All posts by Örn Óskarsson

Landscape

Mount Hekla

hekla-2
Mount Hekla in the midnight sun, 25 June 2015

Mount Hekla has been dormant since the year 2000. An eruption is expected but it is difficult to predict. Activity has been reported several times in recent years and in 2013 a general warning was issued. People were warned against going on the mountain and air traffic surveillance levels were increased temporarily. Now the whole of the volcano is covered in ice and no snowless patches which might indicate activity can be seen.

Mount Hekla at noon, 25 June.
Mount Hekla at noon, 25 June.

Mount Hekla has erupted many times in the last decades. The last eruption lasted from 26 February until 8 March 2000. An eruption this summer would not come as a surprise.

Share
Birds

Harlequins don’t go unnoticed

straumendur
Straumönd – Harlequin Duck – Histrionicus histrionicus

The Harlequin Duck does not go unnoticed in the males bright maroon, white and blue colors. The males do not give up and try to catch the attention of the females although breeding time is well on its way. The Harlequins  like spring water rivers and the individuals that do not mate gather in flocks.

straumond-5

The photos are taken in Veiðivötn in the South Iceland Interior.

Share
Birds

Rivals driven away

Mýtvatn is the place in Iceland where you can expect to see the Gadwall (Anas strepera). They can very often be seen in pairs because they find their mate as early as late autumn and stay together the whole winter.

gargond-8
Gargönd – Gadwall – Anas strepera

Here we see a male vigorously chasing a  rival away from his mate.
The Gadwall is known for stealing food from other ducks. They are  widespread and increasing in numbers. In Iceland they mainly breed in the North, around Mývatn.

gargond-3

Share
Birds

Eiders and their down

aedur-8
Æður / Æðarfugl – Eider – Somateria mollissima

The Eider (Somateria mollissima) is a sea duck and common in Iceland all year round. In the winter time it stays in the ocean around the country. In summer it nests near the shore but ventures up rivers in a few places.

aedur-10

The Eider is famous for its down which is used in pillows and duvets. The eiderdown is gathered manually from the nests, usually in June. When the bird leaves the nest for a few minutes  the farmers gather small amounts of down from the nests, replacing it with dry soft grass. Care is taken not to disturb the nest and shortly afterwards the bird lies down on the eggs again.

aedur-4
Huge flocks of Eiders by the shore in Eyrarbakki in winter.

The Eiders live in colonies and the Eider farmers carefully protect the flocks that choose to nest on their land and the birds return each year.

Eider colony at an Eiderduck farm
Eider colony at an Eiderdown farm

aedur-7

Share
Birds

Herring Gull

The Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) is very common in the Northern hemisphere and their numbers are increasing. More litter from human beings means more food for many species of gulls. The Herring Gull prefers staying near the sea, often in huge flocks, and rarely ventures far inland. In Iceland it is most common in the eastern part of the country.

silfurmafur-2
Silfurmáfur – Herring Gull – Larus argentatus

We came across this one in the harbour of the picturesque town, Siglufjörður, in Northern Iceland. The Herring Gull often seems more gracious and cleaner than other bigger gulls.

silfurmafur

Share
Birds

Feeding the young ones

Skógarþröstur - Redwing _ Turdus iliacus
Skógarþröstur – Redwing  – Turdus iliacus

The Redwing is very busy these days. Finding food for its young ones is hard work and takes up a lot of time.  Worms and larva are on the menu every day.

skogartrostur-6
Redwing

This little chick had found a nice spot on our garden table yesterday morning. Two pairs of Redwings have made nests in our garden this spring so several chicks have been hopping around here lately.

Share
Birds

Common Scoter

At this time of year everything is teeming with life and a visit to Lake Mývatn is more than worth its while for the bird watcher. Lots of ducks can be seen there and the Common Scoter is one of them.  It is a breeding bird in Northeast Iceland. It breeds by lakes and ponds that are eutrophic.

hrafnsond
Hrafnsönd – Common Scoter – Melanitta nigra

This pair was on Lake Mývatn along with a lot others. The male is black and the female brownish.

hrafnsond

The breeding population is around 400 to 500 pairs. Its winter grounds are in the Atlantic ocean in West Europe.

hrafnsond-2

Share
Birds

The Glaucous Gull

hvitmafur-2
Hvítmáfur – Glaucous Gull – Larus hyperboreus

The Glaucous Gull  (Larus hyperboreus) is a non-migrating bird in Iceland. It breeds in Northwest Iceland but roams around the country in the winter time. It is believed that Glaucous Gulls from Greenland and Spitsbergen over winter here.

Glaucous Gulls in Bakkatjörn, Reykjavík
Glaucous Gulls in Bakkatjörn, Reykjavík

The Glaucous gull breeds in mountains and sea cliffs and gets its food in the sea, mostly small fish. The breeding population in Iceland is estimated around 10,000-15,000 pairs.

Share