26th August

I had an e mail from Chris who was on a quiet Tory today.

Went to Tory today.  Also on boat was Wilton Farelly.  I just did the West and saw 29 species.  Best was a Knot on lake and 2 Willow Warblers.  Wilton had a Willow Warbler in East as well as a Buzzard and a Bonxie.

Thanks to Chris and Wilton for their news.

19th August

From Irish Birding again.......

2 Willow Warbler
2 Ruff
1 Little Stint (juvenile)
1 Great Skua

Little Stint is new for the year

18th August

I took this from Irish Birding......

Brad Robson was on yesterday the 18th August

7 Black-tailed Godwit
1 Ruff
3 Whimbrel
1 Buzzard
1 Willow Warbler
3 Great Skua
1 Pintail

Pintail is new for the year

13th August

My first trip of the autumn yesterday. The weather looked great and with Pallid Harrier in Clare and a sprinkling of Pied Flycatchers on the south coast, I was optimistic about what I might find on Tory. Other good omens were Melodious, Icterine and Barred Warblers in Britain on the east and south coasts.

I set the alarm for 3.50am to make sure I had plenty of time to get the early ferry from Bunbeg on Mondays at 7.30am. The weather was pretty bad with heavy rain on the journey up and it continued for most of the morning before eventually drying up at 12.00.

Bird wise it was pretty uneventful. The south easterlies ment there was little or no seabirds on the ferry crossing.

Arctic Tern. The only tern of the trip.

There was just 1 Willow Warbler on the Island. The birding highlight were a single Knot and a Swift, both Tory ticks. Mid August might be just a little early for autumn migration on the north west coast.

Juvenile Knot

Swift

On a brighter note there is a nice field of Oats sown in east town which has already attracted the local Tree Sparrows. It looks good for a rare Bunting in the autumn!

A reported bird of prey "with bells on" gave me the slip, but I have been promised some photos.

Just 7 calling Corncrake this year according th Anton, down from 8 last year. But reports of 18 birds from near by Inishbofin is encouraging.

A count of 26 Tree Sparrow shows they are just about holding there own this year.

Starlings. 260 counted

I hope to get up again before the month is out.

Chris Ingram 1st/2nd August

I had an e mail from Chris Ingram who was on Tory on the 1st and 2nd of August with his Canadian friend Robin Lawson. He reported the following

"Visited Tory on 1st/2nd August.  List as follows:

On the crossing over there were c.15 Manx Shearwaters, 1 Storm Petrel, 2 Bonxies, 3 Auk species, Fulmar, Gannet, Kittiwake, a Sandwich Tern and 2 Sand Martins.  Also very brief views of a cetacean, possibly a Minke Whale.  Return journey was uneventful with only 5 Manx and very little else.
I recorded 42 species as follows:

Manx Shearwater  1 offshore
Fulmar  offshore
Gannet  offshore
Cormorant
Shag
Mute Swan  pair with one cygnet East lake, I on North Lake
Mallard
Peregrine  1
Oystercatcher
Ringed Plover
Lapwing  18+ including some juvs
Dunlin  4
Redshank
Curlew  2
Turnstone 50+ on beach
Bonxie  1 over South lake
Common Gull
Lesser Black Back
Great Black Back
Herring Gull
Kittiwake  adults +2/3 juvs
Sandwich Tern  1 offshore
Common Tern  2
Arctic Tern  c.10 including 2 juvs
Little Tern  c.10
Guillemot  2 offshore
Razorbill  2 offshore
Puffin  none seen, all have left island
Corncrake  1 singing East Town
RockDove/Feral Pigeon
Swift  2
Skylark  3+
Swallow
Rock Pipit
Meadow Pipit
Wheatear  most birds seen were juvs
Raven
Hooded Crow
Chough  amazingly none seen!
Starling
Pied Wagtail
Wren  only 1 seen
Tree Sparrow  2+
Reed Bunting  2 (1 East 1 West)

The King told me that mixamatosis has affected rabbits on the island and there were many carcases on the marsh road, although all the rabbits seen looked healthy."


Swift is new for the year

Oystercatchers and Redshank

Turnstone

Wheatear

Some of Robins photos.