Davy Hunter and Rick Hoy 30th May

Re Irishbirding

Second calander Iceland Gull and a Greenland Redpoll on Tory yesterday.

Liz Mc Kenna was on today and reported an unusual looking passerine which she managed to photograph. She promised to send the photographs on to me. "Robin sized black and white bird with yellow bill and yellowish legs. Wings black and breast mostly white..."

Grace Meenan

Grace was good enough to send me two photos of the recent Blue-headed Wagtail

27th May

Not much news from Tory today. Joe Adamson left and despite the good conditions there are no visiting birders on the island at the moment. Highlighs today are few, a pair of Pintail on the east lake. Whitethroat, Spotted Flycatcher  probable Wood Warbler and a Goldfinch around Antons garden and a Song Thrush (resident bird) at the east end. Anton has noticed good numbers of Lapwing chicks this year as well as the first brood of Redshank.

Collared Flycatcher, Bee Eater, Rustic Bunting and Blyth's Reed Warbler not too far away in Western Scotland/ Western Isles so there might be something  good turned up on Tory over the next week or so if the weather holds.....

Derek Brennan, Joe Adamson 26th May

Another good day on tory today.

 Derek Brennan found a Blue-headed Wagtail (east end beach) and a new Wood Warbler (east town).  This is a different bird from the one found in west town last Thursday by Joe Adamson. Also new we're a Blackcap,  two Whitethroat and a Spotted Flycatcher. A Song Thrush might be a resident bird. The easterly winds are set to continue for a few days so new good birds will probably continue to arrive. Joe is staying on until tomorrow. I am not sure about Derek....

I am fairly sure Blue -headed Wagtail is a new form for the Tory Island list.

Derek Brennan, Joe Adamson 25th May

Quiet by all accounts yesterday...

Today's news from Irish Birding

1 Turtle Dove
1 Spotted Flycatcher
1 Snow Bunting
2 Great Skua
150 Puffin

Derek Brennan 23rd May

From Irishbirding

1 Wood Warbler
2 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler
1 Whitethroat
1 Buzzard
4 Corncrake
1 Great Skua
2 Sanderling
6 Little Tern

Joe Adamson and Chris Ingram: 22nd May

News from Tory per Irish Birding and Chris Ingram

1Wood Warbler  ( magic bush) probably the same bird later in Antons Garden.
8 Chiffchaff
2 White Wagtail
1 Spotted Flycatcher

A hairy enough crossing  on the boat by all accounts.....

Corncrake update

I had a phone call from Anton who reports at least 10 calling Corncrake on the island today. It's the highest number he has ever heard. 5 birds calling in the west and 5 in the east. There was only one bird a few years ago in the east end. Anton has completed a lot of conservation measures on his land at the east end in recent years and it looks like it's paying off....

He also reports a birder is on for a few days so hopefully there will be regular updates on Irishbirding...

60 mile an hour north easterly winds forecast for tomorrow so I have postponed my trip till next week...

Richard Woods 16-17th May

"Got on the ferry on Friday afternoon and the rain didn't stop until we got back the mainland almost 24 hours later. Heard 3 Corncrakes around West Town on Friday evening.  Mist and rain stopped any exploring of the island apart from an hour early morning Saturday. Highlight was 3 Whimbrel flying from  field behind village and over harbour! "

Richard

Chris Ingram. Last week...

Buzzard and Merlin where the only birds of note..Anton had 2/3 little Terns....
Around the east beach there were possibly 10 or so birds (swallows)which included a Sand Martin (my first on Tory I think) and didn't appear to be the breeding birds.  Around the lighthouse were similar numbers and included a House Martin. The resident summer birds are usually milling around the houses so I assumed they were passage birds.
I looked at Anton's photos and he has a superb one of a single WWB Tern.  Another more distant photo could have been any tern and you would have to enlarge it to check.  He said he had others but not the two birds together although he said they were both the same.  I'm peeved I didn't see them!!!
The big ferry is back in service.  I had a coffee in the Bunbeg coffee shop and she told me she knew you.

White wing Black Terns

Chris had a look at the photos and it's a WWBT ! A first for tory if the 2011 record is was not acceptable. I am hoping to go over on Thursday and will get a copy of Antons photos then...

Chris Ingram 8th May

Hi Peter,

Here is my list for 8th May:

Whooper Swan  2 at west lake
Peregrine  1
Corncrake  2 in east, 1/2 in west
Dunlin  8 on east beach, 12+ on west beach
Curlew  1 poss 2
Whimbrel  4
Black-headed Gull  1 in harbour' 3/4 at west lake
Iceland Gull  still present in east,  has an injured right leg
Sandwich Tern  2
Swallow  small movement both ends of the island
Sand Martin  1 at east beach
House Martin  1 by lighthouse
White Wagtail  5
Sedge Warbler  2
Chiffchaff  4

Also  2 Basking Sharks on ferry over and 2+ Harbour Dolphins off east beach

Black Terns

I had a report from Anton via Chris that Anton had a pair of Black Terns (photographed ) at the north lake this evening. White winged Black Terns can't be ruled out by the description.

Rob Vaughan

I had an email from Rob who was on Tory last weekend

Hi Peter,

I was on Tory last saturday evening until monday morning, weather wasn't great and the birds kept low.

A few highlights,

Iceland gull, 1st summer on the East lake.

Purple sandpiper, 1 adult summer in the harbour.

Stonechat, male east lake, I think my first on Tory!

Merlin, around the lighthouse.

Buzzard, 1 mostly around east town.

Peregrine, 1 west end.

Eider, ad male, female and 1st summer male in the harbour.

Corncrake, 1 singing west town, 3 around east lake.

Song thrush, 1 Antons east end.

Redwing, 1 Antons east end.

Blackbird, 1 Antons east end.

Blackcap, 1 male Antons east end. 

Greenland wheatear, about 5-6 good looking candidates.

Wheatear, 30 plus, several paired up.

Pied wagtail, a pair east and west end.

White wagtail, about a dozen most days, probably a lot more.

Great skua, 1 east on sunday.

Tufted duck, 4 pairs on ligthhouse pond, 2males and female south west lake.

Anton had a few nice shots on the camera, he seemed to have a good winter out there!

All the best, 

Robert

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pmpphillips

to Robert
5 minutes ago

Details

Hi Rob. Thanks for the records. Good to hear from you. Hopefully we will get to catch up in donegal at some stage..

Sent from Samsung Mobile

Scandinavian Rock Pipit

From Irish Birding; Mick Boyle and Andrew McMillan are on the island.

2 Scandinavian Rock Pipits (The second Tory island record. The first Irish record was on Tory Island during the late 1950's.)
2 Corncrake
1 2cy Iceland Gull
40 White Wagtails

Andrew McMillan and Mick Boyle -3rd May

Per Irish Birding..

2 Corncrake
30 White Wagtails
7 Collared Dove
1 Iceland Gull
1 Purple Sandpiper
1 Buzzard
1 Merlin (female)

Chris Ingram 1st/2nd May

I recieved an email fro Chris detailing his recent trip to Tory...

Great Northern Diver  1 in s.p from north of island on 2nd
Manx Shearwater  small numbers passing on 2nd
Whooper Swan  3 still at west lake
Eider  4 still in harbour (male, female and 2 imm males)
Buzzard 1 both days
Merlin on 2nd
Oystercatcher  94 roosting at west lake on 1st
Whimbrel  7+ both days
Dunlin  6 on beach 1st, 2 on 2nd
Purple Sandpiper  still present on beach
Great Skua  1 east on 2nd
Black-headed Gull  10 roosting off beach on 1st, 4 at lake 2nd
Little Tern  2 roosting at west lake on 1st
Collared Dove  2 around West town both days
White Wagtail  25 on 1st, 5 on 2nd
Lesser Whitethroat  2 in Anton's garden on 1st, also at least one on 30th April (AM)
Blackcap  3 on 1st
Chiffchaff  5+ both days
Linnet  1 has been present for a week or more, again on 2nd
Reed Bunting  2 possibly 3
Willow Warbler  2 on 1st, 1 on 2nd