Friday 22nd August

A truly beautiful morning, fluffy white clouds and patches of blue, only a light breeze. There are still some very wet patches from the rain. There "may" have been Peregrine over at the back of the banana tree, but the light made it difficult to be certain. High tide, or nearly so, so not many birds.

Thursday August 21st

The early blue sky gave way to clouds, but at least it has not rained yet. Two Peregrines were visible from the Watch, one in the banana tree, the other over at the top of the yews to the left. Another bird on the quarry cliff was just a piece of rock, or so I think. Wood Pigeons were flying all around these raptors, they must sense when their foes have fed.

Monday 18th August

High tide (just starting to ebb), with low grey clouds and a hint of rain in the air. This was one of the most 'birdless' mornings that I have seen for a while. Just as I was about to leave a Peregrine flew from the cliff over to the top of the quarry.

Sunday August 17th

Sunshine and showers today. A group of Herring and Lesser Black Backed Gulls were on the grass beside Circular Road, there were young and mature gulls in the group, interesting to see the different plumage for these gulls. They ARE confusing, so I forgive myself some earlier comments in this blog concerning 'mystery gulls'. At the Peregrine Watch there were a couple of eponymous fly-byes under the cliff and over the river! I retreated before the next shower arrived.

Thursday August 14th

The heavy rain of the last two days kept me away from the Downs, where the gulls and corvus like the soft ground. There was a Peregrine over on the cliff just above the Raven's next, maybe another in a neighbouring birch. Over the river a couple of young Lesser Black Backed Gulls were swooping around in a hawk-like manner.

Sunday August 10th

This was a morning for sun, wind, rain and chases! The five Ravens chased a buzzard low over the woodland opposite Sea Walls, from the Peregrine Watch the six birds rose and fell over the edge of the trees by the river bend. As a small yacht went down river, a flock of gulls preceeded it, among these a Heron was chased by a Lesser Black Backed Gull. A Peregrine dived on a seagull, missed and went after a pigeon, it must have been a young bird, it made a mess of that as well! After the chase the Peregrine disappeared off towards Stoke Bishop, joined by another (young?) Peregrine. There was a Peregrine in the top of the Yew and another in the "Banana" Tree opposite, both visible from Sea Walls. Both Buzzards and Peregrines were flying high above the Gorge. Being a Sunday, many people were out on the Downs; I stayed for about an hour.

Thursday 7th August

The tide was high and still flowing up river, with it came a large number of Cormorants, firstly two at our level, they looked like a pair of geese when I spotted them coming from Sea Walls direction, as they passed we could see that they had their beaks open. Next five just above the river surface, flying in a staggered line, then two other groups of three flying beside Leigh Woods. Over in the quarry to the left of the Peregrine Watch was a Roe deer, and in the opposite quarry sat a young Peregrine, statue-like, and just up from the Raven nest. Apparently he had been there several hours. The prospect of a heavy shower of rain made me head for home!