We got away from the main road and at once the birding opportunities multiplied. We spent a long time just trying to identify a juvenile Parasitic Skua (Stercorarius parasiticus). There was a white bellied cormorant, called a Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis)", sitting on its nest in the muddy tidal flats. But most interesting to me, the Black-Tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa islandica) which is really "Iceland's bird", despite what all the Puffin-people say. It's long bill is ½ yellow and ½ black. So cool.
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It is important to mention also the Dwarf Birch tree (Betula nana) which we studied. This tiny tree is a surviver of the Ice Age here in Iceland and it grows only to about three feet tall.
All the birds here are beginning to "molt", which is the dropping of the breeding plumage and preparing to migrate. This makes identification troublesome. And stir that in with the idea that some birds wear a whole different wardrobe as juveniles, at one year, and at two years. And then there are sometimes gender differences. And also the special feather patterns of time-worn-ness and weathering. Birding gets complicated fast.
We drove to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, which is the first big peninsula north of the capital on the map above. Right before dinner in the little town of Stykkisholmur, Berry saw her first Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica). Hurray for her !
The terrain is still wildly volcanic up here. Huge red-brown pyramids of lava and fields of craggy singed ash and rock. The Icelanders have gotten used to it, but it is like living on the moon. This place is a geologist's dream.
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Note from the road: the Icelandic farmers shrink wrap their bales of hay. There are huge white plastic bags on the bales of hay as we drive by.
-Robert
(photo credits: sskulason, rfowler, rfowler)
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