Tuesday March 20th

A very cold morning, the wind was raging down Ladies Mile, so I cut back through the town to avoid it! At the Peregrine Watch I think I could just see a peregrine over in Leigh Woods; there was a bright blue sky, so out of the wind it was warm,and a bird would have been quite well protected where he was sitting. The Downs were very, very hard and dry, so that no birds were out looking for their breakfast. Me, I was off back home for a kipper!

Sunday March 18th

Mothering Sunday. My ride was a little earlier this morning, so that I arrived at the Peregrine Watch around 9am. There was a strong north wind but with the bright sunshine and clouds it was quite warm. The wind was creating waves on the river, and the gulls and jackdaws were falling around the sky above the Gorge. Arriving at Sea Walls I heard a thump, thump of drums, at first I thought it was a car stereo, then a band marching along the Portway, it turned out to be a 'rave' going on in the quarry opposite, caravans and a tarpaulin, and some tents were visible though the trees. That should keep the pigeons away! The drums were still audible at the Peregrine Watch.

A peregrine appeared high up, probably another 250ft above the Gorge rim, from his circling I think he was looking for breakfast. However the gulls did not even notice him, maybe they fell safe and the Gorge peregrines go for other prey. He glided over towards Stoke Bishop, then came back overhead, then back down river again over Stoke Bishop, disappearing as a speck towards Shirehampton and Horse Shoe Bend.

Saturday 17th March

St Patrick's Day! No stopping this morning, all I saw was a flock of starlings in a chestnut tree! The chestnuts are just showing signs of leaves.

Wednesday to Friday, 14-16 March

Three days older, 30 miles later!
On Wednesday the redshank were out underneath Sea Walls cliffs, a pair and a single bird. Then at the Peregrine Watch a couple of peregrines were circling over the river, they 'disappeared' as only peregrines can. The next I saw was a lone bird swoop into a tree in Leigh Woods just opposite. I could just make out his white front as he perched on a branch.
Thursday, four redshank were together on a little patch of rocks just below Sea Walls cliff, every now and then they fluttered to another place. Their red legs and white wing flashes make these fascinating little birds. I did not stop at the Peregrine Watch since I had to rush home to take Geraldine for a hair appointment.
Friday. A cormorant was perched on the water outflow, he was accompanied by a flotilla of ducks. Nothing else apart from a fine looking pair of lesser black backed gulls. The jackdaws were gathering small pieces of bark for their nests on the cliff.

Sunday 11th March

When I stopped at Sea Walls, first one, then another buzzard were circling high up, down river and towards Stoke Bishop. I think they were joined by a peregrine, at any rate a bird flew off to the north at speed, with peregrine-like flight. When I reached the Peregrine Watch there were buzzards to the north and to the south of us, probably three pairs in all. A fine view of one of them as it flew past at gorge-top level. A peregrine was flying high over towards the suspension bridge. The tree tops in Leigh Woods opposite were peppered with wood pigeons, probably keeping a low profile with so many raptors around! It was also high tide, at least there was no mud for any waders.

Wednesday to Friday, 7-9 March

Three days with the Gorge peregrines, usually between 10 and 11am. The birds sit over in the trees in Leigh Woods, and in the strong sunshine of the last few days their white fronts stand out like a little light in the trees. Mostly they sit still and enjoy the morning sunshine. They take off and either fly over to the cliff below the Peregrine Watch, or fly over towards Stoke Bishop and disappear. Since the pigeons sit around them, sometimes very close, just yards away, I guess these birds have eaten and are digesting the latest pigeon! Today, Friday, a couple of peregrines were circling high in the sky above the Gorge. This lasted for some tens of minutes, occasionally a bird would seem to 'disappear' as it dropped out of the sky, but I did not see a kill. They were still circling when I left.

Tuesday 6th March

There was more water lying on the roads around the Downs than I have ever seen before. Several crows were taking advantage of the large puddle to take a wash! At the peregrine watch a group of five to six magpies were arguing on a tree in the nearby woodland, some seagulls were doing a fair imitation of buzzards by soaring high in the sky, and a pair of buzzards were circling around high over towards the Suspension Bridge. They also seemed to be squabbling - or courting! I spotted one peregrine, a large bird, so probably a female, again high over the Suspension Bridge. She disappeared against the sun, so I lost her. It was/is a beautiful bright day with little wind and a spring warmth, the river was very full, the tide going out and with no mud visible.