The Oystercatcher is mostly a migrant in Iceland and quite common in lowlands. It usually arrives in the middle of March making it one of the first migrants to great us and signal the coming of a new season. On our trip to the Northeast we came across this chick that was learning to find food on its own. Seeing it imitate the parent was more than adorable.
The Redwing is mostly a migrant in Iceland but some of them stay for the winter. There are always some in our garden and we feed them in the wintertime. This summer we have seen a number of young ones and parents that feed them diligently. Our main concern though is keeping the neighbourhood cats away and we think we have been quite successful this summer. We spread coffee grounds, along with egg shell, in the cats’ favourite hiding places and it seems they don’t want to get their feet dirty.
We came across a Ptarmigan family, parents with five chicks. Their camouflage colours in summer match the colours of nature so they are not too easily spotted. The chicks were quite small, perhaps a week old but already able the fly. Naturally the parents were busy trying to distract us, especially the mother though.
Usually the fathers leave the family shortly after the chicks hatch but this dad seems to be taking a responsible part in the upbringing.
All over the moors chicks can be seen – chicks of Golden Plovers, Black-tailed Godwits , Whimbrels, Redshanks, Common Snipes, Ptarmigans and more. They are all over the place, in bogs and moors. Now is the perfect time to observe nature at its most beautiful. Due to mild weather in May and June breeding and hatching went well.
Yesterday we saw Golden Plover chicks and Black-Tailed Godwit chicks in Grímsnes. They were well looked after by the parents.
Iceland’s most active volcano, Hekla, is said to be ready to erupt any time. The pressure inside this famous South Iceland volcano is greater than before the last two eruptions. So we should be on our toes.
Since 1970, when Hekla last erupted, the interval between eruptions has been more less or less ten years. According to scientists Hekla has built up a great deal of magma in recent years. Although the last few eruptions in Hekla have not been big and not involved serious danger one never knows what exactly to expect. The lead up to an eruption in Hekla can be very short and that is a concern.
Hekla is a popular attraction and groups often hike in the mountain. There is some worry that this could be dangerous in view of the short notice of eruption and people are warned not to be on the mountain. Airplanes flying over could also be in danger if scientist are not taken seriously.
Summer solstice was yesterday – the longest day of the year. This photo was taken just before midnight when the sun breaks through the cloudy northern sky over Mount Ingólfsfjall with Ölfusá River in the foreground.
The Great Northern Diver is without doubt king of its habitat in the interior. Most highland lakes with fish sport at least one couple who nest there every summer and raise their young ones. Usually the chicks are two and the parents take good care of them. It is not unusual to see the chick being transported on the back of the parents.
In Veiðivötn, in English Fishing Lakes, in the southern interior the Great Northern Diver stands out. Pairs are on most of the lakes and non-breeding birds can sometimes be seen in groups.
Not many things are more captivating than the Diver’s wails which can be heard all over the place in the stillness of the twilight.
In Hellisskógur by Selfoss there is a little pond in the wood where wetland has been restored.
In the last four weeks a few Red-Necked Phalaropes have been on the pond feeling at home it seems . The Phalaropes’ nests are well hidden in the dense vegetation and difficult to find so whether they have bred and nested by the pond remains to be seen. Hopefully their chicks will appear on the water in the next couple of weeks.
This weekend we drove into the interior for our annual bird count of the Fishing Lakes area, Veiðivötn, in the Southern part of the Icelandic highlands. The snow is melting quickly now and most roads have cleared. We came across this pair of Ringed Plovers that were hoping around their nest, keeping intruders away.
Ringed Plovers are migrants that breed all over the country, from coastal areas to the interior. Their typical habitat is sandy areas with scarce vegetation.
The pine is at its most beautiful now with male and female cones. The red flowers at the top are female cones and the lighter pink ones near the bottom of the picture are the male cones packed with pollen. The darker cones are from last year.