Birds

A good year

Sólskríkja / Snjótittlingur – Snow Bunting – Plectrophenax nivalis

The Snow Bunting is a high Arctic bird that breeds as far as the Northernmost regions of Greenland and Canada. It is common in Iceland where it lives the whole year round although in many countries it is a passerine. It used to be a very common breeding bird in the highlands but with rising temperatures the Icelandic stock has decreased. This summer has been fairly cold and seems to have been a good breeding year for Snow Buntings in Iceland.

With the beak full of flies for the nestlings

The Snow Bunting builds its nest deep in cracks in rocks. The nest is lined with feathers and fur, made with care to keep the eggs and chicks warm in the cold rock.

Young Snow Bunting (juv.)

In wintertime it goes round in huge flocks and comes into towns in search of food but putting out feed especially for Snow Buntings has been something of a tradition in Iceland. In the summer time the Snow Bunting goes under the name “Sólskríkja” which translates as sun screecher.

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Birds

The Icelandic Goat

The Icelandic goat is an ancient breed of Norwegian origin, brought to Iceland by the settlers for over 1100 years ago. Today the Icelandic goat is mainly kept for maintaining the population so it does not become extinct.  Is is a friendly animal and does not shy away from humans.

The Icelandic goat has been on the verge of extinction for a long time and the Icelandic population is highly inbred. In 2003 there were 348 goats but in 2012 the population had been on the rise and there were 849 goats in Iceland. For the purpose of ensuring the Icelandic goat’s survival annual grants are paid to farmers that keep them.

Some experiments have been made in producing cheese from its milk but on the whole products are not made from the milk, meat or cashmere which is of high quality.

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Birds

Keeping track of the chicks

Jaðrakan – Black-tailed Godwit – Limosa limosa

The Black-tailed Godwit is always agitated when its chicks are on the move. As with other waders they are born quite mature and leave the nest very early. By now they have started finding their way in life. The parents however do not seem so sure of their potential. The chicks are usually four so its quite a job to keep track of them. Here the parents have chosen a tree top to keep watch over them.

The Black-tailed Godwit is a migratory bird and those who did not manage to find a mate this spring have already left. Reports of ringed ones tell us that some are already in their winter grounds in Britain.

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Birds

Aggressive Great Skua

Skúmur – Great Skua – Stercorarious Skua

The Great Skua is stout and dark. Some say it is not a beautiful bird and some even say they hate it. The Great Skua is sometimes referred to as a pirate because it is aggressive and always on the look out to harass and steal food from other birds such as puffins, fulmars, gulls and even birds as big as gannets. Their main diet in Iceland is probably sand eel and they also eat other birds. In the breeding time this big and stout bird is very aggressive and often dive-bombs people if they come too close to the nest. Stories say they might even damage cars and injure people.

The Great Skua is one of the biggest Icelandic birds and most common in the big sand dunes in the Southeast. Their numbers count around 5400 pairs. They are migratory birds and overwinter off the coasts of Spain and Africa.

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Birds

Long-eared Owl

Eyrugla – Long-Eared Owl – Asio otus

With growing forests there are more instances of Long-eared Owls breeding in Iceland. These birds that were mostly migrants have now become native.  In 2003 the first breeding of a Long-eared Owl was recorded but it is believed that breeding started there a few years earlier.

The Long-eared Owl mostly eats mice, chicks and small birds. Owls are night creatures and the best chance of seeing one is in the twilight when they are hunting for food for their young ones.

This summer we have seen Long-eared Owls several times in forests in the South and twice a few chicks. This will probably be a good year for owls.

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Birds

Picturesque bird

Himbrimi – Great Northern Diver/Common Loon – Gavia immer

The Great Northern Diver  (Common Loon) is a very picturesque bird and interesting to photograph. We say it is the king the of the highland lakes. Veiðivötn or Fishing Lakes is a cluster of lakes in the southern interior. Ordinarily there are around 35 to 40 Great Northern Divers there over the summer time and usually 10 – 15 nests. Pairs are on most of the lakes and non-breeding birds can sometimes be seen in groups.

This summer breeding went well as far as to say there are nesting pairs on most lakes. In the beginning of July the chicks hatch and we wait to see how successful the nesting will be.

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Animals

The Arctic Fox

Refur / Heimskautarefur – Arctic Fox – Alopex lagopus

The Arctic Fox is the only native carnivorous animal in Iceland. In Iceland it feeds mostly on birds and the Ptarmigan is probably most important in their diet. They also eat fish and seal cubs, scavenge on carcasses and if necessary will eat whatever is available. They survive the Icelandic winter, active all the winter without hibernating. They store food for the winter, digging it in the ground for storage. In summer they might also double their weight to prepare for the harsh months of winter.

We came upon this Arctic Fox in the Southern Highlands noticing it only a few metres away when we stopped the car. Foxes are solitary animals and are sure to keep away from humans. However, in remote areas such as Hornstrandir in the Northwest they are quite tame and take to people.

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Birds

Pink-footed geese in the highlands

Heiðagæs – Pink-footed goose – Anser brachyrhynchus

In early summer the Pink-footed goose is one of the most prominent species of the Icelandic highlands. New breeding areas have been appearing in the last few years and their numbers have been rapidly increasing, the stock counting about 400 thousand birds.

This spring breeding was very successful and flocks of chicks could be seen on highland lakes in the beginning of June.

The Pink-footed goose builds its nest in tussocks and in cliffs near water or wetlands. They leave the country in autumn and come back in April. They overwinter in Scotland and North England.

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Atmosphere, Landscape, Weather

The midnight sun

It is summer solstice, the shortest night of the year and the longest day of the year.  Icelandic summer nights are ideal for outings and camping. No darkness makes everything easier especially for those who are afraid of the dark.

There is little that beats the beauty of the midnight sun. In the middle of summer the sun  sets after midnight and is up again before three in the night so there is more or less daylight  also at nighttime.

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Birds

White-winged Tern

Tígulþerna – White-winged Tern – Chlidonias leucopterus

The White-winged Tern is a vagrant in Iceland and has been seen here 15 times. It was now spotted in Nesjar in Miðnes, Reykjanes peninsula, last week.

Their habitat is in southeast Europe all the way to central Asia. They breed in  freshwater marshes. They migrate to Africa , Southern Asia and Australia for the winter.
This is bird number 217 on my Iceland birdlist.

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