Monthly Archives: February 2018

Atmosphere

Turbulent weather

February wheather in center of Selfoss

At last we can look forward to some warmer days, according to the forecasts, and hopefully less windy. February has been very turbulent, with storms and  snowstorms every other day, resulting in road closures, flight cancellations and the like. Lots of locals, along with the constantly growing numbers of tourist, have had to change their travelling plans. There is no weather guaranty when travelling in Iceland in the winter time. Locals tend to use the summer for travelling, enjoying the warmth of their well insulated geo-thermally heated houses in winter, rather than taking any risks with the turbulence of the Icelandic climate.

Road 1 – Hellisheidi (from webcam) – http://www.vegagerdin.is/ferdaupplysingar/vefmyndavelar/sudvesturland/
Roadmap (SW-Iceland) in the middle of February.
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Birds

The Whooper Swans are here

Migrating Whooper Swans   –    Álft – Whooper Swan – Cygnus cygnus

It is still February but this week the first flocks of Whooper Swans could be seen flying along the Southeast coast. Small groups were spotted in Fáskrúðsfjörður and in Hornafjörður, having just arrived over the Atlantic Ocean. Most Whooper Swans migrate to the British Isles in the autumn and come back in late winter. They are one of the very first migrators to arrive. We hope their coming signals a change in the weather and look forward to some warmer days.

Wintering Whooper Swans on River Ölfusá

Whooper Swans are very common in Iceland and can be seen all over the country year round, although some still migrate to the British Isles in winter. On Ölfusá River by Selfoss  there were about 40 birds this winter. The Whooper Swans pair for life and return to the same breeding place year after year. They are very sensitive and if disturbed the pair may abandon the nest and eggs.

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Birds

The very first arrival

Sílamáfur – Lesser Black-backed Gull – Larus fuscus

The Lesser Black-backed Gull has arrived, the very first migrator to signal the changing of the seasons. Spring, however, seems we off as the weather has been at its very worst. But this is a promising sign, an indicator for the weather gods to change course and bring us some warmer winds.

The Lesser Black-backed Gull is usually one of the earliest arrivals in Iceland, or perhaps the very first to arrive as early as February. They spend a few winter months by the shores of the Iberian peninsula and North West Africa. It is the only gull that is a complete migrator in Iceland. The Lesser Black-backed Gull started breeding in Iceland in the 1920s and the breeding population now counts around 50,000 pairs. 

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Birds

Courtship in February

Krossnefur – Common Crossbill / Red Crossbill – Loxia curvirostra (males)

In the end of January and in February the male Common Crossbills become quite noticeable in the tops of the Lodgepole Pine forests (Pinus contorta) in Grímsnes area, South Iceland. They sing and try to catch the attention of the females.

Krossnefur – Common Crossbill / Red Crossbill – Loxia curvirostra (females)

Although it is still mid winter in Iceland they have obviously started courtship. Some seem now already paired and are feeding their spouses which is a sign that the nesting period is not far away.

A female and male Common Crossbills

The cones and seeds of the Lodgepole Pine are now becoming ripe and that seems to be the indicator that tells the birds that it is time for mating.

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Landscape, Weather

Brighter days

In February the sun crawls a little bit higher in the sky. We feel its rays warming up our days albeit just slightly.  After the darkness of December and January it feels nice to go out during midday to feel its rays on ones skin. Although the weather has been very turbulent we have had a few nice days in the last couple of weeks as these photos show.

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Birds

Snow Buntings in flocks

Snjótittlingur – Snow Bunting – Plectrophenax nivalis

Snow Buntings have frequented Icelandic gardens all over the country this winter. In the past few weeks they have been seen in huge flocks and we counted 400 birds here in our garden in Selfoss. Last year, however, we didn’t see any Snow Buntings here.

This winter has been harsher than in previous years, with long lasting frost and snow. In the last century The Snow Bunting was the typical Icelandic winter bird and usually the only bird to be seen in winter along with the Raven. In the last few decades there has been a change and the Snow Bunting has been seen more rarely in Icelandic gardens.

The reasons for this change are not certain and people speculate whether this is due to a decrease in the stock. However, an increase in corn production in agricultural could be reducing the Snow Buntings need to come into gardens for feed, at least when snows do not cover the fields.

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