19th April; Chris Ingram

I recieved an e mail from Chris who was on Tory for the day yesterday

'I did the crossing from Magheroarty so only did the West.  The Northern Eider was a lone male in the harbour.  Here is the list:

In Magheroarty Bay was a Great Northern Diver and 5 Eiders. A female Kestrel flew in and there were 4 White Wagtails around the beach.  On the crossings were a few Puffins and Razorbills with good numbers of Kittiwakes and on the return to Magheroarty was another Great Northern Diver and a flock of 7 Common Terns.
39 species were seen on Tory, here is the list:

Fulmar   offshore
Gannet   offshore
Shag   19 on rocks by harbour, all but one juveniles.  Others offshore
Mute Swan   1 on nth lake and another on the sea from north of island
Teal   3 on nth lake
Mallard  14 on lakes and marsh
Tufted Duck  5
Eider  5 offshore and a single  'borealis' male in harbour
Buzzard  1
Kestrel  1 female
Oystercatcher
Ringed Plover
Lapwing  c.10
Snipe  1 on marsh
Redshank
Turnstone  c.10 on beach
Black-headed Gull  6 on nth lake

Common Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black Back

Kittiwake   offshore
Razorbill   offshore
Guillemot   offshore
Rock Dove
Skylark  3/4
Swallow  c.10
Meadow Pipit  2/3
Rock Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Robin  1
Wheatear  c.10
Redwing  6+
Chiffchaff   2 - 1 normal /1 grey bird (possible tristris)
Chough  1 pair
Hooded Crow
Raven
Starling
Tree Sparrow  1 by magic bush, 6 by Anton's garden
Goldfinch   3

The 'Tormor' is out of service for about 10 days on Monday so the 'Whispering Dawn' will operate the service.'