Fair Isle

Shetland

ZE29JU

Tel: 01595 760258

Fax: 01595 760388

e-mail:

Thank you for your interest in applying for work at Fair Isle Bird Observatory (FIBO). This document aims to give you full details of the role you have applied for as well as a brief introduction to the island and the ‘Obs’. It is recommended that you carry out some further research into Fair Isle to help you get a full feel for the unique setting that you are applying to work in. Although the work can be tough and you will be required to show great flexibility and patience at times, there is no doubt that the rewards can be fantastic and the experiences you will gain if you are the successful applicant will stay with you for the rest of your life.

David Parnaby, FIBO Warden

Background and the work of FIBO

Fair Isle is a small (5 x 3 km), remote island lying approximately halfway between Orkney and the mainland of Shetland. The island is owned by the National Trust for Scotland and is well known for its spectacular coastal scenery, internationally important seabird populations, diverse marine and archaeological heritage, and as a thriving centre for local arts and crafts with a community of around 70 residents. It is also famous for its history of recording rare vagrant birds to the UK. FIBO is owned and run by Fair Isle Bird Observatory Trust (FIBOT), an independent, non-profit making charity. The bird observatory was established in 1948, with the main aims of undertaking ornithological studies and research, providing accommodation, interpretation and education for visitors, and assisting the economic well being of the island. The history of FIBO is a fascinating subject and is worthy of further reading. A brand new bird observatory was built in 2010, providing full board, en suite accommodation and facilities for up to 20 visitors from late April to the end of October, in addition to seasonal staff and visiting researchers. The staff are made up of a Wardening team; consisting of a Warden, two Assistant Wardens (one of whom serves as the Seabird Officer) and the Ranger. The Domestic staff are managed by the Administrator, with a Cook, Assistant Cook and two Domestic Assistants making up the team. Volunteers are a key part of the Obs team and assist with all aspects of the work throughout the season. The study of the breeding seabirds (currently undertaken as part of a JNCC contract) and long-term recording of migrant species (through daily census and ringing activities) are the key aspects of ornithological work at the Observatory. All the FIBO staff play an important part in ensuring guests at the Obs enjoy their stay, as it is income from visitors that enable the Observatory to carry out its work.

Living and working at FIBO

FIBO is both an operating Bird Observatory and a Guest House which caters for a maximum of 36people on a full board basis from the end of April to the end of October. Money paid by visitors has to cover all aspects of observatory finance, from ringing equipment to washing machines.

Aside from the designated duties, there arethree important aspects to working at the Obs:

1.Teamwork. Running the Observatory is very much a team effort. It is important to get on well with all staff, and everyone needs to be flexible in their approach. At certain times it is likely that everyone will have to turn their hands to tasks that are not part of their normal job.

2. Visitor relations. The Observatory is funded totally by its paying guests and visitor relations are therefore possibly the most important aspect of any job at the observatory. It is essential to be friendly and helpful to all visitors, even under the most trying circumstances. One of the most frequently quoted positive experiences from visitors is the friendly and welcoming atmosphere of the Obs, which we hope to continue. Meals are taken at a set time with staff and visitors sharing tables in the Dining Room and this is an important time for visitors to speak to staff about birds, the work of FIBO and their experiences on Fair Isle.

3.Relations with islanders. To carry out its work effectively, the Observatory is dependent on the goodwill of the islanders. They are friendly and easy to get to know, and it is important that staff continue to foster the existing goodwill.

All staff have their own room in the Observatory. This contains a bed, sink, hanging space for clothes and chest of drawers. Bathroom facilities are shared with other staff. Bedding is provided, but staff are responsible for their own laundry and cleaning, and to maintain the cleanliness of the shared bathrooms on a rota basis. Meals and accommodation are provided free of charge. A washing machine, drying space and washing powder are available for staff to use free of charge at the Obs. Internet access is also provided free of charge. It should be noted that only Vodafone provides a reliable reception on the island, with O2 also giving some coverage, although reception within the building itself can be patchy. There is no television at the Observatory and internet speeds are not fast enough for live streaming.

Given the charitable status of FIBO, staff are expected to carry out their duties in the most economical methods possible and taking care of Observatory equipment, tools etc is an important part of the daily workload.

Please note:The Observatory endorses a no-smoking policy throughout the building

For more information on the Observatory and island you may want to look at the following websites: and

Job Description

Job Title: Assistant Warden

Contract length:29th March to6th November (inclusive)

Pay:£215 per week

Note: meals and accommodation are provided free of charge (see above).Travel expenses are provided to and from the island from your home address, provided travel is taken by the cheapest possible means(arranged in advance with the Administrator) and your full contract is completed. This includes coach or possible train travel to Aberdeen, travelling as a foot passenger (with sleeper seat) on the Northlink ferry from Aberdeen to Lerwick, getting the bus to Grutness and sailing on the Good Shepherd to Fair Isle.

Working hours:Workload is variable throughout the season. Generally the wardening team have Sunday afternoon off. There will be regular early starts and some late finishes and the ability to be flexible is essential as the presence of birds, the weather and the number of guests all play a part in daily activities. There will be quieter periods with more free time, although you may well want to spend this birding!

Leave of around nine days to be taken at the beginning of August (the remaining leave entitlementof around nine days to be taken at the end of the contract).

Purpose of the AW role

Main Duties:

  • Daily census: during the migration seasons the morning is taken up with the counting of all migrant birds on the island. This involves walking round a third of the island roughly following a set route, a distance of several miles that covers a variety of habitats, including high cliffs.Each member of the wardening team covers a section of the island every day to ensure thorough coverage.
  • Ringing:the majority of ringing on Fair Isle is done using a series of Helgoland traps, which are run at least six times a day for the majority of the season. These trap rounds (including a 7am round that guests are encouraged to attend) are timetabled between the wardening team. Mist nets are also frequently used (particularly in the Obs garden and for Storm Petrel ringing sessions during the summer) and a variety of other catching techniques may be employed. Around 4,000 – 5,000 birds, usually of around 100 species, are ringed annually, with passerines now accounting for the bulk of these (sadly, the number of seabirds ringed in recent years has generally been low due to the decline in their breeding productivity). The Assistant Warden will be heavily involved in all of the regular ringing activities as well as taking advantage of other ringing opportunities as they present themselves. There are several visiting ringers every year and the Assistant Warden will be expected to help them as required (in practice this can mean ‘sharing’ the birds that are caught).
  • Seabird monitoring:in the summer months, a large part of the wardening team’s time is spent on seabirds, particularly the work that FIBO is contracted to carry out by JNCC. Seabird monitoring work includes: population counts (both entire population counts and monitoring plots); productivity studies; diet studies (through field observations and some trapping of adults at colonies); adult survival studies (e.g. colour-ringing Puffins) and ringing adults and chicks in colonies. Access to the seabird colonies is by rope and boat, so a head for heights, a certain amount of sure-footedness and confidence working in these conditions is expected.
  • Other monitoring and census work:the Assistant Warden will also be involved in a variety of other monitoring, including Breeding Bird Survey, Beached Bird Survey, Fair Isle Wren census, wader monitoring etc. In addition, cetaceans, seal pups, butterflies and other wildlife are recorded by the whole wardening team.
  • Dealing with visitors:an absolutely key aspect of the job for all staff is to maintain the friendly atmosphere and reputation of FIBO amongst the guests (who ultimately pay for the work of the Observatory). As well as giving regular talks and leading some walks, the Assistant Warden will be expected to be approachable and friendly and assist visitors with all aspects of their stay at the Obs.
  • Practical work: the Assistant Warden will be expected to undertake repairs of the traps, and some fencing and stile-building during the year (particularly early in the spring and late summer/early autumn). This will often be done with other members of the wardening team, but the Assistant Warden will also be expected to supervise volunteers on these tasks on occasion.
  • Data inputting: inputting IPMR and computerising the Log are tasks led by the Assistant Wardens, along with other aspects of data inputting.
  • Updating the FIBO website
  • Magazine articles and descriptions: eg Birdwatchingmagazine sightings summaries, rarity-finders accounts (hopefully!).
  • Working with volunteers: several volunteers help with the work of FIBO during the course of the year and also gain valuable experience of the working life of a Bird Observatory. The Assistant Warden will be expected to work closely with these volunteers and at times to supervise and motivate them. Volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and have a wide range of experience and abilities and are expected to be encouraged to learn new skills.
  • Bar shifts: in the autumn (and possibly at other times of the year) the wardening team take shifts in staffing the Obs bar, including sales, cashing up, restocking, cleaning etc
  • Maintenance work: all staff are expected to help with routine maintenance and cleaning around the Obs as and when necessary.
  • Other duties: the nature of life at FIBO means that all staff may occasionally have to help out with any of the tasks that are involved in the running of the Observatory.Occasionally there may also be the need to help out around the rest of the island (i.e. during the round up of the hill sheep or unloading of the Good Shepherd)

Requirements (essential):

The Assistant Warden must be a good birder, familiar with a wide range of species and plumages. A track record of finding their own birds and submitting records is expected. Ringing experience is also essential, preferably to at least a BTO ‘C’ permit (although trainee ringers will also be considered). The ability to accurately count and record birds is essential, so experience of survey work is very helpful, as is experience of monitoring breeding birds (preferably seabirds).

The successful applicant willbe well-motivated and able to work as part of a small team, whilst also being able to get on with jobs without constant supervision. A friendly personality is essential as is the ability to be flexible about your work. A good degree of physical fitness isnecessary to undertake the tasks required.

The ability to use basic computer programs is essential and some degree of enthusiasm for practical tasks will be needed.

Requirements (preferred):

Experience of working in a people-focussed role.

A full UK Driving licence.

Experience of boat handling and cliff rope work

Experience of web design or updating.

Experience of fencing and other similar practical tasks.

Report writing skills.

Being an Assistant Warden on Fair Isle is not a matter of just being paid to go birding! There may be times when it is necessary to complete certain tasks before going to see good birds that have been found elsewhere, although in practice there are very few times that anybody misses a rarity. The role involves a lot of hard work, often seven days a week and you will have a to demonstrate a flexible approach and be very committed to the work, whilst at the same time remaining friendly and patient with FIBO guests.

There is no doubt however, that the job is an extremely rewarding one and staff who come into the role with the right attitude and approach will find their work on Fair Isle to be an enjoyable and memorable experience.