You're gonna need a bigga boat

to get over to Fetlar. (Spielberg's homage to the ferries of Shetland - Not a lot of people know that)

Today's the day - Fetlar and Red-necked Phalaropes. The forecast seemed reasonable and we remained ever hopeful that we could overcome the odds and actually see a bird. Gary had visited Fetlar eight times this year and seen one once. This year people have spent a full week on Fetlar and never seen one at all. Tales of how in previous years they were always feeding around Loch of Funzie and seemed impervious to human disturbance allowing very close views didn't help at all, for whatever reason this year they've changed their habits and just aren't showing.

Mrs L and I had made it very plain to the group that we were happy to be abandoned at Loch of Funzie and picked up at the end of the day, or actually lunchtime for a quick loo visit, should we not see the bird while the group was there.

Well while the group was there, no phalaropes were seen, then it chucked it down and we sheltered in the van. Once the rain stopped Mrs L and I were abandoned. We decided to stalk opposite sides of the loch keeping an eye on each other for signals of success, also keeping any eye on the other two car loads of people that had been there before us and were still looking.

Nice views of Dunlin, Arctic Tern and nesting Red-throated Divers, but no sign of Phalaropes. The minibus came back and took Mrs L off to the cafe for a warm up and loo (loads of gent's loos all around the loch but no ladies). She returned in the afternoon with coffee in hand for me, actually quite a lot of it in hand as she negotiated the uneven ground to my vantage point. Eventually the other groups all gave up, and then finally our minibus returned again, time to get the ferry off the island, no phalaropes today - hey ho.

Sitting in the bus I think the group took pity on us and it was suggested we could get a later ferry, which would make us rather late getting back to Saxa Vord for dinner, around 21:00. Okay great! Mrs L and I were not sure what to do, continue our vigil at Furzie, or drive round on the off chance of finding a bird in one of the small pools at the side of the road. Furzie definitely had the best chance, but after five and a half hours of watching it I was up for a change.

The idea was to head east, but first check out a couple of small pools to the west. First pool by the roadside, nothing. Second pool a bit further from the road, Gary and I got the scopes out, nothing. Then I had another look and yes, Yes, YES!! Right in the centre of the pool a Red-necked Phalarope, I quickly got Mrs L to the scope and she saw it do Phalarope "spinny" stuff before it disappeared among some rocks at the left edge of the pool. Checking with Gary as to whether we could get closer he mapped out a path to the pool and I was off, but so was the Phalarope. Nobody had seen it fly away, but it was no longer anywhere to be found. Our guess is it had just flown in, had a quick check round the pool and flown off, perhaps being there for no longer than a couple of minutes. Like a lot of birding it was about being in the right place at the right time. Gary, Mrs L and I had all seen the bird, unfortunately Lillian who's immediate reaction to me seeing it was "Oh, I'm so pleased for you" didn't get to a scope in time.

We spent the remainder of our time back at Furzie, but no further sign although RCB got a fine Whimbrel. No photo of the Phalarope, but that'll keep for another year.