Wednesday, Thursday, 18th, 19th June

Wednesday. A light rain fell from high cloud for most of my ride this morning. At the Peregrine Watch a buzzard circled high above the river, working its way down towards Avonmouth, then as the rain cleared a little some Swifts appeared, and a Cormorant flew low over the water. Two of the young Peregrines took off separately from the nest and flew over to the opposite quarry, one landed low in the yew tree to the left of the quarry, the other in a small birch tree nearby. When the rain started again, I set off for home.
Thursday. Blue sky, low fluffy clouds and a strong wind; the tide was high but starting to go out. I watched a Peregrine fly towards Avonmouth, she flew rather than glided in the way the birds do when hunting. I suspect this was not one of the nest birds. As I watched another Peregrine appeared in my glasses, this one was gliding around, then dropping fast as if chasing something, she looked almost as if she was playing in the strong wind. The she dropped like a stone towards the Gully. A kill perhaps? I did not see her again, but a little later glimpsed two birds coming into the nest from the direction of the Gully. Just before I left the Watch, a Peregrine up near the Suspension Bridge scared a Pigeon into the trees! Is it my imagination or are the Pigeons flying faster than usual over to the safety of the trees?

Tuesday June 17th

Five Young Peregrines Ready for the World!

The Avon Gorge Peregrines have five fledged youngsters this year, a record number for the Gorge nest. Chris Jones took this amazing nest edge 'photo.

This morning I was at the Watch for an hour and a half watching an unfolding saga. We managed to see at least four of the young birds, some of them on their nest, but at least one of them was over in the wood above the quarry. Three young birds could be seen on their nest edge from a cliff vantage point under an ash; the parents were over in the quarry, one on the cliff below the Raven nest, the other in a Whitebeam; a lone youngster remained for all the time, perched at the top of a dead tree spike, it was still there when I left. At one time a pair of Buzzards flew high overhead. Then one parent circled up and down the Gorge, high, high above in search of food, she did not swoop for a long time, then rapidly descended towards the Suspension Bridge, only to reappear, this time with her mate, perhaps a thousand feet above the river where they circled together. Even higher up there was a cormorant!

Thursday 12th June

Three Peregrines this morning, the male and female flew around under the Peregrine Watch, and I suppose onto their nest. Then another bird appeared over the Gully, and flew in wide circles up and over me, then over towards Clifton, back over by the Suspension Bridge, and finally disappearing as a speck far over Leigh Woods to the west. This was a hunting Peregrine, but she made on swoop. There was another sighting of that Cormorant that thinks it is a Peregrine, appearing high over the Gully, it circled and glided over me, then did a rapid slip off over towards the Zoo!

Wednesday 11th June

I have been away in the Lake District with my sister Ann, Fell Walking for a week. No cycle rides! A visit to Haweswater with the potential to see the Eagle was irresistible! And we were very lucky - also not to fall off the very scary ridge climb. My comment below was to the RSPB Haweswater visitor book. Addendum, they don't publish everything! Apparently the comment below was not sufficiently interesting ...... (17-6-08)

"We walked up the rough and dangerous 3 km path above Riggindale, over Swine, Heron and Eagle Crags, then between Rough Crag and coming by Caspel Gate the Eagle appeared, soaring around the top side of the Blea Water Crag. It was about 1.30pm. He glided around the crags for some minutes, and I thought he was about to land, but then he ascended rapidly up into the strong wind blowing over High Street. I took the glasses off him, but could not see which way he flew. We only realized how strong the wind was when we reached the cairn above Long Stile. This is one scary walk! Coming over the top another group of five large birds was flying low over to the west of Racecourse Hill. I was attuned to the Eagle, but these could not possibly be Eagles!! I suspect a Raven family, since the birds were pretty well all the same size, and that would be like the Ravens that hatched three chicks earlier this year on the Bristol Avon Gorge, then went off with their parents. The wind was so strong on Monday afternoon on High Street that it was difficult to hold my binoculars, so judging the size and distance of this quintet was difficult, and they soon disappeared. There were a large number of Geese at Mardale Head, but I could not recognise them. Wow!!!
John Maher and Ann Casey"

We stayed in Ambleside at Smallwood House, Compston Road. Christine and Anthony Harrison made us very welcome in their delightful hotel, and we thank them for their hospitality and for providing a base for our walking days.

Friday 30th May

As I cycled past Sea Walls I had a glimpse of a red-brown Kestrel as she disappeared into Walcombe Slade, then later at the Peregrine Watch a couple brief views of the female Peregrine, she circled out into the Gorge a couple of times, then back to the nest. It cannot be too long before the chicks hatch - they may have done so already. How many this year?

Tuesday, Thursday, 27th, 29th May

This is my 250^th entry! Tuesday was cold, grey and unlike a May morning, today, after yesterday's heavy rain, was foggy at the start, but cleared to blue sky and clouds, the remnants of the rain left large puddles and a very humid warm atmosphere.
I spotted the Peregrine almost immediately, she was perched, facing me on a small S-shaped branch on what I later decided was an oak. She sat, firstly like a little gold trophy, then as she began preening her feathers, she showed many different poses. From her crop, I guess she had fed recently, and was sitting in the sunshine digesting her kill.
Forty years ago Geraldine and I visited Kilibegs in Donegal, and I remember going to the harbour to watch a fishing boat discharge a catch of mackerel, the Herring Gulls were diving onto the catch, taking off, and swallowing their booty whole, almost at the same time a huge quantity of white excrement issued from their rear ends. We retreated rapidly! So it was with this Peregrine, it looked as if she had discharged a bucketful! After this she moved to the back of the tree behind the foliage, just visible when one knew where to look.
Whilst I was watching her, one of the others at the Peregrine watch told me that the male was flying around below the cliff, no doubt a brief exercise between sitting on the eggs. The male does help with this, doesn't he? I wonder how many chicks there will be this year?

Friday 23rd May

A quiet morning, the tide was still coming in. No peregrines, but there were Swifts flying high up above the river, and a trio of Mallard flying around like spitfires!