Thursday, October 11th

As I arrived at the Peregrine Watch fog came up from the estuary - so dense that Leigh Woods all but disappeared. However looking upwards, blue sky was visible! Only the Jackdaws were out today.

Tuesday, 9th October

A very wet morning, so my ride was delayed until late afternoon. Just as I arrived at the Peregrine Watch - and spotted a Peregrine over in the 'banana tree' - the heavens opened. I saw it coming! I dodged in under one of the nearby Holme Oaks, and was joined by a couple of squirrels, and a jogger! A Crow immersed itself nearly completely in a large puddle at the side of the road, evidently enjoying a bath - and ridding itself of feather mites. I understand that Peregrines like a daily bath, but I have never seen this. Do they use the Avon? When I returned to the Watch after the rain passed, the Peregrine had also moved on.

Friday 1st September

Later this am, I left the peregrine watch at 9.50. Occasional light drizzle on the wind, but also sunshine through grey clouds. The Avon Gorge was very quiet, with only gulls, a few jackdaws, and pigeons. As usual the pigeons were scuttling around, they fly over the river and into the trees in Leigh Woods, and up and down the gorge, always fast and as if they are being chased! I have seen a peregrine chase a jackdaw, and another try to attack a gull, but never seen a pigeon taken. The jackdaw tree was mostly empty, but a noisy group came in just after I arrived. However no peregrine this morning.

Wednesday 30th August

9am start. At the Avon Gorge the tide was about half-way, with only a mild breeze onto the Downs. A really beautiful morning! At the Perigrine Watch a couple of magpies had invaded the jackdaw tree and were squabbling with the usual occupants; I don't usually see any magpies in the tree, crows yes. On the end of the Downs the usual flock of rooks and some gulls were prodding around. At the watch a peregrine flew rapidly into the cliff underneath (You need to stand right up against the cliff to see these birds since they fly in quite low to roost on the cliff). The next peregrine I saw (I don'nt think it was the same one, but it could have been, was on the other side of the gorge, ducking in and out of the tree tops. I guess he/she was trying to flush out some of the birds, usually pigeons, who sit in the tree tops. I have seen the peregrines do this before. This bird flew on down the gorge towards the Bristol suspensions bridge (Brunel's), where it seemed to be met by another peregrine - they chased each other and I lost sight of them.