was still to be seen at the Peregrine Watch. A line of gulls stretched along the mud, nearly all at the same distance from the grass that lines the river banks, just above tide level. Just under, and on this side of the river I spotted two herons probing the shallows, with more gulls. It is likely that the rain had washed small creatures from the banks. It is rare to see herons on the river mud, they fly up and down sometimes, but rarely try to feed.
Just as I was about to leave I noticed the unmistakable flight of a peregrine over the little valley beside the Sea Walls cliffs, the falcon seemed to be chasing something. A little after this a pair of buzzards were flying around in the same region. A large flock of rooks was also flying around in the brisk westerly wind.

Wednesday, Thursday, 27th & 28th September

Back from a short holiday in Cornwall, we visited the Eden Project twice, it is a magical place which reminds me of the old Bristol Exploratory - before it was asset stripped and closed top open the plastic monstrocity that is @Bristol! We saw a lot of birds, a lone buzzard circling over the Eden domes, and a fine little egret near to St Michael's Mount.

Back to Bristol and my morning cycle rides. Wednesday was very windy, with a stiff breeze blowing down the River. The jackdaws were having a great time, swooping, diving and careering around at high speed. A whole large flock of them flew very low (feet) above the road just as I arrived. No sign of any raptors on either morning.

Tuesday 19th September

9.50am. There was a spectacular display at the peregrine watch this morning. It kept me rooted to the spot for three quarters of an hour - until I got cold in the gusty breeze. There were mallard and gulls on the river, which was low, showing a lot of mud, but apart from the jackdaws on my side not many birds were flying. I soon found out why! Two young peregrines were practicing their skills. Dipping in and out of the tree tops, maybe trying to dislodge a pigeon, chasing each other, and chasing anything else that flew around the quarries on the other side. At one stage one of the hawks stooped at such a speed towards the river that I lost sight of it. Then even a lesser black backed gull was attacked until it landed on the river. Just before I left a jackdaw strayed over towards the quarries, it narrowly escaped with its life after a high speed chase. I think the hawks were trying for a kill, but probably still lack the experience to be truly lethal. The wind made flying relatively easy, so that they could soar and glide without using too much energy.

Monday 18th September

9.50am at the Peregrine watch. Almost immediately a peregrine, probably a male, left the quarry opposite and flew to the cliff underneath me. The bird flew with very few wing beats and a long glide, elegant and with minimum energy. It was slightly windy this morning and the jackdaws were flying and soaring above the edge of the Gorge. An Australian asked me if I was a bird watcher, I guess that I am when I come here in the mornings, he said that he had seen some birds, probably rooks, mobbing a bird of prey. It could have been a buzzard, but from what follows, maybe not.
I noticed a number of birds being chased around over by Sea Walls, they seemed to be a flock of pigeons. Then some other birds joined the chasing, most likely jackdaws, crows or rooks, again they were mobbing a bird of prey, which I initially thought was a buzzard. Shortly after this a large brown bird came in over to the trees on the opposite side, and started flying low in and out of the tree tops. Just like I have seen the peregrines do. However when it flew closer, it looked very brown, more like a kestrel, but too large. I think it was probably one of this years young peregrines, still young enough not to be such a danger to other birds and to be subjected to mobbing. This bird also disappeared underneath me, and I did not see it again. Shortly after, a couple of buzzards did appear over by Sea Walls, one disappearing into the valley beside, but the other soaring, higher and higher over the Downs, 'till eventually the bird must have been a thousand feet up, then disappearing as a speck over Shirehampton. It is amazing what can happen in 35 minutes!

The pamphlet, "THE PEREGRINE AND THE AVON GORGE"from Simon King & the BBC Natural History Unit, describes this time at the start of the fledgling falcon's career, about 3/4 months after leaving the next in mid June, "the young birds, with their brown plumage and cream tail band, learn to match their parents effortless and breathtaking aerial skills".

Sunday 17th September

10.10am at the Peregrine Watch, a fine sunny day. Runners on the Bristol half marathon were just starting to pass on the Portway. So no traffic noise this morning. Several lesser black backed gulls flying low over the river, and there were six mallards paddling around. No peregrines in the 20 minutes that I was there.

Friday 15th September

9.50 am at the Gorge. This was the first wet morning for many weeks; however there was only light rain with a wind coming down Ladies Mile from the east. No peregrines, but I did see a solitary cormorant flying up river. Otherwise there were the usual suspects: pigeons; jackdaws; some crows and rooks; seagulls of various sizes; several mallard on the river.

Wednesday 13th September

10.00am at the gorge. The river was very rough with a wind from the Suspension Bridge. A peregrine, probably a female, came up suddenly above me, then swooped down towards the quarry on the other side. She disappeared into some bushes; maybe a kill? A few minutes later a number of small birds fled the quarry, and a little later she flew back to the cliff under the peregrine watch. Peregrines move fast, and often, the first I see is them as they appear from the camouflage of the trees opposite. The best place to view them as they come in to roost is up close to the cliff edge - near the 'Danger' sign.

12th September 2006

9.50am, another quiet day with a high tide, rather more wind on the river. The jackdaws were flying around, and roosting in their tree. No peregrines during my 20 minute stay.

11th September 2006

9.50 am The tide was very high and still coming in. The water was still, but the debris on the incoming tide had attracted four mallards who were busy dabbling about at the river edges. Apart from that - very quiet - certainly no peregrines, and few jackdaws or other birds.

Friday 8th September

Later at the peregrine watch today - 9.50am, but not a peregrine in sight. Pigeons were flying as if they did not have a care, around the gorge and in and out of the trees over the river, so they felt safe today. A large flock of gulls was being carried rapidly downstream on the outgoing tide. I took a 'photo for a couple of Japanese tourists - them standing in front of the jackdaw tree.

Wednesday 6th September

High cloud and sunshine this morning, quite warm. The river current was taking floating gulls downstream quite fast, and a flock of jackdaws was in the air. I arrived at the Peregrine watch at 9.10am and stayed for a quarter hour. A peregrine took off from the cliff below me just after I arrived, flew over to Leigh Woods and briefly circled around the woods, then flew back to the cliff. Quite a large bird, so probably female. I heard a young peregrine calling just after this.

Tuesday 5th September

No ride today! What is the collective name for a dozen (or more) magpies? The rhyme only reaches ten, but this morning well over a dozen of the birds flew over Birchall Allotments whilst I was doing some weeding. I wouldn't have noticed except for the chattering racket they made.

One for sorrow, two for joy;
Three for a girl, four for a boy;
Five for silver, six for gold;
Seven for a secret, never to be told;
Eight for a wish, nine for a kiss;
Ten for a bird that's best to miss.

Saturday 2nd September

No ride this morning, but we (Bristol Morris Men) danced at a village fete in Chew Stoke just south of Bristol. En route I saw a peregrine swooping over the Gorge and the bottom of Bridge Valley Road: the silhouette is unmistakeable. At the fete we saw an amazing display of falconry, by Michael Davie of Churchdown Gloucester. In a small arena, surrounded by many large trees, his Lanner falcons (pictured), a Harris Hawk, and an Arabian owl entranced his audience with their flight.

Friday 1st September

Later this am, I left the peregrine watch at 9.50. Occasional light drizzle on the wind, but also sunshine through grey clouds. The Avon Gorge was very quiet, with only gulls, a few jackdaws, and pigeons. As usual the pigeons were scuttling around, they fly over the river and into the trees in Leigh Woods, and up and down the gorge, always fast and as if they are being chased! I have seen a peregrine chase a jackdaw, and another try to attack a gull, but never seen a pigeon taken. The jackdaw tree was mostly empty, but a noisy group came in just after I arrived. However no peregrine this morning.

Thursday 31st August

A rather grey day today, but with a warm wind comming down Circular Road (Leading to Sea Walls). Lots of jackdaws prodding around on the football pitches. I was earlier this morning, getting to the jackdaw tree around 8.20am. A peregrine left the cliff underneath, flew across the gorge to the cliff on the other side, then flew over the trees in the gorge, finally disappearing over the woods above Nightingale Valley. I was only there for about five minutes, so was lucky to see the bird. Not many other birds apart from a few jackdaws (in their tree!), and the usual sea gulls.

Wednesday 30th August

9am start. At the Avon Gorge the tide was about half-way, with only a mild breeze onto the Downs. A really beautiful morning! At the Perigrine Watch a couple of magpies had invaded the jackdaw tree and were squabbling with the usual occupants; I don't usually see any magpies in the tree, crows yes. On the end of the Downs the usual flock of rooks and some gulls were prodding around. At the watch a peregrine flew rapidly into the cliff underneath (You need to stand right up against the cliff to see these birds since they fly in quite low to roost on the cliff). The next peregrine I saw (I don'nt think it was the same one, but it could have been, was on the other side of the gorge, ducking in and out of the tree tops. I guess he/she was trying to flush out some of the birds, usually pigeons, who sit in the tree tops. I have seen the peregrines do this before. This bird flew on down the gorge towards the Bristol suspensions bridge (Brunel's), where it seemed to be met by another peregrine - they chased each other and I lost sight of them.