Birds

Coming home

Whooper Swans and Greylags in Flói, South Iceland. Tindfjöll Mountains in the background.

Whooper Swans and Greylags have been arriving in groups in the last two weeks from their winter grounds in the British Isles. They can now be seen grazing in lowlands. Fields are more or less snowless although the mountains are still snow covered. Although we can still expect some snow it is likely to melt during the day as the sun crawls higher in the sky.
The Whooper Swans’ flight to and from their winter grounds has been monitored and in favourable winds their flight can last 8 to 10 hours. However, most are more likely to be in the air for up to 24 hours.

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Landscape

Eldgjá Canyon – South East Interior

Eldgjá

Eldgjá canyon was formed in an eruption in the year 939 – 940 and the lava it produced is typical for the Katla Volcanic System.  It is a 75 km long crack, up to 600 meters wide and 200 meters deep – the longest volcanic canyon in the world.  The eruption produced about 4.5 km3 of aerosols and 18 to 19 km3 of lava which spread over 800 km2 – making it the largest lava field in historic times.

The stone arch in 1977

Ófærufoss is an interesting waterfall that was formed in the eruption. The waterfalls are two and there used to be a very spectacular stone arch across the lower one. It was very popular to walk over this stone bridge but, alas, in spring floods in 1993 the stone arch collapsed.

Ófærufoss without the stone arch

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Birds

North American Sea Duck

Kolönd – White-winged Scoter – Melanitta deglandi

The White-winged Scoter is a rather rare vagrant in Iceland. In recent years, however,  one to two birds have been spotted here almost every year.  It is a North American seabird that sometimes breeds far inland by lakes and ponds. The White-winged Scoter can be seen in gull colonies where  it breeds in high grass which shields the eggs from marauding gulls.

A White-winged Scoter and an Eider (female)

This young male Scoter was in the harbour of Þorlákshöfn, in South Iceland, two weeks ago. It was with a flock of Eiders and Long-tailed Ducks that had sought shelter there from heavy winds on the sea.

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Birds

Black Guillemots in the harbour

Teista – Black Guillemot – Cepphus grylle

In heavy winds the raging sea is not a pleasant place, not even for seabirds. The harbour in Thorlakshofn (Þorlákshöfn) is one of the places where birds flock to seek shelter in bad weathers. We saw some Black Guillemots there last weekend.

Black Guillemot still in winter plumage

The Black Guillemot, or tystie, lives by the sea, in rocks, cliffs and in islands along the North Atlantic coast as far south as Ireland in the east and Maine in the west. It breeds all around the Icelandic coastline and there are estimated around 20 to 30 thousand pairs here. The Black Guillemot can often be seen in seabird colonies along with other alcids. They usually stay near their breeding places in winter or take out to the open sea.

The male chasing the female

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Birds

No mean feat

Himbrimi – Great Northern Diver – Gavia immer

In Þorlákshöfn harbour last weekend we saw this Great Northern Diver in a battle with something we first thought was a bird. Later we saw that it was a fish, a flatfish. This went on all about the place for some time. Eventually the Diver managed to swallow the fish whole. Not a mean feat that. By lifting up its whole body with the bill high in the air down it went. Bon appetite.

Most Icelandic Great Northern Divers stay in the ocean around the country over the winter time but a few overwinter in the UK or West Europe.  Iceland is the only breeding place of the Northern Diver in Europe with  around 300 breeding pairs here.

The flatfish on its way down
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Atmosphere

Turbulent weather

February wheather in center of Selfoss

At last we can look forward to some warmer days, according to the forecasts, and hopefully less windy. February has been very turbulent, with storms and  snowstorms every other day, resulting in road closures, flight cancellations and the like. Lots of locals, along with the constantly growing numbers of tourist, have had to change their travelling plans. There is no weather guaranty when travelling in Iceland in the winter time. Locals tend to use the summer for travelling, enjoying the warmth of their well insulated geo-thermally heated houses in winter, rather than taking any risks with the turbulence of the Icelandic climate.

Road 1 – Hellisheidi (from webcam) – http://www.vegagerdin.is/ferdaupplysingar/vefmyndavelar/sudvesturland/
Roadmap (SW-Iceland) in the middle of February.
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Birds

The Whooper Swans are here

Migrating Whooper Swans   –    Álft – Whooper Swan – Cygnus cygnus

It is still February but this week the first flocks of Whooper Swans could be seen flying along the Southeast coast. Small groups were spotted in Fáskrúðsfjörður and in Hornafjörður, having just arrived over the Atlantic Ocean. Most Whooper Swans migrate to the British Isles in the autumn and come back in late winter. They are one of the very first migrators to arrive. We hope their coming signals a change in the weather and look forward to some warmer days.

Wintering Whooper Swans on River Ölfusá

Whooper Swans are very common in Iceland and can be seen all over the country year round, although some still migrate to the British Isles in winter. On Ölfusá River by Selfoss  there were about 40 birds this winter. The Whooper Swans pair for life and return to the same breeding place year after year. They are very sensitive and if disturbed the pair may abandon the nest and eggs.

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Birds

The very first arrival

Sílamáfur – Lesser Black-backed Gull – Larus fuscus

The Lesser Black-backed Gull has arrived, the very first migrator to signal the changing of the seasons. Spring, however, seems we off as the weather has been at its very worst. But this is a promising sign, an indicator for the weather gods to change course and bring us some warmer winds.

The Lesser Black-backed Gull is usually one of the earliest arrivals in Iceland, or perhaps the very first to arrive as early as February. They spend a few winter months by the shores of the Iberian peninsula and North West Africa. It is the only gull that is a complete migrator in Iceland. The Lesser Black-backed Gull started breeding in Iceland in the 1920s and the breeding population now counts around 50,000 pairs. 

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Birds

Courtship in February

Krossnefur – Common Crossbill / Red Crossbill – Loxia curvirostra (males)

In the end of January and in February the male Common Crossbills become quite noticeable in the tops of the Lodgepole Pine forests (Pinus contorta) in Grímsnes area, South Iceland. They sing and try to catch the attention of the females.

Krossnefur – Common Crossbill / Red Crossbill – Loxia curvirostra (females)

Although it is still mid winter in Iceland they have obviously started courtship. Some seem now already paired and are feeding their spouses which is a sign that the nesting period is not far away.

A female and male Common Crossbills

The cones and seeds of the Lodgepole Pine are now becoming ripe and that seems to be the indicator that tells the birds that it is time for mating.

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