Monday 19th February

As I arrived at the Peregrine Watch the jackdaw tree was suffering from overcrowding - they were all over the neighbouring bush! Unusually, a lot flew away as I cycled up, they usually stay put. A flock of gulls were coming up river, and suddenly did a rapid about turn downstream - a peregrine appeared and circled around below me. No wonder the birds were nervous. I saw the raptor on a couple of other passes under the cliff and towards the woods on my side, then he/she came into the cliff underneath and I didn't see the bird again. I did spot a couple of redshank on the mud, the tide was going out, but exposing a small region of mud. I waited to spot the white trailing edges to the redshank wings to verify them. Unmistakable! Also a cormorant. Earlier, when I cycled along Rockleaze it was interesting to see a pair of lesser black backed gulls strutting around alongside two herring gulls.