Clifton Down & Avon Gorge

For old times’ sake I’m including Avon in what I define as my county. In this spirit the country boy did the reverse of what the city slickers were probably doing on this hot day. He motored into Bristol and hit its best birding spot.

Where things were pretty quiet. But I did discover the maze of tracks and paths through the woods of Walcombe Slade. This is to the west of Circular Road about a hundred metres north of the Peregrine Watch point. It’s a tiny area but intricately woven and thickly vegetated. You can’t go far wrong finding your way round though. To the east, you just end up at the road again; but Gorge-side… well, if a path seems to be going down steeply, you probably don’t want to take it too far.

And what did I see there? My first Bristol treecreeper. Two of ‘em actually. And one so close I could have touched it. That doesn’t happen every day of the week.

Related posts:

1. Winter Waders, Avon Gorge
2. Avon Bird Report 2009
3. Somerset & Bristol Bird Lists