Dimmuborgir is a lava field just east of Lake Mývatn. It was formed in a huge volcanic eruption in a row of craters about 2300 years ago.
Where Dimmuborgir are now the lava flowed over a small lake, boiling the water, leading to the formation of lava pillars, some quite high. Continue reading Dimmuborgir – Dark Castles
At this time of year everything is teeming with life and a visit to Lake Mývatn is more than worth its while for the bird watcher. Lots of ducks can be seen there and the Common Scoter is one of them. It is a breeding bird in Northeast Iceland. It breeds by lakes and ponds that are eutrophic.
This pair was on Lake Mývatn along with a lot others. The male is black and the female brownish.
The breeding population is around 400 to 500 pairs. Its winter grounds are in the Atlantic ocean in West Europe.
The Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) is a non-migrating bird in Iceland. It breeds in Northwest Iceland but roams around the country in the winter time. It is believed that Glaucous Gulls from Greenland and Spitsbergen over winter here.
The Glaucous gull breeds in mountains and sea cliffs and gets its food in the sea, mostly small fish. The breeding population in Iceland is estimated around 10,000-15,000 pairs.
The Common Gull (Larus canus) is a new breeding bird in Iceland, or so they say, although the first known breeding was in 1936. That was in Eyjafjörður, North Iceland. The Common Gull started breeding in other parts of the country much later.
Now there is a breeding area near Selfoss but it is only around 20 years since these birds were first spotted in this area in the summer time. Today the Common Gull is quite common all year round in this area. The breeding population in Iceland is estimated around 700 pairs.
The Gadwall (Anas strepera) is a dabbling duck like the Mallard. It is uncommon in Iceland except around Mývatn in the North. In the winter time and also in the migration time in spring this beautiful duck can sometimes be seen in the South.
The breeding population is estimated around 500 pairs.
This Gadwall was on the Pond in Reykjavík.
Now in the beginning June the Slovonian Grebe shows off its beauty to attract the female. The Grebes are preparing for breeding but have not started the nest making yet.
The photos are taken by Vífilsstaðavatn, Garðabær, near Reykjavík.
Two kinds of seals can be found around Iceland, the Harbour Seal and the Grey Seal. This is the Grey Seal. It is not as common as the Harbour Seal and also much bigger and not as cute. We came across this one by the bridge in Kolgrafarfjörður Fjord in Snæfellsnes, Iceland, March 2013.
We came across this Harbour Seal (Phoca vitulina) in Snæfellsnes, not far from Fjord Kolgrafarfjörður. It seems to have somekind of infection or tumor blocking the eye. We could not see that the seal was affected by this extra growth as it swam among the other seals, see earlier post.
You can not but feel sympathy for a wild animal like this one and wonder what its life must be like.
