Wednesday
5th
October strong SE sunny, cool
Gentle
wandering around the island, feeling tired after yesterday's
exploration of the cliffs and geos. Barnacle geese are gathering at
the most southern tip of the island, Skadan. Around 300 of them are
there awaiting a signal for them all to lift into the air and head
south.
A
large grey US Air Force plane circles the island and heads south
itself. Unusual to see here.
A
little bunting is at the base of a dry stone wall near to the thistle
patch by North Shirva. A male blackcap is sheltering from the cool
breeze in amongst the stones.
The
pechora pipit has been found again and so the late afternoon is spent
at Hjunki Geo watching this rare bird. I video it as it finds a worm.
Unfortunately for the pechora, a meadow pipit comes in and steals it.
Thursday 6th
October Fresh SE-E easing Very sunny day
Sheep Day.
A day when all the sheep north of Hill Dyke are gathered together and
the lambs sorted out for the crofters. A time when all the islanders
and most Bird Observatory staff and a few birders, such as myself,
Andrew and John, join forces to corral the sheep into a pen down the
hill from Setter.
How
naïve are Andrew and I when, once the sheep are collected from
Buness and The Parks area opposite Sheep Rock, we think that the work
is done. Not so, there is Ward Hill and the geos to be searched, the
sheep found and brought down to the pens. I walk, run, jump and chase
with Jimmy by my side. Jimmy, who is married to Florrie, is an
original crofter whose father, Jimmy was a crofter before him. It is
a privilege to be able to call Jimmy and Florrie friends and a
privilege to gather the sheep with him. His sheep dog is superb and
his obedience is perfect. Still a few sheep escape from the main
group and Jimmy goes off around Tynesdie to collect them.
It
is hard work and the sweat of Cairan's face as the sheep eventually
are penned, says it all.. By now the fresh cooling breeze of early
morning has eased to light and with strong sunshine coats can be
dispensed with.
Woodcock
were disturbed from the heather moorland by all of this activity. I
see two myself, large, chunky low-flying birds. Also 9 grey herons
are flying over Buness, occasionally cronking as they fly south.
Work
done, time to go birding. An olive-backed pipit is rumoured so I head
off south hoping to find one of the two I need to reach 300. After
three hours of searching I haven't seen the rare pipit, and actually
miss both a pechora and a red-throated.
I do find two little buntings
though and it always nice to see lapland buntings and bramblings
close to.
Walking
back towards the Bird Observatory with the sun almost set, Susannah
Parnaby stops in the van to tell me that a red-flanked bluetail has
been seen at the far end of Hill Dyke in Gannawark Geo. It is a long
walk but I make it up there. More amazingly though is the fact that a
birder in a wheelchair is up there thanks to his friends. The
strength of such friendship is the best thing of the evening and the
fact that the bluetail is missed by all is neither here nor there.
Friends.
The
walk to the Observatory is in the dark with a crescent Moon setting
in the south. There isn't a cloud in the sky. The walk back 'home'
later is going to be spectacular with the Milky way leading the way.
Friday 7th
October Fresh SE very sunny and warm.
A
morning I spend searching around the crofts, fields and dykes
watching small. Common migrant. bramblings and lapland buntings are
in the thistles at North Shirva.
An
olive-backed pipit is found at Dronger, about as far up the north
west as you can get. I get up there yet I am not too disappointed
when I don't find the rare Siberian bird.
The view is magnificent
with the epic coastline of geos and cliffs stretching to the south.
Gannets are still in pairs on the cliffs and there are migrant birds
up there; goldcrests, wheatear, meadow pipits and jack and common
snipe. A merlin chases a pipit along the cliff edge nearby.
At
the observatory in the evening I find out that the pipit has moved to
Leerness making that area tomorrow's destination.
Saturday 8th
October light to fresh SE Very sunny all day
Sunrise is glorious as I walk along Hill Dyke, t-shirt weather with the need
of sun tan lotion. Migrants are in every geo, Siberian chiff chaffs,
goldcrests, redwings, song thrushes, blackbirds and robins.
There
are butterflies too, couple of red admirals and a painted lady. A
silver y moth continues the lepidoptera list.
Reaching
North Naaversgill I spot Lee Gregory coming towards me near to Grey
Geo. He turns around the other way,not to avoid me, he has seen a
bird of interest. I make my way over to where he is. He lifts his
camera. He starts to send a text.
Olive-backed
pipit, bird number 300.
300.
The dream is accomplished. 300 birds in a calendar year, 2016. The
Big Green Big Year is now into extreme uncharted territory and the
300 is mine to keep forever. The first British cyclist to reach 300
in the UK.
It's
too much and I well up with a few tears. Handshakes and a hug from
Lee; I am over the Moon with the fact that the most special birding
friend on Fair Isle is here at this moment. 300. I have done it.
Lee
is doing North as his day's census route and heads off south to
continue his work. I stay wanting to have more views of the pipit
that is my 300th
bird species for 2016. The fact that the bird is an olive-backed
pipit is not lost on me. It has a historic connection being the bird
that started my life of twitching with a fantastic group of teenage
lads from Wolverhampton. Back in 1984 I was a Secondary school
teacher, Coppice High School, Ashmore Park, Wednesfield. There I
started a YOC (Young Ornithologist's Club) and three members of the
club came with me one weekend day to see an olive-backed pipit in
Bracknell, Berkshire. We saw that bird and it is forever a source of
delight that one of those boys, Jason Oliver, is now an extremely
brilliant birder and very close friend; a leader of The Birding
Clams. The Clams contain other great birders from those long off YOC
days; Steve Allcott, Tony Barter and Ian Crutchley amongst others. T
circle is complete, fate has made the first bird from then my 300th
of 2016.
I
can't find the pipit and as it is lunch time I sit on top of a high
cliff to eat some fruit and watch whatever birds pass.
There
is a bird far below on the beach at the base of Leerness Geo, at the
end of Grey Geo. It is a flycatcher. I look through my binoculars and
my heart starts to race. It has a long white patch on the primary
patch! Could it really be a collared. I try to photograph the bird
but it is constantly flitting around and staying in the shadows.
Photographs once achieved with my Canon SX50 are inconclusive but I
feel someone should come and have a look. I am just not sure. A
collared flycatcher would be a mega,a pied would be just another
bird. I phone Lee hoping that he is close but he is at Hjunki, a long
way south. I walk back up and over the hills and see Will, a superb
birder from Aberdeen. He is walking the stream and once I catch up
with him I show him photographs. Pied is his verdict.
Nick
Riddiford is the next birder I meet, Collared he says!
I
go down to Lower Stonebrek. Two of the three birders there are
unsure, the other says pied.
Half an hour or so later David Parnaby is passing and he
stops. Non-committal over species, fair enough, he asks where I saw it and that Chris
Dodds is up there.
Back
at the Observatory I show the photograph to Cairan. "Collared," he says.
Have
a look yourself. It is a poor photograph taken in an extreme
situation. There was no way I could get any closer.
A bluethroat at Setter gives better views.
Party
time, Elena has brought in a bottle of champagne to help celebrate
the 300 with friends. Wonderful friends to share a very special and
emotional moment.
300.
Done
it!
I think it looks good for collared. Testning the picture on some swedes used to see these species. Big congrat to the 300
ReplyDeleteLovely. So glad you got your target.
ReplyDelete