27th June, Mick Southcott, Jonathan Lethbridge and myself, depart London Heathrow 21.30 hours, landed Keflavik Airport, Iceland and into hire car by Midnight !
28th June, Sunset, 00.03 hours, sunrise at 03.00 hours, no darkness, just a bit gloomy, low grey cloud !
The plan is that we make our way (215 km) to Stykkisholmur where we are based for our 3 nights stay in Iceland.
Day 1. (today), Get the 09.00 hours Ferry Baldur, Stykkisholmur to Flatey to see Red-necked Phalarope !
Day 2. Look round the Snaefellsnes Peninsula.
Day 3. Lake Myvatn !
03.00 hours, we are just north of Borgarnes,
Ptarmigan
Common Snipe, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Redwing, Meadow Pipit
Red-throated Diver
The light is not good, no photos, but plenty of birds to look at !
c08.00 hours we arrive Stykkisholmur,
09.00 hours, on ferry, 90 minute crossing to Flatey
Flatey !
two pairs of Black Guillimot, nesting in Harbour wall,
Red-necked Phalarope walking about the path, more in grass and some more on the sea.
Puffin, 3, Snow Bunting, 3, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail and Starling
Redshank, Fulmar
Puffin
Red-necked Phalarope
Four hours on Flatey was enough for me and Mick !
Leaving Jono, we caught the next ferry back to Stykkisholmur
spending the rest of the day exploring the Snaefellsnes Peninsula.
Golden Plover
Red-necked Phalarope
Glaucous Gull, adult summer
22.00 hours, we met up with Jono back at Stykkisholmur, evening meal,
Bed at midnight ! !
......................................................................
Day 2, 29/7
03.30 hours, we are up and out exploring the Snaefellsnes Peninsula.
Red-throated Diver
Harlequin Duck
Red-necked Phalarope
A full on day out to include seeing
Artic Terns, 1000's and 1,000's, impossible to estimate how many !
Kittiwake, a colony, Fulmar, many
Red breasted Merganser, Long-tailed Duck,
Artic Skua, lots
Great Northern Diver, several !
Slavonian Grebe, 2
Great Northern Diver
22.00 hours, back at Stykkisholmur, evening meal,
Mick and I had the local speciality, '''Smoked Guillimot''' for starters, Jono tried a bit !
Bed at midnight ! !
......................................................................
I could not sleep !
Day 3. 30/7
03.00 hours, we start out for Myvatn, c440 kilometres
a couple of stops, to change drivers,
Pink-foot Geese, with young, crossing road, on several occasions
Redshank on posts everywhere !
north of Akureyri, stopping at Godafoss to take in scenery
a Whimbrel and a pair of Snow Bunting posed for the camera !
Whimbrel
Snow Bunting
Arriving at Myvatn around 10.00 hours,
a flock of Barrow's Goldeneye were resting close in, stealth approach, the light was perfect !
Barrow's Goldeneye,
continuing around Myvatn
Tufted Duck
Common Scoter
Red-throated Diver
Red-necked Phalarope
leaving Myvatn, c17.00 hours.
the weather is changing, wind is getting much stronger, lot of cloud, rain threatening
a brief stop to see Golden Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Redwing and Meadow Pipit
Golden Plover
Black-tailed Godwit
only 15 kilometres out of Myvatn, we are passing Masvatn, a large lake, the wind is very strong ! light, still just reasonable !
Three Great Northern Diver, very close in, sheltering from the wind, in the lee of the road !
this Red-necked Phalarope dropped in close by to me !
back with the Great Northern Diver
rain, wind and dark clouds stopped this photo session !
Back in the car for the long drive back to Stykkisholmur.
Passing through Akureyri, Mick spotted a Gyr Falcon, it flew by on our right, emergency stop, allowed very brief view as it vanished in the low cloud and poor visibility.
Continuing on, we arrived Stykkisholmur about midnight.
Sleep ! !
................................................................................
Day 4. 1/8
I woke at 03.00 hours, looked out of window, weather, light, dismal ! !
Mick went out, I went back to sleep !
07.00 hours, we are out, today is to make our way back to the airport for our 18.00 hours flight back to London.
The weather was difficult, all day, plenty of birds to look at, but no photographs ! !
Arrived London 22.00 hours.
Very nice set of images Richard.
ReplyDeleteSuperb shots
ReplyDeleteStunning!!!
ReplyDelete