Seeing Stars Again!

Small Cushion Stars & a Cowrie in a Limpet Shell.

This is the storm that raged through the Small Cushion Star known Fair Isle location, Feb. 4th 2013.
No sign of them last year, and they were feared lost until now.

Big Bass

Large Mouth Bass caught in Cotton Lake, Minnesota, USA.

I spent a few weeks Summer Holidays in America this year.

             

Watch my Bass fishing video Dad made.

Sunfish

Chipmunk 

Bullhead

5:30 am. can not wait to start fishing!

Cool photo I took early one foggy morning.

Frogs in Minnesota

A Green or Grey Tree Frog

While visiting grandma Karen and Cove in Minnesota, sometimes at night Dad and I went out with our tourches/flashlights and look for frogs around the edge of a nearby farmers pond.

           

Dad recorded this video...

Peep!

Young Birders?

Logan, Dad & I

It was great fun to have my friend Logan from Mid Yell, Shetland on Fair Isle for the long weekend. Logan had six "lifers" his first day! 11 for the weekend! (Lifer - bird species you have never seen before in your whole life.) I didn't have any Lifers, but I'm happy that Logan is adding to his Life List. Dad is not a young Birder!

Highlights include birds we saw ringed at and by the Fair Isle Bird Observitory. 

Bluethrroat - male

Subalpine Warbler - female

Ring Ouzel

Redpoll

Shetland Bee

Tuffed Duck

Red-backed Shrike was in my garden for 4 days.
(the meanie, would fly to the South Harbour to eat the Swallows)

5 dead Barn Swallows found on the South Harbour Beach where the Red-backed Shrike was killing and feeding on the heads of the tired and hungry birds resting after arriving over the sea. 

Dead Sand Martin - decapitated by the Red-backed Shrike.

Snow Buntings

Logan age 13 & Me age 12.
We are very keen, we maybe best young birders in Shetland and it's always fun when we are together looking at wildlife.

See Logan's Blog: http://logansnatureblog.blogspot.co.uk/

A Trip to Foula

Welcome to Foula!
 (this photo was taken at the airport just before leaving.)

 Some of the kids and teachers from Fair Isle Primary School visit the ones at Foula.

 these are some of my photos...

Foula insight from the plane.

I heard Foula's Kame 2nd tallest vertical cliff in the UK.
Over 1200 ft. strait down into the Ocean.

Foula's Crofts and Airstrip viewed from plane.

Foula's fire truck

Foula Primary School

Playground

My Fair Isle friend Maria in Foula.

Climbing Hamnafield one of the highest spots on Foula.

We encountered a wild herd of (Shetland) Foula Hill Ponies.

The Foula Kirk /Church

Phone box greenhouse      -      Foula Harbour and Mail Boat

Da Sneck

The Shetland Islander Airplane on the Foula Runway as we are loading to go home to Fair Isle.

Yellow Orange Rosefinch? a rare bird!

The rare Common Rosefinch
Carodacus erythinus

 We had 5 Rosefinch in our garden 2 female/juv, 2 bright red males & this odd yellow/orange one.

I found them in our garden while Dad was away in Shetland, so I took some photos.

Red Male Rosefinch

2 Female or Juvenal Rosefinch

It's amazing to see stunning rare birds like these.
The orange Rosefinch was just ace!

Hawfinch - Coccothraustes Coccothraustes

I took these photos from the window only a few feet away. What a AWESOME bird! A male Hawfinch. He fought off the Starlings, House Sparrows & Chickens for rights to the window bird table. The Hawfinch was first seen yesterday about 2pm. It fed all day until dark and was back this morning. I took tons of photos, Dad deleted most of them but some are sharp. A Kestrel came thought the garden at least 3 times today and then I saw the Hawfinch was being chased by the Kestrel with out stretched claws but the Hawfinch got away. It came back about 2 hours later and ate on & off until dark.

The Kestrel it missed the Hawfinch but got a House Sparrow.

I'm outside now and that is my reflection in the window.
it is not affaid of me now I can walk up close.

Hawfinch have cool feathers on their wings.

We saw Puffins today too!