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.