Friday, Saturday 4th, 5th January

An interesting couple of days! Friday was so misty, and the cloud so low that it was difficult to see over to the quarries from the Peregrine Watch, so not much to report there. However at Sea Walls I saw the lanky form of a Curlew picking around on the mud, there were several Redshank and a number of Black Headed Gulls and Mallard, all making the most of the mud. On Saturday I passed the Grey Wagtail at the beginning of Saville Road, he was unphased by a jogger, or by me turning my bike for a closer look. Cute! The sunshine at Sea Walls brought the Redshank legs to life, several were feeding on the mud. They move their head back and forth as they travel. One bird was moving up and down on the mud, alternately climbing the mud bank and then returning to the water edge. From the Peregrine Watch, on the other side of the river, two Redshank were probing the mud, but keeping away from the water edge. It would be interesting to know exactly what these birds find in the mud?
There was a very brief glimpse of a female Peregrine as she came to the cliff face beneath the Watch, at the time the grass behind me was crowded with Jackdaws, picking up some scraps left for them. The Jackdaws are largely paired up, they are also quite tame, especially if one keeps still! On the river, Mallard, Black Headed, Greater and Lesser Black Backed and Common Gulls, and a Heron flapped off downstream.

Wednesday January 2nd

The temperature is dropping - signalled by my toe temperature during the ride. The sky was even more overcast today, so that the half dozen or so Redshank looked like little dark blobs as they searched the waters edge. There was no sign of a Peregrine today, but I did not stop long. With an even colder day on Thursday I stayed at home - and watched the excellent pre-Christmas ITV series Up On The Downs - thanks Geraldine - for the tape!

Tuesday 1st January

This morning's falcon was perched in an oak tree, midway between the two quarries opposite to the Peregrine Watch. She appeared as a white dot in the bare woodland, I did not see her arrive, and she was still there, breast feathers puffed up and mask just visible above her white breast. She was probably digesting a kill. Apart from the Peregrine, Mallard ducks were swimming in a very mucky looking river, and a group of Jackdaws and a pair of Magpies squabbled over some seeds someone had left out near to the railings.

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.