Prior to yesterday, Small Mottled Willow had only been recorded twice in Fair Isle, both times partially-emerged adults found dead in peppers! Last night, I caught 8 (eight). Other Isle rarities in our trap included 2 Cochylis atricapitana, Rusty Dot Pearl and 4 Agriphila tristella. #TeamMoth

Any help with this one from Fair Isle that was in the trap a couple of nights ago would be greatly appreciated thanks. Highly likely it's one of our regular species that I'm struggling to remember! #TeamMoth

Painted sugar on a post and the brush was quickly covered in moths - got to be a good sign for the night... First Udea lutealis of the year in the garden, seems to be the earliest Fair Isle record by a couple of days. #TeamMoth

There are lots of pictures of the Fair Isle Trumpeter Finch, but maybe not many of its droppings? That seems to be a bird that's adapted to wasting as little moisture as possible, resulting in a very neatly stacked and structurally sound doing. #ukbirding

These tiny, shiny moths on Rosa rugosa in our garden in Fair Isle today are presumably Micropterix aruncella (the only Micropterix species known to occur in Shetland I think)? Not a group I know much about though, so it'd be good to get people's opinions. #TeamMoth

A couple of large vessels passing the south end of Fair Isle from New Orleans and Newfoundland. We're the first land to the north any stowaway sparrows keen to continue their migration will have seen, so I'll be chucking out extra seed in the garden just in case! #ukbirding

Didn't have to go far for #SuperSeabirdSunday this morning when this Fulmar got itself stuck in the garden. It's now back out to sea and I smell of Maalie vomit #StinkySeabirdSunday

Superb views of @tomwright1.bsky.social's Parula earlier. More importantly though, by viewing from the north west corner of the Houll, I was able to get it on the croft list! Species 218 for the croft, joining Pochard, Coot and Spoonbill as additions so far this year.

Too wet for the trap tonight, but the sugar attracted its first two months of the year; Fair Isle's 15th (and earliest ever) Bright-line Brown-eye and a Shears. #TeamMoth

This female Bluethroat was a pleasing visitor to the garden in recent days, spending time around the ponds and veg rigs. With a few migrants in the recent south-easterlies, my #PWC2026 Fair Isle list is up to 125 species for the year, with 107 of those on the croft year list. #BirdingScotland

I've been complaining about the lack of moths so far in 2026 in Fair Isle, so I thought I should celebrate my first catch of the year, this rather lovely Dark Sword-grass. #TeamMoth

Fulmar at Fair Isle earlier in the week for #SuperSeabirdSunday

... has been consistent (it hasn't, but it's maybe as close as you'll get in UK terms) it does appear there could have been a genuine increase in recent decades. This is hastily put together, so may not be 100% accurate and the numbers involved (41 individuals) is too small ... (2/3)

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

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

This is one of the 'herd' of up to five regularly feeding on short grass at Barkland. I wonder what the total wintering population in the Isle is?

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

A very calm morning with the SE breeze forecast to start kicking in this afternoon. Predicting Citrine Wagtail and Arctic Warbler wouldn't feel like a huge gamble...