This evening the Northern lights over Selfoss were so strong and bright that the lights from the town did not affect them. A group of people had gathered, many of them tourist, and the atmosphere was filled with excitement. Every time the lights danced across the sky you could hear people applause, and I did too.
Info on Northern Lights on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora
The Gyrfalcon is not a common breeding bird in Iceland so seeing one is always a treat. Estimated number of breeding pairs is 300. They are more common in the North but can be spotted all over the country. Their numbers are determined by the numbers of Ptarmigan which is their main food although they hunt most birds.
The two Gyrfalcon siblings that I came across had killed a Pink-footed Goose and were busy eating it. They did not want to leave their prey which made photographing them not to difficult.
The scenery in the Icelandic highlands is magnificent in all its diversity and colours. Barren black desert sands and multicoloured mountains are a fascinating attraction. Fjallabak Nature Reserve is one of the places that many visit and not without reason. It is famous for its natural geothermal hot springs and colourful rhyolite mountains.
Landamannalaugar is a very popular destination, at the beginning of the hiking trail Laugavegur. Lots of people come there and enjoy a bath in the hot springs.
The route to the area is rather rough and not recommended for small cars.
From far off you can easily mistake white cottongrass (Eriophorum scheuchzeri) for snow. Its beautiful white fields are very prominent in the scenery. Here in Kýlingar, near Landamannalaugar in the Southern Interior, white cottongrass grows in the fertile soil from a former glacial river. 40 years ago there used to be a lake here that has been filling up with mud and clay from the river. Now we have this beautiful wetland with shallow crystal clear creeks and cotton grass growing luxuriantly.
The bird life in the spring is probably an interesting sight but it is not an easy place to visit because the roads usually do not open until late June or beginning of July.
The Landmannalaugar area attracts a lot of tourists in the summer time. For photographers it is exceptional in its diversity and colours. Here is Atli photographing, visit his Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/atlapix/
In the last few days flocks of small birds, such as Meadow Pipits, Wheatears and Wagtails, have flown off in a southerly direction. Most of them are on their way to Africa or Southern Europe. These species do not stay in Iceland during winter. They are insect eaters and have no other choice than to head south to a warmer climate to survive. In the best of circumstances the estimated flight time to the nearest European countries is at least 24 hours. Many to do not reach their destination and perish on the way.
These photoes were taken at the beach by Eyrarbakki, South Iceland, where huge flocks could be seen, waiting for favourable winds to take them on their way.
There is still a lot of snow in the interior from last winter. Much of it will not melt this summer and might, with time, turn into glacier ice. In canyons and gores, creeks have melted tunnels through the ice, creating ice caves. Here is a photo of one of these interesting natural phenomena in the Landmannalaugar area in the southern highlands of Iceland.
These wild mushrooms, know as Greville’s Bolete or Larch Bolete, are found in forests, near larch trees. We pick them at this time of year, wipe the top and fry them in butter before they go to the freezer.
During winter we use them for soups and sauces. They are mild in flavour but it is worth the while because mushroom hunting is such a nice hobby.
In the last few nights Northern Lights have adorned the night sky over Iceland. From around August 20 the nights become dim enough for the Northern Lights to become visible, but in summer it is too bright. Last night, around midnight, the Northern Lights could be seen, here in the sky above the church at Úlfljótsvatn (South Iceland, near Þingvallavatn). They were bright enough to be seen despite the bright moonlight.
The Canada Goose is an annual vagrant in Iceland. Most of these geese probably come from Europe. Once in a while, however, a smaller type is seen which could be originated from North America.
In the last few weeks a smaller Canada Goose (perhaps ssp interior) has been seen among some Whooper Swans by Lake Snjóölduvatn in Veiðivötn (Fishing Lakes) in the South Interior. It is rather shy and not easy to get near it.
The wail of the Great Northern Diver (Common Loon) is very familiar and is used unsparingly in the film industry. It is one of the top ten sound effects we all recognise from movies. Hear it here. Movies from all over the world seem to use its call. To the ear of the birder it sounds very silly, especially when it is used in places far from the Great Northern Diver’s habitat.