Iceland Circumnavigation with Worldwide Quest -
page 6 |
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Black-tailed Godwit is a spectacular
European breeding shorebird and is an Icelandic specialty. Velvet
Bells are in the foreground. Skalanes near Seydisfjordur. 26 June
2016. I thank Bjarki
Borgþórsson for taking me to the peninsula. |
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Click here for video of
Red-necked Phalarope with Black-tailed Godwit keeking in background |
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Getting to
Skalanes Nature Reserve is an adventure crossing three
swiftly-flowing rivers. |
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European Golden-Plover
is another Icelandic specialty. Icelanders are very fond of this
bird because its arrival to breed marks the beginning of spring. Near Seydisfjordur on 26 June 2016. |
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Eurasian Oystercatcher
chick is quite advanced. Near Seydisfjordur on 26 June 2016. |
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Two colour morphs of
Parasitic Jaeger (Arctic Skua), a presumed pair. Please see video
for courting behaviour. |
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Click on photo or
link for video of these two Parasitic Jaegers displaying to each
other. |
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This young Gyrfalcon couldn't fly. Staff
at Skalanes Nature Reserve first thought it hit a fence and injured
itself, so were caring for it on 26 June
2016 when I visited. However I learned on 21 July from our
guide, Bjarki
Borgþórsson, that the Gyrfalcon was very greasy
possibly with fulmar vomit and was taken to specialists in
Reykjavik for cleaning.
NEWS: 16 October 2016: our Gyrfalcon
was released successfully after rehab in Reyjkavik.
Here's a link to a video on
Facebook:
http://bit.ly/2etbmsd Hope it works. Otherwise
please try
http://bit.ly/2e6YIhT |
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Black-legged
Kittiwakes on nest cliffs. 26 June 2016. |
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Click on photo above
or link for video of
Black-legged Kittiwakes on nest cliff |
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Common Eider chicks in an incubator.
Some were rescued after they roamed away from parent and brood. They
are free to return to the ocean when they are ready. They receive a
food supplement to keep them healthy. Skalanes on 26
June 2016. |
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Click on
photo or link for Common Eider chicks in incubator and eating food
supplement. Skalanes on 26 June 2016. |
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Baby Common Eiders
rest in a circle on the shore at Akureyri on 23 June 2016. An adult
was close by, see below. Maybe they are huddling to keep warm.
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Adult Common Eider
near babies. What an endearing sight! |
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Female Common Eider
caring for young. Near Seydisfjordur on 26 June 2016 |
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After breeding, male Common Eiders
gather along the coast. Soon they will be molting. |
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Please go to page 7 |
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