I wasn’t sure if I would write another blog, especially as all my PhD fieldwork is completed. But I have had the privilege of joining in on some fieldwork led by Ben Porter (https://benporterwildlife.wordpress.com) on the islands of maybe… more commonly known as the Faroe Islands. 

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The picture postcard, patchwork of brightly colour houses of the harbour village drop away behind us. Next to pass through and then drop behind us are the near fields, small hay meadows, all in various stages of being cut and bailed – these are populated with rock pipits, rook-like-faced starlings and the occasional meadow pipit and Faroese snipe as well as gulls and artic terns sticking to the coastline. This we then left behind too as we reach the rugged and beautiful boulder strewn ‘outer fields’, scree and the mountain. There are so many boulders that some even have actual names! Up here, the occasional Faroese wren and bobbing wheatear are soon integrated amongst an array of gulls, bonxies, artic skuas, fulmars and the occasional kittiwake and puffin. The constant noise of the sea, and often wind, mixed with the eery call of the Arctic skuas, the chatter of the fulmars and the occasional ‘kronk’ of the ravens. Awe and wonder abounded in me to once again be back within a seabird colony. To once again feel like the outsider – a privilege to get this glimpse into the birds’ terrain and habitat. To follow with bated breath the fast target flight of a bonxie attempting to take out an unsuspecting puffin or … indeed anything that might be deemed ‘in its way’. Or to hear the WOOOSH of a puffin or fulmar as it zooms over your shoulder to find it’s burrow/nest. And all these birds weren’t even the birds I’d come to see and help study… I was (of course) here to help study the European storm-petrel and what better place to do that than in its largest known colony – on the island of Nólsoy!

The islands of maybe are aptly termed… and summarise my last two weeks. The weather is constantly changing (or just misty) and so any plans become changeable… this, mixed with the amazing welcoming, open house culture of the Faroe Islands and especially the village we were in (similar to that of African cultures I’ve experienced) – meant that folk would pop by the house to say hi, share updates and also suggest fieldwork and we would do likewise in return. Meaning planning often turned into ‘maybe’. 

However, the best adventures (or at least the best adventure stories) happen when one is flexible to change and set out with a strong can-do attitude. So over the last two weeks, I slotted into the very varied activities already lined up (including a dip in the sea!). No day has been the same and sleep deprivation has often occurred. But once back in the rhythm (or non-rhythm) of fieldwork I enjoyed going with the flow, getting outside as much as possible, be it day and/or night, with minimal laptop time). Revelling in the change and enjoying meeting researcher locally based and from further afield – all at different stages/jobs.

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I have enjoyed seeing and walking in the rugged beauty of the Faroese islands boulder strewn cliffs and mountains (to check nests in non-invasive ways, as well as for walks). Whilst also appreciating the beauty of the stars (now the nights are drawing in) or sometime the mist (for mist netting sessions, boat trips or night time monitoring of the seabirds from land). These offering occasional views of the elusive European storm-petrel with its easily spotted white rump! Whilst in the colony, also hearing the amazing purring calls of the stormies and on occasion a similar and yet different whinny-giggle call that I was used to hearing from little shearwaters – this time from manx shearwater. 

Above all these adventures though, is the heighten reality of what was possible/normal/taken for granted pre-covid and what is now perhaps still only subconsciously missed and only when it materialises again do you realise quite how much you’ve missed it. 

It might have only been a two week trip for me – but so much of what we haven’t been able to do over the last year and a half dropped away as we could chat, discuss, share and get outside. Alongside also being completely removed from the known bubble of the last year and a half through changing culture, language, habitat, wildlife, specifically birds and activities has made the last two weeks feel much longer (in a good way!). Amidst the crazy times we’re in, it’s made me appreciate even more how much of a privilege it is to be able to travel – and to revel in taking every opportunity to be fully immersed in the surrounding place. 

To anyone who is struggling to get out to do fieldwork – it is possible, and I encourage you to persist!