Iceland February 2014 (a non Gull Blog)

One of the main reasons for going to Iceland last month was for the Aurora Borealis which was probably at its best while we were there. However where we were staying at Grundarfjorour we were plagued by cloud, where as at Keflavic airport at least one photographer got fantastic images.

The very poor image below was my best effort, taken on our last night in Iceland at Keflavic, at ungodly hour in a freezing gale.  

Another reason for our trip was to go on a whale watching boat trip from Grundarfjorour with virtually guaranteed up close and personal views of Killer Whales. Unfortunately the whales hadn't been told we were coming and didn't show. A small compensation was provided by a pod of White Beaked Dolphins. The boat was quite small and very crowded, with far to many passengers for comfortable viewing, not a trip I would recommend even had we seen the Orcas.

White Beaked Dolphin

White Winged Melee over the Dolphins

Grundarfjorour from the Whale watch Boat

 Just a ten minute drive from Grundarfjorour is a fjord called Kolgrafafjourdur that has a bridge over it that the Orcas swim under following the Herring shoals. So after the disappointment of the boat trip we drove over there to try our luck.

Watching Killer Whales from the bridge at Kolgrafafjourdur

 As soon as we arrived we spotted 4+ Killer Whales which never really came close. They constantly had large melee of Gulls over them taking advantage of the Herring that the Whales pushed to the surface. Despite waiting till virtually dark the whales stayed in the inner part of the Fjord instead of heading out under the bridge to the open sea which would have given us great views.

My best effort of a Killer Whale in the Fiord

 While watching the whales we saw another pod of White Beaked Dolphins, 5+ White Tailed Sea Eagles, 40+ Purple Sandpipers, 100s of Shags, 100s of  Northern Eider and 100s of White Winged Gulls.

White Beaked Dolphins in the Fiord

Harlequin Ducks

From our base at Grundarfjorour we saw Harlequin Ducks each day, unfortunately they were only reasonably close in the early morning, as it did not get light till 09.00 photographing them was problematical with ISO and very slow shutter speeds. We also saw there White Billed, Great Northern and Red Throated Divers, Red Breasted Mergansers, Goosanders, White Tailed Eagles, Northern Eiders, Shags, Long-tailed Ducks, a flock of several hundred Snow Buntings and 100s of White Winged Gulls.

We also found what we at first thought was a King Eider which got us very excited. On closer inspection the shoulders should be black and the bill is not quite right. It is an Eider/King Eider hybrid!   

On our last day we visited Geysir where Strokkur performed about every 8 minutes.

Strokkur Geyser

Photo Bombed!!!

 Many of the lakes held Whooper Swans

On our way back to Reykjavic we caught up with several Barrow's Goldeneye and a an American White Winged Scoter and more Long-tailed Ducks, all of which were to distant for any worth while images.

 Also on our last day we visited the Poll Garden Centre, where an American vagrant a Lincoln's Sparrow has taken up residence, which I believe is a first record for the Western Palearctic. While at the garden centre we saw a Common Crossbill (an Icelandic rarity) a Wren, a Goldcrest, a Short Eared Owl, Redwings, Blackbirds, Sbnow Buntings, Icelandic Redpolls and the seemingly ever present Ravens which were decidedly camera shy. 

 Lincoln's Sparrow

Tree dwelling Snow Buntings

 A frozen landscape!

The stunning view of 100s of White Winged Gulls from the harbour wall at Sneafellsbear.

Hopefully the Gull Blog tomorrow!!!