Lesser Scaup - Bird of the Week - Oct. 3rd - 9th

 

Resting place



North American - Lesser Scaup

first record for Fair Isle & a "Lifer" for me.

The Lesser Scaup was caught, ringed, weighed, and measured,

 identification confirmed by the Fair Isle Bird Observatory

Shetland Wildlife Tour Group

My guest at the Auld Haa Guesthouse for the past week. what a great bunch! cheers

Winter plumage Guillemot

Young Eider Duck - Garden Pond ticks front and back.

Hawfinch Feeding with the Starlings and House Sparrows...

Hawfinch & Chicken?

& in the window box feeder at sunset

Auld Haafinch - Hawfinch

Auld Haafinch

This bird has been in the garden for 3 days now and it's got a good chance of being bird of the week if this weather doesn't lift soon. All the mopping bird watchers who haven't seen much reside themselves with views of this obliging bird out in the open for all to see. Most birdwatchers say they are lucky to see part of one hidden by leaves in the tree top of a woods so it is a real treat. Even though it's smaller the Hawfinch does not seem to be afraid of the Starlings or the Chickens often defending quite well it's patch of birdseed I have spread on the lawn and under the feeders.

Tufted Duck on the pond at Field today

White Winged Feral Pigeon has been around a while and has made Fair Isle it's new home...
Confusing some birdwatchers when in flight with white wing flashes.
it has racing pigeon rings on it's legs, I hope it doesn't breed with the wild Rock Doves?

Ha Haafinch

P G Tips or Rose Coloured Starling? Bird of the Week... Sept. 26 - Oct.2

Finally! PALLAS'S GRASSHOPPER WARBLER!

Bert who has come to Fair Isle since the 1960's finally sees the Fair Isle speciality  P G Tips!

the twitch...
Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler aka P G Tips
white "tips" to feathers on tertials and tail.

The light was fading fast and bird was very mobile scurrying like a mouse in the ditches and tall grass. I tried but didn't get great views like last year... and couldn't get anything on it other than it looked like a Grasshopper Warbler with a supercilium. but that's about what it looks like isn't it? P G Tips is notoriously hard to photograph but I did get a good photo of it last year as shown below.

P G Tips - a Fair Isle rare a tea.

Pallis's Grasshopper Warbler - Wali Burn 2008 - photo Ashley Banwell
http://www.worldbirders.com/index.asp?PageId=128&PageName=2008

P G Tips 2010 twitch

Rose Coloured Starling - Juvenile
 personally this is my bird of the week... I have dipped this species twice before on Fair Isle... 
Henry and I dipped it once again the first day it was seen this time. The bird was seen briefly by the obs and havens only to quickly vanish. The next morning (Monday 26th) my son Henry relocated the bird walking to school and pointed it out to me... OMG your right! thanks I said, "that's the best birthday gift!"
 bonus 2 for the price of one!
When adding to my Fair Isle list I realized I never counted common Starling. woot woot!

snow buntings

Returning from morning trap rounds

Red Shank in the garden walls

Reed Warbler on the South Haven Beach... Blyth's
feeding the same as last years? eventually caught and yes! it is Blyth's Reed Warbler.

 Nervous times for birdwatchers...
                      every Warbler, Wader, Wagtail, Pipit and even Swift look suspiciously rare this time of year?

Citrine Wagtail - 1st winter

Swift... but what kind?

Ribble Bird Tours  -  http://www.ribblebirdtours.co.uk/

Oh My God! like... Bill & Stuart are like totally awesome!

no Lobsters in our trap... but 4 huge Edible Crabs

Rarest sighting on Fair Isle this week... one of the family of fungi commonly referred to as:
Dog Vomit Slime Mold
1st record for Fair Isle and Shetland
found by Nick Riddiford who said it has been most likely over looked?
not that it was something I was looking for...

Bird of the Week - Sept. 19th - 25th - Baird's Sandpiper

Baird's Sandpiper

 I got a call that a Baird's Sandpiper was on the North Haven Beach... being Saturday, Henry & I hopped in the car and did a little Isle twitching. We had great views as you can see. I must say I brought my field guide to try to see the specific features and learn something because waders are still a bit confusing at times. This North American bird is the rarest bird of the week and a "Lifer" for me. woot! woot!

Melodious Warbler is still showing well to the delight of many newly arriving birders.

Today Sept. 25th - My Birthday...
Can you imagine my excitement when I looked out my window early this morning and saw this Magpie?
Believe it or not, a Magpie on Fair Isle is very rare indeed. Only one ever record in the 1980's
 I was hoping to find a rare bird on my birthday?
I scrambled for my binoculars only to see it's a decoy?

Magpie? Origin still unknown? Okay you got me!



Something is fishy around here? happy birthday!

 Did you see this post from earlier in the week?

Great Grey Shrike! Killer Photos! and Curlew Sandpiper... Shetland Wildlife



photo by Jon Dunn 



Great Grey Shrike! Killer Photos! and Curlew Sandpiper... Shetland Wildlife

Jon Dunn

Great Grey Shrike with female Blackcap
The Shrike made it's ladder in the bottom of last years Christmas tree placed in my garden for extra cover. I was just clearing the dishes from lunch for the Shetland Wildlife Group staying at our guest house. First seen in my garden by guest Brenda Roe looking out the window. Photographed by my friend & Shetland Wildlife Tour Leader - Jon Dunn. Shortly there after guest Cliff Atkins spotted a Curlew Sandpiper from the window as well. I think we all began to wonder why we walked the cliffs and crofts all morning with lesser results? but there is no denying the beautiful sunny day and spectacular scenery.

                                                                                                                                                                                                       Jon Dunn

Shrike on me Tree

Not only a new garden tick but tree tick too!

my photo...Great Grey Shrike hunting from my "Tree"

rubbish!
It's nice to have a good photographer around, you can see why I'm always complaining about my camera.
Just look at the photos of the Curlew Sandpiper! Thanks for sharing Jon

Jon Dunn

Curlew Sandpiper & Turnstone

Jon Dunn

Shetland Wildlife

http://www.shetlandwildlife.co.uk/

Fair Isle - Shetland Wildlife Holiday Info:

http://www.shetlandwildlife.co.uk/holidays/wildlife.htm

Lisa - Brenda - Cliff - Jon - Colin

The group walking the crofts looking for rare migrant birds.

West Cliffs - Da Sharrif

One of the Blackcaps that didn't fall prey... happily eating apples I put just outside my window.
Entertained us all week.

this Starling wasn't so lucky... as the Kestrel, Henry & I

Henry & I were amazed to see this in our windowbox feeder and then down in the reeds just below.
We opened the door took a photo, then I held Henry up so he could see. so cool.
When you feed birds you can't get to surprised that other birds come to feed too.

Birds & Guests are always well fed at the Auld Haa Guesthouse.

Bird of the Week - Sept 12 -18 Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

I have seen a Spotted Flycatcher in my garden everyday for weeks now... What a joy it is to watch flit from spot to spot. So even thought much rarer birds have been seen this week (Great Snipe, Citrine Wagtail, etc.) this is my personal bird of the week. Simply a delight to have around my garden. I have also included some other random sightings below that I managed to get photos of.

Goldcrest in the garden for 3 days is always fun... and so cute!

35 Whooper Swan in flight... the larges group I have ever seen on Fair Isle.
plus 1 swan (Dennis) on Meoness makes 36

The Whoopers all rafted on the sea in the South Harbour

Shanny Blenny caught by Henry

Cool cloud formation over Fair Isle's South Lighthouse

Willow Warblers everywhere

and to "cap" things off
Blackcap