Sunday 31 May 2015

Robert Vaughan

















Hi Peter,
sorry for the delay getting a short round up to you, been busy enough since I got back. A pretty miserable few days weather wise, constant strong wind and some heavy showers, but surprising fall on the second day produced my 2nd island cuckoo and a northern willow warbler. Not too sure about the redpolls, possibly Icelandic types, very buff and I think a bit too bright and large for meally, but sure they're all just redpoll's anyway! Just a summary of high counts,

Red throated diver, 1-2 most days of the west end.
Great Northern Diver, minimum 13 on 22 off west end towards horn head, similar numbers most days. 1 full summer in harbour 21st.
Cormorant, 2 west end lake, 23rd, several off west end.
Grey Heron, 1 west across the harbour on 23rd.
Mute Swan, pairs on each lake, one east end paired up with a canada goose!
Canada goose, one east lake each day
Brent goose, an adult west end 21 and 22.
Shelduck, female east beach each day.
Mallard, atleast 10 most days.
Tufted duck, 15 west end, 4 east end.
Eider, pair in the harbour most evenings and mornings.
Hooded Mergansers, pair till 23rd.
Buzzard, heard above west town on 23rd but not seen.
Peregrine, adult pair and 1st summer east end most days.
Merlin, female 22 west end.
Corncrake, 1 west lakes from 23rd, 7 west town, 3 east town, minimum count of singing birds, 2 more around Maheroarty on 25th.
Pheasant, 2 males, 1 in each town.
Ringed Plover, Atleast 8 pairs west end, several more along road to east end.
Golden plover, 3 around the lighthouse 22, 1 east end 23.
Lapwing, about 9 pairs from west town towards east end, a few more around west lakes.
Sanderling, 3 from the boat on 25.
Turnstone, small numbers scattered around the island.
Dunlin, small numbers, very few in the harbour.
Curlew, 1 in harbour from 22.
Whimbrel, 3 west end 24th.
Snipe, 3 drumming birds, several flushed most days.
Bonxie, 7 east end and 1 in harbour 24th, 2-3 west most days from east end.
Little tern, 2 west lake 23rd.
Common Tern, 3 from 24th.
Arctic tern, 1 on 24th,
Puffin, very few on cliffs, several large groups off the east end.
Black guillemot, a few pairs east end.
Collared dove, 1 east end 23rd.
Cuckoo, 1st summer male, West Town, 23rd, later on cliffs towards East Town.
Skylark, atleast 10 pairs on a walk around the west end, several more east end.
White wagtail, 2  on 22nd, 4 west harbour on 23rd.
Song thrush, a pair in west town joined by a 3rd from 23rd, 1 east end 22nd.
Sedge Warbler, 7 singing birds.
Chiffchaff, 4-5 most days from 22nd.
Willow warbler, 2-3 from 23rd, including a grey northern type East end.
Raven, 2 roaming birds.
House Sparrow, 1 male West town, trying to pair up with a dusky faced tree sparrow, possible hybrid but not seen well.
Tree sparrow, c. 20, several nests around west town.
Redpoll, 2 large buff and white birds, possibly Icelandic, bit too bright and large for meally?
Goldfinch, 1 West town on 23rd.


Chris Ingram

Hi Peter,

I was on Tory on 29th/30th May.  There was little there but here is my list:

Peregrine  1 over harbour on 29th
Corncrake  at least 4 singing west town and 2 singing east town
Golden Plover  1 over west town on 30th
Dunlin  1 over west town on 29th, 5 on east beach on 30th
Curlew  1 calling on 30th
Great Skua  2 on sea off east eating a seabird on 30th
Little Tern  2 on 29th (Anton said he had 12 but not sure which date)
White Wagtail  1 on west beach on 29th, 1 on east beach on 30th
Willow Warbler  c.4 on 30th
Redpoll  1 at west town on 30th. Bird resembled 'exilipes' but with lightly streaked rump so
                 probably closer to 'icelandica' than 'rostrata'

Regards Chris                                   

Thursday 28 May 2015

Derek and Majella 22nd 23rd May

Hi Peter
a few sightings from last Friday / Saturday, myself and Majella

2 European Storm Petrel
3 Chough
4 Hooded Crow
2 Song Thrush
2 Greenland Wheatear
1 Reed Bunting
1 Willow Warbler
Sedge Warbler 10+
Dunlin 9
Curlew 2
Whimberal 1
12 Arctic Tern
Collared Dove 12 ( 1 taken by Peregrine)
1 Meally Redpoll
1 Sand Martin
20+ Puffins
11 calling Corncrakes

Looks like a good wader breeding season with good numders of Ringed Plover, Redshank, Oystercatchers, Lapwing and Snipe

all the best

D







Sunday 24 May 2015

Mergansers

No sign of the Hooded Mergansers toda The best birds were

2 Mealy Redpoll,
 Pomarine Skua
 6 Great Skua 
6 White Wagtail 



Saturday 23 May 2015

Hooded Merganser photographs

From Theo...


Theo Campbell

Photos from Theo from 14 May







Hooded Mergansers

Anton said the Mergansers are present again this morning and feeding very actively in the same pond. They have been quite flighty with all the attention and dont like to be approaced too closely. While they have flown from the pond a number of times they always return to the same place and have not been noted at the other two lakes.

Friday 22 May 2015

Robert Vaughan

Rob is on Tory today. Apart from the Hooded Mergansers, the best birds 2 White Wagtails and a Greenland Redpoll

Thursday 21 May 2015

Chris Ingram

Hi Peter,
 
Not much more on Tory today than the Hoodies, but who could want more!  Just a Song Thrush, a Chiffchaff, the House Sparrow and a hybrid House x  Tree Sparrow.  Also a Great Northern Diver in the harbour.

Chris

Hooded Merganser update

Robert Vaughan and Seamus Feeney were on Tory today. Both Hooded Mergansers still present.  The male is unringed and the female has no ring on one leg. Other leg not seen well enough.

Tuesday 19 May 2015

Hooded Merganser

Photo of one of Anton's pair of Hooded Merganser attached. Thanks to Anton and the Scottish birder on the island who managed to get the phtoo to Chris. Male still present but he has not seen the female since the original sighting

Photo to come some tech issues. ..

Monday 18 May 2015

Chris Ingram and Theo Campbell 14th,15th May

I recieved an email from Chris who was on Tory last weekend

Hi Peter,

Theo and I visited Tory this week on  14th and 15th May and were lucky to get a splendid fall of migrants on the 14th. Conditions were perfect on 14th with east winds and sunshine, however on 15th winds turned to the west with heavy showers. Here is the list:

Great Northern Diver   1 in s.p. from boat over in Tory Sound.
Manx Shearwater  9 from boat on return
Greylag  2 still on north lake
Canada Goose  Micky's goose has teamed up with a Mute Swan
Shelduck  2 off east beach  (island tick!) on 14th
Eider  2 in harbour on 15th
Buzzard  1 on 15th west town
Merlin  1 west town on 14th
Hobby  1 flew from back of west town, over the island and out to sea towards mainland
Corncrake  3/4 singing west town and one seen well
Golden Plover  2 over west town on 15th
Dunlin  c.30 on east beach on 14th and c.30 on west beach on 15th
Black-tailed Godwit  1 on east beach on 14th
Bar-tailed Godwit  1 on east beach on 14th
Whimbrel  2 around the island on 14th
Pomarine Skua 1 seen from boat on 14th as we left Magheroarty
Great Skua  2 over the island on 14th (prospecting?)
Arctic Tern  c.30 at lighthouse on 15th
Little Tern  2 seen by Anton on 14th but none seen on 15th
Collared Dove  2 west town and 12 east town on 14th, 5 west town on 15th
Sand Martin  1 over east lake on 14th
House Martin  1 over west town on 15th
White Wagtail  1 on west beach and one at lighthouse on 14th, 1 west beach on 15th
Whinchat  2m2f west town on 14th
Redstart   female west town on 14th
Song Thrush  1 Anton's east on 14th, 1 west town on 15th
Sedge Warbler  1 in reeds west town on 14th, 1 magic bush on 15th
Whitethroat  3 around island on 14th, 1 west town on 15th
Garden Warbler  1 in tree by hotel on 14th
Blackcap  at least 5 on 14th, female in magic bush on 15th
Wood Warbler  1 in Grace's garden on 14th
Willow Warbler  at least 10 on 14th , c.5 on 15th
Chiffchaff  at least 10 on 14th, c.5 on 15th
Goldcrest  2 on 14th, 1 on 15th
Spotted Flycatcher  5 on 14th

Also a male House Sparrow in Anton's garden 

Chris 

Friday 15 May 2015

Monday 11 May 2015

Derek Brennan 9th May

Via Irish Birding...

160 Puffins
1 Peregrine
1 Kestrel
1 Great Skua
10 White Wagtails
45 Swallow
5 Black tailed Godwit
20 Golden Plover
1 Goldfinch
7 Chiffchaff
6 Arctic Tern
4 Little  Tern
6 Corncrake

Sunday 10 May 2015

Paul Lynch 9,10th May


Hi Peter
I made it to Tory but it turned out to be a short visit. I had to work Saturday morning so the early boat was out of the question and this morning I got a couple of hours birding in before the weather closed in. With strong southerly winds I didn't want to take a chance on the last boat not running so I took the 10:30. 
Thanks for your help, my list of sightings is below. I spoke to Anthony and he said to say hello. 
I had a Corncrake calling in Magheroarty in a field near the east car park. A local saw me looking into the field and came down wanting to know why I was photographing the land! Something to do with the NPWS apparently.

Mute Swan
Canada Goose!!
Greylag
Wigeon (one on Lough Ahooey)
Mallard
Tufted Duck
Pheasant
Fulmar
Gannet
Cormorant
Shag
possible Merlin north of West Town, but only got a glimpse
Peregrine
Corncrake, 3 West town and at least two in East town
Oystercatcher
Golden Plover
Lapwing
Ringed plover
Whimbrel12 
Dunlin
Redshank
Snipe
Razorbill
Guillemot
Black-headed Gull
Common Gull
Lesser black-backed Gull
Great black-backed Gull
Herring Gull
Collard Dove
Chough
Hooded Crow
Raven
Skylark
Swallow
Chiffchaff
Wren
Starling
Wheatear
Tree Sparrow
Pied wagtail
White Wagtail
Meadow Pipit
Rock Pipit

Regards Paul

Sunday 3 May 2015

Printed 2014 Tory Bird Report

The printed version of the report is finished and has been sent to Chris to print.  IT should be ready shortly after 12th May.

Chris Ingram 1st-2nd May

I had an email  from  Chris who was on Tory early May. He saw the following

Hi Peter,

Here are my sightings for 1st/2nd May:

Manx Shearwater   c.10 on outward crossing
Heron   1 over west town on 1st
Greylag   2 on north lake
Merlin   female on 2nd
Corncrake   1 singing west town
Golden Plover  2 over on 1st
Dunlin   12 on east beach on 1st, 21 on west beach on 2nd
Jack Snipe  1 near east lake on 1st, 1 west town on 2nd
Black-tailed Godwit   4 on east beach on 1st, 1 over west town on 2nd
Bar-tailed Godwit   1 on east beach on 1st
Whimbrel  3 on 1st,  1 on 2nd
Great Skua   3 over east on 1st, also 1 seen on both crossings
Black-headed Gull   14 on west beach on 2nd
Collared Dove  1 west town both days
White Wagtail   c.10 on 1st, 1/2 on 2nd
Song Thrush   male singing west town both days, one Anton's east on 1st
Redwing   2/3 both days
Blackcap  1/2 both days
Willow Warbler   6 on 1st, 1 on 2nd
Chiffchaff   6 on 1st
Pied Flycatcher  female in east on 1st (possibly present for 2 days}
House Sparrow   male in magic bush on 2nd
Goldfinch   1 west town both days
Linnet  c.10 west town on 1st
Twite   2 west town on 1st