Iceland – Land of Fire and Ice
3 – 10 July 2010
- Price per person: £1100
- Deposit per person: £300
- Suggested flights: Icelandair run daily flights to Reykjavik from London Heathrow. Iceland Express run daily flights to Reykjavik from London Gatwick.
Iceland, a land of dramatic brooding seacliffs, undulating moorland, lava fields, wildfowl-rich wetlands and of course some world famous hot springs. Although the number of breeding species is limited (especially passerines) the island offers some of the most sought after and enigmatic specialities in Europe.
In parts these have a distinct nearctic flavour with Great Northern Diver (or Common Loon!), the smart Barrow’s Goldeneye and the stunning Harlequin Duck. The latter 2 will be high on many birders’ wanted lists and with Brunnich’s Guillemot and Gyr Falcon make up the ‘big 4’ that Iceland is renowned for.
Add the islands other special nesting birds such as Grey Phalarope (at probably its only WP breeding location), Red-necked Phalarope, Ptarmigan, White-tailed Eagle, Merlin, Purple Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Slavonian Grebe, Red-breasted Merganser, Scaup, Long-tailed Duck, Common Scoter, Whooper Swan, Glaucous Gull, Black Guillemot, Puffin, Common (Mealy) Redpoll and Snow Bunting and you’ll soon see how importants Iceland is a breeding outpost.
A highlight of the tour will be the day we spend whale watching from aboard our chartered boat off the Snaefell peninsular. The waters here are some of the most cetacean rich in the world and we’ll hope to see Killer Whale, Northern Minke Whale, Humpback Whale and with luck the absolutely unforgettable Blue Whale, the largest mammal on the planet. Dolphins should also be present with pods of White-beaked and White-sided being the most likely.
Very long daylight hours means that extra-curricular birding is possible almost round the clock for those with insomnia!
With such stunning birds and mammals set in an ever-changing and unique volcanic landscape you cannot fail to be inspired and enthralled.
Our tour promises to be a truly memorable one.
Day 1
Icelandair flights to Reykjavik arrive late in the evening so we will meet and make our way to our conveniently situated accommodation nearby.
Night at Njardvik
Day 2
Heading north from the Reykjavik area along the west coast of the country we’ll head for the rugged Snaefell peninsular where we’ll be based for 3 nights.
Our aim on this first day will be to explore the massive seabird cliffs in the shadow of the Snaefellsjokull volcano. Auks are the main attraction here and they are present in huge numbers. We should see Brunnich’s Guillemot, Black Guillemot, Common Guillemot, Razorbill and Puffin whilst Shags loaf on the rocks and Northern Wheatears hop about on the lava fields.
The wetlands of the peninsular should give us our first look at the colourful local race of Black-tailed Godwit whilst Great Northern Diver, Slavonian Grebe, Eider and the fiercely territorial Arctic Tern also breed in the vicinity.
The coastal bays often harbour drake Harlequin Ducks as they disperse to the coast after they have fathered their young leaving the females behind to carry on with parental duties!
Night on Snaefell Peninsular
Day 3
Today will primarily dedicated to whales. We’ll be taking an excursion out from the peninsular for what should prove to be an unforgettable experience. This is the prime time of the year for whale sightings and once out in to the open ocean we will start scanning for fins and blows. Our captain and crew are highly experienced at spotting the tell tale signs that cetaceans are about and will announce them loudly from the bridge to ensure we don’t miss a thing! We stand a very good chance of locating Killer Whale, Northern Minke Whale, Humpback Whale and the big one – Blue Whale.
Birds of the sea could include Kittiwake, Northern Fulmar, Gannet and Great and Artcic Skuas as well as the ubiquitous auks.
Any spare time we get either before or after our ‘pelagic’ will be spent birding locally.
Night on the Snaefell Peninsular
Day 4
We will take to the water once again today but with a different aim. This time we will be on the scheduled ferry that runs from Stykkisholmur on the north side of the peninsular out across the bay of Breidafjordur to the small and isolated Flatey Island. We will spend several hours exploring the island aiming to connect with its undoubted star attraction – Grey Phalarope. To see these birds in their resplendent summer garb is almost like seeing a new species to UK birders more used to seeing juvenile and winter plumaged birds on passage.
Birding on foot around the island makes a pleasant and relaxing change from the norm and we’ll be treated to great views of the islands many Red-necked Phalaropes, Snow Buntings, Redwings, Puffins and Black Guillemots. Eider are also very common (and of the North American race borealis) and we stand a good chance of a passing White-tailed Eagle, Glaucous Gull or Great Northern Diver all of which breed in the area.
Night on the Snaefell Peninsular
Day 5
We bid a fond farewell to Snaefell this morning and make the long drive eastwards to one of Icelands most famous birding sites – Lake Myvatn. The drive won’t be without its highlights though.
As you’ll have realised by now Iceland has waders everywhere including Redshank, Oystercatcher, Snipe, Ringed Plover, Golden Plover and Whimbrel. Our itinerary and the extended daylight hours of the northern summer mean we should have some time for an initial exploration of the lake area (for details see day 6)
Night at Myvatyn
Day 6
The hugely impressive and ornithologically important Lake Myvatn will receive our full attention today.
Big numbers of wildfowl can be expected including Barrow’s Goldeneye, Scaup, Tufted Duck, Teal, Gadwall, Wigeon, Pintail, Red-breasted Merganser, Goosander, Long-tailed Duck, Common Scoter, Harlequin, Whooper Swan and Pink-footed Goose. There are literally thousands of pairs of spinning Red-necked Phalaropes with several other wader species, Slavonian Grebe, Great Northern and Red-throated Diver. We’ll also take time to check the birch woodland and scrub for Redwing, Common Redpoll and the sizeable ‘Icelandic’ Wren.
Lake Myvatn is the hot spot for that bully boy of the northern wastes Gyr Falcon and the more time we spend out in the field the better our chances of encountering this very special bird.
Night at Myvatyn
Day 7
We make our way west and south today through rolling moorland and stark lava fields – birding as we go.
No trip to Iceland would be complete without a visit to some hot springs and we’ll pause a while at some which will break the journey up nicely.
Night at Njardvik
Day 8
After some early morning birding on the Reykjanes Peninsular and a look at the sea for Manx Shearwaters and other seabirds we’ll make our way back to Keflavik airport for flights home.
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