Fulmar at Fair Isle earlier in the week for #SuperSeabirdSunday

At @rossahmed.bsky.social's excellent SBRC talk tonight, there was discussion as to whether the increase in Scottish records of North American landbirds was largely related to more birders visiting Shetland in recent years. No doubt that has helped, but if you assume coverage of Fair Isle... (1/3)

A Water Rail feeding in the garden pond whilst I'm having lunch. The Water Rail had been a regular sight during the winter, the sunshine definitely hasn't. #ukbirding #FairIsle

After 22+ years solid service, my Swarovski 8.5x42 EL latest repair bill would be £1000+. I'm thinking it's probably time for new binoculars instead, but having not bought any for so long, I'm after any advice. I've really liked the ELs (other than the eyecups always perishing). #birdingequipment

Plenty of selkies in the North Haven yesterday, including these two having fun in the shallows.

Young me would be amazed that I'd have 4+ Water Rails feeding in my garden one day (and so might not have spent as many hours in hides hoping for a glimpse of one!). With most gardens also holding 1-5, could Fair Isle be one of the easiest places in the UK to see double figures of them in a day?

It feels immensely rare this morning and, with four Goldcrest in the garden so far, I'm hoping for something even stripier by the end of the day...

I was very pleased to add Black-faced Bunting to my croft, Fair Isle, British, world and self-found lists yesterday and just as pleased when it was relocated at Barkland. I didn't manage any photos of the bird, but here's the twitch! #pwc2025

I was checking the honeysuckle for moths and accidentally woke up this roosting male Blackcap. He didn't fly off though, so he'll hopefully still get a good night's sleep.

I'll hopefully get better (out the pot) photos later, but I was thinking this was Agriphila straminella. That would make it a very late record for Fair Isle though, so is there anything else I should be looking out for? @mothiduk.bsky.social

Feels like a fun morning in Fair Isle; 3 Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, Sedge Warbler, Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, Whinchat, 2 Siskin and Lesser Redpoll so far without really trying. Surely more to come! #BirdingScotland

With a bright moon, I'm not holding out much hope for the trap, but there's obviously migrants out there: 28 Dark Sword-grass, 4 Silver Y and Setaceous Hebrew Character on the sugar and flowers in our garden tonight (Fair Isle, VC112). #Teammoth

Turnip Moth on sugar last night. A rare migrant to Shetland, with records in only five previous years in Fair Isle. Hopefully calm enough to try the trap tonight... #TeamMoth

The recent run of easterlies has been a wee bit underwhelming for migrant birds, so I was delighted to find this Wryneck in the driftwood stick outside the kitchen window this evening. #BirdingScotland

Dewick's Plusia feeding on the hebe last night is a first for Fair Isle and there were still at least three Convolvulus Hawkmoths on the honeysuckle. It's been a remarkable week of moths! #Teammoth

Fabulous mothing in the garden last night. Rarest were these two Scarce Bordered Straws. Most impressive were the 5 Convolvulus Hawkmoth feeding on the honeysuckle. 20 Dark Sword-grass feeding in the garden. Fair Isle rarities included Frosted Orange, Lime-speck and Double-striped Pug. #teammoth

A busy night for moths on the honeysuckle, hebe and sedum in our garden last night. Highlight was this Bordered Straw (2nd Fair Isle record), with other migrants including 2 Convolvulus Hawkmoth, 6 Dark Sword-grass and 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters. #teammoth

Convolvulus Hawkmoth, Dark Sword-grass and 2 Silver Y feeding on honeysuckle and hebe in the garden last night. The trap was relatively quiet (47/5), but this Lunar Underwing is the first Fair Isle (and fourth Shetland) record. #TeamMoth

Ahead of the forthcoming south-easterlies, the net ride has been trimmed, viewing to the ponds has been opened up and the rosa and lawn have been strategically cut to allow better viewing. And now we wait...

Convolvulus Hawk-moth on the honeysuckle in the garden tonight at Shirva, Fair Isle. A few butterflies around today including Peacock, which I've decided is possibly my favourite thing in the natural world. #TeamMoth

This micro on the outside of the trap wasn't one I recognised. Obsidentify suggests Bactra furfurana, which seems a good fit, but the only Bactra currently on the Fair Isle list is lancealana. Any thoughts on the ID please? #TeamMoth

Bedstraw Hawk-moth the absolute star of our trap in Fair Isle last night, about the 15th record for the Isle. Technically the highlight though was Common Carpet; first for Fair Isle and just the 6th for VC112 Shetland. Overall 234/19, dominated by 114 Diamond-back Moths. #TeamMoth #MigrantMothUK

I thought this pug from our trap in Fair Isle last night would be Juniper Pug (a resident in the Isle) but Obsidentify is very confident it's Double-striped, which would be a vagrant here. I don't have enough experience to be sure, so any help greatly appreciated thanks. #ukmoths #TeamMoth

Foula viewed from our garden in Fair Isle last night. #Shetland

Some uncropped images of Killer Whales passing Landberg, Fair Isle this evening. I love this place! #CetaceansUK #Shetland

Midsummer is generally a quiet time for new passerine arrivals in Fair Isle, so there are worse birds to have hanging around the garden than this male Eastern Subalpine Warbler, which was first seen on 17th June. #BirdingScotland

Our first Large White and Magpie Moth of the year gave some promise for the night, but a bright, clear sky meant the trap was pretty quiet. A bit more activity around the sugar, although not much outside of the expected species other than the lingering Bright-line Brown-eye #TeamMoth

Trying to key out some lacewings from the garden. Chrysoperla carnea agg. I would say, but not sure I can narrow it down further? Would it usually be necessary to prepare it as a specimen for getting to species level, try for better photos, or is there detail I can get with a hand lens? #insects

Last night was a good one for #TeamMoth in Fair Isle. Vagrants represented by Pearly Underwing and Bright-line Brown-eye, earliest ever Smoky Wainscot and first Northern Rustics of the year. Also 4 Dark Sword-grass, several Silver Y and Diamond-back Moths. @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

A beautiful night in Fair Isle. Highlights were the Isle's 3rd record of Aethes cnicana, 7 Clouded-bordered Brindle, 4 Dark Sword-grass, stacks of Silver Y, Nightjar and Fair Isle Mouse feeding in the garden and a wander out to Raeva for my first Storm Petrel of the year. #TeamMoth

Still waiting for it to get dark in Fair Isle, but Clouded-bordered Brindle on the sugar, Blastobasis lacticolella, Silver Ground Carpets, Map-winged Swifts and loads of Silver Y on the wing already and the trap on for its shortest run of the year! #TeamMoth

A remarkable 24 hours for the croft. After yesterdays ESW, a Nightjar was feeding in the garden as I set the moth trap at around 11.30 last night, then this morning, Susannah found the wandering Great Reed Warbler around our ponds. Is spring in Fair Isle done yet? Maybe not... #ukbirding #pwc2025

Eastern Subalpine Warbler in the garden today was a nice little bonus whilst working at the byre. Species number 212 for the croft list and some useful points for #pwc2025. #ukbirding

Susannah found this rather splendid Icterine Warbler at the Fair Isle Primary School today and it even gave a few bursts of song in the occasional sunny spells. My first of the year (I must get my #PWC2025 list up to date...).

Pallas's Reed Bunting! The first for the UK was found at Fair Isle on the day I was born, so I've always wanted to see one here. I now owe Alex a pint after he found this gorgeous peerie thing in the Wirvie Burn this morning! #BirdingScotland

The northerly breeze is picking up and dropping the temperature, but the sugar has attracted 7 Angle Shades, 3 Dark Sword-grass and my first Setaceous Hebrew Character of the year (a species unknown in the spring in Fair Isle until 2024). #TeamMoth

A few nice birds in recent days. Buzzard (photo from Tarryfield where it was heading north, but a call to Susannah got it on the croft list) and Bee-eater (a Fair Isle tick for me and, in the last image, also an addition to the croft list, which now stands at 210). My #PWC2025 list is now 116.

Some decent mothing weather in Fair Isle has seen a few good records, including a lot of earliest ever dates. A mild, calm and foggy night on Monday was perfect and highlights were Shetland's first Black- fronted Straw and a Fair Isle record count of 32 Marbled Coronets (IDs in Alt text). #teammoth

Mothing in Fair Isle is very slow in the spring. Apart from a couple of White-shouldered House Moths, the only thing in the trap this morning was this rather lovely Brindled Ochre. #TeamMoth

Pretty much any moth in the spring is noteworthy in Fair Isle, but it's too good a night not to try the trap for the first time this year. A Dark Sword-grass on the sugar already is a good start! #TeamMoth

This Dark Sword-grass was a bonus of the midnight lamb check. Seems like it's the earliest Fair Isle record by about two months. #teammoth

Absolutely delighted that my first Green Sandpiper of the year was in our small garden pond. Also a breeding-plumage Great Northern Diver from the lounge window. #BirdingScotland #PWC2025 #FairIsle

With only five previous Fair Isle records (just one of which was in spring), I wasn't expecting this Sword-grass on the sugar tonight. A bonus of overnight lambing checks! #Teammoth

Blue sky, sunshine, our first lambs of the year on Sunday and a Swallow has just gone through the garden - I think just a day later than the earliest Fair Isle record. #BirdingScotland

Not many birds make me gasp out loud, but it turns out my first Wheatear of the year did! A female in Gilsetter, Fair Isle. #BirdingScotland

Yay, I get a mention in the PWC roundup (admittedly, for having one of the slowest starts to the year in the country). I'm looking forward to adding a few species, but proper spring migration is still a loooong way off for Fair Isle.

A beautiful, calm day in Fair Isle, ending with a fabulous sunset, nacreous clouds then a massive meteor/fireball!

A quick tot-up of the year list so far shows I'm on 53 species; a slow start. Three White-fronted Geese arrived on Sunday, one of the few signs of movement so far this year, with Goldeneye, Red-throated Diver and a dead Little Auk amongst the the other less-expected species. #patchworkchallenge

Don't think these photos will help much, but anyone got a suggestion for this long-dead stowaway moth found in a pepper we were having for dinner? #TeamMoth

A fabulous ru n of sunsets in Fair Isle in recent days. This is the current view from our croft.