The Eider King is a high Arctic bird that lives near the Arctic Ocean. It is an annual visitor in Iceland over the wintertime.
Once in a while the Eider King mates with the Common Eider and that is what this King Eider has done thus staying in Iceland during the summer time. This bird was in a group of Eiders in their nesting area in the Icelandic Westfjords, summer 2011.
On Christmas Day this Swan visited a house by the River Öflusá. When the family looked out their living-room window there it was in the snow and stayed there for four days. Temperatures were down to minus 12° C and blizzards most of the days. The Swan wouldn’t eat anything and was obviously not feeling well. Birders thought that it had come there to die.
At noon on the fourth day, however, it stood up and walked to the river. It had some water to drink and was obviously very thirsty. The Swan was last seen on its way down the river that same day.
On the River Ölfusá in the Selfoss area there are now 48 Swans overwintering. That is a bit more than in recent years.
It’s such a handsome bird with its long legs and fine colours. The Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) is a migratory bird in Iceland and a common breeding bird in grown wetlands. In winter it is mostly in Ireland or by the coasts of West Europe all the way south to Portugal.
In the cold weather there are a lot of Snow Buntings in the lowlands and especially in the towns where they expect to get food.
For us they represent the winter because in the summer their colours are different and you only come across them in the highlands.
Here they are in our garden here in Selfoss.
The Fieldfare and the Waxwing are fighting for the apple.
The Waxwing is not going to give in – no way!
The apple is mine, go away !
Ok, just a small nibble while I look the other way.
Photoes taken in February 2011.
We found this Common Crossbill, or Red Crossbill as they are called in USA, in the top a Pine tree, silhouetted against a beautifully bright blue sky. There is nothing common about its bright orange colour but the Crossbill comes in colours ranging from yellow to red.
The Crossbill’s favourite food is seeds from Spruce and Pine cones. In the latter part of the last century Spruce and Pine trees have been planted and are now in full growth in many places throughout the country.
Now it’s 3 days and everyone is so busy doing all the things people are supposed to do for Christmas. Remember to think about the things that matter. Being healthy is not guaranteed, money can’t buy happiness and be thankful for the troubles you don’t have.
Lend a helping hand – and if not your hand your ear <3
Only 4 days to Christmas and December greats us with lots of snow and short days that only last about 4 hours from sunrise to sunset. Today we bring you this Brambling that was with us in October’s snowy weather. The Brambling is a vagrant in Iceland and as such always a treat.
It has been a difficult December and different from what we are used to, blizzards day after day and closed roads. Hopefully we will get nicer weather during the holidays so family and friends will be able to visit their loved ones.
This Chaffinch has been with us since October and seems to be quite up to the Icelandic climate.
At last we have a beautiful day with bright skies and no blizzards in this part of the country. Tomorrow it will not be so bright. There is a lot of snow everywhere so it’s not easy for the birds to find food but a lot of people set out food for them. This Chaffinch in our garden has her bill full of sunflower seeds. Picture taken today 🙂
