Tuesday January 30th

This morning I wanted another check on the redshank on the Avon mud, so left the Downs at Ivywell Road, and found my way down to Roman Way and then the Portway. Coming back up Bridge Valley Road (which I managed without dismounting - phew), and through Redland, back home via the Breadstore.
Redshank. Yes these are certainly redshank, the long red legs, and the very distinctive white rear edges to the wings when it flies. I noticed a slight bobbing of the head again, and a rapid walk as the bird explored the mud. The red upper bill was probably there, but very difficult to see, and could well have been obscured by a layer of River Avon mud. Try BTOWeb for picture.

Monday 29th January

If the small waders that I saw yesterday were still on the mud, I decided to go down to the Portway for a closer look. They were, so after my second circuit I set off down Bridge valley Road, and then along the cycle track at the edge of the Portway. The cycle track is VERY necessary, the traffic is horrendous, and fast. I cycled towards Avonmouth for about a mile, stopping whenever I thought I saw one of the birds, and there were about half a dozen. They were solitary and at the side of the river, occasionally venturing up the mud a little. They were about half the size of the mallard, and were probing the mud, I saw one pull up a worm. One of them was bobbing his head and upper body in a very peculiar fashion, none of the others did this, though so far as I could see, all were the same species. The brown upper body, red fairly long legs, and the white flash at the edge of the wings when one of them flew, together with a slightly speckled chest, I think, nails them as redshank. The web picture, here from the RSPB, is not very good. Certainly not any of the other related candidates from the RSPB web site (greenshank, ruff, spotted redshank). I could not see the upper part of the bill too clearly - that should be red also. Next time!
Among the mallard was one brown red duck, looking very out of place; identity?
After the ride? Well where else but the Merchants Arms, Hotwells, for a pint of Bath Ales beer and a pork pie. John still had some Festivity left "Specially Crafted Rum Porter". An excellent breakfast.

Saturday, Sunday 27th, 28th January

This was garden birdwatch w/e. I did see a dunnock and a couple of blue tits in the front garden on our mulberry tree, and there was a jay perched on a chimney on Clare Avenue, but these were on friday so it did not count! A big zero during the w/e in our back garden!
Saturday. At the peregrine watch the jackdaws were circling around in pairs, it is as if they have invisible bands tied between them. A heron flew down river.
Sunday. A peregrine appeared from the direction of the Suspension Bridge, circled around for a while, then disappeared back the way it had come. Some mallard were in the water by Sea Walls, and (thanks to a new pair of binoculars) I was able to spot some small brownish waders at the side of the mud on the river, they were solitary, but exactly what they were, I'm not sure: redshank (possible), curlew (possible), bar-tailed godwit (possible), dunlin (doubtful). Even with the glasses (10x42) it was difficult to see any details. A cormorant flew over the Downs by Sea Walls, it is unusual to see them away from the river.

Wednesday 24th January

There was no frost this morning, but it was very cold. The river was slack, the tide neither coming nor going. Very, very little activity from any birds, but seven mallards at the opposite side of the river, four drakes and three hens! A very large group of gulls on the football pitch beside Ladies Mile.

Sunday, Tuesday January 21st, 23rd

Sunday was uneventful, if a bit windy. A lone cormorant flew over Leigh Woods, and the river was speckled with a couple of hundred gulls. The temperature is dropping, so that by Tuesday we had a sharp frost. I don't often see black backed gulls (usually herring, common and black headed) on the Downland, today, there were three near the road by Sea Walls, alrge ungainly birds waddling around on the grass. Beside the Peregrine Watch a large group of jackdaws were flying around, some swooping low over my head, and flying around in a large flock above the river. At first I thought that a peregrine was around, but none were visible. What else can cause this kind of behaviour? The jackdaws crowded onto their tree, and many of them settled on the grass behind me for a short while, then off flying again. The ground was still hard and frozen, but maybe someone had put some food down. On Sunday there was a programme on BBC about Red Kites. I overheard someone at the PW say they had seen a kite some time back. See for more.

Tuesday 16th January

Small groups of starlings and gulls on Durdham Down. Most of the Bristol jackdaw population seemed to be at the corner of Ladies Mile and Circular Road. On the mud of the river a large group of gulls were resting. I also saw mallards dabbling around, a mystery small black and white bird flew over the mud below Sea Walls, it seemed too large for a wagtail, but flew a little like one, so maybe was! Two lesser black backed gulls flew down river, low over the mud. Lots of signs of birds pairing up in the mild weather.

Sunday 14th January

From home to the Peregrine Watch is about three and a half miles across Bristol. This morning was bright and clear with a large number of Sunday walkers, joggers, cyclists and car drivers(!) making the most of the sunshine. Most of the flood water on the Downs has cleared away, so there were a couple of junior football groups out playing on the pitches. At the Gorge, few birds apart from the usual pigeons flitting around Leigh Woods, and the usual crows, seagulls and mallards. I avoided the Peregrine Watch this morning, there was a large group of 'birders' where I usually stop, so I went down the path at the side of the Gorge a little way, and came back through the woods and joined the road again at the bottom of Ladies Mile.