Breeding birds 24th-25th June.

 I was on Tory Monday and Tuesday just passed to do a land based survey of the breeding birds. Four new species confirmed breeding; Black headed Gull, Eider, Sedge Warbler and Reed Bunting.

Thanks to Liz Mc Kenna who helped me with the survey on Monday.

Notables

Eider; female with 4 chicks in the harbour.
Tufted Duck; Female with 10 chicks at the lighthouse lake.
Black- headed Gull; 10 pairs with a minimum of 10 chicks at the lighthouse lake
Common Gull 160 adults attending nests with a minimum of 40 chicks
Little Tern; 8 birds mobbing other birds at a likely nesting site. Birds may be incubating.
Arctic Tern; 10 pairs nesting behind the lighthouse, including at least 2 birds incubating.
Peregrine; Pair on and off seen around the cliffs but no confirmation off breeding.
Buzzard; Pair at the cliffs behind West town.
Dunlin; 3 birds at the lighthouse lake.
6-8 pairs of Redshank
Sedge Warbler 2-3 pairs, including one bird carrying food.
Reed Bunting; 2-3 pairs including one bird carrying food.

Eider with ducklings

Fulmar

Redshank

Sedge Warbler

Wheatears

 Plemty of recently fledged Whearearsaround the island. Unseasonal Whooper Swan and Iceland Gull also present. The only migrants were a single Chiffchaff at the east end and  up to 4 Collared Doves.

Iceland Gull

Whooper and Mute Swans

Collared Dove

Rock Pipit

 On the ferry over the best were 5 Storm Petrel. On the journey home just a single Manx Shearwater with at least 15 Storm Petrel and one Leach's Petrel following a small fishing boat between the islands.

Manx Shearwater