Wednesday 18th July

Yesterdays performance from the young peregrines made me forget to report the sighting of a Roe Deer and her fawn over in the opposite quarry, they were about half way up, feeding on the vegetation, they stayed for nearly half an hour before disappearing off towards the woodlands at the side of the quarry. This is probably the deer that leaves her tracks in the river mud.

Today, I think that the two female peregrines were perched near the top of the cliff by the grassy ledge, they were lower down, and so not visible from the cliff top. I had a brief sighting of a peregrine (the male youngster?) flying over the tree tops in the quarry over the river and to the left. This was a very beautiful morning, with a warm westerly wind, and light clouds moving over, the effect on the Gorge and the high slack tide, just on the turn, was a sight to behold.

Tuesday 17th July

This was not a morning that I expected to see very much, with heavy rain showers and a brisk wind coming up the Gorge. I was at the Peregrine Watch at 10.45am, after about ten minutes two of the young peregrines flew past, as one came up river below me it was calling. After a while all three young birds were to be seen diving in and out of the trees over towards Nightingale Valley. They managed to put up a pigeon, and as it dived towards the river a large cloud of feathers erupted, I did not see the strike, the pigeon must have, somehow, survived because the three peregrines were seen again very shortly after, chasing around, and chasing each other. Then a flock of six or more cormorants flew past towards the Bristol Docks, they did not notice the kerfuffle, and the peregrines ignored them. The youngsters continued their chasing for a while, then came down past the Peregrine Watch and into the quarry too our right and above the storm water outflow. Then it rained, so they beat a retreat back to the cliff under us, and probably their old nest site. What a display, and the speed and mastery of flight that even the young birds can show!

Monday 16th July

Bright, warm and muggy, with Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws all busy on the Downland grass. Today's finds were a Peregrine in the banana tree, a Cormorant flying up river, and a Buzzard towards Sea Mills. The Peregrine's presence in the tree was only given away by occasional, slight movements, he was certainly not seen by the local Wood Pigeons flying in and around the quarry.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 13th to 15th July

Friday. Patience is rewarded, and just unlucky? When I arrived at the Peregrine Watch a boy and his father were busy scanning the Gorge with binoculars. Looking for peregrines? They stayed for perhaps five more minutes then went back to their car. About a minute later I saw a peregrine opposite, it took off from the opposite quarry, circled briefly, then disappeared. I did not see it perch. Other birds: a lesser black backed on the road, numerous black headed on the river mud from the retreating tide, ducks, crows and rooks.
Saturday. At Sea Walls, a high flying cormorant, he flew anything but straight towards Avonmouth, lurching around like a drunk, too much fish perhaps? The birders were out in force on this fine morning, and with good cause, there were four peregrines in the opposite quarry, two close to the old Raven's nest, another, motionless, statuesque, in a little v-shaped alcove up to the right. Then one settled in the top of a yew tree to the left of the top of the quarry. They all, apart from the statue-bird, moved and flew a little. When perched on the rocks opposite, with their back towards us, they blend well with the cliff faults and colours, and are very difficult to see, only their small movements give them away. A heron was perched on top of a broken birch tree above the quarry to the left, and moved onto a more substantial perch in a tree behind. On the Jackdaw tree, a beautiful, rare sight of a male green finch, wings down, tail up, and singing, displaying: to whom, to what, to us? He stayed just long enough for Chris to creep back to his car and get his camera for a 'photo. One of the birders mentioned seeing an egret, but I did not. There was also a buzzard over towards Sea Mills.
Sunday. High, dense cloud, and it started to rain more persistently when I reached the Peregrine Watch. As luck would have it, a peregrine flew from the quarry opposite and up onto the yew tree again. I could not see any other birds, but I suspect they were there, as yesterday. I was at the Watch for only a few minutes, and about an hour later than for the last two days, at 11am.