Rob Vaughan was on Tory over the last few days and sent me the following trip report. Highlighs included the islands first Blyth's Reed Warbler and 2 Tree Pipits. Chris Ingram managed to twitch both birds!
sat 6
200 or more barnable geese over Inishbofin on the way out,
several more throughout the day on Tory. Snow bunting in the harbour
immediately, very little passage. Quite a few redwings moving through.
10 Whoopers on the lake in the evening were flushed and flew south. An
adult and juv buzzard circling the cliffs were mobbed by 2 adult
peregrines. 2 female/juv kestrels around the lighthouse.
Sun 7
Plenty of geese still passing over head throughout the
day. Very few redwings. A new song thrush and blackbird and 2 robins
only real sign of movement. A juv whooper at the lighthouse pond seemed
exhausted and allowed a close approach.
mon 8
A few redwing over head early morning, plenty of geese but
numbers died during the day. A new reed bunt at the east end was
overshadowed by a banana shaped acro in the last garden. A few
blackbirds, a new kestrel and the 1st sparrowhawk and merlins seen. 2
whoopers at the west end.
 |
| Blyth's Reed Warbler (R.Vaughan) |
Tues 9
No sign of the acro, replaced instead by a male blackcap.
While watching that, a tree pipit flew in from the west calling
strongly, landed briefly before dropping, flushed it twice before it
continued strongly west. Golden plover flew over calling heading west.
Wed 10
Little of note up the east end. A juv male merlin chasing
pipits behind graces garden and a juv female sprok up the west end.
Numbers of curlew increased and a single skylark flew east high
overhead.
 |
| Tree Pipit Grace's B+B (R.Vaughan) |
Tues 9
No sign of the acro, replaced instead by a male blackcap.
While watching that, a tree pipit flew in from the west calling
strongly, landed briefly before dropping, flushed it twice before it
continued strongly west. Golden plover flew over calling heading west.
Wed 10
Little of note up the east end. A juv male merlin chasing
pipits behind graces garden and a juv female sprok up the west end.
Numbers of curlew increased and a single skylark flew east high
overhead.
Mute swan- 2 pairs and a lone juv. A lone adult on the west lake on the 9th driven off by the local pair
Whooper swan- 10 (8 ads,2 juvs) 6th, 1 juv 7th, ad and juv 8th
Barnacle goose- over 200 on the islands on the 6, with several flocks of 20plus circling the island daily.
Mallard- Roughly 5 on each lake.
Wigeon- Lone male west end
Teal- 5 west end and 3 east end
Eider- 16 on the 6th included one Borealis, 5 daily till it rose to 12 on 9th and 10th
Pheasant- 1 female behind Graces daily
Fulmar- small numbers daily around the island
Manx shearwater- 1 from the boat on the 6th
Gannet- good numbers daily
Cormorants- common
Shags- common
Grey Heron- 1 daily, probably 2 on 10th
Common buzzard- 2 daily with a 3rd on the 10th, fattening up on 100's of dying rabbits.
Sparrowhawk- male on the 8th caught a starling, circled high and south late in the eve, juv female on the 8th.
Kestrel- 2 everday, joined by a third on the 8th.
Merlin- Female type from the 8th, juv male on the 10th
Peregrine- 2 adults daily, 1 juv daily and another at Maheroarty
Oystercatcher- 30 west end
Ringed Plover- 1 on the morning of the 9th, grew to 22
Grey Plover- 1 juv 8th
Golden Plover- 1 calling and flying west on the 9th
Lapwing- 30 west end
Purple sand- 3 on the 10th
Turnstone- common
Dunlin- 1 in the harbour on the 10th
Redshank- common
Curlew- 3 most days, over 20 on the 10th
Snipe- flushed a few most days
Black headed gull- 2 a few times around the harbour
Common gull- scarce, but a few around the harbour
Herring gull- common
Great b b gull- common
Kittiwake- common, amazed they didn't lure in a sab's!
Black guillemot- a few around Maheroarty, none on Tory
Razorbill- a few mostly distant
Guillemot- 1 in close east end harbour, a few out to sea
Feral pigeon- 20 mostly west town
Skylark- 1 calling overhead on the 10th
Rock pipit- common
Meadow pipit- common, noticable daily fluctuations
Tree pipit- 1 on the 9th looked a lot brighter than 1 seen well on the 10th
Pied wagtail- 10 or more most days
White wagtail- 1 6th and 7th, a different bird on the 8th
Dunnock- 1 west town 6th
Robin- from 2 on 6th, grew to 5 on the 10th
Wheatear- 2 most days, 4 on the 9th
Song Thrush- 1 7th, and 1 daily afterwards,
Redwing- noticable daily movement in small numbers, 12 on the 8th
Blackbird- 2 daily, atleast 4 on the 8th
Blackcap- 1 male on the 9th
Blyth's reed warbler- 1 on the 8th, east end garden
Chiffchaff- 2 6th, 1 everyday after and 2 on 10th
Wren- common
Chough- atleast 2 pairs
Hooded crow- common
Raven- 5-6 daily
Starling- 100's
Tree sparrow- 6 west town, 20 or more east town. No house sparrows seen
Linnet- 8 on the 9th
Goldfinch- min 7 on the 10th
Reed bunting- 2 6 and 7th, 3 on the 8th, 1 9th
Snow bunting- 2 on the 6th, 1 on the 7th, apparently around the graveyard for the previous week atleast
Lapland bunting- 2 on the 8th,
