Iceland has some three hundred recorded bird species. It’s extraordinary – some areas teem with birds – thousands of them. Whenever we stopped the car, the rush of bird calls were indicative of the high activity, the haste in getting through the breeding season. As we travelled the ring road we noticed the varying stages of nesting, and chick rearing. The seabird colonies were the most impressive, guillemots, fulls, fulmars, puffins, arctic terns.
Here are some of the stars of the show:
Greylag geese have large clutches of chicks.
The eider ducks are an iconic species.
The golden plover is a common heathland bird, a migrant whose mournful piping is eagerly awaited as the harbinger of summer.
Long legged red shank are identified by their long beaks.
The plump ptarmigans are a popular culinary bird traditionally eaten over Christmas instead of turkey.
The graceful whimbrel in flight.
Broods of eider duck are a common sight.
A whooper swan.
The honking swans pay great fanfare to greetings and hierachy displays.
The barnacle geese have the cutest of chicks.
Barnacle chicks test the water.
The Arctic terns are known for their aerial bombing, strafing interlopers in their breeding territories.
Tern eggs.
Tern chick
Millions of puffins come to breed in Iceland. A most endearing creature.
i love it ❤
Thanks!
Gorgeous!
Yes, fine feathers indeed 🙂
Lovely bird photos!
Thank you Pike.
Some wonderful images here Liz, recognise most of these from our own trip 😃
Isn’t just an extraordinary place for bird life, and you must have seen wall to wall seabirds on the cliff faces in the Western Fjords?
The puffins were just magical – we were there at egg stage though, just a few Eider chicks had emerged so far, but nothing from the terns or other birdlife…
Nice series, I just ADORE puffins, and the fluffy chicks are so cute. Looking forward to spring.
Here’s to the puffin fanclub!! They’re just so gorgeously odd, almost comical. Wonderful creatures. Yes, roll on spring. Here back in Cape Town a huge winter storm is brewing.
I hope one day to get to that part of the world and see some for real, its a long way from NZ 🙂
Liz, your posts are amazing, actually thrilling to see. Thank you so much.
Mary McAvoy
Mary, thanks!! That’s a lovely compliment, makes posting all the more enjoyable.
This past weekend in Palos Verdes (Southern California) we saw about 5 or 6 terns hunting. I watched them diving and swooping – it seemed hopeless to catch a photo of them, but try I did. They results were pretty much out of focus, but I do believe I caught one with its end goal in its mouth: a very large and very silvery fish!
I love seabirds – something about the combination of bird + ocean makes them irresistible.
Wonderful, i agree with your sentiments on seabirds. Also fascinating is how they have evolved fishing techniques… shape, beaks, wings. Tropic birds and fairy terns are my favourites.
Liz, I only follow a couple of blogs, and yours is one of them. Some time ago, I gave up WordPress and dropped out. But I still get an email every time you post, and I am always rewarded with a beautifully-done photo and I experience a different part of the planet for just a moment. Thank you. These birds are simply charming. They raise the spirits. – Sandra
What a great comment to receive, thanks Sandra. Makes posting all the more worthwhile.
Love your first photo of the geese.
Thanks Colline, the parents had their work cut out keeping their large brood together 🙂 So wonderful to observe.
Oh you got to see puffins, I’d love to!
Aren’t they charismatic 🙂 Their colony was a hive of activity with much toing and froing bringing in nesting material to their burrows. Such clutsy flyers, yet those sharply creased bills must cleave through the water and hasten their diving speeds. Would love to see the fledglings…
Ignore the question on the latest post. I see you’re in Iceland! Have friggin’ awesome is that and what a glorious visual feast of seabirds. Your photos capture their beauty and quirky colours and make me want to go!
Fabulous:)