Orcas! Killer Whales in the South Harbour!



Seal the Deal for a Meal? - photo detail

full size photo

 5 Killer Whales in the South Harbour Today!

So many people were able to watch as the whales hunt the seal. All the school kids were there on the Football Pitch playing rounders and took a break in the game to witness the natural spectacle. A fine treat for the last day of school! yeah! Photos far better than mine were taken by others and Liz got some video! No one was sure if the seal was eaten or killed in the end? I thought it looked like a training class for the younger whales. The large Bull let the youngsters to try and get on with it? All the same it was a real National Geographic moment... more like 30 minutes or more. What fun to here every one roar every time a fin broke water. I'm pretty sure Henry was the loudest. I'm very happy as I have always wanted to see them hunt seals plus this is the first time I have had my camera with me for a rare Orca photo opportunity.

Training Session? - How to make waves and get a unsuspecting sunning seal off a rock.


Orca! Killer Whales hunt Seal! Fair Isle, Shetland, Scotland, UK. from Liz Musser on Vimeo.

Video by my wife - Liz Musser

The big bull!
I feel really lucky just to see a fin now and again.

and this is what a normal sighting might look like from Fair Isle.



This was awesome!



Simply Stunning!

Good bye. Please come again soon!

The Wedding & another Beautiful Sunset

Married on Fair Isle Today!



Sailed in from Sweden inspired by Per Holmlov Book
Per & Lisa also were married on Fair Isle a few years ago.

Link to Per Holmlov's book
http://cdon.se/b%c3%b6cker/holml%c3%b6v%2c_per/lycka_%c3%a4r_ett_sommarskepp_%3a_ketch_siris_%c3%a4ventyr_i_v%c3%a4sterled-4189967



Magnus & Cathanina Karlsson



We catered the wedding party of 8 people at our Auld Haa Guesthouse.

Champagne plus starters - Crab & Salmon Sushi, Spring Rolls& Saute Chicken Skewers
Main Course - Salmon encrusted in red and green peppercorns with seaseem seeds and panko.
homemade bread and David & Mati's fresh Fair Isle goats cheese.
plus salad and roasted potatoes, turnips, carrots & garlic.

They brought lovely Champagne, Red & White Wine, Port, & a fine dram of Whisky.



 

the Chocolate Cake!

Cheers!

A lovely evening and a new beginning...

Lighthouse, Rainbow, Sunsets, Fish and Rare Breeding Bird

Sunset South Lighthouse - Fair Isle - June 26th 2011

This post should of been called "Random Photos from the past few days" But I think I've done that before? 

He is getting bigger every day...

Large lens... not for photographing birds.

Bill & the South Lighthouse Light

I'm beginning to hate sunset photos because they are never as good as the real thing or sometimes they look so good that the look fake.

Sunset Pollock caught by Henry in the North Haven

 

Five Bearded Rockling - largest one we ever seen.

Shameless FIBO plug

What's That! I Wondered?

It took me a minute... and I did check it for a light coloured eye? wishing it was a North American Rusty Blackbird, one of my dream birds I hope to find someday on Fair Isle. No such luck, but it is still very rare in it's own way as this is one of the two newly fledged Blackbirds. The result of the first time Blackbirds have breed on Fair Isle since 1973. Very cool! I've never seen a blackbird so brown or young before.

Good Luck! and come again.



Summer Solstice Party

Let's get this party started!
it's not like we have all night... or night at all!
The party raged on with the bonfire all night into a brighter sunny morning.

The Birthday Girl!

Solstice Sunset

The Simmer Dim

Birds in the garden today...
Spotted Flycatcher in the morning and this Crossbill in the afternoon.

Exploring Fair Isle with High School Friends.

The Leary's taking in the view of Fair Isle's North Cliffs.



Kelly & Timmy
Both who I've known since Shaker High School in Upstate New York, USA.

Hey! This is to prove to you all... When your friend has a house on the Ocean you should go visit!



The boys... the first swimmers of the year in the Fair Isle Swimming pool - Gunglusund tidepool.

Fishing

 

3 men in a tub  -  rub a dub dub.



Henry & Wyatt  -  Fishing in the North Haven

Wyatt's Big Fish!
Pollack

The mighty fisherman on the North Haven Beach.

Puffin!



Puffin with Sandeels for it's hungry chick nesting in the hole.

Awesome!



Fair Isle Lighthouse Keepers Golf Course

We played a classic round of Scottish Golf... in fog and light misty rain.
We even found a few rare birdies.



Tim with the pin on the signature 6th hole green. Nice tee shot!

"It's not everyone has thier own golf course like Tommy"

Timmy & Tommy together again... watch out!
for our kids... we are getting old.



Zephir - Wyatt - Henry

 We partied late into to the Simmer Dim every night.



Zephir swooped by Great Skua (Bonxie) protecting it's young.

 

We can see you Bonxie Chick, even if you can't see us. - photo by Zephir



The lucky co-pilot

Fair Isle's Sheep Rock from air on the way to Shetland.

Saw my first Painted Lady Butterfly of the year on Unst.
Well worn and faded and must of traveled quite a ways.

Zephir caught this tidepool fish in Unst, a species Henry and I had never seen before.

We saw and found lots of Wildlife...

birds, fish, rabbits, seals, and huge sea worm?

see more birds & wildlife in previous post...
http://fair-isle.blogspot.com/2011/06/rarest-british-bird-other-photos-from.html

If it looks like we had fun showing them Fair Isle? you would be under estimating the whole experience!
 It was a blast from the past and "awesome" at every moment. I took a few hundred photos and we did and saw so much it was hard to pick and choose what to share. So many more new memories with old friends.

We miss them already. cheers & love Tommy Liz & Henry

The Leary Family on St. Ninian's Beach, Shetland.

LEGEND!