Birdwatch UK October 2017

28 Birdwatch•October 2017 http://www.birdguides.com/birdwatch

WHERE TO WATCH BIRDS

Where and why

Situated off the north-west coast

of Ireland, nine miles into the

Atlantic, Tory Island is a migration

hot-spot, with birds arriving from

the north, west and east – often

at the same time. October is the

prime month to look for vagrants.

The wind-swept rock with very little

vegetation means that scarce

and rare birds can turn up almost

anywhere. Flocks of migrating

Barnacle Geese and winter

Redwings dominate, but it is the

rare birds that Tory is famous for

that attract most birders.

Route planner

Tory Island is accessed via ferry

from Bunbeg and Magheraroarty.

There is one road on the island,

stretching from the lighthouse at

the west end, passing through the

two villages, aptly named West

Town and East Town, and  nishing

off at the cliffs on the east side

of the island.

Every birding day in October

starts in West Town , which

has the largest number of houses

and gardens. The small collection

of gardens usually holds a

few Blackcaps and Common

Chiffchaffs, but careful searching

often produces something

scarcer such as Garden Warbler,

Spotted and Pied Flycatchers,

Lesser Whitethroat and Northern

Wheatear. Yellow-browed

Warblers are to be expected,

although they are not common.

The small hedge and collection

of bushes at the back of the

houses attract most of the

passerine vagrants; even if not

found there, they usually end

up there at some point in the

TORY ISLAND

By Derek Charles

❯ Sites and access

There is free open access to all sites, but

please do respect homeowners’ privacy when

scanning gardens. There is no public transport

on the island, and one of the best ways to get

around is cycling; call 00 353 (0)74 9165614

for bike hire.

❯ Maps

• Ordnance Survey Ireland Discovery Series 1.


• See bit.ly/bw304Tory for an annotated
  Google map.

❯ Web resources

• http://www.toryislandferry.com for ferry crossings.


• http://www.oileanthorai.com for general
  information on the island.


• Follow on Twitter: @BirdGuides.

VISITOR INFORMATIONVISITOR INFORMATION

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DOMINIC MITCHELL (WWW.BIRDINGETC.COM)

day. Rarities found in this small

area known as the ‘Magic Bush’

include Greenish, Barred and

Booted Warblers, Collared and

Red-breasted Flycatchers, Little

Bunting and Arctic Redpoll; it is

usually also the best spot to see

a late Corncrake, a species that

breeds on the island.

Walk towards the lighthouse at

the east end, passing the larger of

the three lakes on the island.

American waders are seen on the

fringes of the lake most autumns,

with Pectoral and Buff-breasted

Sandpipers, Lesser Yellowlegs

and American Golden Plover all

recorded; American ducks such as

Green-winged Teal and Hooded

Merganser have also been seen

on the lake, and a hybrid American

Black Duck x Mallard is usually

knocking around.

The rough ground between

North and South Lakes is one

of the best areas for Lapland

Bunting and usually up to 20

are present. This area was the

favoured location for an autumn

Snowy Owl which stayed for

several weeks one October.

There is no cover in the

lighthouse compound , but it

still attracts migrants including

Yellow-browed and Barred

Warblers and  ocks of redpolls,

which can include ‘Greenland’

Redpoll from time to time. Pipits,

larks and wagtails can often be

seen and heard  ying over, but

nature is cruel and two or three

Peregrine Falcons and up to  ve

Merlins are often present, picking

off tired migrants.

Seawatching is best from

this part of the island. Sooty

Shearwaters and skuas are

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Where

to watch

birds

to watch

birds

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MAP DATA © 2017 GOOGLE

common, while one astonished

observer witnessed a passage

of 3,000 Great Shearwaters one

autumn.

Return to West Town and check

the small harbour. The small

beach has had Eastern Yellow

Wagtail – Ireland’s only record and

con rmed by DNA – as well as

Rosy Starling and Semipalmated

Sandpiper, while the harbour has

held Northern Eider, Grey and

Red-necked Phalaropes and a

resident Bottle-nosed Dolphin.

Head to East Town. A small

school playing  eld is favoured by

passerines; this has held up to

three of each of Richard’s Pipit

and Common Rosefi nch, while

the gardens here hold the island’s

small  ock of Tree Sparrows.

Chough has declined on Tory

Island, but there are usually three

or four birds on the short walk to

East Town. The village is a small

loose collection of houses with a

few gardens. Vagrants are often

found here; these have included

Booted Warbler, Red-backed

Shrike and Arctic Redpoll.

The rough ground between

East Town and East Lake attracts

large numbers of  nches and

pipits – Ireland’s last Pechora Pipit

was found here 15 years ago.

The lake is not as attractive for

waders, but has produced Spotted

and Buff-breasted Sandpipers,

as well as Ring-necked Duck, in

recent autumns. Above the lake

is the last garden on the island.

Known as ‘Anton’s Garden’, this

was home to a spring Baltimore

Oriole, and has also produced

Blyth’s Reed Warbler and Red-

breasted Flycatcher. ■

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READS

• Where to Watch Birds in
  Ireland by Paul Milne and Clive
  Hutchinson (Christopher Helm,
  second edition, £18.99) – order
  from £16.99 on page 61.


• Finding Birds in Ireland:
  the Complete Guide by Eric
  Dempsey and Michael O’Clery
  (Gill and Macmillan).

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Check the gardens of

West Town for tired

migrants such as

Spotted Flycatcher.

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