All posts by Kristin

Birds

Long distance migrant

Dunlins (Calidris alpina) are migratory birds that usually arrive in Iceland in May. They are long distance migrants that breed in Arctic regions. The European population’s winter grounds are in Africa, Southeast Asia  and the Middle East. Birds that breed in Arctic areas in Canada and Alaska only migrate  to the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America. Some Dunlins overwinter on the south coast of Spain and Portugal.

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Lóuþræll – Dunlin – Calidris alpina

A lot of Dunlins breed in marshlands in South Iceland. This one was in The Bird Reserve in Flói, South Iceland. The Icelandic breeding population is estimated around 270,000 birds.

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Birds

Love birds

mourning

We enjoy watching out for the birds in our garden and feeding them. Spring and summer are something we look forward to – the time when everything comes alive and the birds start courting and nest making. But summer time is not all blizz. Almost everyday newly hatched chicks fall prey to overfed house cats. This sketch is an interpretation of a pair mourning the loss of a young one.

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Birds

Colorful Teal

Urtönd - Teal - Anas crecca
Urtönd – Teal – Anas crecca / Þingvellir, South Iceland

The smallest Icelandic duck is the Teal  (Anas crecca). It is also one of the most colorful ducks, as well as perhaps the most beautiful.

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Lake Mývatn, North Iceland

It can be seen all over Iceland, both in lowlands and highlands. It is, however, usually not easy to get close to it as it is shy and easily disturbed.

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Birds

The vigilant Merlin

Smyrill - Merlin - Falco columbarius (male)
Smyrill – Merlin – Falco columbarius (male)

We spotted a pair of Merlins by Goðafoss. They were fighting with a Raven that was trying to get to their nest. This is the male but the female had gone back to the nest. Ravens are scavengers that do not hesitate to steal eggs from other birds’ nests if they get the chance . It did not succeed here and was forcefully driven away.

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Birds

Showing off

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Flórgoði – Slovonian Grebe – Podiceps auritus

Now in the beginning June the Slovonian Grebe shows off its beauty to attract the female. The Grebes are preparing for breeding but have not started the nest making  yet.

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The photos are taken by Vífilsstaðavatn, Garðabær, near Reykjavík.

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Birds

Redpolls in various colors and shades

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Animals

Do seals also get cancer?

the Harbour Seal (Phoca vitulina)
the Harbour Seal (Phoca vitulina)

We came across this Harbour Seal (Phoca vitulina) in Snæfellsnes, not far from Fjord Kolgrafarfjörður. It seems to have somekind of infection or tumor blocking the eye. We could not see that the seal was affected by this extra growth as it swam among the other seals, see earlier post.
You can not but feel sympathy for a wild animal like this one and wonder what its life must be like.

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Birds

The Knot

Rauðbrystingur - Knot - Calidris canutus
Rauðbrystingur – Knot – Calidris canutus

The Knot (Calidris canutus) is a visitor here on the way to its breeding grounds in Greenland and Northeast Canada. In the spring around 270,000 birds stop here and in the autumn their numbers are much higher. For them Iceland is the place to relax and feed on the long flight from their winter grounds in Western Europe.  The photos are taken near Eyrarbakki, South Iceland.

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Knots in Eyrarbakki, South Iceland
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