It’s beginning to feel that the end is in sight. The proofs of the new 'Birds of Fair Isle' book are now being checked by the team of authors. That’s more than 400,000 words on 938 pages! Details on how to order will be announced in the New Year. www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/bofi #BirdingScotland

Christmas can be an expensive time of year, so how about something for free? The @scottishbirding.bsky.social and Scottish Birds Records Committee are hosting a FREE online conference over the evenings of February 24th to the 26th. Three talks per night and some real belters among them.

The new FIBO library has arrived at the Obs. With a huge effort from John & Marian Ginnever and the generosity of many donors, 80 boxes of books now replace and expand the library lost in the 2019 fire. Huge thanks go to DHL, Streamline and the crew of the Good Shepherd for their generosity and help

Still wondering whether to visit the new Fair Isle Bird Obs in 2026? We are open for bookings 20th May to 31st October. Although there is only limited availability in May-July, we still have plenty of space from early August until the end of October. Our website includes information on how to book.

Highlights of the last few days of the season were Little Bunting, Firecrest, Barred Warbler and Long-eared Owl, but the best of the week waited until a day after the last census of the year, a Black-faced Bunting at Shirva! Read more at www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸 A Penn

Yesterday we trapped a Norwegian ringed Goldfinch, which was originally ringed on 6th August this year at Jomfruland Fuglestajion by a young girl, pictured with the bird. The map shows Fair Isle in blue & Jomfruland in red, a movement of over 600km! 📸 Alex Penn & Ola Nordsteien

A wild couple of days limited birding ability, but bought with it Little Auk and Waxwing. Some more pleasant weather yesterday resulted in a clear-out of birds but also presented an opportunity for catching some Jack Snipe. Read more at www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸 L Marriner

A classic day in Fair Isle today. With superb numbers of Woodcock and Blackcap especially, amongst a good spread of thrushes. A personal highlight was finding this Isabelline wheatear with @birds-and-me.bsky.social. Just a second for Fair Isle.

Another great trip to Fair Isle has come to an end. But some nice highlights, and some impressive day counts of Blackcap and Woodcock in particular. A Northern flavour to the final day- with Northern Bullfinches arriving.

On a wet and windy day like today, the floor to ceiling windows around the bar make the observatory the perfect hide for watching birds in the garden while staying warm and dry. It doesn’t get much better for garden birds than this one, a Waxwing spending the afternoon enjoying an apple feast!

Things have really picked up the past few days, with thrushes, Blackcap and Goldcrest everywhere and highlights in the form of Pallas’s Warbler, Isabelline Wheatear and Paddyfield Warbler, as well as a few Northern Bullfinch today. Read more here www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸 A Penn

Boom 💥 lightening strikes twice @kevinshetland.bsky.social and I have just found Isabelline Wheatear on Fair Isle. @fairislebirdobs.bsky.social #UKBirding

Recently, Ranger Carla wrote a blog about the new Observatory building and what it means to the staff and the island. You can read that blog and see some of the stunning photos taken by the @promoteshetland.bsky.social team here: www.shetland.org/blog/fair-is...

After a quiet few days, yesterday’s winds bought in a few new birds including a Bluethroat trapped at Double Dyke, a Turtle Dove, the first Long-eared Owl and Goldeneye of the autumn and the first Greenfinch of the year. Read more at www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸 T Wright

An elusive and mobile Richard’s Pipit and a lingering Black-throated Diver have been the recent highlights, along with a Purple Sandpiper ringed in Svalbard earlier this autumn. Read more at www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸 T Wright

It was a tough few days weather-wise on Fair Isle but we still had a fantastic time at @fairislebirdobs.bsky.social thanks to the wonderful staff, with Minke Whale from the bedroom window and Mealy Redpoll in the obs garden #birdingscotland

Had some insane minke whale views this morning, with them coming very close in to where I was sat! The day then got even better when I also got to see my first white-beaked dolphins, which, though distant, put on a show breaching repeatedly!

A longer blog post about a week on Fair Isle with @sheldonbirds.bsky.social: www.outofthebluesky.co/2025/10/11/a... Many thanks to all at @fairislebirdobs.bsky.social, a fantastic place with incredible food! Honourable mentions for @lukemarriner1.bsky.social and @philwoollen.bsky.social #ukbirding

Continuing unsettled weather has kept things on the quieter side, though multiple close in Minke Whales have kept everyone entertained between bouts of rain. Avian highlights include Black-throated Diver, Grey Phalarope and Slavonian Grebe www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸 T Wright

Great to have stayed at @fairislebirdobs.bsky.social for a week after watching the rebuild over the last 5 years. A fabulous place & a great team. We’ve already booked again next year. Now to lose the weight United on despite walking 23k steps/ day. The food was terrific.

Leaving Shetland after 8 super days birding Fair Isle & Shetland with @tombedford.bsky.social. A superb mix of rarities, scarcities, common migrants, seabirds & spectacular scenery based at the brilliant @fairislebirdobs.bsky.social - thanks to all. eBird trip report ⬇️ ebird.org/tripreport/4...

Storm Amy has bought with it some waterfowl movement, with flocks of geese and Whooper Swans around the isle, along with the fifth island record of Little Egret. Other highlights include Olive-backed Pipit and the 12th record of Firecrest: www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸 A Penn

Two Richard’s Pipits added some interest to an otherwise fairly quiet few days with few new birds in. Yellow-browed Warbler continue to be present in small numbers with a few other scattered scarcities. Read more at www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸 S Arlow

Yesterday’s Glossy Ibis was only the fifth Fair Isle record! The Yellow-browed Warbler influx continues, with seven seen yesterday, and thrushes have begun to move through in bigger numbers. Read more on our latest sightings www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸 L Marriner

Arrived @fairislebirdobs.bsky.social for week's birding with @tombedford.bsky.social yesterday eve. Smooth journey with spectacular views from plane of Sumburgh Head & Fair Isle looming out of the south. Short pre-dinner birding produced Barred Warbler, Common Rosefinch & Lapland Bunting - not bad!

Recent days have bought an arrival of Yellow-browed Warbler, along with a mobile Bluethroat, the second Great Spotted Woodpecker of the autumn and the third Turtle Dove of the year. Read more at www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸 L Marriner

The past few days have bought our fourth Brown Shrike in 3 years, as well as the first Snow Bunting and Whooper Swan of the autumn. Catch up with what else has been seen on our latest sightings blog www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸 L Marriner

The flow of migratory birds has continued with several Sparrowhawk and Redstart moving through, along with our first Great Spotted Woodpecker of the year and a Glaucous Gull seen off Buness. Read more at www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸 L Marriner

The first Yellow-browed Warbler of the autumn was seen on the 11th, with a Greenish Warbler and Great Snipe the other highlights of the past few days. Read more at www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸 L Marriner

Yesterday bought our best day of the autumn yet, with plenty of new birds in all across the isle in very calm conditions. A range of common migrants showed well across the gardens, cliffs, and all sorts of other unusual places! Read more at www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸 L Marriner

It’s been a busier few days for birds, with today bringing the first Red-breasted Flycatcher of the autumn, a new Wryneck, two Little Stint and six passing Curlew Sandpiper. Read more at www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸 T Wright

Highlights from the past few days have included a Wryneck, another Barred Warbler and an Icterine Warbler all trapped and ringed as well as a Pipistrelle sp. seen hawking over the Obs garden at dusk yesterday evening. Read more at www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸 T Wright

The past few days have bought some welcome arrivals, including a couple of Barred Warblers, a scattering of Pied Flycatchers, two Wood Warblers and a Wood Sandpiper. Read more on our latest sightings www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸 A Penn

A shift in the winds in the past couple of days has bought the first Wood Warbler and Icterine Warbler of the autumn our way, and small numbers of Ruff are enjoying the cut silage fields. Read more at www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸A Penn

A juvenile Red-necked Phalarope has spent the past couple of days doing laps of Da Water, and a Greenish Warbler was found on the cliffs at Wirvie yesterday. Read more of our recent sightings at www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸 A Penn

Book your 2026 trip to Fair Isle Bird Observatory now. We have kept the prices the same as this year plus there are cheaper rates during spring and autumn “Migration Specials”. The single and twin rooms are all en-suite and prices include all meals. See www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/accommodation

Last nights Storm Petrel ringing session ended with a total catch of 263 Storm Petrels ringed and 18 retraps, including a Portuguese-ringed control. The highlight of the night, however, was a Leach’s Petrel, shown with a European Storm Petrel for comparison! 📸 A Penn

Census has now resumed for the autumn, with the last bits of seabird work being finished up for the year. Evidence of migration is starting to show, with a trickle of warblers and waders moving through. Read more at www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸 T Wright

Recently we’ve been busy carrying out plenty of seabird work, monitoring lots of our breeding species. We’ve also had a couple of Orca sightings! Read more of what we’ve been up to lately over on www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸s - A Penn

Left my GoPro in with the Puffins while I went and did a Shorewatch yesterday and this was the result! Such curious little birds! @fairislebirdobs.bsky.social

Hulk and Nott paid us a visit on Fair Isle this morning, with a swim by the obs! Our second orca sighting in the past 9 days! @fairislebirdobs.bsky.social

Orca!!! When one of the pier workmen casually mentioned there was an orca in the harbour, none of us quite believed him at first, but sure enough there they were! They attracted quite a crowd as they made their way around Buness. My first orca and they did not disappoint!!

As usual, FIBO will be at the @globalbirdfair.bsky.social‬ at Rutland this weekend. Why not come along and hear about the new observatory building and some special offers. There are vacancies for this autumn and bookings for 2026 open for 'Friends of Fair Isle' on 1st August.

Friends of Fair Isle will be able to make accommodation bookings for 2026 from Friday 1st August 2025. General booking will open on 15th August. Prices will be published at that time. Discounted rates may also be available for certain periods in 2026.

Feature: At the edge of the cliffs, no-one says a word. Before us are literally dozens of puffins, fawning at our feet on the grass – the only noise their own mutterings and the sound of the waves below. @fairislebirdobs.bsky.social

You can now make a late autumn visit to the newly opened Obs with a special deal with prices from £99 per person per night (full-board, en suite accom) during the whole of Oct 2025. 25% discount for 7-13 nights 33% discount for 14+ nights See all our prices at www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/prices

There was a great atmosphere last week when all the islanders, guests and staff were invited to toast the newly opened Obs. Douglas Barr, Roy Dennis and Eileen Thomson spoke of the importance of the Obs to the birding and island communities. We all raised a glass to the new Obs!

It’s been a mixed few days weather wise, and numbers of migrant birds remain low. However, we’ve had some excellent highlights the past few days, including Greenish Warbler, Eastern Subalpine Warbler and Great Reed Warbler. Read more at www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸 T Wright

Two rather nice birds ringed at the obs yesterday afternoon! First, the Great Reed Warbler from the previous day went into the obs garden nets, closely followed by a Greenish Warbler caught in Gully. Both very cool birds to see up close, the Great Reed Warbler is huge! @fairislebirdobs.bsky.social

This Great Reed Warbler was found in the obs garden this afternoon, and though it has shown itself only a couple of times since, it’s given some very nice views out of the bar windows for several observers! A nice bird, and so much bigger than I thought they’d be! @fairislebirdobs.bsky.social