Category Archives: Birds

Birds

Little Auk in the harbour

Haftyrðill – Little Auk (dovekie) – Alle alle

Today and in the last few days Little Auks have been spotted in the harbour in Thorlakshofn (Þorlákshöfn) where they seek shelter from the storm. The Little Auk is an Arctic bird and rather common by the Icelandic coastline in the winter time.

It used to be a breeding bird by the north coast and in islands north of Iceland but has now disappeared as a breeding bird from these areas probably because of global warming. It is now a common breeding bird in Arctic areas such as Greenland, Jan Mayen and Svalbard.

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Birds, Weather

Stormy weather

Storm at the sea

In the last few days one storm after another has moved across Iceland. Most days the wind has  been between 15 – 23 m/s. This has disrupted travels and plans for Christmas. Life for sea birds has also been difficult in the turbulent sea.  Some look for shelter in fjords and harbours where the wind is not as harsh as out in the open seas.

The harbour in Thorlakshofn (Þorlákshöfn) is one of these sheltering places where birds flock in bad weathers.

Black Guillemot – Teista – Cepphus grylle (winter plumage)

Groups of Eiders, Long-Tailed Ducks, Red-Breasted Mergansers and Gulls have been there and a few Cormorants and King Eiders have been seen. Also a Black Guillemot and a Razorbill in the company of Little Auks.

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Birds

No two are the same

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Auðnutittlingur – Redpoll – Carduelis flammea

After a few years decline the Redpoll population seems to have grown considerably. The summer was extra warm and huge flocks are now seen in gardens and forests. Today there were 80 of them here in the garden.

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They are feeding on sunflower seeds that we put out for them. Sunflower seed attracts a wide variety of birds into gardens.  It is interesting to study the Redpolls different colour variations, no two are the same.

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Birds, Landscape

Gauksmýri – bird watching

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Gauksmýri is in the western part of North Iceland, in the county Húnavatnssýsla. Near the farm, by the same name, is a birdwatching location where wetland has been restored. The birdlife there is colourful and diverse.

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On your way North it is ideal to visit the bird watching house by the pond. There you will find some binoculars and birding guidebooks. 35 different bird species have been spotted there, e.g. swans, ducks, geese, horned grebes to name a few.

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Birds

Wrong destination – Iceland

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Peðgrípur – Red-breasted Flycatcher – Ficedula parva

We have had endless rains and southeasterly storms in the last few weeks. With these quite a number of small European birds have been blown over here. This is not uncommon but this autumn is special because we have also had vagrants from Asia. The Red-breasted Flycatcher is one of these. It is originated all the way from Eastern Europe and Siberia. Its winter grounds are in Asia and instead going there it ended up in the North, in Iceland.

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This bird was spotted in some shrubs in a garden near Vík in Mýrdalur, Southeast Iceland. This is a new bird for me! X

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Birds

Common Chiffchaffs from Europe and Siberia

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Gransöngvari – Common Chiffchaff – Phylloscopus collybita (origin Western and Central Europe)

In the last few days a lot of Common Chiffchaffs have been spotted  in Iceland, especially in the South and the Southeast. These are birds who have been swept out to sea by strong winds from Western Europe, some of them coming from as far as Siberia. They are annual vagrants in Iceland.

Gransöngvari – Common Chiffchaff – Phylloscopus collybita
Gransöngvari – Common Chiffchaff – Phylloscopus collybita (origin Siberia)

There is some variations between birds from different parts of  Eurasia. The European ones are more yellow than the Siberian ones and the birds from northerly regions are paler than the ones from the southerly regions.

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In the last few days I have seen 19 Common Chiffchaffs in South Iceland.

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Birds

Berries for all meals

Earlier in the autumn Thrushes and Starlings preferred bilberries (Icelandic blueberries) and crowberries but now they have come into the towns and gardens to eat.

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Skógarþröstur – Redwing – Turdus iliacus

They are busy eating berries from the Rowans and some other garden shrubs.

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Stari – Starling – Sturnus vulgaris
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Birds

Tranquility

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The autumn is a tranquil time of year. When summer comes to an end in the Northern Hemisphere the trees shed their leaves. This is their way of surviving the cold winter. The leaves change colour becoming yellow, orange and red, as nutrients are moved to the roots for reuse next spring.

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In warmer parts of the world trees shed their leaves on the onset of the dry season. The shedding of leaves is a mechanism to survive cold or dry weather.

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Birds

Summer birds still around

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Þúfutittlingur – Meadow Pipit – Anthus pratensis

There are still some summer birds around although most have migrated to warmer climates. The weather has been exceptionally good, no harsh autumn winds yet and the temperature a bit higher than the average.  No need to rush when life is so good.

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Maríuerla – Pied Wagtail – Motacilla alba

These are two of the guests that still honour us with their presence.

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