Iceland .. Birdwatching, Lake Mývatn and environs

We transferred to Lake Mývatn from Egilsstaðir on Tuesday, following the ring road - Rte 1 – north then west across a high plateau, in monochrome of snow, ice and black lava fields.

Pink-footed Gosse (Anser brachyrhynchus) were everywhere in the landscape, and we added Northern Pintail (Anas acuta), and our first Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) to the trip’s birding list. Passing Hverir, we descended Mt. Namafjall (Namaskard) and enjoyed our first views of Lake Mývatn to the immediate west.

Arriving at Sel - Hótel Mývatn Ca. 16:30, we checked in and grabbed a craft beer or two of the local Geysir bread IPA brewed by Mývatn Öl.

 
We raised the glass to twenty years of wedded bliss and congratulated ourselves for finally completing the Rte 1 - this being our third and partial tour of Iceland. The first part completed on our Honeymoon, the second on our 10th Wedding Anniversary, and this trip to tie the ends together and celebrate our 20th Wedding Anniversary.

In 2003 we had both started birdwatching solely in preparation for our honeymoon trip to Iceland – on the recommendation from A’s work colleagues, who said that we should not (and could not!) miss the spectacle of Iceland’s breeding avifauna.

My sharpest of recollections of that inaugural trip are of the bonkers landscape, and the quality of the bird species which we saw (often for the first time ever) as we made our way slowly north and then east from Keflavik to Lake Mývatn.

A Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) feigning a broken wing and leading me away from its nest site, as I had naively strode-out across a lichen encrusted lava field, from a viewpoint on the mountain pass to Stykkishólmur. Not understanding that the desolate landscape was probably chock-full of ground nesting birds. White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) nesting on a rock outcrop in the middle of the natural harbour between Stykkishólmur and Landey, a second of this species seen later as it flew around and below us whilst we stood on the low hill of Helgafell.

Then at Lake Mývatn when a small flotilla of Red-throated Diver (Gavia stellata) swam towards us in a heart-stopping moment, whilst around them like whirligigs a handful of Red-necked Phalaropes pirouetted in an insect feeding flock. And that Great Northern Diver (Gavia immer) in full sparkling summer plumage still on the stillest of lake waters, some 20m offshore. Watched, as I ate my packed lunch of salami and cheese sandwiches and drank strong black, and sweet Earl Grey Tea from my vacuum flask.

Iceland was the gateway drug to my birdwatching as an adult – a hobby that would become something of an obsession in those early years following our honeymoon – and the point on which my life would slowly turn towards a future career in conservation and habitat management.

That was then, and now we were back – full circle – refreshed and recovered from the day’s drive, we finished our beers and headed across the road to the Psuedocraters.

Lake Mývatn, pseudocraters

Lake Mývatn, towards Vindbelgjarfjall

Slavonian Grebe (Podiceps auritus) 
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)

Red-necked Phalarope

Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)

Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)

Wigeon (Anas penelope)

Arctic Tern

Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)

Arctic Tern

Slavonian Grebe

return to Lake Mývatn 20yrs on

Over the last part of this week, we have re-explored the landscape and birdlife around the Lake, spent many hours photographing Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) and the areas specialty Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) on the River Laxa, re-visited the Sulphur pits at Hverir, and the lava field at Dimmuborgir.