Editing Fair Isle (section)

=== Bird observatory ===
In 1948, [[George Waterston]] founded a permanent [[bird observatory]] on the island. Because of its importance as a [[bird migration]] watchpoint, it provided most of the accommodation on the island.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Okill|first1=David|first2=Deryk|last2=Shaw|year=2010|title=Bird Observatories of Britain and Ireland|contribution=Fair Isle|url=http://www.poyserbooks.com/images/Bird_Observatories_of_Britain_and_Ireland_9781408110409.pdf|editor=Archer, Mike |editor2=Grantham, Mark |editor3=Howlett, Peter |editor4=Stansfield, Steven|publisher=T & A D Poyser|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324022239/http://www.poyserbooks.com/images/Bird_Observatories_of_Britain_and_Ireland_9781408110409.pdf|archive-date=24 March 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> The first director of the observatory was [[Kenneth Williamson]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/history.htm |title=The History of Fair Isle Bird Observatory |publisher=fairislebirdobs.co.uk |access-date=1 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513125312/http://www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/history.htm |archive-date=13 May 2008}}</ref> It was unusual among bird observatories in providing catered, rather than hostel-style, accommodation.

In 2010, a new observatory was built: a wooden lodge of two storeys, which cost £4 million and accommodated around 30 guests.<ref name=BBC_15_March_2019>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-47569194 |title=Fair Isle fire family 'humbled' by kindness |publisher=BBC |date=15 March 2019 |access-date=15 March 2019 |archive-date=15 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190315020059/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-47569194 |url-status=live}}</ref> The 2010 observatory building was destroyed by fire on 10 March 2019; the observatory's records had been digitised and were not affected.<ref name=BBC_15_March_2019 /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-47515175 |title=Fire damages Shetland's Fair Isle Bird Observatory roof |publisher=BBC News |date=10 March 2019 |access-date=10 March 2019 |archive-date=10 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190310160052/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-47515175 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-47524027 |title=Vow to rebuild fire-hit Fair Isle Bird Observatory in Shetland |publisher=BBC News |date=11 March 2019 |access-date=12 March 2019 |archive-date=11 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190311213738/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-47524027 |url-status=live}}</ref> The cost of rebuilding was estimated at £7.4m.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/shetland-stars-video-plea-bring-world-leading-bird-observatory-back-life-2956810 |title=Shetland star's video plea to bring world-leading bird observatory back to life |publisher=The Scotsman |access-date=1 November 2020 |archive-date=5 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201105080314/https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/shetland-stars-video-plea-bring-world-leading-bird-observatory-back-life-2956810 |url-status=live}}</ref>