(Monday, Tuesday 8th,9th December) Monday 15th December,

More walking. We still have very cold weather, when the sun is out it is lovely. Last week (8th 9th) there were Peregrines perched over in the oak. Today, none, but as I crossed the Down towards Sea Walls a Peregrine flew a few feet over the grass, chasing and chased by the Crows, Jackdaws and Gulls, and scaring all the other birds - particularly some Pigeons over near Rockleaze! The tide was high and still coming in, but the bitter cold did not encourage me to dawdle. I came across the top of the Gully, and just as I came onto the grass, out of the woodland, a Green Woodpecker sprang from the trees in front of me. No more Peregrines, but a Robin, several pairs of Blackbirds, and a flock of Fieldfare as I came back across the Down and through the Dumps. As usual numerous 'small brown birds', too far off to recognize properly. There are a great number of Wood Pigeons along my route from Bishopston, and on the Downs. They sit in the tops of the trees, hunched against the cold, nervously flying off if they perceive me walking past and under them, as a danger.

Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday, 3rd, 6th, 7th December

It has been far too cold for cycling, so walking to the Gorge became my exercise! The sun was particularly brilliant over the weekend, so that the brilliant blue sky, the very still air, and a slowly rising tide, made the sun's reflection in the river from Sea Walls an almost perfect blinding globe. The suns warmth was palpable.
On Saturday the rare site of a Swan in the very center of the river gave the bridge scene a perfection that I have not seen before - the Suspension Bridge was reflected in the river with the bird and its own small reflection below it. Also on Saturday I walked down through the Gully, past Walcombe Slade and onto the Portway. At the top the Gully was very quiet and cold, and the path muddy and steep, few birds though. As the path descends it flattens a bit and the traffic noise starts to intrude. We take our life in our hands crossing the Portway, even with the new red Bus Lane. There should be a pedestrian crossing at the base of the Gully, by the Bristol Water site. Walking along the Portway footpath is not too pleasant, due to the fast, noisy traffic, but from this racket my attention was drawn to the river by a ringing, peeping, bird-call. A nervous Redshank was flying back and forth low over the water, probably objecting to me and a yacht coming up-river. It landed close to another Redshank on the opposite mud bank. Then a little later I saw a flight of half a dozen Redshank, again flying low over the water. There was a Peregrine perched in a Leigh Woods tree, then a couple of Ravens appeared, and he disappeared!
On Sunday, now from the top of the Gorge by the Peregrine Watch, I saw three Peregrines; two in a similar position in the trees, one as it came in to land; another flew up-river towards the Suspension Bridge.
On all the days, other birds: many Black Headed Gulls on the Downland; the inevitable Rooks, Crows, Jackdaws, Wood Pigeons and Sea Gulls; a small group of Goldfinches by Redland Green; Cormorants and Mallard, flying and on the river; a brief glimpse of a Buzzard as it disappeared east over the Downs up over the Gully; Thrushes, Blackbirds, a few Sparrows and other "Small Brown Birds" flying to fast or too far off to recognise

Friday, Sunday, Monday, 28th, 30th Novemeber, 1st December

Friday and Sunday were walking days but on Monday I braved the bitter cold on my bicycle.
Friday: walked the length of the Gorge rim from Observatory Hill to Sea Walls. I wanted some 'photos for the Downswatch website, in particular some around Observatory Hill. There are nooks and crannies to these Downs that make them a paradise (albeit cold now) for the wildlife; clearing the sides of the gorge to open up views akin to those in the 1820's seems like madness to me.
At the Peregrine Watch there was a curious excursion by a Sparrowhawk - maybe to be called "why did the Sparrowhawk cross the river". The bird left Walcombe Slade, glided across to the trees in Leigh Woods, did a couple of very brief circuits above the trees, and headed straight back the way it had come!
Sunday: I reached the Peregrine Watch just as one of the Peregrines was coming in to the cliff, I saw him for fractions of a second, then again very briefly a few moments later when he circled before returning to the cliff. A small flock of Redwings were flying around.
Monday: Too cold to linger long, there were Black headed Gulls very close to Ladies Mile, apart from the 'head phones' their red beaks and legs look rather paler than I remember from a close encounter in the Lakes this summer.

A nice comment about my blog from Des (thanks!), with a picture of a Bullfinch on Dyrdham Down:

Monday, Wednesday, 24th 26th November

Last Friday (21st) and Sunday (23rd) were very cold, but I did walk up to the Peregrine Watch, not that there was much to see apart from Jackdaws and Seagulls. On Monday a rare sighting (for me) of a pair of Wrens, first a small brown object which left me wondering how a leaf could move so fast, then, I assume, it's mate perched a few feet away on a bush, looked at me, and disappeared to join the 'leaf'. No Peregrines, but I think there were two Peregrines over in the oak (see last blog), and not a broken branch. In very cold weather the Redshank are not seen on the mud, today, Wednesday, there was bright sunshine and there were two under Sea Walls.

Thursday 20th November

Another bright morning, but with high clouds and a slight wind from the north west. There was a blindingly bright sun reflection from the river at Sea Walls. A couple of Redshank, but the rising tide and a small area of mud was driving the birds from their feeding ground. At the Peregrine Watch a bird could be seen opposite, perched in the oak, and just to the left another light object. yesterday I thought that this was a second Peregrine, today, I'm not so sure. It could be a broken branch. I'll see if it still appears on future visits.

Friday, Sunday, Wednesday, 14th, 16th, 19th November

On Friday I watched a Redshank having a bath in the river side below Black Rocks. It fluffed up its' feathers and sprayed water all over them, them wriggled and jostled them back into order, all the while working on the plumage with its' long beak, then it left the water for the riverside mud, and shook itself like a little dog. During this wash the beautiful white wing stripes and the red legs came into and out of view. Magical!
Sunday gave a glimpse of a Peregrine disappearing around the corner of Black Rocks and into the Gully, then at the Watch another Peregrine swooped past a group of Jackdaws near the Jackdaw tree, driving them into the bushes at the top of the cliff. The bird was only bullying, not hunting. It is good to show who is boss occasionally.
Today, Wednesday, the river formed long convex ripples which appeared to move upstream as a north westerly wind blew across the surface. First one, then the other Raven appeared from over Sea Walls and flew into Leigh Woods to the left of the Peregrine Watch, they stayed a while, then took off, circled over by Nightingale Valley and came back past me. As one passed it let out a single faint RAAK. The wing-tip feather of these mighty majestic birds separate as they fly. They both disappeared over towards Shirehampton again. What were they investigating on this there-and back-again journey? What did one of them say to me?
Over in Leigh Woods the leaves have all gone, and the Peregrines are back on their customary roosts opposite. I could see two light specks in the oak tree slightly to the left of twin tree stumps covered in ivy, one bird faced me, the other had its' back to me and was just behind the tree branches. Both birds moved slightly, so were probably digesting meals.

Sunday November 9th

A large group of Jackdaws in tight flight, wheeled and gyrated in a strong wind, then set off over us across the Downs. A Peregrine flew past and disappeared down towards Snyed Park.