Fair Isle
27 Aug 20. Fair Isle is the most geographically remote inhabited island in the United Kingdom. Famous for many things including knitting patterns, shipping forecasts, amazing bird life....and appalling weather!
After a bumpy passage from Orkney, we were very pleased to motor into the protected bay known as The North Haven and tie up on a small jetty next to where the Island's ferry, Good Shepherd IV, is launched. Ian Best, the skipper of the Good Shepherd, who seems to have about 7 other jobs on the island told me very firmly that he was not the official HM, but I have a sneaky feeling he does all the work of the HM! The ferry steams to Shetland up to three times a week depending on the season and conditions.
The small harbour normally welcomes about 150 yachts a year, however in 2020 there have been virtually none. Just 3 miles long and 1.5 wide Fair Isle is tiny, but its bird population is ginormous! The island has recorded a staggering 388 different species. Snowy Owls, Bee Eaters, Hoopoes, Short-toed Larks, Long-billed Dowitchers - the variety is mind blowing. What is more amazing is nearly 400,000 birds have been caught and ringed - see the special nets in photo 7.
As a POW in Germany in WW2, a keen ornithologist George Waterston dreamed of owning Fair Isle and in 1947 he bought it and founded a bird observatory. This work has been carried on by the National Trust who have owned the island since 1954. Check this out: https://www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sightings.html
The 50 or so people who now live on the island are more friendly than the birds. During my jog down the main (only) road to the south of the island I was attacked from the air by both an enormous Arctic Skua and a very beautiful Arctic Tern. I was clearly too close to your nests - sorry guys!
As I keep saying - you MUST visit this place ..... and if you are brave go swimming!!
After a bumpy passage from Orkney, we were very pleased to motor into the protected bay known as The North Haven and tie up on a small jetty next to where the Island's ferry, Good Shepherd IV, is launched. Ian Best, the skipper of the Good Shepherd, who seems to have about 7 other jobs on the island told me very firmly that he was not the official HM, but I have a sneaky feeling he does all the work of the HM! The ferry steams to Shetland up to three times a week depending on the season and conditions.
The small harbour normally welcomes about 150 yachts a year, however in 2020 there have been virtually none. Just 3 miles long and 1.5 wide Fair Isle is tiny, but its bird population is ginormous! The island has recorded a staggering 388 different species. Snowy Owls, Bee Eaters, Hoopoes, Short-toed Larks, Long-billed Dowitchers - the variety is mind blowing. What is more amazing is nearly 400,000 birds have been caught and ringed - see the special nets in photo 7.
As a POW in Germany in WW2, a keen ornithologist George Waterston dreamed of owning Fair Isle and in 1947 he bought it and founded a bird observatory. This work has been carried on by the National Trust who have owned the island since 1954. Check this out: https://www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sightings.html
The 50 or so people who now live on the island are more friendly than the birds. During my jog down the main (only) road to the south of the island I was attacked from the air by both an enormous Arctic Skua and a very beautiful Arctic Tern. I was clearly too close to your nests - sorry guys!
As I keep saying - you MUST visit this place ..... and if you are brave go swimming!!