| Flights | Loganair, scheduled:
Outbound: Morning Aberdeen-Sumburgh
Inbound: Afternoon Sumburgh-Aberdeen |
| Day 1 | Fly Aberdeen to Shetland then take the ‘Good Shepherd’ ferry across to Fair Isle passing Sumburgh Head enroute. |
| Days 2-7 | Birdwatching and wildlife exploration of the island from our base at the comfortable Fair Isle Bird Observatory. |
| Day 8 | Return back to mainland Shetland for our flight back to Aberdeen from Sumburgh. |
| Weather | Cool to warm, with changeable weather, expect sun and squally showers, may be windy (8°-15°C). |
| Ferries | We shall travel from Shetland to Fair Isle by a small ferry with the potential for rough seas. Please be prepared for this. |
| Walking | Walking is generally very relaxed and easy, with walks of up to 3-4 miles on roads and rough grassland. |
| Meals | All included from lunch on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 8. |
| Insects | Biting insects will not be a problem. |
| Accom | Comfortable double, twin and single ensuite accommodation. Most rooms are on the first floor.st floor. |
| Group | 7 |
A special welcome to the Migration Stepping Stone, plenty
of common migrants, with a good chance of something really rare
turning up - an addictive island!48uep6bbph|00000E4E|Spey_BESQL3|HolidayTypes|Subheading 48uep6bbphidval|FAIR ISLE
| * A dot in the seas between Orkney and Shetland
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| * Plenty of pleasant walks amidst cliffs and crofting land
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| * The last of the season’s lingering seabirds and skuas
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| * Famous for bird migration and rarities in easterly winds
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| * Traditional knitwear, local music, crafts and boat building
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| * All based at the comfortable Bird Observatory
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| * Fantastic scenery and possibly the Northern Lights
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| Day 1 | We fly into Sumburgh on Shetland and take the ferry, the ‘Good Shepherd’ across to Fair Isle, or ‘Fridarey’ as it was known in old Norse, meaning ‘the peaceful isle’.
Leaving Shetland behind, we pass under the imposing cliffs of Sumburgh Head, before heading out to sea towards Fair Isle some 25 miles to the south, with the possibility of seabirds such as Great and Arctic Skuas, Sooty Shearwater, Fulmar, Gannet, Puffin and Storm Petrels jinking low over the waves, plus cetaceans such as Minke Whale, Harbour Porpoise or White-beaked Dolphin. As the isle comes into view, we pass close to the North Lighthouse perched on top of the cliffs, arriving into the shelter of the harbour at North Haven, then make our way up to the Observatory, where we become part of the wider island community for the week.
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| Days 2-7 | The Observatory enjoys stunning coastal views across to the seabird cliffs of Sheep Rock and the headland of Buness, with the beaches of the North and South Havens only a short walk away. Here, flocks of passage waders such as Knot, Sanderling, Dunlin and Turnstone can be seen feeding, whilst the Observatory gardens, vegetable patches and plantation will often hold migrant warblers, pipits, chats and flycatchers. This allows you to birdwatch from the comfort of the Observatory’s lounge, dining room or even your bedroom! Their minibus will take us to the far reaches of the island, but we’ll also enjoy plenty of walking, so be able to explore every nook and cranny, from seabird cliff, to cultivated garden and crofting land.
At dawn we can accompany one of the wardens checking the Heligoland traps, such as the famous Gully and Double-dyke, to discover which migrants may have arrived and we’ll be closely involved with the study and ringing of any birds back at base, allowing us the privilege of seeing these incredible migrants up-close in the hand - and be sure not to miss any rarities caught.
Fair Isle is one of ‘the’ best places to experience the thrill of bird migration and if the winds are right, we’ll explore the gardens and crofts in the gentler south of the island, as well as the wild and dramatic west cliffs, with their numerous sea stacks and the moorland and hill ground in the north. On the sheer cliffs of the north and west, migrants can be found seeking the smallest patches of shelter, such as the stands of Angelica.
The meadows and fields can hold feeding waders,including Black-tailed Godwit, Ringed Plover,
Dunlin, Lapwing, Golden Plover and Ruff and with migration reaching its peak, in the right weather,
the island can be alive with common migrants around every corner; birds dotting the top of
every dry-stone wall and fence line! Regular migrants include Tree Pipit, Redstart, Spotted and
Pied Flycatcher, Whinchat, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Sedge and
Reed Warbler and numerous Willow Warbler and Northern Wheatears, plus hoped for rarities such
as Bluethroat, Pallid Harrier, Red-backed Shrike, Wryneck, Common Rosefinch, Ortolan and
Lapland Bunting and Citrine Wagtail and warblers such as Marsh, Arctic, Greenish, Booted, Subalpine, Icterine, Savi’s and Barred.
With the island’s grapevine, news of rarities will
reach us anywhere - the Observatory minibus fly’s a red flag to let everyone on the island know of
a mega-rarity! Or we might just find that Arctic Warbler, Greenish Warbler or Citrine Wagtail
ourselves! We are at the mercy of the winds, but in quieter periods, we shall soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the fascinating history, geology and culture of this wonderful island. The rocky coast around the South Harbour and Lighthouse often holds passage waders including Purple Sandpiper, Knot, Turnstone, Sanderling, Redshank, Dunlin and Curlew, whilst Rock Pipits, Northern Wheatears, White Wagtails and Fair Isle race Wrens can be found foraging amongst the seaweed on the beaches, with small flocks of Eider and Black Guillemots just offshore.
We’ll also check some of the island’s freshwater pools, marshes and wetlands, where scarcer
waders can sometimes be found, such as Little Stint, Wood Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Pectoral and Buff-breasted Sandpiper, along with flocks of newly arrived Wigeon and Teal and both Common and Jack Snipe. Some lingering Gannets and Fulmars may still be on ledges on the towering sandstone cliffs in the north, while breeding Great Skuas and maybe late breeding Arctic Skuas are still present on their territories on the higher moorland.
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| Day 8 | We return by ferry to Sumburgh for our flight back to Aberdeen.
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Just some of what we hope to see..
| Sooty Shearwater | Red-breasted Flycatcher | Snow Bunting |
| Storm Petrel | Red-backed Shrike | Short-eared Owl |
| Wryneck | Great Grey Shrike | Long-eared Owl |
| Citrine Wagtail | Common Rosefinch | Merlin |
| Richards Pipit | Ortolan Bunting | Spotted Flycatcher |
| Olive-backed Pipit | Brambling | Pied Flycatcher |
| Bluethroat | Mealy Redpoll | Whinchat |
| Yellow-browed Warbler | Yellow-breasted Bunting | Redstart |
| Barred Warbler | Lapland Bunting | Ring Ouzel |
| Lanceolated Warbler | Twite | Jack Snipe |
"I've had an absolutely brilliant holiday, and have learned more about warbler identification in the last week than at any time in the past, owing to the expertise of Craig Round. My highlights were watching the ringing of birds, the experience of holding a Storm Petrel prior to release following a night time mist netting, seeing rare birds (at least to me!) close up in the Observatory garden, and having the privilege of spotting pods of Pilot Whales and Risso Dolphins of the north coast of Fair Isle."
Roger Rooke
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"We were lucky enough to watch the netting and ringing of Storm Petrels, and each of us was allowed to hold one in our hands for release. It was an almost mystical moment as I held this tiny bird in my hands, marvelling at the fact that it will travel the globe many times in its life, and that it will probably outlive me despite its apparent frailty. It was gently sniffing at my fingers (petrels have a keen sense of smell), and settling into its temporary nest in my cupped hands. Then there was a brief scrabbling of feet, it lifted its head, and launched itself onto its next journey. Such a privileged experience."
Alison Cawley & John Scotford
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"Fair Isle itself, a fabulous hidden gem of a place.
The Obs, a great relaxed and cosy place to stay including enjoying many an evening laughing with our fellow guests over a few bevvies.
Loved sitting on the cliffs with our friends in the sunshine watching our beautiful seabirds doing their thing out at sea.
Watching a pairof Short-eared Owls gliding in the late afternoon sun"
Gill Gooch
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"Just a great place to relax and unwind. Really nice group and to see the seabirds particularly Fulmars and Gannet in their element was really special. The scenery was fantastic too. Every day was fab. Really would recommend a visit to the island"
Chris & Andy Mortimer
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"My bogey bird has always been a Wryneck, so when one of the Wardens called in with a sighting, Susannah then drove us straight away to the site and then Craig found it hiding in a hole in a wall I was very happy, plus I managed to get some photos. Also seeing birds being rung every morning was great, the wardens were really friendly and passed on lots of information."
Adam Moan
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"Actually stepping onto Fair Isle; Fantastic scenery; Hospitality of the staff at the Observatory; Range of information shared by guide and other group members; The birds!!; Learning more about migration; Getting off Fair Isle before weather closed in!; Really enjoyed the bonus of a night in Sumburgh."
Dorothy Hutchinson
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"Seeing birds in the hand and listening to the warden's explanations of ringing techniques, birds conditions when in the ringing room."
Andy Golding
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"The big ginger bird (ask Craig!)"
Jacqueline Murray
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"The seawatch at the South Light. The weather was stormy, but that was what made it special. Dark skies and crashing waves made a spectacular sea scape backdrop, while in front gannets dived and bonxies flew past. On the way back to the observatory Craig spotted a Jack Snipe on the edge of the Obs pond. As this was a lifer for me I was pretty chuffed. But it got even better, as with patience we were able to crawl across the grass to get some truly spectacular views and photos, with the sun shining directly onto it. Going on the trap rounds and watching and learning about the ringing work was also interesting - Everyone's magic moment was Craig's reaction on finding a River Warbler in the obs garden. Words cannot do it justice! It galvanised the entire observatory with even the cook and domestic staff coming to see it!"
Steve Foster
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"I happened to be looking out the library window when Craig spotted the River Warbler in the garden and broke into a run, waving excitedly towards the ringing room window. Will dashed out and managed to catch the bird in the net while all of us, guests and staff, came running from all directions. The delighted looks on every face were a highlight along with the whole experience of being in such a peaceful, remote and spectacularly beautiful place."
Marilynn Murphy
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