Birds

Decline in Redpoll Population

Auðnutittlingur – Redpoll – Carduelis flammea

For several years I have kept track of the number of birds and species here in our garden. Weekly, since 2014, these observations have been published here. The Redpoll is probably the most common bird in the garden and in February in recent years there have sometimes been up to 140 Redpolls here at the same time. This winter, however, has turned out to be quite different. The number of Redpolls has dropped dramatically. On average in February there have only been around 13 Redpolls here daily. The same goes for other places where feed is put out here in the Southwest. 

Daily average of Redpolls in February in our garden, Selfoss, Iceland.

Fluctuations in population sizes from year to year are normal and are more a rule than an exception. The reasons can be various, such as shortage of food, diseases, migration or a combination of these. Redpolls are not migrators but since their main food source, birch seed, was scarce last autumn they may have opted to migrate and will possibly return next spring. 

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Atmosphere

Geomagnetic storms

Aurora Borealis is a mesmerising phenomena. Although solar activity is at a minimum this year the Northern Lights can still be spectacular, as was the case last night.  After midnight I caught these pictures and the Northern Lights were captivating despite the temperature being minus 14° C.

Solar activity is at a minimum this year and will probably be in the next two years as well.  Although solar activity is an indicator for spectacular Northern Lights, it  is not always the case. In the last few days the Earth has been inside a stream of solar winds which cause geomagnetic storms around the Arctic Circle. Thus these magnificent shows of Aurora Borealis.

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Birds

Predatory birds on the river

Fálki – Gyrfalcon – Falco rusticolus

In the last two weeks we have had very cold weather with temperatures going down to minus 10 to 12 degrees here in Selfoss. This cold weather seems to attract predatory birds, see our latest blogs on The White-tailed Eagle, and this weekend we also saw two Gyrfalcons here on the river by Selfoss. One of them was eating a duck.

The Gyrfalcon is a majestic bird and always a treat to see. We watched one of them hunting by the river which is home to a lot of ducks, geese, whooper Swans and gulls. When a White-tailed Eagle appeared in the area the Gyrfalcon was not  willing to give up its place and despite being much smaller attacked and drove it away.

Gyrfalcon driving a White-tailed Eagle away

With White-tailed Eagles and Gyrfalcons surging over the river it surely is a very special place.

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Birds

Two White-tailed Eagles

Haförn – White-tailed Eagle – Haliaeetus albicilla (an adult and a younger one)

This snowy Sunday morning we saw a big bird out on the river and for the second time this week we spot a White-tailed Eagle, – see our last blog. It stayed there for quite a while and when it flew away down the river we decided to go for a drive and see if we could spot it again.

On the outskirts of town we noticed it out on the ice, or so we thought. However, after some consideration we saw it was a younger eagle, the white was missing from the tail feathers. When it took off we saw the other one.

The uproar and commotion they  caused was quite a sight. Panicked ducks and smaller birds took flight in a flash and the two of them were  followed and harassed by flocks of Ravens and Gulls.

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Birds

White-tailed Eagle on the river

Haförn – White-tailed Eagle – Haliaeetus albicilla

The White-tailed Eagle breeds in the western part of Iceland and therefore is not often seen in other parts of the country except in the winter time. This winter an adult bird has been spotted several times on River Ölfusá where it runs through Selfoss town and seems to have taken a liking to a group of local ducks.

White-tailed Eagle followed by a Raven

In the snow fall one day this week the eagle soared high above the town, then plunged into and attacked the group of ducks. However, its mission was not accomplished this time. I caught a picture of the eagle as it flew away followed by a raven.

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Birds

Splendid colours in the snow

Krossnefur – Common Crossbill / Red Crossbill – Loxia curvirostra

A small flock of Common Crossbills regularly comes by and visits the feeding trays. The males stand out in their splendid red and orange colours and in the snow even more so. Around eight of them come every day but competition is a concern. The Blackbirds, Redwings and Starlings are bullies at the feeders.

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Birds

Flocks of Snow Buntings

Snjótittlingur – Snow Bunting – Plectrophenax nivalis

This winter has been mild and very little snow until now. The Snow Bunting is a bird that seldom comes into towns but prefers the highlands and remote corners of the country for breeding and in winters, fields and grassland. When the earth is covered with snow and they have difficulty finding food, they come into towns. Since it snowed in the beginning of the week they have been here in the garden and we have counted over a hundred of them.

The Snow Buntings eat seeds and special Snow Bunting feed that has been available in Iceland for decades and consist e.g. of ground maize.

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Birds

Birding news on ORNOSK.COM

Common Crossbill in the garden 31 December 2018

We thank you for following our blog the past year, 2018,  and we look forward to keeping you updated on the birdlife in our garden and in Iceland in the new year, 2019.

The year 2019 will be the sixth year of our blog ORNOSK.COM.  How time flies. Every week a list of species and number of birds in the garden has been published. Here is the list for the morning of the first day in the new year.

  • Blackbird (svartþröstur) 16
  • Redwing (skógarþröstur) 6
  • Fieldfare (gráþröstur) 5
  • Jackdaw (dvergkráka) 1
  • Raven (hrafn) 5
  • Starling (stari) 70
  • Redpoll (auðnutittlingur) 4
  • Common Crossbill / Red Crossbill (krossnefur) 6
  • Snow Bunting (snjótittlingur) 1
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Birds

Another Bohemian Waxwing

Silkitoppa – Bohemian Waxwing – Bombycilla garrulus

This magnificent Bohemian Waxwing has been in the garden for over a week now. It is older than the one from our blog in November which can be seen by the red tips on the wings and the yellow tips on the tail. The colour derives from colour pigments found in the fruit the Waxwings eat and these get bigger as the bird gets older.

Bohemian Waxwings are different from many other birds in that they do not claim territories and they don’t sing but have high-pitched calls. Having the Waxwing in the garden and seeing it from our windows is like having an ornament on display. 

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