Quest Nature Tours - page 5 of 6

Special Birds of Iceland

Arctic Tern on Flatey Island on 3 July 2015

Female and male Barrow's Goldeneye on Laxa River at Lake Myvatn on 5 July. A North American species, this is the farthest east they breed.

Female Tufted Duck (left) and female Greater Scaup with young on Laxa River at Lake Myvatn on 5 July.

Female Common Eider with two fluffy young on Hrisey Island on 6 July. We saw many females with young and flocks of males that were gathering to molt.

Pair of Red-throated Loons with young on 8 July at Thingvellir.

Parasitic Jaeger (Arctic Skua) caught a Redwing. Lake Myvatn on 5 July.

Pink-footed Geese near Akureyri on 4 July. They nest in the highlands.

Female Harlequin on Laxa River at Lake Myvatn on 5 July 2015. A North American species, this is the farthest east Harlequins breed.

Adult Black-tailed Godwit on Hrisey Island on 6 July.

American Golden-Plover at Hveravellir in the central highlands of Iceland on 7 July,

European "White-rumped" Whimbrel near main road and busy parking lot at Vik on the south coast. It may be supervising young Whimbrel in the vegetation below. 9 July. We saw Whimbrel at this same location in 2014 and 2013.

Common Redshank near Reykjavik on 30 June. This striking shorebird is vocal and prominent.

Eurasian Oystercatcher at Lamb Inn where we stayed near Akureyri. It came in frequently to feed in the large field outside our rooms. 6 July.

Common Ringed Plover near Hotel Framnes on Snaefellsnes Peninsula on 3 July.

Northern Wheatear at Hveravellir in central Iceland on 7 July. The hot springs produce moisture and warmth, which create a microclimate that permits plants to grow in contrast to the stark, rocky and sparsely vegetated landscape across the interior of Iceland.

Please go to page 6 - Our Quest Group in Iceland