Friday, November 25, 2016

Fair Isle - Living on the Edge - Documentary BBC One

Fair Isle, Shetland subject of a new BBC Documentary

Monday Night BBC One - 9:00 pm.
watch this...



Here is a photo from the up coming show. taken by Louise Lockwood
Henry and I feature a little but on a island we are bound to have a few sound bites.
 
The show was shot on Fair Isle over the course of a year and speaks to some of the realities of life living in Britain's most remote community of just 55 souls. For more info look at some of the media stories below.







Saturday, November 19, 2016

International Fair Isle Kep Day! November 19th 2016


Today a small group of  Fair Islanders met at community hall to show off their Keps and knitwear. Plus it was a great reason to gather for tea and cakes on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.

International Fair Isle Kep Day

for more info and to buy a pattern join the facebook page.
The Fair Isle Fisherman's Kep Page


My personal hand knit Fair Isle Kep Collection 

What a lovely day
 you can't complain about too much Sun when it sets at 4 pm. this time of year.



This is my pride and joy.
It's all natural undyed Fair Isle wool hand spun by Stuart Thomson and hand knit and designed by the legend Annie Thomson.

Some people look better in my my hats than I do. 

Hip hip!

Hurray! it's International Kep Day!

Wednesday, November 02, 2016

"The Flora of Fair Isle" - MSc research project by Camila Quinteros

Fair Isle Sea Pinks
Thrift (Armeria maritima), is found in every monad (1 km square) of Fair Isle and across an extremely diverse range of habitats.




Camila during her presenting of this research project at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh in September 2016. Not counting mosses, liverworts, hornworts, algae, lichens or fungus, she catalogued more than 250 vascular plant species along the island (include ferns, club mosses, flowering plants), more than 210 species are native to the British Isles.


Frog Orchid (Coeloglossum viride), one of the threatened species present on Fair Isle classified as Vulnerable by the "Vascular Plant Red List for Great Britain", can be found in the north side of the island.


Oysterplant (Mertensia maritima), one of the threatened species present on Fair Isle classified as Near Threatened by the "Vascular Plant Red List for Great Britain", can be found at Muckle Uri Geo by the South Lighthouse.



Chickweed Wintergreen (Trientalis europaeae), a representative species of  "Arctic- Alpine Plants Communities" present on the island at the north side.



Round-leaved Sundew or Common Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), carnivorous plant found in some flush streams at the north side of the island.



Northern Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza purpurella), easily found around the Shop in summer season.



Heath Spotted-Orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata), found at the top of Malcom's Head.



Wilson's Filmy Fern (Hymenophyllum wilsonii) at Wirvie Burn, one of the threatened species present on Fair Isle classified as Near Threatened by the "Vascular Plant Red List for Great Britain".



Field Gentian (Gentianella campestris), one of the threatened species present on Fair Isle classified as Vulnerable by the "Vascular Plant Red List for Great Britain".



 This research project is hoped to be taken by future researchers as a significant baseline to focus on the conservation of those species under threat and those that are nationally scarce. After having the results of the floristic survey plus the habitat description, and in comparison with other islands and historical botanical records done on the island, it can be said that the flora of Fair Isle is surprisingly diverse. The diversity of habitats gives home to a considerable number of species.


Camila, wearing her traditional "Boina Gaucha" from Patagonia

Well done Camila! Fair Isle thanks you for your hard work.

 Camila, grew up on Easter Island until the age of 7 then moving to Punta Arenas- Chilean Patagonia, where she received her undergrad degree on Agricultural Science at Universidad de Magallanes. She was involved in the sheep industry in the region of Magallanes that host more than 2.200.000 sheep until she decided to explore botany. She was on Fair Isle in June of this year surveying the flora of the island, for her Master of Science in Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants at University of Edinburgh and Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. She is hoping to find her way to continue her research in the future. 

Copies of this research project have been given to the Fair Isle Bird Observatory library, island naturalist and should be very useful in the future to the Fair Isle Marine Protective Area.

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

One in a Million

Celebrate! on my birthday too boot!
Wow! My blog just ticked over a million views!

Amazing for such a tiny place with so few people.
you can see the present view counter in the blogs sidebar.

Fair Isle, Shetland - Size 1.5 miles by 3.5 miles

South Lighthouse & Fair Isle sights always delight.

I Love Fair Isle!

My Fair Isle Wildlife and Puffin Photos are always enjoyed
by viewers from around the world. Thanks!

The ever popular hearts in nature photos

Being on TV with Ben Fogle helped gain interest.

a good catch!


My house... the Auld Haa House under the Northern Lights.

Still my most viewed posts where the hand feeding Waxwings

Everyone loves a pretty Sunset and a Lighthouse.


Thank you for your interest and support of my Fair Isle...Blog...

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Hjukni Geo Adventure


A late afternoon wanderings to the bottom of Hjuckni Geo Beach with my son Henry.


This is my first blog post photographed and written on my phone... A bit of a new thing for me...














Boy & Buoy









Monday, September 05, 2016

Island Lights and Northern Delights

Sunset at the South Lighthouse.

I have lived here for 10 years an still find joys here most every day.
and I can't stop taking pictures of them!

South Lighthouse and the Aurora

Note: the camera makes the Aurora much greener than in life.

Aurora curtain and upward beam over Malcolms Head viewed from the South Lighthouse at 2 am.

I caught a falling star on the right hand side of this photo.
I just missed a bigger one... though it is lucky to get any in a photo.

night lights out the back door...



High over the Haa...


South Harbour,Cro Stack and the Auld Haa.

Who's mother is so ugly?

don't ewe be talking about my mother!


everyone loves chicken.


I love the feel of sandy barefoot toes... aw.... Summer...

Black Redstart 

In early September, Black Redstarts are a sign of Autumn coming....
no matter how sunny and warm it is today....

A lovely bird

South Harbour Beach

The rare North American - Ring Necked Duck in the South Harbour.
First one seen on Fair Isle since the 1970's


We saw all the Razorbills have fledged, so we went scrambling down the cliffs at Easter Loder for a little look see. I always thought Henry was too young for this, but now I'm afraid he may be too fearless. A stunning adventure to cap his Summer vaction before he head back to school.

Stuck in the middle

Henry the Rock Hopper!

Waving to the Good Shepherd from the bottom of Easter Loder...
I don't think they see him... :)




Ian, Chris and Jimmy coming in from the kreels... We bought 2 lobsters.... yum!

Always Delightful...