I waited quite a long time standing on one of the railing pillars by the Black Rock Quarry, and overlooking the Suspension Bridge. The tide was high and still flowing in, and the sky was a very clear blue. The Kestrel appeared as if from nowhere and circled just below the cliff that juts towards the river, this was the male, with strong red brown top plumage. He moved off into Walcombe Slade. Next the female appeared, slightly larger and not as red-brown. She landed over on the cliff near where I thought the nest was, then took off and flew around below me and over towards Leigh Woods. The female returned once more but did not land, flying back under me and to Leigh Woods again.
At the Peregrine Watch I saw nothing until another birder pointed out a Peregrine busy plucking a pigeon on the cliff opposite, and just up from the now deserted Raven's Nest. Another Peregrine could now be seen just below the nest. The bird finished the pigeon - or left it - and flew off up river. If, as I've been told there are five Peregrine chicks, I would have expected frantic feeding activity, but I didn't see it.
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