An eventful week! Rain rain, rain and floods (elsewhere than Bristol).
Thursday 19th : my ride was cut short, so I did not get to see the Gorge.
Saturday, Sunday 21st, 22nd July. Peregrines sighted on both days, clinging to the cliff opposite, and flying.
Tuesday, 24th July. I met up with Roger again, we watched a juvenile Peregrine pursue a flock of racing pigeons, he was not too successful, the pigeons stayed in a tight bunch, occasionally one peeled off, but the Peregrine did not single it out. The whole chase disappeared off over towards Clifton.
Friday, 27th July. Another juvenile Peregrine was hunting over the Gorge, and though stooping on several occasions, did not catch anything that I could see. From Sea Walls I thought that I could see two Peregrines just by the cliff top on the grassy ledge. Lots of assorted gulls on the river mud. No deer tracks visible.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Wednesday 18th July
Yesterdays performance from the young peregrines made me forget to report the sighting of a Roe Deer and her fawn over in the opposite quarry, they were about half way up, feeding on the vegetation, they stayed for nearly half an hour before disappearing off towards the woodlands at the side of the quarry. This is probably the deer that leaves her tracks in the river mud.
Today, I think that the two female peregrines were perched near the top of the cliff by the grassy ledge, they were lower down, and so not visible from the cliff top. I had a brief sighting of a peregrine (the male youngster?) flying over the tree tops in the quarry over the river and to the left. This was a very beautiful morning, with a warm westerly wind, and light clouds moving over, the effect on the Gorge and the high slack tide, just on the turn, was a sight to behold.
Today, I think that the two female peregrines were perched near the top of the cliff by the grassy ledge, they were lower down, and so not visible from the cliff top. I had a brief sighting of a peregrine (the male youngster?) flying over the tree tops in the quarry over the river and to the left. This was a very beautiful morning, with a warm westerly wind, and light clouds moving over, the effect on the Gorge and the high slack tide, just on the turn, was a sight to behold.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Tuesday 17th July
This was not a morning that I expected to see very much, with heavy rain showers and a brisk wind coming up the Gorge. I was at the Peregrine Watch at 10.45am, after about ten minutes two of the young peregrines flew past, as one came up river below me it was calling. After a while all three young birds were to be seen diving in and out of the trees over towards Nightingale Valley. They managed to put up a pigeon, and as it dived towards the river a large cloud of feathers erupted, I did not see the strike, the pigeon must have, somehow, survived because the three peregrines were seen again very shortly after, chasing around, and chasing each other. Then a flock of six or more cormorants flew past towards the Bristol Docks, they did not notice the kerfuffle, and the peregrines ignored them. The youngsters continued their chasing for a while, then came down past the Peregrine Watch and into the quarry too our right and above the storm water outflow. Then it rained, so they beat a retreat back to the cliff under us, and probably their old nest site. What a display, and the speed and mastery of flight that even the young birds can show!
Monday, July 16, 2007
Monday 16th July
Bright, warm and muggy, with Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws all busy on the Downland grass. Today's finds were a Peregrine in the banana tree, a Cormorant flying up river, and a Buzzard towards Sea Mills. The Peregrine's presence in the tree was only given away by occasional, slight movements, he was certainly not seen by the local Wood Pigeons flying in and around the quarry.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 13th to 15th July
Friday. Patience is rewarded, and just unlucky? When I arrived at the Peregrine Watch a boy and his father were busy scanning the Gorge with binoculars. Looking for peregrines? They stayed for perhaps five more minutes then went back to their car. About a minute later I saw a peregrine opposite, it took off from the opposite quarry, circled briefly, then disappeared. I did not see it perch. Other birds: a lesser black backed on the road, numerous black headed on the river mud from the retreating tide, ducks, crows and rooks.
Saturday. At Sea Walls, a high flying cormorant, he flew anything but straight towards Avonmouth, lurching around like a drunk, too much fish perhaps? The birders were out in force on this fine morning, and with good cause, there were four peregrines in the opposite quarry, two close to the old Raven's nest, another, motionless, statuesque, in a little v-shaped alcove up to the right. Then one settled in the top of a yew tree to the left of the top of the quarry. They all, apart from the statue-bird, moved and flew a little. When perched on the rocks opposite, with their back towards us, they blend well with the cliff faults and colours, and are very difficult to see, only their small movements give them away. A heron was perched on top of a broken birch tree above the quarry to the left, and moved onto a more substantial perch in a tree behind. On the Jackdaw tree, a beautiful, rare sight of a male green finch, wings down, tail up, and singing, displaying: to whom, to what, to us? He stayed just long enough for Chris to creep back to his car and get his camera for a 'photo. One of the birders mentioned seeing an egret, but I did not. There was also a buzzard over towards Sea Mills.
Sunday. High, dense cloud, and it started to rain more persistently when I reached the Peregrine Watch. As luck would have it, a peregrine flew from the quarry opposite and up onto the yew tree again. I could not see any other birds, but I suspect they were there, as yesterday. I was at the Watch for only a few minutes, and about an hour later than for the last two days, at 11am.
Saturday. At Sea Walls, a high flying cormorant, he flew anything but straight towards Avonmouth, lurching around like a drunk, too much fish perhaps? The birders were out in force on this fine morning, and with good cause, there were four peregrines in the opposite quarry, two close to the old Raven's nest, another, motionless, statuesque, in a little v-shaped alcove up to the right. Then one settled in the top of a yew tree to the left of the top of the quarry. They all, apart from the statue-bird, moved and flew a little. When perched on the rocks opposite, with their back towards us, they blend well with the cliff faults and colours, and are very difficult to see, only their small movements give them away. A heron was perched on top of a broken birch tree above the quarry to the left, and moved onto a more substantial perch in a tree behind. On the Jackdaw tree, a beautiful, rare sight of a male green finch, wings down, tail up, and singing, displaying: to whom, to what, to us? He stayed just long enough for Chris to creep back to his car and get his camera for a 'photo. One of the birders mentioned seeing an egret, but I did not. There was also a buzzard over towards Sea Mills.
Sunday. High, dense cloud, and it started to rain more persistently when I reached the Peregrine Watch. As luck would have it, a peregrine flew from the quarry opposite and up onto the yew tree again. I could not see any other birds, but I suspect they were there, as yesterday. I was at the Watch for only a few minutes, and about an hour later than for the last two days, at 11am.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 10-12th July
Back from various trips - South Derbyshire for the Ripley Ring Meeting, then from Skagen in Denmark. I did spot an interesting group of birds during a bus trip to Grenen (The Spit) from Skagen, this is the very north-most point of Jutland, where the Skagerrak meets the Kattegat. It is a good place to watch sea birds. I think I spotted some darker birds which could have been skuas, there was a large flock of waders near the dunes. Plovers? I also spotted some terns, and (inland) a few hooded crows (I think!).
On Tuesday I did not stop! Wednesday was notable for the almost total absence of bird life (apart from the river gulls and a few ducks) at the Peregrine Watch, then a peregrine appeared flying low over trees coming down to the river, and towards the suspension bridge. The bird circled among the tree tops, then rose and crossed the river, disappearing towards Bridge Valley Road. On Thursday I caught a glimpse of a peregrine flying in front of the Peregrine Watch cliffs - this from over by Sea Walls. I was looking to see if any birds were perched on the ledge near the cliff top. Three days, two glimpses!
On Tuesday I did not stop! Wednesday was notable for the almost total absence of bird life (apart from the river gulls and a few ducks) at the Peregrine Watch, then a peregrine appeared flying low over trees coming down to the river, and towards the suspension bridge. The bird circled among the tree tops, then rose and crossed the river, disappearing towards Bridge Valley Road. On Thursday I caught a glimpse of a peregrine flying in front of the Peregrine Watch cliffs - this from over by Sea Walls. I was looking to see if any birds were perched on the ledge near the cliff top. Three days, two glimpses!
Friday, June 29, 2007
Wednesday, Thursday 28th,29th June
Wednesday was cold, grey and bird less! Not a day to linger. On Thursday I was caught in a cold heavy rain shower, but there was a good omen. Coming towards the White Tree roundabout across the Downs there was a flash of yellow from a small bird as it flew in front of me - a goldfinch out in the rain. Then when I got to Sea Walls the two female peregrine youngsters could be seen perched where we saw them on Tuesday last (Eye of the Falcon) - on their ledge just below the cliff top. Shortly after I arrived at the Peregrine watch the male chick flew from somewhere over near the banana tree, down and over to the cliff near his sisters. Next an adult, probably the female appeared just over the river mud below, then flew along and over the towpath, settling into some of the trees by the railway. Next I heard the birds calling from below the cliff, no sighting just the call. Then two birds, then a third dropped sharply down to the bottom of the quarry to our right, then they appeared over the trees opposite and flew towards the woodland opposite Sea Walls. Maybe a lesson for the young birds from a parent? I checked the clifftop perch from both Sea Walls and from just above, and the girls had flown off. At Sea walls a falcon was perched on one of the dead tree branches in the opposite woodland. By this time the sun had come out, and I was drying off. A miserable start turned into a beautiful day.
Perhaps a moral about watching these birds, but you need to keep a constant watch for them, they are very well camouflaged against their background, and the move fast, often apparently gliding and with no wing movements. They seem to appear as if from nowhere, then disappear again into the trees and background rocks. Sitting back from the cliff, or being distracted by talking to other people is no good. I'm sure that the trio of other watchers out there today did not see a quarter of what I saw going on! Bird watching, especially with peregrines is a solitary pass time.
Perhaps a moral about watching these birds, but you need to keep a constant watch for them, they are very well camouflaged against their background, and the move fast, often apparently gliding and with no wing movements. They seem to appear as if from nowhere, then disappear again into the trees and background rocks. Sitting back from the cliff, or being distracted by talking to other people is no good. I'm sure that the trio of other watchers out there today did not see a quarter of what I saw going on! Bird watching, especially with peregrines is a solitary pass time.
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