Fair Isle sits at the southernmost point of Shetland and its name derives from the Old Norse name Friðarey, meaning ‘island of peace’. Fair Isle, Shetland ZE2 9JU Home; Job and Volunteer Vacancies 2015; ... Subalpine Warbler is a scarce migrant to Fair Isle with 85 records (including the five this year that await formal acceptance by the relevant committees). Wheatears are finally arriving in slightly more reasonable numbers (photo: Ciaran Hatsell). It’s the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. Fair Isle Lodge & Bird Observatory, Fair Isle: See 47 traveller reviews, 61 candid photos, and great deals for Fair Isle Lodge & Bird Observatory, ranked #1 of 1 Speciality lodging in Fair Isle and rated 4.5 of 5 at Tripadvisor. Lifestyle and island living insights on the most remote inhabited community in the UK. Address: Fair Isle Bird Observatory Fair Isle, Shetland ZE2 9JU Email: warden@fairislebirdobs.co.uk. The Fair Isle Bird Observatory team is headed by David Parnaby (Warden) and his wife Susannah (Administrator). Staff; Wardens past and present; The Trust; FIBOT accounts; Birds. Below is a bit of a random collection of images from the spring since my last update. As was pointed out on Twitter, a good ID feature is when you realise the 'crow' mobbing it is, in fact, a massive Raven! Ex naval huts from the Second World War, they were cold, damp and draughty. Could this have been the same bird making another attempt to return north? The rabbit was pretty impressively dealt with, but the picture is a bit gory for the blog, so you'll have to email and ask for a copy if you're interested! The Observatory was originally established in 1948 to study seabirds and bird migration, and is now an important contributor to the economy of the island. Email: warden@fairislebirdobs.co.uk, If you have any photographs of any of the people on this list, particularly if they were taken during the time they worked on Fair Isle, please email Home; Job and Volunteer Vacancies 2015; ... At last! If you are a UK tax payer, please complete a Gift Aid declaration to increase your donation by 25% courtesy of the Government. Project Manager & Sub-Committee • 10th Sep 2019, Staff vacancies & volunteer opportunities, Financial assistance for young ornithologists (JHMF). Home; Job and Volunteer Vacancies 2015; ... s job as well and then there was just so much to catch up on that I didn’t know where to start with the blog. A Pied Wagtail first sighted at the Obs on the morning of 22 nd April and was very flighty and elusive, eventually relocating to South Light (2 miles down the island!) (photo: Lee Gregory), With more time on our hands due to spells where migrants were thin on the ground, we were able to concentrate on other things. Sign Up For Our Daily Newsletter Readers. Tommy's personal collection of "Wild Life" adventures. Fair Isle was ‘discovered’ as a birding hotspot by Eagle Clarke early in the 20th Century. They have lived on Fair Isle … Get 34 Celtic MP3s for free. In the meantime, please use our new email address to contact us. Getting to Fair Isle. (photo: Lee Gregory), Two Greenish Warblers arrived on the same day in spring, both were typically mobile. The species has been annual on Fair Isle since 2009, during which time there have been 15 records, equalling the number seen during the rest of FIBO's history. Latest issue: 2018. Nearby was the plucking post, although most of the fur had blown away by the time we returned with a camera (photo: Ciaran Hatsell). Fair Isle, Shetland ZE2 9JU Email: warden@fairislebirdobs.co.uk. This one was another intruiging beast, large (much bigger than the Mealy on the left) and pale. Subscribe. The scene on Saturday as winter returned to the Northern Isles, although we got away with just a few wintry showers on Fair Isle. This spring has Oct 08 2020. A devastating blaze which razed the popular Fair Isle Bird Observatory would have destroyed the building even if more firefighters from the mainland had … Nice. (photo: Lee Gregory). It is run by an independent charity. Please note that we currently don't have a landline phone. Shag on nest, we're all hoping for a breeding season as good as the last one... Shetlantarctica. The Fair Isle Marine Environment and Tourism Initiative is a community-led initiative. population 60 people, 1200 sheep, 20,000 puffins and a few rare birds. During its stay it reached a weight of 24.6g, more than double the smallest Lesser Redpoll caught this spring (11.1g). A bird seen in June 2014 and initially believed to be this species was later reidentified as a Montagu's Harrier (which would only be the third Fair Isle record of that species if it is accepted as such). The warden and administrator. When fire engulfed the Fair Isle Bird Observatory on a quiet Sunday in March 2019, burning it to the ground, it was a heartbreaking moment for the island's residents and the many tourists and ornithologists who had visited over the years. Fair Isle Bird Observatory website. There certainly seem to be similarities between the Fair Isle bird (left) and the North Ronaldsay bird (right, photo by Stephen Rutt). Fair Isle (/ ˈ f ɛər ˌ aɪ l /; Scots: Fair Isle; Old Norse: Friðarey; Scottish Gaelic: Fara) is an island in Shetland, in northern Scotland.It lies about halfway between mainland Shetland and Orkney.It is known for its bird observatory and a traditional style of knitting.The island has been owned by the National Trust for Scotland since 1954. The 'epic' seawatch had started quiet quietly, with a blue Fulmar (above), an Arctic Tern and a Black-headed Gull the only 'notable' birds from the first 45 minutes! Many thanks to. Two of the Gadwall being photobombed by the still present Mute Swan. Address: Fair Isle Bird Observatory Only the 6th record for Fair Isle and the first since 1996, this one wasn't really on anyone's radar. In the meantime, please use our new email address to contact us. This male Red-backed Shrike was at Taft, where it posed atmospherically! The directors of a world-renowned bird observatory on the remote island of Fair Isle, which was destroyed by fire on Sunday, hope to quickly rebuild the research station.. The 4th Pallid Harrier for Fair Isle, with previous records in May 1931, 12th-15th August 2011 and 11th-14th September 2011. (photo: Ciaran Hatsell), Three Hobby sightings were all far enough part in dates to suggest they involved different birds, all sadly proved untwitchable. An absolute whopper. After more than two decades of campaigning, a Marine Protected Area for the island was announced by the Scottish Government in October 2016. - Population 45 Resident Islanders, 1200 Sheep, 20,000 Puffins and a few rare birds. Telephone: Please note that we currently don't have a landline phone. where the combination was clinched. Hot water was provided in each hut by a coke boiler. The Obs garden has been significantly extended, sightings of birds with colour-rings and darvics increased and even Redpolls got a lot more attention! The rather smart Slavonian Grebe, it could be watched chasing fish underwater in the clear waters of the North Haven, where it moved with impressive speed. This talk will describe the changes at Fair Isle Bird Observatory since 1950. (photo: Lee Gregory), Despite the westerly winds, there were very few Lapland Buntings, although this very smart male graced the Obs feeders for a couple of days . We were even able to add the Goshawk to the kitchen window list as it performed a couple of circuits over the Obs. Warden's blog: fibowarden.blogspot.co.uk. Telephone: Photo: Fair Isle Bird Observatory Trust. This interesting bird was present in mid-June and in the field looked rather large and pale, although measurements when it was trapped suggested 'Mealy Redpoll' was the most likely identification - most Mealys at this time of year aren't as pale as this one though. Income from the Guest House is used to support the ornithological work on the island, with t... hree wardens responsible for studying migration and monitoring the seabird colonies on Fair Isle. We all knew we'd had to get an Egret eventually, the main debate was whether it would be Great White or Little that would find us first; in the end it was the larger of the two that became Fair Isle's 385th species. The Observatory was founded by George Waterston and opened in 1948. A very confiding adult Long-tailed Skua spent most of the day around Gilsetter and the Parks a few days later. Jobs; Volunteers; Jobs Search; Training; In Depth Features; Advertisers. © FIBO 2020. F urther bird s ringed on Burhou by the ABO teams in previous years processed this year outside the C hannel I slands are: Burhou 26/07/20 19 My travelling companions this time were Fred & … Acolour-ringed Turnstone was seen briefly near Mid-Geo on 17, You may well have spotted that I haven't been that good at keeping the blog up to date (and that's perhaps a bit of an understatement), but hopefully you have all been keeping an eye on Fair Isle news via our. FIMETI. (photo: Lee Gregory), Two Cranes put on a great show as they flew down the island, fed on Malcolm's Head for a while, circled out to sea a couple of times then ended up near Hoini. Visit the Fair Isle Bird Observatory website for more information, the latest news and recent sightings. A crowdfunding appeal has launched to raise funds to rebuild the world-famous bird observatory in Fair Isle. several times before the ring was fully read, this bird was around the Shop Fair Isle Bird Observatory: the Warden's diary Pages. Old Observatory. (photo: Lee Gregory), The first 'pink' Rose-coloured Starling on Fair Isle since 2007. (photo: Chris Dodd), The first Nightingale since 2012 was trapped at the end of June. (photo: Lee Gregory), Although the westerly winds restricted migration somewhat, most of the expected scarcities put in appearances (only Wood Warbler and Corncrake were missing from the usual annually occurring species. The truth is I love lamentations on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. The internationally recognised Fair Isle bird observatory was destroyed by a fire last weekend. 6 Fair Isle Bird Observatory Report for 2011 Warden’s report and from then on in the birding kept producing highlights, with a decent total of 210 species recorded throughout the year. colour ringed Purple Sandpiper to be sighted on Fair Isle, this bird was ringed The distinctive underpart coloration was surprisingly variable in the field, but the rattling call and DNA analysis confirmed the identification beyond any doubt. (photo: Lee Gregory), Common migrants were generally only present in small numbers, so the traps have been quieter this year than 2014, although a few surprises still appeared including this Long-eared Owl. If the Redpolls end up being lumped, they'll surely be one of the most variable passerines we see in Britain (photo: Lee Gregory). Thankfully, no one was injured. Wagtail first sighted at the Obs on the morning of 22, Sighted I wonder if the swan hangs on until the autumn and gives a few of our regulars a Fair Isle tick? Advertise; Volunteers; Information; Rate Card on the island from far and wide. A few White Wagtails have been passing through, as well as a few 'Greenland' Wheatears, both typical migrants in westerly winds. Address: Fair Isle Bird Observatory Fair Isle, Shetland ZE2 9JU Email: warden@fairislebirdobs.co.uk. There have been no autumn records since 2009. Fair Isle Bird Observatory Trust (FIBOT) Fair Isle Bird Observatory Annual Report Editor: The Warden. This is a lovely retro 'record shot', although the initial views were much better as the bird landed on a net pole in the garden as the team were ringing a Crossbill. Susannah missed the last one as she was in Lerwick having just given birth to Freyja and was in Lerwick for this one as well, although just for a meeting this time rather than a baby. 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