Birds

Sand Martin

Bakkasvala – Sand Martin – Riparia riparia

In the last few days southeast storms have probably blown more than just our migrants to Iceland. A rare guest, a Sand Martin, has been flying about in our neighbourhood and what a flier. Getting a photograph of it is almost impossible. It has been so very  busy feeding that it seems never to stop flying. Hence ,these not so great photoes. Its main food source are flies, which are not so many at this time of year.

The Sand Martin is a rare spring vagrant in Iceland and has almost exclusively been spotted in the Southern part of Iceland. Between 30 – 40 Sand Martins have been reported here, all in the South except one. Sand Martins live almost all over the world, wintering mostly in South America and South and Central Africa.

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Birds

Belted Kingfisher

Beltaþyrill – Belted Kingfisher – Megaceryle alcyon

A rare vagrant such as the Belted Kingfisher is surely a treat for Iceland. This colourful bird is not like any Icelandic bird.  Interestingly enough though, this one has gone unnoticed, at least by birders, probably since November. A week ago it was spotted by birders, much to their delight. In November a sighting was reported but the bird had not been photographed and it was not spotted again.  Now it is at the same place by Varmá in Mosfellsbær, a neighbouring town of Reykjavík.

This female bird never goes far from a pond which provides its ideal feed, sticklebacks. In winter the Kingfisher stays by water that doesn’t freeze so this pond is perfect. They make their nests in holes that they dig by lakes, rivers or ponds. Since this female is on her own, there will be no nest making in this otherwise ideal breeding place.

The Belted Kingfisher is an American bird and the one which has the most widely spread habitat of all birds in North America. This is the sixth Belted Kingfisher to be seen in Iceland.

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Birds

Golden Plovers arriving

Heiðlóa – Golden Plover – Pluvialis apricaria

Golden Plovers have now started arriving in huge flocks.  Yesterday in Flói in South Iceland, they were in the hundreds. The Golden Plover is a migrator that goes to the British Isles for the coldest months of winter, usually leaving in October and coming back in April.

A Golden Plover in an ideal habitat in the Icelandic highlands

It is one of the best-loved Icelandic birds and its arrival signals the coming of spring. Its ideal habitat is dry heathland both in lowlands and highlands and the breeding population in Iceland counts around 300,000 pairs.

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Birds

The battle is on!

Gráþröstur – Fieldfare – Turdus pilaris

Three to six Fieldfares have resided here this winter, feeding on the apples we put out every day.  They are fierce birds and intent on surviving. They fight for their apples, determined to keep other thrushes away.

Now when the Redwings have arrived they have a hard time keeping the apples for themselves. Famished the Redwings come at them from all sides and the battle is on.

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Birds

Returning home

Skógarþröstur – Redwing – Turdus iliacus

Redwings in the thousands arrived in Iceland on April 1st and 2nd. The groups in our garden were obviously tired and famished after their flight from the British Isles. Up to 65 Redwings were counted here, feeding on apples and sunflower seeds.

We expect spring to greet our newcomers warmly but that is not the case now. The weather has been windy with frost and snow – not a warm welcome at all.  The Redwings, however, do not seem troubled and are already singing their hearts out  which is sure to signal the coming of warmer days.

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Birds

Migrators arriving

Tjaldur – Oystercatcher – Haematopus ostralegus

Migrators have started arriving and among these is the Oystercatcher. The country doesn’t great them with spring in the air but cold and snowy weather.

The Oystercatcher is usually one of the first migrants to arrive and signal the coming of a new season. In their bright orange beaks and feet they are such a beautiful sight and their unique call does not go unnoticed. 

The Oystercatcher is mostly a migrant here and quite common in lowlands in the summer time. Most Oystercatchers go to the British Isles in the autumn and come back in March to April.

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Birds

Rock Dove

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Bjargdúfa – Rock Dove – Columba livia

The newest addition to the birds in the garden are Rock Doves . They are becoming more common in gardens especially during the coldest days of winter when the ground is covered in snow.

Rock Doves are the wild version of the pigeons that we are familiar with from all around the world. In multitudes feral pigeons , descendants of the Rock Dove, have crowded cities much to the annoyance of many.

For a long time a small population of Rock Doves have bred in rock cliffs in East Iceland. With a warmer climate and more grain being grown in Iceland, the population  is getting bigger and spreading to South Iceland.

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Landscape, Vegetation

What do you do if you are lost…

Stafafura – Lodgepole pine – Pinus contorta

“What do you do if you are lost in an Icelandic forest?” used to be a popular joke, the answer being “you stand up!” Today this joke is obsolete. Spruce and pine forests are growing very fast all over the country and the trees at Snæfoksstaðir probably at least 12-15 metres high or more.

A Sunday stroll in the forest makes the weekend perfect. Nothing beats being outside in the fresh air, surrounded by  trees and bird song.

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Birds

Still going strong

Dvergkráka – Jackdaw – Corvus monedula

Since October last this Jackdaw has been in and around Selfoss. It has been visiting us nearly daily since the last week of November. It comes for the feed we put out and in the afternoon it follows the Ravens to its sleeping place in Mount Ingólfsfjall, about 3 km from Selfoss. It seems quite well adapted to the Icelandic climate.

This little crow is still as shy and difficult to photograph as before, only the slightest movement inside the living room gets it up in the air. It is still the only Jackdaw in Iceland as far as we know.

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