Fair Isle Bird Observatory
@fairislebirdobs.bsky.social
One of Britain's premier bird observatories on the the UK's most remote inhabited island.
Follow for migration, marine life & more
www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk
Follow for migration, marine life & more
www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk
Pinned
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.
Fair Isle Bird Observatory is pleased to announce that 'The Birds of Fair Isle' is now available to pre-order. This richly illustrated two-volume avifauna celebrates 75 years of FIBO survey work.
The set is offered for a limited time at £70 plus postage. For details: www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/bofi
The set is offered for a limited time at £70 plus postage. For details: www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/bofi
February 1, 2026 at 7:46 PM
Fair Isle Bird Observatory is pleased to announce that 'The Birds of Fair Isle' is now available to pre-order. This richly illustrated two-volume avifauna celebrates 75 years of FIBO survey work.
The set is offered for a limited time at £70 plus postage. For details: www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/bofi
The set is offered for a limited time at £70 plus postage. For details: www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/bofi
Reposted by Fair Isle Bird Observatory
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
Details on how to order will be announced in the New Year.
www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/bofi
#BirdingScotland
December 20, 2025 at 8:32 PM
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
Details on how to order will be announced in the New Year.
www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/bofi
#BirdingScotland
Reposted by Fair Isle Bird Observatory
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 @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.
December 18, 2025 at 9:14 PM
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 @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
November 24, 2025 at 8:40 AM
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.
November 12, 2025 at 3:34 PM
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
Read more at www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight...
📸 A Penn
November 1, 2025 at 8:36 PM
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
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
📸 Alex Penn & Ola Nordsteien
October 28, 2025 at 4:29 PM
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
📸 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
📸 L Marriner
October 27, 2025 at 3:55 PM
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
📸 L Marriner
Reposted by Fair Isle Bird Observatory
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.
October 21, 2025 at 8:40 PM
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.
Reposted by Fair Isle Bird Observatory
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.
October 24, 2025 at 7:39 PM
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!
October 24, 2025 at 1:36 PM
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
📸 A Penn
October 23, 2025 at 8:03 PM
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
📸 A Penn
Reposted by Fair Isle Bird Observatory
Boom 💥 lightening strikes twice @kevinshetland.bsky.social and I have just found Isabelline Wheatear on Fair Isle. @fairislebirdobs.bsky.social #UKBirding
October 21, 2025 at 1:00 PM
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...
Visitors flock back to Fair Isle Bird Observatory | Shetland.org
Fair Isle Bird Observatory was established in 1948, and since then there have been five iterations of the Observatory building. The latest was lost to a fire in March 2019, and after six years and a c...
www.shetland.org
October 20, 2025 at 9:36 AM
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
📸 T Wright
October 20, 2025 at 9:30 AM
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
📸 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
📸 T Wright
October 17, 2025 at 8:31 AM
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
📸 T Wright
Reposted by Fair Isle Bird Observatory
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
October 13, 2025 at 8:29 AM
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
Reposted by Fair Isle Bird Observatory
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!
October 12, 2025 at 6:05 PM
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!
Reposted by Fair Isle Bird Observatory
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
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
A week on Fair Isle: seeking still air
I first visited Fair Isle in 1986 as a seventeen-year-old, benefitting from a Richard Richardson bursary to cover the accommodation costs at the bird observatory. As an inexperienced inland birder,…
www.outofthebluesky.co
October 12, 2025 at 1:08 PM
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
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
📸 T Wright
October 11, 2025 at 9:45 AM
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
📸 T Wright
Reposted by Fair Isle Bird Observatory
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.
October 9, 2025 at 1:34 PM
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.
Reposted by Fair Isle Bird Observatory
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...
ebird.org/tripreport/4...
October 4, 2025 at 7:06 PM
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...
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
📸 A Penn
October 5, 2025 at 9:13 AM
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
📸 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
📸 S Arlow
October 2, 2025 at 3:47 PM
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
📸 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
📸 L Marriner
September 29, 2025 at 10:56 AM
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
📸 L Marriner