Monday December 31st

I'm not exactly a 'twitcher', except for spotting new (for me) birds on my ride each morning. Maybe two this morning!
As I cycled down towards the White Tree a small yellowish bird easily kept pace with my bike at 30km/hr, it flitted along above the pavement with a kind of looping flight, and landed a few times, at first I though 'Chaffinch', then a closer look as it crossed in front, landed again on the opposite pavement, and wagged its tail at me, I thought, Ah, a Grey Wagtail, well away from its usually watery places. The last one I saw was down south of Chew Valley Lake, so they are around.
There was a little more mud on the Avon estuary this morning, rapidly diminishing as the tide came in, there were Redshank scattered at wide intervals, perhaps a dozen in all. Then, underneath Sea Walls I saw another small bird, plumper than a Redshank, also a little smaller, but with a very white undersides, from the top it looked dark. With such a dull morning light most birds look dark brown! Like the Redshank it was rooting around at the river-side in the mud. I could only see it from above, and did not manage to view it flying. What was it? My R.S.P.B. book helps a little, at least with possibilities. It was certainly not an Oyster Catcher; some form of Sandpiper? I could not see its legs from above, so could not judge their colour or length. A Turnstone in its winter coat? Possible, but it was too large, certainly not like the ones I saw in Brittany this year. On balance I go for a Common Sandpiper. Moreover the R.S.P.B. video from the link shows what I saw quite clearly, though in a rather different environment. Maybe someone else will see it and give a better identification.

No sign of any raptors, but they must be around. Maybe chasing the pigeons in Broadmead! A Very Happy New Year to all!

Sunday December 30th

My first ride for over a week! A damp-cold morning, with a high tide which turned from flow to ebb whilst I was watching. Very few birds apart from the usual gulls, jackdaws and ducks.

Wednesday 19th December

Perhaps the coldest ride in 2007! It took me an hour to warm up when I got home. Even the mud was frozen, one unfortunate Redshank and a few ducks were picking at the water edges. 'Flu struck me over last weekend, so a cold ride was probably not a good idea.

This time last week I went on my first walk with the local Ramblers - a short circuit at the south end of Chew Valley Lake. The lake is well stocked with water fowl of all shapes and sizes; there was nothing unusual so far as I could see, however by the Litton Upper Reservoir, on the water race, I spotted a Grey Wagtail.

Tuesday 11th December

A VERY cold morning, not a time to linger at the Gorge. There were Redshank picking the contents of a small amount of mud, and ducks lined the water edge. Large flocks of Black Headed and Common gulls were out on the Downland grass.

Monday, Tuesday 3rd and 4th December

Monday was bright and clear - so the red legs of the Redshank were positively glowing in the morning sunshine and the images of a pair of cormorants just beyond Sea Walls were etched onto the sunshine on the river. At the Peregrine Watch I saw a Raven high up and towards the Suspension Bridge, then (I thought) another, but this was a Peregrine, there was a brief aerial scrap and they parted. Both birds circling and moving out of sight.
Tuesday was damp and misty, so the Redshank became indistinct and brown at the water edge. I got damp!

Friday 30th November

On the stretch of Circular Road just before the Peregrine Watch I had a brief glimpse of a bird with white wings, my first thought was "Magpie", but it flew like a Crow and was following another Crow into one of the bushes. Is there a black and white Crow on the Downs, there used to be a Jackdaw with a lot of white feathers, but I have not seen that for a while? One of the Ravens was soaring over Nightingale Valley, using the wind like a Buzzard, a Peregrine appeared high above the Raven, then swooped right down towards the trees in the quarry opposite, she moved so fast I nearly lost her from my glasses. She rounded, and headed back up towards Nightingale Valley, disappearing behind the trees. The Kestral was flying over the railway line, she disappeared up towards the Suspension Bridge.

Thursday November 29th

There was a beautiful bright blue sky this morning, producing a blinding reflection from the river by Sea Walls. The high tide, it was still coming in, had the usual effect of causing most of the bird population to go elsewhere, but I did follow a lone Cormorant as it skimmed the river surface, and flew down towards Horseshoe Bend. A Kestral appeared briefly above the water below the Peregrine Watch, she was a marvellous red-brown colour, just like the red colour we saw in the Beech trees a little earlier this year. She hovered, landed and fluttered between the trees beside the railway, no doubt looking for a meal. No sign of Peregrines, but I was assured that they do still perch in the trees over in the quarry, I have not seen them for several weeks.

Monday 26th November

An ebb tide, but with very little mud, there was one lone Redshank picking the mud at the river edge. A small flock of about 20 birds flew over the Peregrine Watch, didn't look like Starlings, could be Fieldfare?

Sunday November 25th

Warm, and with a light blue, hazy sky. I was able to wear shorts for the first time in a couple of weeks! The tide was going out, but there were not many birds on the mud, however a small group of four Redshank were running around on the mud opposite and just up river from Sea Walls. They looked as if they were playing tag! I wonder if the bird-courting season is upon us already? It is unusual to see a group of Redshank, usually they are well separated on the mud, and at the waters edge. No sign of any raptors this morning.

Last Thursday saw a meeting of the (now to be named), "Friends of Avon Gorge & Bristol Downs", the meeting was largely concerned with finding a voice and purpose for the group. My own feelings largely concern the impact of traffic on the roads between Stoke Road and the Gorge, something I see a lot of from my cycle rides! This morning saw another 'boy racer' accelerating around Circular Road, last Wednesday I was overtaken at the junction of Rockleaze and Downleaze by a white car doing at least 60mph. It goes on, with other idiots (often in large white vans(!), taking corners whilst conversing on their mobile 'phones, and people leaving 'wheelie marks', rubbish and firework carcases after their night revels. Then we have the new phenomenon of Zoo parking appearing beside Ladies Mile (actually a kilometer). Me, I would close a lot of the area to motor traffic of any type! My own view is that we should leave the whole area as un-interfered with as possible - and exclude cars! The Portway is very attractive on the few occasions it has to be closed for work on the side rocks, or for an event such as the half-marathon or Great Bristol Cycle Ride.

Thursday 22nd November

At Sea Walls, I picked up a piece of blackthorn on my front wheel, as I took the thorn out there was a tell-tale swish of air from the tyre. Luckily it is a fairly slow puncture, and (I hope) not a portent of more problems now that I'm riding a hybrid bicycle (A Dawes Discovery 501 bought on October 10th). They have more vulnerable tyres than my old mountain bike, but is much faster and easier ti ride. The tyre inflation lasted from Sea Walls nearly as far as Redland Green so I did not have to walk too far.

Before the puncture I did spot a large number of gulls on the mud, and several Redshank, but, by the time I reached the Peregrine Watch I decided I needed to hurry home.

Wednesday 21st November

A couple of Greater Black backed Gulls were walking, side by side, along the mud below Sea Walls, and I could see their beaks opening and closing as if they were talking, their back black stripey tail feathers waddled from side to side. All they needed was hands behind their backs ... enough of anthropomorphism, but it is sometimes irresistible! There were many birds on the mud today, half a dozen or more Redshank, a Heron, other Gulls - Common, Herring and Black Headed, a Cormorant in the water, then standing Batman-sign-like digesting its food. At the Peregrine Watch a juvenile Buzzard was flying among the trees, he landed in a tree, when I looked for him again he had gone. The two Ravens were perched just above their nest, then flew down river.

Tuesday November 20th

The morning was damp and cloudy, but with a misty sunshine. Some of the Horse Chestnuts on Saville Road, and the Beech trees inside Wills Hall grounds, still have a lot of golden leaves, and in the Gorge the Silver Birch trees are still yellow with their leaves. At Sea Walls there were several Redshank, a Heron and numerous Gulls and Mallard. I watched one of the Redshank for a while, it was walking up and down the mud feeding, and every now and again going into the river to wash its beak, at least that is what it looked like. There were Redshank every 100 meters or so this morning, they never seem to gather in groups like the other birds, always solitary.

Saturday and Monday, 17th and 19th November

The weather has turned, with both cold and rain, so I'm in long trousers for my cycling! It has been high tide on the river for the last few visits, but the mud is starting to reappear. On Saturday I watched a Redshank having a bath at the river edge under Sea Walls, flapping in the water, with the white flashes on its wings, and the red legs appearing at times. There were Redshank today, but this morning I had to hurry past the Peregrine Watch in the pouring rain.

November 7,8,13,14,15

I only spotted one Peregrine during this time, she was flying low over the back of Sea Walls, evidently trying to flush out some of the pigeons that perch in the trees on the gorge side. She swooped with such speed that I almost lost her from my glasses, then the next I saw was a few minutes later as she sped by under the Peregrine Watch. What speed! It is high tide at present, so there was relatively little to see for the whole five days: a heron flying low over the water, and landing near the storm drain, as he landed another got up. They are solitary birds. Then there was a kestrel flying past, and causing some consternation among the Jackdaws. This morning we had the heaviest frost of the autumn, so I did not linger.

Monday, Tuesday 5th,6th November

Redshank on the mud (and there was a lot of it) below Sea Walls on both days. Monday was very dull but today, Tuesday was sunny and more interesting. A quintet - Heron, Black Backed Gull, Cormorant, Crow and Mallard were all within yards of each other beside the Storm drain outlet, with a number of other gulls and ducks in the river nearby. At one point the Cormorant adopted the 'Batman' pose with its wings out, so there must have been some food at the drain. At the Peregrine Watch, just as I was about to leave, a Peregrine appeared, circling in and out of the trees, and moving right until it landed to perch in the top of a birch tree at the top of the right hand quarry. The Gorge Peregrines seem to use this technique to flush other birds, mainly pigeons out, this time it drew a blank, and I did not wait to seem if it resumed the hunt.

Friday to Sunday, Novemeber 2nd to 4th

Friday: This morning was glorious - the sun was reflected from the river so strongly that it blinded me! On the mud just below Sea Walls - as usual on this side of the river - was a Curlew and several Redshanks, making the most of the new mud exposed by the ebbing tide. On the other side of the river, a Heron was fishing. At the Peregrine Watch I saw a Raven sitting in the Banana Tree! That should keep the Peregrines out!
Saturday: Another glorious day, there were some Redshank (plural Redshanks?) on the mud on the usual side of the river below Sea Walls. At the Peregrine Watch I had a glimpse of a Peregrine going in to the woodland opposite between the two quarries, it was carrying prey, a little later it moved, still carrying, up into the top of the quarry above the Banana Tree.
Sunday: Today was very foggy when I left Bishopston, but it cleared on the Downs to a misty blue sky. I could not see any Redshank, but there were three Herons, two on the Downs side and one opposite, Sea Walls. No Peregrines, but the stay at the Watch was made very pleasant by the absence of any traffic on the Portway, which was closed for repairs to the Gorge rocks.

Thursday November 1st

I was entertained by a Kestral this morning, she flew past the Peregrine Watch several times, then hovering, then darting up towards the woods and valley to the right. All the time a Peregrine sat in the Banana Tree, motionless. The trees are more beautiful by the day, the edge of Leigh Woods over towards Portishead is a mass of yellows, oranges, and reds of every shade imaginable.

Monday to Wednesday, October 29th to 31st

Wednesday, at the Peregrine Watch. This morning's small male Peregrine was chased, very briefy, by a passing Seagull as it flew in to land on the cliff to the left of the Banana Tree where another Peregrine was sitting. Shortly after this the young female flew from the Banana Tree and onto the cliff beneath me. On Monday and Tuesday Peregrines flew round from the same cliff, often appearing for only a few seconds. Yesterday a Peregrine was chased by a Raven down the length of the Gorge beside the trees opposite, both finally disappearing around the promontory of trees down river. On Monday, in another chase below Sea Walls, a Buzzard turned on its back in midair to ward off a Crow. It is high water at present, with the tide just turning, the trees in Leigh Woods have lost most of their leaves, but in the Gorge, ash and oak still have some green, and the shades of yellow and red from the maples have to be seen to be believed - especially when the sun shines. Monday and Tuesday were bright and sunny, today duller but with some occasional sunshine.

Friday 26th October

The view from Sea Walls was misty, with Avonmouth obscured and with a higher, but ebbing, tide. There were no birds on the small amount of mud. A large flock of Crows pursued an unfortunate Buzzard past the cliffs and towards Horseshoe Bend, the Buzzard's top feathers flashed brown in the sunshine as he tumbled from side to side to avoid his tormentors.

Tuesday to Thursday, October 23rd to 25th

On Tuesday and Wednesday I cycled out around midday (once the sun had appeared). I had brief glimpses of Peregrines on both days: one circling in the sun haze up the Gorge from the Watch, the other a brief chase of some Buzzards, down river and above Leigh Woods. There were at least five Buzzards, maybe six, and the Peregrine disappeared from view after a few minutes, that was Wednesday. With the low tide there are a large group of sea gulls on the mud, sometimes spread out, at others working their way down river in a flock of 100 or more. Today, Thursday I spotted one redshank(!), but the sky was so overcast I did not stop long.
My bird handbook describes a Jay as 'a small colourful crow', and a Magpie as a medium sized crow. Whilst I often see several magpies in a group - frequently in pairs - I don't ever remember seeing more than one Jay at a time. Today I saw two, but on different parts of the Downs, they are certainly less obvious than the many Magpies. The flight modes of the two birds are very distinct, both have a kind of rising flap of flight(!) followed by a glide downwards.

Friday19th October & Monday 22nd October

On Friday we had brilliant sunshine - it made the legs of the Redshank glow! With a receding tide, the area of mud increases on each visit, and the mud is inhabited by numerous gulls and ducks. there was a Heron for a while. At the Peregrine Watch two birds were perched close together on a small tree to the left of the Banana Tree, the latter had one bird in it, but was difficult to see with the binoculars.
Monday was cold and dull with even more mud, and the Mallard and Gulls strung out for the whole river length. There may have been some Redshank, but they were well down river, only specks in the glasses. As I arrived at the Peregrine Watch a female flew from the cliff below us, and over to the opposite quarry where she disappeared into the small trees. I could not see where she landed. Too cold to linger!

Tuesday - Thursday, October 16th - 18th

On Monday, Geraldine and I went to Westonbirt Arboretum, the Japanese acers are very striking in the autumn colours, but what was remarkable was the greenery on the other trees - and an amazing lack of birds. I only saw a couple of pigeons, some crows, and some small birds flying up near the canopy top of some large trees. Where are all the birds?
Standing one hundred meters above the Avon, looking down, gives a unique view of bird flight, from the Jackdaws, to Gulls and Herons, every detail of the fight feathers are revealed. Herons in particular look very beautiful - but are outclassed by the Buzzard that I saw on Tuesday. Wow! He/she was flying low down near to the lampposts above the road, then flew across to land behind some trees on the Gorge slope in Leigh Woods. There must have been something edible down there! That was Tuesday before the heavy rain. Today and yesterday a Peregrine sat in the 'Banana Tree' for all of my visit, he (a small bird) moved slightly but did not fly. As with the Buzzard I had a good view of a female as she came in to land on the cliff underneath the Peregrine Watch. A pair of Buzzards soared, high, and moving in circles towards Clifton. The tide has started to go out again, in this mornings' sun a group of nearly fifty Mallard were camped on the mud, and dabbling in the water below Sea Walls. A Grey Heron was fishing nearby.

Sunday, October 14th

There was a Peregrine sitting in the banana tree when I arrived at the Watch, it (almost literally) vanished, and could not see it afterwards. There were some Jackdaws flitting around on the ciff, but no falcon.

Friday, October 12th

A Peregrine landed just beside the Raven's nest, he sat facing the cliff, and as he moved his head from side to side there were glimpses of his mask-like face. The tide was fairly high but receding, and without much mud, so that there were few birds to see.

Thursday, October 11th

As I arrived at the Peregrine Watch fog came up from the estuary - so dense that Leigh Woods all but disappeared. However looking upwards, blue sky was visible! Only the Jackdaws were out today.

Wednesday, 10th October

There was a Redshank on the mud below Sea Walls, however, when I reached the Peregrine Watch a very large group of other birds were visible, sitting underneath the Sea Walls cliff on the mud. There must have been 80+ gulls, a couple of dozen Mallard, three Cormorants, and a Gray Heron sitting on the nearby wall. No feeding, just sitting, so what drew them all together, I do not know!

At Sea Walls one of the Ravens flew past, and on over to Snyed Park, it passed quite close to me. Until you see one of these up close, you don't quite realise how large and majestic they are. A while later I saw both Ravens cross back into Leigh Woods and come down among the trees near the quarry to the left. Something down in the wood must have attracted them, I hope, not another dead deer.

My bicycle is becoming - like me - rather stiff and suffering from old age. However I can buy a new bicycle, so I made a trip to Fred Baker on the way home, and ordered a new Dawes Discovery 501. Cycling should become a little easier next week.

Tuesday, 9th October

A very wet morning, so my ride was delayed until late afternoon. Just as I arrived at the Peregrine Watch - and spotted a Peregrine over in the 'banana tree' - the heavens opened. I saw it coming! I dodged in under one of the nearby Holme Oaks, and was joined by a couple of squirrels, and a jogger! A Crow immersed itself nearly completely in a large puddle at the side of the road, evidently enjoying a bath - and ridding itself of feather mites. I understand that Peregrines like a daily bath, but I have never seen this. Do they use the Avon? When I returned to the Watch after the rain passed, the Peregrine had also moved on.

Monday, October 8th

Two Redshank among the gulls this morning. Just as a large student party came up to the Peregrine watch ("limestone cliffs, tide going out, 49ft (?!) tidal range, Avonmouth, blah, blah...) a heron flew down river, very low over the water. In the quarry opposite the Ravens were on their nest, and a group of Jackdaws explored the cliffs.

Sunday, October 7th

Two black Cormorants were watching the storm drain out-flow with a large flock of Mallard nearby on the river water, the ducks had to paddle hard to stay in place in the current. Today the river was near to low tide, numerous gulls lined the water edge on both sides of the Avon. A Redshank was just below Sea Walls, and a couple of others further down, as usual, on this side of the river. The Redshank's red legs glow in the sunshine. At the Peregrine watch there were plenty of Sunday trippers, somehow they never seem to stop and just gaze at the view for very long, a 'photo and a quick glance is all it gets. Over in the quarry opposite the Ravens were perched close together just below their nest, and lower down some Jackdaws were exploring the cliffs. I saw no raptors today.

Friday, October 5th

This morning was clear and cold, with an intense blue sky. At Sea Walls I could just see a couple of Redshank, far down river, on the estuary mud - curious how they are always on this (Downs) side of the mud, there tend to be more gulls on this side as well. At the Peregrine Watch I had a very brief glimpse of a falcon sweeping in towards the cliffs slightly to the left, then nothing. A quiet morning. I also searched the mud on the opposite side of the river for tracks, there are lots of gull footprints, but no deer, though, yesterday, I did see some tracks looking like those of a small deer, but they only led down to the water, no sign of a return journey.

Thursday 5th October & the CONE-SF Project

The fog was burned off early this morning, so that when I reached Sea Walls at around 9.30am there was a warm watery blue sky. The men repairing the iron fence around Sea Walls are progressing well, let's hope they finish the job this time. There were Black Headed and other gulls on the mud, together with a Heron, a number of Mallard, and some Redshank. At the Peregrine watch I saw my first Peregrine for a week or so, it came from the cliff beneath me, and arched back under the cliff further up the Gorge, later I spotted it (or another), fly over Leigh Woods and make its way down river, it made a brief, but prey less swoop just opposite, then disappeared over the trees in the quarry to the right. I did not see any more of it. The Ravens were flying around in the opposite quarry, and numerous pairs of Jackdaws were diving around just above the cliffs. As the tide came in the estuary gulls were moving up stream, and towards the docks. One very beautiful morning!

An Avon Gorge CONE? Perhaps? Sowing An Idea!

Back in April New Scientist ran a brief article about the Cone Sutro Forest online bird watching game. I joined in and started watching the birds over in California, it was addictive like all online games, but with this I learned to recognise birds that I could never see in the Avon Gorge! To quote from their "About" page:

CONE Sutro Forest allows players to earn points by taking live photos and classifying wild birds. CONE Sutro Forest (CONE-SF) combines a remotely controllable robotic pan-tilt-zoom video camera with live streaming video, image database, and point system.

Conceived by Ken Goldberg, artist and professor of engineering at UC Berkeley, and Dez Song, professor of computer science at Texas A&M, and funded by the National Science Foundation, CONE-SF automatically computes the optimal camera viewpoint that satisfies dozens or hundreds of simultaneous players, including both experts and amateurs. Managing large communities is the specialty of craigslist founder Craig Newmark, who will host the camera from his San Francisco residence overlooking the Sutro Forest.

CONE-SF is free and open to the public. To play, visit: http://cone.berkeley.edu.

This is an inspirational project which now has some thousands of watchers. Try it! Not only can you see new Californian birds, but more sparrows and pigeons (rock doves), and gray squirrels.

I would mount one of these Panasonic cameras on top of one of the lamp posts down on the Portway, providing it with a radio link to some suitable gateway onto the internet. Down there it would enable visitors to see our all our estuary birds, not only the Peregrines and the Ravens. It would also not be so intrusive as the camera (which had its cable cut), which was mounted close to the Peregrine nest.

Wednesday October 3rd

The Gorge was shrouded in fog when I passed it for the first time on my morning ride, next time around it had cleared, but there were still some Will-O-The-Wisp bits of cloud on the trees of Leigh Woods. Not good weather for seeing any birds! I met up with Roger and Chris and we put the world to rights, the main subject being the Council's meeting on Monday (which I missed as I was in Sheffield) concerning setting up of a Downs Friends Group. Fine so long as it has some control over what actually happens to the Bristol Downs (unlikely), and can control some of the more mad excesses of some folks (possible but still unlikely, see). The paper on use of the Downs displays a lot of prejudices about cyclists! See. As a cyclist, teacher of school cycling proficiency (and holder of the Mayors Commendation for this), I object! Any Downs Group of this type should also include the Gorge in its ambit, the two regions are inseparably interdependent.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 25-28th September

The Redshank are back - when there is enough mud - so I saw them Tuesday and Wednesday. No raptors for a week now. Today, Friday, the Ravens were perched over on a patch of ivy just below their nest. A large flock of young Swallows were flying around over the Peregrine Watch and Downs when I arrived at around midday. With some cold weather now with us (it dropped to 4C on Wednesday night), they really need to be on their way. Maybe their dilatory behaviour is due to climate change.
What would cause a group of Jackdaws, five from a flock of a couple of dozen, to apparently go for a height record over Nightingale Valley? That is what it looked like this morning, they went so high that they nearly disappeared from sight. I also have a recurring memory of the four cormorants that flew up-river on Wednesday, all in a perfect half-v formation, and over the middle of the river, very close to the water.

Monday, 24th September

I noticed yesterday that at the Peregrine Watch, rather just back from it, a new bench seat has appeared, with two brass plates, one dedicated to Miss Swagota (Sasha) Basak and the other giving a 'phone for the Samaritans. This adds a chilling reminder about a tragic event back in February this year. Sasha, from Cardiff, was a Bristol Graduate and a very popular Maths teacher at Malmsbury School. Here is my Blog for Monday 26th February. That such a beautiful day should involve such an event I find heart-wrenching.

After the rain comes the sunshine - last night was very wet and there were large puddles all around the sides of the Downs. At the Gorge the wind was strong, and now from the west, the low river level encouraged a large number of gulls to explore the mud near Sea Walls. No Peregrines in sight, and the two pale blobs that were over near the Banana Tree turned out to be tricks of the light that disappeared as the sun moved around a little.

Saturday, Sunday, 22nd, 23rd September

Saturday: A very quiet morning up at the Gorge, the Swallows/Martins were no longer around, the Jackdaws were flying around in a flock, but without the wind to aide their aerobatics the flights were less spectacular. A Peregrine came across the Gorge and disappeared towards Walcombe Slade. One of the local birders commented, "maybe we'll see some action now!" Nothing happened for a while - so I went home to breakfast.

Sunday: Even quieter, but with a strong wind down the river causing the Crows and Jackdaws to seem to fall about the sky. Low tide and a lot of mud was visible, I like the mud since it attracts all kinds of interesting fauna! I was not certain, but I thought that a large Peregrine flying over Walcombe Slade as I came around Circular Road for the first time, otherwise nothing apart from pigeons bolting across the Gorge.

Friday, 21st September

I think I could see some Redshank on the mud between Sea Walls and the Peregrine Watch cliff, they are very small birds and quite difficult to pick out, even with binoculars. The Swallows (or are they House Martins, they too are difficult to see) were flying around the quarry opposite the Peregrine Watch, then when I looked towards the Suspension Bridge I could see a cloud of them over Nightingale Valley. Suddenly a young female Peregrine came into view, she was gliding just above the tree tops, hunting, and at one stage dived at a Wood Pigeon - and missed - she seemed to be flying in a cloud of the Swallows! I think it was a distance illusion.

Wednesday, Thursday, 19th 20th September

The weather has finally broken, on Wednesday there were birds scattered all over the downland making the most of the feeding attracted to the surface by overnight rain - Black Headed Gulls near Saville Road, and Magpies, Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws. In between these fat Wood Pigeons were waddling around. The Jackdaws have been flying around the Peregrine Watch in a large flock, they look as if they are just enjoying the wind, but that must be too much of an anthropomorphic idea. On Wednesday they seemed to be having an aerial dogfight with about half a dozen Magpies, at one stage one of the young female Peregrines made a swoop into this group - who scattered - but then resumed once she had flown on over the Gorge. On both days a Peregrine, probably the adult male was perched over in the banana tree, today (Thursday) it stayed put, yesterday it came over to rest under the Peregrine Watch. A large flock of swallows was flying over the slopes of Leigh Woods, into the quarries, and down among the trees. I thought that they had left for Africa, apparently not quite, though I expect they will be off now with the change in the weather. At Sea Walls a lone Redshank was close under the cliff, a couple more were just visible further down river. Otherwise Mallard, Cormorants and many gulls were around. The Gorge is always interesting, especially if watched carefully.

Tuesday, 18th September

This was the first morning since the spring when I noticed that I had cold toes and hands. Nevertheless, the Indian Summer continues. When I arrived at Sea Walls I noticed a lot of activity over in the quarry opposite the Peregrine Watch, then on arrival at the Watch I could see four or five Magpies and the two Ravens giving a small falcon a hard time. They chased it all over the quarry until it disappeared into a small tree at the top of the quarry; the Magpies disappeared at about the same time, and the Ravens exited stage right to the woodland. The next view I had was through a telescope, a small raptor with a light front could be seen sitting in a tree, it had rather long tail feathers, and we wondered if it could be a Sparrow Hawk. The size, where it was landing (in the trees), the way it flew, and the fact that it did not retaliate as a Peregrine would, leads me to think that, yes, this was a Sparrow Hawk. A pity we did not get a closer look. Home to sardines on toast for breakfast!

On Sunday Geraldine and I spotted a small hawk - also with a long tail on the TV aerial of the house opposite (on Cranbrook Road). I wondered at the time if this could be a Sparrow Hawk, it disappeared before I could get my binoculars.

Monday September 17th

A slight departure from my usual blog this morning. Turning into Ladies Mile from Stoke Road as I came in the opposite direction was an idiot in a white van on his mobile 'phone, also turning the corner! This was not an isolated occurrence, I see a lot of very bad driving on my 10 mile trips in the morning. Maybe someone should report the numbers of such people in a Blog! If I had caught a name on the van, or its number, he would have been reported to the police.

From the Peregrine Watch I could see a couple of deer sitting on the top right hand grass behind the small trees. Impossible to see without binoculars, and difficult to find unless you know where to look and what to look for. A Peregrine was perched at the top of the yew trees to the left of the opposite quarry, at one stage a Jay landed a little behind her, then flew over to the quarry trees, I saw a second Jay over there a little later. Then the Peregrine left the yew tree, and in a long swooping glide, with scarcely a movement of its wings came over to the cliff underneath me.

Sunday 16th September

There was a strong westerly wind this morning, leaves were falling from the horse chestnut trees on Saville Road, a conker hit my front tyre with a resounding 'boing', so autumn is here. At the Peregrine Watch a large flock of jackdaws was flying around in the wind, chasing each other and enjoying the gusty weather. No peregrines in sight during today's short visit.

Friday September 14th

This mornings Peregrine appeared from the quarry trees as I first looked. She glided around on the wind above the quarry then explored the trees. Then she was attacked by one of the Ravens! This might have been a young bird, but she soon turned the tables on the Raven, and it was chased, dive bombed, harried, and out-flown by the little falcon. She chased it back to the old ravens nest on the cliff, then proceeded to fly about the quarry, and to make passes at the sulking Raven! Whenever it moved, she chased it. Can a Peregrine kill a Raven? I suspect that it could from the display that I saw.
This Peregrine then continued to fly, mostly high up and above the Gorge, ranging from the Suspension bridge to over the Downs by Sea Walls, on several occasions pigeons were chased, and nearly caught; at one stage I thought that she had a pigeon, it looked as if the two were locked together, but she appeared again very quickly, flying on her own. When two Ravens reappeared flying high and slightly towards the bridge, she joined them, then she chased one of them again until it retreated down to the Gorge. After this she resumed her patrol up and down. Every time I started to leave, she re-appeared, and when I finally left for breakfast, after over an hour of watching this amazing little bird, I even saw her flying just off Ladies Mile.
During all this time the other birds were notable for their absence, pigeons did appear - and were chased, a squadron of five ducks flew towards the Suspension bridge whilst she was there, the next I saw was a lone duck speeding back down the river, then the Peregrine rising again towards Nightingale Valley.
Was this only one bird? Probably, otherwise I only ever saw one falcon at a time.

His wings hold all creation in a weightless quiet,
Steady as a hallucination in the streaming air.

The appearance of a lone Buzzard over by the Suspension Bridge was very mundane in comparison.

Thursday 13th September

In contrast to yesterday, this morning was bright and sunny with a clear blue sky, I arrived at the Peregrine Watch around 8.30, and the bouts of activity from over in the quarry kept me there until 9.45. A Heron, then a Cormorant flew down river, there were Mallard flying up and down and swimming on the river. Then a Peregrine appeared flying near the Watch, circled around several times and disappeared beneath us - probably a young female. Next a Peregrine (the same one?), started flying around the quarry opposite, but rather than landing, it flew about the tree tops, nearly colliding with them on some occasions, then landed at the top of the yew tree, where it remained. I watched a Jay fly past it, then the Peregrine disappeared. It reappeared again, flying just above the tree tops around the quarry, then landed. This was repeated several times, landing in different trees, but it then landed again at the top of the yew tree, and was now mobbed by a pair of Magpies, they all, Peregrine and Magpies, hopped back and forth at the top of the tree, and whilst it was difficult to see what was happening, the Magpies were very persistent, keeping the Peregrine moving around to avoid them. The Peregrine flew again, spending some time gliding around before ending up at the top of the banana tree. I left it sitting there. This was all rather curious behaviour for a Peregrine - that is the way it was flying around for a relatively long time without landing. At one stage I was watching a couple of Jackdaws on the cliff, when the Peregrine appeared from above and pursued something into a tree below, it was so fast, and both pursuer and pursued just disappeared.

Apart from the birds, a man and his dog were in the quarry, from his attention to the ground, I suspect a naturalist. There was an accident on the Portway just after 8.30, and this kept the traffic off for most of my stay - it was noticeably quieter!

Wednesday 12th September

I was at the Peregrine Watch earlier this morning, the heavy traffic on the roads at this time reminding me why I prefer to cycle after 9 o'clock. There was also a heavy grey sky with the tide just turning. Apart from an energetic flock of fifty or more Jackdaws flying around over the river, there was very little bird life. I could not see any Peregrines anywhere around.

Tuesday 11th September

A very brief appearance! A Peregrine appeared above the Peregrine Watch as if from nowhere, then was gone and we did not see him again. A quiet but beautifully sunny morning with an ebb tide.

Monday September 10th

A Peregrine in the Banana Tree was just visible from Sea Walls, he was still there when I left the Peregrine Watch half and hour later. Another peregrine was flying - a large, slightly brown bird with an indistinct 'mask', so probably a young female. She made a couple of half-hearted dives at pigeons, one by Walcombe Valley, the other over to the bottom of the left hand quarry. Then she disappeared. There was a Buzzard circling over towards Horseshoe Bend, and making its way over Avonmouth.

Most notable was a large group of Swallows, juveniles and grown-ups, circling high around and above the Peregrine Watch, the whole group disappeared all at once, so I expect they are Sahara bound. Good luck!

Sunday August 9th

The Portway was closed to traffic this morning, and was packed with half-marathon runners when I cycled past at around 10.30am. Gulls on the mud and some carefree pigeons were all that was to be seen, I expect that there was more activity earlier in the morning, and before this invasion. To compound things there was a rave party going on in Walcombe valley! Oh, I did see a large flock (100+) of starlings up by Ladies Mile.

Friday August 7th

A Gorge Drama this morning. A warm, misty blue sky morning, the river was very low, exposing rocks on the river bed, with a rapid out-going flow, and with many, many birds exploring the mud. A Cormorant was sitting on the mud just the the right of Sea Walls, it scarcely moved during all of my visit, eventually it went over to one of the sets of rocks. The Cormorant was joined by a couple of Redshank, they probed the mud, and flew on, working their way down river. Then on the other side of the Sea Walls cliff a heron was sitting on the mud. By the Peregrine Watch there were three Peregrines, flying and then perching over in the quarry opposite, one in the banana tree, two down by the Raven's nest. I looked through a x30 telescope to see these, this showed them to be the two adults and one youngster. The return of the Ravens set them flying around the quarry, buzzing the Ravens, and getting very agitated. They retreated over to the cliff underneath us. I wondered whether they had a catch stashed at the Ravens nest? It could explain why the Ravens went back to the nest the other day, and why they were so interested today. Three Peregrines are no match for a couple of Ravens, at least not when on the ground! A very large group of gulls (100+), Common, Black Headed, and Herring, with juvenile Black Backed Gulls were swept down river by a very strong current. Again there must have been something to feed on since there was interest from a number of crows who were flying low over the water. Add to these a Buzzard that I saw over towards Avonmouth. Finally the Roe deer were over in the right hand quarry, a large deer moved into the trees, another remained almost invisible and behind a small birch tree.

Thursday September 6th

I wonder if I spotted a Whimbrel on the mud just below Sea Walls!? The bird was around the same size as some of the Common Gulls, and much smaller than a young Herring Gull which perched near it - the gull scuttled away when the wader approached it. Thus this wader was quite small for a Curlew; I watched it for ten minutes or so whilst it carefully probed the mud beside the storm drain outflow. I spotted it later as it flew up river towards the docks under the Peregrine Watch. Whimbrels are migratory, moving to Africa at about this time of year, but more commonly seen in groups, but they are very rare, especially so, I suspect in the Avon Gorge. As it flew underneath the Watch I had a glimpse of it, and my first thought was 'Curlew', now I'm not so sure, the top of its body was strongly marked, curlew-like, but ... It flew rapidly and quite close to the water.
There were cormorants near the presumed Whimbrel at one stage, they were certainly double its size. Whilst I was intent on watching the wader by Sea Walls a lady with a dog asked whether a bird she had just seen was a Peregrine, it was being ragged by a Crow. Very likely I think! Later, a young Peregrine landed in the banana tree just before I left. Also, over in the top of the quarry to the right, and just above the cliff in that quarry, a couple of Roe Deer.

Wednesday September 5th

High grey cloud - with the sun breaking through on the horizon! The Peregrine Watch was very noisy this morning, a Jackdaw cacophony of jak, jak, jak coming from just below me on the cliff, something must have set them, but what? It subsided after a while, but there were no Peregrines in sight. Maybe the Ravens?

Tuesday 4th September

There was an autumn chill in the air this morning, but also a bright blue sky, warm sunshine and little wind. The far Brecons were visible from the Peregrine Watch - the air was very clear. A rising tide, with gulls on the mud, two Cormorants flapped their separate ways downstream, one very low over the water, so that its wings nearly hit the river surface. I tried to follow him with glasses as he came round the bend in the river beyond the trees, but was surprised as a Buzzard (or was it two) suddenly rose above the tree-line. The bird disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

Monday, August 3rd

The rather cloudy weather gave way to some blue sky and beautiful clouds, but there is a hint of autumn in the air, the conkers are dropping, and some trees a showing yellow leaves. The Heron was in nearly the same place as on Saturday, he walked sedately up the river mud, reflected on the scenery(!) and took off down river. Over at the Peregrine Watch an adult bird came in to sit in the Banana Tree, with his back to us, he was very difficult to see.

Sunday 2nd September

Two Buzzards were circling slowly above the river by Sea Walls when I went past, then when I passed for the second time (I cycle around the Downs twice - exercise!) I caught a glimpse of a Buzzard being pursued by some Crows at the entrance to Walcombe Valley. later, from the Peregrine Watch I saw a lone Buzzard out over Horseshow Bend.
This morning the Peregrines were flying around the trees opposite and roosting in the banana tree, at one stage an adult flew across towards us and landed on the cliff underneath.
Addendum: The two ravens were over on their nest when I arrived, they moved before the Peregrine arrived. It is curious that they sit on their old nest at this time of year.

Saturday 1st September

There was a Heron on the mud just up-river of Sea Walls, he edged backwards every now and then as the tide rose. Also, and from Sea Walls, I thought that I could see a Peregrine slightly above the banana tree, maybe this is where yesterday's Peregrine landed out of sight of the Watch? Over by the Peregrine Watch I could see nothing, even though I looked across the Gorge from a distance on either side. As I cycled into the trees to get a better angle on the quarry, I nearly collided with a couple of Blue Tits, they seemed to be fighting?!! Over on the cliff above the quarry I noticed a black bird disappear into one of the crevasses, then on watching carefully I could see a number of Jackdaws flapping about the trees and ivy. Unusual.

Friday 31st August

The Ravens were on an old dead tree off Ladies Mile when I went past this morning, then when I got to the Peregrine Watch, there they were again, but scrabbling around their old nest! The Gorge 'Bovver Boys', rather boy and girl. A Peregrine was perched just above the banana tree, it stayed statue-like for the whole of my visit, only slight movements of its head and body gave away that it was not a piece of the rock face. I think this was probably the young male that I saw yesterday. At one stage he was just a few meters above those Ravens. Then the Ravens moved over to the Yew tree to the left, merging in with the blacker shade of the yew. Another Peregrine, this time an adult flew into the top of the banana tree where it was obscured from view, and stayed. Eventually he took off, dive bombing the Ravens as he passed, there was a flutter, but they did not move. A little later the Ravens took off and flew down towards the Suspension Bridge.

Thursday 30th August

This blog is a year old today! It has taken a year for me to see a Peregrine catch a pigeon, I have seen partially successful strikes, and many chases but never a kill. This morning was different. To start I watched a Buzzard circle slowly over Leigh Woods and out towards Portishead, until he disappeared below the tree line. When he was near the sun caught the brown and gold in the feathers, until he became a black circling silhouette. The Peregrine first came from the same direction, from over the Downs, flying quite high, but then stooping into the Gorge in front of me and then rising higher and higher, turning the dive into a drive upwards.
My heart in hiding,
Stirred for a bird, - the achieve of, the mastery of the thing!
A Peregrine does not hover, he seems to hang in the air, sometimes gliding, and with no apparent effort. A slight folding of the wings brings him into a high speed stoop.
This display continued, also due overhead for quite a while, the bird getting higher and higher until he must have been over 200 meters up. then he flew over towards Leigh Woods with rapid, pigeon-like, wing beats, and stooped .... this time he separated one of two pigeons, and took it from underneath and behind, low above the trees opposite me, then swinging around and carrying the bird to land on the quarry slope opposite. Bad move! In a flash the two Ravens, who must have been hiding in the trees were onto him, he picked his kill up, but was no match for the Ravens, and he dropped it into the trees beside the quarry gate. I think the Ravens lost it as well, at least they were still flying after harrying the Peregrine. The Peregrine, it must have been in sheer frustration on being deprived of his kill, swooped at one of the Ravens, the Raven dodged hastily, and the Peregrine sped off, disappearing towards the Suspension Bridge.
He reappeared flying slowly and towards us, this time to the delight of three other visitors - the women said they had never seen a Peregrine before, the man described how he had had his van showered with feathers from a Peregrine strike in Broadmead!
The Peregrine started his hunt again, rising higher and higher, again overhead, but also over towards the Zoo, then around and over the Suspension Bridge, rising to maybe 500 meters when I lost him in an eye-blink against the clouds. The markings and size of this Peregrine make me think that this was the young male - the tiercel (or tercel) to falconers.

Wednesday August 29th

An ebb tide took groups of gulls rapidly down river towards Avonmouth. There were a few Mallard near the water, and the Ravens in the quarry. Pairs of Jackdaws, young and old gulls, some sparrows and other small birds in a nearby birch tree. No raptors again!

Tuesday August 28th

I visited the Peregrine Watch at 11am, it was very quiet, not a raptor in sight, and as usual the local pigeons sensed their safety, flying around carelessly from tree to tree and up and down the river. Only gulls and pairs of Jackdaws in their tree.

Wednesday, 22nd July

I had to ride my Brompton 'cycle, the mountain bike is being repaired. The small wheel base and the different gearing, especially when riding on the flat, make this a much less pleasant ride.

At the Peregrine Watch three birds suddenly appeared, chasing, flying and calling as only Peregrines can. The consensus was that this was two youngsters, male and female, and one of the parents. The chase was very boisterous, and a pigeon who got into the act was chased but not caught. I don't think one of the youngsters was 'danglefoot', so where is she? After this four buzzards appeared just over the treeline of Leigh Woods and towards Portishead, they circled slowly and then disappeared. Other birds were flying high in this direction, pigeons and gulls?

Tuesday August 21st

At Sea Walls I spotted a large black backed gull on the mud - a Greater Black Backed Gull or a Lesser Black Backed Gull? Probably the latter since I think the legs were yellow, however the light was very poor, with a cold grey high cloud. Other small gulls, Common and Black Headed were picking food from the mud. Over the other side of the estuary South Wales was in bright sunshine. After the gull I noticed a small gaggle of Herring Gulls just below me on the mud at the edge of the river grass. They were clustered around something that looked at first glance like a small body with its arms splayed out, then I could see the head. A deer, probably a Roe deer, and now providing carrion for the gulls, and making the morning seem even more gray than it was.
Over at the Peregrine Watch the yew tree had a Peregrine perched in it, the bird moved occasionally, but did not fly. It was too cold to linger, so home to breakfast.

Monday, 20th August

Peering though binoculars after a sweaty cycle ride is sometimes difficult - ones glasses steam up so that the scene disappears into fog. This morning the air was quite cold, so the effect was worse than usual, on taking my glasses off to wipe them, they broke! Rather an old repair came apart, so that put an end to this morning's bird logging. Maybe there was a Peregrine lurking behind the banana tree, but I decided to cycle home and try another repair. typing a blog without my precious multifocals is difficult.

Sunday, 19th August

It was cloudy and a little cold today, intermittently, when the sun came out it became summer! A Peregrine was perched on the top of the yew tree opposite, he moved once, flew around the quarry, returning to the tree to become a statue for the rest of my visit. A Buzzard came past. When it first appeared over by Sea Walls it was chased by some crows, then it flew down around the tree tops opposite, and disappeared up towards the Suspension Bridge. Other visitors were a troop of Scouts, the Balmoral going down river and the Bristol open-top tours bus. The usual group of local birders were camped on chairs 10 meters back from the rim.

Saturday, August 18th

I did not stop at the Peregrine Watch this morning, however as I cycled up towards Sea Walls for my first circuit of the Downs a Buzzard and a Raven were flying over the Rookery to the right. Occasionally the Raven flew lazily at the Buzzard, there did not seem to be much aggression in it, when the two birds were close it was easy to see how similar in size they are.

Friday, 17th August

When I arrived at the Peregrine Watch there was a bird in a tree just above the yew tree. I did not see him go, but the next I knew a Peregrine was flying through the trees opposite, and at one stage was joined by another, probably his/her sibling. We were then treated to a stunning, roller coaster display of flying by one of the two, up high above us, stoops at nothing in particular, and an occasional pigeon routed from the trees. No kill. This was a teenager enjoying him/herself, and it went on and on, with the bird occasionally perching opposite before starting again. My usual short visit during cycling was extended to an hour. Chris joined me for this display, but 'photos were difficult. However he also managed to spot a very red fox lying in the bushes under our cliff, probably a vixen, and with more looking he found some other foxes nearby, probably the nearly grown cubs. The Avon Gorge is a magical spot for wildlife! Oh, and we also saw a Raven flying high above Sea Walls, it seemed to have an altercation with a seagull.

Good news, I'm told that the female with the damaged leg is still flying, and even that the leg looks a little better. Will she survive? And the winter? Let's hope so.

Wednesday, Thursday, 15th, 16th August

A Peregrine, a Roe deer, Mallard,a Cormorant, numerous Pigeons (feral and Wood), Jackdaws, Magpies, Crows, Rooks, Gulls - Black Headed and Herring, and those that look like Lesser Black Backed but one wonders if they are a cross with a Herring gull. There is an endless variety of activity and amusement from watching these creatures. The Peregrine was perched in the top of the yew tree, he/she exercised his/her wings, moved around in the top of the tree, but did not fly. The deer was feeding on the grass about half way up the quarry opposite. No sign of the fawn this time. Again the lazy flight of many of the other birds in the gorge, especially the pigeons, led me to believe that the Peregrine had a full crop! That was Wednesday. Today, Thursday, there was a strong NW wind, but it was warm and sunny with small, high clouds. A high tide, the water on the wall opposite showing that the tide was still rising. The Avonmouth wind turbines were moving fast. A Peregrine appeared opposite, as usual, one moment nothing, then the bird appears. This time a Buzzard appeared near to the Peregrine, the Buzzard circled lazily down river, passing close to me, so that the view through my binoculars was spectacular, he circled over to the small quarry on our right (by Sea Walls), then climbed up and over towards Shirehampton, where he joined two other Buzzards. I wonder if there was a nest of Buzzards somewhere nearby in Leigh Woods? I think I saw several Buzzards a week or so ago, and thought that they were high flying crows or gulls. For all this time the Peregrine was perched at the base of the banana tree, and did not move, I tried to point the Peregrine out to a lady, but even with the binoculars, and my encouragements she failed to spot it. We did see the 'Matthew' passing down river though.

Monday August 13th

The river was high and the tide just turned, with only a very feeble wind to turn the Avonmouth wind turbines. A Peregrine was perched over in the banana tree, he stayed put for all of the half hour that I watched the Gorge. He must have had a full crop. The pigeons were flitting around in a very unconcerned manner, no tension in the air! Ducks flew up river, the Jackdaws flew around and in and out of the Jackdaw tree. When I left to go home for breakfast I discovered why the scene was now quiet - just on the other side of the road was a huge mass of Pigeon feathers. Either this was a car accident, but there was no corpse, or, more likely, our Peregrine had made an early morning kill.

Sunday 12th August

I had not seen a stoop from high until this morning. There were at least two birds in the trees opposite, one took off and climbed rapidly over Leigh Woods, it must have been 1500 feet up, a speck in the sky. The bird circled for a long while, slowly and towards us 'till it was nearly above us, then suddenly it started to drop, very fast and towards the trees opposite. The next we knew was a pigeon lower in the gorge, and still being pursued by the Peregrine. We did not see the end of the saga, and both birds disappeared. I was rained on this morning, but the sun was out at the Peregrine Watch, and I was dry by the time I was home.

Saturday 11th August

This morning there was a Mute Swan on river below Sea Walls. I have never seen one in this part of the Avon, only up in Bristol Docks. It was also an eventful time at the Peregrine Watch. The first Peregrine I spotted was flying around over the trees in the Gorge below Leigh Woods, I suspect this behaviour is to try to flush other birds out of the trees, particularly pigeons. The Peregrine attracted a Crow! The Crow proceeded to harry the Peregrine (not a wise Crow), and the result was two locked birds falling towards the river together, no feathers flew, and they separated before they hit the trees. I think the Crow was wiser afterwards! Near the instant they separated another Peregrine appeared, it was almost as if the second appeared from thin air! After that I could see a Peregrine on the yew tree opposite, and another in a dead tree down towards Nightingale Valley.
Soon after this one of the Peregrines was seen climbing high into the air and circling down over the River, then over towards Sea Walls and the Downs, descending rapidly, then rising again and eventually coming back over the Peregrine Watch. Meanwhile a couple of buzzards appeared over Nightingale Valley, and circled slowly up towards us, eventually meeting our Peregrine above us. The birds flew at each other, but not with any enthusiasm, not like the Peregrine seeing the Crow off. They eventually went their own ways, the Buzzards and the Peregrine, and I returned home to breakfast.

Tuesday, 7th August

My first ride in a week, though I came past the Peregrine watch last Friday on the way back from Temple Meads station. Today was fine with light clouds and a warm west wind. At Sea Walls a Heron was moving along the mud on the other side of the river, he kept back from the water so his shadow did not alarm anything in the water; he went into a position with his head down and beak pointing, striking something in the water. I saw a second strike and thought that there might have been a flash of a silver fish, but maybe it was his beak in the sunshine. Black Headed Gulls also lined the water edge, so there must be a good food supply in this muddy channel. At the Peregrine watch I spotted four buzzards circling over towards Horseshoe Bend; other birds were circling very high, probably seagulls, certainly not a flock of of buzzards! On the river mud opposite there were a lot of tracks, mostly gulls, but there could have been some larger deer tracks - a difficult call. No Peregrines this morning.

Sunday, Monday, July 29th, 30th

On Sunday morning we were treated to a stunning display of peregrine "tag" around the trees on the other side of the river, the young male and one of the two females were playing; they dived, chased pigeons, chased each other, and generally fell around the sky close too, and among the trees. No other bird could fly in this acrobatic way, and these were only the young Peregrines - well they did not catch any of the pigeons! In between the bouts of flying, and there were several, they landed in trees or in the quarry opposite.

One of the two female youngsters has damaged a leg - it dangles down when she flies - we saw the undamaged female on Sunday. Today I saw the female with the damaged leg, she seems to have been nicknamed "dangle foot"! She was also playing tag with her brother, but this was less boisterous, and the brother was doing most of the chasing. Again they both landed in the trees, but also behind the birch tree in the quarry opposite. "Danglefoot" seemed to be landing alright, when I could see, but mostly went into the bushes. When she flew the leg was very obvious through my glasses. Can she survive? It is very doubtful with such an injury. The parents must still be feeding these birds since they do not yet look too efficient at making a kill.

Thursday 19th July to Friday 27th July

An eventful week! Rain rain, rain and floods (elsewhere than Bristol).
Thursday 19th : my ride was cut short, so I did not get to see the Gorge.
Saturday, Sunday 21st, 22nd July. Peregrines sighted on both days, clinging to the cliff opposite, and flying.
Tuesday, 24th July. I met up with Roger again, we watched a juvenile Peregrine pursue a flock of racing pigeons, he was not too successful, the pigeons stayed in a tight bunch, occasionally one peeled off, but the Peregrine did not single it out. The whole chase disappeared off over towards Clifton.
Friday, 27th July. Another juvenile Peregrine was hunting over the Gorge, and though stooping on several occasions, did not catch anything that I could see. From Sea Walls I thought that I could see two Peregrines just by the cliff top on the grassy ledge. Lots of assorted gulls on the river mud. No deer tracks visible.

Wednesday 18th July

Yesterdays performance from the young peregrines made me forget to report the sighting of a Roe Deer and her fawn over in the opposite quarry, they were about half way up, feeding on the vegetation, they stayed for nearly half an hour before disappearing off towards the woodlands at the side of the quarry. This is probably the deer that leaves her tracks in the river mud.

Today, I think that the two female peregrines were perched near the top of the cliff by the grassy ledge, they were lower down, and so not visible from the cliff top. I had a brief sighting of a peregrine (the male youngster?) flying over the tree tops in the quarry over the river and to the left. This was a very beautiful morning, with a warm westerly wind, and light clouds moving over, the effect on the Gorge and the high slack tide, just on the turn, was a sight to behold.

Tuesday 17th July

This was not a morning that I expected to see very much, with heavy rain showers and a brisk wind coming up the Gorge. I was at the Peregrine Watch at 10.45am, after about ten minutes two of the young peregrines flew past, as one came up river below me it was calling. After a while all three young birds were to be seen diving in and out of the trees over towards Nightingale Valley. They managed to put up a pigeon, and as it dived towards the river a large cloud of feathers erupted, I did not see the strike, the pigeon must have, somehow, survived because the three peregrines were seen again very shortly after, chasing around, and chasing each other. Then a flock of six or more cormorants flew past towards the Bristol Docks, they did not notice the kerfuffle, and the peregrines ignored them. The youngsters continued their chasing for a while, then came down past the Peregrine Watch and into the quarry too our right and above the storm water outflow. Then it rained, so they beat a retreat back to the cliff under us, and probably their old nest site. What a display, and the speed and mastery of flight that even the young birds can show!

Monday 16th July

Bright, warm and muggy, with Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws all busy on the Downland grass. Today's finds were a Peregrine in the banana tree, a Cormorant flying up river, and a Buzzard towards Sea Mills. The Peregrine's presence in the tree was only given away by occasional, slight movements, he was certainly not seen by the local Wood Pigeons flying in and around the quarry.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 13th to 15th July

Friday. Patience is rewarded, and just unlucky? When I arrived at the Peregrine Watch a boy and his father were busy scanning the Gorge with binoculars. Looking for peregrines? They stayed for perhaps five more minutes then went back to their car. About a minute later I saw a peregrine opposite, it took off from the opposite quarry, circled briefly, then disappeared. I did not see it perch. Other birds: a lesser black backed on the road, numerous black headed on the river mud from the retreating tide, ducks, crows and rooks.
Saturday. At Sea Walls, a high flying cormorant, he flew anything but straight towards Avonmouth, lurching around like a drunk, too much fish perhaps? The birders were out in force on this fine morning, and with good cause, there were four peregrines in the opposite quarry, two close to the old Raven's nest, another, motionless, statuesque, in a little v-shaped alcove up to the right. Then one settled in the top of a yew tree to the left of the top of the quarry. They all, apart from the statue-bird, moved and flew a little. When perched on the rocks opposite, with their back towards us, they blend well with the cliff faults and colours, and are very difficult to see, only their small movements give them away. A heron was perched on top of a broken birch tree above the quarry to the left, and moved onto a more substantial perch in a tree behind. On the Jackdaw tree, a beautiful, rare sight of a male green finch, wings down, tail up, and singing, displaying: to whom, to what, to us? He stayed just long enough for Chris to creep back to his car and get his camera for a 'photo. One of the birders mentioned seeing an egret, but I did not. There was also a buzzard over towards Sea Mills.
Sunday. High, dense cloud, and it started to rain more persistently when I reached the Peregrine Watch. As luck would have it, a peregrine flew from the quarry opposite and up onto the yew tree again. I could not see any other birds, but I suspect they were there, as yesterday. I was at the Watch for only a few minutes, and about an hour later than for the last two days, at 11am.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 10-12th July

Back from various trips - South Derbyshire for the Ripley Ring Meeting, then from Skagen in Denmark. I did spot an interesting group of birds during a bus trip to Grenen (The Spit) from Skagen, this is the very north-most point of Jutland, where the Skagerrak meets the Kattegat. It is a good place to watch sea birds. I think I spotted some darker birds which could have been skuas, there was a large flock of waders near the dunes. Plovers? I also spotted some terns, and (inland) a few hooded crows (I think!).

On Tuesday I did not stop! Wednesday was notable for the almost total absence of bird life (apart from the river gulls and a few ducks) at the Peregrine Watch, then a peregrine appeared flying low over trees coming down to the river, and towards the suspension bridge. The bird circled among the tree tops, then rose and crossed the river, disappearing towards Bridge Valley Road. On Thursday I caught a glimpse of a peregrine flying in front of the Peregrine Watch cliffs - this from over by Sea Walls. I was looking to see if any birds were perched on the ledge near the cliff top. Three days, two glimpses!

Wednesday, Thursday 28th,29th June

Wednesday was cold, grey and bird less! Not a day to linger. On Thursday I was caught in a cold heavy rain shower, but there was a good omen. Coming towards the White Tree roundabout across the Downs there was a flash of yellow from a small bird as it flew in front of me - a goldfinch out in the rain. Then when I got to Sea Walls the two female peregrine youngsters could be seen perched where we saw them on Tuesday last (Eye of the Falcon) - on their ledge just below the cliff top. Shortly after I arrived at the Peregrine watch the male chick flew from somewhere over near the banana tree, down and over to the cliff near his sisters. Next an adult, probably the female appeared just over the river mud below, then flew along and over the towpath, settling into some of the trees by the railway. Next I heard the birds calling from below the cliff, no sighting just the call. Then two birds, then a third dropped sharply down to the bottom of the quarry to our right, then they appeared over the trees opposite and flew towards the woodland opposite Sea Walls. Maybe a lesson for the young birds from a parent? I checked the clifftop perch from both Sea Walls and from just above, and the girls had flown off. At Sea walls a falcon was perched on one of the dead tree branches in the opposite woodland. By this time the sun had come out, and I was drying off. A miserable start turned into a beautiful day.

Perhaps a moral about watching these birds, but you need to keep a constant watch for them, they are very well camouflaged against their background, and the move fast, often apparently gliding and with no wing movements. They seem to appear as if from nowhere, then disappear again into the trees and background rocks. Sitting back from the cliff, or being distracted by talking to other people is no good. I'm sure that the trio of other watchers out there today did not see a quarter of what I saw going on! Bird watching, especially with peregrines is a solitary pass time.

Friday June 22nd

A warm, humid morning, my glasses mist up under my cycle-helmet! No sign of the peregrines, and the mud tracks looked as if they were there since yesterday (how long do they last in the mud?). A Heron flew down river, but decided to return up river at the small quarry entrance opposite?!

Wednesday, Thursday, 20th 21st June

Two grey days with low clouds, Thursday was also wet. On Wednesday a peregrine seemed to be perched rather high up in the banana tree, then when the sun made a brief appearance he disappeared. However I did not see him fly. The deer tracks were visible in the mud on both days, but apart from some cormorants, nothing, and Thursday was far too wet to linger.

Eye of the Falcon: Tuesday 19th June

Two pictures of the young female peregrines taken this morning as they perched at the top of the Avon Gorge just behind the grasses. Pictures by Chris Jones - see link http://www.chrisjphotography.com. For a closer view click on the images. See also the previous Blog entry below.





Chris also took an "aerial combat" 'photo yesterday (note the aircraft on the left):

Tuesday 19th June

A misty, warm blue morning with high, thin cloud. We are promised more rain. Yesterdays rain encouraged Jackdaws, Crows, Rooks and the occasional pigeon and gull to search the Downland grass behind Sea Walls. The tide was high, so no mud. Nothing much was happening at the Peregrine Watch, then Chris Jones (see http://www.chrisjphotography.com/) turned up and discovered the two female peregrines perched at the top of the cliff and just over to the right of the Watch. They were within a few meters of the metal fence!

What an amazing privilege, and certainly the closest that I have even been to a wild peregrine. They sat for a long while, sometimes with only one of them visible above the grasses, moving around a little on their rock perch, and seemingly oblivious to the three enthusiastic watchers behind them; each of us taking turns to peer at the youngsters. Looking into the eye of a wild falcon from that distance is an out-of-this world experience! Eventually the parents turned up, and the two started to fly around, again close to the cliff so that everyone had a good view. We also spotted a grey squirrel on the cliff behind the bushes, I wonder if he knew of the peregrines!

Chris. Thanks for the above pictures!

The third peregrine chick, assumed to be the male, was perched over on the other side of the Gorge on a little ledge just below the banana tree. So totally still that he was like a piece of the rock.

For some time I have wondered what caused the small yew trees on the opposite side of the Gorge to die. Now I know, they were killed deliberately! If this was really necessary why were they not cut down?

Wednesday June 13th

High cloud with a warm sun shining though and a slight breeze made this a morning when most of the Gulls and Jackdaws were soaring and gliding around. Question: when is a Lesser Black Backed Gull a Herring Gull, or are they all Common Gulls? There seems to be gradation in shades of darkness for the top of the wings of the gulls, ranging from strong black through various shades to a very pale grey.

A Greenfinch made a brief appearance in a small hawthorn tree at the Peregrine Watch. Whilst I was searching the cliff opposite to see if I could find a Peregrine, one glided into view, and perched about 10 meters to the left and down 45 degrees from the small birch we call the banana tree. The bird landed on an apparently smooth rock face, and the grey of its back blended so well with the cliff that it disappeared, and I missed seeing him move off.

There were more deer prints on the river mud opposite, although they were not very clear and were mixed up with a many gull foot prints.

Monday June 11th

Warm, muggy and with a misty steel grey look over Leigh Woods. The tide was low so that rocks could be seen on the river bed. A set of new deer tracks led down part of the way over the mud and back to the grass at about the same place as we saw the Roe deer yesterday. It must come down to the river regularly. No raptors.

Sunday June 10th

A lovely warm summer morning with lots going on, the crowds were out on the Downs together with a noisy rave party in the valley!
From Sea Walls I watched a Heron and a Cormorant fishing in the storm drain outlet, the cormorant was diving repeatedly into the stream, whilst the Heron was doing its usual statue imitation. I didn't see either bird catch anything. Two Mallard were also feeding - bottoms up lads - and a Crow washing itself. Later (from the Peregrine Watch) I saw the Cormorant with wings outstretched sitting beside the outflow, so that it must have found some breakfast; later it came up-river, flying low over the water. I could not see the 'Peregrine-on-the-rock-face' today, so assume that it was a bird, and likely to be the male Peregrine. Anyway, it was not an artifact.
There was a lot of activity on the cliff top at the Peregrine Watch, the BOC have a presence there today. They were well rewarded, the female was perched over in the banana tree - a small silver birch on the cliff face opposite, and just near the now deserted Raven's nest. She moved around quite a lot but did not fly whilst I was there, eventually she faced the river, and her chest became a minute pin-point pale yellow beacon just visible with the naked eye. The notice from the BOC said that the three chicks will be flying soon.
One other visitor (probably two from the tracks on the mud), a deer came down over the large expanse of mud to the river, probably to drink. At first I thought that it was a fox, and from some angles it looked just like one, then the ears became visible, and the long legs. I suspect that it was a relatively young Roe deer. Eventually the deer made its way back up the mud and disappeared into the long grass beside the river. Two sets of tracks to the water probably indicated a second deer, but a whole herd could disappear into the grass at present.

Friday 8th June

When I reached Sea Walls I thought that I could see a peregrine perched on the rock face about 4 meters and down slightly to the right. However there was one perched on the 'banana tree' opposite the peregrine watch. So? I cycled back to Sea Walls to check, and the bird on the cliff was still there. Maybe both parents were out of the nest. Maybe it was a (Kamakazi) pigeon. I need to check the cliff to see if this is only a fault in the rock. Also from Sea Walls, a Heron was finish on the river mud about 100 meters downstream, the first time I have seen a heron in this position.

Thursday 7th June

A very cold dull morning, not a time to linger. I looked at the peregrine nest from Sea Walls but could see no sign of the birds. However at the peregrine watch I saw the female come in twice (I was there for half an hour around 9am), though could not see whether she had any prey for the youngsters. The male was circling lazily in the middle of the Gorge for a while, then went in to the nest area. Two cormorants cruised high over Leigh Woods down river, a heron and another Cormorant went upstream near the water. On the Jackdaw Tree a curious site - two of the birds very close together, one with his head buried in his/her chest and in a kind of 'sad' posture, the other up really close and looking as if she/he was trying to console the other! Eventually, the cold drove me home to breakfast.

Wednesday 6th June

A glorious morning, but with a cool wind from the North. The Peregrine watch was very active with one of the birds soaring around repeatedly. I have heard that there are three chicks, so I'm surprised not to see a ferry service of food items for them. The birds I saw may have been hunting, but it looked more like they were admiring the scenery. The other birds were also very active, a young (tailless) Jackdaw came to within a few feet of me on the fence, then went over to the Jackdaw tree to bother its parents. I could not identify a small butterfly that settled on a branch below me, broad brown edges to its wings, and a dusky yellow wing.

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, 3rd-5th June

I've been away for two weeks, walking along the Cleveland Way. Lots of birds: Golden Plover and Red Grouse, baby Tawny Owls, Guillemots and Fulmers, lots of meadow pipits and skylarks. Penguins in Scarborough! Yes, one peregrine off the cliffs before Whitby.

Sunday was very quiet, no peregrines, only a lone cormorant flying down river, and a heron came up river, gliding with bent wings and landing near last years rock fall, also a wren passed at speed - like a large brown bumble bee!

10.15am Monday was much more eventful, but in a way that I did not like. The day was very overcast and rather cold, when I got to Sea Walls I looked at the place where the peregrine nest is and saw that a couple of climbers were starting an ascent right below the nest! One red hat with blue top, the other a white hat. Their progress was very slow, in fact I think it took a couple of hours to get to the top. I cycled across to the peregrine watch, no sign of the peregrines, nor could I see them from Sea Walls, though I repeated the journey back and forth at least half a dozen times, and could see Jackdaws flying off the cliff near the climbers. No Peregrines. The climbers passed within 20 feet of the nest site up a piece of the rock face that looks flat from over by Sea Walls. There were a couple of bird watchers at the top by the peregrine watch, I wonder what happened when the climbers appeared? I did not wait to see the end of tha climb and left just before noon.

Tuesday. A beautiful bright blue warm day. Cormorants and a Heron flying down river. Lots of onomatopoeic Jackdaws. Then a peregrine came in low and down to the cliff, he circled several times, moved over towards Leigh Woods at one stage, and came back, landing below on the cliff again. I'm not sure, but there may have been a second bird over on the Leigh Woods side. Tonight, BBC Points West reported on the peregrines, and said that there were three chicks (eggs?) this year. If they have not hatched then chances are that the bird would sit tight as the climbers ascended. So maybe all is well. I wonder if the climbers even knew about the nest site?

Sunday 20th May

A bright, slightly cool day; the Downs were especially pleasant since cars were being excluded from most surrounding roads in preparation for a charity run. That did not stop a group of birders setting up cameras and telescopes at the Peregrine Watch. I saw one peregrine and another rather browner raptor - probably a sparrow hawk.

I'm walking the Cleveland Way for the nest two weeks. I wonder what birds I'll be able to see? The route takes me along the coast from Saltburn to Filey, so various sea birds, and there should be grouse on the moors.

Monday 14th May & Tuesday 15th May

Monday. What a contrast! The Gorge was glorious this morning, sun and clouds with a warm wind blowing the cloud shadows up the river. The rooks and crows were all out on the Downs probing the still wet grassland. The raven's nest is deserted now, just a pile of sticks. I did not see the peregrines, but guess that there may be a nest on the cliff beneath.

Tuesday. No ride this morning, but I walked into town, then on via the Merchants Arms in Hotwells for a pint and pork pie. Then on up the Gorge beside the river. Lots of herring gulls and the odd lesser black backed gull, the tide was very low. I stopped underneath the peregrine watch - and was rewarded by the peregrine pair flying around in front of their nest. It is quite difficult to spot them landing since they move so fast and blend in with the cliff for their approach run. I crossed the road and climbed in onto a small tarmac area under the cliffs. Looks like some road remains. This brings you right up under the nest. One of the birds came in and settled on the cliff about 10 meters down the cliff and to the left. I could see its head very clearly, even without binoculars, it took off, circled above me warily, and flew away. I guess they may not be so used to people on the ground below, so I beat a retreat. The camera cable leading down towards the nest is very obvious from below. My walk took me on to the small valley (Walcoombe?) just before Sea Walls, and yes, there is a path to the top of the Downs, it is marked on the map at the top of Sea Walls cliff. Then home.

Sunday May 13th

We have been away for a week and a half, on holiday at the caravan site in Durdle Door on the Dorset coast. Along the cliffs there were few sea birds, however I did spot a peregrine rushing along, otherwise several shags - much smaller than the cormorant, and some herring and other gulls. The campsite has a large overhead rookery in the pines which give the site some shelter. Skylarks, swallows and swifts, pied wagtail and robins, and stonechats on the bushes near the cliffs. Swanage had a pretty colony of black headed gulls.

Today was wet and got wetter as I cycled, so that by the time I arrived home I was drenched to the skin. Not nice for cycling. The gorge was not a place to linger this morning.

Tuesday May 1st

Happy May Day! Bristol Morris Men were up dancing on Castle Green at sunrise, 5.42am, this year was beautiful and very warm. Even the plane trees around St Peters are in full leaf. We had three sides out this morning, 20+ men and a small audience (which initially included herring gulls). Around 7am we all repaired to the Hope and Anchor for breakfast and beer. We will be dancing at various Primary/Junior Schools during the day.
I cycled to town for the dancing, then came back via the pub and then the Peregrine Watch. It was very quiet up there, with the morning sun coming from directly behind, and a high tide. No peregrines, and very few other birds apart from gulls and jackdaws.

Sunday April 29th

This morning: a cormorant, some mallard, a couple of buzzards and a view of four of the raven chicks, one of them venturing out onto a rock ledge some feet from the nest. Meanwhile one of the parents was circling high above the cliff, no doubt keeping an eye open for other birds of prey. I'm told that there are five raven chicks, but could only see four through the binoculars. A report in today's Observer says that raven are very intelligent, up with apes and dolphins. Finally, everyone was brought to their feet by a really high speed swoop into the gorge by one of the peregrines. I think it was probably the male showing off. Meanwhile, log in to the amazing CONE project in California and shoot yourself some finches! See: http://cone.berkeley.edu/camera

Thursday 26th April

My 100^th post, and since each represents 10 miles, 1000 miles of cycling! No sign of the redshank feeding on the mud at low water. Where do they go to? No sign of raptors this morning, though from the number of 'birders' armed with cameras and big lenses there must have been some activity. The young ravens are plain to see on their nest. I could not locate the peregrine nest looking from Sea Walls with binoculars.

From my 'photos from Neis Vran in Northern Brittany, how many different waders can you see in the picture below? After the birds leave, the sand is peppered with beak marks and scuffed up all over the place. Click on the image for an enlarged view:

Wednesday 25th April

Back from a wonderful week in north Brittany at Neis Vran. Lots of birds to see - I'll put some 'photo up via Picasa Web. The horsechesnuts on Saville Road are now in full flower, with new bright green leaves, and over in Leigh Woods there is new foliage on the oaks. I met Chris Jones - not my daughter's partner, but a local photographer who has taken some fine 'photos of the peregrines. See http://www.chrisjphotography.com

Today's event was a buzzard who ventured too close to the peregrine nest on the cliff below, the peregrine flew out at speed, screaming at the buzzard (I assume!) to clear off. The buzzard obliged! The buzzard was next seen over the gorge descending into Leigh Woods, and shortly afterwards the peregrine returned to it's nest. The ravens did not appear, but the four youngsters can be seen quite well through glasses.

Friday April 13th

The weather was rather dull and cold this morning - I should have worn my gloves. The Peregrine Watch was very quiet, scarcely a bird to be seen or heard, neither could I see any redshank on the mud, despite the tide being so low that rocks were visible on the river bed. A few jackdaws did take off in a flock, then shortly after the unmistakable glide of a peregrine, down towards the river, coming from my left and going downstream over on the Leigh Woods side, and then across to the small quarry beside Sea Walls. He did not return. I did not see whether the bird came off the nest beneath the Watch. I could not see any ravens.

Wednesday 11th April

I counted sixteen redshank on the mud below Sea Walls, all on the east bank of the river. Over at the Peregrine Watch one of the pair made nearly the same journey as yesterday, a long glide took him over to a small oak just above the (presumed) yew tree. He only sat for a few minutes, then returned to the cliff beneath me. I'm inclined to ask "why did the peregrine cross the river"?

P shows peregrine perch, R raven's nest

View across from the Peregrine Watch: 'photo was taken 9.23, April 11th 2007. If you click on the image you will see an enlarged view, and should then see small white letters. P's have been placed near to where the peregrines roosted, and an R under the raven's nest.

Tuesday 10th April

Quite a morning! At Sea Walls, down on the mud at the right, was a curlew, the first I have seen on the river side. Then I counted in excess of 40 redshank, also on the mud, but on both sides. This confirms the flock of them I saw yesterday. Size is difficult against the mud, but the curlew was double the size of the redshank when alongside of them. The only other bird with a curved bill is a whimbrel, and that is a little smaller than the curlew, also rather rare.
At the Peregrine Watch one of the nesting pair took off from the cliff below me and glided over to sit in a small beech tree just beside a large yew. he stayed for over half and hour, initially with his back to me, then turning to face, then to the back again. When facing his front shows out like a little yellow light in the sunshine. There was a pigeon about 10 metres away just on the other side of the yew. It did not notice the peregrine, and was even joined by a number of other pigeons on surrounding trees during the half hour that I watched. Flying past the pigeons did not notice the hawk. Similarly a jay fluttered past within a couple of metres. A large brown raptor flew from the quarry to the right, across the river and into the valley between Sea Walls and the Peregrine Watch. What was it? Probably a buzzard. The green finches flew past, twittering as they flew.
I hate to end on a sour note, but the rubbish left all around the road around the Downs was particularly bad this morning, even worse than Sunday.

Sunday April 9th

Hazy, blue and warm this morning. The Gorge looks its best under these conditions. At Sea Walls I was able to spot through binoculars a small group of redshank on the mud. Some motor boats scared the birds from the mud - revealing a much larger number than I had thought were present, it must have been 30+. The ravens were more visible on their nest this morning; the size of a raven relative to a crow was brought home by seeing one of them being harassed by a local crow! Otherwise, a couple of green finches, and some other small birds, probably chaffinches. Recognising birds 'on the wing' is tricky. Artists, from Bewick to the present day, usually show the animal sitting in a convenient pose rather than in flight.

Sunday 8th April

Bank holidays always increase the amount of litter scattered over the Downs, this morning was no exception, and a flock of crows was busy spreading the rubbish even further around. A buzzard flew over just I came up to the Peregrine Watch; other birds 'spotted' were a heron flying down river, mallard on the mud (the tide was coming in), and the usual jackdaws, high speed pigeons, seagulls and a jay. I didn't see a peregrine, nor any sign of the redshank from a week or so ago. The local 'birders' were out in force.

Friday 6th April

High tide this morning: a cormorant passed down river, flying high over Leigh Woods, another flew very low over the water: three buzzards were circling over Leigh Woods (why three?); one of the peregrines was perched on the cliff. I did not see it, but did see a 'photo taken a few minutes earlier, the raptor was perched on a rock just below us. The 'photo was taken by Andras Kovacs of Bird Life International (Hungary) cf Magyar Madártani és Természetvédelmi Egyesület, Andras studies European eagles, and like many others is drawn to what must be one of the best sites there is to see and photograph peregrines. We are lucky! I hear that there is a security camera watching the nest this year. It would be great to see this on the web as a web cam, and would increase the number of eyes keeping guard! I did not see the ravens, not on the nest either.

Wednesday 4th April

Brrr! It was very cold this morning. I could not see the raven, the nest is jammed between the rock face and a small silver birch. I expect the bird was crouching low on the nest. High water with nothing else much about.

Tuesday April 3rd

The cold has returned! The flock of jackdaws was flying around again, there must be about 50 of them, they rise from the cliffs to the right of the Peregrine Watch andswing around in a large group, the pairs of jackdaws are often obvious, even in such a large group. I think that they were annoyed at a couple of crows this morning. It looked as if they were chasing crows: egg or nest material theft?

Sunday, Monday 1st & 2nd April

Just as I arrived at the Peregrine Watch on Sunday I spotted a peregrine circling around the trees beside the quarry opposite. A large flock of jackdaws took off and tried to mob him, but he singled out one and chased it down to the water, then to a small tree at the side of the river. It was a very near miss and that jackdaw must have been terrified! The peregrine subsequently flew up and over towards Burwalls, the last I saw was a rapid descent from a height. A kill perhaps?
Monday. High water with no mud. A peregrine took off from the cliff below me and flew to the right, over a small quarry, and into the trees. I lost him, but later thought I might have seen his light front shining from tree over that way. It could have been a light branch. A raven could just be seen sitting on the nest opposite.

Saturday March 31st

There was a very stiff wind blowing down Ladies Mile this morning, making a cold day feel very cold. I arrived at the Peregrine Watch to see a cormorant flying down river. One of the bird watchers pointed out the raven's nest on the cliff opposite. A large pile of sticks supported behind a small tree on the upper of the two rock fault lines. Telescopes show three chicks, the ravens were flying around the cliff.

Thursday 29th March

A cormorant was leaving the Gorge as I cycled towards Sea Walls, it is unusual to see them flying in this direction. At the Peregrine Watch I was treated to spectacular flying display by a peregrine, he was soaring around, and from some of the high speed swoops he made, probably looking for breakfast! He dived very fast at the cliff underneath me, maybe chasing the jackdaws that roost there. He scared the daylights out of one jackdaw on the other side of the river, driving it to a hasty retreat in the trees near the water edge. While he was flying the absence of other birds in the air was very noticeable . So far as I saw he did not find find his breakfast! At one point he was joined by another peregrine, but this one disappeared out over Leigh Woods.

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday 25,26, 28 March

The clocks went back on Sunday, so I was rather late arriving at the Peregrine Watch (around noon BST), and there was nothing notable going on in the local bird community! Wednesday was very foggy, so again nothing, in fact it was difficult to see over into Leigh Woods clearly. The tide is now low in the mornings, so there was a lot of mud visible, with mallard dabbling at the edges, but no redshank that I could see.
Monday was much more eventful. A kestral took off rapidly from outside No 25 Cairns Road, I could not see anything in the garden, no prey! On the mud below Sea Walls were our four redshank, clearly paired up now. No other raptors at the Peregrine Watch, but I did see three cormorants and a jay. Jays are far less common than are magpies, which I see nearly every morning.