Wednesday, Thursday, 15th, 16th August

A Peregrine, a Roe deer, Mallard,a Cormorant, numerous Pigeons (feral and Wood), Jackdaws, Magpies, Crows, Rooks, Gulls - Black Headed and Herring, and those that look like Lesser Black Backed but one wonders if they are a cross with a Herring gull. There is an endless variety of activity and amusement from watching these creatures. The Peregrine was perched in the top of the yew tree, he/she exercised his/her wings, moved around in the top of the tree, but did not fly. The deer was feeding on the grass about half way up the quarry opposite. No sign of the fawn this time. Again the lazy flight of many of the other birds in the gorge, especially the pigeons, led me to believe that the Peregrine had a full crop! That was Wednesday. Today, Thursday, there was a strong NW wind, but it was warm and sunny with small, high clouds. A high tide, the water on the wall opposite showing that the tide was still rising. The Avonmouth wind turbines were moving fast. A Peregrine appeared opposite, as usual, one moment nothing, then the bird appears. This time a Buzzard appeared near to the Peregrine, the Buzzard circled lazily down river, passing close to me, so that the view through my binoculars was spectacular, he circled over to the small quarry on our right (by Sea Walls), then climbed up and over towards Shirehampton, where he joined two other Buzzards. I wonder if there was a nest of Buzzards somewhere nearby in Leigh Woods? I think I saw several Buzzards a week or so ago, and thought that they were high flying crows or gulls. For all this time the Peregrine was perched at the base of the banana tree, and did not move, I tried to point the Peregrine out to a lady, but even with the binoculars, and my encouragements she failed to spot it. We did see the 'Matthew' passing down river though.