Wednesday 5th August

A warm and very humid morning so that my glasses kept misting up when I tried to use them with binoculars! The rain copious rain over the last few days created a strong ebb tide with a lot of mud and debris. Not many birds to report, a Cormorant flying downriver and lots of Black Headed Gulls on the mud.

Monday August 3rd

A lower tide now, Black Headed Gulls were lined along the riverside, with a few Mallard in the river. On the Downland by Sea Walls someone was feeding a large flock of Herring and Lesser Black Backed Gulls, Jackdaws, Rooks, and Crows. They milled around and grabbed the bread as it was thrown.
At the Peregrine Watch, no Peregrines but a young Kestrel came and sat in the Jackdaw tree. She moved around on the branch, and gazed intently at the grassland at the foot of the cliff, preened her feather a little, and balanced in the strong southerly wind. Every now and then the wind pulled her speckled feathers up into a little umbrella around her waist, most undignified for a lady! But what a little beauty! Eventually she left and flew in front of me below the cliffs.

Some large plastic posters were being erected, mounted on stout wooden posts at either end they are nearer to posters than the usual kind of notice. One at Sea Walls, the other on the corner of Circular Road and Ladies Mile. There are probably others. The message is that barbecues are not allowed on the Downs - and please remove your litter. Quite so! Very commendable! However I do wonder how long such flimsy notices will survive - vandals or the wind! Some weeks ago I watched a policeman on horseback talking to people parked on the grassland by Sea Walls, there was also a barbecue going. He did not seem to be doing anything about moving them off the Down, so what use these notices will be remains to be seen.

Sunday 26th July, Friday 31st July

Sunday was my birthday! A Roe deer was feeding in the quarry opposite the Peregrine Watch. No sign of the Peregrines, but a Kestrel took off from our side, flew over the river and along the treeline by the river, disappearing eventually among the trees. The tide was fairly high on both visits. The rest of the week was so wet that I did not cycle at all. Apparently this was the wettest July in Bristol since 1888.

On Friday I was told by others that there was a Peregrine perched on a ledge near to the Raven's nest. It was not obvious to me.

Thursday 17th July

Whilst I don't mind being caught by the rain, I don't like starting out with it raining! So today (Friday) is not a good day for cycling for me. Yesterday's ride was unremarkable, with neither Kestrels nor Peregrines in view. A lone Cormorant flew down river, and low over the water, I saw another flying towards Bristol across Ladies Mile.

Monday 13th July

I set out in sunshine ... and finished in strong rain. From the Peregrine Watch I could see the rain coming over Dundry and wondered whether to go back through Redland or by the long route and St Ursula's'. I chose the latter. Wrong choice!
There was no sign of the young Kestrels on the Black Rock slabs, I had a careful look and waited (only) about ten minutes. From the top of Walcombe Slade there was no sign of any Kestrel. However cycling into the clearing above the fence I nearly ran over a minute vole. Kestrel food. No Peregrines either, so not a very interesting morning.

Wednesday 8th July

I watched one of the young Kestrels on the rim of the quarry, perched on a bare ivy branch. It was just hidden from the path, a few meters away from the traffic, and noticed by nobody except me. It preened, fluffed its feathers, spread and stretched its wings, hunkered down in the breeze, moved its head around like an owl - with no body movement - and stayed put for at least an hour. I went over to the Peregrine Watch and came back the bird was still there. It moved, but only down to a ledge below to join one of its siblings. So, where are the other two youngsters? I did spot a Raven sitting on the fence near the Austrian pines. Would a Raven attack one of the Kestrel chicks? If it was injured, maybe, but otherwise, probably not.
A large (Welsh?) school party was watching one of their number dressed up as a Peregrine (quite realistically!) at the Peregrine Watch. I wonder if they got to see the real thing this morning? I didn't.

Sunday, Monday, 5th, 6th July

Four Windhover chicks hatched - or so I was informed by the 'Watchers at the Peregrine Cliff'. I only ever managed to see one outside the nest before they fledged, but on Sunday all four could be seen flitting and squatting on the rock slabs at the top of Black Rocks Quarry, and then along in the trees at the top corner of the Gully. On Monday I watched two of them, the others, nor their parents were around. They sit fluffed up sometimes, at other times they waddle over the rock face searching for grubs and other insects. Their parents must keep them fed for at least a month. They practice flying and hovering over the side of the cliffs, and are not too worried about people; I watched one this morning about three meters from someone by the railing - but he was blind to the youngster! On Sunday a Peregrine flew high above them, then today a Buzzard flapped over the river nearby, then flew overhead. The Buzzard was troubled with Crows and the Ravens, and a couple of Gulls. I guess that the raptors, Crows and Ravens are all a danger to the young Kestrels. They are well above the Portway traffic, but could be attracted down there. Wish them luck everybody; they won't harm the racing Pigeons I saw being released from the Sea Walls Plateau this morning.

My heart in hiding
Stirred for a bird, - the achieve of, the mastery of the thing!

On the estuary the tide was ebbing, only Common, Herring, Lesser Black Backed, and Black Headed Gulls are visible on the mud at present. No Redshank.