On a hot, muggy late June afternoon 11 members met BOC Peregrine Falcon watcher Gareth to find out more about these magnificent and enigmatic avian raptors, and hopefully to see them. Our meeting place, on Bristol Downs above Avon Gorge, was very close to the nest, directly below us in a shallow cave in the cliff. Impossible to see and inaccessible except with climbing gear, the nest is a safe haven for these once almost extinct birds, making a good comeback but still persecuted in some parts of the country, especially in grouse shoots. They particularly favour urban environments, including Bristol and Bath, tall buildings and cliffs like Avon Gorge forming excellent breeding sites.

Gareth explained that the birds are late nesting this year and normally any chicks would have fledged by 20^th June. Although no eggs were seen in May, the adults were bringing food back to the nest (mainly pigeons, caught in flight) in an amount suggesting that one chick had hatched. In a good year, a pair could raise up to 5 young. This might be because the female is a young 2 year old from Cheltenham (identified by her ring), yet to reach full sexual maturity.