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Foula lies 14 miles to the west of mainland Shetland, and although it
is only three miles wide by four miles long, it boasts the second
highest sea cliffs in Britain, towering at a breathtaking height of
1,220 feet along the north west cliffs. The north and west of the
island is dominated by wild, remote and rugged hills and cliffs while
the south and east, the area is much flatter and more fertile. With a
population of only 21, it is the most remote inhabited island in
Britain. Foula has not only become renowned for the quantity and
quality of birds found there, but also the weather conditions they
arrive in. The island seems to have the magical ability to attract
rarities when nowhere else does, and regularly produces vagrants from
the east - even after a north-westerly!
DAY 1 Saturday - Arrival in Shetland
Late afternoon / early evening rendezvous at the Sumburgh Hotel.
After our orientation dinner we present an illustrated lecture on
bird migration in Shetland.
DAY 2 Sunday - South Mainland
After breakfast, we will spend the day in the south mainland of
Shetland, where we will keep in contact with other Shetland Wildlife
guides in order to maximise our chances of seeing whatever exciting
birds are on offer. We will check the hotel garden and surrounding
fields for migrants, which at this time of year should include Willow
Warbler, Wheatear, Lesser Whitethroat and Redstart amongst others,
before moving to Sumburgh Head where we will search the roses, thistle
patches and quarries. Twite are plentiful here, and with luck we
may sight cetaceans out at sea. We'll also visit Pool of Virkie,
the largest expanse of inter-tidal mud in Shetland and by far the
best place to see waders. Amongst the large numbers of Redshanks,
Curlews, Ringed Plovers and Dunlins we may locate Curlew Sandpipers
and Little Stints, or maybe something rarer - autumn 2007 produced
a Killdeer, a Baird's Sandpiper and two White-rumped Sandpipers
here! Our itinerary will be kept as flexible as possible, but it
is likely that we will visit the nutrient-rich lochs of Gards, Hillwell
and Spiggie, where we will see newly-arrived wildfowl including
the first returning Whooper Swans. A little further north, one of the regular
King Eiders may have already returned; if so, we will endeavour
to visit the area, making sure we check other migrant hotspots along
the way. At this time of year, scarce migrants such as Yellow-browed
Warbler, Barred Warbler, Common Rosefinch and Red-backed Shrike
are likely possibilities, with the very real chance of something
much rarer thrown in for good measure. Overnight at the Sumburgh
Hotel.
DAY 3 Monday - Foula
After breakfast we travel north to Tingwall Airport to board our
plane, each of us full of excitement and anticipation at the thought
of what rarities await us. After a short fifteen-minute flight - and
much to the envy of the rest of the birding nation - we arrive on the
remote and magical island of Foula, the edge of the World! We'll
check in to our cosy and homely guest house at Ham, which is located
halfway along the eastern side of the island and just happens to be
one of the best areas of Foula for migrant birds! After familiarising
ourselves with the surroundings, we will check the Ham Burn and
adjacent gardens for migrants and, depending on news available to us,
we may take a stroll to the south of the island to look for a few
more new species.
DAYS 4 To 6 Tuesday to Thursday - Foula
Every day is different on Foula, so we will be very much playing
it by ear, or in our case playing it by the weather, as regards
our birding activities. We would hope to cover as much of the island
as possible each day, from the crofting areas and the rarity hot
spot of Hametoun in the south, to the more rugged terrain in the
north. With luck, we will receive a spell of easterly winds at some time
during our week, and in such conditions Foula can be awash with
migrant birds. Thrushes, particularly Redwings and Fieldfares, may
be present in large numbers, along with species such as Brambling,
Siskin, Goldcrest, Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher and a number
of warblers. Scarcities such as Yellow-browed Warbler, Common Rosefinch,
Icterine Warbler, Red-backed Shrike and Barred Warbler are all but
guaranteed in these conditions and Foula regularly attracts species
such as Citrine Wagtail, Bluethroat, Richards Pipit, Arctic
Warbler, Arctic Redpoll and Little Bunting at this time of year.
The list of rarities seen on Foula in September in recent years
is truly astonishing, and includes such sought-after vagrants such
as Siberian Thrush, Siberian Rubythroat, River Warbler, White's
Thrush, Olive-backed Pipit and Blyth's Reed Warbler from the east,
and Common Yellowthroat, Grey-cheeked Thrush, Bobolink and Greater
Yellowlegs from the west. Foula is rivalled only by Fair Isle for
its ability to attract the Shetland specialities of Lanceolated
Warbler, Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler, Pechora Pipit and Yellow-breasted
Bunting, with late September being the peak time to locate one of
these eastern gems. A wide variety of other species will also be
on the move. In north-westerly winds, large numbers of geese, mainly
Pink-footed, pass overhead, at which time Whooper Swans or an early
Iceland or Glaucous Gull are possibilities. Foula is a reliable
place to see both Lapland and Snow Bunting, and we should encounter
small flocks of these delightful birds at various sites around the
island. Even when there are few migrants elsewhere in Shetland,
Foula has an uncanny knack of producing interesting birds. It is
also one of the best places in the whole of Britain to find your
own rarities. Who knows - maybe it will be us making the birding
headlines this autumn!
DAY 7 Friday
After one last check of Ham Burn, we will leave Foula in the morning and return to mainland Shetland. For the rest of the day we will visit
the plantations at Kergord, Voe, Vidlin and Swining. The abundance of food and shelter at these sites often encourages migrants to remain
for several days, so whatever the weather, we should find some interesting birds. The commoner thrushes, warblers and finches may all be present
while that tiny Siberian sprite the Yellow-browed Warbler is all but guaranteed. We have a good chance of unearthing a scarce migrant or two -
perhaps a Red-breasted Flycatcher or a Barred Warbler. Merlins, Sparrowhawks and Long-eared Owls can often be found sheltering at these sites
too. We will gradually return south to our accommodation at Sumburgh Hotel, making strategic detours along the way to take in any exciting new
migrants we may have learned of. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.
DAY 8 Saturday
After breakfast we will transfer you to Sumburgh Airport or make
arrangements for you to travel to your onward destination in Shetland.
You may however wish to consider joining our follow-on Autumn
Gold holiday.
Holiday Information
2009 Operating Dates
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Sat 19th Sept
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Sat 26th Sept
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COST
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£795
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Single Supplement
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£70
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DEPOSIT
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£100
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Sat 10th Oct
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Sat 17th Oct
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Group Size - maximum 4 travellers
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EXTEND YOUR HOLIDAY!
Combine two holidays and receive a 5% discount per person off the
total cost!
Foula Autumn Migration
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19th - 26th September
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+ Autumn Gold
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26th September - 3rd October
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Autumn Gold
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3rd - 10th October
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+ Foula Autumn Migration
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10th - 17th October
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RECENT HIGHLIGHTS
There are just too many autumn migration highlights,
but to name a few...
Surf Scoter
Rough-legged Buzzard
Spotted Crake
Corn Crake
Dotterel
American Golden Plover
Baird's Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Long-billed Dowitcher
Upland Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Alpine Swift
Short-toed Lark
Shore Lark
Richard's Pipit
Olive-backed Pipit
Pechora Pipit
Citrine Wagtail
Waxwing
Thrush Nightingale
Siberian Rubythroat
Bluethroat
White's Thrush
Siberian Thrush
Grey-cheeked Thrush
Black-throated Thrush
Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler
Lanceolated Warbler
River Warbler
Paddyfield Warbler
Blyth's Reed Warbler
Marsh Warbler
Greenish Warbler
Arctic Warbler
Pallas's Leaf Warbler
Yellow-browed Warbler
Radde's Warbler
Dusky Warbler
Red-breasted Flycatcher
Lesser Grey Shrike
Arctic Redpoll
Common Yellowthroat
Lapland Bunting
Ortolan Bunting
Rustic Bunting
Little Bunting
Yellow-breasted Bunting
Bobolink
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