Dunlins (Calidris alpina) are migratory birds that usually arrive in Iceland in May. They are long distance migrants that breed in Arctic regions. The European population’s winter grounds are in Africa, Southeast Asia  and the Middle East. Birds that breed in Arctic areas in Canada and Alaska only migrate  to the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America. Some Dunlins overwinter on the south coast of Spain and Portugal.

A lot of Dunlins breed in marshlands in South Iceland. This one was in The Bird Reserve in Flói, South Iceland. The Icelandic breeding population is estimated around 270,000 birds.

There are a lot of Dunlins (Calidris alpina) on beaches and in river-mouths in South Iceland now. Yesterday morning there were thousands of them on the beach in Eyrarbakki where these photos were taken.

The most densely populated  Dunlin breeeding area is in marshlands in South Iceland. The Icelandic breeding population is estimated around 270,000 birds.