I was thrilled to see that the Goldcrest, one of our new pioneers, has had no problems surviving and multiplying this summer. Adult birds as well as chicks can be seen in the forests in Grímsnes, South Iceland. Despite the cold and wet summer in the South these small and delicate creatures  have managed the breed and the chicks to thrive. Our worries were needless, they are obviously more robust than we thought. A mere bad summer will not affect their life here in the North Atlantic.

On my hike in Grímsnes last week I saw Goldcrests in all the woodland areas that I visited and in one place I spotted five chicks that had newly taken flight.