We decided to make an early start as we had to make our way back to Reykjavik for an early flight home tomorrow. We had breakfast, packed the van and were away by 7.00 for the long drive to Geysir. On the way we had some really lovely views with the sun rising over the hills. There were lots of Fulmars flying along the cliffs and sitting on, presumably, potential nest sites. As we turned inland there was much more snow and Lake Pingvallavatn was mostly frozen.
We stopped on a road running along Lake Laugervatn where we found a couple of pairs of Barrow's Goldeneye as well as some Red-breasted Mergansers enjoying the slightly warmer water kept ice free from the geo-thermal outflows.
We stopped a few times as we crossed the East/West divide but didn't see much until we headed into the car park at Geyser. This geyser gives it's name to all hot water spouts around the world but rarely erupts now. Luckily there is Strokkur which performs regularly about every 8 minutes.
Our route took us back south towards Reykjavik and we were lucky to find another ice free river with Mallard, Whooper swan and some Barrow's Goldeneye, giving much better views.
As we drove we saw several geo-thermal units steaming away.
Our next goal was a return to the Pol garden centre for the Lincoln's Sparrow. We arrived armed with some Trill to encourage it. A we waited we heard and saw a Crossbill, several Redwing, Blackbirds, Redpolls of them dark, Icelandic race and after a half an hour or so the sparrow turned up hopping among the lower branches and this time I managed to see it.
Next stop was to the docks and oil tanks at Orfirisey. We drove up and down and eventually found the right way to the coast. Parking up in the car park of a book shop, walked across the gravelly spaces and made our way behind the wire fence to a gap in the coastal rock. Defences and there, in front of us, was the American White-winged Scoter.
Our last goal was a Hooded Merganser at Hrauntunstjorn just outside Reykjavik. This was a lovely place with pools, bushes and a small river that broadened out into pools and eventually a large, frozen lake. There was also some frozen reservoir areas with small bits of open water. As we parked up a couple of lads made their way out of the undergrowth, explaining that the bird had probably just flown away and it would probably be best to go round to the other side. When we got round there we scanned across the lake and checked all the Tufted ducks but no sign. We drove back and forth a couple of times and Wez, Chris and Tony checked out different bits of the river but no sign. As the sun set we drove towards the hotel near the International Airport at Keflavik. It wasn't quite where we expected but we found it eventually. It was B&B only so we went round to a nearby grill for our evening meal. We then decided to drive out to clear, dark spot in the hope of aurora. We sat in a picnic spot for about an hour with no luck and with an early start decided to give up, fill up the van and go to bed. Turning round to return to the garage I spotted some very possible green glows in the sky so we filled up the van and then headed out towards Sandgeroi until we could see them clearly and there above us where some, admittedly low level aurora which we watched and tried to photograph before turning in for a few hours sleep and an early start for the flight home.
We stopped on a road running along Lake Laugervatn where we found a couple of pairs of Barrow's Goldeneye as well as some Red-breasted Mergansers enjoying the slightly warmer water kept ice free from the geo-thermal outflows.
We stopped a few times as we crossed the East/West divide but didn't see much until we headed into the car park at Geyser. This geyser gives it's name to all hot water spouts around the world but rarely erupts now. Luckily there is Strokkur which performs regularly about every 8 minutes.
Our route took us back south towards Reykjavik and we were lucky to find another ice free river with Mallard, Whooper swan and some Barrow's Goldeneye, giving much better views.
As we drove we saw several geo-thermal units steaming away.
Our next goal was a return to the Pol garden centre for the Lincoln's Sparrow. We arrived armed with some Trill to encourage it. A we waited we heard and saw a Crossbill, several Redwing, Blackbirds, Redpolls of them dark, Icelandic race and after a half an hour or so the sparrow turned up hopping among the lower branches and this time I managed to see it.
Next stop was to the docks and oil tanks at Orfirisey. We drove up and down and eventually found the right way to the coast. Parking up in the car park of a book shop, walked across the gravelly spaces and made our way behind the wire fence to a gap in the coastal rock. Defences and there, in front of us, was the American White-winged Scoter.
Our last goal was a Hooded Merganser at Hrauntunstjorn just outside Reykjavik. This was a lovely place with pools, bushes and a small river that broadened out into pools and eventually a large, frozen lake. There was also some frozen reservoir areas with small bits of open water. As we parked up a couple of lads made their way out of the undergrowth, explaining that the bird had probably just flown away and it would probably be best to go round to the other side. When we got round there we scanned across the lake and checked all the Tufted ducks but no sign. We drove back and forth a couple of times and Wez, Chris and Tony checked out different bits of the river but no sign. As the sun set we drove towards the hotel near the International Airport at Keflavik. It wasn't quite where we expected but we found it eventually. It was B&B only so we went round to a nearby grill for our evening meal. We then decided to drive out to clear, dark spot in the hope of aurora. We sat in a picnic spot for about an hour with no luck and with an early start decided to give up, fill up the van and go to bed. Turning round to return to the garage I spotted some very possible green glows in the sky so we filled up the van and then headed out towards Sandgeroi until we could see them clearly and there above us where some, admittedly low level aurora which we watched and tried to photograph before turning in for a few hours sleep and an early start for the flight home.
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