The Great Northern Diver is such a picturesque bird in its checkered plumage. Observing and photographing it with the offsprings in the summer is always interesting. Both parents take active part in the hatching and upbringing of the chicks which are never more two.
These photos are taken in July in Veiðivötn, South Iceland Interior.
The forest in Drumbabót was destroyed by a huge flood originated from an eruption in Glacier Mýrdalsjökull some 45 km away. The surge of water and glacial sediment swept away and broke tree stems as big as 30 cm in diameter. This eruption in the autumn of 822, most likely in the volcano Katla, wreaked havoc. Forest remains have in the last century been emerging from the sands by the River Þverá in Fljótshlíð, South Iceland. These are the remains of an ancient birch forest, which covered an area of over 100 hectares. This gives credence to the Icelandic Sagas which say that Iceland was more or less covered with trees from mountain to shore at the time of the settlement which is believed to have begun some fifty year later.
Now is the time for the Merlin to prepare for the flight to its winter grounds in the UK. It is also migration time for the smaller birds and the Merlin is hunting for food to save up energy for the journey. They can now be seen hunting in heaths and marshlands.
The Merlin is the most common predatory bird in Iceland. It is mostly a migrator with only a small part of the stock remaining here during winter.
The Meadow Pipit is probably the most important food source but all small birds are also on the menu e.g. Snow Buntings, Redwings, Starlings and even birds as big as the Golden Plover.
I was thrilled to see that the Goldcrest, one of our new pioneers, has had no problems surviving and multiplying this summer. Adult birds as well as chicks can be seen in the forests in Grímsnes, South Iceland. Despite the cold and wet summer in the South these small and delicate creatures have managed the breed and the chicks to thrive. Our worries were needless, they are obviously more robust than we thought. A mere bad summer will not affect their life here in the North Atlantic.
On my hike in Grímsnes last week I saw Goldcrests in all the woodland areas that I visited and in one place I spotted five chicks that had newly taken flight.
From early this summer a Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker has been wood pecking near a summer cottage by Lake Apavatn, in South Iceland. Early in August wood pecking holes were noticed, some not new, which indicated a wood pecker in the area. However, this American Sapsucker was only noticed yesterday and identified.
The Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker is a breeding bird in North America and has only been seen in the Western Palearctic six times now and this is the third time in Iceland. The first bird was found dead in the South East in 1961.
In 2007 a Sapsucker was spotted here in Selfoss. That was my first and my photo was actually on the cover of this book.
In the twilight the owls go hunting. This Short-Eared Owl just caught an adult Redwing, – such a big prey. You can not but feel sorry for the poor Redwing. The owl was only a few metres from us and caught us off guard when it suddenly took flight . Only a short time later we saw at least four other owls. All of them hunting.
This summer in East and North Iceland was especially favourable for owls and that accounts for the numbers we saw this evening in Hérað, near Hallormstaðaskógur, East Iceland.
At this time of year Whimbrels have started gathering and some might even have left for their migratory flight. Here in the South the summer has been cold and no berries to be had but they are the major part of the Whimbrel’s diet by late summer. Quite a letdown since berries are a source of energy for their migratory flight. The North and East of Iceland are a different matter concerning berries but there the summer has been quite warm and sunny. Hopefully there will be enough insects and other stuff for the Whimbrels here in the South to feed on before they leave the country.
The Whimbrel is always quite prominent in the landscape with its long beak and unique voice. Its song is a loud rolling twitter, easily recognisable. In the mating time they also give a low whistle followed by a trill. Their winter grounds are south of the Sahara in West Africa.
Hafnarhólmi islet by Borgarfjörður Eystri in East Iceland is a perfect place to observe Puffins and Kittiwakes, as well as some other sea birds. The time of year is late April until the middle of August but then the birds return out to sea. Not only is it a nice spot for birders but Borgarfjörður Eystri is also special for its beautiful mountain scenery although it is a bit out of the way and the roads are sometimes rough.
Hafnarhólmi is part of the small harbour giving it shelter from the open sea. The islet is covered with Puffin holes and Puffins can be seen flying in and out of them. When Puffins are observed in sea cliffs often you can only see them from above unless in a boat. Here you can look almost straight into the holes and might even see a little one peering out. In Hafnarhólmi you can expect to see Puffins, Kittiwakes, Fulmars and Common Eiders.
Hafnarhólmi is by the harbour located a few km from the small town. To facilitate birdwatching several staircases have been built, as well as a bird hide. Access to the area is free but guests are asked to donate to help maintain the area.
The Eggs of Merry Bay (Eggin í Gleðivík) is a piece of art created by Sigurður Guðmundsson in 2009. Each of the 34 eggs represents its real life counterpart in shape, colour and pattern. The egg of the Red-throated Diver is the biggest of them, as is the case in nature, but all 34 bird species breed in the surrounding area.
Djúpivogur is a little fishing town in East Iceland and a nice place to stop by on the way. It also has an interesting bird reserve which is worth visiting.
We came across a herd of Reindeer in Southeast Iceland, not far from Glacier Lagoon last week. The herd counted around 26 females and four calves. The males are driven away from the herd while the females take care of the young ones. The females have their small antlers until spring but the males shed theirs after the mating season in autumn.
In the last few decades their distribution has been increasing to the east and southeast, all the way to Glacier Lagoon (Jökulsárlón). Before that time their distribution was mainly in Northeast Iceland.
In autumn hunting is permitted under strict regulations as a way of controlling their numbers in the fragile vegetation of the Icelandic Highlands. Reindeer were brought to Iceland in the years 1771 to 1787, from Finnmark, North Scandinavia.