A Whinchat was spotted by Eyrarbakki harbour yesterday morning and today when I came there it was still there despite the cold. The last couple of nights it has been unusually cold and last night the frost went down to minus 8° C. So not a warm welcome to this little bird here in Iceland.
The Whinchat is a small migratory passerine bird. It is a vagrant in Iceland but a common breeding bird throughout the whole of Europe and Western Asia. Its winter grounds are in central Africa.
The Whinchat is a beautiful bird similar in size to the Robin. It was looking for feed by the shore in seaweed and some stone barriers west of the harbour.
During the last four weeks a rare vagrant has resided in Álftaver (near Vík in Mýrdalur) between the farms Jórvík and Mýrar. This is the Black-winged Pratincole and the fourth bird to be recorded in Iceland. The others were recorded in 1979, 1983 and 1987.
This Black-winged Pratincole mostly stays on the gravel road or a small lake nearby, according to locals. It has travelled a long way from its usual habitat. Its breeding places being in southern Ukraine or the steppes in South Russia and wintergrounds in the southern parts of Africa.
The Black-winged Pratincole’s feed is insects, arachnida and other small animals that it picks on the road and it seems to be well fed. On the road, however, there are dangers. We were witness to an attack from a Merlin and it was quite a chase high in the air. But thank God the Pratincole got away and was back again on the road shortly afterwards. Then a big jeep came along at high speed and the bird sat tranquilly without moving and was not harmed.
This fourth sighting of the Black-winged Pratincole in Iceland has caused quite a lot of interest among birders. Most of them are now seeing it for the first time as there are 37 years since it was last spotted here.
Now is the time for Northern Lights to be seen in Iceland. From the end of April until the middle of August the nights are too bright for both stars and Northern Lights to be seen.
Lately solar activity has lit up the Northern Lights around the poles. Near midnight it is dark enough here for the lights to be enjoyed, especially if there is no light pollution.
Last night there was adquate activity and the Moon was not to bright. These pictures were taken in Selfoss by River Ölfusá.
Hagaskvetta – European stonechat – Saxicola rubicola
A European Stonechat was spotted west of Grindavík near Brimketill in March. It is a rather rare vagrant here and this is the second time it is seen in the western part of Iceland. This little bird is very quick and shy which is the reason for my poor quality pictures.
The European Stonechat is a common passerine bird that lives in Western Europe and winters in South Europe and North Africa. Its habitat is mostly open country, heaths and moorlands.
The Red-necked Grebe is a waterbird that lives in temperate areas in the Northern hemisphere. It a rare vagrant in Iceland. It breeds in fresh water lakes but winters by the coast or in estuaries. This Red-necked Grebe was in the harbour at Þorlákshöfn in March. It is in its winter plumage which is less colourful than in summer.
See: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-necked_Grebe/id#
Holudúfa – Stock Dove / Stock Pigeon – Columba oenas
A Stock Dove has been spotted in a garden in Hvolsvöllur, South Iceland. This dove, which is quite common in Europe, is very rare in Iceland and has only been reported here four times before.
Since a Stock Dove has not been seen here for quite some time birders flock to the town of Hvolsvöllur to see it and capture it on camera.
The Stock Dove was mostly resting in Aspen trees and now and then eating leftovers on the ground from the winter’s bird feed. For us it is a new species for our Icelandic birding list.
A group of Barrow’s Goldeneyes have been on Ölfusá River by Selfoss in January and February. They are annuals here at this time of the year. They are most likely a part of a bigger group on Sog River about 10 km inland from Selfoss.
Iceland is the only breeding place of the Barrow’s Goldeneye in Europe and the distribution has been more or less restricted to Northeast Iceland. It stays in Iceland the whole year round. Part of the population overwinters here in the South during the coldest time of the year.
In recent years, however, more and more Goldeneyes have started breeding in the South, e.g. in the Southern Highlands, in Lake Þingvallavatn and River Sog. The Barrow’s Goldeneye’s habitat is in spring water lakes or rivers the whole year round and unlike most non-migrators they do not head out to sea in winter.
The garden has been teeming with birds this Christmas. Some very rare visitors that we don’t see every year. Keeping them fed has been one of the Christmas chores and a happy one.
Three Bohemian Waxwings have decorated the garden with their stay. Their beautiful colours are hard to match.
Auðnutittlingur – Redpoll – Carduelis flammea
Redpolls stay with us most of the year and in winter they are never far away. There have been at least 20 – 25 every day.
Gráþröstur – Fieldfare – Turdus pilaris
Fieldfares very seldom grant us the favour of a visit at Christmas. Now we have had four of them most days. They are quite dominating and find it hard to share food with the others.
Krossnefur – Common Crossbill / Red Crossbill – Loxia curvirostra
The Crossbills are peaceful birds and their lovely colours make them stand out now when everything is covered in snow. Five of them have come here to feed daily and mingle with the other visitors.
Bjargdúfa – Rock dove – Columba livia
Now Rock Doves are becoming more and more common here in the garden and they make good use of the sunflower seeds that we put out. They are here in the dozens and we are sad to admit that we sometimes wish they would go somewhere else once in a while.
Other birds in the garden are Redwings, Blackbirds, Snow Buntings, Starlings and one very Christmassy Robin.
All them have by now left us despite the feed we put out every day. Most of them have probably left the country with favourable west winds going to their original destinations in warmer climates.
Among the great number of vagrants in Iceland now are Bramblings. They have been spotted in groups in most parts of the country. A lot of them reside in gardens where they find shelter and feed. They are beautiful and lively and should be able to survive the Icelandic winter easily given that they find feed.
Today there were 14 Bramblings in the garden. And of course we make sure that there is enough feed for them, mostly sunflower seeds.
