Of
all the birding locations across Britain and Ireland, Fair Isle is perhaps the
most iconic.
A
lonely rock sticking out of the sea, about 3.5 miles long by a mile wide, and
covered with but a thin green and brown blanket of vegetation, it is a haven
for lost migrants, with a ridiculous track record for major rarities.
Nige
Milbourne, Steve Preddy, and I decided to stay there in 1998 – the last few
days of September and the first couple of October – followed by a weekend on mainland Shetland. We had planned to go
the week before (which was good in itself), but the Obs was booked up, so more
by luck than judgement we stumbled on a week of classic conditions.
Our
plan was to fly on to Shetland from Aberdeen on Friday evening, overnight in Lerwick,
then on to Fair Isle late morning Saturday. But there was a technical fault
with the plane. Delayed became further delayed and then finally cancelled. With
fog forecast for the Saturday, I feared the trip might be seriously damaged
before it even started, and I am afraid I lost it, big time. Steve has since
described it as a meltdown, and frankly he is right. I calmed down a bit after
dinner in the airport hotel we were booked into by the airline, but went to bed
still worried about the morning.
26
September
In
the end we got away fine, transferred from Sumburgh to Tingwall, and landed on Fair
Isle before midday. We knew that both a Pechora Pipit and an Isabelline
Wheatear were still present, but on landing we were told that a Lanceolated
Warbler had just been found at Kennaby! A tick for all of us, we were soon down
there watching it – a very pale individual, it worked its way round a small
peat hag in one of the croft fields, and even flew between me and the birder
next to me. Absolutely brilliant views. The ‘Pech’ was next, perching on a
fence briefly at Quoy, showing well. Then over to Malcolm’s Head to pick the
‘Izzy’ out from the Northern Wheatears also present. Migrants were everywhere,
and that afternoon we saw 60 species, including 3 Rustic Buntings at the Auld
Haa, about 200 (!) Snow Buntings by the windpump, and a variety of waders,
warblers, and finches. And still plenty of time for a leisurely stroll back to
the Obs for dinner. What a start!
27
September
We
awoke to southeasterlies and drizzle – perfect Fair Isle conditions. The morning
produced Lapland Bunting, Yellow-browed Warbler, 2 Richard’s Pipits, Wood
Sandpiper, and several Jack Snipe as we soggily roamed the crofting area at the
south of the island. Brief views of a Locustella
near Burkle were inconclusive, but it was refound later and confirmed as a
second Lancey, so we dashed back down from the Obs to see it again.
Paul
Baker, the warden that year, wanted an assistant to trap it against the wall it
was working along – I volunteered instantly. Crouching motionless, holding one
end of the net against the wall while Paul closed in with the other end, I
watched the bird scuttle to within a few feet of me before it made a dash for
it and was safely secured. Stunning views, and a moment I will never forget!
28
September
A
walk up to the North Lighthouse after breakfast produced a good variety of
migrants, but nothing startling. We arrived back at the Obs to be asked by Alan
Bull, one of the assistant wardens, ‘Do you know about the Great Snipe at
Burkle?’
Great Snipe (Pic of print: original photo Stuart Rivers) |
Another trip in the Obs van later we were watching it sat in the lee
of a wall. The warden and I did the same trick as yesterday, and very soon the
bird was trapped, giving me absolutely stupendous views in the process – the
views in the hand weren’t bad either. Confirmed as the bird from the previous
week that been seen to fly into a barbed wire fence, with a small wound on its
back, it was released into the Sukka Mire, which was placed out of bounds to
allow it to rest up and recover. After that we ‘warmed down’ with good views of
2 Yellow-browed Warblers, various common migrants, and finally a Little Bunting
in the Sheep Cru in the evening.
29
September
The
wind had switched briefly round to the northeast, so this was our quietest day,
though it still had its moments. Nige and I found a Velvet Scoter in the South
Haven early am, and, assuming they were common enough round the isle, only
casually mentioned it over breakfast. Alan Bull dashed out the door, leaving
his cereal half-eaten – it was only the 8th record for Fair Isle!
Compared
to that, the third Lancey of the week was positively common. We were close by
Pund when it was found there, but missed it. It took some 20 birders over an
hour to relocate it, mere yards from where it had first been seen, in grass
only a couple of inches tall. No wonder so few are found away from the Northern
Isles.
We
had left by then, wondering what else was out there to be found: our wanderings
produced a female Bluethroat and a few Jack Snipe, but not much else. There was
always added interest to be had, though, seeing common migrants in the hand in
the ringing room – a male Redstart and a Brambling were particularly special.
30
September
Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler (Pic of print: original photo Stuart Rivers) |
Another
good day started with a Little Bunting near the Obs before breakfast, then
another Rustic Bunting and a male Bluethroat around the crofts. All excellent
birds, but this week they were just the supporting cast. Then a large Locustella was found – we hurried to the
scene.
It
was hiding in a dry stone wall on the edge of Lower Leogh and showing only
briefly. Opinion on it was divided, but eventually it showed well and called.
It was indeed a Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler! After excellent views in the field for over an
hour, it was trapped and taken back to the Obs for processing – on the journey
it was my job to steady the ringing bag with it in hanging from the rear view
mirror of the van. Another special moment for me, and brilliant in-the-hand
views for all. One of the major targets of any autumn trip to Fair Isle, it was
a new bird for nearly all present – the Obs’s beer supply took a serious
hammering that night!
1
October
Dawn
rose blearily. The Little Bunting was still near the Obs, but had few
pre-breakfast admirers today. The wind had gone back round to southeasterly and
freshened – hangovers disappeared rapidly when it was clear there had been a
major overnight arrival of new birds. The middle of the island was carpeted
with thrushes (mostly Redwings, Song Thrushes, and Blackbirds, but with a few
Ring Ouzels thrown in) and Robins were two-a-penny. There were plenty of good
birds on show and everyone had a hectic and mightily enjoyable time mixing
searching for their own birds with chasing up and down the isle after each new
find.
In the space of a few minutes late morning we saw a Bluethroat hopping
down the road near North Shirva and a Red-backed Shrike on the washing line at
Midway, then a Short-toed Lark flew over, and birders chasing that flushed a
Short-eared Owl. It really was that kind of a day! Then we heard Liz Riddiford
at Schoolton blowing the rarity whistle – what next? It turned out to be a
Treecreeper (very rare on the isle), seen briefly up by the North Light before
flipping over the cliff face, never to be seen again.
We
ignored that in favour of further searching round the crofts, but were quickly
heading up the isle anyway, to the Havens by the Obs, for the jewel in the
crown of a fantastic day – our second PG Tips. Prolonged field views again of
what was this time a textbook individual, even showing the pale tips to the
tail feathers as it rootled head down in the nettle clumps. Then back down the
isle again to the crofts, where we saw a Red-throated Pipit but missed a new
Pechora Pipit also present. At dusk we returned to the Obs, tired, hungry, but
ecstatic. What a day!
2
October
Our
last day on Fair Isle dawned. We relocated the Pechora Pipit down by the Meadow
Burn; helpfully it called (‘spek’) to draw attention to itself. A probable
Citrine Wagtail showed only to its finders, but we saw the Short-toed Lark
again, and a good selection of other stuff. Nige and I had been having a
friendly listing competition all week and ended up tied on 109 species (out of
120+ seen that week), with a few minor differences (I saw Buzzard but he got
Grey Wagtail, that kind of stuff). We had to drag ourselves away early afternoon
for our flight back to Tingwall.
3–5 October
We
had said goodbye to Fair Isle, but the holiday was far from over. Highlight of
the Saturday was a Bobolink at Durigarth, then on Sunday we chased over to
Bressay in the hope of Siberian Stonechat, dipped, but found a Bluethroat and a
Red-breasted Flycatcher instead. Then the local birders recruited us to help
look for a reported Great Bustard on south Mainland(!) Only after dark did we
find out that it was a Little Bustard and had been refound and watched until
dusk. Thanks for telling us, guys!
A
small band of visiting birders collected at dawn on the Monday at Ringasta,
staring at a field in hope. Two Richard’s Pipits flew over low, calling, to
liven things up a bit, and we got to enjoy the sight of Franko haranguing the
houseowner, who was still in dressing gown and slippers. While he was doing
that, Nige called me over quietly and suggested I should look through his
Questar – gulp, female Little Bustard! Everyone got good views, then we had to
dash to Sumburgh airport for our flight. What a way to round things off, though!
Fair
Isle has a bleak beauty all its own, and I loved it. I’ve twitched it a few
times since, but not stayed on again. I keep promising myself I must go back:
only problem is, if I do, what are the chances of having such a brilliant week
again?
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