Fair Isle Trip – Day Six!

Packed up my bag again! Thick fog here and no morning plane going (the only one from Fair Isle on a Tuesday). Had to wear yesterday's clothes which is not funny, but I'll live! Plan C will hopefully happen, which is getting a lift back to Shetland on a working barge (delivering goods back and forth for the new pier), which a few people have gone on already due to cancelled planes. The barge was supposed to leave Lerwick at 7am this morning, arriving Fair Isle at 12pm, 2 hours to unload and then return to Lerwick, but because of waiting for goods it didn't leave Lerwick until about 13.05 and its a 5 hour journey, 2 hours to unload and then will leave Fair Isle at approximately 6pm I guess, so estimate arrival in Lerwick will be midnight or later. Then I will have to hope someone can give me a lift to get my car or else pay for an expensive taxi. I obviously won't get as much sleep as I would have liked, but should be at work at my usual start time of 9am.

I had quite a lucky day really. My friend kindly dropped me at the shop and I checked out Vaila's Trees and found my first Common Rosefinch and managed to get a few pictures before it flew off somewhere behind the shop. Sedge Warbler also in here, 2 Linnets and there was a Chiffchaff in the shop garden.

Walked to the hall where there were teas and cakes and craft goods on offer as a cruise ship was visiting. Left here and walked to the observatory. On route I checked out "Chalet", then "The Plantation" where I found nothing at all. At "The Gully", Finnequoy I was overjoyed to find a Grey Wagtail by the stream and waterfall and also found a female Blackcap and a Chiffchaff in the trees at the bottom. Just before the observatory (after the double dyke trap) there were loads of Puffins showing, which I took some pictures of.

I had a packed lunch with me but decided to save this for this evening and had lunch at the observatory. Soup was fabulous and this came with salad and bun with something in that I wasn't familiar with – after asking, I was told it was olives with something, can't remember what. I'm not a lover of olives, but ate it anyway. Discovered the huge library today, they really have done a good job on the design of the new observatory. I asked if any of the single rooms overlook the obs garden, they don't, only the twin rooms overlook the garden.

Took a walk up to Northlight in now drizzling rain and thicker fog. Bit of a waste of time really as couldn't see much. I was told that today was the anniversary of the Pallas's Reed Bunting found at the Wirvie Burn before Golden Water last year. Made it to the Northlight and on the way back found a Mallard and male Tufted Duck on "Golden Water". The usual Oystercatchers, Fulmars, Ringed Plovers, Starlings, Bonxies and Puffins were seen on route. It was totally miserable now and I phoned a friend to come and pick me so I could be indoors, dry out and wait to hear when I can get on the barge, which as I type has not arrived into North Haven yet.

It will be insanely late when I get home tonight/morning, so will update this after work on Wednesday night and get all the pictures uploaded by the end of the week.