Birding in Iceland

Bird Species Listing for Iceland Birding Trip - June 13-23, 2009

2009-06-28T12:45:00.008-04:00

And index on the right side of the page directs you to specific posts from the many places we visited. Or simply scroll through the several pages of posts (click "older posts") at the bottom of each page.

Here is the list of 57 bird species we saw while birding in Iceland from June 13-23, 2009. Main birding areas visited were: Reykjanes Peninsula, Reykjavik, Golden Circle Route (Thingvellir, Geysir, Gulfoss and Selfoss), Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Breidafjörder, West Fjords Region (Látrabjarg, Patreksfjördur and Tálknafjördur), Akureyri and Myvatn.

Should you be planning a birding trip to Iceland please feel free to ask us questions!

Below is the AOU name followed by the scientific name. Parenthetical names are the Icelandic common name.

Whooper Swan - Cygnus cygnus

Greylag Goose - Anser anser

Eurasian Wigeon - Anas penelope

Gadwall - Anas strepera

Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos

Tufted Duck - Aythya fuligula

Greater Scaup - Aythya marila

Common Eider - Somateria mollissima
Harlequin Duck - Histrionicus histrionicus

Long-tailed Duck - Clangula hyemalis

Black Scoter - Melanitta nigra

Barrow's Golden-eye - Bucephala islandica

Red-breasted Merganser - Mergus serrator

Common Merganser - Mergus merganser (Goosander)

Red-throated Loon - Gavia stellata (Red-throated Diver)

Common Loon - Gavia immer (Great Northern Diver)

Horned Grebe - Podiceps auritus (Slavonian Grebe)

Northern Fulmar - Fulmaris glacialis

Northern Gannet - Morus bassanus

Great Cormorant - Phalacrocorax carbo

European Shag - Phalacrocorax aristotelis

Eurasian Oystercatcher - Haematopus ostralegus

Common Ringed Plover - Charadrius hiaticula (Ringed Plover)

European Golden Plover - Pluvialis apricaria

Purple Sandpiper - Calidris maritima

Dunlin - Calidris alpina

Wilson's Snipe - Gallinago gallinago (Common Snipe)

Black-tailed Godwit - Limosa lapponica

Whimbrel - Numenius phaeopus

Common Redshank - Tringa totanus
Ruddy Turnstone - Arenaria interpres
Red-necked Phalarope - Phalaropus lobatus
Red Phalarope - Phalaropus fulicarius (Grey Phalarope)
Parasitic Jaeger - Stercorarius parasiticus (Arctic Skua)
Long-tailed Jaeger - Stercorarius longicaudus (Long-tailed Skua)
Black-headed Gull - Larus ridibundus
Lesser Black-backed Gull - Larus fuscus
Herring Gull - Larus argentatus
Iceland Gull - Larus glaucoides
Glaucous Gull - Larus hyperboreus
Great Black-backed Gull - Larus marinus
Black-legged Kittiwake - Risa tridactyla
Arctic Tern - Sterna paradisaea
Common Murre - Uria aalge (Common Guillemot)
Thick-billed Murre - Uria lomvia (Brunnich's Guillemot)
Razorbill - Alca torda
Black Guillemot - Cepphus grylle
Atlantic Puffin - Fratercula arctica
Meadow Pipit - Anthus pratensis
White Wagtail - Motacilla alba
Winter Wren - Troglodytes troglodytes
Northern Wheatear - Oenanthe oenanthe
Redwing - Turdus iliacus
Common Raven - Corvus corax
European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris (Common Starling)
Common Redpoll - Carduelis flammea (Mealy Redpoll)
Snow Bunting - Plectrophenax nivalis

We're Back! - June 24, 2009

2009-06-24T20:42:00.009-04:00

The Location Tracker has been moved down, and the index of posts moved up, to make navigation easier.

56 bird species! A complete list in AOU order will be coming soon!

We departed Akureyri (in North Iceland) midday on June 23 and flew to Reykjavik's city center airport. From there we took the FlyBus Shuttle for the 40 mile trip to Keflavik International Airport (Reykjavik's domestic flights use the City Center airport and the international flights operate out of Keflavik).

One doesn't need to arrive early for a flight out of Akureyri. We arrived 1 hour 10 minutes prior to our 11:40am flight... not outlandishly early in our opinion considering we had to drop off our rental car. But the rental car counters were all closed, and when I picked up the Avis courtesy phone it rang the Avis employee at her house! She arrived at 11am, found me in the terminal, took the keys and rental car agreement, and then came back with the processed paperwork.

One thing that speeds things up is that there isn't any security screening one needs to go through to board a plane. Most people seemed to show up about 15 minutes before departure.

You can't help but like an airline that allows you to roll your bike onboard!

It was cloudy the entire flight, except for the first couple of minutes after takeoff and the last 2 minutes before landing in Reykjavik.

Our Icelandair flight took us over Greenland, Labrador (Canada) and Maine to Boston. We arrived in Boston in time for dinner.

Today, June 24th, Mom came by my office for breakfast and a tour of the Harvard Medical School lab at the hospital, and then we took a ZipCar to the airport for her JetBlue flight to Orlando.
And now we're both home!

What a wonderful vacation!

We saw 53 bird species!

Drive from Myvatn to Akureyri - June 22, 2009

2009-06-22T21:12:00.005-04:00

The drive between Myvatn and Akureyri is quite beautiful with tall snow-covered mountains (we were driving above the snow line at times), fast flowing mountain streams and rivers, and fjords!

Approaching Akureyri on Ring Road 1 from the east you descend at 10% grade for several kilometers and get stunning views of the fjord and the city of Akureyri.

We fly out of Akureyri tomorrow at mid-day for Reykjavik, where we'll transfer to Keflavik Airport for our flight to Boston.

We haven't seen night since June 13!

And I just looked outside (just after 1am) and the sky is blue and a Parasitic Jaeger flew over the hotel.

Geothermal Explorations in Myvatn, Iceland

2009-06-22T20:51:00.011-04:00

Iceland has LOTS of hot water. And the hot water is REALLY hot! It's piped directly into homes and has a sulphur aroma to it (very strong aroma in Reykjavik, less strong in other cities).

Car washes are free, too.

We visited geothermal areas in Bjarnarflag, Hverir and Krafla (an active volcano)... all just 3 - 10 kilometers east of Reykjahlid at Myvatn.

We also went to the Jardbodin Nature Baths in Bjarnarflag (like the Blue Lagoon, but better).

Bjarnarflag is also where the world famous "Bjarnarflag Braud" is made. It's bread cooked in milk cartons in holes dug in the ground. The geothermal heat cooks the bread. It's delicious!

And we visited the world's first, and still the largest, geothermal plant that generates electricity. We even drove through the pipes transporting the water from the volcano the the generators.

Birds of Myvatn

2009-06-22T20:35:00.007-04:00

Good heavens, we saw lots of birds today! Myvatn is a major breeding area for birds in Iceland, some of which, among them Barrow's Goldeneye, only breed at Myvatn.

Some of the species we saw were Black-tailed Godwits, Harlequin Ducks, Barrow's Goldeneye, Scoters (forgot which one... will have to check the list), Gray Phalaropes, Red-necked Phalaropes, Eurasian Widgeons, European Golden Plovers, Snow Buntings, Gadwall, Wheatear, Redeye, White Wagtail, Falco lambarctica* and many more.

*A "called out" Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticola) that turned out to be an Icelandic Sheep. It was 1,000 feet up on a cliff... those 2 white fluffy legs made me think Gyrfalcon! Ask mom about the Black-billed Swan!

Akureyri, Iceland - Godafoss & Myvatn - June 22, 2009

2009-06-22T18:39:00.010-04:00

Updating videos now. Had an incredible day in Akureyri and Myvatn, and wound up on a wonderful excursion and discovery due to a search for a loaf of Hverabraud / Bjarnarsflagbraud (bread made in geothermal underground ovens).

Below, a Black-tailed Godwit. One of 11 seen today. We've been able to get really close to them.
Mom at Godafoss, a historic waterfall on the way to Myvatn. In 1000AD, the chieftain who decided Iceland should become Christian, tossed his pagan idols into the falls after making the conversion.

Me at Godafoss.

Above the fjord opposite Akureyri.

Látrabjarg Bird Cliffs - June 19, 2009

2009-06-21T20:05:00.006-04:00

We're in Akureyri right now... it's June 20, 2009... It's brilliantly lit by natural light outside (12:53am local time). We're off to bird at Lake Myvatn tomorrow.

Nothing can describe our experience at the Látrabjarg bird cliffs in the West Fjords region. Nothing can describe driving there, mile after mile after mile, on single-lane gravel roads on cliffs 1,000 to 2,000 feet high with sheer straight down drops into the ocean.

There aren't any guard rails.

My hands have callouses from constantly gripping the steering wheel.

Here are some videos... I'll try to get even more uploaded for you. Fullmars, Guillemots, Black Guillemots, Black-headed Gulls, Puffins, Murres, Razorbills... the list goes on and on.

For some reason I thought the road let you off at the top of the cliffs. But instead it lets you off at the bottom! You have to climb to the top of the cliffs, and the cliffs range from 1,000 - 3,000 feet high.

I've not only seen Guillemots...

2009-06-21T19:34:00.005-04:00

I ate one for dinner tonite! It was really delicious. Had a "cooked on the grill" flavor. Was rather meaty with an excellent flavor. Didn't taste like chicken at all... tasted like a very expensive cut of beef.

And this wasn't our first Guillemot encounter for the day. Earlier we stopped at an N1 Gas Station (they have handy markets) and mom discovered this:

Lutheran Churches of Iceland

2009-06-20T19:38:00.008-04:00

Everywhere you go in Iceland, even in the smallest of communities, you see a Lutheran Church (Church of Iceland). The church above in Budir is a Stadir church (built by the local equivalent of the Lord of the Manor to serve the needs of the local farmers) originally built in 1703 (and re-built in 1848).

The white Stadir style church above is in Hellnar, about 15 kilometers from Budir, and was built in 1748. It has an ornate interior with vaulted blue ceiling inlaid with stars and comfortably seats 40 people.

This modern church above is in Tálknafjordur in Iceland's West Fjord region. It's steeple is entirely glass and is above the altar, giving everyone inside a spectacular view of the village's harbor and the large fjord. The Church of Iceland is the established church of Iceland (93% of the population belongs to the state church) and is in full communion with the Church of England and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

And today we went to the 8pm service at Akureyri Lutheran Church, above and below (in Akureyri, North Iceland). The steps are rather formidable, but the view of the fjord from the top is spectacular. The church was built in 1940 and the stained glass windows around the altar were removed from Coventry Cathedral in England at the start of World War II in the event that the Cathedral be damaged in German bombing raids. The windows were sent to Akureyri for safe keeping (Iceland was invaded by England in April 1940 to keep it from falling into German hands after Denmark, the country ruling Iceland at the time, was invaded by Germany). Coventry Cathedral was destroyed in a German bombing raid on November 14, 1940 shortly after the opening of Akureyri Lutheran Church).

Snaefellsnes to West Fjords - June 19, 2009

2009-06-20T17:15:00.003-04:00

I've been remiss in posting the bird species we've seen, but not only am I dealing with differences between the European and American names for the same species, I'm also having to converse with people using the species name in German, Icelandic and French... making it all very confusing!

Here's an attempt at listing species that we've seen:

Red-throated Loon, Common Loon, Fulmar, Gannet, Cormorant, Shag, Whooper Swan, Greylag Goose, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Eider (Somateria mollissima), Harlequin Duck, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Oystercatcher (Haematopus astralegus), Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula), Eurasian Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria), Common Snipe (Galinago galinago), Purple Sandpiper, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Redshank, Turnstone, Red-necked Phalarope, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Glaucous Gull, Kittiwake, Arctic Tern, Common Guillemot (Uria aalge), Brunnich's Guillemot (Uria Lomvia), Razorbill, Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle), Puffin, Meadow Pipit, White Wagtail, Wheatear, Redwing, Raven, Starling, Redpoll, Snow Bunting.

And here's Mom on the top deck of the car ferry "Baldur" as we sailed from Stykkisholmur on Snaefellsnes to Brjánslaeker in the West Fjords region.

Snaefellsnes - Hotel Hellnar - June 18, 2009

2009-06-19T21:45:00.005-04:00

I'm about 2 days behind keeping up our travels due to lack of internet access at Hotel Hellnar. We're currently on our 2nd day at Hotel Latrabjarg in Iceland's remote West Fjord region. The Puffin encounter at the incredible bird cliffs of Latrabjarg was so wonderful I'll keep up that video while I try to catch up to our travels. Scroll past the video after watching to see what we did on Snaefellsnes Peninsula / Snaefellsjokull National Park on June 18, 2009.

Everything about Hotel Hellnar was exceptional, and we began the day by birding the hotel's cliffs.

We also enjoyed he tea house at the base of the cliffs. Here's mom birding at the beach of the hotel, at the base of the bird cliffs, in front of the tea house.

Our hotel also had its own European Oystercatcher, desperately seeking a mate, and it was continuously displaying in the hotel's garden.

Then it was off to the bird cliffs at ₱ufubjarg. These cliffs were about 500 feet high, with sheer drops straight down into the ocean. Of course, you simply walk up to the edge of the cliff and lean over to see all the birds!

Next we went to Ondverdarnes Cape and the beautiful bird cliffs at Svötuloft. These cliffs were even higher than at ufubjarg, and I found a comfy spot nestled right on the edge of the cliff in the warm sun (and out of the wind) while mom used her scope from the much safer distance of the base of the lighthouse (only about 75 feet from me, but without the possibility of tumbling 750 feet into the ocean). Still... my spot was like having a recliner chair right on the edge of the cliff!

We then drove around the western edge of the Peninsula, with views to the south of the Reykjanes Peninsula and to the north of West Fjords region, and encountered "drive thru bird cliffs" of Olafsvik. The road is at the base of 1,000 foot cliffs, with the ocean immediately on one side and towering walls just feet away on the other, and you hang out the car and look at all the sea birds nesting on the cliff. This was the second "auto pelagic" trip we had in Iceland. We then took a harrowing (the first of what would be many) single lane gravel road from Olafsvik (on the north side of the peninsula) over a mountain range and back to the south side of the peninsula to Budir where we encountered this waterfall.

Then back to Hotel Hellnar for a delicious dinner. Below is a video from Hotel Hellnar taken at midnight.

June 17, 2009 - Reykjavik to Snaefellsnes (Snowy Peninsula)

2009-06-19T19:21:00.002-04:00

Today we drove from Reykjavik to Snaefellsnes. We stayed at Hotel Hellnar which is at the base of Snaefellsjokul (Elevation 4,500', name translates as Snowy Mountain Glacier, and is active volcano with a glacier completely covering the top half). We reached the West Iceland region via a 7km long tunnel underneath Hvalfjordur (Whale Fjord).

We were quite surprised that Hotel Hellnar had its very own bird cliffs! An absolutely stunning location and quite a delightful hotel.

After checking in we drove into Snaefellsjokull National Park and saw 2 Arctic Foxes! They aren't easy to see, and the last count had only 3 active Arctic Fox dens in the National Park. Here's a video we took of the Arctic Fox (summer coats are dark, but the tails are white).

Here, too, is some video shot from inside my room of the bird cliffs at Hotel Hellnar. And with the midnite sun you can watch the birds 24 hours a day!

2 Days Without Internet Access

2009-06-19T17:27:00.004-04:00

Sorry for the lack of updates, we were without internet access for two days.

But what exiting times we've had! Work on getting pics and videos uploaded is taking place right now... and might take awhile.

Greetings from the westernmost point in Europe!

OK... I now have several pics to share while I process videos.

Mom at the world-famous Latrabjarg Bird Cliffs in the West Fjords Region. These cliffs were 1,000 - 3,000 feet high and dropped straight down to the ocean. Stunning videos from Latrabjarg ;-)

Me at the bird cliffs at Hellnar on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. These cliffs were only 500 feet high (stunning video from here, too!).

Stykissholmur Harbor as we sailed out on our 4 hour trip to Iceland's West Fjords Region. It was 20 degrees and windy.

National Museum of Iceland and Reykjanes Peninsula

2009-06-17T06:04:00.002-04:00

First part of the morning was spent at the National Museum of Iceland which is quite extraordinary!

We also discovered that you don't need a car to do serious birding in Iceland... simply walk 5 minutes to the local park and all the rare birds you've hoped to see are right there at your feet.

And we also did a "pelagic trip" by car, a first for us. The roads are conveniently designed for viewing pelagic birds from inside your car (a handy thing when in the midst of 50MPH winds).

The Reykjanes Peninsula was a gem and offered bountiful opportunities for birding (Hafnaberg Bird Cliffs), as well as stunning countryside completely covered with lava, steep mountains, geothermal areas (Yes, we did go to the Blue Lagoon... but not into the Blue Lagoon as it was a torrential downpour and almost hurricane-force winds).

Here are some Whooper Swans down the street from our hotel in Reykjavik

The must sought after Tufted Duck is below:

Arctic Terns are EVERYWHERE!

A nice thing about being astride the Mid-Atlantic Rift, dividing Europe from North America, is that we get to add birds to 2 continental lists (we're quite busy making sure which continent we're on when viewing a bird). Sometimes we're on both continents at the same time!

National Museum of Iceland and Reykjanes Peninsula

2009-06-16T17:53:00.003-04:00

Incredible day. Extremely high winds, at times very heavy rain, but a wonderful day nonetheless as we saw extraordinary exhibits at the National Museum of Iceland and then we did a "auto-pelagic trip" around the Reykjanes Peninsula.

While updating the many videos enjoy the photos below... and the orange sign says,

"Warning! Birds on Highway!"

Indeed, we had to brake for many a life bird that was sitting in our way on the road

Geothermal lake on Reykjanes Peninsula (yes, near the Blue Lagoon).

Figure of Christ from a processional cross in Iceland circa 1050AD.

Icelandic Chasuble from 1075AD

Icelandic Wildlife - June 15, 2009

2009-06-16T06:47:00.002-04:00

Here are some videos exclusively about Icelandic wildlife we saw on Monday. The White Wagtail, Redshank, Eurasian Redwing, and Whooper Swans.

Plus, we saw Icelandic Sheep and Icelandic Horses... both of which are breeds unchanged since they were brought to Iceland over 1,000 years ago.

Today we're off to the National Museum to see the 1,000 year old saga manuscripts, and then drive around the Southwest Peninsula for some coastal birdwatching.

Enjoy!

Below is the Redshank:

Next is the White Wagtail:

And now we have the Redpoll

Here's a field of 25 Whooper Swans (we miscounted in the video!)

Some Icelandic Horses. They're everywhere!

These are Icelandic Sheep. They're not goats.

June 15, 2009 - ₱ingvellir National Park, Geysir & Gullfoss

2009-06-15T19:31:00.005-04:00

Today's itinerary was:

₱ingvellir National Park where the oldest Parliament in existence was founded in 930AD. We saw Vikings, White Wagtails, Wheatears, Eurasian Redwings, Tufted Ducks among others. The spot where the Icelandic Parliament met for the first 1000 years happens to be on a spot straddling the divide between the Eurasian and the North American Plates. We really enjoyed our time here.

Next, we went to Geysir, from which geysirs were named. On the way we saw Redshanks, Black-tailed Godwits, Whooper Swans, Great Northern Divers, Whimbrels, etc. Geysir was quite fun and had lots of bubbling and shooting geysirs (including the orginal "Geysir".

We also visited the spectacular Gullfoss waterfall, also astride a rift valley.

LOTS of life birds for us today :-) In the next couple of days I'll post videos of 4 life birds we saw today.

In Search of the Papagei Taucher (aka Puffin)

2009-06-14T19:22:00.007-04:00

After going to church we stopped by our hotel's front desk to inquire about the Puffin/Whale Watching Cruises from Reykjavik Harbor. They immediately made a reservation for us and we took at 15 minute walk to the pier where we caught our Elding Whale/Puffin Watch Cruise. It was a large and full boat, and we were the only non-Germans aboard! Had quite an enjoyable time speaking with people in German (and translating for Mom).

Some of the birds that we saw were Skua, Jaeger, Guillemot, Murre, Puffin, Kittiwake, and much more. Plus we also saw Harbor Porpoises, White-beaked Harbor Porpoises (look like miniature Killer Whales), Minke Whales and Black-backed Whales.

What's amazing is how much snow there is! There is snow on the hills surrounding Reykjavik, and the Snaefellsnes Peninsula (to where we are going after our 3 days in Reykjavik) is completely covered in snow!

After our 3-hour Whale/Puffin Watch Cruise we dined at a harborside seafood shack (it truly is a shack) and had a marvelous meal of lobster soup, skewered roast cod, and skewered roast red fish. Delicious.

It also doesn't seem to get dark here

Arrival in Iceland

2009-06-14T16:28:00.005-04:00

Where does the day end? Where does the day begin?

After an overnight flight from Boston we found ourselves driving from Keflavik to Reykjavik around 7am Iceland time. Managed to get some birdwatching in along the way (Grey-lag Geese, Common Eiders, etc) and then Mom decided we should have breakfast at some out-of-the-way restaurant along Reykjavik's Old Harborside (we were slightly lost... but it turns out to be a very historic, and hard-to-find, restaurant). Then we checked-in to our hotel and went to church at Hallgrimskirkja (Hallgrims Church, the Cathedral Church for the Church of Iceland) which was conveniently across the street from our hotel.

Nice service, phenomenal organ.

Iceland Birding Itinerary: June 13-23, 2009

2009-04-04T07:48:00.002-04:00

We booked our trip, which includes airfare from Orlando (Mom) and Boston (Son), car rental, hotels, ferries and intra-Iceland flights with Valerie at The Nordic Company.

Our itinerary is:

June 13 - Mom departs Orlando and meets me in Boston. From Boston we fly to Keflavik on Icelandair.

June 14 - Arrive in Iceland. Spend 3 nights at Hotel Leiffur Eriksson. Explore Reykjavik, The Golden Circle, Reykjanes Peninsula, Thingvellir, Gulfoss, Heklar, and more.

June 17 - Iceland National Day (Independence from Denmark, 1944). Travel north to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Spend 2 nights at Hotel Hellnar.

June 19 - Take Seatours car ferry from Stykkisholmur to Brjanslaekur in the West Fjords region, with a stopover at Flatley Island. 2 nights in the West Fjords at Hotel Latrabjarg. Explore the world famous Bird Cliffs and the mountains and glaciers of the West Fjords.

June 21 - Drive to Akureyri in North Iceland. Spend 2 nights at Hotel Nordurland. Explore Lake Myvatn, Dettifoss, Grimsey Island which straddles the Arctic Circle.

June 23 - Fly Air Iceland from Akureyri to Reykjavik. Transfer to Keflavik International Airport for flight to Iceland.