Tuesday 27th July

Very dull and humid, so cycling was a drain on energy! The river was fairly high with only small amounts of mud. The gulls float around on updrafts and eddies from the gorge winds and make it look so easy. On the river a couple of dozen young Black Headed Gulls and their parents kept in a tight group, moving from the mud to the river and back. At the Peregrine Watch I could only see one Peregrine, perched a little way down on the side of the big yew tree to the left of the quarry; they usually perch on top of the tree, so this was unusual, and probably one of this years young brood. If there were other Peregrines in the quarry and trees I could not see them. Coming across towards Sea Walls on Circular Road I watched a mix of Rooks, Crows and Jackdaws. Rooks really do have very ugly beaks!