Birds, Art & Cute Lambs - random photos of Fair Isle

The Bluethroat

This is a painting make over... you could say I started it in 2007 and finished it the other day. It sat on my walls for years and I was never that happy with it. Sick of looking at it, I took it down to the studio a month ago. Then a few days ago I smashed it with colour and pattern! I love it now!

This Painting commemorates the first Bluethroat I ever saw... Spring 2007 in the Ferny Cup, Fair Isle. After hearing that a Bluethroat was seen Henry & I went looking for it... such a small bird in a big open area for two new birdwatchers. I was looking at a pipit when Henry said there it is! He was right of course. Now the painting has the excitement and the unbelievable flash of colour I felt when the little bird turned it's chest into the light and indeed it was a Bluethroat. I can't wait to see one again this year!

Kestrel on the garden wall.

Jimmy's Big Lambs

Love the Beard! - Bearded Bunting? or Whiskered Sparrow?

"Shearwater" Malcom Green & Tim Dallins
Thanks guys! You really know how to put on a show!

Common Crane not so common here on Fair Isle.
Please forgive this record shot from a half a mile away... it's badly taken in light rain with a fully zoomed pocket camera in a friends scope.

Black-Eyed Suzanne our caddy lamb from 2007 had triplets!
Now we are getting a caddy from our caddy! How cool is that! Her name will be Suzie Q

Henry & Suzie Q only 4 hours old.

1st Barn Swallows of the year



Large Butterfish



The rare Cowrie Shells of Fair Isle... We bet you can't find one!

We saved this Blackbird from inside a Lobster trap.

We saved this Fulmar trapped in a plantie crub by the Kirk and then let it go in the South Harbour.

Last we saw of it it was in the water cleaning it self.

Henry spotted this Wryneck in the garden.

but we didn't see the Hoopoe....
A Hoopoe was seen by Stuart at Quoy and then by the 2 Shearwater guys late Saturday night... already bummed out by FC Barcelona's lost to Real Madrid, I went to look for the bird and the car wouldn't start... it was getting to dark, but I did go looking for it anyways. The next day Sue of Brecks said she saw a striking thrush size bird with a crest on it's head like one of those cycling time trial helmets? We set out again. Myself, Henry & the whole FIBO staff dipped it? even though we tried...

Drawing by Henry made a few years ago when we saw our first and only Hoopoe.