Category Archives: Birds

Enough birch seeds

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Auðnutittlingur – Redpoll – Carduelis flammea

Birch seeds are the main food for Redpolls in the winter months. Last summer a lot of birch seeds matured in the natural Icelandic forests so there is still enough food for them. Redpolls have not been seen in any numbers in gardens and there has been some concern that their numbers are decreasing.

Happy New Year :)

Last winter was harsh and natural feed scarce. The numbers of Redpolls decreased considerably but the drop was far from drastic. In the last few weeks Redpolls have come in the garden in search of food on our feeding trays. The most we have seen recently is 18 birds together.

Christmas Greetings

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Jól is the Icelandic term for Christmas. The word stems from the Nordic word Yule which refers to the old solstice celebrations when the Vikings celebrated longer days and coming of the new year. Season’s Greetings to all of you. “Peace on earth and goodwill to all men”

Saint Thorlakur’s Day

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Snjótittlingur – Snow Bunting – Plectrophenax nivalis

Today is St. Thorlakur’s Day. Thorlakur was an Icelandic bishop in Skalholt and died on December 23, 1193.  This is the day for last minute gift shopping, decorating the Christmas tree and many eat the traditional fish Skate, which smells horrible.

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Glóbrystingur – Robin – Erithacus rubecula

Three days to Christmas

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Three days to Christmas. It snowed today and the forecast predicts temperatures below zero. In the North it will be the coldest, with temperatures down below minus 20°C. In the South it will be warmer with temperatures down to around minus 10-12° C.

Berries and birds

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Svartþröstur – Blackbird – Turdus merula

There are still some berries left on the Rowan. Some of the birds prefer these frozen berries over the feed we put out, like this female Blackbird who so graciously allowed photographing.

Third winter for the Hooded Merganser

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Kambönd – Hooded Merganser – Mergus cucullatus

The Hooded Merganser is a breeding bird in North America but is considered rather rare. This Hooded Merganser was on Lake Helluvatn just outside Reyjavík this week. It was first spotted there in the middle of November after having been seen in Álftanes, south of Reykjavík, several times. This is the third winter that this bird is seen on Lake Helluvatn and on nearby lakes.

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8 days to Christmas

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It is 8 days to Christmas. The ice crystals from last weekend have melted away and the snow has changed into huge slabs of ice that is  melting slowly away. The long term weather forecast predicts a white Christmas with snow and frost in the last days before Christmas.

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