Friday 7th November

A walk to the Peregrine Watch today, not that it was that cold. Six Redshank on the mud opposite, about to be driven off by the incoming tide.
I was told that there was a Peregrine perched over opposite on the 'white cliff', but could not see it. Chris Jones sent me this fine picture of 'Bubo', I have been told that this Eagle Owl is a male - and that the females of the species are even larger.

Tuesday, Thursday, November 4th, 6th

On Tuesday I walked over to the Peregrine Watch, taking the route around the Downs roads. There were large flocks (hundreds) of Blacked Headed Gulls, mixed with a few Rooks, Crows and Jackdaws; since the grassland was very wet, the pickings must have been good. Some gulls made the most of Downland which had been churned to mud by a fun fair on Saturday last. One of the houses on Rockleaze has chicken in the front garden! I think that they were Cuckoo Marans - one of the worlds finest fowls for eggs. The tide was high, so not much to be seen. Just as I was about to leave the Peregrine Watch there was a commotion right in front of me, a peregrine chased a couple of Jackdaws, probably out of habit rather than hunger since it disappeared up into the Gully. The rest of the jackdaw flock arose from their perches on the cliff and milled around for a while before deciding that the danger had passed.
On Thursday I was on my bicycle again. The Downs were very cold, so it was not pleasant to linger at the Peregrine Watch - and my glasses steamed up rapidly when I stopped cycling. The river was very still, so that the reflections of the trees opposite were sharp in the water. Whilst I was looking at this the first Redshank flew in low over the water to land on the mud, the white flashes on his wings making him large and obvious.

Friday 31st October, Sunday 2nd November

I walked through "The Dumps" to get to and from the Peregrine Watch; an advantage of walking is that you see more - a wren, chaffinches, a Jay, Magpies (lots!), and one that was too quick to recognise, but it had a white(ish) chest. There were Redshank on the mud below the Peregrine Watch.
Sunday was not quite as cold as Friday, so I chanced a cycle ride, and was regretting it by the time I got to Ladies Mile for the first time. When there is mud, the Redshank are permanent fixtures at this time of year. Saturday night was very wet, so the annual fireworks display combined with parking and a funfair made the Downland behind the Water Tower into a ploughed field. Several hundred Gulls were spread out onto two large areas behind this mud.
Geraldine Taylor's new book The Bristol Downs, a natural history year has been published. Yours truly has a short section and a link to this Blog from it! Buy!

Tuesday, Wednesday October 28th, 29th

Cold weather is not conducive to cycling, so I walked to the Downs. On the river mud there are small groups of Redshank, their legs glowing red in the sunshine, on Wednesday I counted eight birds in a small group opposite the Peregrine Watch. The black headed gulls have regained their earphones, there were over a hundred of them on the football pitches of the Plateau. I also saw several Jays.

On Wednesday I walked over to the University to take a look at bubo bubo, Clifton's own Eagle Owl, as featured in the Guardian on October 10th. She was perched in the sycamore tree beside the steps up to University Walk from Woodland Road beside the Queens Building. Today, the best view was from the lawn beside BISC. She was a little difficult to see at first, but once spotted is difficult to miss! Enormous, majestic, beautiful, awesome, are all understatements, and sitting on a big thick branch with her tail protruding from underneath. There are reports of these owls breeding in Yorkshire, and the RSPB has commented on them, though I don't like the comment since it hints at culling! Whilst I love cats (I have three!), it is about time the local moggies learned some respect, they have had matters their own way with most of the bird population of the UK for far too long. Whilst I was looking at Bubo some old friends from Computer Science appeared and told me that the remains of a cat had been found under the tree, also that the owl was feeding on local grey squirrels. I also heard that local foxes take cover. We should also warn the corgi population!

Monday 27th October

The grassland beside Sea Walls attracted a large group of Crows, Rooks and a few young Herring Gulls, a Raven landed briefly on the Black Rock cliff, then glided off around towards the river. On the mud I could see one or two Redshank. All was quiet at the Peregrine Watch initially, then a large group of Jackdaws arose from under the cliff, wheeled around over the river, and as if someone had said 'right folks, off to the grass', flew over towards Clifton Down. I though that was it, but no, several views of the Ravens, then a grey Peregrine flew from Leigh Woods to land under the cliff, moments later a pair of Kestrels left Leigh Woods near the quarries, and I watched (the female?), glide across to Walcombe Slade. Just before I left for home and breakfast a Sparrowhawk flew from Leigh Woods and disappeared into the trees on the left beside Circular Road.

Thursday 23rd October

This morning there were Redshank on both sides of the river mud, even the quartet that I saw yesterday. Two of the four birds are a little lighter than the others, maybe the adults have gained their winter plumage, so that the other two are youngsters from this year's brood - they remain darker. I had a beautiful view of male Kestrel at Sea Walls, he was flying around the cliffs, presenting a reddish brown back and black wing ends, with a grey head and tail and a black bit with a bar on his tail. Seeing him from above is a pleasure afforded by the view from the top of a couple of hundred foot of cliff!

Wednesday October 22nd

There were Redshank on the mud downriver from Sea Walls, and a quartet of the birds pecked and strutted the mud opposite the Peregrine Watch. A Buzzard appeared over the river opposite Walcombe Slade, then moments later a Peregrine came into view, he chased a Jackdaw towards Black Rocks, was unsuccessful, then disappeared, probably into the valley. There was a rain shower just before I left home, the sun shone for my ride.