Birds

Tougher than we believed

Glókollur – Goldcrest – Regulus regulus

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.

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Birds

Third Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker for Iceland

Safaspæta – Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker – Sphyrapicus varius

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.

Extremely Rare Birds in the Western Palearctic, 2012
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Birds

Redwing on the menu

Brandugla – Short-eared owl -Asio flammeus

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.

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Birds

No berries for the Whimbrel

Spói – Whimbrel – Numenius phaeopus

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.

 

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Birds, Landscape

Hafnarhólmi – Borgarfjörður Eystri in East Iceland

Lundi – Puffin – Fratercula arctica

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.

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Art, Birds

The eggs in Djúpivogur

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.

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Animals

An interesting sight

Hreindýr – Reindeer – Rangifer tarandus

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.

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Birds

Year after year

Maríuerla – White Wagtail – Motacilla alba

Year after year the same White Wagtail pair breed in our garden, – at least we like to think so. Being migrants they come for the summer and by now they have bred and their offsprings chase them around the garden. The young ones whine for food, or just attention. It is interesting to observe their agile flying skills to catch insects, spiders and the like. They even grab the occasional seed from the feeders.

Just caught a spider

The White Wagtail’s winter grounds are in West Africa and most arrive back in Iceland  in the end of April or beginning of May. The Icelandic breeding population counts around 50,000 pairs.

Sunflower seeds taste nice too
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Atmosphere, Landscape, Weather

Longest day of the year

It is summer solstice – the shortest night of the year. Sunset was at 23:55 and sunrise at 2:57. These are magical nights when the sun is setting and rising so soon afterwards. This photo was taken at 1:30, in the darkest hours, over Ölfusá River and Mount Ingólfsfjall. Now is such a lovely time to go camping because everything is easier when there is light.

At 1:30 in the night

There is more or less daylight all the time and does not get totally dark until July 20. No northern lights can be seen until the middle of August.

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Birds

The fruitful Crossbill

Krossnefur – Common Crossbill / Red Crossbill – Loxia curvirostra: Female feeding chick

The Common Crossbills have only been breeding in Iceland for as much as ten years. They are different from our other birds in that they are breeding for most of the year, depending on the availability of food. A lot of Common Crossbills now breed in the spruce and pine forests that are growing fast in the vicinity of Selfoss. Groups of them come by our garden to dine on sunflower seeds repeatedly during the day. The parents feed the young ones but they soon start fending for themselves.

The male its offspring

Common Crossbills are resourceful and tend to go some distances in search of food if need be. In their orange and yellow colours they light up our days but the South of Iceland has had more than its share of rain this spring and summer.

Two chicks waiting to be fed
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