2013 Tory Island Bird Report

Its now available... just email me at pmpphillips@gmail.com. Its 50MB in size. I cant quite figure out why!!but its downloadable from google drive. There will also be a hard copy available to purchase in the coming weeks. I will let you know the details....

Glossy Ibis

News from a very windy Tory Island. Anton found a dead Glossy Ibis beneath the wires in west town. I think its a first for Tory.
Other news a Snow Bunting last week and what sounds like a Grey Phalarope in the harbour yesterday and today.
Very few blackbirds and just 3 Redwing. Lots of Goldfinch recently.

3rd November; Anton Meenan

I rang Anton to see what was about.The best from a wind blown Tory;

60 Redwing in various locations with many more heard flying over head.

A noticable increase in Snipe.

1 Siskin in the garden for a few days.

1-2 Blackcap in the garden most days towards the end of October. The birds mainly in the garden feeding on the apples.

No Barnacle Geese recently. (Maybe they have all arrived already...)

14 Greylag Geese at East town

1st November

News from Irishbirding

Joe Donaldson


1 Rose-coloured Starling
1 Snow Bunting
2 Chiffchaff
1 Purple Sandpiper
14 Greylag Geese

Joe Adamson

Per Irish Birding;

26th October

1 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaff
1 Buzzard
1 Rose-coloured Starling


28th October

1 Eastern Yellow Wagtail (candidate)
4 Snow Bunting
1 Rose-coloured Starling

Anton Meenan

Some recent sightings include;


1 Woodcock on the 23rd October

50 Redwing and 10 Blackbirds on the 26th October with an increase in bird activity noted.

Seamus Feeney 24th October.

I had an email from Seamus Feeney who was on Tory on thursday....

Covered a lot of the island yesterday stayed 'til 1700 ferry but didn't have time or energy to get to it all. The number of starlings appears to be down from the 500 or so at West Town, about 100 here and another 100 at the wagtail site, likely the rosy has moved on, pity, would love to have seen it. Few migrants around, mostly Redwings. Very pleased to see the wagtail, though it is extremely flighty, couldn't get within 30mts of it or it would fly, usually into the fields behind, though returned to the beach every time. You done well to get such great photos. Looking forward to hearing of DNA results.

On ferry crossing were 4 Great Skuas, 1 out and 3 in. 5 Common Scoter.

I met Anton Meenan and chatted him for a while, nice to have someone there who's interested in birds...I mentioned some of the bits I'd seen and asked what were migrants, he said just about everything on the island is a migrant. So the few bits I saw were probably migrants so.

70-80 Redwing

3 Blackbirds

2 Goldfinch

Yellow Wagtail

1 Jack Snipe

6 Teal

2 Whoopers on east town lake, left the lake while I was there.

3 Chough

8 Eider

1 Heron

1 Dunnock

1 Richard's Pipit. I had this fly over calling..

It seems that there's been a clear out of warblers, did see a Zebra Finch though ;)

Thanks for the advice and working out the timetable. You picked Thursday rather than Wednesday because of the weather, you were right, no ferry on Wednesday. Good job I listened to you.

All the best,

Séamus.