Fair Isle Bird Observatory Report for 2013

With a virtually unrivalled annual haul of scarce migrants and rarities, Fair Isle is without question one of the finest sites for observing bird migration in the British Isles. By the end of 2013 the island's bird list stood at an outstanding 381 species, and its ability to attract extreme vagrants from just about any point of the compass is perfectly illustrated by 2013's two additions to the inventory: Swinhoe's Storm-petrel and Red-eyed Vireo.

Lengthy year lists and a multitude of exciting rarity occurrences place Fair Isle in a fortunate position. Unlike many report-producing observatories (or even counties), where the tally of interesting records can be somewhat minimal, the famous island immediately has the substance to produce a hugely enjoyable and standout report. Putting theory into practice, however, is another matter and the production of an attractive, high-quality report is still a significant task.

Pleasingly, the FIBO team have done a fine job in the production of their 2013 report. A warmly lit Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll makes for a gorgeous cover and is followed by around 35 colour plates within the publication itself, showing off ornithological (including Siberian Rubythroat, Two-barred Crossbills, White's and Grey-cheeked Thrushes) as well as non-ornithological highlights of 2013.

The contents list is exhaustive, representing the impressive effort invested in producing the report. Typical bird report sections include the Warden's Report, monthly summaries, ringing reports and first and last migrant dates. The species accounts are well-written and complete, with various illustrations and graphs used to break up the text. Of the latter, the Rustic Bunting graph is particularly interesting, for the drop off in records since the turn of the century is quite striking. More luxurious inclusions include accounts on some of the year's best birds — it's worth buying the report for Will Miles' fantastic nine-page write-up on the Swinhoe's Storm-petrels alone, but there are also gripping accounts of Red-eyed Vireo, Sykes's Warbler and Collared Flycatcher.

There is also an annual review of Fair Isle's seabird colonies as well as features on cetaceans, Lepidoptera and other non-avian highlights of the year. Fascinating articles on DNA-based identification by Martin Collinson and causes of bird deaths on Fair Isle in 2013 make it a thorough read and a valuable addition to anyone's bird report collection.

The Fair Isle Bird Observatory Report for 2013 costs just £12.00 including p&p (UK only); cheques can be made payable to FIBO or alternatively you can phone the observatory on 01595 760 258 with card details. Cheques can be sent to the observatory:

Fair Isle Bird Observatory
Fair Isle
Shetland
ZE2 9JU