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.