Marianne Wakelin
Iceland Lake Myvatn (Midge Lake) in northern Iceland is a volcanic lake. A short distance away are hot water geothermal baths popular with swimmers, and bubbling mud pools and fumaroles smelling strongly of sulphur. Huge numbers of midges are found by the lake in summer – as a result, birding in the area is fantastic, with 13 species of Duck nesting in the area: Harlequin Ducks; Common Scoters; Tufted Ducks; Common Loons (Great Northern Divers); etc . Alas, I was on a general tour last June so there was no time for serious birding as we trudged up the nearby pseudo-craters. Bird life however was evident all around us. Never have I had such perfect and close views of Common Snipe, Red-necked Phalarope or Slavonian Grebe. Were they guarding precious eggs and chicks hidden in the grass and reeds? In a field near our hotel, pairs of Redshanks, calling loudly to each other vigorously defended their territories against Black-headed Gulls (and us). Arctic Terns, with their sharp beaks, were to be avoided at all costs.
2 Comments
Rosemary Lloyd
2/4/2020 10:59:20 am
Lovely one Marianne.
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2/4/2020 03:25:44 pm
Loved your blog, Marianne. It brought back very happy memories from when I visited Iceland some years ago, & saw so many new birds. And the clear atmosphere, due to geothermal heating rather than coal, was very conducive to taking good, clear, photos!!
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