After Monday's megas turning up on the Shetland Isles—Marmora's warbler—Black Faced Bunting and a Crag Martin, news broke on Tuesday morning that a Song Sparrow had been trapped and ringed in the observatory garden on Fair Isle. I was unable to go on Wednesday due to work but arranged to travel with Fred Fearne on Thursday if the bird was still present. The bird was becoming more elusive, visiting a feeder outside the observatory, but we got news that it was still present, so we set off.
FLYING OVER THE ORKNEYS
WITH THE AIRSTRIP ON FAIR ISLE IN VIEW, WE WERE READY TO LAND
Four hours later we touched down and were driven down to the observatory, where we waited for the bird to show. The Song sparrow hadn't been seen since 12.10pm, so we were in for a wait. The bird eventually came out of the observatory garden and showed really well under a feeder.
SONG SPARROW
The bird was constantly being harassed by house sparrows and disappeared after a good five minutes on show. This was the ninth record for Britain; the last one was at Seaforth Docks in Lancashire in 1994, which stayed from the 15th-17th October.
The bird didn't show again while we were there, so we headed back to the plane and did some birding on the way.
REDPOLL
TWITE
PUFFIN
FULMAR
BLACK GUILLEMOT
GREAT SKUA
A great day of birding and another lifer under the belt—only three more to get to the magic 500!
ME OUTSIDE THE OPERATORY