Year after year a White Wagtail couple resides in our garden. Their place is west of the house and wholemeal biscuit crumbles are their favourite. This spring was cold and long and they even experienced snow. This picture is from the beginning of May. The Wagtail is a migrator that usually arrives in Iceland around April 25.
Never before has a female White-winged Crossbill been spotted in Iceland, being the second of its kind after the male which was spotted in the Reykjanes Peninsula last autumn. Here in our garden, where there are vigilant eyes, this beautiful American vagrant was eating sun-flower seeds with Common Crossbills and Redpolls.
The White-winged Crossbill is a sub-species of the Europe one, called Two-barred Crossbill, which is also a rarity having only been spotted once in Iceland.
The White-winged Crossbills are finches, rather large ones, and their breeding area is in conifer forests across the northernmost areas of United States, Canada and Alaska. Their bills are especially adapted to getting the seed from conifer cones which is almost their only food source. They are not migrators but if food is scarce they may go with groups of Common Crossbills. They are smaller than the Common Crossbill and stand out with two white wing bars which give them their name.
The Icelandic migrators have had a harsh time this spring. The Black-tailed Godwit is lucky to have long legs to wade the snow and a fine bill to find insects, worms and plants. The first Godwits arrived in Iceland in the middle of April. Their winter grounds are along the coast of Western Europe from the British Isles and Holland, to the Iberian Peninsula.
The Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit is a sub species that only breeds in Iceland, Faeroe Islands, Shetland and Lofoten; in latin Limosa limosa islandica. It is a common breeding bird in grown wetlands and its numbers in Iceland, as well as breeding area, are increasing.
The birds do not seem as offended as the human by the hail, sleet and snow that seems to be never ending. Where is spring and summer for that matter? Icelanders celebrated the First Day of Summer on the last Thursday in April, as always. That is the optimistic Icelandic spirit. Now, however, we are crying for summer. According to the latest weather forecasts there may actually be some improvements on the way.
Several finches have come by our garden this spring and some are here still. This male Chaffinch was singing in the garden a week ago. He stayed for three days but then was on his way probably continuing his search for a partner to spend the summer with.
The Whimbrel has arrived although not bringing with it the long awaited summer. We have had snow and hail in the last few days but hopefully that will not affect our newly arrived summer birds. The Whimbrel is a long distance migrator and the winter grounds of the Icelandic Whimbrel are west of the Sahara in West Africa. The Whimbrels’ breeding grounds are in the Arctic, across America and Eurasia.
The Whimbrel usually arrives in Iceland in the beginning of May but this spring some had already arrived by the end of April. They are common in lowlands and in the breeding time the males try to catch the attention of the females by flying in circles, giving their loud, rolling twitter song. The Whimbrel is one of the migrants that has a place in the heart of every Icelander.
Urriðafoss is a waterfall in River Þjórsá. The waterfall has been quite a concern in recent years with the planning of a dam for a power station further inland. Concerns have also been raised about the future of the salmon run in River Þjórsá.
With the growing numbers of tourists in Iceland, Urriðafoss has become quite an attraction in the last few years. The waterfall is easily accessible from the main road, Road 1, about ten minute drive east from Selfoss.
This little friend is a new bird on my list, number 224. It was spotted a week ago in Sólbrekka, in Reykjanes Peninsula. The Dunnock is a rare vagrant in Iceland. It is small, quiet and often seen on the ground and on its own. The Dunnocks are noted for their singing. Dunnock means little brown bird.
The mating behaviour of the Dunnock is very special and rare among birds depending on the availability of food. If there is not enough food the females share several males, but if food is in abundance one male might monopolise many spouses.
A beautiful female Hawfinch is a new bird for our garden, number 51 to be precise. The Hawfinch stands out for its distinct colours and its blue beak. It is similar to the Redwing in size and breeds throughout Europe and the temperate part of Asia.
The Hawfinch was very rare in Iceland but in recent years it has become an almost annual visitor. This bird is number two in Iceland this year but the other one was spotted in the east part of the country in early April.
With the temperatures rising the Hawfinch will probably become a more frequent visitor here as its numbers continue to grow in the British Isles. This well liked visitor has now been here for three days and we hope it decides to stay.
These vagrants ended up in Iceland in Hemrunes in Skaftártungu in South East Iceland. They probably came along with the thousands of Whooper Swans that over winter in the British Isles. The Black Swan is an annual guest with two to three spotted here each spring. The Mute Swan, however, is rarer here and only ten have been seen before.
The Mute Swan is a young one, thus the brownish colour. It is in its first winter and will not reach puberty until four years old.
The Black Swan and the Mute Swan get along well together and seem to have made a pact, having occupied a pond where they have been staying for a week.
