The birds do not go without at Christmas. Delicious red apples are on the menu on a cold and windy Christmas day, with temperatures around – 9° C.
Christmas Apple
Category Archives: Birds
Christmas Greetings
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
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.
Three days to Christmas
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.
Fieldfare feeling at home
This is one of the Fieldfares that has made the garden his home in the last month. He is all puffed up and self-important. Perhaps he is eagerly awaiting springtime but we are sure that no one will consciously invade his realm when he is in this mood.
Berries and birds
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
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.
8 days to Christmas
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.
The smallest immigrant
The smallest bird in Europe is an immigrant in Iceland and now part of the Icelandic birdlife. Since the first breeding was confirmed in 1996 it has spread over the country and breeds in spruce trees.
17 days to Christmas and violent storm
Today is December 7 and we count 17 days to Christmas. Beautiful Christmas snow makes everything especially festive but the weather forecast predicts violent storms or hurricane force winds for all areas of Iceland this evening and night. More snow or rain could also follow. Hopefully everyone will get through this without problems.