Magpie

A rare visitor to Tory

Magpie(Anton Meenan)

Chris Ingram et al 14th-16th April

Here are the combined sightings of myself,  Theo Campbell,  Andrew McMillan and Mick Boyle for April 14th to 16th:

Mute Swan  the usual birds were on the lakes but on 15th a flock of 11 sub-adult birds were on south lake, departed by 16th

Whooper Swan  2 on south lake on 16th

Greylag  up to 7 birds

Barnacle Goose  flock of 15 in east

Brent Goose  9 off beach on 16th

Gadwall  2 on east lake on 15th

Eider  maximum count 7 males and 4 females

Great Northern Diver  4/5 offshore on 14th

Manx Shearwater  small numbers offshore

Peregrine  1 on 15th

Merlin  1 on 15th

Corncrake  1 singing in east on 14th and 15th

Golden Plover flocks of 2 and 4 over west town on 14th and 5 south lake 14th/15th

Whimbrel  2 on 15th, also dead bird at south lake, presumably hit the wires

Snipe  max of 7 on 15th

Jack Snipe  2 in east on 15t (AM MB)

Greenshank  'resident bird' seen daily

Arctic Skua  dark phase adult close inshore on 15th (CI TC)

Black-headed Gull  1 on north lake each day

Iceland Gull  1st year bird each day

Glaucous Gull  2nd year bird dead at south lake, obviously hit the wires

Wood Pigeon  1 in east on 14th and west on 15th, present for two weeks

Chough  just one pair seen each day

Swallow  maximum of 2

Chiffchaff  maximum of 4 on 14th

Blackcap  1 in east on 14th and 15th

Song Thrush 1 in east, resident?

Redwing  maximum of 8

Rock Pipit  1 'littoralis' on east beach 14th and 15th

Linnet  1 on 14th and 15th

Snow Bunting  male on 14th

Lapland Bunting  1, possibly 2 in east each day,  2 at north lake on 14th, male in summer plumage at north lake on 16th

Regards Chris

Iceland Gull

Mute Swans

Lapland Bunting

Brent Goose

Boot

Glaucous Gull 

Robert Vaughan 23rd-26th March

Hi Peter, a few great days out on Tory, a lot more bird than I had
anticipated. I arrived out lunch time on 23, and left first boat on
26. Glorious, un-broken sun shine for most of the trip!

White-billed Diver- distant bird from the west end on the 24.
Great northern Diver- upto 12 each day, hard to count with heavy swell.
Red-throathed Diver- 1 Adult summer flew east on 25.
Fulmar- good numbers off shore and plenty on the cliffs.
Manx shearwater- small numbers passing north from the west end most days.
Gannet- good numbers all around the island each day.
Shag- 20+ each day, more numerous than cormorant.
Cormorant- small numbers.
Grey Heron- 1 adult.
Mute Swan- 4 west end, 3 east end.
Greylag Goose- 16 each day.
Barnacle Goose- A flock of 12 and 6 on 25.
Wigeon- 3 West end.
Mallard- About 10 each day.
Teal- Less than 20 each day.
Tufted Duck- 9 West end.
Eider- 9 from the harbour 23 and 24. 18 flew east infront of Inishbofin on 25.
Merlin- A young male around the lighthouse each day, probable
different bird, female type east end on 24.
Oystercatcher- 50+ each day.
Ringed Plover- 50+ each day.
Lapwing- 25+ each day.
Turnstone- 20+ each day.
Curlew- 2 each day.
Redshank- About 20 each day.
Greenshank- 1 between harbour and lighthouse road lake.
Snipe- several drumming each day.
Bonxie- 1 east on 23.
Black-headed gull- 15+ each day.
Common gull- 30+ each day.
Kittiwake- Good numbers off-shore.
Herring Gull- 30+ mostly around the harbour.
Great black-backed Gull- 10 or so each day.
Lesser black-backed Gull- 5 or so each day, all adults.
Iceland Gul- 1 first winter each day.
Puffin- Small numbers each day, several in winter plumage.
Black guillemot- Small numbers, stayed well off-shore.
Little auk- 1 winter plumaged bird flying west on 23.
Guillemot- good numbers off-shore, out-numbered razorbill. Several bridled seen.
Razorbill- good numbers off-shore.
Feral pigeon- Only 2-3 seen.
Skylark- 10 feeding in Anton's east end garden, several more singing
across the island.
Rock pipit- atleast 70 including upto a dozen littoralis.
Meadow pipit- several small flocks and displaying pairs.
Pied wagtail- atleast 12, all males.
Wren- good numbers.
Dunnock- 1 east town 25.
Stonechat- 4 on 24, 3 females and 1 male, 1 female on 25.
Wheatear- arrived on 24, big numbers on 25 and 26.
Redwing- 3-4 each day, several heard passing over at night.
Song thrush- 2 singing birds, 1 east end,1 west town.
Chiffchaff- 3-4 23 and 24, atleast 5 singing birds on 25.
Goldcrest- 4-5 23and 24, big fall on the 25 with birds in every ditch,
bush and even along the clifftop. Many exhausted seemed to be dropping
onto the island during the afternoon.
Great tit- 1 on 25 East town.
Starling- around 100 each day.
Chough- Probably 6, 4 west end and 2 east end.
Raven- 2 pairs.
Hooded crow- 5-6 each day.
Tree sparrow- Probably 20+. High count of 17. 3 juveniles on 25.
Goldfinch- 1 flyover on 24.
Linnet- 3 on 24.
Meally redpoll- 1 present for several weeks in west town.
Twite- 15 west end, with 3-4 east end on 25.
Reed bunting- a pair east end.
Lapland Bunting- 1 east end.
Snow bunting- 1 around the light house, possible the same bird or upto
4 as I walked the cliff top on 25, flighty and seen over a large area,
always singly.

Apart from the birds, I had a minke whale from the east end on 24, 1-2
bottlenose dolphins on 25 ( another long dead on the beach at the west
end) and a few grey seals.

Mealy Redpoll

Lapland Bunting

Twite

Twite

Twite

Goldcrest

Goldcrest

25th March Rob Vaughan

Lapland and twite still here. Meally redpoll in mickeys that has been about for months. 3 linnet, goldfinch, great tit, 5 singing chiffs and plenty more wheatear about

Lapland Bunting

15 Twite and a Lapland Bunting the best this evening per Rob Vaughan

White billed Diver

Distant White-billed diver from West end, looking towards aranmore, 5 wheatear and a stonechat.

March 23dr Robert Vaughan

Robert Vaughan is on tory for a few days

Little auk(finally!), bonxie, puffins, 2 bridled guills, Iceland gull, 2 goldcrest, 2 littoralis rock pips best today. Will send a list when I'm back