Discovering Iceland was an absolute treat. Here are a few chapters in the story, with many more as we have time to write them and process the photos.
Puffins! Maybe it’s Puffin Wednesday?
It’s a little amazing that these guys can stay out at sea for more time than on land. The adults that were shuttling in little fishes to their pufflings were way too fast for me to photograph, but it was a treat to watch them.
The Terns were busy, or had someone taller than me to bother, but here are a few aerials from them. On our last day on the Reykjanes Peninsula, we watched them flying back and forth carrying little fish (one way) just like the Puffins. They were very focused on that task, but seemed to enjoy zooming in and out just a few feet over land or water.
Birds!
The ranger told Susan “you better stay close to him” pointing to me- I thought she’d pegged me for a troublemaker- weird. Actually the Arctic Terns nesting in the area will harass the tallest person around, rather than the shorter ones. And they did! They kept dive bombing me shrieking as if I were going to steal the eggs from the nest.
It was an absolute joy to listen to the cacophony of birds in so many places, without the competition of man made noises. The Puffins in Borgarfjordur- Eystri, the Terns in the Westmann Islands, The great colonies in the Latrabjarg Cliffs (Kittiwakes, Puffins, Razorbills, Guillemot, Fulmer) and most of the waterfall canyons that we hikes had cliff dwelling birds enjoying the Icelandic Summer. We explored the tidal lake land near our camp in Reykholar and were escorted thru the property by Redshank, Blacktailed Godwit, Whimbrels, Ptarmigan, Plover, Snipe, Terns, Loons, and caught a glimpse of the elusive white tailed Eagle. How much fun is that!?
