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.