Harlequins & Northern Lights Thu 6th Mon 10th Feb 2014

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1 Limosa Holidays & Travelling Naturalist Trip Report Iceland: Harlequins & Northern Lights Thu 6th Mon 10th Feb 2014 (Photos, from the top): two stunning views of the Aurora Borealis on our second night absolutely stunning! Looking out over Iceland s south coast Watching Harlequin Ducks at Hlíðarvatn More Aurora over the mountans The geyser at Geysir erupts all photos Andy Jones, report compiled by tour leader: Andy Jones 1 Limosa Holidays & The Travelling Naturalist

2 Trip Diary Tour Leader: Andy Jones with Keith & Alison Baker, Janey McEwan and Charles & Marie Lowe Travelling in Iceland during the winter months is exhilarating. The landscape provides a spectacular backdrop to the harsh, wintry conditions that wildlife must endure to survive this tough period. Clear nights are sometimes enlivened with displays of the Northern Lights. What follows is a summary of the places visited on The Travelling Naturalist and Limosa Holiday s February 2014 trip to Iceland. Also included is a list of the birds and mammals we encountered. Thursday 6 February 2014 Overcast with light sleet showers. Temperatures a degree or two above freezing. The flights arrived on time and we were soon on our way from Keflavík airport. We called in at Njarðvík and had our first chance to identify the differences between Iceland and Glaucous Gulls. We had great views here of both species and also recorded Wigeon, Teal, Greylag Goose and Whooper Swans. We drove along the Reykjanes peninsula and as we went we learned about the Mid-Atlantic ridge and how the two crustal plates are moving apart, creating the new volcanic landscapes around us. Geologically speaking we undertook an intercontinental journey as we left the plate carrying the North American continent and crossed onto the European one. We soon reached our lovely guesthouse, located on the flanks of the Mid-Atlantic ridge, amidst the wonderful scenery of south Iceland. After settling in we were grateful for a delicious dinner served to us. Later we learned a little more about Iceland and our plans for the days ahead. Sadly, the low cloud meant there was no chance of an auroral display. Friday 7 February 2014 Blustery start with sleet and rain but brightening later to a pleasant afternoon and evening. Temperatures around freezing all day. This morning, we headed for one of Iceland s best known sites the hot springs and geysers at Geysir. We enjoyed a stroll around the geothermal area and watched several eruptions of the geyser, Strokkur. There were Ravens cavorting in the area and we also heard and glimpsed Common (Icelandic) Redpolls flying over a small woodland. As we travelled to the wonderful glacial river waterfall at Gullfoss we saw a Merlin perched on a rock just a few metres from the road; we all had wonderful views before the bird flew away in the direction of the nearby canyon. The falls were partly frozen and the only sign of life, apart from the visitors, were more Ravens patrolling the canyon edge. We strolled along the cliffs and had spectacular views of this wonderful waterfall. We took a break for our picnic lunch at Brúarhlöð and explored the area, learning more about the geology of this part of Iceland. At Laugarvatn we scanned the lake for birds and were rewarded with some good views of Barrow s Goldeneye: there were around 10 of them on the water. We also noted Goosander and Mallard out on the lake. We travelled to the rivers and pools of Sogið where we had a great time watching Barrow s Goldeneyes drifting downstream with the strong current. On another pool we noted Wigeon, Red-breasted Merganser, Goosander and Tufted Duck; there were a few Whooper Swans as well. As we were getting ready to leave we noted a huge White-tailed Eagle perched on a small island on the lake we all had some great views. 2 Limosa Holidays & The Travelling Naturalist

3 On a visit to the lakeside church at Úlfljótsvatn we saw more Barrow s Goldeneyes and Redbreasted Mergansers offshore. The light was fading as we headed for our guesthouse and another delicious dinner. We waited patiently and were eventually rewarded as we were treated to a wonderful display of the Aurora Borealis later in the evening. We saw auroral curtains, shimmering, the auroral arc or band and, briefly, an unusual serrated aurora. Magical! Saturday 8 February 2014 Bright and clear all day but with a strong N wind at first. Temperatures around freezing. Starting the day by watching the sun rise over the south coast of Iceland, we then had good views of the volcanoes of Eyjafjallajökull and Hekla as we travelled westwards along the coast, before calling in at a small bay near Hlíðarvatn. It was windy here, but we found some shelter on the steep, pebble beach. The highlight was a flock of around a dozen Harlequin Ducks flying off to the east. There was a Common Seal just a few metres offshore, seemingly as interested in us as we were in him. Further away, we saw Long-tailed Ducks and a steady procession of Iceland Gulls flying along the coast and Gannets fishing far offshore. We learned about the lava flows and formations in the area. At Hlíðarvatn we found a sheltered spot and had another very pleasant spell of birdwatching, noting Tufted Duck and Greater Scaup. There were some Whooper Swans along the edge of the water and we had good, close-up views of two Ravens as they flew past us. At Strandarkirkja we saw our first waders of the trip two Ruddy Turnstones feeding on the weed covered rocks. In the bay, there were Atlantic Grey Seals, two Great Northern Divers and, as we ate our picnic in the shelter of the sea wall, we saw a Wren of the Icelandic race. Further along the coast we had distant views of several Harlequin ducks and a Black Guillemot. We spent a bit of time having a pleasant walk along the coast. There are many hundreds of Iceland Gulls in the harbour at Þorlákshöfn and offshore there were two Shags amongst the far more numerous Cormorants. Near Eyrarbakki we saw the exciting sight of a blow from a Humpback Whale offshore. Soon more blows appeared and we spent a wonderful hour or so in the company of at least five, perhaps six whales; the nearest was only 150 metres or so beyond the breakwater and we had some splendid views. One of the whales breached several times. Calming down, in the more sheltered water we found a drake Harlequin and a duck just a few metres from us. There were also a few Purple Sandpiper here. Offshore, we could see the Westman Islands and noted the superior mirage effect as the islands appeared to float above the horizon. During the evening, the clouds rolled in, but we managed a glimpse of the Aurora behind them. It had been another wonderful day. Sunday 9 February 2014 Clear and bright all day but clouding over in the evening. Temperatures at or below freezing. This morning, we took a short walk to the geothermal springs in Hveragerði and found the Icelandic race of Common Redpoll. There was a single Redwing near a small wood. The hot springs to the north of the town developed after an earthquake in 2008 and we learned more about geothermal and seismic activity in Iceland. Along the pools and rivers south of Þingvallavatn, we searched for Barrow s Goldeneye and eventually found two on a small pool. We also saw Goosander, Red-breasted Merganser and 3 Limosa Holidays & The Travelling Naturalist

4 Tufted Duck here. Next we headed towards Þingvellir and the great lake of Þingvallavatn. Þingvellir is on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list as it is the location of the old Viking parliament from AD 930. We stopped on the edge of the magnificent rift valley, where a constructive plate boundary separates, geologically, America from Europe. The view was magnificent and we saw some of the typical plants of Iceland including: Crowberry, Bilberry, heather, Bearberry and Mountain Avens. We also saw lots of the lichens and mosses that cover the new lava landscapes of the area. The dominant mosses are Racomitrium and we noted great mounds covering the lava rocks. We had our lunchtime sandwiches in a sheltered spot near the edge of the lake, followed by a wonderful walk in the national park, though we needed to take care on the slippery paths. The hoped for Barrow s Goldeneyes didn t appear this time, but the view and the weather more than compensated and we enjoyed our stroll around the site of the old Viking parliament. Our drive along the western side of the lake was along some slippery roads and in the hope of seeing some Ptarmigan. Unfortunately, there was no luck for us today, but a large bird flying in the distance resolved itself into a White-tailed Eagle as we watched it through our binoculars. It flew languidly around the area and we enjoyed watching it for several minutes. After dinner, we had another Aurora session. Despite being bitterly cold outside we were rewarded with a display high over the mountains. Though not as strong as Friday s showing, we stood and enjoyed watching the development of the Aurorae. We also learned to find our way around the night sky by identifying the constellations and stars. We saw Jupiter and its four Gallilean satellites. Monday 10 February 2014 Another bright and clear day though colder with temperatures falling to -6 C in places. We had a wonderful drive across the mountains of the Mid-Atlantic ridge as we headed for Iceland s capital, Reykjavík. The clear visibility meant that we could see the ice-covered volcano of Snæfellsjökull in the distance. Firstly, we visited the viewpoint at Perlan and enjoyed good views across the city, before moving on for a productive spot of birdwatching near the harbour, noting all the familiar species and adding a single Redshank to the list. We also had some very good views of a group of Purple Sandpipers on the edge of the shore. The city centre pond was largely frozen, but in the ice-free area near the edge we had good views of several of the wildfowl species we had recorded during the trip. All too soon it was time to travel to the airport for the return flight to London. It had been a great trip and many thanks for your company; I hope we ll meet on another Travelling Naturalist or Limosa Holidays trip again one day. Andy Jones 4 Limosa Holidays & The Travelling Naturalist

5 ANNOTATED LIST OF BIRDS RECORDED (Total species record by group:41) Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus Fairly common, seen on four days, including Njarðvíkand at Sogið Greylag Goose Anser anser Recorded on two days, firstly at Njarðvík Wigeon Anas penelope Noted on two dates, at e.g. Njarðvík and Sogið Teal Anas crecca Seen in low numbers at Njarðvík Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Seen commonly on four dates Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula Recorded in small numbers on two days Njarðvík and Hlíðarvatn Greater Scaup Aythya marila Seen among the Tufties at Hlíðarvatn Eider Somateria mollissima Good numbers on two days Harlequin Duck Histrionicus histrionicus We enjoyed good views of this lovely duck, though in low numbers on two days: near Þorlákshöfnon and Eyrarbakki then at Hlíðarvatn Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis Seen on two days including at Hlíðarvatn Barrow's Goldeneye Bucephala islandica Seen at Laugarvatn, Sogið and Úlfljótsvatn on 7th and þingvallavatn on 9th Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator Seen fairly commonly on three days Goosander Mergus merganser Low numbers noted on two days Great Northern Diver Gavia immer Again low numbers on two days, e.g. at Strandarkirkja Gannet Morus bassanus Seen distantly offshore near Hlíðarvatn Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Fairly common and seen on three dates Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis Just seen on one day White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla Seen at Sogið and Þingvallavatn Merlin Falco columbarius Seen only at Gullfoss Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima Low numbers on two dates, the last at Reykjavik Redshank Tringa totanus Just one at Reykjavik 5 Limosa Holidays & The Travelling Naturalist

6 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres Noted on a couple of dates Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Seen fairly commonly on two dates Common Gull Larus canus Seen on one day only Herring Gull Larus argentatus Noted fairly commonly on three days Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides Seen commonly on four days at different coastal locations. Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus Two dates at the coast, e.g., Njarðvík Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus Recorded on three days. Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle Noted on two dates, e.g. Strandarkirkja Feral Pigeon Columba livia Recorded on two dates Wren Troglodytes troglodytes The Icelandic race islandicus was seen on just one day Redwing Turdus iliacus Low numbers seen on two days Raven Corvus corax Recorded fairly commonly on all dates Starling Sturnus vulgaris Recorded each day Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea islandica Fairly common and noted on three dates Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis Recorded on just one day Mammals Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae Common Seal Phoca vitulina Atlantic Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus 6 Limosa Holidays & The Travelling Naturalist