Collared Flycatcher! Lifer & Fair Isle Tick!

Collared Flycatcher - Fair Isle - April 30th 2011 

It's a "Lifer" for me and a few other folk on Isle today.

 I was doing yard work when my wife came out and told me that she had just took a phone message and that there is a Coloured Flycatcher on the south end of Hoini? Did she mean Collared? I guess so... now hiking up Hoini is a chore for me but it's a nice day for a walk. But would it still be there?

                                                                 

Somewhere on the Cliffs of  Hoini?

The bird is in this photo... but this is totally unzoomed or magnified

I crawled to the edge and laid on my belly and waited with my binoculars and pocket camera.
Woe Vertigo!

Is that a black sheep? no... just me trying to see a bird.

There he is!
I waited for quite a while and was rewarded for my patience with great views and good record shots.

 Once you get over that huge white collar... which might never happen...

I notice was this bird has white on each side of it's tail?

My Collins Bird Guide notes tail is usually all black?

As it turns out Asst. Warden Jason & Girlfriend found the bird... Well done! and thanks for the Tick.

I heard it was the 30th British confirmed record and the last sighting was in 2006.

The 1st was on the island of Whalsay, Shetland in 1947 

It's quite a veiw up there, even when the bird flies out of view for a while...

Hoini Beach full of Sunning Seals

That's "Lifer" on Fair Isle!

  Added Bonus! added May 1st 2011

Male Subalpine Warbler - Eastern

Wow! what rubbish photos of another AWESOME bird.

I can see the glint of sun on the leg as it was caught and ringed last night.
It was weighed and measured and deemed of the eastern race.

Photographed from far away and tightly cropped with a old camera but it was out in the open!

not skulking in some bush as usual. It was nice to see a spring male for a change.

Cheers! wish you were here!