Thursday, Friday 4th, 5th January

I took some video of the Gorge on my digital camera on Thursday. Of course, the one peregrine that appeared - flying towards the woods opposite - and landing there (unusual), was missed. Anyway the camera cannot show such a small target. It did (just) pick up a cormorant flying down river. For my video blog (Vlog) see
http://johnpmaher.blogspot.com/, at present I'm trying to figure how to set up embedded video - without resorting to Javascript - and which is standards compliant!

A kind letter from Darren Oakley-Martin of the RSPB mentions some other Birdlogs which I must add to the links.

Friday was milder, but cloudy, a very large (100+) flock of starlings feeding on the downs, also the usual culprits - crows, jackdaws, rooks, black-headed gulls. Nothing much on the river except for a few mallards dabbling on the mud edges. No raptors.

Tuesday 2nd January

No ride this morning - it was raining! I cycled to Bristol Central Library to get a new library card and came back via Bridge Valley and the peregrine watch. The sun was just setting and it was quite dark, so few birds and no peregrines. Picture shows an eider duck on Lindisfarne Island - the end of St Cuthbert's Way. Not likely to be seen in the Severn Estuary - unless someone knows better ....

Monday 1st January

The world and their wives, girlfriends, dogs and all were out on the Downs this morning! Had some of them looked skywards they might have noticed four buzzards flying high, probably a thousand feet above the Gorge. Gulls and the rooks and crows were also higher up than usual. When I reached the peregrine watch (around 12.30 this morning), there was a peregrine flying first towards the Sea Walls valley, with a flash of blue as the sun caught her back feathers, then later high above me up the river. The next I saw of her was flying high and back across the Downs, where she disappeared. One of the buzzards accompanied her towards the valley, but did not re-appear.
The picture shows a buzzard over the Eden project - generated by a photo collage since in the original the buzzard was disappearing into the cloud at the bottom right hand corner of the enlarged inset image.

Friday, Saturday 30/31st December

Two rides, the second one with a strong headwind from Sea Walls. Several 'birders' at the peregrine watch - but not peregrines. The last post I tried with a picture download failed, so try another to see if the system works? Yep, so meet Joseph, my grandson, now two, and his dad, Chris overlooking another Gorge in Italy.

Thursday December 28th

Bright, but watery sunshine this morning. The tide was coming in, pushing a large flock of gulls up the mudbank. No raptors during my short stay. I feel I should do/say more now that I'm a member of the RSPB! Signed up by Joanna, Chris, Joseph and William as a Christmas present.

Christmas Eve

A cold and gray morning, but since I have not ventured out for a rise for nearly a week, this was necessary exercise. I have not seen the peregrines for a couple of weeks at least, yet they must feed themselves in this weather? Other birds were out on the Downs feeding, there were three separate groups of black-headed gulls, apart from a large mixed group of crows, jackdaws, rooks and herring gulls.
Sometimes the Downs depress me greatly from the amount of rubbish that is jettisoned from cars and people eating pizza, drinking beer or other activities (there was an unused condom in the gutter today). However I have not seen a vandalised car until now. The car was by Sea Walls with its windows broken and the boot wrenched up - what story is behind this? Myself, joggers and other cyclists and car owners passed by on the other side, probably trying to ignore it.

Monday December 18th

On Sunday I walked over to the peregrine watch, then on Monday did my usual cycle ride. Spring must be in the air - all the jackdaws were sitting close together in pairs in the Jackdaw Tree. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday saw a dramatic temperature drop, with fog and frost in the early morning. Not cycling weather except for sadists!

Take a look at my video blog - Vlog!