Monday 29 September 2008 - Day 4 - Fair Isle Here We Come! - 29/09/08

Fair Isle Here We Come!

The adventure started with us nearly missing our 9.00am flight due to a very late, last minute check in.  As it happened the plane didn't even fly until over a hour later because some numpty couldn't find the keys to the aircraft hanger!  We then had fun and games with our 15kg baggage allowance.  Why is it that a 18 stone fat b@stard is allowed to take the same amount of luggage on a flight as me who is in peak physical fitness and weighs slightly more than his ideal weight?  It just ain't fair!  Airport staff should add this line to their script at 'check in' time: "Sorry Sir/Madam due to our policy regarding clinical obesity we regret to inform you that you will only be allowed to travel with just a change of underpants and a toothbrush.  The remainder of your luggage will be confiscated until you see fit to shed at least 20 pounds in weight.... you wheezing, smelly, fekkkin porker!"  As the plane was overloaded we had to leave some of our gear behind.

The famous Fair Isle Bird Obs (top right) with the infamous Good Shepherd (below left) docked in North Haven.

We were greeted at the airstrip by the lovely Holly and taken down to the Obs, our home for the next five days.  As soon as we arrived we were enjoying our first decent bird of the trip, a Jack Snipe had been found in one of the heligoland traps.  It had just been processed and ringed and we were just in time to see it being released.

Jack Snipe (with Snapper in the background) - Fair Isle Bird Obs, Shetland - Sept 2008

After a quick brew we then made our way down to South Haven where Andy quickly located a Bluethroat feeding on the insect rich seaweed.  Also in the area were Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Common Snipe and Whinchat amongst the Turnstones and Rock Pipits.  Offshore Fulmars were numerous along with around a dozen Black Guillemots and 2 Common Guillemots loafing around in the bay.  A quick visit to one of the nearby clifftops produced a few Northern Wheatears and a male Blackcap.  Surprisingly a Water Rail was also spotted feeding around the boulders at the foot of the cliffs.

Bluethroat - South Haven, Fair Isle, Shetland - Sept 2008

Photo by Steve Nuttall

After a spot of lunch we all then headed down to the south of the island.  Whilst trekking down to the crofts a couple of Yellow-browed Warblers were seen along with a probable Greenland Redpoll amongst the Twite flock.  Down on the recently created scrape 2 juvenile Pectoral Sandpipers showed well down to a few feet along with a juvenile Dunlin.  Unfortunately one of the 'Pecs' had a damaged leg.  With Nuttall sensing a storm we set off to find shelter which we found just inside the garage door of one of the locals.  It was like a scene from a horror flick, five wet and weary travellers taking cover with five hanging sheep corpses, a rusty Peugeot and a whole bunch of nasty looking tools/torture devices for company.  All that was missing was a banjo strumming soundtrack.  We were all just getting used to our surroundings when we were evicted by an angry Fair Islander "Come on lads, you're pulling the piss, get out!  If we were down south you'd all be arrested by now!"  Is 'pulling the piss' an obscure Scottish expression?  I've never heard that one before. :o)

After the storm cleared we continued with a bit more 'crop bashing' nearby.  After carefully picking through another Twite flock we finally located a soggy looking Little Bunting feeding on the ground.  It was while we were admiring this bird that Ian Moore picked out a Lapland Bunting too.  A couple of nice semi-rarities in the same tiny crop.  We were starting to feel a bit more optimistic about our time on the island as we made our way back north to the Observatory.