Friday 4th September

I cycled around via Clifton and Observatory Hill, then across to the Peregrine Watch. There was a Peregrine over in the banana tree, it took off just as I was about to leave, flew around the quarry for a while, then disappeared. A squdron of Mallard flew down river just after this, wheeled around and sped back past me. I've not seen ducks fly so fast before, so maybe the Pergrine was visible to them! In America they refer to the Peregrine as a duck hawk .....

Wednesday 1st September

I cycled down through Bristol and out by Cumberland Basin, then along the Portway to just below Sea Walls, back up Bridge Valley Road, and around the Downs past Sea Walls. By the time I got to Sea Walls there was a heavy misty rain falling. At the other side of the Downs by the White Tree it had nearly stopped and was dry. Micro climates!
The Avon was very low, with a small stream flowing out from the middle of acres of mud. Common, Herring, and Lesser Black backed gulls were all over the mud with this years siblings, now well grown, beside them. Mallard were busy by the storm drain, a couple of Cormorants flew up river, stopped for a while to greet another Cormorant perched on the mud, then continued up river. There was a Heron further down the river past Sea Walls. No sign of any Peregrines, but it is possible to see where they have been sitting on the rock faces, large white splashes of guano are spread below various rock perches. I managed to spot the group of Sorbus Wilmottiana - or Wilmott's Whitebeam just beside the Donkey Slide, they look as if they are thriving. There was a heavy rock slide on the slope beside them a little while ago, but it did not damage them. A number of other common Whitebeams now have berries and their leaves are starting to turn colour, so autumn is close.

Monday 31st August

A heron took off from the mud down river from Sea Walls, he stopped first by the storm drain, then a little further down, and again down belwo the Peregrine Watch. This time I could see a Peregrine over on the 'banana tree'.

Sunday August 30th

The Redshank have returned to the estuary mud after their summer recess, there were two birds by Sea Walls. A set of curious tracks on the mud showed up. They were probably made by a (large) dog running from the tow path opposite, however at one point they joined up with some neater tracks which looked like those from a deer, I wonder whether they hide a story? Someone has removed the council's large notice by Sea Walls! There was a bike event on Ladies Mile, causing it to be closed to traffic, so some small children could enjoy cycling up and down.