Watching Kestrels and Peregrines from a cliff top is always interesting, and at the moment the young of both and their parents appear frequently at eye level. The young Peregrines can be seen over in a dead tree opposite the Watch, sometimes one,sometimes more. When they face us they are very visible with their light front feathers.
On Thursday I watched a Grey Heron just beside the storm outflow, he got up suddenly and grabbed into the water at the end of the drain, coming up with, unmistakeably, even from the Sea Walls cliff top, an eel wriggling in his beak. The struggle went on for several minutes, I think the eel won, because I didn't see the Heron swallow anything, and he was digging in the water near a large rock after the eel disappeared from his beak. Eels are very difficult to dispatch!
On Friday I cycled along the Portway cycle path, I didn't see any raptors, perched or flying, but did see Martins, Swifts and some distant Redshank from the bank at Sea Mills station. On Sunday there was a very large crowd of watchers at the Peregrine Watch, and the birds were putting on a fine flying display.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Wednesday July 7th
The river formed a small stream in the middle of a very muddy bed - matching the colour of the sky! We are promised rain, and the Downs can certainly do with a lot, many places are as brown as the river with the grass looking dead.
At Sea Walls a Cormorant and a Heron were on the river side, together with Common Gulls, Herring Gulls, Black Headed Gulls and a couple of Lesser Black Back Gulls, these squabbling over something in the mud.
One of the adult Kestrels sailed past on the warm southerly wind, then flew around the corner into Walcombe Slade. No sign of the youngsters this morning, they are probably over in Leigh Woods.
At the Peregrine Watch another Heron (or the same one) was searching the grass on the river bank where I suspect there are frogs.
There was one very fast fly-past of a Peregrine just in front of us. Three of the young birds were perched in a tree under some ivy, and about halfway down the opposite quarry face. Until Chris Jones pointed them out to me I had not seen them, I was looking too high up the cliff. Once visible they are obvious, especially when facing across the gorge showing their white fronts. They were moving around in the tree, so that sometimes they disappeared into the background. Chris passed another picture on to me.
At Sea Walls a Cormorant and a Heron were on the river side, together with Common Gulls, Herring Gulls, Black Headed Gulls and a couple of Lesser Black Back Gulls, these squabbling over something in the mud.
One of the adult Kestrels sailed past on the warm southerly wind, then flew around the corner into Walcombe Slade. No sign of the youngsters this morning, they are probably over in Leigh Woods.
At the Peregrine Watch another Heron (or the same one) was searching the grass on the river bank where I suspect there are frogs.
There was one very fast fly-past of a Peregrine just in front of us. Three of the young birds were perched in a tree under some ivy, and about halfway down the opposite quarry face. Until Chris Jones pointed them out to me I had not seen them, I was looking too high up the cliff. Once visible they are obvious, especially when facing across the gorge showing their white fronts. They were moving around in the tree, so that sometimes they disappeared into the background. Chris passed another picture on to me.
Four Young Peregrines by Chris Jones, June 2010
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Monday, Tuesday, July 5th, 6th
My first cycle rides for a couple of weeks - the Kestrels and Peregrines are all very active. The young Kestrels, I'm told there are three of them - have been flying around between Black Rock cliffs, the Gully and opposite into Leigh Woods, I have not seen either parent. I visited Whitesands Bay just outside St Davids last week, and watched another pair of Kestrels, which I think may also have been young birds from theier colouring. I even saw a Chough - but only as a fleeting glimpse.
As to the Peregrine youngsters, all five of them, for which this is a 'photo taken by Chris Jones, have been perching over on a ledge in the quarry opposite, sitting on the Raven's nest, in the yew tree, and perching in the upper branches of the trees on the river slopes of Leigh Woods. This morning one of them circled over the Peregrine Watch for a while; in my binoculars I caught it make a feint at a passing bumble bee! We think this is probably the lone (male?), he tends to stay apart from his four siblings. Yesterday the other four were quite close together in the quarry, whereas one (this one?) was over in a dead tree a hundred meters to the right. The parents had deposited a dead pigeon on the cycle track - probably out of sight of all five youngsters - anyway it was ignored and eventually thrown onto the river bank by passing walkers.
As to the Peregrine youngsters, all five of them, for which this is a 'photo taken by Chris Jones, have been perching over on a ledge in the quarry opposite, sitting on the Raven's nest, in the yew tree, and perching in the upper branches of the trees on the river slopes of Leigh Woods. This morning one of them circled over the Peregrine Watch for a while; in my binoculars I caught it make a feint at a passing bumble bee! We think this is probably the lone (male?), he tends to stay apart from his four siblings. Yesterday the other four were quite close together in the quarry, whereas one (this one?) was over in a dead tree a hundred meters to the right. The parents had deposited a dead pigeon on the cycle track - probably out of sight of all five youngsters - anyway it was ignored and eventually thrown onto the river bank by passing walkers.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Friday June 18th
When I reached the fence above Black Rock cliff I soon spotted a Kestrel, she was sitting on a small pinnacle a few tens of yards and up to the right of the nest; the pinnacle is stained with droppings so is easy to see through glasses. The bird was still for five minutes or so, then when I turned away, she was off, and the last I saw was her disappearing around the corner into Walcombe Slade.
The river showed a small area of mud, and the tide was coming in. A Grey Heron was fishing just down river from Black Rocks, she stayed there during most of the time I was at the Gorge. A curious behavior from a passing Cormorant, it looked almost as if it 'buzzed' the Heron!
No Peregrines, but a large number of Gulls milling around all over the Gorge, from high up, down to river level. It was difficult to see what they were doing and why, but they were certainly very busy. Maybe flying in the slight wind for the love of it?
The river showed a small area of mud, and the tide was coming in. A Grey Heron was fishing just down river from Black Rocks, she stayed there during most of the time I was at the Gorge. A curious behavior from a passing Cormorant, it looked almost as if it 'buzzed' the Heron!
No Peregrines, but a large number of Gulls milling around all over the Gorge, from high up, down to river level. It was difficult to see what they were doing and why, but they were certainly very busy. Maybe flying in the slight wind for the love of it?
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Wednesday June 16th
I waited quite a long time standing on one of the railing pillars by the Black Rock Quarry, and overlooking the Suspension Bridge. The tide was high and still flowing in, and the sky was a very clear blue. The Kestrel appeared as if from nowhere and circled just below the cliff that juts towards the river, this was the male, with strong red brown top plumage. He moved off into Walcombe Slade. Next the female appeared, slightly larger and not as red-brown. She landed over on the cliff near where I thought the nest was, then took off and flew around below me and over towards Leigh Woods. The female returned once more but did not land, flying back under me and to Leigh Woods again.
At the Peregrine Watch I saw nothing until another birder pointed out a Peregrine busy plucking a pigeon on the cliff opposite, and just up from the now deserted Raven's Nest. Another Peregrine could now be seen just below the nest. The bird finished the pigeon - or left it - and flew off up river. If, as I've been told there are five Peregrine chicks, I would have expected frantic feeding activity, but I didn't see it.
At the Peregrine Watch I saw nothing until another birder pointed out a Peregrine busy plucking a pigeon on the cliff opposite, and just up from the now deserted Raven's Nest. Another Peregrine could now be seen just below the nest. The bird finished the pigeon - or left it - and flew off up river. If, as I've been told there are five Peregrine chicks, I would have expected frantic feeding activity, but I didn't see it.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Fri, Sun, Mon - 11th - 14th June
Friday was a 'conventional' ride around the Downs, the kind that I have done many times now. The statistics from an iPhone app MotionX-GPS: 14.4km, 48.5min, average speed 17.6km/hr, max speed 38km/hr, min alt 67m, max alt 196m, latitude / longitude start: 51.475215N 2.599883W / end 51.475322N 2.599416W locations. So there. The GPS is not that accurate, note that I started and ended at home, which comes up with two slightly different positions! Here is the track.
Friday was a quiet morning for birds; around the Black Rock quarry Jackdaws disappear into crevices in the rock face, there are probably several nesting pairs. White streaks of bird mess show where the Kestrels land, on a cliff perch, and by the supposed nest site. But no sign of the Kestrels on any of these mornings.
On Sunday morning: 7 km through the city and Black Rock apparently 111m(!). A Peregrine glided high above the river, maybe 400m up,
out over Shirehampton and back, then circled the suspension bridge, and back again. If it was hunting, it was unenthusiastic about it, no swoops. I'm told that there are 5 Peregrine chicks this year and would have thought that there would be a lot of feeding activity, but I have not seen it. Monday was quiet and cold with a high tide, neither Kestrels nor Peregrines were around. My ride took me via Southmead Hospital where I went for an X-ray.
Friday was a quiet morning for birds; around the Black Rock quarry Jackdaws disappear into crevices in the rock face, there are probably several nesting pairs. White streaks of bird mess show where the Kestrels land, on a cliff perch, and by the supposed nest site. But no sign of the Kestrels on any of these mornings.
On Sunday morning: 7 km through the city and Black Rock apparently 111m(!). A Peregrine glided high above the river, maybe 400m up,
out over Shirehampton and back, then circled the suspension bridge, and back again. If it was hunting, it was unenthusiastic about it, no swoops. I'm told that there are 5 Peregrine chicks this year and would have thought that there would be a lot of feeding activity, but I have not seen it. Monday was quiet and cold with a high tide, neither Kestrels nor Peregrines were around. My ride took me via Southmead Hospital where I went for an X-ray.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Sunday 23rd May. Saturday 15th and Monday 17th May
Sunday. The start of some very hot weather - probably the whole summer in a few days! Coming past Sea Walls I saw the kestrel, but am still uncertain about the nest. The bird appeared from the cliff near 
the nest, went over and sat on a rock which is well marked with its guano, them glided off around under me on the cliff facing up river. The beautiful red brown of its feathers catching the sun as it passed.
Saturday. The earliest that I have been up on the Gorge for several years! I was by Sea Walls at 6.30am, just as the sun was hitting the trees in Leigh Woods. Very quiet otherwise. The whitebeams shine out across the Gorge, at this time of year they are very easy to spot among the rest of the trees.
Monday likewise.
the nest, went over and sat on a rock which is well marked with its guano, them glided off around under me on the cliff facing up river. The beautiful red brown of its feathers catching the sun as it passed.Saturday. The earliest that I have been up on the Gorge for several years! I was by Sea Walls at 6.30am, just as the sun was hitting the trees in Leigh Woods. Very quiet otherwise. The whitebeams shine out across the Gorge, at this time of year they are very easy to spot among the rest of the trees.
Monday likewise.
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