A Hooded Merganser  (Mergus cucullatus) was on River Elliðaá  and Elliðavatn in Reykjavík the other day. It is a beautiful bird and always a treat to see.

This bird was very shy and special care had to be taken to get close enough to photograph. The Hooded Merganser is such a spectacular bird with a prominent crest that it can raise and lower, as can be seen in the photo.

The Hooded Merganser is a breeding bird in North America but is considered rather rare. This Hooded Merganser was on Lake Helluvatn just outside Reyjavík this week. It was first spotted there in the middle of November after having been seen in Álftanes, south of Reykjavík, several times. This is the third winter that this bird is seen on Lake Helluvatn and on nearby lakes.

A Hooded Merganser had been seen on Skógtjörn in Álftanes (suburb of Reykjavik). It took a while to spot it among the other birds but I managed to catch a photo of it in the distance. There it was with other birds such as Greylags, Eiders and Mergansers. The Hooded Merganser is moulting and will probably stick around for a while. This bird is probably the one that has been seen in lakes around Reykjavík the last two winters.

A White-rumped Sandpiper was in Bakkatjörn Pond in Seltjarnarnes (suburd of Reykjavik), but I did not find it. The White-rumped Sandpiper is an annual guest in Iceland.