15th October

Myself and Ger Murray headed out to Tory for the day today with a great deal of anticipation. We met Chris Ingram and Ralph Sheppard on the early boat.

Good looking weather predicted with light north easterlies

The boat trip over was uneventful as expected with the easterly wind. A fly over Great Northen Diver and 14 Eider a few hundred metres out were a nice surprise.

The harbour area had migrants with Redwing on the wires and Blackcaps and Chiffchaff in most bushes.

Blackcap

Chris and Ralph relocated the Barred Warbler which gave great views in the bush at the pier side B+B

Barred Warbler

JD rang to say he had 2 Brambling at the back of the shop. We saw one and while checking the area Ger flushed aWoodcock. 4 Greenfinch were on wires around Antons house but did not stay long. At the east end a Dunnock (island rarity)showed briefly as did some Fieldfare and Redwing

Dunnock

Redwing

I flogged the fields at the east end but after an hour I had just a single wren to show for my troubles. Back in east town the Pied Flycatcher and a flock of Brambling remained mostly well hidden in a single tree.

One of 16 Brambling present

Pied Flycatcher mostly skulking...

A small flock of twite showed briefly at the east end lake

Twite

 At 3 o clock two Goldcrests made there first appearance of the autumn

 PK JD and TS had 5 Snow Bunting the best of the rest as follows

1 Barred Warbler
1 Pied Flycatcher
6 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler
8 Blackcap
2 Goldcrest
130 Redwing
5 Fieldfare
2 Blackbird
5 Song Thrush
1 Dunnock
3 Robin
2 Linnet
6 Twite
4 Greenfinch
14 Eider
 16 Brambling

Chris and Ralph at the east end

Anita and Anton

A mega day by Tory standards !