It is high autumn and the scenery has changed colours. Already there have been nights with temperatures below zero.
Despite autumn storms with strong winds and rain, we have beautiful days in between. These photoes were taken last weekend when we enjoyed the stillness and colours of the serene autumn atmosphere in the highlands.
The Siskin is a favoured guest in our garden. It is rather rare here although a frequent vagrant in Iceland. In the last few years they have come here in the spring and autumn, usually one or two birds, staying only for a few days. The Siskin may have started breeding regularly in the fast growing Icelandic forests but records are limited.
The Siskin stands out among the Redpolls on our feeders in their beautiful yellow and grey colours. The male is more prominent as the yellow colours contrast with the black.
For a week now three have been visiting. Whether they plan to stay for the winter remains to be seen but we make the most of their stay and watch them as they mingle with Redpolls and Crossbills. Their stay will most likely be temporary, our garden only a stopover before they leave for warmer climates.
Through the summer we have put out feed for the birds, sunflower seed. In the end of May a Common Crossbill appeared with a few chicks, a male with its offsprings. In June the number of chicks multiplied and for a time there were two males with no less than sixteen baby chicks on the feeding tray.
Later the males disappeared leaving the chicks here on their own. They have been here the whole summer, often five to six of them but now they are eleven.
The chicks are becoming more mature and their plumage is taking on the colours of the adults. Reed and yellow orange feathers are appearing. The youngest, however, still hold on to their grey tones.
The Great Northern Diver breeds in Canada, Alaska, the northern regions of USA and southern Greenland but Iceland is the diver’s only habitat in Europe.
In autumn the Great Northern Diver leaves the highlands and stays in the ocean around the country until spring arrives again. The population in Iceland is believed to count less than 1000 birds.
It is late August in the highlands and already autumn. The seven Ptarmigan chicks we came across were so small that we worry they will not make it through the winter. After about a month the first snows can be expected.
The Ptarmigan is well adapted to the Icelandic climate and will stay in the highlands until the weather becomes so bad they can not find food. Then they will move down to the lowlands and survive the winter if they do not fall prey to predators such as foxes and falcons, not to mention the greatest threat of all – the man.
On my trip into the interior last week it was so calm and peaceful. Not a ripple stirred on the waters. The moss had turned to its autumn colours making the contrast with the black sands starker. The reflections were perfect in the water which was as smooth as a mirror.
The Goldcrest has not been among the birds that visit our garden on a regular basis. Every once in a while we would hear it and less frequently a bird would be seen but not for extended periods. However, these last few weeks there have been at least two who have stuck around.
The Goldcrest is the smallest bird in Europe. It was a vagrant in Iceland but is now counted among its inhabitants. Its song is very high pitched so those who have started losing hearing can not hear it.
After a fairly mild winter and rather good summer there is enough feed for them, such as spruce aphids which is often their main diet. The numbers of Goldcrests in Iceland is on the rise and more often they are now seen in towns although their main habitat is in spruce forests in the country.
July and August are usually the most peaceful months in the garden, meaning that there are not as many birds as in the winter months. We have continued putting out sunflower seed all summer so of course some birds come by regularly. Redwings, Blackbirds and Redpolls nested in our garden and in neighbouring gardens this summer. Most of these birds finished breeding in the end June except the Blackbird that breeds several times during the summer. According to our observations it is now breeding for the fifth time.
With the coming of autumn more and more birds appear in the garden and last week there were three Wrens here (ad+2 juv), a Goldcrest, Crossbills, Redpolls, Blackbirds, Redwings and Starlings.
On our blog you can see our weekly report on the birds in our garden: http://ornosk.com/weekly-bird-report/weekly-bird-report-2017/
The River Beauty is one of the most beautiful flowers you see. It is now in bloom. It grows on the banks of rivers and is common in the highlands in places where sheep can not get to it.
The River Beauty is the national flower of Greenland and when Icelanders were choosing their National flower it was a strong candidate.
At this time of year young Purple Sandpipers are often seen in highland heaths and this year there are quite a lot of them despite a rather cold summer – or perhaps because of it. In a short while they will be gathering for their flight to the coast.
The Purple Sandpiper breeds in the Icelandic highlands and in a small area in Markarfljótsaurar, the estuary delta of the River Markarfljót.
The Purple Sandpipers stay in the highlands until frost and snow make it impossible for them to get their feed. Then they move down to the coast and stay there until spring arrives again.