Peregrine Watch – 24/25 June

Despite the breeding failure of the Avon Gorge birds this year, the two day watch period still enabled visitors to the site to observe both adult birds who had remained in the area watching over their territory. On June 24 the two birds were mainly seen perched in various locations on the Leigh Woods side of the Gorge. During the first watch, I was at the site and saw a juvenile Peregrine fly towards the site from the direction of Avonmouth. It circled around in the area for about four or five minutes then turned and headed off back in the direction of Avonmouth. The remainder of the day both adult birds were observed either flying around the Gorge or perched.
On June 25 once again both adult birds were observed by visitors either perched in various trees once again on the Leigh Woods side of the Gorge. There were two close-up fly-pasts during the morning by the birds much to the enjoyment of our visitors. Unfortunately, a short sharp squall came in from the direction of Avonmouth which caused our members to shut up their scopes until it had passed over. During the afternoon, most of the time both adults were in view to visitors again, either circling around above the site or perched. At about 15:45 both birds flew off down the Gorge in the direction of the Suspension Bridge and did not return for the remainder of the watch.
Three new members were signed up plus two others who made enquiries and took away the various membership documents to fill out later. Lots of Peregrine leaflets were handed out to interested parties who visited us. All in all, it was a very successful and worthwhile watch weekend.
Thanks go to the following members who gave up their time to this watch weekend:
Barry Gray, Gareth Roberts, Julie/Peter Ottley, Robert Hargreaves, Jenny Ellis, William Earp, Judith Craddock, Alastair Fraser, Judy Copeland, Jean Oliver, Phyl Dykes, Mandy Leivers, Annie Davis, Brenda Page, Charles Stapleton, Cecille Gillard.
As this is the last Watch weekend that I shall be organising, (but will still carry out a shift when I can), I should like to thank all our Club members who during the 16 years that I have been running the watch weekends have given their time to make this event the success it has been. Very many thanks and especially to Brenda Page who took on the role of assisting me by organising and getting the members for the Watch weekends. Charles Stapleton