Fair Isle

Friday, August 07, 2020

Summer Romance

While Puffins are having their Summer Romances.

I'm certainly not!

At what age did the idea of a Summer Romance die with you? Puffins can live for 30 to 40 years having Summer Romances often with the same partner year after year. When mid-August comes, they both go out to Sea with all the other Puffins scattered to the winds, living apart until next Spring. This works for them somehow? I'm just saying you can learn stuff from watching wildlife. Though for me personally, the island has no suitable mate, the island is perfect for hopeless romantics looking to live a more authentic lifestyle.

Just look at some of my photos from the past couple of weeks. enjoy!

Spending time with Puffins is one of the great joys I have had during all the isolation and distancing. I am trying to spend as much time as I can to enjoy the quirky cuteness of these wonderful creatures. The Puffins are leaving soon and I'm feeling an anticipated loss already.

A Good Catch is Hard to Find!

Father & Son Clipping Sheep

Happiness is a full string of Mackerel!

Greater Sandeel

Kenny with a Full String too!

Buckets Full! Shared around the Isle.

Dark Face Puffin

unusual to see on land in Winter or youth plumage.

Feeling at home is important!

Ready to go! in the biggest truck on Fair Isle.

Pollack

The Legend of Lukki Minni

Island Lover!

Sheep Rock

Isn't it Romantic?

Good Night with some mysterious Noctilucent Clouds. xxoo

Sunday, July 05, 2020

Fair Isle Puffins concerned by the noticeable decline of the Human Species.

My son Henry singing to lonely Puffins.

The Puffins are not seeing the numbers of Humans they are used too. The number of Human Auk Gawkers were drastically reduced last breeding season after the loss of the Fair Isle Bird Observatory in March, 2019 due to a devastating fire requiring a total rebuild from the ground up before any guest can return. Still, many people came and stayed in the island's guesthouses. While many others arrived on private yachts and day visits from crowded cruise-ships one hundred or more at a time.

Now sadly with the Corona Virus, all tourism and Puffin lovers have been stopped up till now. Thus leaving only a few of the 47 Fair Islanders to visit the Puffin Colonies on occasional walks. I swear the Puffins look surprised and glad to see me each time I appear, they are not afraid of me. Especially the Puffins nearest the old bird observatory and the North Haven harbour where most of the Tourists find easy access to a great Puffin Colony on Buness. These Puffins are used to people and cameras, over time they have realized people crazy about Puffins are scaring away the predators, Bonxies/Great Skuas, Large Gulls, and Arctic Skuas are afraid of Humans and will leave the Puffins alone when they are there watching the magic of a Puffins on a clifftop. It seems at this Puffin Colony more than anywhere else Puffins are really missing the Human presence. The growing numbers of Bonxies are relentlessly hunting the Puffins all over the island and the odd relationship between Puffin enthusiast and the quirky birds is sorely missed by both the Puffins and the people who want to see them.

With the new ease of travel guidelines from the Scottish Government and Guesthouses due to or possibly opening if they wish on August 15th, I'm afraid the Puffins will still not be seen by many visitors this breeding season which ends mid-August. The strange symbiotic relationship between Puffins & Puffin Lovers has been broken. As far as I see it, and you can see it plainly on their sad clown faces all over the island people have been missed.