FAIR ISLE - Bluethroat at The Chalet and Puffin Party!

Must have been shattered last night as I did not hear my early alarm - in fact I was woken at 6.45am up by a text from Jack saying 'Bluethroat at The Chalet' - panic set in - especially as I had wanted to say goodbye to Nicholas, Joanna, Barry and Cheryl as they left on the Good Shepherd. Flew into the living room to inform others that there was a Bluethroat around and had 10 minutes to throw clothes on to get to a lift with Josie and guests to The Good Shepherd. Photographed the Good Shepherd leaving North Haven and waved everyone off. Josie kindly gave me a lift back as far as the ringing hut where I watched Jack ringing a Reed Warbler.

Breakfast - usual excellent selection!

Cold day and no sun.

Got a lift up to the shop with Josie and Inez to buy a bottle of wine for this evening's 'Puffin Party' which was being held in the guess where..... 'Puffin' just round the corner from the South Light - all islanders and visitors were in invited. It was being held for some researchers who were staying in the Puffin who were leaving to move into the new obs next week - sounded like an excuse for a party to me!!

Walked up as far as the Chalet and back round via Schoolton where I saw a Chiffchaff flitting about amongst the rhubarb.

Lunch - usual first class selection.

Walked via 'The Chalet' again and then onto 'Pund' where I was attacked badly by an Arctic Skua. Normally I am not bothered as either have a hat on or hold my mono pod above my head. Today I wished I had had my mono pod as this particular Arctic skua beat me in the exact same spot on the back of my head relentlessly and was like grease lightening in turning around and beating me again only a few seconds later! I have never known one to come back at you again so quick and to hit in the same spot over and over again. My head is still sore today! Needless to say I will not return to the same spot this time on Fair isle! Shortly after this as I was walking down by 'Hill Dyke' I dropped my Nikon Coolpix P5000!!! I could hear a horrible loud clicking noise and on inspection the lens was only partially out and would not extend fully out and the screen read 'Lens error !' in red writing - great!!! Saw a Spotted Flycatcher on the fence wire near the ringing hut.

Walked to the Plantation and walked through Vaadal trap to sit on the hill above. As I approached the pond area I disturbed two Twite bathing in the pool - I sat down close by in hope of their return, which amazingly they did and I get some decent pictures, although if the sun had been out they would have been awesome (even though I say so myself). Walked back to South light seeing no other birds of note on route.

Dinner - again scrumptious with starters, main course and dessert.

Flew in shower and washed hair and walked down the hill to the Puffin Party with my bottle of white wine and Inez's bottle of red wine she had kindly asked me to take to party goers even though she didn't attend the party (although I had tried to persuade her several times!) Inez has a baby pink Fair isle hoody top which I just think is brilliant! Not many people of that age would wear something like that but it looks fabulous on her! She is one of the most fascinating people I have ever met - she is Australian and lives in Vancouver Island, Canada - she had so many stories to tell - she doesn't miss a thing and is as sharp as a razor and is incredibly funny.

Puffin Party - Lots of lovely people here, chatted with Hollie and a lovely lady with a beautiful baby called James who just looked smiley and happy the whole time - I was itching to hold him, but he was very popular with everyone else too! Becky Rosser was there who I remembered from the obs team the last time I was here - Becky also found the obs bluethroat the other day. Chatted to Robert the shopkeeper for a long time about my artic skua attack today etc. Also met Ruth and several other people, can't remember names very well! One person's name I have remembered though is 'Maggie' a young lass who is volunteering at the obs when it opens, who was travelling from Grutness to Fair isle on the Good Shepherd TODAY - on the way she and several others had fabulous views of (can't believe this) 4 - yes 4 KILLER WHALES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am green with envy!!! and so were several other people - Hollie said 'I told you not to say anything'!!!!!!!! Everyone there was very friendly and welcoming. I was hoping there would be some music, violin or something, but there wasn't any whilst I was there. After 4 tumbler glasses of high percentage white wine (which is alot for me) I decided to be boringly sensible and leave at 11.50pm - as I walked up the hill to the South Light in semi darkness, I smiled as I realised I was unable to walk in a straight line!!!!