Friday May 16th

There are no Redshank on the mud at low tide, I expect that they are all away on their nests! There must be a Wren's nest close to the Jackdaw Tree; the Wren sings when I turn up, and there was a change in the 'language' when a large Crow landed on the tree! One of the Jackdaws, also with a nest just below the cliff, did not like this Crow one little bit. I heard a raucous noise from the Jackdaw as it repeatedly dive-bombed the Crow. When the Crow didn't move the Jackdaw landed on the other side of the tree - away from the Crow - eyed the Crow up and down - took off again - and went in for the kill! This time the Crow flew off, pursued by one very angry Jackdaw, they crossed the road, and only then was the Jackdaw happy. She returned the the tree and started preening. The Wren's notes became much sweeter, and I could see it sitting on a bottom branch of a little hawthorn on the Gorge edge.

Wednesday May 14th

Four Ravens were flying lazily around over Leigh Woods, if this is 'Family Raven' I wondered where the fifth was, especially since it was difficult to distinguish the youngsters from their parents. What took place next could mean that a Peregrine has had one of the young Ravens. The male Peregrine appeared, he certainly took great exception to all four Ravens, launching a series of swoop attacks; no feathers flew but the Ravens all retreated towards Bristol. The Peregrine swooped down to his nest on the cliff below me, he folded his wings as in a swoop for the last few meters - an angry bird?!

Tuesday May 13th

Two trips up onto the Downs today. The first a foreshortened ride due to meeting Roger at the Peregrine Watch, and then, after walking back over the downland and looking at the trees and shrubs, we decided to return and spend time photographing the trees and flora on the Downs, but especially in the Gully. We spent several hours walking and clambering around the steep slopes and the rocks in the Gully (Walcombe Slade) where we took over 200 pictures. The state of a lot of this region is very disappointing. Management, hmmmm ....! I was amazed at the number of Whitebeam around, these are losing their initial white glow as the leaves age a little. The Downs trees are in their full glory at present. Westonbirt eat your heart out!
Afterwards, a short stay at the Watch in the afternoon: first a Buzzard being seen off by one of the Ravens, then later two of last years juvenile Pergrines appeared briefly and circled in the Gorge, then the male from the nest took off and started hunting, circling slowly up over Leigh Woods, disappearing for a while, then circling higher and eventually disappearing over towards Bristol. I understand that the chicks may have fledged, so we may start to see the two parents feeding their young; it will get intersting in early June.

Sunday 4th May

This morning was very quiet, I eventually spotted two of the young Ravens sitting on top of the Yew trees to the right of their nest; maybe they only return to the nest at nightfall?
The Chestnut trees on Saville Road are now fully laden with their leaves and flowers, and the other trees are showing greenery of every shade. The Gorge Whitebeams are especially beautiful, the light green of these trees (and I hear there are over 200 of them), show up vividly amongst the other greens. The Whitebeams are not all in full leaf, probably reflecting the many micro-climates of the Gorge. A little quarry to the right, when viewed from the Peregrine Watch, has a rim which is nearly ringed with Whitebeams; many more are visible in Walcombe Slade, but the best view of them is still from the Peregrine Watch.

Friday May 2nd

We saw the first Swifts this morning, calling loudly as they flew over the Peregrine Watch. Two young Ravens are still on the side of their nest, the third appears to have moved to the cliff face over to the left (we saw an adult go in to feed it). High above was a hunting Peregrine. A quiet day!

Tuesday April 29th

There was a fire over beside the water in Avonmouth, the orange-red flames were visible just under the motorway bridge, the smoke attracted attention, then a buzzard swung into view! It was silhouetted against the smoke and sky. Over by the Peregrine Watch the male Peregrine flew past on a couple of occasions, he is a dark large bird, so there is a fine view as he passes to and from the nest. Over on the Raven's nest the youngsters are flying around a little, one went as far as the quarry, at other times they sit on the side of the nest, in the neighbouring Whitebeam, or Silver Birch. I may have had a glimpse of the Kestrel from Sea Walls.

Sunday, Monday, 27th, 28th April

On Sunday we watched the foxes in the bushes below the Peregrine Watch, their bright red coats are now very prominent amid the new green foliage, nearby beside the Portway are three Bristol Whitebeams are in their spring glory. In the quarry the three young Ravens perch on the side of their nest or disappear inside it into safety. We saw the male Peregrine below in the Gorge on a couple of occasions, then the Kestrel. On Monday a Buzzard soared above Sea Walls, and then flew on over towards Snyed Park; a Cormorant started circling high above, the same happened with another Cormorant (the same one?), but over above the Peregrine Watch. Another Cormorant flew low over the water up-river. Why do Cormorants circle like this? The male Peregrine took off from below us and flew high above us, it is likely that the female is on her eggs at the moment, since the Peregrine activity is a bit muted. A flock of teenage Herring Gulls was on the river; a lone swallow passed, and I watched a Heron fly past and could follow him with binoculars almost as far as the motorway bridge. Two beautiful bright mornings, though on Monday there was a cold westerly wind, the tide is in-coming, with a little more mud each day. Only the ducks at the river edges, no other waders.