Red Flag.....Their is only one word for it....'GREAT!'

Its the day when our 1st visitors of the season arrive and also the morning when Will phoned the Obs to say he has found a Great Snipe at Utra. Awesome, We gathered up the troups and raced down south displaying the Red Flag!!. For people who do not know, The red flag system is famous throughout the bird observatories and birding community. If a rare bird turns up, a staff member will drive around holding a red flag from their vehicle alerting any visitors to the news that a good rare bird is in the area. A Great Snipe certainly fits the bill of the red flag. Good Views were had by all has it sat in the ditch but it was not enough to clinch the ID features of the bird, The only way to get the best views was to let it fly, As the wader took off, The adrenalin kicked in as it was confirmed as a Great Snipe. This species belongs to the 'Fair Isle Five' and is usally found in the autumn (more on the FI Five later in the blog). A spring bird is a very rare find as this individual was the 4th spring record for Fair isle but only the 3rd record during the FIBO era (since 1948). The last spring bird was found at Pund by Hywel Maggs at the end of May 2002. Thanks to the boys, I have now seen two of this species where they normally breed in north eastern Europe and north western Russia.

Coming back from the successful twitch, another hard to see species popped its head up as it fed in the ditch along the road, A Quail decided to put on a good show to all of us excited birders....Brilliant.

In the afternoon, from 14:30 onwards, I wandered around the South west on this lovely cool sunny day. Species of note included Redstarts, Whimbrel, Ring Ouzel, Purple Sandpiper, Black Redstart, Black Tailed Godwit and several Tree pipits but the bird of the afternoon as got to go to the Tree sparrow seen at Burkle - A rare bird for Fair isle!

Whimbrel

I called in at the Burkle 'cafe' for a quick cuppa before I had slow walk over to Hoini to watch the sunset.

A quick glimpse east saw the northlink extremley close. It turns out a islanders relatives were on the ship and asked the captain to venture close in to  Fair isle, What stunning views that they would of got of the island with the sun setting behind it. I just hope they had a camera with them!

I eventually got back at 21:30 where Chris saved me a delicous sticky toffee pudding, I Think I deserved it after miles and hours of walking!

Cleaning windows does have its rewards

Today is sunday 1st May and our last day before our first guests arrive. Our first major job was to finnish off getting the Guests area's up to a high standard including cleaning the dreaded windows that was full of salt spray which had collected on there over the winter. Washing windows on Fair isle does have its rewards because where else can you watch a male Eastern Subalpine Warbler, a Stunning male Black Redstart and a Waxwing close by together.

Subalpine Warbler
(picture taken in Israel)

Also in the Obs plantation, I saw My first Lesser Whitethroat of the year but the most unusual activity had to a singing Blackbird. It must of been the nice sunny weather and the essence of spring which got him to burst out in to song has they dont breed but only migrate through the island. 
Thanks to Will, I ringed my second ever Tree Pipit, Another delightful reward while cleaning windows. On the seabird front, I saw my first Arctic Skua's of the year flying north over the observatory. Their calls make your hairs stand up on the back of your neck and defintly makes you smile.

Arctic Skua
(pale phase)

For our last guest free evening, staff and researchers decided to watch Black Sheep on the Big Screen, A new zealand low budget film about zombie sheep. A film I would NOT recomend to watch but it was the ideal film to watch on Fair isle as we share the island with over 1200 of them against 65 people!!

Mammoth (13 hour) day in the Kitchen

The day started off well when a beautiful spring male Redstart was caught on the early trap round which then fed around the Obs plantation for the rest of the day.

The morning was spent in the kitchen making 70 yummy Banana and Sultana Scones and 4 big loafs of bread to go along with my homemade white bean & leak soup with a herby butter followed by Baked Tatties and delicous chocolate chip cookies. All this was done before lunch and was very appreciated by the rest of the Staff. 

The afternoon saw the Observatory being invaded by three starling researchers along with more staff, Assistant Cook Chris and his partner 'General Assistant' Lyndsay. A quick welcome and a nice cuppa strong coffee later, I was back in the kitchen making tonights pudding, A scummy apricot jam pud with custard, A hugh hit with the AW's and researchers. Then a quick sort out of the fridges just in time for one of the biggest food orders in history to arrive.

Just as we were about to serve dinner, The boys brought back a nice looking Tree pipit..Only the second one I have seen in the hand and my 1st (in the hand) since 2004. That was defintley a nice ending to a tiring day!